Ten things I learned this weekend

Ten things I learned this weekend

1. Some designers don't update their free patterns with known errata and expect you to email them instead.

2. A good Google search will always find said errata because someone has been there.

3. Counting to 240 is apparently beyond my skill level. (I think I forgot some lessons from elementary school.)

4. Using stitch markers every 100 stitches when you're picking up 480 stitches would have been a good idea.

5. Throwing a shawl knit on metal needles across the room solves nothing. In fact, a dozen or more stitches will fly off your needle as it sails across the room.

6. Yelling at your husband to shut up because you're counting accomplishes nothing. Neither does crying.

7. No matter what you are watching on television, some stupid character will start counting 1, 2, 3 right when you're at 234. You will start re-counting many, many times.

8. Realizing that somehow you're 15 stitches short of 240 is not a cause for panic. No one will notice if you locate the area with too few stitches picked up and kfb at fairly regular intervals.

9. When you realize that you and the designer apparently speak a different knitting language, causing you to perform acts of laceknitting heroism (i.e., drop down 4 stitches at each corner and create k2togs and YOs three rows down while maintaining the correct stitch count), do not curse her.

10. The edging will start to work out, and then you'll see two dropped stitches five 16-row repeats down. Safety pins are your friends!

As you can tell, there were a few problems encountered on the Print o' the Wave stole. I think there are errors on the inner border, or at least a large lack of clarity. If you need help, email me and I will tell you what worked for me. There are definite errors on rows 9, 11, 13, and 15 of the edging chart. The next to last knit stitch should be a k2tog on all these rows. I have no idea why a corrected version has not been posted. I'm very, very pleased with how it is turning out, though, despite the numerous problems I had this weekend.

In other news, I braved the laundromat to wash the Aran throw, and it turned out beautifully. As Laura has already told me, I'm sure the Cestari is going to pill, but it washes up into a really lovely fabric with just a bit of a halo. The cables relaxed, much of the vegetable matter came out, and the fabric is amazingly soft. I can't wait to take it to the wedding this weekend!

Since we are going to Vermont this weekend (and staying at an inn with a fiber farm and wool shop, I've decided to take a new project along. Because I have to be just like Laura (witness the Lady Eleanor Entrelac stole in SWTC Karaoke), I will be making the Go With the Flow tank from Inspired Cable Knits. Yes, the gauge is 29sts/4". Yes, I'm insane. But so is Laura. I will be picking up the Rowan 4-ply Cotton from The Yarn Connection this week.

Finally, A Throw!

Finally, A Throw!

So, remember that Aran throw I started way back when? Here it is! It's not yet washed/blocked, but I plan to do that this weekend.



Pattern: Cabled Throw, from Debbie Bliss Simple Living
Yarn: Cestari by Chester Farms, Natural Light Gray, 12 skeins
Needles: Crystal Palace Bamboo, US size 9

I believe I started this in February, and I let it languish for awhile and worked on other projects for a time. It took roughly three months, start to finish. I hit a wall so many times, and it didn't seem like I would ever finish at times. But I did. And it was worth it.

This is my first handspun baby alpaca--approximately 200 yards of 2-ply. I'm not crazy about the barber pole effect, but the finished product is extremely soft. I found alpaca more difficult to spin because it is so slippery, but other people find that quality a plus.



And, finally, here is my birthday present to myself. An Ashford Joy DT, for travelling to spinning guild meetings and further abroad. I love this wheel. I started spinning a beautifully dyed wool/mohair mix on it this weekend, and it looks gorgeous so far. I just wound a smallish skein of two unknown wools off the Schacht, and I plan to start spinning up one of my Maryland Sheep & Wool purchases soon.

An Anniversary (Knitting and Spinning Content Later)

An Anniversary (Knitting and Spinning Content Later)

Today is my second wedding anniversary. This morning, two years ago, my parents' house was filled with activity--putting last-minute touches on the tables outside for the reception, wondering how everyone would get to and from the church that morning, endless photographs and stress and emotion. But it was worth it. The wedding was amazing, and the marriage has been even better.

Amazing Lace--Meet Team Sooner!

Amazing Lace--Meet Team Sooner!

I decided to join Laura and Monkee in the Amazing Lace Knit-a-long. I think this is my first official knit-a-long, and I've already broken one of the few rules. I'm a Sooner. No, not that kind of Sooner--the real kind. I started two days early, on Saturday. What can I say? It was a 3-day weekend and I want to try to finish the shawl in time to wear to a wedding July 1. As penance, I promise my next lace project will be a doily to make Monkee happy.

So, meet the team! You'll notice I'm not in the photo, because the photos with me in them turned out very badly.



The essentials are there: size 4 needles, about 1600 yards of Jaeger Zephyr, the pattern, and the indispensible Post-It notes. That's 8 repeats of the first half of the center; there will be 34 total repeats in the center, or 17 in each half. It's a relatively easy knit so far. I used Sharon Miller's provisional cast-on, which is extremely easy. Cast on the required number of stitches loosely in a yarn of a similar weight, knit one row, then join in the main yarn. When you pick up the stitches, you simply cut away the contrasting yarn. It's much easier than a crochet cast-on for me; I hope it works as well as I think it will.

The Amazing Knit button will be appearing in my sidebar soon. Once I have the motivation and time, I plan to do a bit of an overhaul of the sidebar and incorporate some helpful links.

Next up, photos of the completed throw, some alpaca handspun, and the new wheel!

A Light at the End of the Tunnel

A Light at the End of the Tunnel

This weekend, I managed to make a lot of progress on the afghan, realizing I needed to finish it to preserve my sanity. I'm now halfway through the eleventh skein, with just one more skein to go! Given that the garter border will suck up a good portion of the final skein, I'm feeling very confident I can finish it this weekend, even with a spinning group meeting on Sunday.

That last bound of stitch is going to feel very good. The project hasn't been that bad; it's not difficult or even particularly time-consuming. But it's BIG and unwieldy and preventing me from knitting on other projects that have been languishing in the basket. I hope that the recipient really loves it, because it's been a good portion of my knitting time these last few months. (I think she will; I hope I've learned my lesson about knitting gifts that are really so I can show off.)

I also decided to add sleeves to the Green Gable top. I'm fairly dissatisfied with the finished product. It isn't as form-fitting as I would like, but I think 3/4 length sleeves will balance it out a lot. I may end up ripping back the castoff and taking off an inch or two, as well.

Next up are two newborn hat and booties sets for twin girls that will be born this summer. I'm excited about using the Ellen's Half-Pint Farm yarn for those! I also hope to finish Lady Eleanor Entrelac and another in-progress wrap, since my office is freezing all summer. Fingerless gloves may also be required.

The Ashford Joy isn't here yet, but it will ship this week! I've been obsessively checking my email and credit card statement, waiting for the shipment notification. I had hoped to have it by this weekend, but I don't think that will happen now. It will have to make its debut at the Seaport Second Saturday Spin-In next month, I guess. I can't imagine how it will feel to spin in front of others!

I did it!

I did it!

I ordered the Ashford Joy DT from The Woolery today. Think this will assuage the wheel lust for awhile?

Maryland Sheep & Wool (Bonus: Adventures in Dyeing)

Maryland Sheep & Wool (Bonus: Adventures in Dyeing)

I had a great time at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival on Saturday! I shopped, tried out wheels, and met Pam and Jen! I'm relying on Pam's blog for photos of the day, since her husband Kris was busy filling his camera's memory card with photos of yarn and sheep (and I was too lazy to take my camera--needed room for fiber!).

I tried out five wheels, searching for a good wheel portable enough to take on the subway to spinning guild meetings. Here are the results, in order of preference:

1. Ashford Joy DT: I loved this wheel, even though I did not expect to. The treadling was very smooth, and I was able to spin right away on it, with minimal adjustments. It's lightweight and compact, especially with the addition of a padded carrying case. I couldn't find any downsides to this wheel, and it was all I could do to leave it at the festival.

2. Lendrum DT: This was also a great wheel, and it sold me on a Woolee Winder for my Schacht. I can see why so many people love the Lendrum--it's smooth and comfortable. The only drawback is portability. For my purposes, it's just too big. I really only tried it to see if I liked the Woolee Winder, but I would definitely try it if I was looking for a wheel to keep at home or transport in a car.

3. Journey Wheel: The Journey Wheel is a very interesting concept: a wheel that works very much like a vertical charka with treadles. It folds up into its own wooden box, and a padded carrying bag is available. I liked the wheel, but something did not fit me. In addition, it's fairly expensive at $800, and the box weighs quite a bit.

4. Wee Robin: I've never spun on one of the full-size Robin wheels, but they are beautiful, and their owners seem to love them. I really wanted to love the Wee Robin, for its great design and beauty and in spite of its $900 starting price. I tried it, and it felt a bit unbalanced. I don't know if it is a problem with the floor model, which is quite possible with dozens of people spinning on it daily, or if my treadling motion doesn't work well with a wheel this small and lightweight. It is not the wheel for me, though.

5. Majacraft Little Gem: I did not get along with this wheel. If you'd asked me which of the five I expected to like most, this would be it. The tiny wheel wanted to reverse on me with no warning, and the tension had either no uptake or ripped the yarn out of my hands. After about ten minutes of fighting, I gave up.

I've decided to wait until my birthday, later this month, to buy the Joy. I think this will satisfy my wheel lust for a bit. I've really wanted to be able to spin in front of others to get feedback.

On to the purchases! I was disappointed with The Fold. Apparently no one told them of the huge cult following Socks That Rock has right now. They sold out of all their skeins in less than two hours. Sock yarn is apparently very hot right now. I bought these two skeins from Ellen's Half Pint Farm--enormous at 500 yards per skein--and they were among the last dozen or so skeins she had.



I'll be knitting booties and hats for twin girls due later this summer, then socks for myself. I think I'll have enough to get two pairs of ankle socks in addition to the baby gifts. How's that for value?

I also found some nice handpainted superwash merino roving from The Yarn Barn. Each is 4 ounces, enough for a pair of socks each. I love the colors!



I also bought quite a bit of natural-colored roving: 2 pounds of Blue-faced Leicester from Haltwhistle Fibres, 1.5 pounds of Finn from Misty Mountain Farms, and 4 ounces of gorgeous Polwarth from Spirit Trail Fiberworks. The Polwarth was a definite splurge (and was quite overpriced), but it's very special. It will become a hat or pair of mittens for me, I think.







I had been toying with the idea of buying some professional dyes, having seen so many beautiful results from other bloggers, so I bought three jars of Jacquard dyes. I dyed some of my handspun today, which will become the Roxy Lady bag. Here is the process at work:



And the finished product--in a different color, of course:



I plan to buy some other colors soon and dye some of the beautiful roving I acquired this weekend!

A Yarn Store Meme and a Maryland Sheep & Wool Shopping List

Tamara created this meme, and I like it!

1)What's your favorite LYS? I go back and forth between The Point, Seaport, and Brooklyn General (which I'd like to visit more often)
2)What about it do you like most? The Point's cafe, where it's perfectly acceptable to buy a cup of coffee and knit and chat with friends for an hour or two. Seaport's selection is outstanding, and I like the laid-back feel. Brooklyn General is a beautiful store with yarn, fabrics, and hard-to-find children's items (and it should be carrying more spinning supplies soon!).
3)What is your 2nd favorite? With three favorites, I don't think I'm allowed to have a second favorite!
4)What would you improve about it to make it a tie with your first? I'll answer this a little differently--what could any of the three favorites do to become my absolute favorite? I think a combination of the three would be perfect: the selection from Seaport, the gathering area of The Point, and the beauty and general ambience of Brooklyn General.
5)What's the last thing your bought at your #1 LYS? I think the last purchase I made at any of the three was Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran and 2 skeins of Cherry Tree Hill Supersock at Seaport.

I'm not tagging anyone, but I think it's a great meme, if you want to do it!

I wrote about New York City yarn stores awhile back, in this post, if you want to know more of my thoughts on this.

With great trepidation, I'm publishing my shopping list for tomorrow! (I'm so excited, I feel like a kid again! I just hope I'm able to sleep tonight.)

1. Koigu, mainly for baby gifts.
2. Socks That Rock, just because (and I also have to pick some up for Karen).
3. A dpn/sock case for Tamara. Karen bought one at Rhinebeck, and it is the neatest thing! I'll post photos if I find one.
4. Prepared fiber, of various types and colors. Maybe some silk blends.

I'll also be looking at dyes and travel wheels. I'll probably buy some dye, but I plan to wait on the travel wheel--unless I decide that the Wee Robin is for me! There's about a 12-month wait on those wheels.

Will post more when I come back!

Boring, pre-Maryland Sheep & Wool post

Yes, I know there are better ways to start a post than "boring," but my knitting has been rather boring lately. I've made some progress on the cabled afghan, as evidenced in this photo:



That's 7 1/2 skeins in, with 4 1/2 to go. My goal is to have it finished by the first week of June, but I'm not sure I'll make that. It doesn't have to be finished until June 30, at which time it must be dry and wrapped for the trip to Vermont.

I do like the cable pattern quite a bit, and I think washing it will do a world of good.



I spun this a week or two ago for Helen, who admired the roving I dyed.



I'm quite pleased with how this turned out. The spinning is getting slightly more even, although there are still a lot of inconsistencies. The colors blended much better than I thought they would, as well. It's enough to make me consider buying more professional dyes.

Next time, I'll have a report from Maryland Sheep & Wool!

Chugging Along

The never-ending afghan is going strong. I'm a few rows away from skein 8 of 12. My goal is to finish by June 1, so that I have a month to get to the laundromat, wash the sucker, let it dry, and wrap it up for the wedding. I bought the new Mason Dixon Knitting book and was tempted by the gorgeous throws and afgahns, until I realized how long I'd been working on this afghan--more than two months so far (with occasional forays into other projects, for sanity's sake). I need a break from huge projects before starting another of this magnitude. The Manos I bought at the yarn sale is calling to me, though.

On Sunday night, as I was chugging along on the afghan, my beloved Crystal Palace circular broke--one of the needles popped out of its brass holder. Nothing that a little super glue won't fix, but I took it as a sign from God (on Easter Sunday, no less) that it was time to start a new project. Inspired by Wendy at Knit and Tonic I started knitting this lovely top with some Cotton Fleece from the stash. This is replacing the boring socks as my commuting project, although I know I'll work on it on weeknights, as well.

I have finished two projects, one knitting and one spinning. The second baby sock was knitted and gifted within three days, after I realized that the mother is due at any time. It's pictured with the t-shirt I bought to go with the socks.















Remember the blue-purple Corriedale I dyed using icing colors? It's now this:















That's around 320 yards of approximately fingering weight 2-ply, which will hopefully turn into socks for me. This was my first real experiment spinning color, and I like how it turned out. Because the roving had been dyed in shades of blues and purples, the plying gave it an interesting, subtle shaded look. I'm anxious to see how it will look knit up.

I think my spinning is improving somewhat. It's definitely not beyond very basic beginner level, but every skein seems to build on what I learned with the last. I still feel tied more to what the fiber wants to be rather than what I want the yarn to look like, but I'm not too upset about that. You know, I barely remember what it felt like to be such a beginner at knitting, because I knew the basics when I came back to it a year and a half ago. The knit and purl movements were there; I had only to refine them (and how hard is it, really?). But spinning has a dozen different movements, combined with machinery that must be adjusted, and tinkering with just one aspect changes the end product. It's a process, and mastery must take a lifetime. But I'm learning, a yard at a time.

Before I forget, congratulations to Laura, who knit the sample of Annie Modesitt's Bias Corset! (And can I add that there are a number of promising designs in this one, based on the tiny pictures?)

Next time: progress photos of Green Gable and the never-ending afghan.

Blogging and Professionalism

A recent episode involving a popular designer/teacher/blogger and a yarn store owner (with a blog) made me start to think about blogging and professionalism. I've read some about this lately (the anonymous big law firm associate who outed herself only after she got a book deal comes to mind). That lawyer's blog, though, is different from the subject I'm addressing here. There is a difference between a professional venting about a situation at work on an "anonymous" personal blog (which can still be unacceptable in a number of circumstances) and a professional using a blog for mixed personal and work-related purposes venting about the same kind of situation. I'm discussing the latter here.

I'm a late-comer to the blog phenomenon, but I read blogs for awhile before beginning my own, and I still read a number of them daily. Some are purely personal, generally knitting-related with some mentions of family and daily life. Others mix professional and personal lives--I include the knitbloggers with books or other knitting-related internet businesses in this one (the Yarn Harlot, Mason Dixon Knitting, the Knitty blog, Wendyknits, etc.).

These bloggers have special challenges, I think. Each chooses to post a certain amount of personal information on their blogs, yet those blogs are also used for business purposes (promoting books and designs, listing events, selling patterns, etc.). What do you do, then, when personal and business collide? For example, what do you do if you have a problem with your editor or publisher? A yarn store owner cancels your appearance at the last minute, without any warning? Or, alternatively, you have major life issues that could affect your work?

...

I wrote the above last week and let it marinate for awhile before continuing. I find this a really compelling and thought-provoking topic, even if others are ready to dismiss it as a blogger's "right" to say what she/he pleases. I won't get into the legal existence or non-existence of freedom of speech on the Internet (the Google China site is a good example of the lack of free speech), and I'll assume for purposes of the argument that bloggers do have the right to say whatever they want.

Because a person has the ability and "right" to make a statement does not mean that the statement is wise. For example, suppose your boss is a complete idiot who sends you off on mundane, useless tasks that you despise. Nevertheless (and leaving out all possibility of libel/slander), you would probably not take out an ad in the local newspaper or trade journal to describe what a total wanker your boss is and how he has caused your high blood pressure. It would not be a wise thing to do, assuming you wanted to keep this job or work in the same field or location.

That is the crux of the blog problem--mixing professional and personal information on a blog requires the blogger to make determinations about what is appropriate or not appropriate, given the blogger's readership and profession. Maybe it helps to think about two kinds of readers for an average "mixed" blog. In the knitting world, there are (1) potential customers (which could include yarn store owners, book or pattern buyers, and/or advertisters) who read your blog and (2) casual readers (which could include non-knitting friends or family members). To some degree, your blog is advertising to the first class of readers--new products, appearances, etc. While blogging about your latest health issue or a bad experience you had at a yarn store or with a customer may help you vent your frustration and be great entertainment for casual readers, that information may turn off potential customers. High drama is fun but not professional.

People disagree about what constitutes too much information in the professional world every day, and I'm not saying that blogs should be sanitized to exclude all non-knitting content. I think that would harm some of the bloggers I listed above. However, there has to be some consideration taken by a "professional" blogger as to what information is appropriate or inappropriate under the circumstances. Would you want a potential customer to read about a terrible experience you had with a customer (in which you disparage the customer, fair or not)? If you were in that potential customer's shoes, what would you think? These bloggers are, in many ways, selling their personalities as much as their wares.

Next time, I'll be back with something more interesting!

A Stash Flash Addendum

Karen and I went to a yarn sale today. A man was selling his aunt's stash. I'm glad I went, and not only for the bargains. This woman had many, many skeins tagged for specific projects. It made me a little sad, thinking about how many projects I have planned and wondering how many will be lingering in the stash for years to come.

But I will cease with the sad parts and go on to the good parts. I bought a LOT of yarn, and I may go back next week to buy a bit more. At these sales, I usually expect to find a lot of crap and a small amount of worthwhile things. This was just the opposite--a lot of beautiful yarns and very few bad acrylics. I don't think there was a single skein of Red Heart Supersaver.

On to the purchases!


That's 11 skeins of Manos, 3 skeins of Bartlett, and 3 skeins of a funky 100% wool called Flaminia, by Schaffhauser Wolle.










11 skeins of Pingouin Fleur de Laine, a lovely, soft 100% wool. (I know the photo is blurry; this yarn did not want to photograph well.)










12 skeins Filatura di Crosa Kinair, which feels very similar to Kidsilk Haze.








41 (yes, 41) skeins Rowan Designer DK. Destined to become 2 sweaters from Alice Starmore's Fishermen's Sweaters. There will probably be enough left over for a third sweater.









10 skeins Anny Blatt angora. The green is 50/50 wool/angora; the pink, blue, and yellow are 70/30 angora/wool.









Last but not least, 22 skeins Anny Blatt No. 4. Likely destined to be a fair isle something.

STASH FLASH 2006

There's something a little intimidating about the Stash. There's so much promise, yet so little time to actually do anything. I'm not going to muse too much on it; I know some of this was accumulated before I knew what I liked, and my stashing is--I hope--more thoughtful now. I think the annual inventory is a good thing, though. There are yarns I have definite plans for, some I can't bear to part with because they have so much potential, and the "what was I thinking??" yarns that will probably go up for trade or to charity. At any rate, begin the Flash!

We begin our tour in the living room, the prime knitting space. The wheel lives here, as does two baskets of yarn and works in progress.


This basket contains a number of projects (I nearly said "problems," which is also apt) that, for whatever reason, I haven't finished. Really, there are only 3-4 projects in here, and they're all small. This basket also has two colors of Paton's Kroy sock yarn, as well as a number of partial balls of green wool I thought to use on my Fuzzy Feet.



This photo shows the contents of the second basket (not all of it fits). The darker off-white yarn is Cestari, used for the Aran afghan in progress. The red yarn is Southwest Trading Co. Karaoke, for the Lady Eleanor Entrelac in progress. The variegated yarn is the Socks That Rock I'm using for the baby socks from my last post. The lighter off-white is Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca Silk, to make the gloves from Handknit Holidays. I ran into some issues with the thumb, so the project is stalled. The black sock is Paton's Kroy for my husband. Finally, the green and white is Brooks Farm Harmony, a shawl in progress.



Now we move to the primary yarn storage area, the guest room. This is the guest bed/yarn storage.



Drawer 1: Mostly wools
From left to right, top to bottom
Cherry Tree Hill wool boucle
Cherry Tree Hill Twister
2 skeins Classic Elite Lush
4 skeins Debbie Bliss Maya (the blue variegated yarn)
14 skeins random fingering-weight wool
Row 2:
2 skeins turquoise Cherry Tree Hill possum
2 skeins Cherry Tree Hill wool
1 skein Cascade 220
2 skeins natural colored (buff) alpaca
4 partial skeins Morehouse Merino in pinks (barely visible)
Lion Brand Alpaka (gray)
1 skein Lamb's Pride Naturespun (pink)
Row 3:
Morehouse Merino shawl kit--yarn is a slightly variegated red
Variegated Morehouse Merino lace
1 skein Cherry Tree Hill Supersock
1 hank Claudia Handpaints
3 skeins Paton's Classic Merino (black)
1 skein Paton's Classic Merino (peacock blue)
6 skeins Bartlett Yarns
Row 4:
3 skeins Shepherd Colour 4 Me (pink and cream)
1 partial skein Lamb's Pride Bulky
2 skeins Malabrigo in Paris Night
2 skeins Rio de la Plata (gray)
3 skeins Rowan Kid Classic (1 burgundy, 2 green)
1 skein GGH (red)
2 more skeins Paton's Classic Merino (burgundy and peacock blue)
Half-frogged bulky yarn from handpaintedyarn.com


Drawer 2: laceweight & cottons (again, left to right, top to bottom)
7 skeins Brilla sparkly off-white
10 skeins red Rowan All-Seasons Cotton
10 skeins yellowy-cream Rowan All-Seasons Cotton
Row 2:
1000 yds natural-colored mohair from Mohair in Motion at Rhinebeck
1 skein Feza Laser
2 skeins Classic Elite Marl La
2 skeins RYC Cashsoft (light green)
2 skeins KnitPicks Shine (gray)
1 skein Rowan Calmer (chocolate brown)
2 skeins Jaggerspun Zephyr (midnight blue)
3 skeins KnitPicks Wool of the Andes (green)
2 skeins Fortissima sock yarn (sparkly cream and green)
Row 3:
2 skeins lavender Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino
2 skeins red Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino
several skeins of Tahki Cotton Classic
3 of 4 skeins KnitPicks Shadow
5 skeins Dale Baby Ull
Row 4:
Brooks Farm Primero (blue-black)
4 skeins fingering weight cotton (Cascade? Can't remember at this second.)
3 skeins Mission Falls 1824 cotton
2 skeins KnitPicks Alpaca Cloud (gray)



Drawer 2, continued: Fiber and handspun (left to right, top to bottom)
1 pound mohair/wool top (I am officially afraid to spin this)
2 skeins 3-ply merino from handpaintedyarn.com
1 skein 2-ply Peruvian wool
1 skein 2-ply Corriedale, dyed with Wilton
1 skein 2-ply random top
2 skeins 2-ply random wool top
My first handspun
*The handspun progress goes right to left.
3 balls of roving Karen gave me (Shetland, Camel, and another wool)
4 balls of Corriedale, dyed with icing colors
2 gorgeous little bags of baby alpaca I bought at Brooklyn General



Drawer 3: Acrylics and random (left to right, top to bottom)
Lots of Cotton Ease (red, pink, yellow, blue)
Row 2:
4 skeins Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece
10 or so skeins of Jamieson's DK
1 skein Lion Brand Chenille (why?)
1 skein Bernat Disco (proof that even though it's free, it's no bargain)
Row 3:
Mohair-y yarn from ebay. Started White Lies Designs Angelina in it, but it stalled.
2 skeins KnitPicks Color Your Own laceweight that needs to be over-dyed
1 skein Lion Brand Homespun
Wool Ease Sport (6 skeins gray, 3 skeins blue, 3 skeins black)
Row 4:
1 skein Noro Silk Garden left over from Klaralund
1 skein Paton's Canadiana
2 skeins Wool Ease

Whew! I'm exhausted! Is now the time to confess that I bought 2 skeins of Cherry Tree Hill Supersock? And I may have an update after Karen and I go buy some

Halfway Finished

I've been working on socks lately--on the subway, at jury duty today (from which I was thankfully dismissed), at Karen's house, and even at home. I also made a baby sock, using Ann Budd's Ruffle Ribs pattern available from Interweave Knits here. I used some of the beautiful Socks That Rock, in the Sedona colorway, that I bought at Rhinebeck. I forget how nice this yarn is until I pick it up again. It will be one of my few yarn purchases at Maryland Sheep & Wool.

Finished Jaywalker (and, yes, I cast on for the second one right away)


Finished baby sock


I also plied the merino from handpaintedyarn.com. I spun three bobbins and made a 3-ply yarn. I'm fairly pleased with this yarn, but my spinning certainly needs a lot of work. It is around fingering/sport weight, although I have not measured the wraps per inch.



A close up


Finally, I dyed a bit of Corriedale roving using icing coloring, similar to Wilton. I'm very pleased with the blue/purple, but I'm not sure about the green. I may overdye the resulting yarn.



So there! You have some photos and can be happy until I finish something more worthwhile--in May or June. You can always go look at Monkee's lace if you get bored.

Yarn Shop Reviews
(wherein I blather about New York City yarn stores)

As an attempt to keep this blog from further irrelevance, and in light of the fact that I am mired in large knitting project land with no finished object photos for the near future, I thought I'd share some of my thoughts on yarn stores in NYC. There are also many, many other stores that I have not visited. And, of course, you may have a completely different experience at a store that I did. Some people love stores that I hate, and hate stores I love. That's the way it goes.

Manhattan
(Organized roughly from south to north)

Seaport Yarn
I like this store a lot. I generally go here when I need something specific, because they carry fairly complete lines of many yarns, and they carry a number of yarns that aren't stocked elsewhere in the city. I also come here if I need to just fondle yarns for a half hour. It's a small space for their vast stock, and I sometimes find that annoying--especially when I was looking for a ball of Noro in a particular color. They also do not take credit cards, except for purchases of more than $200. Customer service is there when you need it, but isn't overwhelming. The first time you visit, they generally give you a tour of the shop. It's in an old office suite, scattered among a number of offices, and a tour is helpful. They host knitting nights on Wednesdays, and the store is open until 8.

Downtown Yarns
This is one of the two shops in the city I won't patronize. To be fair, they have a nice selection of yarns and seem helpful, and I have heard glowing reviews from many people. However, I had a bad experience regarding a pattern there, and I won't give them my business.

Purl
I've been to Purl twice. Purl is very much in the vein of SoHo itself, I think: luxurious yarns displayed well in an inviting atmosphere. Celebrities reportedly visit, too. They have an amazing array of Manos del Uruguay and custom Lorna's Laces colors, both of which are worth the trip. I've had less than stellar customer service, but I do fine without it. This store seems to be at the top of every visitor's list, and I understand why, but it probably isn't in my top 5.

Suss
This is an interesting store, with a large, inviting space--a rarity in NYC yarn stores. Much of the inventory is devoted to Suss Cousins' own line of yarns, which are generally nice and priced fairly. Some of her more novelty-type yarns are particularly nice for what they are. They carry some Brown Sheep and Lorna's Laces, from what I recall. The store also offers handknit items, including a custom sweater service. In my opinion, the biggest draw is the store's inexpensive classes (approximately $40-$60) with free wine. I can't vouch for the quality, but there aren't many places in NYC where one can attend two learn-to-knit classes (2 hours each) for $60. It's not a regular stop for me, but it's a pleasant place to visit.

The Point
The Point is probably my favorite yarn store in Manhattan. It's conveniently located near my subway line, and it offers tables and a cafe for knitting. The store is always well-staffed, and its stock is fairly well thought-out for its clientele. The biggest drawback is that it's often very crowded, especially in the evenings. It's sometimes so crowded that it's difficult to get to the yarn. Of course, it's also open until 8 or later every weeknight, which makes it very convenient.

Knit New York
I've been to this store once, and I won't go back. I've heard mixed reviews of this store, and much of it seems to depend on who is working and/or managing the store. I was looking for a specific yarn, and they were listed as a stockist on the manufacturer's website. Instead of calling (as I should have), I decided to drop by and check out the store. When I asked about the yarn, the clerk and manager both treated me poorly. I didn't get a good feeling from the store/cafe, either, but it is spacious and open, with plenty of seating. If it were closer, I might go to knit and have a coffee, but I wouldn't buy yarn there.

School Products
This is almost the quintessential New York City yarn store to me. It's in the Garment District and offers more cones of yarn than skeins. There's also a good selection of yarn for dyeing. They stock the full line of Karabella, I think. I would go there more often if the prices were better; the coned yarns are not great values.

The Yarn Connection
I have been to this store only twice, both times for their Super Bowl sale. It's a small store with a good variety of yarns, including Jamieson's and Dale. The store seems to cater to an older knitter, and it's been around forever. The sales staff is knowledgeable and helpful, even in the onslaught that is their Super Bowl sale. It has a more "bread and butter" than boutique feel, which I like.

Stitches East
Okay, I lied when I said there were only two stores I wouldn't visit again. This is the third, unless I'm in dire need of needles or a magazine on my lunch break, and it can't wait until I can get downtown to The Point. It's the only yarn store in Midtown. The yarns aren't priced, and the selection is very strange, with moderately priced acrylics, expensive fibers, and not a lot of middle ground. The one time I visited, I stayed about 20 minutes with no acknowledgement by any of the three clerks. Don't go there unless you must.

The Yarn Co.
This store has, I think, more mixed reviews than any other store in NYC. I've been once and found that both could be true. You could have a wonderful experience there or a terrible one, depending on a number of factors. I went in search of a specific yarn (Blue Sky Cotton), which they apparently only stock in the summer. I was out of luck in November. The clerk who helped me was friendly, courteous, and helpful, even though the store was crowded. But it definitely felt that there was an "in" crowd among their regular customers. I could see someone walking in and getting horrible service as a result. It's not a convenient store for me, so I don't anticipate going back too soon. I would also say that if you do not enjoy their books, you might not enjoy their store. Maybe I resent them because their books are full of bulky, shapeless sweaters?

Brooklyn
(Organized roughly north to south, although my Brooklyn geography is bad.)

The Yarn Tree
I love this store, if only because it carries a wide variety of spinning supplies and was the first place I spun on a wheel. The owner is extremely helpful, and she stocks by far the widest variety of spinning fibers in the city. She also stocks Kromski and Schacht wheels. There is a large selection of Koigu, and she has some unique handspun offerings, too. The focus seems to be almost solely on natural fibers, with several organic fibers thrown in. I would go here more often if it were (a) not in Williamsburg and (b) closer to the subway. The store is open until 10 pm on weekdays, which is a definite bonus.

Knit-a-way
This is a great "bread and butter" store. They carry a very wide variety of yarns, including acrylics. Their basics are particularly good, I think, in both cotton and wool. However, they sometimes have issues with stocking enough of popular colors, and prices are high on some yarns (particularly the acrylics). The needle selection is unparalleled in the city, I think. It may just be that they are displayed well on a side wall. They also have a nice stock of books. I've had mixed customer service experiences, but I generally only go here when I know what I want or need. Or if I'm going to Target (six blocks away) and just want to browse for a bit.

Brooklyn General
Brooklyn General is my new favorite yarn store. It will become even more so if/when they carry more spinning supplies. It combines a great selection of yarns, fabrics, and notions with a wonderful atmosphere. The store would be a wonderful place to sit and knit, and I hope it's an option they will have if they move to a larger space (which is, I'm told, in the works). If I owned a yarn store, I would want it to look like this.

Stitch Therapy
I've gone back and forth on this shop. It's closest to my apartment, so I really want to like it. I've liked it the last two times I've been there. Their selection is a little eclectic, and not necessarily in a good way. I also hate the fact that their needles are not out on display. But the staff is very nice, and it's close. It's not a store I would go out of my way for, but it is nice to have relatively nearby.

The store I most need to visit is Habu, and it will happen soon.

Has it really been that long since I blogged?

It's been a strange couple of weeks. I've been knitting and spinning, but I haven't finished much. I finally finished some extremely boring socks for my husband last night and started the Jaywalkers for myself, in Claudia Handpaints (the Turquoise Jeans colorway). It's really lovely yarn, and I like the pattern so far. I hope this gets me over the sock-knitting hump. I love handknit socks, but I'm not sure how I feel about knitting them. Some of my dislike stems from the fact that the socks I have knit have been taupe, charcoal, and black. These are bold, handpainted, and gorgeous. The yarn is a bit "energized" (read, overspun and twisty), which is good in the finished product but not so good for knitting.

I also knit Shedir, to be used as a chemo cap. I started it originally for a very dear family friend who was diagnosed with cancer in mid-February. Unfortunately, she passed away unexpectedly about 3 weeks after her diagnosis. She was one of my mother's best friends, kindergarten teacher for me, my sister, and various other friends and family members, and married to my 8th grade teacher. My family, her family and my uncle's family all vacationed together when we were younger. It's been difficult, especially for my mom. I think she's contemplating her on mortality, which is both good and bad. We're finally starting to talk about normal things again, not her illness or the funeral or how the family is doing.

The good news is that the chemo cap has gone to another wonderful woman in my hometown. She had her first chemo treatment last Thursday. It's been therapeutic, in a way. I'm glad I was able to do something that felt tangible.

Anyway, I should have yarn photos fairly soon, since I'm nearly finished with the third bobbin of merino. It may be a while before any knitted items are posted, but I will try to offer my astounding words of wisdom on some topic or another.

A finished Kiri and two works in progress

Kiri, a birthday gift for my mother-in-law, was finished and blocked yesterday. The pattern is by Polly Outhwaite of All Tangled Up. I used nearly 3 skeins of Madil Kid Seta in color 486. It's somewhere between violet and light blue.






This wasn't a terribly challenging lace knit, although I made mistakes. I think I've finally learned that lace requires a true understanding of the pattern. Once I finally realized what each repeat should be doing on each row, it was much easier. Memorizing the pattern as much as possible helps, too. I didn't use lifelines or stitch markers for this pattern, although I think it could be helpful. I get lazy and don't want to make the effort. My next lace project, to be completed after Lady Eleanor, is this from Folk Shawls, in a random red fingering-weight wool I bought for $1/ball.

I've also worked on Lady Eleanor's Entrelac Shawl from Scarf Style. I'm using Southwest Trading Company's Karaoke, which has long color changes, similar to Noro. The color changes in this particular shade are subtle, going from a deep maroon to a true copper.



I've also been working on the Cabled Throw, from Debbie Bliss's Simple Living. I'm using Cestari yarn from Chester Farms.



I also convinced my husband to model Saranac. (His un-showered state necessitated a sweater-only photo.)



Thank you for all the kind comments on Klaralund! I am feeling better about it, but I think it will need a trip in the dryer to tighten up a bit. The garter stitch lends itself to expansion too easily.

Klaralund

This was a quick knit, and I sewed it up last night (staying up past my bedtime, of course--witness the ends hanging out). It came out like I expected, but I have my reservations about the finished sweater. I like it, but I don't like it. I'm hoping it grows on me, and I think it will. If it doesn't, I'll just frog it and knit something else.

I apologize for the dark photos. Dustin took one with a flash, and it was just scary. My face glowed. Believe me, it's better this way.





Stats:
Pattern by Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton, Noro Book 2
Yarn is Noro Silk Garden, Color 208, 10 skeins
I made the 42" size.

Thoughts:
It turned out how I expected, but I'm not sure about the fit. It feels a little too flower child for me. I love the colors, and I really don't mind that the stripes don't match. I think this pattern does a good job of highlighting Noro's "handmade" feel (and turning it into a positive, not a negative). Part of it, I believe, is that I really liked this sweater from the beginning, and it isn't as amazing as I'd pictured it in my head.

I'm anxious to hear your thoughts, though! And, please, constructive criticism is always welcome!

In other news, Karen and Tamara came over with their 5 year old sons to try out the wheel on Sunday. The first time at the wheel is always frustrating, but they did a great job and just need some more practice! Hopefully, Karen will post photos of their first skein!

After some problems with the border, Kiri should be finished this weekend. I have some thoughts on that project and lace knitting, as well, that I'll include in that post.

Ah, Berroco.

Berroco's fugliness has been well-documented. (See Exhibit A, Exhibit B). I receive Berroco's KnitBits newsletter in my inbox every Friday, and I open it with some trepidation--what horrific example of knitting will I see today? Yes, today's was definitely terrible (see here), but I want to talk about another phenomenon in their newsletter--fake questions.

You see, in every KnitBits newsletter, there is a question from an aspiring "knitter" (and I use that term loosely) about one of Berroco's "yarns" or "patterns." I suspect these are most often made up by the "editors" to sell said "yarns" and "patterns."

Witness today's post:

Roberta from cyberspace wrote: "I love your new ribbon yarn Yoga. I want to make a dressy top to wear to my niece's wedding in your color #6412 Ashram. I want to wear it over some linen pants that will coordinate. I look best in tunics and I love to wear lots of big jewelry. I want a cover-up with some conservative drama. Vilma looks interesting but the drawstring and bare upper arm is not for me. Can you help me modify this pattern?"

Before we move on to the answer, let's examine the question first. This woman wants to knit a top out of this yarn to wear to a wedding? My misgivings about using ribbon yarn to knit a top aside, this questioner wants to knit a "cover-up with some conservative drama." I don't know what she thinks "conservative drama" means, but metallic gold ribbon doesn't exactly scream conservative to me.

So what about the pattern she wants to alter in order to create this "conservative drama?"



This seems a little more Jeanne Bice than Nancy Reagan, no?

And Berroco's supportive response:

"Roberta, I am so glad that you asked this question. I want all our readers to know that you can feel free to omit details to suit your individual style. Vilma can become a u-neck tunic by simply omitting the sleeve slits and the drawstring at the side. Another option for a dressy tunic that looks great with loads of big jewelry is Megan in Booklet #244 knit in Cotton Twist™. For a western take on Megan you could knit it in Suede™, Suede™ Deluxe or Suede™ Tri-Color. I hope I can encourage you and our readers to feel free to take our patterns to another level.

Be creative . . . be free!"


Margery Winter
Creative Director

Doesn't this seem to be a set-up from the start? You be the judge.

Coming next week--photos of Kiri and afghan in progress, finished photos of Saranac, if my husband will pose.

A Weekend of Little Progress

Have you ever had one of those weekends when nothing you pick up seems to go right? At one point on Saturday, every knitting project I had in progress had something wrong with it. There was Saranac, with the crooked zipper. It's fixable, but not something I wanted to deal with, nonetheless. There was the second Fuzzy Foot; I had zoned out, misread the pattern, and had to rip back the gusset--and somehow lost 2 stitches in the process. Then there was Kiri, suffering from a moment of overconfidence that required me ripping back 6 rows. Yes, I know it's an easy lace pattern, and I finally "get" what I'm supposed to be doing on each row. But sometimes I get ahead of myself and screw up.

Finally, there was the afghan. The self-designed Aran afghan with a required completion date of July 1. I started it and hated it. It wasn't looking right, was a pain to knit, and sucked up yarn like there was no tomorrow. It was time for plan B--Debbie Bliss' Cabled Throw from Simple Living. I'd looked at this and disregarded it as being too small, but it suddenly looked much more attractive on Saturday evening. I went up one needle size, to a US 9, and added a cable repeat, which would make it quite a bit larger. Eleven rows in to the cable pattern, I realized that I wasn't going to have enough yarn, and I needed to knit this with the original number of repeats. That led to another frogging adventure. I wasn't completely upset, however, because Bliss had written one line of the cable pattern in an extremely confusing way. After looking at my trusty Barbara Walker treasury, I realized what she meant. I just wish she could have done it in a more coherent way.

On Saturday night, needless to say, I decided that a hiatus from knitting was in order. So I finished spinning the first bobbin of merino.

On Sunday, things were a bit brighter. I had ripped Kiri back and begun again, finishing two repeats before the day was over. Then I started the cabled throw again, knitting 11 rows of the border before I decided it was time for bed.

Isn't it a good thing I decided not to participate in the Knitting Olympics?