April 18, 2003
Friday! Friday! Friday!
What a long week! The good news is it went by very fast! Yesterday I managed to knit only one round on Laura's vest, and only added half the gusset to my current sock-in-progress, but that leaves me with plenty of knitting to enjoy this weekend.
However, there was a package from Carolyn at Carodan Farm waiting for me when I finally got home from class last night. Here's a dark-ish picture of the new Regia Short Colors and Regia Banner. The photo is very dark; better check Carolyn's site for truer colors.
I can't think what is so wildly enticing to me about sock yarn! When I hear of a new type or pattern, I'm seized with the overwhelming compulsion to own some. I knit up a lot of it, and almost always have a sock growing in my book bag, but my sockyarn stash is hefty hefty hefty. Just this week, I've added some Fortissima Colori from the lovely Ann at Elann plus some colorful 9-inch needles.
Speaking of Elann, isn't it just the greatest? Always something to admire there.
It's the weekend! Jack and Della hope you have a peaceful one.
April 17, 2003
Skulls-a-poppin
So even with the conference at NJIT yesterday, I was able to knit a little bit more on Laura's vest; once the decreases are done, I'll three-needle bind off the shoulders and then cut those steeks.
Then I'll be reviewing tips for the neckband and how best to make it lay perfectly flat.
Critters
Did you see my sister's dinner guests on her blog entry last week? She feeds possums too, and yes, she's had her rabies shots.
My pups wouldn't know what to do (I hope) with racoons or possums. They have very suburban personalities. Here's Mike guarding my knitting:
while Della guards the backyard toys:
More about Laura
My beautiful sister is 14 years younger than me and she's an artist. Go see her latest collage, okay? For those in the NE, a banana flip is a southern snack cake; a banana flavored sponge cake circle "flipped" in half and then filled with banana flavored creamy stuff. Very sweet! Just like Laura!
Happy Thursday, everyone! Just one more day 'til Friday.
April 16, 2003
The Brilliant Knitter
Keeping the skulls aligned on the vest now that I'm decreasing for the v-neck and armholes was really slowing my knitting down the past couple of days. In fact, the night before last, fidgeting over those skulls was making me think:
Thar! This vest blows!
Even though I was dog-tired:
I stayed up late last night poring over Ann Feitelson's and Alice Starmore's books on Fair Isle Knitting . . . and still couldn't find my answer. Or even my question . . . :-(
You can imagine my delight this morning when I consulted the knitting oracle and all was revealed. That's the cleverest way to keep track of decreases in pattern that I ever saw, and a sure-fire method of keeping patterns lined up in stranded knitting. Is she The Brilliant Knitter or what?
Thanks Wendy! I've printed it out (including a copyright notice!) and placed it in my knitting basket for easy reference.
Number 1 Item on my To-Do list today: buy magnetic marker strips!
The rest of my items are rather discouraging and all involve work. Expect a new report on the skull vest tomorrow, please.
In the meantime, did I mention this was waiting in the wings in be finished?
It's only missing sleeves, because I kept mixing up the pattern in the increases. I think I can move forward on it now, thanks to Wendy's tip.
It's the middle of the week already. . .have a good Wednesday!
April 15, 2003
Merrily I stitch along. . .
on Laura's skull vest. I'm a few rounds past the newly-created arm steeks, and the v-neck has begun to take shape through a couple of initial decreases. Here's some progress:
Skulls! skulls! skulls!
Check out the cool reverse side:
How cool is that? You know, one tip I was hoping for on Wendy's wonderful new reader's page of tips was a helpful hint on keeping continuity of pattern. That's difficult for me! Is it because I'm new to stranded knitting? Or am I missing something that would make my knitting easier?
In other news
Laura likes her new Regia striped socks.
April 15??!!!
Mike hopes you have filed your taxes easily, and that you get a refund!
Happy Tuesday to all!
April 14, 2003
Tapestry anyone?
My weaver-pal Rose and I spent part of the weekend working on tapestry projects. We're using our trusty Archie Brennan-designed looms made from copper plumbing pipe. I think someone on the tapestry2001 list at Topica will give you directions on how to make one if you check there. These looms make tapestry weaving available to everyone, are portable, and are fun to make.
Here's Rose with her row of Flemish houses:
and here's my little labyrinth, adapted from Kristen Glasbrook's new book Tapestry Weaving.
Cool, eh?
For more cool tapestry images, visit Monique's site
In other fiber news. . .
More knitting on the skull vest; I'm a half-repeat to setting the arm and neck steeks and then it will be more than half-way done! Photo tomorrow!
World's Dullest Blog
Happy Monday!