Knitty Kitty

Share that stash!

I joined the Snobs Stash Redistribution Project started by Monkeyknits!
It's like the GSRP, but no acrylics allowed!

WIPs

i posted this on knitters review

i have enjoyed multiple WIPs previously - one challenging project (or one that just requires concentration) and one mindless. maybe a few immediate gratification projects like a quick scarf in the mix.

but right now i am feeling overwhelmed!! i keep starting new things (beacuse i got lots of new yarns) and not spending time on old. and - i have several deadline projects, none of which are started...

on needles:
my first sweater (a vest)- cotton. i should finish it so i can wear it!
a poncho - wool, low on priorities!
alpaca shawl - mindless, portable, worked on in every SNB (but going slowly...)
charlottes web - requires a lot of concentration (i'm still pretty new at knitting)

deadline projects:
mothers day beaded crochet shawl (lily chin's book) - she picked out colors on mom's day and i ordered beads. now i need to make it. no concrete deadline (before next mom's day would be good!)
wedding shawl #1 - have several yarn options, no pattern yet, indecisive about what to do... nov. 27
wedding shawl #2 - don't have yarn yet. (it's coming... custom consult from threadbear fiber arts) oct. 10
baby sweater - don't have yarn yet (it's coming with the above one) october

and then i have one other summer sweater pattern and yarn that i want to make. maybe not this year!!

this is the turkish stitch alpaca shawl -

the poncho (sortof on hold!)

i started the front of the green sweater last night:

charlotte - just about to start the second color: (colors are not quite so vibrant in reality!)

older photos - the fleece to make blankets for critter knitters passes Pele's comfort test:

the no-sew version

the machine stitched version and a close up of the stitches (hearts and starts patterns)

still boring!

i know i've been a boring blogger. i won't hate you if you leave. if there's anyone there. (hi kendra!)

i haven't posted pictures in a long time - and i'm still not. because i'm at work. i'll try over the weekend.

i started Charlotte, and got to the point where i bring the second color in. i'm not sure how to change colors since in the past i have made a sloppy knot. and i have to alternate colors every two rows, so i'm not sure what to do with that (something about twisting the yarns right?) anyway - i was hoping nicole would help me last night but she wasn't at SNB. someone came and left before i got there - was it you nicole??? but it's a good thing i was there, a new member showed up - Storm. (how cool is that name??? apparently it's scottish!) She was working on a beautiful blanket for her son. We had a lot of fun getting to know each other, but i worked on the turkish shawl because i can't talk and do charlotte at the same time yet.

i think i am a little intimidated by the number of WIPs and next in line projects (with deadlines). of course, i can't actually work on most of the deadline projects yet. i could do the shawl for the claret dress, but i want someone's opinion on which color to use (like nicole or my mom). and the other things aren't here yet from threadbear.

i hope to get a lot done this weekend. i'd like to finish my sweater, but i still haven't started the front yet. oh well.

have a great weekend!

better now...

ok i'm better than i was yesterday. josie is eating a little, only threw up once late last night/early this morning.

i didn't have jury duty. i'm seriously disappointed! i could be knitting away on charlotte right now. but i'm stuck here. yuck.

oh well!

Thanks for all the well wishes - i'll tell josie you said hi!

Swearing ahead

fuck.

i wrote a long post and it didn't go through. it's lost in the ether. shit.

summary (the cliff notes version)-

knit out in the park sunday - lots of fun!!!

my cat josepine is sick - puking, not eating, went to vet yesterday. eating a little now, and puking only a little - please send healing purrs her way!!!!!!

work sucks because i am worried about josie.

tomorrow i may have jury duty, and i actually hope i have to go. i plan on working on charlottes web and my sweater vest. i don't want to be here tomorrow.

anyway. maybe i'll be more verbiose again later. sorry. i'm just in a pissy mood to start with.

No Knitting content....

what a gor-gilleous saturday! I have had a succulent day today (even i have spent too much money!)

i went into town and got a manicure and pedicure (i don't get them often, but always one at the beginning of summer!)

i used my gift certificate from christmas to buy the tori amos DVD with bonus CD (playing right now) - and Norah Jones' new CD, and Gilmore girls first season on DVD

i got a gift for a friend

and a iced soy mocha at starbucks

compared my yarns to a claret dress at a bridal shop - still haven't decided.

and for some reason i'm just in an amazing mood!

i also haven't turned on the TV today (will later, but glad i wasn't vegging all day!)

last night i was at a party at a family friend's house. it was a lot of fun, and the best part is i met a guy who is from england (BTW - he is an amazing floral designer!) and get this. his coworker at the flower shop? the nanny for Tori's daughter!!! he says he can hook me up with backstage passes on the next tour! OMG!!!! i told him i'd do ANYTHING for him (but, i think he is gay, so that didn't mean much!) - so i promised him my first born. how cool would that be??? he was really sweet and a great guy to know even without his connections.

anyway - that's my day. i'm chilling now - going to watch some dvd's and hang out!

i need a swift....

have you ever thought of hand balling a 1500 yd skein of laceweight yarn?

DON'T!

took me about 4-5 hours in total to ball that sucker. i really wish i had a swift. yikes. my arms are still sore.

i started swatching just the blue heron (the same stuff i was balling) - and i swatched it WITH the mohair. not sure what i like best for the wedding - i may stop by a bridal shop in town to hold them up to a claret dress.

i THINK this is the dress (strapless, a-line, gathered to one side under bust) - the website lets you pick the color, but somehow the claret looks pink in this one and it's not. (it's a cross between bright red and burgandy) so i'm pasting the color sample from the net as well.

These are the yarns i'm talking about - (ignore butterfly shawl pattern.)

(this looks much more purple than it really is - it's red with hints of purple pink orange....)

so i need to decide - the rayon, the mohair, or both. then i need to decide on a pattern.

fiber trends baltic sea stole (purchased to do just the mohair)

fiber trends leaf lace shawl (purchased to possibly make with the rayon)

decisions decisions..... i definitely like working with both the rayon and mohair together (i find the lightweight yarns are harder to knit with - the weight doesn't keep the yarn in the same spot as you left it!!! maybe it's just me....)

i hope it doesn't rain on sunday for the knitout in the park!!

sorry I haven't posted much this week! not much knitting going on. over the weekend i started the mohair red shawl pattern, but found it difficult to get started (kept counting stitches wrong, and it's so light that it's hard to hold and pick at your stitches for the first few rows) so i am just finishing the 9 row seed stitch border. that's sad for the time i spent on it - but i cast on several times, knit 2 rows and frogged, and finally figured it out after counting it a million times. now - it seems not as wide as the pattern, but i really don't want to do it again... i may have to.

or - i was thinking - maybe i should knit with the mohair and the blue heron rayon lace yarn together??? hmmm.

other than that - hectic at work last week - not as much this week. i am trying to find a good home for my birds and put ads on craigslist and petfinder.

happy birthday kendra!!!!

SNB tonight - yay! not sure what i'll work on.

talked to an old friend last night - good to catch up. need to call another friend who i haven't seen in ages - maybe this weekend. this is making me feel better because of the falling out with my (ex) best friend - which you really don't want to hear the whole thing. i've posted about it in forums where i know people, to vent and get advice, but i've tried to avoid doing it here. i'll just say it involves a wedding. her wedding. you know how crazy weddings make people. i've been very emotional about it for a while, and had to deal with being with the whole bridal party over the weekend, and another emotional phone call with the bride. ugh. i'm happy reuniting with old friends because i have been feeling lonely and sorry for myself. anyway - on to happier topics!

yeah ok. i already talked about knitting, SNB, kendra's b-day. ok i think that's it! oh - nicole is going to do charlotte's web with me - yay!!! i'll need a brain to pick along the way, i'm sure!

it's monday again...

but lookie lookie!!! rob sent me a photo of some yarns he pulled for my multi-fiber shawl for the wedding!

here's what the yarns are - with rob's descriptions:

Ready to do a little pick and choose? Or some refinement/culling? Here's an attached photo of 16 different fibers you may want to consider for your stole project that we've talked about. So let's get started:

1) Plassard Versatile--a thick/thin wool (bulky-weight) that is identical to Dale's Ara in fiber (but better colors); awesome texture
2) Lana Grossa Lavato--a very softly-twisted bulky-weight wool in a natural/grey-blue twist; VERY soft
3) Madil Rebus--a chunky-weight (4 sts) merino boucle that's got GREAT texture (very, very soft) and good color variation
4) Plassard Alizes--a twotrack ribbon yarn--one is white and the other cream, knits around chunky/bulky weight, very cool and airy and LOVELY to knit with
5) Lana Grossa Amica Lux--very much like Chinchilla, but nicer, this is a furry yarn that knits up to a plush fabric--bulky-weight (3.5ish)
6) Rowan Summer Tweed--cotton/silk blend, chunky gauge (4 sts) and very nice stuff
7) Crystal Palace Waikiki--worsted-weight cotton/rayon slub yarn; very fun texture
8) Great Adirondack Fluff--the ultimate in hand-dyed THICK eyelash (a continuous strand); nummy stuff
9) Filati King Kikki--cotton/linen/rayon blend in a very lovely yarn with great sheen and good stitch definition (aran gauge--4.5/inch)
10) Koigu Rumba--their hand-dyed brushed mohair (bulky gauge) in lovely a lovely tonal brown combo with good highlights
11) Manos del Uruguay in a Multi--you know it, we love it........4-3.5/inch handspun and hand-dyed wool
12) Crystal Palace Trio--Wendy's used this in her pink/green confection--a thick novelty yarn with good colors and great texture when knitted
13) Gedifra Distrato--a fun cotton blend (4 sts/inch) that's smooth chained yarn for a length, then there's a furry component that just starts in, then disappears.....then returns.
14) Lana Grossa Visione--a wonderful merino blend ribbon with tatty edges, great sheen, and lustrous fabric when knitted up
15) Noro Big Kureyon--just like it's little sibling, but at the bulky gauge and more interesting/subdued colors
16) Classic Elite Isabella--the summer twin to Beatrics, in a cotton/acrylic blend (each ply is a different rambling color) at the chunky gauge

I've also attached a price list, so you can see what these set you back.

Let me know what might be of interest to you and we can start taking shots of colours and textures in concert with eachother. That would let us get this more refined and hopefully to you in the near future!

i'll just copy what i replied to him in email!

ok... there's nothing i hate (how could i?) but i am going to steer away from the great adirondack fluff because of the price. (unless that's an error, i read the cost as $29.70???)

love love love:
1) plassard versatile
5) lana grossa amica lux
10) koigu rumba
11) manos del urugua
12) crystal palace triop
15) noro big kureyon

like:
2) lana grossa lavato
3) madil rebus
4) plassard alizes
7) crystal palace waikiki
13) gedifra distrato
16) classic elite isabella

the others i could take them or leave them... (at least for this particular project!)

i'm not sure about how to pick the combo, and how it would look knitted up...

what about something like..

1
10
11
12
15
4
maybe 13 too?

how many am i supposed to pick out? 6 or 7 right? well - this should be a good start. let me know what you think - if i am missing a fiber/texture/color, or if too many varigated isn't a good idea - etc. (i haven't made anything in multiple fibers yet!)

if you have any suggestions feel free... although i think i am in very capable hands over at threadbear! what a yummy present for a monday morning!

adopt your own virtual pet!

that's about all i have to say - it was the only high point of my day - otherwise i will launch into a rant about work and a project manager who doesn't. let's just say - all of the work i did today (in a frenzied manner mind you) is thrown out the window and I must do it again monday. plus some. argh.

happy hour anyone? i like rock chick's advice. lemons to lemonade and limes to gin and tonic baby. or even a margarita.

talk to you next time i'm sober (don't hold your breath).

ETA - wait the day just got better. quackers follows your mouse, and dances if you click on him! (BTW - thanks deathraypony!)