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Category Archives: Knitting

Pay It Forward 2012 : Avigayil

16 May

One of the lovely people who I had the happy chance to meet and get to know when I lived in New York was Avigayil.  She’s an artist, knitter, spinner, and all around truly creative person.  When I think of her, I somehow finding myself thinking in a tactile sense, because that is how she is with so many things (especially yarn and fiber!)  She wants to feel it, to touch and get to know the soul of the project that she is creating.  And I just love that.

Avigayil (photographed by her daughter, Rubi)

 

  • Project : “Something, Something Darkside Cowl”
  • Pattern : ‘Darkside Cowl’ by Sarah Fama (Ravelry link only)
  • Yarn : Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran

The pattern and yarn both called out to me for Avigayil because of the textures.  The cowl’s pattern is very bold and distinct.  The yarn is super smooth and luscious to hold in one’s hands while knitting, so you can imagine that it is wonderful to wear.

It was a joy to knit for Avigayil.  I miss her smile and creativity, and am so happy to find her well!

 
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Posted by on May 16, 2012 in Friends and Family, Knitting

 

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Bringing Up Baby

09 May

I almost forgot to mention that we had our 20 week ultrasound last week. I’m all too happy to announce that …

IT’S A GIRL!

We’ve decided to name her Zoe Jane (no, not after the song by Stained, although I’ve been informed that is, in fact, the name the lead singer gave to his daughter.)  No, John and I were trying to agree on a name, something harder to do than one would imagine.  You see, I was convinced that this was going to be a boy.  I just had a feeling.  It took us a whole twenty minutes to agree on a boy’s name.  I’m a fan of old fashioned names, and my husband …. not so much.  But we both love the name Zoe, and if for some reason our little girl does not, she can fall back on her middle name, Jane.

So, after calling family, texting friends, and posting the good news on Facebook to cover all the bases, it was time to get serious.  And by that, I mean it was time to figure out what I planned to knit next!

Here are the patterns that I want to knit for little Zoe :

  • Miss Dashwood : Too adorable not to knit for a little girl.
  • Baby Ruched Caridgan :  I have a skein of Tina’s yarn in ‘Pink Petals’ that I’m saving for this one!
  • Newborn Vertebrae : This makes total sense to me; open more in the front, it allows for spit ups and the like.

Now, I just need to finish the baby blanket. It is about half-way done.  It is just so large, that I almost need a second bag to tuck it away in when I take it places.  So, this has become the tele watching knitting project.  And speaking of finishing, I have a few other folks in my family who are due this summer/autumn, and I need to get a head start on those projects as well.  This certainly is the year of the Baby in my family!

 
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Posted by on May 9, 2012 in Knitting

 

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Pay It Forward 2012 : LaMisha

09 May

I’m finally getting caught up on my Pay It Forward gifts!  I want to get them all finished and mailed out before I have the baby, because I don’t foresee very much knitting in the months that follow September (at least not at first.)

I met LaMisha when I participated in my first NaNoWriMo, back in 2009.  She immediately struck me as someone who I wanted to know better.   Creative to the core, she not only writes but has her own photography business, LaMisha Allen Photography.  I was excited when she signed up my Pay It Forward list, because I always enjoy knitting for my friends who are non-knitters.

A lovely shawl for a lovely lady!

  • Project : ‘Springtime In Virginia’ Shawl
  • Pattern :  ’Bella Bontanica Shawl’ by Karen Strauss (Ravelry link only, sorry.)
  • Yarn: Juniper Moon Farm, “Findley” in ‘Crocodile’

It was a pleasure to knit a piece like this, because it was so delicate and so ‘fragile’ in a way, something that would be admired and held dear for both the person creating it and the one receiving it.

This was my first experience with lace weight yarn.  Did the thought of knitting with such a fine weight scare me?  Yes, at first.  But this yarn was a true luxury to work with (a sturdy merino/silk blend.)  I also want to mention that this yarn was a gift from Chan, a belated Christmas gift that I stroked and fondled all the way home  from our last lunchoen in Charlottesville.  I knew that I couldn’t wait to create something lacey with the yarn, but I just wasn’t sure at the time what it would manifest to become.  Because, for me, I knit lace for the procress, never the end result, and never something to keep for myself.   There is zen calming effect on me, working a complex knitting chart.

But now it has a home, and one where it will be cherished!   LaMisha, it was a pleasure to knit for you!

 

LaMisha

 
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Posted by on May 9, 2012 in Knitting

 

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FO: Split It

28 Jan

First, I must feel that I need to apologize for my lack of blogging.  It has gone hand-in-hand with my lack of knitting as well.  I have a very good reason, of which I plan to discuss with everyone very soon.  Just hang in there and bear with me.

As I’ve said before, my Mother is my biggest fan when it comes to my knitting.  She loves to see what I’m working on, what I’m planing to make next, and – most importantly – what her next pair of socks is going to look like.

When I heard that the Sanguine Gryphon was splitting up, I ordered a skein of yarn for myself and one for her. Then she also requested a pair of gray socks.  So, I pull out my iPhone and start picking out patterns, but in truth, all she wanted was a plain, simple pair of gray socks.  No ribbing, no lace, no pattern accents.  Just plain.  So, I agreed, making it clear that the Sanguine Gryphon yarn would be transformed into a Cookie A pattern.  Mom was cool with that.

 

Simple socks

 

  • Project : “50/50 Socks”
  • Pattern : Improvised; toe-up, short row heel, k2/p2 rib at the cuff
  • Yarn : Knit Picks Stroll Solids

 

I’ve coined these the “50/50″ socks because there are roughly fifty rows between the toe and heel, and fifty rows between the heel and the cuff.  I love it when things work out that way.  That, and I’m a bit OCD – I want the amount of rows to match up, even on plain socks, to make everything even.  But, quirks aside, they were a fun ‘take and go’ knitting project, one that required little thought and could be worked on in small doses.  And Mom loves them, so everyone wins!

 

A perfect fit!

 

 

 
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Posted by on January 28, 2012 in FO, Friends and Family, Knitting

 

FO : Twice As Nice

08 Jan

I had promising, high hopes for the new year.  I always do; what isn’t there to love about a fresh new year?  A clean slate, in a way.  Or a new canvas in which to paint new memories.

All of that was shattered when someone let the air out of my new tires, right here in front of my house.  I have no idea who did it (probably some stupid teenagers playing a prank,) but needless to say, it left me feeling slightly vulnerable and a little bit violated.  Top that off with an uncommonly stressful week at work.  All I can say is, this year had better get movin’ and improve, soon.

In good news, my husband starts a new job this Monday!  I’m so happy for him.  He will still be doing the same type of work, but in a better environment that is a little closer to home, and is a little more money.  I just hope that his mood is elevated and he’s not as stressed as he has been.  One of the worst things in the world is seeing the man you love suffer in some way, and there is nothing you can do but be supportive.

 

Happy Hubby!

 

John’s parents stayed for dinner last night, after helping us install the new light fixture they gave us for Christmas.  We celebrated with cheesecake and a bottle of ‘Life and Limb’.

But, while this has been a week of ups and downs, I’ve still managed to accomplish a few things in the newness of the year.

 

I'm still spinning

 

  • Project : ‘The Crown Jewels’
  • Fiber : ‘Creatively Dyed’, 50% merino / 50% tencel, 4 oz
  • Ply : standard 2-ply
  • Weight / Yardage : DK/Worsted, 140 yds

I was drawn to the color of this roving, and the shine, at the Fall Fiber Festival last year.  Chan talked me into buying it, even thought I was feeling cautious.  I was happy staying in my ‘spinning comfort zone’; merino, BFL, etc.  Never had I tried to attempt something like this.  I was afraid that it wouldn’t spin up well, that I wouldn’t have as much control over the fibers as I did with 100% wool.  Well, I can safely say ‘Thank you, CHAN!’  This was a true pleasure to spin.

Next, I have a knitting project that I kept putting off, but why I have no idea.  Cowls are so easy to knit; they take me one afternoon, or two evenings of tele, to make.  My mother’s hairdresser had requested one and I was more than happy to comply.  My mother has had the same hairdresser for years, ever since Amy B was right out of beauty school.  She’s seen me grow up, she styled my hair for my wedding.  She’s a great lady and I know that she’ll love the cowl.

 

Mmmm ... Manos del Uruguay

 

  • Project : ‘Purple Seaweed Cowl’
  • Pattern : ‘Seaweed Cowl’ by Elizabeth Blake
  • Yarn : Manos del Uruguay, ‘Wool Clasica’

 

This is one of my all time favorite cowl patterns.  The ribbing is simply enough to memorize, and really give the yarn the texture that it needs, and compliments the yarn.  This yarn is warm and squishy, not to mention soft!

 

 

 

I hope that your year if off to a great start, and that you are enjoying your weekend!  What have you been crafting so far ?

 
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Posted by on January 8, 2012 in FO, Knitting, Spinning

 

5 Days ‘Til Christmas : Early Gifts

20 Dec

I must confess, that when I receive a Christmas gift before the actual day of Christmas, I open it.  Now, I’m going to try to be better this year, but I did open one early.  My co-worker/nurse/partner-in-crime, Jan, gave me a gift card to Never Enough Yarn!  Well, I was out running a few errands today so I decided to drop by my LYS and see what I could find.

I was on the hunt for enough yarn to make the Lorna Suzanne Sweater (Ravelry link), but I couldn’t find what I wanted.  So, I decided to get enough yarn to make the Watershed Vest.  I’ve had the vest pattern in my queue for a while and I think that it will be perfect for early spring.

 

Yarn Goodness

 

The blue yarn is for the vest.  I really love the slightly heathered tones in the color and I think that it will knit up beautifully.  I also purchased sock yarn (no surprise there,) and a new calendar for 2012.  I saw the Interweave Sweater Workshop calendar the last time that I was in the store, but this time they were in the half-off bin.  Win, and win.

What about you?  Do you wait to open all your gifts on Christmas, or do you open them as you receive them?

 
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Posted by on December 20, 2011 in Knitting

 

12 Days ‘Till Christmas : And Now It Begins

13 Dec

'On the first day of Christmas ...'

 

Ah, the true countdown to Christmas.  Twelve days left to shop, bake, visit, ship, and knit.  This week I plan on doing at least four of those things.  I have gifts to ship to friends who are out-of-state, a few gift cards left to buy,  some folks to visit, and I think that the knitting is a given.  And for some reason, the title of the blog post has my brain chanting, “Two men enter, one man leaves.”  

I also truly start to feel happy about getting into the holiday spirit when that twelve day countdown approaches.  I can’t wait to put on the Charlie Brown Christmas album, wrap gifts, and sip some good red wine.

But in the meantime, I’ve finished another pair of socks!

 

Swirl and twist

 

  • Project : ‘Ice Cream In Winter’
  • Pattern : ‘Soft Serve Socks’ by Mindy Vasil
  • Yarn : Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in ‘Rose’

I really like the pattern when I saw it on the $1.99 section that Knit Picks has.  I also adored the yarn (a purchase that I made back in February, when visiting NYC.)  I kept thinking that this yarn would be perfect for a cable pattern, but I think it looks quite ravishing with all the YOs and K2TOGs.  The color really reminds me of my favorite ice cream flavor, raspberry/vanilla swirl.

Now, the pattern itself was a little snug.  There were two options for size and I went with the smaller one, favoring a slight negative ease to one that was too positive.  If I was going to make this pattern again (or if you are thinking about making it – and have a tight gauge like I do,) I would go up a needle size, just to give myself some play there.  I also had some issues with the pattern transition, from after the heel to the leg.  I just couldn’t get it to flow right, so I simply left the pattern on the front of the leg and changed the back of the leg to stockinette.

But the one thing that I really loved about these socks were the heel.

A tad blurry - but it was getting dark outside.

 

This type of heel is called a ‘Honeycomb’ heel, and it is worked gusset-style on a toe up sock.  I plan on keeping this heel in mind and substituting it for a short row heel.  I always go for the short row heel because it is easy, but this one is classy and chic.

How are you doing, dear readers, with your Christmas countdown?  Ready to go?  Ready to finish?  Ready to cut off Rudolph’s head and eat reindeer meat for the next five months?  :-)  However stressed you are, I hope that you’ll stay cheerful, and make some time for yourself to enjoy the holiday season.

 

 
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Posted by on December 13, 2011 in Knitting

 

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13 Days ‘Till Christmas : Still Knitting

12 Dec

While I’ve been beguiling you with my Christmas blog-style countdown, I wanted to assure you, my faithful readers, that I am still knitting.  It has been all top-secret; Christmas knitting always is.  But I do have a project to share with you, to tide you over.

Socks!

I’m not a huge fan of acrylic yarn, but this is the same yarn that I made my cousin’s baby sweater out of, and I must confess something to you.  I really like this yarn.  As Tina has pointed out to me many a time, it is good to have a ‘go-to’ acrylic/wool blend, especially for babies, dogs, and those folks who are allergic to wool.  This yarn is so soft, and it doesn’t split like so many other acrylic blends.
I made these for the little lady that I’m spoiling for Christmas.  I don’t know her, but she listed her shoe size on the paper work that I have, so I went from there.  They are thick – house socks – and I hope that she’ll like them!
 
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Posted by on December 12, 2011 in Knitting

 

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All In The Family

02 Dec

First, I want to apologize for the distortion with the images in my last post.  I’ve never admitted to being particularly tech-savy, but I think I have an idea of what I was doing wrong, and how I can fix it in the future.  Thank you for your patience (I know I can use all that I can get.)

Now, let me announce that November is over, and with that, another novel.  I finished NaNoWriMo a few days before the end of the month, brining the final word count to 50,372.

I'm A Winner!

I have never been so happy to see November come to a close.  This year’s novel was like pulling teeth from a T-Rex while having your hands greased with oil.  I was so excited about this year’s novel when I started.  What isn’t to love about time travel, John Wilkes-Booth, and a healthy helping of sex and possible death?  However, as I approached the 35,000, I was starting to have regrets.  This year, it didn’t flow like the previous two years.  Where, in the past, writing was all I thought about for a month, this year I was trying to avoid it.  If it wasn’t for the ladies (and gents) in the Shenandoah Valley group, I probably would have given up.

I want to give a special thank-you to LaMisha and Susan, two women who kept me going and didn’t let me give up!  I love you ladies for pushing me to the end, kicking and screaming.

So, now it is business as usual.  Knitting (for myself for once!  Who would have thought?), watching Christmas movies, and getting back to the usual blogging.  And speaking of that last one, I’ve had a post in mind for a few days, but am just now getting to it.  I know …. bad Amy, no cookie.

Last Saturday, my Mom and I drove to Short Gap, West Virginia (not too far in the middle of no where, but close enough,) to attend my cousin’s baby shower.  I haven’t seen my cousin, Amanda, in almost eight years!

The beautiful mother-to-be

There were a lot of people there; I’d say around thirty.  She had invited ninety, which would have just about filled the fire hall.  It was such a great party, and it was good to see my family.

Teresa, Amanda's mother - and the cake that she made.

Me and my Mama

The best part was watching Amanda open all of the gifts.  I swear, she’ll never have to wash a stitch of clothing, not with all of the onesies, dresses, and cute outfits that her daughter will have.  I was also very happy to see that she loved the sweater that I knitted for the baby.

Hand-knits are happiness

All in all, a very good day.  It was great to see family, eat cake, and enjoy a beautiful drive on an equally beautiful day.  I also foresee more baby knitting in January, as I have a few friends that are due this spring.

 
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Posted by on December 2, 2011 in Friends and Family, Knitting, NaNoWriMo 2011

 

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FO : Good Luck

20 Oct

I have poured over the long, seemingly never-ending list of patterns on Ravelry, hoping to find just the right one to use up what I have left of my skein of Bittersweet Woolery Star Dust.  Luckily for me, in more than one way, I found the perfect pattern.  (You’ll get than pun in a moment.)

I love the way the pattern and yarn truly compliment each other.  The pattern is lacy but still keeps my neck warm.  I’m a huge fan of cowls; I hate to knit scarves and while I enjoy wearing a warm scarf, a cowl always stays in place.  This one is feminine and beautiful; a true piece of knitting beauty.
 
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Posted by on October 20, 2011 in FO, Knitting

 
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