The Chronicles of Lady Octavia

New Leaves

ladyoctavia — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 00:13:45 +0000

WOW, it’s been nearly 2 years since my last post!! Hard to believe it was that long ago, but then on the other hand it feels like ages…so much has happened since then, on the non-fibery front (thankfully knitting and spinning don’t change much – very comforting that…).

Where to start? Things progress at work. The jeep (Bruce of the last post) is much less new. Lost a ton of weight (gained back a bunch – more on that after). Played in my very first home and away derby bouts. I bought a house (!) Got a dog (!?) Started dating my Alberta boy. Began several friendships, ended a couple…

Last year was a mixed year for me (as I’m discovering most years will be…). I learned a lot from things that made me stronger (and possibly stranger) – things I wouldn’t do again if you paid me, but each of them had it’s own silver lining. I’ve gained a great deal of perspective and no small amount of humility, not to mention a real appreciation for true friends near and far, for the love of my family, and for God’s mercy.

So what’s the big thing that’s brought me bag to the blog-o-sphere? Well, in the last couple of years I’ve lost nearly 80lbs, in the last few months I’ve managed to gain back a nice chunk – about 30lbs. It’s not surprising, really, since schedule and injury have prevented the substantial exercise I was doing before; combine that with a change in the stress from emotional personal distress to run of the mill work frustration stress took me from not eating to stress eating. As a result, I’ve come back to my blog to chronicle a different chapter in my life (one which will still have fibery content) and get myself back on track in the physical sense. So here’s what I’m facing, what I’m trying, and the goals and milestones I’m heading towards for 2012.

The situation:
- unexplained back and neck pain, that have sprung up rather suddenly
- gained back 30lbs recently lost
- boyfriend who is a wiz in the kitchen and is particularly fond of the deep fryer
- point one above and work/practice times not gelling are interfering with my roller derby habit

The plan:
- doctor and physio are taking care of my back/neck – or at least attending to it
- starting in the new year I’m going to give the Belly Fat Cure a try, my parents have been using it and are pleased with the results, and the Boyfriend will be trying it along with me (and starting to quit smoking – on that note if you wouldn’t mind mentioning him to whomever you pray to, it will be much appreciated… and needed)
- getting back to exercising again, some of this will depend on the approval of the aforementioned doctor and physio but my plan is to use some Jillian Michael’s dvds (which I have used before) and my Bowflex

The Goals:
- lose that 30lbs again and keep it off
- fit back into the jeans I bought last spring
- go to my cousin Samantha’s wedding in June looking (and feeling) fit and fabulous

Other Milestones for 2012:
- my 30th birthday is in February
- my first niece or nephew will be born in April
- I’ll be going back home for the first time since I moved down east

There’s one week left in 2011 and I’m going to spend it getting ready for 2012 and laying the groundwork for a great year, I mean, come on, you only turn 30 once

Meet Bruce

ladyoctavia — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 19:38:29 +0000

One of the items on my list of things to accomplish in the next few years was to buy a car. This week I’m on vacation (well, inasmuch as I’m not at work, I’m on vacation, inasmuch as I’m still in Moncton and not doing much, it isn’t much of a vacation…but I digress…), and so I took the plunge this week, got myself a credit line and bought myself some wheels.

So meet Bruce.

May I also point out what a glorious day it is today!

Bruce is an 06 Jeep Liberty Limited 4WD, in blue. We have a long standing tradition of wanting Jeeps in my family, so I’m rather excited to be the first one to get one. 4WD was the main feature I was looking for (country roads, high winds, and maritime winters are a great recipe for snowdrifts getting between you and anywhere you would want to go).

Apparently it is necessary to have a picture of me with the car…

FYI – If you are looking for anything in Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep line in Moncton go see Aaron at the dealership on Mountain Road, tell him Kate sent you, he was a pleasure to deal with.

Olympic Victory

ladyoctavia — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:57:10 +0000

Much to my surprise I have an Olympic-knitting victory to report!

Specs: Northern Belle

Pattern: Northern Lights Cape
Designer: Asami Kawa
Source: Knit Picks

Size: 6-12mos
Yarn: Knit Picks Andean Treasure (100% baby alpaca, 110y/50gr, sport weight) in Amethyst Heather, Fog, Mystery, and Meringue
Needles: 3.5mm circs (Knit Picks Zephyr interchangeables)

Cast-On: Feb. 12. 2010
Bound Off: Feb. 20. 2010
Blocked: Feb. 23-26. 2010

Notes: I really liked the pattern, it is quick and very pretty. It was my first steeking project and it worked out very nicely. One thing I would have liked to see a little more detail on in the pattern was how to treat the stitches above and below the steek stitches when doing the pick-up for the ribbing. I’m pretty sure I did it ‘wrong’ and will modify it next time around. I really love the yarn, so soft and warm and lovely, I’m thinking maybe I needs some mittens or gloves made out of it.

I have another one of these to knit this year, probably in the largest size. And am looking forward to doing the pattern up again. I’m thinking it would also look good in a solid colour (one of my co-workers snow-mobiles and wants one in black…) and that would work up even faster.

I’ve also finished another project for the gift box.

Specs: Redtail
Pattern: Swallowtail Shawl
Designer: Evelyn A. Clark
Source: Interweave Knits, Fall 2006 (also available from Evelyn Clark’s online pattern store)

Yarn: Malabrigo Lace (100% merino, 470y/50gr) in Intenso
Needles: 3mm circs
Cast-On: Jan. 8. 2010
Bound Off: Feb. 4. 2010
Blocked: Feb. 5. 2010
Notes: I did 19 repeats of the budding leaf chart to make it bigger (or to use up more of the yarn given I was using lace-weight and the pattern calls for fingering). It is shawlette sized.

In other news…
* I’ve tried navajo plying again – I have some fiber I really want to be able to keep the colour progressions in when I spin it and am determined to figure out the navajo plying thing. So I found some sample fiber in my stash and spun it up and plied it last night. It is very tightly spun (probably overly so) and is between a lace weight and a fingering weight. But by the end I had a decent rhythm going and I think I might just be able to manage it going forward (now if I can only spin it a little thicker…)

*My younger sister announced her engagement (on birthday – but we’ll pass over that) so I’m trying to figure out what knitting will need to be done for that. I’m thinking of doing a wedding blanket, but not of the insane-making variety from last year. I’m thinking EZ’s Garter Stitch blanket (why yes, brooklyntweed did do one and that’s why you recognize it and I will likely adopt some of his modifications). I’m not sure of the yarn yet, I’m debating between Fishermen’s Wool or even Briggs & Little Regal. It’ll be in a neutral of some sort (probably a brown or grey, possibly a dark blue or green) – which will probably depend on what yarn I end up getting.
*I’m also thinking about making them an Absorba, anyone in Canada ever order from Pisgah Yarn and Dyeing Company, the site doesn’t have any shipping information.
*I was going to start a shawl in my handspun, but the pattern I want to do requires that I first get (or find…) some crochet cotton for the provisional cast on, the only cottons I have are way too heavy for the job.

Who would have thought

ladyoctavia — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 18:28:15 +0000

spinning something thicker than lace weight goes so much faster… In all of the last year I’ve managed to finish one spinning project, the 10 oz of Lorna’s Laces Black Purl, which according to my usual practice I spun into 2ply lace weight (circa 40 wpi) – it took from October of 2008 until this January… Then the other night I was sitting around with my sister watching Whose Line is it Anyway on Youtube, and pulled out a 1/4lb of polwarth (hand-dyed from London-Wul, in blues) and by spinning it as worsted (well… from fingering to chunky) weight singles I spun the whole thing in a couple of hours… who would have thought. Now, I’m not sure what I’m going to do with the resultant yarn (three skeins, the smallest of which is 83yds), but I have proven a couple of things:
1. I am constitutionally capable of spinning something other than lace.
2. Thicker singles do in fact not necessarily fall apart – miracle of miracles.
3. It is possible to finish a spinning project in less than 6 months.

I’m hoping with a little practice I could manage to spin such singles with a little more consistency, and then attempt my long admired feat of spinning yarn for a sweater. More particularly of spinning a malabrigo substitute for the Hourglass Sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. (Which raises the issue of fiber… amount, blend… do I make the blend myself -and need to get a drum-carder, ‘cuz I just don’t feel like doing it by hand- colour, what can be used from the stash, what needs to be acquired… but that is all for another day… unless someone wants to volunteer some ideas.)

In the meantime, shawl plans abound. I continue to make progress on the MDAN shawl, I’ve nearly finished the fifth repeat (of 20) of the central panel. And I’ve been doing a decent job of getting a couple of rows in every day.

In my desk at work, for occupying breaks and other free time (like when I arrive early, as I am known to do), I have a Swallowtail Shawl in malabrigo lace (Inteso colourway). I’m up to the 11th or 12th repeat of the budding leaves chart, I’m going to do 19.

And last but not least, I’ve got plans for the long-in-coming Black Purl lace weight. My plan is to turn it into a Queen Silvia Shawl from Knitted Lace of Estonia. The pattern calls for 1375yds (and the yarn used in the pattern is one 100g skein). I don’t have any idea what kind of yardage I have, but I do have 307g so I’m going to assume I’m safe yardage wise (*hopes knitting gods aren’t listening*).

In other news…
- I’ve gone back to wearing contact lenses (and also have new glasses, which have been well received by the few who have seen them).
- I’ve lost 20lbs (one of my 101 in 1001 goals) – still can’t wear my ‘skinny jeans’ (not to be confused with skinny jeans which I would never wear being totally wrong in proportion for them, but my jeans that are too ‘skinny’ for me to fit into them)
- I have henna coming in the mail, so my hair will be changing colour (somewhat) in the near future
- I also ordered two DyakCraft batts, which I am rather excited to receive
- I’m going to try to start my Christmas knitting as my Olympic knitting

Laying Plans

ladyoctavia — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 16:30:26 +0000

I like plans, I don’t always follow them, but I like making them – they make me feel organized, productive, and excited about all those things I’m going to do. I don’t like big event life plans – I find God tends to laugh at those and then tilt the universe so they become impracticable or otherwise requiring revision, but I do like to micro-manage the little things, like my crafting. And it being a new year I’m starting to lay out plans for this year’s craft related events and attempts.

The big plans in the knitting world are:

1. Finish the MDAN shawl – which some of you will recall I started … in March of ’08 *facedesk* my current plan is to work at least two rows every day and to have a deadline of Christmas for it. It will be done… (hopefully long before Christmas). I’m currently in the 4th repeat (of 20) of the centre panel.
2. Finish the second Stricken sock, which was also an ’08 project.
3. Start Christmas knitting before the Summer. (And I’ve already started lining up some projects for this some of which I have yarn for, some of which I’ve already got a cart going for.)
4. Finish the Black Purl roving, and start a shawl with it.
5. Participate in the Knitting Olympics.

And on the other crafting fronts, this year I’m going to make soap. I’m going to move beyond the collecting of books and links and making of lists, and actually order some fragrances and colours, pick up some tools, oils, and lye and make some soap. I look forward to making a complete mess of it and then hopefully being able to put some away for Christmas presents (and maybe even have some for the Craft Fair at work in December, though that might be getting a bit ambitious.) My plan is to make a first batch in early March, and then do more as the weather improves and I can make use of the deck and possibly work out how I could use the workshop (whose major draw backs are 1. lack of plumbing and 2. lack of a stove, though that I might be able to work around with a portable burner…).

2009 – Year in Review

ladyoctavia — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 15:30:43 +0000

So yet another year has come and gone (well almost) and it is time to look back on the year that was and look forward to the year to be. 2009 could certainly be called an eventful year for me. We started the year off with the announcement that we were moving to the East Coast, and then spent the first few months doing all the things necessary to sell a large family home and move a family of 9 half-way across the country (oh, and I wrote a &^$%^-load of thesis during that time too…). There was the Great-International-Bridesmaid War, followed up by a May wedding in Boston (all of which was surrounded by more writing). There was a full month of nothing but Iter. Then there was the *ahem* glitch with the thesis. Bon Jovi and two months of company in the summer and another trip to Boston where I learned to run sound and was introduced to the world of community theatre. Then another couple of months of dealing with the zombie-thesis and getting a kitten (unrelated events really). Then back to the Bank (and doing grown-up things like working and getting paid regularly, having benefits and a pension…). And of course more zombie issues. I joined the gym and have started working my way back into my skinny jeans. And that pretty much rounds out the year. So a few things, in the grand scheme.

Knitting and fibre-wise it has also been an eventful year, more so than I expected (or realized). Knitting gained me my first friends here in NB, when I found the ladies of the Monday Night Knitter’s Group meeting right in the hotel (well basically) where we lived for our first week here. I’ve not managed to finish the Black Purl I’ve been spinning since last Christmas but it is close, and somehow I’ve still managed to acquire more fiber… including some much coveted BMFA Sheep 2 Shoe kits. I started designing my own patterns and even went so far as to share a couple.

Here follows the rundown of this year’s knitting FOs.

Socks:
(Given I managed to go most of the year without finishing a pair, this tally is quite impressive, and owed mostly to the month of Socktober)
Malabrigo Nanners (started: Jan 21)
Summer of ’09 Socks (started: July 18)
Strawberry Vanilla Socks (started: Sept. 24)
Socktober 09 – Noro Stripes (started: Oct. 1)
Socktober 09 – Road Trip Trekking (started: Oct. 6)
Socktober 09 – Caroline (started: Oct. 09)

Socktober 09 – Purple Rain (started: Oct. 11)

Lace:
(What a year on the lace front…in the scope of projects rather than volume, though I still didn’t finish the MDAN…)
Oyster Bay I (started: Feb. 19)
Oyster Bay II (started: Mar. 1)
Wedding Blanket (started: Jan. 23) – the project that nearly killed me

Overwrought (started: July 1)
Wrought Iron (started: June 6)

Accessories:
Mom’s Neck Thing (started: June 24)
Handspun Shawl (started: June 25)
Patriot’s Hat (started: Aug 9)
Christmas 09 – Dad’s Maritime Headgear (started: Aug. 31)
Christmas 09 – Mom’s Mittens (started: Aug 29)

Christmas 09 –Mittens: the Revenge (started: Sept. 7)
Christmas 09 – Purple Slant (started: Sept. 13)
Christmas 09 – Baby Blue Bias (started: Sept. 14)
To Market, To Market 09 (started: Sept. 16)
Zig-Zag Bag (started: Sept. 19)
All Points Bag (started: Sept. 18)
Lean to the Left (started: Sept. 21)
Lean to the Right (started: Sept. 20)
Christmas 09 – Elena’s Mittens (started: Sept. 22)
Christmas 09 – Beret (started: Sept. 26)
Christmas 09 – Hat for Mike (started: Dec. 05)
Christmas 09 – Purple Market (started: Nov. 11)
Christmas 09 – Quick Red Hat (started: Dec. 6)
Christmas 09 – Quick Blue Hat (started: Dec. 9)
Christmas 09 – Secret Santa Hat (started: Dec. 17)
Green Handspun Scarf (started: Dec. 12)
Christmas 09 – Big Red (started: Dec. 18)
Christmas 09 – Hat for Bertie (Dec. 24)

Kids:
Little Red (started: Aug 25)

Christmas 09 – NE BSJ (started: Aug. 28)
Christmas 09 – Soapy’s Sherwood (started: Sept. 2)
Sophie’s Twinkletoes 09 (started: Sept. 15)

So in the spirit of looking forward. Well the zombie is still there, so we’ll see what happens with that. Work is a whole new world of opportunities. With an ever widening circle of friends and acquaintances Moncton promises to more diverting and welcoming than it could be from my writing cell. My skinny jeans are still waiting (as are a goodly quantity of t-shirts….)

On the fiber-front my plan is to make 2010 the year of the FO, or maybe the year of the WIP. I’m going to finish things, yes the shawl and socks from last Christmas (not this just past but 2008…) are first on the list of things to do. These languishing projects will take precedence over new and shinny ones (not that there won’t be new and shinny….). I have some fiber acquisition goals (Dyak batts will be mine *insert evil laugh*), as well as some plans for the stash. I WILL finish the Black Purl and hopefully get it (at least started) turned into a lovely shawl from the Knitted Lace of Estonia book.

So to 2009 I can honestly say, if not the best and the worst of times – you’ve offered up some things pretty damn close, and it was one hell of a ride. To 2010, let’s see what you’ve got.

Cheers and a Happy and Blessed New Year to all.

Socktober 09 – the First

ladyoctavia — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:00:07 +0000

October has arrived, cool, crisp, and vibrant. I haven’t in the past participated in Socktober on any level, but this year – dreadfully wanting in sock knitting – I figured I’d make a point of knitting socks this month.

Specs: Noro Stripes
Pattern: … basic sock with stripes
Yarn: Noro Kureyon Sock in S236 and S240

Yardage: .36 of S240 and .21 skeins of S236
Needles: 2.25mm dpn
Cast-On: Oct. 1.09
Bound-Off: Oct. 5.09
Notes: the stripes are 6 rows, and each sock has a different colourway for the main colour

Specs: Road Trip Trekking
Pattern: plain vanilla with short row heel
Yarn: Trekking XXL colourway 51

Yardage: .51 skeins
Needles: 2.25mm
Cast-On: Oct. 6.09
Bound-Off: Oct. 8.09
Notes: Nothing to report really, this is the first time I’ve used this yarn, I like it well enough

Specs: Caroline
Pattern: Carolina
Designer: Monkey Toes
Source: Ravelry download

Yarn: Noro Kureyon Sock in S236
Yardage: .54 skeins
Needles: 2.25mm
Cast-On: Oct. 9.09
Bound-Off: Oct. 11.09
Notes: I eliminated the most bright tealy green, but otherwise rather like this colour progression

I’ve also been working on both of my scrap blankets, they are progressing slowly, but surely. And a few more Christmas presents are done.

Specs: E’s Mittens
Pattern: my own design
Yarn: Briggs & Little Heritage and Briggs & Little Regal, Bleached White and Lilac
Yardage: only partial balls each, less than half

Needles: 3.5mm
Cast-On: Sept. 22.09
Bound-Off: Sept. 25.09
Notes: These were set up so that the gusset does not stick right out of the side, but partially to the front. A. thinks the flower on the back looks like the Transformer’s logo.

Specs: Beret
Pattern: Raisin
Designer: Raven Jakubowski
Source: Ravelry download
Yarn: Knit Picks, Wool of the Andes in Spruce
Yardage: 1.36 skeins

Needles: 3.25mm and 6mm
Cast-On: Sept. 26.09
Bound-Off: Oct. 5.09
Notes: I tried 3 different patterns, before lighting on Raisin, which only took a night to knit. I really like the pattern and will probably make another.

Mom and Dad have returned from Italy (bringing back the camera, hence the post). Tomorrow I start work, which is going to seriously cut into my knitting time.

I’ve been listening to audiobooks, audible.com is having a sale this month on classics. I bought a couple of favourites and am enjoying them exceedingly. I finished Tale of Two Cities. And now I’m in the midst of the Count of Monte Cristo, which I haven’t re-read in years though it is one of my favourites, I’m loving it- enjoying the things I’d missed and forgotten, savouring things as they unfold, and crazy anticipating certain points to unfold.

Of Cats and Bags

ladyoctavia — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:37:34 +0000

I have more FOs and more patterns. In my Christmas knitting this year there were plans for a number of market bags, to be filled with sundry items (like soaps, wine, other knitted items…). Emboldened by the success of my scarves I determined to try my hand at bag designing. The resulting four bag patterns are published together in one PDF, which can also be found on the Free Pattern’s page.

Pattern: All Points Bag

Level: easy (requires knitting: in round, yo, k2tog, ssk, and s2kp and crochet: ch and afghan st)
Yarn: Knit Picks Cotlin (70% Tanquis Cotton, 30% Linen, 123 y/50g), 2balls, in Habor colorway
Needles: 4.5mm circ
Size: 14″ x11″ unstretched
Gauge: 4.5sts/6rows = 1” in stockinette st
Description: Bands of eyelet lace alternating with stockinette, mitered bottom, crocheted strap.

Pattern: Zig-Zag Market Bag

Level: easy (requires knitting: in round, yo, k2tog, ssk, and s2kp and crochet: ch and afghan st)
Yarn: Knit Picks Cotlin (70% Tanquis Cotton, 30% Linen, 123 y/50g), 2balls, in Coffee colorway
Needles: 4.5mm circ
Size: 14″ x11.75″ unstretched
Gauge: 4.5sts/6rows = 1” in stockinette st
Description: Zig-zags of eyelet lace, mitered bottom, crocheted strap.

Pattern: Lean to the Right Bag

Level: easy (requires knitting: in round, yo, k2tog, and crochet: ch and afghan st)
Yarn: Knit Picks Cotlin (70% Tanquis Cotton, 30% Linen, 123 y/50g), 2balls, in Royal Plum colorway
Needles: 4.5mm circ
Size: 14″ x12″ unstretched
Gauge: 4.5sts/6rows = 1” in stockinette st
Description: Continuous rightward leaning spiral (right-side up that is), spiral bottom, crocheted strap.

Pattern: Lean to the Left Bag

Level: easy (requires knitting: in round, yo, ssk, and crochet: ch and afghan st)
Yarn: Knit Picks Cotlin (70% Tanquis Cotton, 30% Linen, 123 y/50g), 2balls, in Harbor colorway
Needles: 4.5mm circ
Size: 15″ x12.5″ unstretched
Gauge: 4.5sts/6rows = 1” in stockinette st
Description: Continuous leftward leaning spiral (right-side up that is), spiral bottom, crocheted strap.

I’m always surprised by how much this kind of project stretches. They are fast (not one took more than a couple of days), simple enough for tv knitting, but interesting enough to be enjoyable, and each one uses only 2 balls of Cotlin. I think I’m going to need to order some more Cotlin and make a couple for myself (since apparently I can never have too many re-usable bags).

And of Cats… we got a kitten on Friday the 11th.

His name is Simon Templar (a near second place was Big Ben, but A. decided on Simon) and he is about 5mos. We adopted him from the SPCA here in Moncton. We looked at a number of others, but he was the calmest and most friendly (and given teh crazy that can happen here clam and friendly is important). We brought him home and … he promptly hid for nearly 24hrs (giving everyone a scare… imaging him trapped in wall or something). I found him when I was watching something in the theatre (at that point he was hiding behind a giant framed picture of the hands from the Creation of Adam that is leaning against a wall at the back of the theatre). I caught him and brought him upstairs where he was confined in the bathroom for a day and then gradually allowed access to more and more of the house. He is now roaming the whole house happily. He enjoys attacking the flowers on the chair in the living room and galloping the length of the house. I don’t know how he feels about Bertie trying to teach him colours and to count…

Too Much To Explain, Let Me Sum Up

ladyoctavia — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:09:03 +0000

I’ve been a busy beaver on the knitting front (and have also not neglected the zombie… wonder of wonders).

I’ve got another four FOs to add to the list (or check off the list depending on how you look at it…)

Specs: Christmas Mittens 09 – The Revenge

Pattern: Herringbone Mittens with Poms
Designer: Elli Stubenrauch
Source: Ravelry download
Yarn: Briggs & Little Heritage (Bleached White and Mullberry)
Yardage: about half of each skein

Size: um… maybe between a women’s medium and large…. I have no idea…
Needles: 3.25mm dpn
Cast-On: Sept. 7.09
Bound-Off: Sept 12.09
Mods: um… well – I didn’t use pompoms, I made things a little longer and a little wider (with 2 additional border sts on each side), and I did the cuff last (I did the first mitten with a ribbed cuff, hated it and cut it off and knit the stockinette cuff down from there, used a provisional cast-on for the second mitten and did the cuff like the first one).
Notes: I like the herringbone part, I’m not crazy about thumbs placed right at the side of mittens. Carrying one yarn in one hand and one in the other really does mean no twisting, how awesome…

Specs: Sophie’s Twinkletoes
Pattern: Twinkletoes
Designer: Chloe Sparkle
Source: Knitty, Winter 2006

Size: Toddler
Yarn: Knit Picks Cotlin (Black)
Yardage: 27g
Needles: 3.25mm
Cast-On: Sept. 15.09
Bound-Off: Sept. 16.09
Notes: These are really cute, and super easy – now if only they’d fit…

And the other two were an experiment in things pattern-designer-y. Not only the knitting, but the writing up and the posting somewhere aspects have been explored. So I give you:
Pattern: But I’m Biased

Designer: … me
Source: here… (and it is also on the new Free Patterns page here)
Yarn: malabrigo, Worsted (100% merino) – Wide: Holly Hock, Narrow- Stone Blue
Yardage: one fully skein
Needles: 5.5mm

Cast-on: Wide- Sept. 13.09 / Narrow Sept. 14. 09
Bound-Off: Wide – Sept. 14.09 / Narrow – Sept. 15.09
Blocked: Both – Sept. 15-17.09

Notes: This pattern also looks really cool in this yarn unblocked. I’d like to try another where I do not wet block it (which is my standard practice for blocking) and try steaming or damp-towel to reduce the curling inherent in the stockinette, but without opening it up as much. (The last picture, above, is unblocked.)

I’m hoping once the zombie is out of the way (think after Christmas… or in the winter some time) that I can start playing with some of the ideas I have for other designs, but this was a good way to experiment with the various aspects of pattern publishing with something super brainless.

I also received a Knit Picks order and have already cast-on one of several of the market bags for this Christmas, but that will have to wait for another post.

The hits just keep coming

ladyoctavia — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:10:42 +0000

or what you can accomplish during Star Trek marathons…

FO: Mom’s Christmas Mittens

Pattern: not really a particular pattern, used a combination of sources on mittens in general and thrummed mittens
Yarn: Noro Silk Garden
Yardage: about 1.5 skeins (well, 2 with nearly half a skein total weight left over…)
Thrums: Briggs & Little Country Roving in natural/white (I used about 1/2 a disk… these mittens are well thrummed)

Needles: 4mm
Cast-on: Aug. 29.09
Bound-off: Sept. 2.09
Notes: I matched the stripes almost perfectly (which resulted in a slightly longer cuff on the second mitten), the mitts are very puffy and should keep mom’s hands warm. I’m really pleased with them, if they are a bit silly, someday I’ll get around to knitting myself a pair. I rather liked working with the Silk Garden, there was one knot in one of the skeins, thankfully it was at the point in the skein that is still in the ball of unused yarn.

And another- Soapy’s Sherwood

Pattern: Sherwood
Designer: Angela Hahn
Source: Knitty, Fall 2006
Size: 4

Yarn: Briggs & Little Soft Spun, in Wedgewood
Yardage: about 2.5 skeins
Needles: 3.5mm circs (and dpns)

Cast-on: Sept. 2.09
Bound-off: Sept. 7.09
Finishing: Sept. 7.09
Mods: um… well I pretty much winged the collar, not that it really required much thought.
Notes: I really liked the design and the ribbing made a really stretchy fabric (as in I could put the body of the sweater on… it was knit for a 2 year old…). The instructions for the sleeves confused me (it took a minute or two… or more… to realized I was suppose to knit back and forth for the first 8 or so rows to use up the gusset stitches); otherwise it was clearly written and very fun to knit. I loved not having any seams to sew up at the end.

Seriously, this part fits me… not esp. flattering I’ll admit, but I can put it on…

Also, I’ve been back to various yarn suppliers (ie. Zellers which sells B&L here and Cricket Cove). I picked up some malabrigo worsted weight merino, for possible cowls, scarves, etc. and some more B&L worsted for mittens. I’ve decided that double knit mittens will be sufficiently warm, regionally traditional, and challenging for the rest of the Christmas mittens.

I’m starting to think maybe I need a sweater in the Mullberry B&L…but before I spend any more time on that… the zombie is calling