Saturday, December 08, 2007

In Progress

I had a couple of minutes to myself so I figured I'd put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard depending on how you look at it ) and write a little sumthin sumthin.

Well I've been suffering hard from Knitters ADD. I've been having serious gauge issues lately which seems to fuel my project polygamy. I think its true when they say that your knitting is directly related to your mood. I've been wanting to blog for the longest just to get some thought out of my head but my mind feels like its being pulled off in fifty million directions. I just don't feel centered on one thing and I'm thinking its the holidays that have me feeling like an erratic mad woman. So I apologize if this post seems like I'm off somewhere else (because I am). Anyway, on with the show.

UGhhhh

Here are the mishaps that have had my knickers in a bunch (dontcha just love that expression).

First off is the bog jacket I planned for Little Boy Blue. I love Elizabeth Zimmermans patterns but being the impatient person that I am I didn't read the whole unpattern through properly before writing up my notes. I was OK with the sweater until I got the shoulders. I had planned to put all the bells and whistles on this jacket including the longer sleeves, shoulder shaping and back neck shaping. My downfall came from placing the shoulder shaping in the wrong spot. You can clearly see in this photo that there is no way to correct this without ripping out the whole top of the sweater and frankly thats not going to happen (please pay no attention to my mess in the background) I'm not a big fan of garter stitch so I can't see myself starting this pattern all over right now. I just have to take an L on this one and wash my hands of it.

Next up in the Ugh category is a project that was more than a year in the making. In August of 2006 I made a feeble attempt to make a fair isle mitten. All I managed to knit since then was about an inch of ribbing. Fair isle still seems to intrigue me but I have yet to finish one project that I've started using stranded knitting (case in point). So I decided to suck it up and try and bring this thing back into my knitting rotation. I already had about an inch of ribbing done on size 000 dpns so it took me about an hour to finish up the rest of the ribbing for the cuff. After that I got into the fair isle pattern and I was a giddy little knitter watching the pattern form. Then something told me that this looked kind of small. SO I tried it on and lo & behold, it was too small. Again, I do not wish to start ALL over again so this will sit in the corner until I know what the heck I want to do with it.

Instant Gratification Knitting

In between those mishaps, I've done a little knitting to get my mind off of the failures. The first one was out of necessity. Little boy blue needed some mittens so of course his mama had to make some for him.
These are the Target Mittens from the Knitting Nature book but I used the pattern in last years winter interweave knits. I used Plymouth Encour DK and you can find all the stats here on Ravelry.

DJ (my significant other) has been bugging me for a while now to make him a hat like the Marvin Gaye reminiscent one Eddie Murphy wore in Dreamgirls. I practically sat with picture in my lap while I crocheted the hat using odd balls of acrylic yarn. He loved it even though I took so long to make it. I even made him another one the very next day. I think they go great with his locs.

In Progress

Right now I'm working on some socks as travel knitting. I'm using the sock hop blogged about here on size 1's. I'm not really happy with this project but it gets me through the commute. The pattern is one of the rib ones from the More Sensational Knitted Socks book.

Next up is a vest that I started while at Rosi's post Thanksgiving get together. I scored this chunky yarn at Rhinebeck this year and I knew I wanted to make a nice V neck vest to go over a button down shirt. My inspiration is from my Traditional Fair Isle Knitting book and I'm using my Handy Dandy Notebook for the vest part. I'm using 2 three row patterns alternating with a 9 row and 13 row pattern in between. I may be about half way done and I'm hoping that the wonkiness will subside with some aggressive blocking.

Lastly I just started a new winter set starting with a hat. Right now I'm using my hat, scarf and mittens from last year and it just won't due. What kind of knitter would I be if I can't supply myself with a coordinating hat and scarf. Come on. Anyway, the yarn is some Caron brushed acrylic that I scored at Smileys a while ago. Of course I'm using my Handy Dandy Notebook for the pattern. I'm planning on alternating rows of stockinette, reverse stockinette and seed stitch for this hat. Once the hat is done I'm planning on knitting a Bainbridge scarf to match.

Thats about it. I am working on a detailed sheep to shawl project right now but I'll save that for another post. I also joined the WOW sock club. I'm using that in conjunction with Margene's earlier idea of wrapping them up to make it more of a surprise. Well until next time and if I don't have the chance to tell you hope you all have a wonderful Holiday.

17 comments:

Necia said...

What's the wow sock club? Your vest looks hawt! I love it, I don't see the wonkiness you're talking about. Dj hats are hot too! I made Shai one, but nothing like dj's. Please make sure he doesn't see it. I love wee one's mittens, and I feel your pain regarding the Bog jacket. Now I can see what it was you explained last time we was together. And, of course I'll see you during the holidays.

Necia

Scheherazaad said...

Yes you have a confirmed case of knitting ADD. But most of us do and can use the company. I love your crocheted hats. They just make me want to get my hook out and go for it, adding yet another project to my UFOs. The target mitts are so cute!

WandaWoman said...

I'm sorry you're having gauge issues and various other problems with your knitting. Unfortunately that happens with my knitting here and there.

It'll get better. DJ's hats look great with his locs.

Annie said...

Wow! You ARE being pulled in different directions! (And I can relate!) My unsolicted advice is to give those ughs a rest and just work on something that delights you to no end. There's too much pretty yarn out there to not be in love with your knitting.

Vera said...

Ooooh! I love the crocheted hat. Really old school.

Anonymous said...

I love the colors of the EZ sweater - don't give up on it. I love DJ's hat, very old school and of course, the socks, the socks, the socks. I have ADD too but you've made me feel a lot better about mine.
Hope to see you at the Sit n'Knit party.
take care.

Nikki said...

Awww, I am so sorry about about that garter stitch jacket. I love the color arrangement and it was looking so good. I'm having gauge issues, too. I started the Lace Mesh Cardigan from VK and realized that it is just too small once I got to the pattern change in the upper half. And it's a slip stitch mohair deal! So, um, yeah, don't know what I'm going to do about that.

On the plus side, it is sooo sweet you made those hats for your so. Lucky him.

stickyfingers said...

That fair isle is looking lovely. I totally understand the knitting ADD this is the time of the year when I sit down with all my long neglected UFO's and tell myself I'll finish them (I rarely do)

NikkiJ said...

Whew! You sound like me with all these projects. I don't know why I can't stop casting on. The Marvin Gaye/Dream Girls hat came out well.

Since you posted about all these projects, does this mean you're not going to post again for a long while? Hint, hint.

Nancy Wetmore-Mathews said...

Love the Wow sock club. I think I may join that one as well.

Nice hats. It's amazing how fast something can go the second time around.

You definitely have knitting ADD thankfully it's usually a temporary disorder;)

Rosi G. said...

WOW that vest is coming out NICE! and you did a fantastic job on that hat. Necia should make one for Shai!

Lyrically speaking said...

Love the hats DJ is wearing :)
what about my gloves? :( don't forget about little ol' me...I see you've been busy making new stuff which is cool, winter is perfect for that

Anonymous said...

Can you make a pattern for the Hat that you made D.J.? I just saw Dream Girls last night and am really craving to make a hat like it. Please drop me a line if you come up with a pattern, 2Skiens@itsapurlman.com

Anonymous said...

Girl, trust me, I understand. There's a bunch of stuff I'm about to rip out, steam and re-ball.

But Dj's hat is the BOMB! I made a hat for Mr. K, but I think I got duped on the free pattern from School Products––I gotta tell you in person.

Been way too busy on stuff that I can't blog about. Holla at me, I'm home during the day.

Anonymous said...

WOW. You have been BUSY!!! Gorgeous stuff. You are truly skilled to sit and crochet that hat for your man with just a picture in hand! :-D Loving that green and cream fair isle. I feel ya about commute knitting, I've got a pair of socks that I keep in the passenger seat for stop lights (don't tell anybody!) :-D

annmarie said...

that's quite a pretty vest you got going on there. I love those colors and the gauge seems a bit more fun right now than working on 000 dpns. ;)

Crochet Goddess said...

I love the crochet hat. Did you write down the pattern? If you did are you willing to share.I think my Nephew might like the hat. Great blog.