How To Decide to Knit a Present or Buy

http://the-panopticon.blogspot.com/2012/07/yarnworthy.html

Love this chart on where ti knit or buy!

Audience is key.  I had one set of parents where I knit several items and I am 95% certain the kids never wore anything I knit.  Another set, I am about 90% certain they really loved the hand knits.  

Though as a parent who knits, I would much rather have someone else knit for a child's birth.  I simply did not have time after the kids arrived.  So while it is a lovely idea to give yarn, I would say for a new baby, knit items are always better.  I really think parents appreciate the time & energy more.

That said go with something at least 6 months or bigger.  Some babies are just large & skip past the 0-3 stuff. 

With any clothes, I really appreciated the 9-18 month stuff.  It really is great having some things that aren't as small.  Though DD shot right past the 18 month stuff.  She had a growth spurt at 14 months so she jumped from 12 months to 2 & 3 T stuff.  But DS was good with 18 month stuff.  Though mind you, 95% of that is that Little Guy has a Buddha belly.  So the 12 month ride up. 

Also, kids clothing sizes are just like adult.  They have no rhyme or reason.  Some companies run big, some small.  And patterns are no different.  But I do find that with Ravelry and such, you can often get a good feel if how they work on actual kids.  So that helps.

NY Times Story from 1908 – “No Yarns of Danger Could Deter This Old Lady"

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F4061EF73C5A17738DDDAC0994DB405B888CF1D3

Given I have knit on trains, and Xmas presents at that, I love this.

Charts

I decided to cast on the Vernal Equinox Surprise Shawl with my Tri'Coterie Sock BFL Silky yarn in the Cinna colorway.  The colorway is this beautiful gradient from royal blue to midnight blue to black.  I fell in love with it when I saw it.  And Cinna is probably my favorite Hunger Games character.

I have gotten to really like charts because they show what stitches are where.  And show  how they correspond to the previous rows. 

Or at least they should.

The Vernal Equinox pattern has charts.  They look like normal charts.  But they aren't.  Starting with row 43, the pattern shifts by a stitch.  However, the chart makes no indication that they are switching.  *blink*  Ummm.  I don't understand why you would chart it that way.  You have to move any stitch markers over one stitch to the right.  And then next row the stitches won't be on top of the stitch where they are in the chart.

Huh? 

I keep coming back to *why* chart it that way?  If it is for space reasons, *say so unfront*.  Luckily there are over a thousand people that have knit this.  So a quick Ravelry search told me that my suspicions about things shifting were correct.  But why not state that?

I feel like it has to be me.  Most people said how easy the charts were to follow.  I don't see that as easy.  Luckily, I found someone who marked out when the rows in the pattern shift.  So I will just highlight them on the pattern so I know.  *shrugs.*

Ah well.  Live and learn.

Lesson for Today

Lesson for today.  Do not cast on a project after you have only had five hours sleep the night before.

I got an amazing skein of DK yarn in the Reavers colorway from Fresh from the Cauldron  The terrific Lizzy4873 on Ravelry stalked for me.  I have been lusting after this colorway since the minute I saw it.  But because it is a gradient and apparently a &@)#* to dye, Jenn doesn't dye it often or that much.  The last update only had five skeins and dear Lizzy was great enough to swap with someone who got two in her cart when she only wanted one.  Otherwise I wouldn't have gotten it at all! 

I didn't take a photo, but this one is pretty much identical to the one I got.    The original pic is darker.  http://www.flickr.com/photos/squibstitcher/6887443077/in/photostream/  But I do like the newer one too. 

I spent a good deal of time pouring over patterns.  The strong contenders were Zilver, Escapist & the Colonnade Shawl.

But the Peek-a-Boo Shawl won out.  Part of that is about the sorta distressed, warped feeling of the pattern.  It matches well with the colorway name.

If there was more yardage, Zilver probably would have won out.  But with only 230 yards I really felt like something with more openness would be a good choice.  The Peek-a-Boo Shawl has an 8 row repeat that I can just continue til I run out of yarn.

So I was excited to get it cast on last night.  See above.  Five hours sleep the night before...

So I am merrily knitting along.  I come to row 6.  It says I will have 25 sts after I knit the row.  But I check and double check.  No, really.  I need 25 sts to knit the row & with four stitches increase, the row will actually be 29 sts in the end.  I am so clever.  I know best.  I get to the row 10 which has more pattern work.  I am over by 4 sts.  Really.  I know best.  So I fudge it and figure I will sort it out in the next row.

So this morning I am walking to the train from Eldest Munchkin's school camp.  I pull out the pattern and start looking at it.  Going through I reread row 6.  And I promptly want to whap myself upside the head.

I know I am kinda number dyslexic sometimes.  But somehow I transposed *K1, DW twice, TW twice, DW twice, K1* to *K1, DW, TW, DW, K1* x 2.  *blink* How?!  See sleep.  *shakes head*

The good news is that I was very early in the pattern so I only had to rip back a few rows.  But man... I don't feel very clever!  *laugh*

Ah well.  I am glad I sat down and read over the pattern before I got further along.  That is a plus.

I got more sleep last night.  And this shows the beauty of sleep.  It helps the body & brain function better.  Mind you, because I started knitting this I stayed up later than I should have of course!  *laugh*

I need to write more. Have to post pics of my Afternoon Tea shawl & at least a little Tour de Fleece wrap up.  But my work machine is acting up.  So whenever they can take it, I need to shut down super quick.

Tour de Fleece - Day 14 Progress

Today has been a very productive spinning day.  I am kinda surprised just how much I got done.

I finished spinning the singles for the Edge of the Universe fiber from Dyeing for Colour.  Beautiful fiber.  All ready to ply.

Then I wound the Bump I Navajo plied into a skein and soaked it.  It is hanging to dry right now.  I am *loving* it so much. Already trying to figure out what it needs to be.  (Currently leaning towards the Afternoon Tea shawl but these things change.)

After that was done, I started on the Bullseye Bump in the Pear Blossom colorway.  With the Loop challenge, I decide to try something different.  I am intentionally spinning it a bit thin & thick.  I am planning on thread plying it and adding seed beads to the thread.  I think it could look amazing.  *crosses fingers*  The fiber is super yummy.

A very productive day.  Now so time for sssslllleeeepppp!

Tour de Fleece Update

Quickie update.

I didn't spin on Saturday.  I was in the car for three hours.  Then I was at a party & by evening, I was so beat it just wasn't happening.  I supposed technically I didn't spin on Friday but Saturday as I was spinning at 1 am.  No, I didn't stay up to spin.  I was working.  Sad as that is...

I have spin:
5 oz Loop Bullseye Bump - Still a single. Hoping to ply it tonight.
2 of 4 oz of the Dyeing for Colour Edge of the Universe 
1/4 oz tops of Cloverleaf Farms Silk - On my spindle so I don't honestly know if I will finish that for the TdF. 


I spun with my spindle some on Friday & Sunday.  That is when I am unable to use my wheel or waiting for something on my computer to finish processing.


I am feeling good about my progress.  Since I took a rest day Saturday, I am thinking I will spin on the rest day tomorrow.  We shall see.


Tons to do, but I wanted to check in.

Tour de Fleece - Day 1

I so should already be in bed.  I am gonna wanna throttle myself in the morning when Little Guy wakes at the crack of dawn.  *sigh*

The Tour de Fleece started today.  I can't really spin with LG in the room.  He will try to put his hands on the wheel.  Luckily, he took a two hour nap so I got to spin for about an hour.  Then I spun in the kitchen while Eldest Munchkin was coloring.  After the littles went to sleep, I did some more spinning as well.  Spun through episodes 2 & 3 of the new Doctor Who episodes.  I love Christopher Eccelson as The Doctor.

I am pretty thrilled with my progress.

So hard to take photos at night and without a good camera.  This is taken with DH's cell phone.  I tweaked it as much as I could to get the colors to come out.  But the pic doesn't do this any justice. 

It is my June custom Bullseye Bump from Loop.  The colorway is Night Bloom.  I really should have taken pics of the Bump before I started spinning.  Though I discovered even more beauty to it as I started spinning it. 

 The first color, the midnight blue is covered by the lovely green and I started on the purple.   The blue is so multidimensional with bits of lighter blue and all.  So yummy.  The green also has bits of blue and other shades.  The purple is lighter than the pic shows but super yummy.  Steph does such amazing work.

Also, it spins like heaven on earth.  Super easy to spin.  It also spins so fine.

Given I have spun 2 and about a quarter of the third color, my guess is that it is about 2 1/4 oz. 

Though an important note to self.  DO NOT WATCH SPINNING VIDEOS WHILE SPINNING!  I really was struggling when I started and I realized I was trying to change my spinning while watching the DVD for The Intentional Spinner.  Bad idea.  I have some fiber that pulled off because the single kept breaking.  Not good.  *sigh*  Ah well.

I did watch my Drafting dvd later while both the kids were wake.  I knit while watching that so it was actually informative instead of troublesome.  It is a really interesting dvd and I think useful.  Though the kids were not quiet and I know there were large portions I missed while they were hollaring for one reason or another.  *laugh*  I will rewatch it some day.

So I am hoping I can spin every day for the Tour de Fleece.  But I am not betting on that.  All I can do is try.  Other than that, no particular goals really.  Just trying to spin often.

Ideally, I would love to spin at least two of my Bullseye Bumps.  The Ravelry team has prizes for different types of yarn.  One category is for ones Navajo plied which is what most people do with the Bumps to keep the lovely color progressions.  One category is for 2 ply or other techniques.  I am thinking I might try thread plying the colorway I got that I think Eldest Munchin will like, but add beads to the thread.  I don't know if I will have the time to do that one.  But who knows.  The last category is using two or more Bumps or two fibers of hers together.  I *really* doubt I can touch that category.  Though I am a bit tempted to attempt EM's colorway plied with the Ultraviolet one my terrific SIL got for me since I couldn't get to Maryland Sheep & Wool.  That could be incredible.  But again, we shall see.

After the Bump, I want to spin some fiber from Dyeing for Color.  It is called Edge of the Universe and it screams Doctor Who to me.  Since one of the teams I am on for the TdF is Team Tardis, it only seems right.  *grin*



Time to get some sleep!   DH gets to sleep in tomorrow.  I got to sleep in today.  I really should have been in bed a couple hours ago at the very least... *yawn*

Lady Mary Rivulets Socks

Project Name:

Lady Mary Rivulets Socks

Think the color is between these images. The ones on the feet are a bit dark but the flat ones are a bit light.  I tried to tweak them, but that is the problem with taking pics at night with a flash!

(I have tried multiple times to place more photos, but it isn't working.  *sigh*  I am giving up.  If you want more pics, check out the Flickr set.)

Cast On:

May 30, 2012

 

Completed:

June 26, 2012

Pattern:

Rivulets Socks by Wendy D. Johnson

http://wendyknits.net/wp-content/uploads/Rivulets-Socks.pdf

Made for:

Me - Size 9 shoe

Needles:

2 socks on two circs (Knitpicks one Harmony, one Options - makes it easy to tell which to use)

US 0 - 2.0 mm

US 1½ - 2.5 mm (went up at the ankle & leg as I have thick ankles & calves)

Yarn:

Storied Yarns Superwash Sock in the Lady Mary's Red Gowns aka Lady Edith's Dinner Used 0.92 skeins = 425.0 yards (have 8 grams left)

Purchased at http://storiedyarns.etsy.com

The gauge on this pattern is definitely off! I am glad I looked at others who made them.

My gauge is 9 sts per inch where the pattern says 8 sts per inch. I worked the largest size and found that with my gauge they were a good fit.

For the toes, I used Judy’s Magic Cast On. For the toe increases, I used Cat Bordhis’ LLink & LRink. Love them for the toe-up socks. Other than that. I am following the pattern. gasp I would have given the pattern 5 stars if not the gauge issue.

I debated a lot what I wanted to do for this yarn. I think this pattern is a lovely pairing. Almost looks a bit like fire with the red. smile

I love that it is a both solid & lacey. The almost zigzag of it really does speak to the qualities of Lady Mary herself. A bit perplexing yet also very lovely. Almost fiery in the design but with that steady subdued nature somehow.grin

I was concern about the yarn pooling, but it looks lovely. The gold & brown formed interesting patterns. I really like it.

I think the foot is a bit short. I knit to 2 1/2” shy of when it said to start the gusset. But it still seems a bit short on the foot. It fits snuggly which I like. Just a bit worried about the toe wearing out though.

I knit the heel flap higher than the pattern said, but that is something I like to do as I wear shoes with a high back & don’t like it wearing out at that spot.

All in all, I am really happy with them. They look good and are comfy.

Had 8 grams left over.  I knit them as high as I wanted.  There is just a good deal of yardage in the skein!

Ravelmpics

My wonderful SIL emailed about the whole Ravelmpics debacle.

Here is the post with the original letter:
http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/for-the-love-of-ravelry/2189293/1-25#1

US Olympic Committee Response:
http://www.teamusa.org/News/2012/June/21/statement-from-usoc-spokesperson-patrick-sandusky.aspx

The Yarn Harlot's Response:
http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/archives/2012/06/21/now_that_you_ask.html

Bloomberg News Article (better balanced than I would have expected):
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-06-22/why-the-u-dot-s-dot-olympic-committee-cracked-down-on-a-knitting-group

I finally got around to The Yarn Harlot's post today.  I usually agree with her.  And I think her points are well made.  But they are too nice.  Though I was glad to see her point out that the folks at Ravelry are nice, but they are the altruistic beings that many people want to say they are.  Ravelry has become a business.  And the users really should be more aware of that.

My main issue is the bs response by the USOC after things hit the fan. Come off it.  There is no universe where that is a standard cease & desist letter.  At best, Sandusky is an idiot who didn't read the original C&D letter.  Or at worst a liar who is trying to appease a large group of people who are pissed off about what was said.  Either way, not good.

Also, really?  Send the USOC knit items?!  Why would anyone do that who cares about their knitting?!   *shakes head*

I have to ask, how can the US have a monopoly on the term Olympics?  But we come back to moronic copyright law.  The Olympics as an organization have been around since 1894 when the International Olympic Committee was formed.  So please...  *shakes head*


If the USOC was the picture of altruism they are trying to claim, I would get it.  But they aren't.  Like so much Olympics related, they aren't pure.  So to try to belittle others when your own record isn't so clean...*shrugs*


At their base, they do some very good things.  But not without their own self-interests at heart.  And like so many large organizations, their bureaucracy wants to make more money for itself.  (Same reasons I won't support anything involving the Susan G. Komen nightmare.  *growls*  Good piece about it.  When the buracracy cares more about sustaining itself than doing good, it is time to move along.)


The board for the Ravelympics is having a poll to decide on a new name.  So they are dealing with the issue so the owners of Ravelry don't have to.  Great.  Avoids the legal headaches.  Don't blame them to pull out of a loosing fight.  But it is also a bit frustrating.)

I confess the whole thing has left a bad taste in my mouth.  I know it isn't the athletes fault that this happened.  But it doesn't make me want to watch the games much.  Mind you, given the games are in London, it isn't as if I am going to be watching them live anyhow.  So I was already going to be skipping commercials a good deal. But now I am certain I won't watch them if I don't record them so I make certain to skip the commercials.  (A lot of the On Demand disables fast forward.)

There is also leftover negative feelings about the last summer Olympics.  I am still astounded about the hosting the games in a repressive regime who does not embody the ideals of the Olympics in the slightest.  And then having girls who were clearly of questionable age participating.  It made me sad.  I am hopeful that these games won't have the same feeling.  But it is anyone's guess...  I think I still have a negative feeling over the 2002 ice skating debacle which messed up a lot of the beauty of ice skating with the new judging system.

I don't honestly know how I feel about the Ravelympics as a whole.  I will probably still participate.  I have been looking forward to it.  But honestly, I may just use up my energies on the Tour de Fleece.  That was a strong possibility even before all of this happened.

All I can do is see where I am at when July 27th rolls around. Mind you, the TdF ends July 22nd.  So that is only 5 days apart.  It just may not be enough of a break to focus on something else time consuming.

We will be up in the Adirondacks for the opening ceremony.  There is a chance we will watch them, but even more likely we won't.  (I confess I still find it strange that there is net access up there.  I try to limit my use of it and not plug in.  DH won't miss his morning funnies when we are there.  *laugh*  Mind you, he actually gets to read them while we are there unlike some days at home.)

Of course, the Tour de Fleece relies on my knee deciding to cooperate.  It has been acting up at off times since I fell about a month ago.  It will be fine for days and then suddenly it feels like the knee cap has slid sideways a bit and doesn't want to move right.  Whee... (Of course today is one of those days just to remind me. *grumblegrowl*)

I checked and for 2010, Eldest Munchkin was just four months old.  I worked on Olivia the Swamp Dragon.  I did complete the knitting during the Olympics.  Though the finishing work was done post-Olympics.

I talked myself out of crazy town.  Somewhere in my head I started to consider that I might knit DH sweater *during the yet-to-be-renamed-Ravelympic*.  Luckily, I talked myself out of the crazy in an email to Silvercat.  Of course, that leaves me wondering what I might knit...  Still actually debating trying one of the lovely EZ tribute half-circle shawls.  But we come back to Crazytown!  Maybe socks or a shawlette...  We can see.

If I could resist casting it on, I would go with the Haruni in the Nightfall yarn.  But I really think the minute I finish my socks (which are nearly done - working on the ribbing and they are toe-up), the shawl may be going on my needles.  *smile*  Also thinking the Scylla socks in  Tri'Coterie's self-striping yarn in the Siouxsie need to go on my needles next.  Though I also need to finish my Lady Bianca Socks.  So many choices.  So little time!

Best to get some more work done.  I am behind on things at work due to computer issues.  *sigh*  Ah well.

Yarns & Patterns

Every time I get a new yarn that screams *KNIT ME NOW*, I start the pattern looking.  Today it is the Nightfall in deep purple.  If you know me, you know my thing for dark colors.  Black, purple & reds are my favs.  So finding a yarn that goes from the color of your choice to black...well, you can imagine it screamed my name. *laugh*

There is 490 yards in the skein.  And with it being a single skein, it is definitely shawl material.

Haruni

Ravelry Link:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/haruni

Non-Rav:

Sorry - Rav only http://www.flickr.com/photos/tanisfiberarts/4799432890/ for pic

Example in Nightfall:

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Twinkerbell/haruni

This is the leader at the moment.  It is a pattern I have been wanting to do. Though part of me feels like given so many people have used Nightfall with this that I don't want to do it.  18 not counting hibernating or frogged out. But it might also just be that it is a good pairing.  Or morely likely that given there are over 6000 projects...  Wow.  That is a lot!

The sample link with the Nightfall has beads, but only at the end.  So *if* I feel up for them, I could add them at the end.  Or not depending on my mood.  *grin*

A couple people ran out on the edging.  But the beauty of this going to nearly a black is that I can dig up some yarn that can look like the edging without it having to be the same skein. 

Lilah

Ravelry Link:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lilah-shawl

Non-Rav:

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEss11/KSPATTlilah.php

Example in Nightfall:

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Twinkerbell/lilah-shawl

The original large size was made in Nightfall, but it was a limited edition fiber that was a much larger skein than the one I got.  Though the pattern has three sizes and the small is under the yardage I have.  I like the pattern a good deal.

Bitterroot

Ravelry Link:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bitterroot

Non-Rav:

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter09/KSPATTbitterroot.php

Example in Nightfall:

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Toumaya/bitterroot

Lovely pattern that is very gorgeous.  Though part of me looks at it and wants the beads that are pictured with it.  Though I think a break from beads is in order. 

Swallowtail Shawl

Ravelry Link:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/swallowtail-shawl

Non-Rav:

http://www.evelynclarkdesigns.com/portfolio.html#Swallowtail

Example in Nightfall:

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/sljusak/swallowtail-shawl-2

This one has been on my list to do for a long while.  But I don't know if it is shouting the loudest to be done.  Tough call.  *smile*

The funniest part is that all four of these patterns were already in my favorites and two were in my queue.  Though the two in the queue were there from when I was looking at Luxe patterns.  Yet they all have been knit in Nightfall!  *laugh*

Thing is that the all but the Swallowtail would look better with beads.  But I swear I am not getting involved with beads again right now.  Really.  Honest.  *laugh*

Ah.  Gotta add another contender.

Aeolian

Ravelry Link:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/aeolian-shawl

Non-Rav:

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring09/KSPATTaeolian.php

Example in Gradient Yarn:

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/deianara-crush/aeolian-shawl

Aeolian is still talking to me in a big way.  I was leaning heavily towards this for the Luxe gradient from Unique Sheep.  But I decided against it in the end.  I keep wondering about this one...  But it comes back to the beads.  Would it be as lovely without them?  Hmmm.  I think I am trying to convince myself that it wouldn't look half as good without the beads.  And more yardage would be nice, right...  *laugh*

There are others I considered.

Autumn in Vincennes (rav link) is lovely, but it seems to be calling me to use some handspun.  It can take a yarn with some variation so it would be better for that.  So maybe I will knit it with something I spin for the Tour de Fleece.

Citron and Afternoon Tea are also saying handspun to me. Love the semi-circle shapes.  They both look like easy knits too.

Wings of Peace (rav link) has been saying knit me.  But the yardage it requires is too much.  I could cut it shorter but I don't really want to.   

The Stora Dimun Shawl (rav link but pattern in Folk Shawls) is beautiful but needs more yardage I think.  Though I finally added that to my queue for some day as I really like it.   Again, I think this could stand up to a nice handspun, though given the yardage, it is more likely to be a Knit Picks yarn!

Looking at shawl patterns also got me wanting to take on one of the EZ 100th Anniversary Half-Circle shawls by Mwaa Knit (rav).  There are three on Ravelry that are beautiful.  Though we come back to yardage & they *definitely* need a very plain yarn. 

Enough browsing.  Of course, I may decide to try and tackle this for the Ravelmpics.  I am not sure yet.  Decisions decisions!