The Knitist!

What I Did On My Summer Vacation

Yes, it's been some time since my last post.  I''ve been quite occupied this past month.

Just after you last heard from me, Bex Bri and I spent some time "back home" in Omaha visiting my family.  I treasure these visits so much more than I used to.  My two remaining grandparents are 87 and it is always a bittersweet experience.  On the one hand, I'm so grateful to have this time to spend with them.  On the other hand, the thought that our time together dwindles as the years pass seeps in each time I must leave and come back west.  It gets more and more difficult each time.

My Maternal Grandfather & Willis

My Paternal Grandmother

I also got to go horseback riding a few times while there.  My mom & stepdad have a couple of horses that they board at a ranch just outside of town.  It was a bit nostalgic for me, as I used to have my own horse back in high school.  Yeah, I was That Girl who always wanted a pony.  Here, I am on my mom's beautiful Dusty Rose.

It was a road trip.  Consequently, I got a bit of knitting done.  I finished a Nutkin sock

and a Pomatomus sock.


I also finished my Kusha Kusha scarf back in June but just now got a chance to photograph it.

I decided to use the merino throughout the entire scarf instead of ending it 2/3 from the end and leaving just the stainless steel hanging off at one end as the pattern calls for.  I think it looks more finished this way.

Next up?  Ravelympics...

Moon River Now on Ravelry

Just a quick post to announce that my Moon River sock pattern is now available as a PDF download in my Ravelry Store.  (You must be a member of Ravelry to view the store, sorry!)  As before however, you can still purchase a hardcopy at Bobbin's Nest Studio in Santa Clara, CA.

  (You do not need to be a member of Ravelry to purchase the pattern, however. Yay!)

This sock was designed for Bobbin's Nest Studio and their exclusive colorway of Hazel Knits Sock Yarn.  To purchase this absolutely gorgeous yarn or the hardcopy of the pattern, contact BNS.

One last thing, the Ravelry Store, as with Ravelry is still in beta so if you have any problems purchasing or downloading, please let me know immediately at theknitistATgmailDOTcom.  I will try to respond within 24 hours.  Thanks!

If There Was Kool-Aid, I Would Have Drank It

This past weekend, Spinnity and I joined the Cult of Judith.  We drove up to Eugene, OR for the Black Sheep Gathering where we were signed up for 3 classes with Judith McKenzie McCuin (otherwise known as JMM), the be all and end all of spinning as far as I'm concerned.

My first class, on Saturday, was about spinning sock yarn.  Judith says... 3-ply is best.  Judith also says... cashmere makes wonderful socks.  I'm going to share this fact with Becky.  Judith says too... that spinning worsted for socks is best.  So after listening to all of her opinions on the best sock yarn and her tips and tricks for spinning this type of yarn, I gave it a try...

Behold, the best sock yarn my wheel has ever seen.  That's merino top, 4 colors and 3 plies.

My next class with Judith was on Sunday morning - Popular Wheel Mechanics.  In this class we learned all about our wheels and how to adjust the ratios on said wheels (like one would adjust the gears on a bicycle) to spin thicker or thinner.  While watching her give the class a demo, I couldn't believe that the actual thickness of the yarn could be changed by adjusting only the wheel and not the technique used by the spinner.  I was dying to try it out for myself.  Could it be true?

Yep.

Later that afternoon Spinnity and I joined about a dozen other women and one gentleman for our last class,
To Spin A Fine Thread.  I had pretty high hopes for this class.  I had heard what a miracle worker Judith is with new spinners and figured I might come home with some samples of a pretty decent laceweight and with some practice, I might be able to spin something useable soon.

This is my first attempt at a 2-ply laceweight after just listening to and watching Judith give a demo for a few minutes.  48 WPI!  Can you imagine what it will look like after some practice?

Next, Judith handed out mongolian cashmere and camel.  We were directed to spin semi-worsted and woollen yarns, respectively.  I was ecstatic at my first attempts.

I just can't get over how well my first attempts at these new spinning techniques went.  Judith is just an amazing teacher and I haven't been this inspired to spin since I first started 2 years ago.  With all of this energy and excitement, I decided to finish plying my Sheep 2 Shoe kit that I've been working on for over a year...

And I'm also finishing up some llama that I bought in 2005 at the Taos Wool Festival.
   

Lastly, I'd have to agree with Yarn Harlot and Spinnity when I say that if Judith ever teaches a class on how to flush a toilet, I. Am. So. There.

I *Heart* Willis

Have you all seen MOO cards?  I found out about them a little over a year ago maybe.  I use them to give new people I meet (mostly knitters) my email and blog address.  On the front is a photo of one of my FOs and on the back is my name, email, and url.  I've been thinking of ordering new ones since my photos have gotten a bit better over the years, as I'm not too fond of the photos I used for my first batch.  But I feel like I have to use them up before I order new ones.  They come in sets of 100.  It may take me 10 more years to give out the rest of these cards.

In the meantime, I think about what my new cards would look like.  I subscribe to the MOO blog.  I have a MOO card holder.  I look at what other people do with their cards and stickers on the Flickr pool.  Today, I found the best Photoshop templates for MOO cards.  I had to try it out.

Someday when Willis is a professional model, this will be his card.  Isn't he hoTT?!

Expansion

My interests have wandered a bit lately.  I think I may have blogged about the embroidery before.  But now there's actual sewing too.  There's been sewing for a while... I just didn't want to admit it to the blog before.  Lately there's been so many sewing projects that it's getting difficult to deny them.  Some weeks the sewing machine takes up residence on the dining room table.  It started with an apron.  Then there were quilted coasters.  Those two projects seemed innocent enough - pretty non-commital.  The apron took months.  The coasters were a quick fix.

Lately, it's gotten worse.  Much worse.  A week ago last Saturday, Hannah and I were shopping at BNS for her b-day.  Yeah!  Her b-day!  (I'll blog this for her since she hasn't written any posts in almost a year. Shame!)  Cookie and Kristi got her a gift certificate to BNS, because they knew we would be shopping there on her b-day.  I think.  This is how, Erin, our wonderful friend and the owner of BNS found out it was her b-day.  Erin, who we endearingly call The Hostess With the Mostest presented Hannah with the most decadent chocolate cake I've ever eaten.  I think she said it was from Flower Flour.

   

That's Hannah with her GC and the pure chocolate cake.

After the cake we had some calories to work off so we started our shopping.  That's when I found the pink fabric with the Banana Seat Bicycles on it. 

My first bike, when I was five, had a banana seat.  In a fit of nostalgia I quickly put together a project that would allow me to use this awesome find.

Pattern:  Betsy Ross Tote Bag
I really liked the shop sample that BNS had, which they lined to make it reversible.  The original pattern does not have directions for a lining but even as a novice I was able to make it work.  As you can see, I chose to use the bicycle fabric as the lining, binding, and straps.  I just love this new bag and am very proud of my budding seamstress skills.

And there IS knitting content to be shared.  This hasn't turned into a sewing blog (yet).  Last week, I finished a pair of Monkeys.  These are the No Purl version which means that I substituted knits for purls in the charted section.

Ravlink

I also substituted the heel flap for a short row heel in order to show off the contrasting colors of the A Swell Yarn Shop, Duet Skinny Sock Yarn in Sterling Silver.  Yes, I know it's purple - I dunno.

And that's all I have for now.  Still working on the Habu Kusha Kusha scarf.  It's been really hot here lately so the knitting's been not so much.

In Which I Flake, But Not Completely

I confess, I admit, I know it's true, I'm a tad bit flakey.  I know that I posted barely a dozen photos for the 30 Day Macro Challange.  But just to demonstrate that I'm not a complete flake, I give you number 30 (I took the photo yesterday, I swear)...

Oh and to those of you knitters who have heart conditions, weak constitutions, or are pregnant, you may want to look away.

Day 30 of 30
A moth! *GASP*

(However, I don't even know if this guy is the wool-eating type.  He looked pretty happy sucking the life out of my tomato plant leaf.  And no, I didn't kill him afterwards.)

Finished: Bird In Hand Mittens

They're finally done!  After 3 long months on the needles, I've finally finished them up.  With any luck, they'll get a chilly spell back home, and my Aunt will be able to enjoy her new mittens before next Autumn.  For those of you who are just joining us, I knit these as a Thank You gift for my Great Aunt.  Read all about it here.  Tomorrow I will wrap these up and send them off.  Yay!

First, is a close-up of the embroidered bird which also doubles as my Macro Shot Of The Day.

Day 8 of 30

And then we have the Official Blog Shot

Now I think I'll go work on my Habu Kusha Kusha Scarf.

Leaps and Bounds

Okay, not quite leaps and bounds but I have been getting a fair bit of knitting done lately.  I'm nearing the decreases at the top of the 2nd Bird In Hand Mitten.  Then there's just the thumb to do and the bit of embroidery on the thumb.  I'm also a handful of repeats into my 2nd No Purl Monkey sock!  I love tying up loose ends, so to speak - basically finishing up languishing projects.  Even though I'm sure my Aunt has no need of mittens now that it's April, I'm still excited to be finishing them up.

Now for the daily macro photo.

See... craft related!

Thing 'O the Month

I've recently stumbled across a 30-day Challenge that finally struck me as worth the time and effort.  Normally, I don't participate in these things.  I love to see other people post about their Saturday Sky or color-of-the-week photos, but I've never felt moved to join in.  Until now, that is.

This particular challenge is called 30 Days of Photography Challenge

Each day I will post (hahahahaha!) a different picture taken with the Macro setting on my new Nikon DSLR.  I think they will mostly be craft related.  I will try to not take too many pet shots but I may throw some other photos in the mix too.  I do have to come up with 27 of them (I'm starting today, the 4th), so I'll try to make them as interesting as possible.

My debut photo is of my one finished No-Purl Monkey sock.  I've already started the 2nd one.  No SSS* here!

(RavLink)

Now I must go brainstorm on more macro photo ideas.

*Second Sock Syndrome

Free Stria

I've added a new free pattern in the left sidebar - a pair of socks called Stria.  (.pdf via Ravelry)

(RavLink)

Constructed with a simple linen stitch and short-row heel, they are easy enough to knit while doing other things like watching movies and such, but the stitch pattern is not as mind-numbing as a regular rib.  The pattern also goes well with self-striping yarns and isn't so intricate that you end up losing the texture in the colors.

Enjoy!