Knitting and Fitting

I've knit the same hat twice this past week. And I've had to take both of them apart. After spending a few hours on my first attempt, I ended up with what looked like a frumpy bonnet, tried again decreasing stiches and doubling the yarn, only to produce a puffy awkwardly shaped mushroom top. Neither were wearable though I managed to knit the second hat with a bit more precision than the first.

The pattern is deceptively simple: Grumperina's Odessa hat but I'm quickly learning that there is much more to knitting a hat than mastering a pattern. No matter how well-crafted the pattern, you better have the right fit because no one wants to wear a knitted yamaka (hat too small) or Little Bo Peep bonnet (hat too big).

At this point, I'm tempted to tear the pattern into tiny little pieces and kick the sea-green yarn I've been working this monster on in order to erase all of the tension and dissapointment of the last few days. But I can't help but yearn for my own "copy" of this cute, chique little hat. Plus, Shedir is on the horizon which not only needs to be fitted but has a wicked pattern to it as well. Might as well master fitting on a project that has an easy comfortable pattern.

So. I've decided to become a "swatcher" (aka. one who uses swatches before knitting an entire project only to discover after hours of work that the guage is off). Swatching involves a bit of delayed gratification but at this point, I think it's worth it. And before I take another look at Odessa, I'm going to have to pick up my scarf and remind myself of the pleasures of knitting.

S.W.A.K.

If today is Valentine's Day, then it is only reasonable that I declare my love, publicly, for knitting. I can't say that I've bought chocolates or flowers for my yarn, but I'll confess that my heaping stack of textiles lies near and dear to my heart. So many colors! So many hours spent together! So many late night escapades!

This is not to say that things haven't been rough or that everything always works out perfectly. Just last night I had to tear apart a hat I spent hours working on and wanted to chuck the ball of yarn out the window. The brim was so big and loopy it looked like a "Little Raggamuffin Cap." So much for casting-on 110 stitches...I'm giving it another go with 80 sts and doubling up the yarn.

Maybe by tomorrow, my torrid lover (that is, knitting) will be back on my good side.

Showing Off

Anna's Handwarmers:

Friday is flying

I'm posting from work. Again. But today is going wonderfully, not just because it's Friday, but because all of the painful obligations I thought would make my day drag are actually passing by without much notice. It's like I'm checking things off of my "to-do" list with ease. When in life does that ever happen? Rarely, so I'm soaking it up and attributing my happy high to the weather (the sun is finally showing its face!). I even pumped out a good chunk of my thesis chapter that is due today. Knitting is good for getting things done. Knit for an hour, work for an hour, knit for an hour, work... It's like the positive reinforcement sticker system they use in preschool to get you to do your coloring. Turn in an assignment and you get...a sticker! I've grown up from this model, though. Now it's: turn in an assignment and you get...to knit!

I'm inching towards finishing a nice set of handwarmers for a friend; I've got to get them done by Sunday afternoon when I'm meeting her for lunch. There is nothing more rewarding than giving someone a gift that matches them nicely. I saw the pattern that I'm working and thought immediately of her. Now, it's a matter of deadline.

Also, I'm thinking of knitting up a yoga bag...all I need is a good yarn.

Knitting Under the Radar

Blogging from work is never a good idea but it's 5:30, I'm exhausted and I still have another two hours left in my day. It's at moments like these that I wish I had my yarn with me and a sturdy pair of needles to work out the angst of editing papers, listening to lectures, and writing essays. Especially the velvety new yarn I bought in dark blue for the roommate knit around. The plan is to turn it into another manscarf (I've a fetish). It's a long, narrow scarf with small inset boxes that make for a subtle, classy pattern. Not sure yet who I'll gift it too. I've already knit a scarf for all the men in my life. Perhaps it's time for me to change scarf genres and work on a femescarf next.

On Green

"But they are not unthrifty, who spend it in a shame" --Autin Clarke, The Young Woman of Beare

A striped manscarf



the beginnings of a handwarmer


the end of a handwarmer


handwarmer on a hand

nightknits

I couldn't get the new hand warmers I'm knitting from Drops Design out of my head last night. With cute little bobbles, a delicate cable pattern, and its sweet pea color of the yarn, I couldn't resist crawling out of bed at 5am to pick up my needles and knit. I even got to watch the sun rise over the clear, cold river that runs behind the house. It was a nice orangey pink (good color for yarn, I thought).

I've run out of yarn for the balloon scarf, which isn't such bad news considering it means I get to go back to the yarn store. I'm even entertaining purchasing some yarn online (first time!). It's a deep orange that I'm imagining using for my "naked sweater" in Scarf Style. This pattern is so cool; it doubles as a sweater and scarf (the arms of the body-less sweater become the lengths that you wrap around your neck). I'm itching to start it, needless to say.

Tonight is the inaugural knit party at McShmelvy. Yet another good reason to love my roommates.

KnitPics

My first Balloon Scarf goes public:



The close-up:



My one and only perfect block (it's getting better with time):

One down, one to go

'Tis the season of scarves. The weather has finally taken a turn for the colder, a bit of snow has stuck to the ground, and the temperature is staying well below freezing. Which only means one thing: scarves, hats, gloves, and ear warmers are in order. And to keep warm, I've taken to my knitting needles and set about outfitting friends and relatives for the weather.

I've made good progress on the balloon scarf that I'm knitting as a birthday gift for my CA Dad. He doesn't need a scarf for practical reasons but he's worn the scarf I knit him two Christmases ago to a quick. My Mom is ready to throw the old one out the window which I took as a sign to replace it with a new and improved one. The pattern is beautiful, fun, and frustrating, all at once. Frustrating because you want so badly to do it right but the chart is easy to get lost in. It's one of the best in Scarf Style and is worth being worn around any man's neck.

On a much easier note, I finished a classic man scarf made of all knits. It was the first scarf I've made with long, vertical stripes. It takes a lot of shoving and elbow grease to work 171 stiches onto a needle but the final product was well worth it and made for a nice break from the crazy balloon pattern I'm still working away on.

Pictures are coming. As soon as I figure out the techy logistics.