More Projects

 More squares finished for the Weasley Blanket.

I've also picked my next project from the unfinished pile. This one was started November 8th, 2013 so not all of the unfinished projects are old. The pattern is Shilling and there is nothing wrong with it. I just get too busy to knit for a bit there.

Boboli and Dolce

Another project I pulled out of my unfinished pile.

I started it May, 11th 2012 and this one didn't even have any knitting left, just 4 ends to weave in. Stalled out for more than a year from the weaving in the ends. Yep. Not a job I enjoy doing at all.

The multi colored yarn is Berroco Boboli that was gifted to me for my birthday, I think that year, and the brown is Cascade Yarns Dolce, an alpaca yarn, from my stash. It's knit in my favorite K1P1 rib scarf pattern. However, I've developed a sensitivity to alpaca and I'm wondering if it's this very soft scarf will be too itchy. The next step is to wash it really well and rinse with hair conditioner and go from there.

Cover Version

Nerd wars Challenge (Encyclopedia): VOLUME C: COVER VERSION

Your challenge this month is to take inspiration from an existing craft project - either one of yours or someone else’s - and craft something new.

The skein in the back is one I spun of a different round of Nerd Wars. It’s a ply of brown and one of pink. For this challenge I took the leftover singles of the brown and spun up a purple mystery batt and plied the two together. I then spun more of the pink and also plied it with the purple.

It was rather quick spinning since the fibers were well carded and I spun it long draw into a nice, lush, heavy aran weight yarn.

200 yards of the brown/purple
140 yards of pink/purple

Team tie in. There is enough yarn to knit Kaylee a scarf and the pinks, browns, and purples will look real nice with the pink, brown, and peach of her dress.

The Ron Weasley Blanket

Another Harry Potter project.

I don't know how I missed it when the movie came out but when I ran across it recently in The Prisoner of Azkaban (and The Goblet of Fire and The Order of the Pheonix) I was obsessed. 

I had to knit it. I had to knit it RIGHT NOW! I even considered buying the yarn for it but that seemed rather un-Weasley like. However, nothing in my stash looked like it would be enough. I had already knit all of my worsted weight into the Curve of Pursuit last spring.

It took about eight hours before I had the flash. I have a whole lot of scraps of Cascade Eco, it being the one yarn I would knit with for the rest of my life, you know, if I was made to choose and malabrigo Twist didn't exists.

 

I have two skeins of brown in the stash and one of lime green and a whole lot of scraps. It's not worsted weight so the squares are turning out larger but that will mean less sewing in the end. I cast on 30 stitches on size 6 needle and I'm slipping the first stitch of each row. 

The colors aren't a match the original but that is just right for a Weasley blanket. It's more real this way.

Wave Your Flag High

Nerd Wars Challenge (Nerdology): WAVE YOUR FLAG HIGH!

Craft something inspired by a different nerdery that brought out your flag! Wave your Nerd Flag high!!

This is the hat that Hermione wears in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. I love her so much in the books.

The hat is STUNNING. It's great that when I wanted to knit this hat I had the yarn in my stash. No trip to the yarn store needed. I love my stash. The color is a very good match too. It's the nighttime photo that makes the blue grey look so warm toned. And now a ball of Brown Sheep Nature Spun Sport in  Grey Heather from 2003 finally found the right project.

Team tie in:

The color matches Shepard Book's hair.

Button, Button...

Started April 7th, 2012 and it's a project that I had stuffed away for not working out. It's issue was running out of yarn before the arms or button bands were knit.

I think my way of addressing it is rather clever and very attractive and looks like the whole project was planned that way.

I pulled out Grandma's button tin and spent a good long time sorting and choosing. It's like Christmas shopping but better because of no crowds or spending money.

The pattern is Super-Natural Stripes and the yarn Mission Falls 1824 Cotton. I love that yarn so much if it's the spinning from before it was discontinued the first time.

A few weeks ago I helped a coworker set up as stash sale after a knitting family member passed away. I mentioned how nice it is and discontinued so they gave me all she had as a thank you and it was no small amount. I'm now set for a good long time. Hopefully long enough for me to find a non discontinued cotton yarn I like just as much.

Anthocyanins

It's time for more Nerd War entries. I'm still playing for team Browncoat.

Challenge (Discovery): CHEMICAL COLORS

These colours we see and love are due to the tree withdrawing green chlorophyll from the leaves and two groups of chemicals being revealed: the carotenoids (the yellows, oranges and browns) and the anthocyanins (reds and purples).

Your challenge this month is to craft something in the colours of carotenoids or/and anthocyanins

From the USDA Forest Service 

"During the growing season, chlorophyll is continually being produced and broken down and leaves appear green. As night length increases in the autumn, chlorophyll production slows down and then stops and eventually all the chlorophyll is destroyed. The carotenoids and anthocyanins that are present in the leaf are then unmasked and show their colors."

When I picked these leaves up they were such a dark brown that they looked black and were a perfect color match to the yarn. It was the burgundy of Anthocyanins that gave them that color. They sat around a while before I took the photo and the color has faded. I believe that the tannin is the leaves is now showing but mostly it's the crappy night time photo and indoor lighting that changed the color from a rich chocolate brown to dead leaf tan. I have a goal of setting up a nice photo shooting spot.

I started with the pattern Rikki but I modified it so much I don't know if it even counts as using the pattern. The cast on number is the same, at least. The yarn is madelinetosh DK in the color Whiskey Barrel. It's the first time I've worked with the yarn. I know. I know. I'm probably the last knitter to try that yarn it's so hot right now. It's rather nice and the best part is how smooth it is so there should be very little pilling.


Team tie in for extra points:
The color is a match to the brown coats worn by the Independence.

Team Unity Project with Team Robbingood for even more points. Team Robbingood represent movies about grifters and thieves, usually with the heart of gold.

I found the movie Burglar.

Bernice Rhodenbarr, a former burglar, resumes her life of crime when blackmailed. She needs the hat to contain her dreds. It’s much more stylish than the one she is wearing and will look great with her sweater

Brought to You by the Letter V

The alphabet swap where each person was given a letter along with the name of their partner. daughterofartemis drew me and the letter V and, Wow, what a phenomenal package.

First. Wrapped? Seriously? That’s an extravagant touch for an overseas package sent from the UK. And look at all the LOOT! There is so much in there!

Let's do the best first, ok! 

Wow. Just wow.

This shawl is as light as a whisper and yet it’s pretty substantial. It has knit and crochet bits with the yarn woven through the stitches. daughterofartemis, says it’s tunisian crochet. It looks really really hard. A truly epic project. I’m in awe. The colors are gorgeous and it fits right into my wardrobe. I’m going to wear this all the time. The pattern is Venus

The vittles.

Viennese, chocolate truffle surrounded by special Viennese chocolate and encrusted with sparkling sugar. I’m watching what I eat and I asked that any yummies that are sent to be cheat worthy. So very cheat worthy. I can’t even describe how good these are.

Very Good Chocolate and Valina Chai. I’m hording these to get me through December. Thank you.

Vanilla reminds me, I also received a Vanilla candle that didn’t get a photo. It smells wonderful.

 

Vintage inspired tin for tea. Just what I need. My kitchen is prone to bugs in the fall when the weather changes and they want to move inside where it’s warm. I use lots of containers and this one is just my style and perfect.

 

Vivacious. This is the most crappy photo ever but the yarn is stunning. Aqua through blue, violet to periwinkle, with a little bit of acid yellow. It looks like the very first leaf of spring. It will be my first time knitting with Malabrigo Sock and I can’t wait.

 

Villains. The stitch markers made me squee and laugh out loud.

Vern, Vicious Viking and Virgins. What great choices!

I haven’t read Jules Verne since that dystopian literature class I took in collage and I haven’t read Around the World in 80 days at all. Right now my knitting time is watching Warehouse 13 and Jules Verne is a recurring character. It’s going to be fun to read it in that context rather than the writing an 8 page paper context. Although I enjoy that too. What a great gift. Thank you.

You obviously know I admire the Vikings their aesthetic and use of line in decoration. Now I have a chance to dig deeper into their culture and get the real scoop. This one made me laugh so hard.

Ooooo Virgin Suicides. That looks very promising.

daughterofartemis, you are amazing. The shawl is beyond amazing. I love everything and feel so touched. Thank you.

Hearts

I finished one class and I can sleep again. The other class will be wrapping up soon. In the spirit of wrapping things up for the year I started pulling out unfinished projects and finishing them. They have been piling up a bit.

I started these March 4th 2011. The plan was to make a garland or bunting from them although I can't remember why. I do remember cranking them out over several weeks of watching Doctor Who.

All they needed was to be sewn together and stuffed. They might still become a garland but I'm rather smitten with the Woodland Wreath pattern that just came out it has hedgehogs so they could become the start of that.

Nocturnal

I had another gaslighting moment. I woke up in the middle of the night  in my jammies and tucked into bed like normal but every single light in the apartment was turned on.

Again my first thought was someone had come in and had turned on all the lights as a creepy statement because who brushes their teeth, gets in their jammies, arranges the pillows and blankets just so but not only doesn't turn out the lights but doesn't even notice?

I have fallen asleep with the lights on before but fully clothed and on top of the covers because I was too tired to move. Obviously the overtime at work and the two continuing ed classes are getting to me. I must start getting more sleep.

Even with all that going on I still find a bit of time to knit at work either on break or at lunch. I keep a super simple project in my desk drawer.

This is Topographie and a fun way to use variegated yarns. The variegated bits are purled rather than knit. I did find it frustrating that I actually had to watch the knitting instead of doing it by touch but I'm ready to knit the pattern again.

I used up the last of the Malabrigo Silky Merino in Nocturnal so the two hats together count as a UILI project. My 7th for the year.

Sugar Covered Weekend

I had a nice full weekend. Saturday was eating out with friends at a Korean restaurant. Playing boardgames after at my place while eating mystery snack food from the Asian market. It's was decided that Korean snacks are the best and the ones from Japan... well, we didn't like those as much. It boiled down to the Korean snacks were sugar coated, even the potato chips, while the Japaneses snakes were lacking in sugar, even the candy. We do have our proprieties strait.

Sunday was with more friends and more boardgames. The highlight was both sets of friends pulled out Pandemic. It's no secret that it my favorite game. I only get to play it a few times a year so twice in one weekend is pretty great.

Another noteworthy incident of this weekend is I had to turn on my AC and run it on Saturday and Sunday. In November. In mid November. Isn't it supposed to be cold about now? My top floor apartment is naturally very warm but this is ridiculous.

A hat I finished for if it ever gets cold. Pillsbury by Erin B of the Doubleknit Podcast.  They have a new episode up that I'm going to listen to as soon as I'm done here.

The yarn is Malabrigo Silky Merino that I was gifted in a swap. The yarn and pattern are perfect for each other. The only modification I made is a folded brim. The Silky Merino didn't have much heft or memory to it and I was concerned that it wouldn't be strong enough to hold the hat onto a head. The double brim will be warmer and has the heft I'm looking for.

Vanity Sizing

My swim suit is a pair of men's trucks and a bikini top. Not very hip and less so since camping with family this summer all the plastic bits of the top broke and it's now held together with twine. Not really gym worthy but I figured I would make do. I did give it a test run at home and it turns out the trunks no longer fit. As in I can't get them up over my hips no longer fit.

I have a back up suit that I never liked. It has a plunging neckline kept a little more modest by a ruffle. Not a suit I particularly wanted to be seen but I gave it a test run in front of the mirror too. The plunging neckline was a real issue and would not stay in place. Seeing as how I don't want to flash whole world I would have to buy a new suit if I wanted to swim.

The only possible place to buy a suit in November would be a sporting goods store. While working the weekly overtime, I was having coworkers use their phone to look things up since there was no way I was going to type any variation of Dick's into my browser. I found it amusing that everyone was so willing to do it too. I was perhaps more demanding than asking and the requests were rather off the wall.

It turns out that suit shopping in November is the very best time to go. With only twelve different styles to choose from the picking out is easier and there is one of every size in stock. Also, there isn't a single plunging neckline or ruffle in sight.

This beauty is two layers of extra thick Lycra with high cut top and low cut legs. It's the first suit I've ever owned that I feel dressed in. The Lycra straps everything into place so there is not a bit of me that jiggles much less pops out. The whole thing is sleek like a dolphin and made for swimming and yet it much more attractive than all the bathing suits that come out every summer. In it I'm more attractive than I've been in a suit even though I'm inches bigger.

And that's another thing about this suit. It hasn't fallen to vanity sizing. This spring I bought new jeans for work because my size 8 were becoming too small. I was upset that I wasn't buying size 10. No. I was fitting into the size 6. The 6s fit so well that by lunch when they have sproinged out of shape I can pull them on and off without undoing them and I wonder if I would be better in a size 4.

I figured that all the jeans I bought this spring were a fluke and I started my fitting with an 8, then a 10 and finally I bought the 12. I'm now up to the same weight I was in 1991 and I was a size 12 then too so it is actually a relief to be buying a 12 now. Since I have a tendency to buy too large, once at home I checked out the sizing chart for the suit and the 12 exactly matches my measurements. It's nice to have some consistency.

I've already given the pool a go and it's wonderful but I've found that I really need flip-flops. Now where will I be finding a pair of those in November...

Walked a Crooked Mile

I just did something rather impulsive. Today, at work, I decided to join a gym. After work, and realize I get off work at 9:30 pm, I drove by a local gym asked to be shown around and bought a membership. Time elapsed from thought to signed contract was 2 hours.

Although, not really. Last spring I took photos for an online sweater fitting session. The photos showed that I've become crooked. My shoulders and bust line aren't square anymore. This was quite concerning but some sessions of yoga at home made an immediate difference.  While I will bring this up with my doctor, I think it's a lack of core muscles from sitting and from leaning on my desk at work all day.

I can't think of anything more dull than yoga at home except, maybe, ab crunches. I lasted less than a week. Ever since then I've thought I should join a class.

I'm pretty excited about the whole thing. Classes come with the membership but what I'm excited about is the heated lap pool and the sauna. It seems the perfect way to spend the winter.

Keep on Flying

My first pair of mitts with fingers knit out of Silky Wool help double. Jayne inspired for the Joss swap.

I started out using the Wabi pattern but my gauge was off . Also, I don't have a printer and I wanted to knit them while lying on the couch, not sitting in front of my computer.

Most patterns I read through at the computer, put a few numbers on a post-it note, then knit it from memory. That wasn't going to happen with fingered mitts so I used my copy of Ann Budd's  The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns because I could lay it next to me.

While I know that "lying on the couch" is correct and to say I knit them while "laying on the couch" is not, I much prefer how laying sounds. It sounds lazy laying around all day.

Check in on the dog dish. I found it! It was under the water dish. I do pick up the water dish to fill it with water and I just put it back in the wrong spot. I'm rather relived to have found such a mundane explanation.

Gaslighting

I feed Joey every night half an hour before bed. I fed him last night half an hour before bed. I remember the munching sounds and the scritching sounds that signal he is done and wants more. Besides, I was allowed to sleep which would never happen if a meal was missed.

His food and water bowls set into a holder to keep them corralled. So this morning when I got up and his food bowl was missing leaving an empty gaping hole I found it rather shocking. Then I found it very disturbing.

My first thought was someone had come in the middle of the night and taken the bowl as a statement.  I don't know what kind of statement breaking in and taking a dog dish and not touching anything else sends, but it was beyond creepy.

My next though was I had picked it up and wondered off with it. That happens with my phone but not a dog dish. I don't pick up the dog dish, instead I scoop the food into. Even so, I looked around. Then I looked harder. This is a small apartment and I have made a point that everything here has a place and it's not cluttered. There aren't that many places to look.

Still no dog dish. This time I started looking in the crazy spots. I looked in the bathroom, the freezer, the oven, under the fridge, in my bed, in the dirty laundry, in my knitting needles storage, in my desk drawers, and in the trash. No, no, no, no, no, no, and no. There is no place left to look. I'm back to thinking this is creepy statement. Or the cat is Gaslighting me. Yeah. That's it. The cat.

Hurricane Hat knit in Plymouth Yarn Tweed. A nice simple pattern with a pretty spiral for when things are clearly spiraling out of control.

Like a Tea-tray in the Sky

Nothing much, but I posted the other two handmades of the swap box so I'll go ahead and add my third.

'it's always tea-time,and we've no time to wash the things between whiles.'

 A nice washcloth made from partial balls of yarn. I wrapped it around one of my bars of orange spice soap that I relabeled as Tea and Marmalade. The name worked well, not contrived at all, because the spice has a nice cardamom note.

Pattern I made up as I went.

Lobster Quadrille

Another of the handmades for the Alice swap.

This is some of my oldest stash. Thin thin thin yarn that I spun from silk hankies back when I was seeing how thin I could spin silk. This lace weight yarn is a 3 ply. No, I don’t know what I was thinking. Yes, I am sort of insane.

I've been saving this yarn as too special to use for years now. It was the UILI challenge that inspired to go ahead and use it. Such an exquisite yarn needs a suitable pattern and Fragile Hearts is the perfect choice. I heavily modified it and the pattern is so well written that changes are effortless. It was the knitting with such thin yarn that was difficult.

However, the color wasn’t fitting for the recipient. I don't know if aqua, rusty brown, and acid early spring yellow is right for anybody.

It's been a long time since I pulled out my dye pot and it's just as fun and satisfying as it's always been.

It floats on the barest whisper of a breeze. I’m so pleased with this I could burst. The sun washed out the photo a bit, the red is tonal from true red to burgundy and it's stunning.

Croquet with the Queen

I don't usually post photos of the projects I make and give on swaps. I don't know why. 

This Alice in Wonderland pin cushion is so stinking cute it hurt to give it away. Never mind that I don't sew. My downstream partner does sew, professionally.

 

 He was very well received and is now working in the wardrobe department of Cirque Du Soleil.

I started with the pattern Hedgehog Family and went on from there.

Adventures in Wonderland

I great bit THANK YOU to Cannw90!

I received this beautimuslovely package in the Alice in Wonderland swap

 The first glimpse into the box.

I absolutely love everything about this! It’s a wee pocket watch for Mr. W. Rabbit himself! The little rabbit and flower top pops open to reveal a real working watch. It’s darling and so very perfect. That, right there, was all I needed in the box. I’m done.

However, there is so very much more in the box. Cannw90, must have folded everything up like a telescope so it would fit.

Next was a project bag with the knitting sheep from my favorite chapter in Through the Looking Glass and a traveling tea mug with strainer so I can brew my loose leaf teas. I’m brewing a Doctor Who tea in it in the photo. Amazing the universe didn’t explode with all the awesome in one place. 

So. Many. Teas. and coffee, can’t forget the coffee. I’m set to host a tea party every day from my Birthday to my next with all the Unbirthdays between. So far I’ve tried the Gypsy Rose and it’s marvelous.

 Adorable little jars of jam for the tea party and dark chocolate too.

 This is the softest, squishiest cowl. It feels like velvet and the colors are beautiful and it’s wonderful!

 The Caterpillar scarf! see how the bobbles are his little caterpillar FEET! That is too cute and the scarf is awesome.

Next up are some wonderful washcloths in the Cheshire cat colors tied in a ribbon in my favorite color along with a wee tin of my favorite hand balm. It’s all too perfect. I especially appreciate the decorative stitch, it makes the cloths so lush and thick.

 My very FAVORITE yarn! Malabrigo Twist. Thank you, Cannw90, I hope it wasn’t too much trouble to find it. And the color is Sealing Wax which is perfect beyond words.

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."
 

And finally “Why is a raven like a writing desk?”

My cat it in the process of killing the raven cat toy for asking a question with no answer.

Bravo, Cannw90, for the amazing package. You gathered all of my favorite things into one wonderful swap box. Thank you, I love it!

Put Cats in the Coffee

A new three month round of Nerd Wars has started and in celebration I'll post a project that I entered in the Spring round.

The hat was for the Big Bang Swap. The person I drew likes animals and the color orange. The orange yarn is sock yarn scraps held double and the white is Lush wool/angora yarn.

I made it thinking of all the cat references in the show. Lenard wishing for a Hypoallergenic Calico while singing emo songs, the never ending references to Schrodinger's cat and finally Cats-$20. I packaged this hat up and mailed it with the quote “This is Enrico Fermi, Richard Feynman, Edward Teller, Otto Frisch, and Zazzles." Because, you know, Zazzles is zazzy.

Now the Nerd Wars challenge was to choose a character from another team for a dream dinner date. The project needs to be inspired by that meal.

Hmmm and how am I going to link cats to dinner? It took a little searching and creative thinking and I came up with this...

My dream dinner would be with Alice in Through the Looking Glass (Team One More Page). It’s a favorite book of mine and I’ve always wanted to visit the Looking Glass world. I would go to her coronation banquet when she is crowned queen. One of the verses of the song sung before she enters the hall is

“Then fill up the glasses as quick as you can,
And sprinkle the table with buttons and bran:
Put cats in the coffee, and mice in the tea --
And welcome Queen Alice with thirty-times-three!”

For such a large banquet there will be lots coffee so more cats will be appreciated and in a moment of whimsy can be used as a cozy.

The next part of the challenge was my team challenge. Team Browncoat joined up with Team Tardis for the Team Unity Project. The challenge was to use the colors significant in both of our fandoms.

Now I knit the hat with colors chosen for other reasons so I had to go searching for the colors. I also knit this in February when we were just  buried in snow as blizzard after blizzard has hit the Midwest. So the white is for snow in Doctor Who and Firefly. The orange is the color of my favorite companion Donna Noble’s hair. It’s also the color of Jayne’s hat.

 

And with that, I took a gift I knit with a particular person's likes in mind and tied it to three TV shows and a book. 

Shiny.