stash, knit, repeat

It’s a pretty nose-to-the-grindstone weekend here in foggy CA, but the good news is that having a stockinette sock actually helps me concentrate on the reading.

What a relief, because I was pretty worried I’d make a shameful showing for the knit-along! I’m sure I’ll have the lowest number of FOs given how prolific my fellow crafters are, but two pairs of socks and a baby sweater isn’t *so* bad.

I’m really loving the J. Knits yarn, although I do notice the nylon content. The colors are blending beautifully, and the pattern (I’m using Wendy’s generic toe-up) is great! I’m not sure whether I’ll do another short-row heel except in variegation-saving situations–it doesn’t hug my foot the way a heel flap does. But I’m totally in love with the toe. For them’s that don’t know already, a short-row toe is done like this:

First, a provisional cast-on for half the number of stitches. This is the worst part, for me. I hate provisional cast-ons, because I hate to crochet. I just can’t seem to make it work right for me.

Then, you knit shorter and shorter rows to the end of the toe, and then longer and longer rows (picking up the wraps) until you’ve basically gotten back to where you started.

Unravel the provisional cast-on, slap those babies on a needle, and knit in a tube until the heel. Brilliant!

The first sock is done, and the second going strong. I’m really hoping to finish these up in time to close out the knit-a-long… we’ll see. I am hoping for three projects in May, too: An indoor cap I owe my grandpa, the Shetland Triangle from Wrap Style, and Tulip. Oh, how I long to wear a spring knit!

Goodness, is it Tuesday already?!

Pattern: Set-in V-neck pullover, 26″ chest size, from Ann Budd’s holy grail of sweaters

Yarn: Leftover Ultra Alpaca from my grandmother’s lap afghan and my v-neck cardi, 2 hanks of the blue and little bits of the red

Time elapsed: Very little… 4 days?

Thoughts/modifications: The pattern outline is made to be modified, so I’m not sure what to say here. I added little stripes around the edges, used the numbers in the pattern exactly, and basically just didn’t think too much on this sweater. One neat trick I learned was the EZ sewn bind-off for the V-neck, which turned out to be wonderfully stretchy without losing its shape. Such a nice bind-off!

I love the look of set-in sleeves on little ones. The crisp tailoring on such little bodies just fills me with squee. He seems to love the sweater, too, which is great. He hugs it and says “Mama” and tries to put it on. Such a sweet little guy!

(There will be an FO page update tonight some time, so check back if you’re mad for the Jacob photos.)

*****

I started a new pair of socks, after all, after seeing someone else knit up J. Knits sock yarn. I’m trying toe-up stockinette with a picot bind-off, and they look great so far. After that, it’ll be a contest between a Shetland triangle in some Richesse et Soie, and Tulip. Such choices!

I finished the sweater for Jacob, but haven’t had time to get modeled pictures yet. I’ll save the FO post for when I have cute shots, but here’s a peek.

The sweater for the Damask is Tulip, from the most recent Rowan magazine. I’m planning on making the sleeves set-in and a bit longer, since cap sleeves just aren’t for me. I’m excited about it, but I’d hoped to wait until May to start it, but I may give in and swatch before then.

Not because I’m that impatient, mind you, but because nothing else is working out right! The koigu, which looked SO beautiful and springy in the hank, and wound up into a cake?

Well, charitably I could call it “splotchy” when knit up. Uncharitably, as in late last night when I just wanted a soothing sock to knit, it could be called vomit in sock form.

I’m so disgusted with it, and remember well how little I could change the STR pooling despite going to insane lengths. So, I’m not going through that again. First interested party who leaves a comment gets the yarn! Please, make it into socks that you love.

The other quick project I had in mind, another indoor cap for the hubby, won’t work either–he doesn’t like the color of 4ply soft I have in the stash and I don’t feel like buying more right now. Sigh.

So what’s a girl to do? Chart and swatch and cast on for Tulip, I suppose, but if anyone else has great ideas for quick projects, I’d LOVE to hear them. Because I’d really like to do something else small with the rest of April!

I may be nearly finished with my latest quick fix.

I may have caught some spring fever and bought more yarn.

I may be about to dive into the Koigu Experience for the first time.

There’s just nothing like handknit socks.

Pattern: Grumperina’s Jaywalkers

Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill supersock, in “Earth” colorway

Time elapsed: 10 days

Thoughts and Modifications: I futzed with the patter in two ways–first, I made the larger size for the leg and decreased to the smaller size just before beginning the heel flap. This resulted in a sock that fit my much-larger-than-usual calf and my average-sized foot! It’s amazing what you can do when you make your own clothes, people. Amazing.

I also shortened the socks by about an inch, which is a good thing since I have veeeery little yarn left over. I hereby warn all of you shoe size 8.5 women considering Jaywalkers out of CTH!

…and there’s really not much more to say about these socks that hasn’t been said before. They grip the feet oh-so-well, they’re comfy, they’re fun, they’re quick. They literally flew off the needles once I realized I could knit them while reading terribly boring technical specifications!

So if you’re one of the three people out there who haven’t already knit a pair, it’s not too late! Treat your feet!

You know you want to. :)

You knew it was coming, right?

Pattern: Seraphim Shawl, by Mim Felton

Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill fingering-weight silk, color Java, well into 2 hanks

Time elapsed: About a week for the swatch, about 2-2.5 weeks for the shawl itself

Modifications and Notes: No modifications this time–I knit it exactly as written.

Although the rows got a little tedious at the end (like with any shawl constructed from the center top outward, really), I thoroughly enjoyed knitting this shawl. The stockinette portion gives the shawl a nice weight and warmth, it fades gracefully into the lace portion, and the lace itself is fun and not too difficult. (By the end of the second chart, I was able to knit the shawl while reading and/or watching tv.)

I think this would be a very good first lace shawl. It’s easy to tell when you’ve made an error, the pattern is excellently written and clear, and there isn’t too much going on. It also seems to stand up well to handpainted yarns, at least if they’re fairly low-contrast.

I really think the color changes in the yarn worked well with the shawl pattern. This makes two in a row, so surely I’m headed for a big color disaster soon. :) Seriously, though, the changing of the color helps define the stockinette portions and adds interest, while the combination of lace and muted color changes isn’t too busy. Definitely a nice choice for some lightly-variegated stash yarn.

Of course, if you’re going to buy yarn just to knit this shawl, you can do a lot worse than the CTH silk. It’s lustrous, it’s soft, and the colors are beautiful. It’s far too glamorous a yarn for my toddler-enhanced life, but I love it anyway.

Plus, it’s warm! I can actually wrap this shawl around me on these chilly Monterey days. All in all, three thumbs up for the pattern, yarn, and combination. Hooray!

(As always, for more pictures and silly commentary, visit the FO page.)

The problem is, even when the pattern is quick and you love the yarn and you’re flying along, it’s tough to make progress when you have next to zero knitting time.

(Yes, folks, she even multitasks during a photo shoot.)

When we moved to CA last year, one of the major reasons we did so was to allow me to stay home with Jacob. Still, I saw no reason to burn bridges and I told my old employer that if they found themselves with a short-term project matching my skills, I would probably be willing to do some contract work for them. Last week, they offered me a contract to write a short-term report, and I took it. It’s my first outside employment since we moved here 7 months ago, and while I’m enjoying it, it’s sure cut into my knitting time! We still don’t have a babysitter here yet, so I’m squeezing in the research and writing when I can. Hopefully someone will answer my ads at the child development programs of local colleges… we’ll see.

I guess I picked a good month to focus on short-term projects… nothing else would get done!

Happy holidays to those who are celebrating!

One of the elements of the Passover seder is a recital (and non-answer, but that’s a different topic) of four questions, ostensibly from a child, asking why this night is different from all other nights. I’d like to add a fifth:

On all other nights, Mum-mum relaxes over her knitting for a few hours. Why is that on this night, Mum-mum doesn’t get to knit a stitch?

Which is to say that my “quick fix”? Isn’t so quick.

I’m working on the heel flap of my Jaywalker, but only because I decided to shorten the sock by 3/4″. I also tried out something that may not work–I knit the leg in the larger size, then decreased just before starting the heel flap. My calves are pretty huge, so I knew I wanted the extra room there. But my feet are pretty normal. We’ll see!

One of the potential benefits of the quick fix is happening, though. Since I don’t need to concentrate in the slightest, my mind is free to wander to the ever-inspiring list of Things I Want To Knit for Myself. Today’s happy daydream is Salina from Rowan’s Vintage Style. What projects are dancing around in your mind, these days?

While going through my morning blog ritual, I noticed Aija’s reminder that today is Flash your Stash day. I’ve never done it before, but I’m thinking about a stash photo page (a la Ashley), and this seemed like a good way to ease into a public admission of the size of my stash.

(Plus, the good knitting progress fodder for the day, such as it is, will be over at the knit-a-long. There’s still time to join us!)

So anyway, here’s my stash. I wanted to take a picture of it all at once, but aliens threatened abduction if I did so it only barely all fit on my table. To appease the aliens make it more manageable, I photographed groups instead.

The sock yarn (21 pairs):

The lace-weight (10 shawls):

Sweaters for me or Jacob (14):

Gift sweaters (5):

Small amounts (8 small projects):

So there you have it. Amy’s stash, as of April 1 2007. Show us yours!!!

Seriously, show us yours! Would a gratuitously cute baby picture convince you?

C’mon. How could you say ‘no’ to that face?!

*****

(Seraphim is blocked and unpinned and lovely, and I chose to start off the Quick-Fix month of April with a pair of Jaywalkers. I’ll post all of the info at the knit-a-long blog, with occasional cross-posts here.)