Yesterday I decided to take the day off from normal activities (laundry, picking up and generally being lazy) to find out what would happen if I really tried to knit all day. So with my seasons of Bones, I sat down with several new patterns and began. The sock from last week turned out really well. I actually finished it! And right after wards cast on the second sock just to make sure that it didn't get left behind. I'm at the gussets on numero dos, but I didn't pick it up at all yesterday. It sat on the stairs, looking sad each time I walked by.
Instead I chose a baby sock and baby bootie pattern to try. With super small needles I made one of each, the cutest little sock and bootie ever, and like the first sock might be the only one of each ever made. I'm currently looking for a one legged baby to give them too. The yarn turned out to be the wrong weight and only made the stitches super tight. My next project was a fantastic pair of slippers known as the french press felted slippers. Super popular on etsy and ravelry, I've craved these slippers since early January. I pulled out yarn from a different failed felting project and began. I'm not sure the total time it took to knit all the parts, maybe 4-5 hours including the seaming. I threw them into the washer and felted them! And felted them, and felted them. I'm tempted to throw them back in the washer! They are still way too long. I've felted before, but I've never had something not get too small. I'd rather have baby bootie sized slippers that I need to stretch back out. Plus the yarn doesn't felt pretty. It's nasty fuzzy... I'm at a loss. For now I'm going to shave them then felt them again. Hopefully all will work out.
Upon further thinking, I went back to ravelry and looked at some of the reviews from fellow knitters who have used the same yarn. Their projects turned out okay, not like others who used the suggested Pattons yarn, but okay. But I read some of the profiles about their yarn experience and several of them said they would never used it again. Huge bummer! There are so many colors of this yarn. If it felted well, I'd use only it. I guess I have to keep looking for ideal slipper/felting material.
So one baby sock, one baby bootie, and sad looking slippers. The result of a whole day of knitting. My only conclusion is that I need practice. Can't expect the first try to be perfect. So next Monday should improve! Right?! I'm committed to spending a whole day knitting and coming out with something amazing!
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
A little here and there
The distracted knitter is back from being distracted with all the possibilities of projects. I've got two lace scarves on needles, have knit another sweater, have a beautiful vest knit and ready to block, am working on magic squares for a local community project, oh another scarf in that bag over there, and experimental entrelac scarf-ness that I'm working on. And yes I'm doing them all at once. A little here and there. Keeps me entertained.
So as I develop a deeper sense of what it means to be a Knitter, I've been exploring humorous knitting writings. Of course I would develop an interest in the Yarn Harlot. Though I have a general distaste for Canadians due to their lack of driving skills on I-5 and the constant appearance of their coinage in my register, the Yarn Harlot of Toronto has won my heart. I've been reading her book, The Yarn Harlot, and I feel as though she see's my soul! She knows deep down the desire to knit and create. The frustration I feel when patterns and charts make no sense are sympathized when I read her witty short stories. And her blog is amazing as well. In fact she has influenced me to attempt socks.
The Yarn Harlot talks about not really being a Knitter (capital K) unless you have knit all the areas; hats, socks, scarves, mittens, sweaters, bags, felted bags, tops, etc. And of course the styles; color work, entrelac, instarsia, cabling, lace work, etc. I've almost covered all these areas, however basic the project was. But socks... I once made 1 baby sock. Note the 1. Ribbing drives me nuts in general, turning the heal somehow went all wrong, the length of the foot is 3/4 the desired length because I just wanted to be done, but the toe is a beautiful example of Kitchner Stitch. Needless to say I had no desire to attempt socks again.
But there have been signs. I can't ignore the signs. The Yarn Harlot talks about socks being so easy. Their compact so you can take them anywhere and work on them. I saw a patient waiting for her prescription at the pharmacy. She didn't have a problem waiting because she simply sat down and pulled out a sock she was working on. It was a sign I tell you! But aren't socks too hard for me? I have no patience for sock yarn and size 2 needles. I needed something very simple. I've saved at least 20 patterns on Ravelry/Knitpicks of beautiful intricate socks that I only wish I could create. So the other day I was wasting time on Etsy, and one link lead to another. Somehow I found myself looking at a ravelry profile and there was the simple sock pattern that someone like me could make; "Plain Vanilla Socks". Another sign! I love vanilla yogurt, ice cream, body wash, lip balm, so of course I would love these socks.
I grabbed my hiya hiya size 2 9in circulars (the most amazing creation, no double points for me), some sock yarn and cast on! I really do hate ribbing, but it seemed to pass quickly. I've decided to knit anklets since I personally don't like long socks. Knitting the heel was slow back and forth with several dropped stitches (which in turn meant tink-ing, knitting backwards), and then the dreaded turning of the heel! I took my time so that there was no possible way I could mess it up. I was victorious and the heel is beautiful. So currently I'm working on the gusset and instep. I think this is the most beautiful part of a sock. I must be strange that way, but the lines of the gusset are beautiful and I can't really explain why. But so far in my project, I think I'm actually going to knit the 2nd sock! This is huge.
So between the socks, magic squares, scarves, and summer skirt (a project in the planning), I'll be pretty busy for a while.
So as I develop a deeper sense of what it means to be a Knitter, I've been exploring humorous knitting writings. Of course I would develop an interest in the Yarn Harlot. Though I have a general distaste for Canadians due to their lack of driving skills on I-5 and the constant appearance of their coinage in my register, the Yarn Harlot of Toronto has won my heart. I've been reading her book, The Yarn Harlot, and I feel as though she see's my soul! She knows deep down the desire to knit and create. The frustration I feel when patterns and charts make no sense are sympathized when I read her witty short stories. And her blog is amazing as well. In fact she has influenced me to attempt socks.
The Yarn Harlot talks about not really being a Knitter (capital K) unless you have knit all the areas; hats, socks, scarves, mittens, sweaters, bags, felted bags, tops, etc. And of course the styles; color work, entrelac, instarsia, cabling, lace work, etc. I've almost covered all these areas, however basic the project was. But socks... I once made 1 baby sock. Note the 1. Ribbing drives me nuts in general, turning the heal somehow went all wrong, the length of the foot is 3/4 the desired length because I just wanted to be done, but the toe is a beautiful example of Kitchner Stitch. Needless to say I had no desire to attempt socks again.
But there have been signs. I can't ignore the signs. The Yarn Harlot talks about socks being so easy. Their compact so you can take them anywhere and work on them. I saw a patient waiting for her prescription at the pharmacy. She didn't have a problem waiting because she simply sat down and pulled out a sock she was working on. It was a sign I tell you! But aren't socks too hard for me? I have no patience for sock yarn and size 2 needles. I needed something very simple. I've saved at least 20 patterns on Ravelry/Knitpicks of beautiful intricate socks that I only wish I could create. So the other day I was wasting time on Etsy, and one link lead to another. Somehow I found myself looking at a ravelry profile and there was the simple sock pattern that someone like me could make; "Plain Vanilla Socks". Another sign! I love vanilla yogurt, ice cream, body wash, lip balm, so of course I would love these socks.
I grabbed my hiya hiya size 2 9in circulars (the most amazing creation, no double points for me), some sock yarn and cast on! I really do hate ribbing, but it seemed to pass quickly. I've decided to knit anklets since I personally don't like long socks. Knitting the heel was slow back and forth with several dropped stitches (which in turn meant tink-ing, knitting backwards), and then the dreaded turning of the heel! I took my time so that there was no possible way I could mess it up. I was victorious and the heel is beautiful. So currently I'm working on the gusset and instep. I think this is the most beautiful part of a sock. I must be strange that way, but the lines of the gusset are beautiful and I can't really explain why. But so far in my project, I think I'm actually going to knit the 2nd sock! This is huge.
So between the socks, magic squares, scarves, and summer skirt (a project in the planning), I'll be pretty busy for a while.
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