stash, knit, repeat

Sorry about the radio silence. It’s been quite the… well, let’s just say it’s been a surprising week.

Knitting has happened, of course. Spurred on by Sil’s fab Tangled Yoke, I finished the main part of the body. It’s been pretty sloggy so far, but this feels like a big milestone. Now, just the bottom part of the sleeves before I can join the whole thing and get to the fun part!

I think this is going to be a cardigan I wear a lot, and I hope to have it finished in time to wear it to Rhinebeck. I’m flying back East and going to the festival for the first time this year, with my favorite partner in yarny crime. I’m so excited I can barely even stand it!

Despite spending less than half the time on the Waterlily top than I have on Tangled Yoke, I’m nearly as far.

This is an interesting project, if nothing else. It’s weird knitting on such enormous needles, and the “yarn” doesn’t always act like such. But I do like the fabric it’s producing, and you know what? It’s really good to stretch my boundaries a little. If nothing else, I’m enjoying the process.

My other fun knitting news is that the sign-ups are open for the next Stitches West, and I’m treating myself to a weekend of classes, this year. I’m taking a bunch on pattern modification and design, and I’m really looking forward to it. If anyone else decides to go, definitely let me know. Between this and Rhinebeck, I have two whole weekends of relaxing knitting to look forward to. How did I get so lucky?!

Well, let’s be fair. The Tangled Yoke Cardigan is very, very unlikely to be disastrous.

It is kind of dull, though, at least for the moment. I’m finally (finally!) done with the garter rib on the body, but those rows are still damn long. And my monkeys are done, and I’m not feeling the sock love for another pattern just at the moment.

So let’s mix things up a bit, shall we? I noted this project when it came out in the magazine, and I’ve been thinking about it since. There isn’t a project in existence less to my usual taste, so it’s taken me some time to commit. But commit I have, I suppose–it’s in my Ravelry projects list, it’s in the sidebar, it’s on the needles. The yarn I showed a few posts ago was Colinette Giotto, as many guessed, and this is the pattern.

I know, I know. There has never been a less flattering picture of a sweater. The color is awful, and it looks just wretched on the model. But stick with me, for a few minutes, and then tell me whether or not I’m completely crazy.

• Thing #1: The model is, undeniably, pear-shaped. I am not pear-shaped. My chest will be much more in balance with my hips.
• Thing #2: The model is also short-waisted. I am very long-waisted.
• Modification #1: I am not using a hideous color.
• Modification #2: I will be shortening the top by two inches. This, combined with Thing #2, will turn this tunic into a tank.
• Modification #3: More waist decreases

So, basically, I guess, I think there’s a swan in this ugly duckling. And by shortening the top, making it more fitted, using a good color, and generally being a person with the sort of figure that looks good in this silhouette, I’m pretty hopeful things will turn out well.

So that’s it. I’ve cast on. And, this being knit on (oh my god) 11s and 13s, it’s going pretty quickly.

Am I totally insane? Set up for the UGH of the century? Or will I just get a nice, unusual, dressy tank? Who knows! But at least it won’t be boring around here, that’s for sure.

(You did know it was Talk Like A Pirate Day, right?)

Pattern: Monkey

Yarn: Koigu! Lovely KPPPM, in color 814, very nearly all of 2 hanks

Time Elapsed: Oh, I don’t know. Somewhere around a week? They’re a quick sock.

Modifications/Notes: I was very worried about running out of yarn, so I only knit 5 initial lace repeats instead of 6. I’m glad I did, actually, because I’m pretty sure I would have run out. They’re a nice length with 5 repeats, at least for me with Koigu on US2 needles.

Other than that, no modifications. The fabric produced on US2s (at gauge, although I didn’t check beforehand) was a little drapey for socks, I thought. When I knit these again, I think I’m going to go down a needle size and add some extra stitches at the top of the calf to accommodate my gams. I really prefer a snug fit with socks, and although these don’t exactly bag, neither do they grip.

(No Jacob pictures today, by the way–he just wasn’t in the mood. Check out the FO page for the few I captured last week.)

My favorite part about these socks wasn’t the fun and addictive lace pattern, although it was definitely fun and addictive. Rather, I liked the small touches that Cookie put in the pattern that I usually add into patterns myself–picking up an extra stitch on the side of the heel flap to avoid gaps, knitting the picked-up stitches through the back loop to tighten the heel and give that sexy little diagonal detail, and so on. It’s a very carefully written pattern, and it produces very, very nice socks.

Plus, it works well with variegated yarns! I know I have at least one more hank of sock yarn destined to become a pair of Monkeys. A stellar pattern, to be sure.

This weekend, Neil kindly wore the cable yoke sweater in rather warm San Jose weather so that I could snap a few shots.

Pattern: Cable Yoke Sweater from Debbie Bliss’ “Wish You Were Here” collection

Yarn: RYC Cotton Jeans, color “shingle”, 20 balls for the 38″ size (chest measurement 42″)

Time Elapsed: Well under a month. This was my plane knitting through two trips back east.

Modifications/Notes: After measuring some of Neil’s existing sweaters, I didn’t change a thing. That should actually serve as a warning to others knitting this sweater: Neil is especially tall and slender. I think the sleeves and body would have been far too long for my husband, who has a more average build.

I was thrilled when Neil picked this as his birthday sweater, because I loved the way the simplicity of the design married with things that are fun to knit–especially this shawl collar that’s shaped with short rows. Ingenious, fun, and it looks great. I also especially love the way the main cable motif is picked up on the cuffs and border of the sweater:

The heavy cotton and subtle color variations keep this a fairly casual sweater, but I like to think it is elegant enough to be at home in most settings. It’s very, very soft and pleasing on the skin. Another plus: It’s machine-washable. More importantly, of course, it bears the toddler seal of approval.

I hope he enjoys it for many years to come. You can see a few more shots on the FO page, as always.

We have had our little iMac since early 2002. Almost 6 years is a lot to ask of any computer, and it served us very well. It’s been flaky a lot lately, but we assumed it would just keep plugging until we were ready to give it up. Not so much. Earlier this week, it died one final death, and so we made a field trip up to San Jose. Now, a very (very) new iMac graces my desk. Where the old iMac was cute and helpful and a little goofy, this iMac is sleek, graceful, and helpful. I almost feel too shabby to use it.

Our little lampy chose a poor time to die, and we weren’t really happy about plunking down the cash for the new one, but damn if I’m not going to enjoy it. The new iPhoto is fantastic, it’s faster than God, and the screen is so big I feel like I’m in a theater.

There was some knitting during the anxious “Is it going to come back up?” times with the old computer. I finished a monkey.

I finished a sweater.

(I’m seeing Neil this weekend, and his wife assures me he’ll agree to some FO shots, so look for a roundup next week on that one.)

I cast on for the Tangled Yoke cardigan, and I’ve swatched for my “quickie” project after the monkeys are done. It’s very. very. very. unlike me.

Any guesses on the yarn or the project?

Planes, if nothing else, are good for knitting. (That is, assuming one is not traveling with a toddler. I’d almost forgotten what it was like!) The trip went well, the new tenants are pretty funny and seem like good folks, I got a ton and a half of knitting done, and upon my return I found out that we got a house we’d been trying to rent for almost a month. Better location, larger, lovely, all newly renovated, and way cheaper per month. We’re beyond excited, but also rather busy.

Still, I’m to the heel on a monkey.

I’m going to do just 5 repeats of the lace pattern on this, because I’m worried I won’t have enough Koigu. I also, truth be told, tend to like the slightly shorter socks. Not anklets, but also not something that will have to contend with my calves of doom. I’m really enjoying the knitting, and I love the way the lace pattern plays with the color changes. I understand, now, why these are all over blogland.

I also understand why man-sized sweaters in aran weight cotton *aren’t*:

I just adore the way this is turning out, and it’s going to look fabulous on Neil. But my gosh, am I ready to be done with this stuff. It hurts my hands like a 10-day MMORPG binge. It’s nuts. Fortunately, I have only 4 inches of front left, and then it’s seaming and collaring. Should be done by the weekend, I think. And then, Tangled Yoke! A secret tank that’s totally unlike me! A finished pair of socks! Holiday knitting!

…not necessarily in that order. Do I have itchy fingers, or what?!