This week has been all about a sock. I'm using the skein of Woolarina Yarn that I got from MDSW to make a pair of Celebrate Socks (by SockPixie). This yarn is some wonderful comfort knitting-- it has the elasticity and warmth of wool with the softness and sheen of bamboo. It's squishy and featherlight and all I seem to want to do is knit with it.

I made this first sock about 6" in the leg. I'm always afraid that I will run out of yarn because of my pontoon feet, but I think that once again I underestimated the distance that a skein of yarn will actually go. I'm nearly done with the first sock, and I've only used one of the three (unequal) cakes that I wound. I suspect that I'll be trying to come up with a pattern for some tiny amount of leftover yarn.

Maybe I'll knit a flower. Or a cupcake.

I'm waiting on (yet another) Knitpicks order. This represents the last of my summer knitting projects. I have a faculty ten-month contrast at MPOW which means I'm off work from June 15 to August 15. Unfortunately, it also means I don't get paid in July or August, so I have to stock up now. I bought enough cotton yarn to make the Imprint Tank from the Summer Interweave Knits. I changed up the colours, since I'm not a fan of the blue, and will be working this tank in Lilac and Blackberry on Honeydew (two purples on light green). They're springy colours, but I think they will carry well into early fall. I'm thinking pairing it with a black suit, or a black skirt and a light cardigan.

Like a lot of other people, I wasn't overly impressed with this issue of IK, but not for the reasons most gave. I like the look of colourwork. I don't think the patterns are frumpy or dowdy or outdated. I just don't bother with summer knitting. It's too humid in Northern Virginia to wear handknits, so any pattern I look at between now and about October had better be well-served with a wintery yarn substituted. Sadly, that doesn't describe most of the patterns.

However, I did pick up a couple of new knitting books that promise better things. First, I nabbed a copy of  Knit so Fine by Myers, Sulcoski, and Grutzek. Most of the patterns are not really my style, but the tips and tricks for working with finer gauge yarn look like they'll be invaluable.

I also snagged the last in-store copy of Sensual Knits by Yahaira Ferreira (AKA bitter purl). I want one of everything in he book. Seriously. These are some majorly gorgeous patterns. I haven't wanted one of everything since I grabbed Fitted Knits. I see lots of knitting ahead of me.

And a quick note for folks who read me via Ravelry: I have made a pretty severe pruning of my project notebook on Rav. I took out every single thing that I've given up on, including multiple pairs of socks and at least one sweater. This summer, there will be a frog pond party. Hey, reclaimed yarn is almost as good as new yarn, right?

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I lost my knitting groove for a while there. Knitting, and writing, and lots of other things fell by the wayside while I settled into a new routine, a new job, etc. Well, we're at the end of the school year, I'm off from June 15 to August 15, and in even bigger news, I'm getting married on Saturday!

So that's the Real Life news. As for knitting, I've been doing a lot but not finishing much. Since the spats, I've finished one of a pair of opera gloves (also in the bamboo wool), most of a Minimalist Cardigan in Carbon Twit Wool of the Andes, and started about fifty thousand other things. I'm halfway through a vest from Fitted Knits, and am on the third rip-out of both the Hexacomb Cardigan from the Spring Interweave Knits and the Honeycomb vest from the current issue of Knitty.

I've set that all aside, though. Yes. I have been seduced away from complex projects by the simple beauty of a pair of socks. Actually, it's not the sock pattern-- "Celebrate" by SockPixie-- so much as the yarn. You see, I went to Maryland Sheep and Wool last weekend, and much yarn carnage ensued. I came home with three skeins of naturally-dyed Wensleydale fingering weight yarn for 16th century stockings, a skein of "Cherry Bomb" handpainted fingering yarn from CloverHill Yarn Shop in Baltimore, and a skein of Woolarina Handpaint superwash merino/bamboo/nylon sock yarn in "Shimmer."

And it's that last yarn that has sucked my attention away. It's so soft and squishy and pettable, and it knits up so very beautifully, that I just want to knit and knit and knit. Nevermind that it takes most of a movie to do a repeat of the sock pattern.

I did wrangle a couple of good bargains at MDSW. I nabbed a copy of Richard Rutt's A History of Handknitting at long last, from a merchant who I have seen at local SCA events. I took the opportunity to snap up another baggie of grains of paradise while I was there. I also found a jar of hand salve in a honey-almond scent. Happily, the lovely stuff has no lanolin or other allergens in it.

And then I had my grand moment of weakness. I was examining the skeins of yarn at one of the mill-ends shops and I ran into a fellow Raveler. Jessica and I were both eyeing up two huge hanks of a mystery wool-- a pound of wool for under $20 each. We both sort of hemmed and hummed and prodded and squished. . . and somehow ended up daring each other to buy a skein, make a project, and keep up with each other on Ravelry. So now I have a project buddy and a pound of what almost looks like handspun wool (in a barberpole-style ply) in a colourway that shades from a plummy purple to brown/green/gold/tan.

Jessica, I think I'm going to make the Cozy V-Neck Pullover Sweater from Fitted Knits. If I'm right, there should be about 1300 yards in the hank I grabbed. As soon as this wedding thingie is over, I'm going to swatch up a bit and see what it looks like.

Pictures imminent.

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Outside right

Steampunk Spatterdashes
Kate Grice

Materials:
Moda Dea Bamboo Wool (133m/145yd) or equivalent: 2 skeins
US 7 (4.5mm) straight needles
US F (3.75 mm) crochet hook
2 1” (25mm) buttons

Gauge:
20 stitches x 25 rows to 4 inches on US 7.

Size:
Women's Large (9-12)

Cast on 44 stitches.

Row 1-20: 2x2 rib [k2, p2]
Row 21: Bind off 6 stitches, continue in pattern to end of row
Row 22: Bind off 6 stitches, continue in pattern to end of row
Row 23- 43: 2x2 rib [p2, k2]
Row 44: Cast on 6 stitches, 2x2 rib in pattern to end of row
Row 45: Cast on 6 stitches, 2x2 rib in pattern to end of row
Row 46- 78: 2x2 rib (Add or subtract rows for length)
Row 79-85 : Garter stitch.
Bind off stitches.

Pick up and knit seven stitches immediately below the garter stitch cuff. These will form the base of the button strap.

Row 1: (k1, p1)* to end of row.
Row 2: (k1, p1)* to end of row.

Repeat these two rows until strap measures 7 in.

Shape buttonhole and strap end:
Row 1: k1, p1, k2tog, YO, k2tog, p1
Row 2: k1,p1,YO, k2tog, p1, k1
Row 3: k2tog, p1,k1, p2tog
Row 3: (k2tog) twice.
Break yarn and pass through last two remaining stitches. Pull end firm, then weave in.

Make up back and instep seam.

Work a row of single crochet along instep and toe edges.

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The big news, for folks who read (or used to read) this blog, is that I got a new job! Yay! This means my blogging time went i n the toilet! Boo!

Well, that and the fact that I cannot locate my cable for my camera. Or my charger. Or my camera. And that it took me a month to remember my password for this account. And I got Ravelry, and we all know what that means.

I suck.

Anyway, lots has gotten finished, including my very first self-written pattern. It's on the home computer, and I am currently on the work computer, but I shall add the pattern when I get home.

And I am nominally in charge of creating and running a knitting group for the students at MPOW, so I'm sure that will provide plenty of blog fodder in the next semester.

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The Ink sweater is coming along rather quickly, especially on the 10.5 needles. I've finished the front and back, and am now about 1/3 of the way through the first sleeve. Sadly, grey stockinette stitch is about the least interesting thing I can think of to photograph let alone look at (we'll overlook the fact that I still can't find my camera cable, shall we?), so no photos yet.

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Tempting is finished.

I ended up spicing in three rows of the chocolate brown wool. It actually looks quite nice with the chocolate brown/aqua decorative ribbon. Pictures forthcoming.

I've now started on the Ink Sweater by Black Dog Knits. So far, it's a fast, easy knit (I'm on the fourth decrease that forms the slightly flared hem). I made some changes to the pattern; this is the first time I've tried altering someone else's pattern, so I'm a bit nervous.

I ordered 10 balls of Knitpicks Wool of the Andes in Mist (medium gray). The pattern calls for Noro Cash Iroha (a silk/lambswool/cashmere/nylon blend), so right away you know the fabric is going to behave a bit differently. I started the knitup on a pair of size 9 steel needles-- the size that gives me the gauge called for in the pattern-- but I really, really did not like the fabric I was getting. There was nothing wrong with it per se; in fact, the gauge makes the double seed stitch selvedge look splendid. But the resulting fabric was stiff and had almost no drape.

What I want most from this sweater is something slightly drapey but warm to wear over a tank top this fall. No drape happening on 9s. So I jumped up to 10s (the size the pattern uses to get gauge). Still no dice. Jumped up to 10.5s, and had a winner. A nice, light fabric that drapes just enough to look fluid, but is still dense enough to be warm.

I suspect this will solve my other concern; namely, that a pattern sized for my 43" bust is not going to "skim" my 45.5" hips, even with a flare. Of course, I may have to order more yarn.

Quel horreur.

Quick PSA: I will probably be playing around with new templates, so bear with me. I am undecided as to whether I would prefer to keep the cheerful beaded template that is cute but a little too. . . pink, or to follow in the footsteps of my more favourite blogs and go for a calm neutral. Zen like. Anyway. Stuff might change.

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So close. I was this close to finishing Tempting tonight, and then things went awry.

I've been working from a very limited supply of yarn. About a year ago, I bought eleven balls of Filatura di Crosa Luna yarn in a caramel brown. It was intended for a gift sweater for a person with whom I am no longer in touch, and the 1100 or so yards has been languishing in a bin in the craft closet ever since. Waiting.

For some reason, I thought this would be enough to finish Tempting without any adjustments. Nice caramel brown yarn, nice dark brown grosgrain ribbon with thin blue stripes, cast on to the Addi Turbos (because it's the only circ I have that's long enough, not because I like Addis, because I don't) and away we went. Until I hit the eyelets at the top, it looked like there would be just enough.

I forgot that yarnovers eat up yarn. So I cut the last few rows a bit short (3 instead of 5) and started to bind off. I only got about halfway before I realised that even tying in leftover bits of yarn from the (very tiny amount of) seaming was not going to gain me enough yarn to finish. So I started backing up. The plan was to undo the half-finished bindoff, splice in some chocolate brown Mondial Artica for the last three rows, and then do a crochet edging of the same color at the bottoms of the sleeves. Go ahead. Go back and look at the photo. I'll wait. Got the idea? Okay then.

Anyone who has ever used a nice, fluffy, soft yarn on a pair of Addi Turbos can probably predict what happened next. A cat jumped, I jumped, and 15 stitches slid off those blasted slick needles and ran like the devil. Right back down to the yarnover row. No matter how I cursed and bargained and picked at it with my crochet hook, the ladders kept getting worse.

So I ripped it. Down past the yarnover row. Down about a quarter inch below it, in fact. I place the yarnover row there, and gave up for the evening. Now I'm eating chocolate.

Blasted Addi Turbos. Time to invest in some more powder-coated Inox circulars.

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Oof. It's been too long, eh? Truth is, I hit sort of a period of funk in which I didn't want to do much at all, let alone craft. Such are the perils of depression. It's easing up a bit with a long run of grey-and-rainy weather, so now I feel all creative again.

Anyway, I'm getting back into the swing of creating things again. Today, I put together a new duvet cover for the bedroom, using a cheap sheet from WalMart and a "tapestry" from Target. Total price (not including labour): $26. Pictures forthcoming when I find the cable for my digicam.

I liked the faux tapestry so much I went back and purchased another one to make pillowcases to match the cover. I'm thinking there should be just enough left over to make a summer skirt, the pattern for which I will be taking from a cute little cotton number I picked up also at Target (I am a Target junkie, have I mentioned this? I practically have tummy flutters when they have season-end clearance sales. I love me some Target).

I've also managed to: cover two video game rockers with fleece, make matching cushions from the scraps, make a couple of cushions for the sofa (working on getting in some colours other than blue), and decoupage a shelf for my sewing nook. Not too shabby, but the pile of "to do" outweighs the pile of "done" by a large margin right now.

I'm also still knitting. Currently on the needles are:

1. The Banff sweater from Knitty.com. Bone bulky-weight cotton yarn. I have been working on this off and on since last summer. Maybe I will get to wear it this fall. I only have to finish one sleeve and knit the other. And then sew.

2. The Tempting top, also from Knitty. Caramel bulky-weight wool yarn. I have most of the body and most of one sleeve finished. One more sleeve to make, then join and knit the yoke. I picked out a chocolate brown and pale blue striped grosgrain ribbon instead of the suggested velvet ribbon (hurray for the $1 bin at Michael's Crafts!)

3. The origami cardigan from Interweave Knits Spring 07. Taupe wool/acrylic blend. I may have to face facts: the border pattern is totally eluding me. I'm going to rip back and try a Trinity stitch instead of the berry basket stitch, but if that doesn't work, time to scrap the project for a while.

4. Widdershins socks from Knitty.com. Willdfoote yarn in a bright red/deep purple combo. Almost ready to turn the heel on the second sock. Still need to fix some short row holes on the first sock. Not bad for my first pair, though.

And that's where knitting stands for now.

Then there's the personal sewing. I have one dress cut out; it's s fun adaptation of a Duro dress in Matrix-green dots on pale green cotton print, with all the contrasting tgrim work done in digital camoflage with clear spangles. It should be most splendid when finished. After that's done, I have plans for a sleeveless Duro in red and black tribal print edged with black.

A funny thing about that tribal print. When I bought it, it was red with a black and gold print. According to the label directions, the fabric should be washed in cold water on gentle, and tumbled dry on low.

Don't believe printed directions. They lie. I washed the beautiful fabric as directed, and ended up with a piece of fabric with a black and red print, and about four cups of gold grit inside my washing machine. Yup. All the pretty gold paint washed right off.

After a couple of hours of swearing, more fabric washing (to get off the rest of the gold paint), and washing out the machine, I decided to just buy some gold fabric paint and have done with it. I'm currently so annoyed I haven't even cut out the pattern pieces yet.

This past Monday was my birthday (no numbers!), and Himself took me out for a splendid Japanese dinner and an even more splendid bookstore trip (money's not exactly tight, but we're trying to be frugal, which means no book orgies. Or not very often.). I nabbed Lotta Jansdotter's Simple Sewing: patterns and how-to for 24 fresh and easy projects, Amy Karol's Bend-the-Rules Sewing: the essential guide to a whole new way to sew, and Jenny Hart's Sublime Stitching: hundreds of hip embroidery patterns and how-to. It all goes to my Grand Plan.

Grand Plan? Why yes! I have set up an Etsy Shop. It's not much right now, but you can see my new banner and store front at Tattycat Designs. I'm planning to sell an assortment of crafty things, both knitted and sewn/embroidered, and I hope to have some items listed by the end of summer.

And now, off to consider making some red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Why yes, I am Southern. how did you gues?

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[Apologies to anyone who also reads my SCA blog for the crossposting.]

I've been waiting on an order of fabric for Himself's SCA garb (to make a long story short, one of my partners has decided he'd like to play SCA with me). It finally arrived today, and turned out to be much better than expected.

It's a bit of a textured, standard 2x2 even weave soft grey wool plus something. The plus something came to light after I washed the yardage to get rid of dust stains and a vague smoke odor that belied the seller's claim to be a "smoke free home." No fulling = not 100% wool, but that's really okay. It looks and feels like 100%, and I'm not averse to a little plastic in my fabrics as long as they don't scream at me.

The seller comped us an extra yard, so it looks like I'll have enough to make him a nice doublet and loose Venetians out of it. We picked up new brushed silver metal buttons last week, and I still have tons of black bias tape for binding and simple decoration. The best part is, I think I may have gotten a piece of vintage fabric. The original yardage tag was still attached, and the price and script style on the tag (a paper tag stitched onto the fabric by its own string) makes me think this may be late 50s to early 60s.

In other happy mail news, I received a package from Halcyon Yarn. I've been planning a linen embroidered jacket based on the Maidstone jacket for a while now. My version will use a twisted lattice enclosure pattern, filled with single motifs of foxglove, pomegranate, and possibly pansies and one other fruit for interest.

The happy mail was 1600 yards of sapphire blue 2/30 silk embroidery floss. It's so soft I have to make myself not pet it. I'm not sure when I turned into such an embroidery whore, but I suspect it had a lot to do with feeling real silk floss for the first time. It's about painful to put off working on this jacket long enough to do garb for Himself for an event on the 23rd, and then the kirtle/fitted gown outfit and the loose coat for myself.

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Challenge,
originally uploaded by tattycat.

We don't call her Princess Death Blossom for nothing.

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