Itchy itchy eye!

When I bought this blue yarn on Labour Day weekend I remember rubbing it against my neck. It wasn't so bad. Not rough. Not heavenly smooth but not rough. As I worked on this scarf I would put it around my neck to see how much longer I wanted to make it. Each time I thought it was a bit rough but I brushed it aside. Now as I wrap it around my neck I can not imagine giving away something so itchy or wearing something so itchy. I'm thinking about sewing some sort of fabric - silk? fleece? something non-itchy? - to the "back" of where one would naturally wrap it around their neck. I mean, it's not like she's going to wear it any other way, right? Hum.

I don't think I have enough yarn for a fringe but I don't think I want a fringe either. My only issue is that she wanted mittens and I wonder if it will look weird if I use a different type of yarn - but still blue - to knit those for her. Hum.

Add-on: I'm getting used to the itch. It's not so bad. But still.

I need to update this more

So I have a master list of what I'm going to do with all the yarn in my (small, I swear) stash. In about 10 minutes I should be done a scarf for Vidya and I'm going to have to find an appropriate gloves/mittens/armwarmer combo pattern because I've got some pink worsted that needs to turn into something to keep my hands warm. I am seriously so cold lately. And I'm going to need another subway/bus knit. Problem is that I can't decide between mittens or fingerless gloves. I don't really feel like knitting gloves. I was thinking of the combo - y'know with the flap but I'm still undecided. What to doooo what to doooo.

Note how I should be working on two articles right now, putting together broadcast ideas and doing some Spanish review. Oh knitting how you distract me so.

Good news! & a tired knitting rant.

Okay, so it really has been a month and a half. I have no idea how that happened. Really. I think knit-blogging just made me feel guilty if I didn't have proper progress to report on.

So remember how Van wanted legwarmers way back in May and I only finished the first one sometime last week or the week before? Well I started the second pair yesterday and finished today. Uhhh who knows how that happens! I guess we must thank Bollywood for this one - for giving me the time in which to work on it. I have to admit though, I was racing to finish it on the way back from Ottawa and I got soooo naseous. Seriously. I really needed to slow down.

Also, this past weekend my family and I took a trip to random parts of NY and then Ottawa (as noted before). Outside of our hotel in the town of Canton there just happened to be THE MOST AMAZING YARN SHOP EVER. "Linsie Woolsie". Anyhow, going there really made my day. Slash weekend. Slash week. lol It just so happened that they had just opened for a sale - and btw they never usually open on Sundays - and almost everything was 40%+ off. I must add that their regular prices of yarn are already SO MUCH CHEAPER than ours. It is kind of ridiculous.

I bought two balls of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, one of this Sockotta Italian sock yarn and one skein of Lorna's Laces Revelation in this really soft earthy palette. Now here's the thing, I went in knowing that I had 40$ worth of gift money. At least, I knew my mom had it. My mom was like oh here's this sock book! You have to get it. So I thought okay, great. I want a book but damn that means I shouldn't buy anymore yarn. So despite wandering through the store and seeing sooooooo much more I wanted to pick up, I stopped because I figured I'd be dipping into my mom's money. She was like "are you sure you've got everything you want?" and i felt guilty - i didn't want to take advantage of my mom's niceness. So I didn't. Then when we were going to the car she tells me the book was from her! So I totally could have bought quite a few more balls of yarns. *cries*

Oh well. I will try not to think about this much but it's kinda killing me. I mean, the DB was like $3 something. You could NEVER get that for that price in Toronto. They had NORO for $5!!!! ... okay I really need to stop. My only problem is now whenever I want to buy nice yarn I won't be able to justify spending so much for it because I'll think about the small town of Canton and how affordable it is there. Frick.

So now that I'm done Van's legwarmers (they need to be blocked and ends woven in), I'm not sure what to do next. I have that shrug on the needles but I had made a fairly big mistake and going back several rows will cause me much pain. I hate going back when there are YO's. I also don't think I should take that one with me to school until I have it figured out. I have to rip out this blue scarf I was working on because it's wayyy too wide and I think it'll be too short otherwise. I want that scarf for myself (just like everything else I knit) but I'm feeling like I should give it as a gift to someone - as for who, I'm not sure. I do actually have to get the second pair of my socks done. I had done quite a few rows until it accidentally started rippin out on the bus and because there are too many awkward stitches to pick up I think it's easier to rip it all out and startover. This could be a pain but in honour of Socktoberfest I think I should do it. I also know that I'm supposed to sew up this camera case for someone but I kinda wanna just make another one cause I don't like that one. And I have to rip out this phone case that I had knitted because it's too small. Hmph. I also have some sock yarn that needs to be dyed soon so that I can get working on some of the lovely socks in the "Knitting on the Road" book my mom got me. Ahhh so much knitting. Might I add that my mom's birthday is next week and I have yet to get her anything - I want to knit her something but she doesn't wear chunky scarves or gloves or anything. She said she'd wear a thin scarf but the question is, do I have time to buy yarn for that (because none of the yarn in my stash will work for this - might I add this goes against her telling me not to buy more yarn till I use out what I have), find an appropriate pattern and knit it all by then? I don't really think so. What can I knit for her that's small and useful? :S Vid also wants black mittens for the winter. Oh which reminds me that I need to fix her case. OMG SO MUCH TO KNIT. SO LITTLE TIME.

Pictures of yarn and things to come.

Lillian Tank and wips wips wips

So last night I finally FINALLY decided to finish that Lillian Tank. Woooo.







Don't mind the dirty mirror and needing to shower photos - I was gonna wear it tonight when I was all dressed up but no lol.

Pattern: http://deliciousstitches.blogspot.com/2007/05/lillian-tank-top.html Lillian Tank by Delicious Stitches
Yarn: Three skeins of Lion Brand Cotton Ease - with some leftovers (headband, anyone?) - Cost me about $15 CDN
Needles: 24" US 6 Pony Circulars - The pattern calls for 16" but A) I didn't want to buy new needles and B) I don't think I could have comfortably fit all my stitches on there. lol

The Good:
- easy to follow pattern
- affordable yarn
- great worn on its own or with something underneath
- fast knit

The to-change-for-next-time:
- I think I might make it a tad bit shorter so that I can wear it on my jeans with pockets without having it stretch around it
- Might do the middle ribbing in a slightly smaller needle
- Experiment with other lace patterns - though I do love this one

Interesting notes:
- before I blocked this it had the most interesting ridge pattern. Not something that I'd wear because it looked like I had potatos in my shirt but still really cool look. I didn't even block this properly. Enh
- It's just a teeensy bit too big around the waist area in the back for me. Whatevs!

Favourite knit so far, I think!

P.S. I knit this about a month ago and didn't get the ribbing done in time for my trip to Florida so I put it away for a month cause I lost the motivation to finish it until last night.

And progress on my first pair of socks - photo taken Tuesday.

Lack of updates

I haven't updated here in a good while mainly because I haven't had time to be the craftster that I want to be. lol Seriously.

My Lillian Tank is sitting on my desk, the armholes still awaiting the final ribbing. My mom keeps asking me why I don't finish it already so that I can wear it but I haven't had the urge to finish it just yet. I think I aught to go shower, water the plants and then maybe do that.

The day I left for Florida I also started my first sock in this awesome wool. I luuurve it. I have to admit, turning the heel was not as hard as I thought it was going to be and was quite enjoyable. I'm still on sock #1, though.

I also at some point in time ripped apart my sari silk scarf. Why, you ask? CAUSE I AM RIDICULOUS. Anyhow, what's done is done and I'm currently re-knitting a scarf that I once had. It is slightly different as I'm knitting it on bigger needles in hopes that it will be longer than my last scarf.

I've been itching to make this bolero for quite some time now. I think I want to do one in black, see how it comes out and then try it out in a different colour with a different lace pattern. Someone on Craftster used the same pattern but used a different lace pattern and I love how it came out. I think I want to make one in white or yellow or blue. Yes I did just list lots of colours. And woooo! Lion Brand Cotton Ease will make it an affordable project. I should go pick up some with the coupons I have for Michael's before it expires.

Everytime I use my sewing machine I'm inclined to learn more and do more with it but no time! I started a knitting needle case for all those circular needles Spiderman bought me but I haven't finished it. I'm starting to think I should have used a pattern of sorts cause it's kinda messy but ah, what can you do. I still am going to make another case for my straight needles & double pointed needles with some fabric I bought last month. I think I'm going to use the leftover fabric to make a purse because I seem to have bought a lot of it.

I've spent the last hour gazing at all things Amy Butler. GAH. More things adding onto my to make/do/knit list. Oh yeah, and it doesn't help that every family member seems to want me to knit them something for Christmas/birthdays/just because. Eeeee! I've got to work on this time business. And updating business. I have plenty of photos but I think I'm going to hold off on the Lillian photos till it's absolutely done and I'll post an earlier progress shot of the socks later.

On another note I really want to go to the Stitch n Pitch.

Mistake or a touch of humanity?

So I've been knitting away on the Lillian Tank since late Friday night. Actually, I didn't really work on it much today but anyhow. Today I thought to myself, "Wow, you've made it so far in the Lillian Tank without a single glitch. I mean, sure, at first your stitches were twisted and you had to re-start but that wasn't so bad. Now you're many inches in and it's lookin' good."

But I spoke too soon. No sooner than after I thought this, I realized I made a mistake. Two rounds below where I was I must have made a mistake with my yarn over. As in I never actually made a yarn over. Making one of my lace repeats hole-less. Holiness. Enh.

I showed it to my mom comparing this one tiny bit with the rest of the lace patterns and she assured me that it wasn't noticeable but I didn't continue knitting either.

I've been staring at it since wondering if I should stop being so lazy and go back two rounds (280 stitches my friends! lol) or if I should think to myself, "Ah, it's on my back, no one will notice or care."

I'm starting to think I'll go backwards but maybe tomorrow when I'm hopefully more awake.

Oh and I would post rather amusing photos I took but my laptop is being a pain.

Mmm one too many projects

So after Rogers today I quickly went to Michael's to find yarn for the Lillian Tank that I could afford after my not-so-good trip to Romni Wools last week. They didn't have TLC Cotton Plus but they had the just-as-good Lion Brand Cotton Ease in a few colours. It was also on sale! Eee. So I bought 3 skeins for a total of $15 but I'll only use up 1/2 of the 3rd skein meaning that the top will cost under $15 when done. Which is about how much I pay in store. Reasonable? I think so. I stood for awhile staring at the colours putting it against my skin trying to see which one went best. I didn't want white or black and I didn't want pink. That left me with a lovely buttery yellow, a terracotta that was extremely bold, a soft shade of blue, a bright lime and a really dark purple-y colour. I ended up choosing the "misty water blue".

Now you see, I still have to finish Vanessa's legwarmers. In fact, because I keep getting side-tracked by random things, I'm still on legwarmer #1. How is this possible? lol I'm going to dye and hopefully knit Vidya's camera case today and mail that out to her and then I'm giving myself until... hmm... Saturday to finish Vanessa's legwarmers. Which then gives me three and a half weeks to knit the Lillian Tank. (I want it done in time for Florida.) Hoy. If I manage to knit that quickly then I shall start my sock-ness.

Oh crap, it just occurred to me that I have that magazine article to start that's due Friday. Hum.

It also just occured to me that this Cotton Ease is a worsted weight. And I was looking for white worsted weight cotton to do this shrug in so I can wear all my silly tanks. But all I found was acrylic or wool. Me so silly. Oh well, I suppose if I manage to fly through the Lillian Tank I can get to that...

Baby Appropriate Yarn

So yesterday after walking with Yvonne and Sarah I dyed some yarn for a case for my phone. This time instead of dying the yarn one colour, I tried to get a variegated look. I intended on stronger colours than what I ended up with but I was too lazy to get some more KoolAid from upstairs. I think the yarn looks better knitted up but that may have to do with my sketchy ball-winding skills. Oh and you may be wondering, how knitting this case incorporated a new skill (as my goal is for every thing I knit right now to be a sort of learning process.) Well, I actually knit it with double pointed needles rather than straight needles and sewing up the sides. So no seams! How brilliant. So neat. And yeah, I've done this before but it's fun to be done and not have seams to worry about. And then I grafted the bottom ... yesss for seams that look like stitches. lol I must say that I don't like doing ribbing on double pointed needles for some reason. Enh. Ah well. Pastel-y case for my camera it is.

I didn't have syringes or anything so doing this was mildly amusing. It looked soo messy.

So last night while on MSN I only got the ribbing done. MSN is not conducive for knitting. Anyhow, knit away before I went to Rogers.

Left me with that. It would have looked better with the phone in it but I needed the phone to take the picture. And yeah, this time I dyed more yarn that I needed. Not sure what I will do with it just as yet. Might experiment with felting? Or it might be used in some cheesy heart-like colourwork. (shrugs) I think in person it looks more pinky/purpley.

Scrappity Scrap Scrap

So for some reason after all the cleaning I did today I felt more in a scrapbooking mood than a knitting mood. I quickly did a page for last year's semi formal and the SAC BBQ but they're quite simple. I figured I can always add more embellishments later but for now I'm just wanting to get this thing done/up to speed. I just put a whole bunch of photos (151 to be precise) taken over the past year of friends (and there are still more I need to get off of people) into a folder to be printed to be scrapbooked. Aiyaaaa. And I've still got to finish high school stuff! Eeee... Simple it is!

Add-on: I finished two prom pages after this. Fly fly flyyy.

Fun with Kool-Aid

At the moment I'm dying some yarn with Kool-Aid to knit Rachel's camera case. I don't think I put enough Kool-Aid so it's going to come out a light blue rather than a rich blue. But that's okay... I think? Maybe I'll re-do it when I'm done if the blue isn't satisfactory. I think it's going okay for a first-attempt. Mom doubts that the yarn will take the dye. Hehe can't wait to prove her wrong.

Enough yarn for her camera case and some Kool-Aid. I didn't even use a full pack of a blue and only a pinch of purple was added. Though I realize now that it was useless because I just added more blue when I thought it was too dark.

After soaking in the mixture and some heat and yadayada.

Update: So the yarn is drying in my backyard. I'm hoping it dries soon. I think it will because squeezing out the excess water really worked. It's a bit brighter than a baby-blue and I think I'm going to leave it that way. I wish I knew what size my other cousin's camera was so I could dye an appropriate amount of yarn for her... Ah well. I suppose I'll have to leave that for another day. I had the size written on another piece of paper but I can't find it. Hmph. Oh and I think some of the yarn felted a bit because the water from the tap surprised me with cold water right after and before a hot bath... but I got it out in time and I don't particularly care. :) Oh, and before you think I'm weird, that dark blue yarn is used to make sure the skein doesn't get tangled. I had that happen to me with the sari silk and I don't want a replay.

Drying outside.


Wound into a ball.


My strange, strange seam.

.
Done! ... Okay, I have to stitch on the button. Also, it doesn't fit the random camera I stuffed in here for the purpose of this photo. One in Rachel's camera will come... eventually.

Training

So today I met up with Robyn, Josephine and Carmen and Robyn and I taught Josephine and Carmen how to knit. It was quiteee exciting and hilarious. I have a bit of a problem, however.

I went to Romni Wools hoping that I could find cheap yarn for the Lillian Tank but me being the idiot I am didn't bring the pattern with me and only wrote down the yarn that was used in the original (affordable TLC Cotton Plus). Which was fine, I guess. I was shown some substitutes for the yarn and while it was lovely, lovely, yarn, it was most definitely not in my price range. I mean the cheapest I think it might have worked out to was roughly $30 for the yarn. Eugh. I'm pretty sure I'd have a substantial amount leftover but I wouldn't want leftovers. Why couldn't they have the cheap TLC Cotton Plus? Booooo. I found it online and thought finding an alternative wouldn't hurt my wallet. I mean, I want to try these things out on yarn that won't cost me much so I won't feel so bad. Plus, it has to be less than what I pay for my clothes in real life. This is not the stores fault... merely my own. I'm hoping I find a cheap sub soon cause I'd realllly liked to knit it.*

In any case, I bought some white/cream sock yarn to knit Jaywalkers after I knit my first pair of socks with the self-striping yarn I have. (Getting ahead of myself, am I???) Anyhow, white/cream you ask? WELLLL, I'm going to try my hand at dying with Kool-Aid! Following the lovely Eunny's tutorial on how to dye self-striping sock yarn which will go really well with the Jaywalkers pattern. I also bought some white/cream Patons worsted weight yarn to knit miscellaneous items - i.e. Rachel's camera case, Vidya's camera case, etc. etc. I figured I'd buy one skein in white and then I could dye little bits needed for each project with Kool-Aid so specific colours are achieved. Sounds like a wise plan to me! lol

Anyhow, despite my frustration over the tank-yarn I think it might be for the best because it means that I will finally get the legwarmers and the cases done and my socks. OHhhh, I forgot to add that I bought two different sets of double pointed needles. Exciting? Yes. Costly day? Yes. That too. I figured I might subtract the $7 spent on the Patons from my budget considering that that will all mainly go towards mini-gifts and then the thing with the needles is that I will forever use these considering I seem to be heading in the sock-direction. Despite never knitting socks before.

The Knit Cafe was cool but I do wish they'd had more popsicles and slushie-like drinks for boiling hot days like today. They sold this strawberry-rhubarb kind but I was a bit afraid to try it out so instead I opted for cola... but this was no ordinary cola! It was BlueSky from Mexico. Very cool. lol Kinda like blue sky alpaca, no? Ooo there was also this bamboo yarn at The Knit Cafe and it had the most wonderfulllllll drape and sheen... god it was gorgeous. And it also came in the smallest skeins EVER. Like whaaat! Very sad.

Josephine and Carmen caught on fairly fast on the whole knitting thing considering my first attempts, I think. I don't know what happened but I completely spaced out on how to make a slip-knot. It was the strangest thing considering I've been doing it naturally lately. Odd. I wish I had helped them choose their yarn as I realized the yarn they chose really splits a lot and I don't think it will make a very long scarf... but I suppose we shall see :S. I think we should have opted for Wal-mart as sad as it sounds because they coulda gotten more yarn for their dollars there even though it would have been acrylic. Though I have to say, the Bernat Satin feels so much softer than the yarn they bought. And the Satin is acrylic! Go figure. Ah well. It'll be a good learning experience none-the-less. I hope. Hahah...

Anyhow, that was a long ramble on my knitting-related day. That is all for now.

*Note to self: If I ever want to buy the Cotton Fleece, it's a few dollars cheaper at The Knit Cafe. Though you do get a bit of a discount from Romni with your student card. (shrugs) Either or I guess.

Whining

How did I manage to miss the annual TTC knitalong this past Saturday? Booooo. Okay, sure, I couldn't have gone because of the bridal shower and the like but still! It would have been coooool.

Anyhow, a trip to Romni Wools and The Knit Cafe (and Americo?) with Carmen, Josephine and Robyn before class... where I will fail miserably. :)

Harry Potter

I knit a giant bookmark glasses case. Well I still have to seam it up so it looks like one. And add my initials. Thank-you Yvonne for helping me come to that decision. Goodness knows how many ideas we went through.

Note: It is curled because it's in stockinette stitch.Originally (and I think I still am) I was going to sew up the sides so that it was a double-sided but it's going to be thick. (shrugs)

Poxy

So while on the chicken pox I have this crazy desire to knit and yet I haven't really been knitting much on Vanessa's legwarmers despite them being an easy knit. I really want to start those socks with the yarn I bought but I don't have needles for them yet.

Here's what I have been up to...

I wanted to use up some eugh blue acrylic so I double stranded it on huge needles and made a garter stitch scarf. I kind of want to embroider a design on it now.

Progress shot on Vanessa's legwarmers.


The front of my phone cozy. Aran braid cable from Vogue Knitting.


The back of my phone cozy. Beaded rib from Vogue Knitting. As you can see, I need to add a button.

Add-on: Since this post, my mom has claimed this case for her phone because it fits it. Actually I think it fits it even better than it fits mine. Wtf m8. lol looks like I've got to make another one. Different, obviously. Probably the same yarn since I really want to use it up and I currently don't have access to a yarn shop. I've also started knitting a Gryffindor bookmark since then but I think it shall be far too thick to go between the pages of a book comfortably. Oh well, it'll be for show I guess. Or a nifty pin. Or when I get a bulletin board I can stick it up and be all proud. We shall see.
Add-on2: Since I wrote that last note, I've realized that this bookmark is huge. I mean, I've only done two repeats of the golden yellow stripes and it's already about as big as the book. Oops. Should have stuck to those smaller needles. For some reason I'm far too lazy to go back. I'll just have one giant-sized bookmark. And one miniature-sized scarf. (shrugs)

WIP: Legwarmers

So back when I started Van's legwarmers I kept getting frustrated because apparently "yo" or "yarn over" means two different things in the British and American systems. Needless to say it wasn't working too well. Last night I re-started it and I finally got through the (simple) lace part but I've to say, it looks rather wonky. Hahah. Like seriously.

A part of me hopes that the second pair comes out perfect but I think it'll look funny if one side is kinda wavy and one is all straight and even. I guess I'll have to figure out a way to block them when it's done so that it looks relatively similar. It definitely will need the ribbon to make it look better. I also decided that I really should have "splurged" and bought the merino wool rather than the wool blend I'm using right now because the merino would have been all smooth and shiny and pretty and neat but this blend is your typical fuzzyish wool. Sigh. I think it's good for late autumn/winter, though.

Me and my lack of job. I really would have bought the beautiful yarn had I been able to afford it that day lol. If I see some affordable merino that can work well when I go to Romni next week I might have to consider picking it up.

I'm rather excited for the Romni/Knit Cafe expedition with Carmen, Josephine and hopefully Robyn. Mmm yarn.


Add-on: Maybe when I'm done Van and I can decide whether or not we should attempt to shave it.


Oh and here I was just randomly wonder what double stranding looks like (knitting with two strands of yarn together) but

Petunia Tote - done atlast

When I first saw the photos from the IK magazine I loved it but I can't say that about my FO. First of all, when I was picking up stitches I didn't exactly bother to read up how to do that ... so the base is inside out (haha) but I think I shall add some cord/edging to make it look neater. Also, I was tempted to stop after doing 1.5 repeats of the pattern but at that point it felt too small so I did the full 2 repeats... and it's ginormous. Enh. And while I was on gauge for the bag, once it came to the handles I started pulling my stitches quite tightly. Which I guess made it a stiffer fabric. Though it's not as long as it's supposed to be but if it was any longer my bag would be to my knees. I stitched a piece of denim into the handles so that it wouldn't stretch out and then lined the rest of the bag. I think I might fix-up a few more details but there you have it.

zoom-in on the lining

sitting on the floor

hanging on the railing

Note: I don't have any good action shots! (lol) Maybe later.

WIP: Legwarmers

So I bought yarn today for VanSiu's legwarmers at Mary's Yarns. What a lovely shop. There was so much yarn and the people were superbly friendly. :)

I must get to my real point for blogging ... I'm terribly frustrated with myself* because I'm supposed to do a basic lace pattern on the DPNs however, it's not working for me. How am I supposed to slip the stitch over the k2tog part if I'm using all four needles. Do I use another one? Is that how this works? Maybe I'll try that next. Anyhow, I've ripped out what I just started and will try this again. (Note: I want these done by Saturday. Yeup, I did just say Saturday.) I get the feeling that the first of the pair will be kinda wonky but the second one will be okay. VanSiu will just have to make do with my shoddy first-attempts. (I mean really, I've only ever done plain stockinette on DPNs and that didn't even look brilliant!)

In other news, I bought myself some sock yarn. I plan on following this brilliant tutorial online for knitting socks. I can't wait :) ... just need to get these legwarmers done. And started. lol And someone please tell me why sock yarn is so expensive.

*note: I only have made one attempt so far so who knows what I will be like if I fail at this after 3 gos. I think I'm just tired.


Add-on: So After I had done tone round of the lace pattern and then a round of plain knitting I figured wheeeee, I've got it! But now I'm extremely confused. I started off with 17/16/17 for stitches on each needle and then now it's 18/16/18. And when I work out the lace pattern in my head, it seems to be increasing. But it's not increasing enough or properly because at the end of the lace round I end up with extra stitches. And wtheck, I don't think it should be increasing either. Goodness, this is just simple sl/k2tog/psso/yo and yet I'm completely baffled.

Add-on again: I have now ripped this thing out 4 times. Three of those times had to do with the stitch numbers fudging on me and this last time because my hand slipped pulling out more stitches than i could catch. I think I need to stop. I need sleep.

WIP: Petunia Tote - final update before it's done... I think

Yeah. It has been a slow process. Only because I always put it down. Anyhow, all that's left to do is knit the handles. Here it's what it's like after being steam-ironed. The old-lady fabric in the background is actually what I'm using to line it. (shrugs)

Add-on: So today is May 21st. I'm working on the handles. There's a problem, however. I suppose since it was my first time using DPNs I have been pulling my stitches ridiculously tight to avoid that awful rung/ladder of stitches that people always get when using them. So I've pretty much managed to avoid that but my gauge is all off. The stitches are much tinier on the handles than they are on the bag... and I'm running out of yarn. I'm hoping that by the time I get to the end of the skein I will have large enough handles for such a ginormous bag because I really don't want to have to buy another one. It's good in one sense because it's now rather stiff and once I stitch in the denim in the handle it won't stretch out but still. Also, this bag is ridiculously huge. Why did I make such a big bag? Why didn't I stop at 1.5 repeats like a smart person? And why did I actually use cotton to make this bag? Sure, it was the recommended yarn for a "summer knit" but even with all my lining it will no doubt stretch out.

RARGH. I just needed to rant.

Distracted by the fiber arts

So my parents have called a few times today to see what I'm up to and how exactly I'm getting to school later, etc. And each time they've called, they've asked me if I'm studying because I told them yesterday I needed to study Spanish. And I keep saying that I am.

What am I really doing? Browsing the crochet section of Craftster, wondering why on earth I can't get past a row of chain stitching without it going all wonky, and reading The Happy Hooker. Aiya. I've got to shower and stop this nonsense.

Attempts at Crocheting

So I've been wanting to make the clutch that's in Happy Hooker for awhile now. Last night I whipped out the crochet hook I use for fringes when knitting and some of that blue and white yarn and attempted to try the first chain stitch. It really looked odd. Either way, I attempted again this morning and I'm doing it and there's a distinct flow to it, except I think I'm too tense - my hands are that is. But if I do it less so, I always get both pieces of yarn caught under the hook - instead of one over and one under. Eugh. I'm going to try the half double crochet stitch now.


Add-on: You know, I really think I should be using a smaller hook. Or a thicker yarn. In the videos I just looked up, they do it a lot more naturally than I do.
Add-on2: Okay, yeah, it works much better with thicker yarn. I don't know why I didn't pay attention to that at the beginning. Joyyy.

Wings Lace Bookmark and other notes

So, did I tell you how bored I got of knitting that Petunia Tote? Really bored. Maybe it wasn't challenging enough or I just need more diversity in my life than just simple knits and purls. Go figure.

Here is what it was like as of yesterday:

All flattened out.

Awkwardly stuffed with (clean) pajamas. The highlighter is for size comparison.

Awkwardly stuffed and all alone.

To remember why I enjoyed knitting so much I started knitting off of every bit of yarn I had lying around. I tried lacework with this red yarn - it looked terrible. I had to frog that. I starting knitting with a pair of chopsticks my dad brought from the plane ride from China. Then I started trying out this diamond pattern - that really is just knits and purls but it's cute. I guess it will make itself into a pencil case of some sort. Except I'm not sure I'll have enough yarn and the whole point was to get rid of that ugh blue yarn. Maybe I'll make the back a different colour? Hmm. We shall see.

It's kinda hard to make out with this lighting but enh.

Then today I decided to knit myself a bookmark with the yarn I bought for Rachel's camera cozy. It's really meant to be used for crocheting - considering the name "Heavenly Crochet" - but who cares. It had such nice shades of blue. I'm thinking that the pattern might have been better suited for one colour rather than self-striping yarn but ah well, I still like it. I managed to yo and ssk without messing up like I always do. I still need to block it out a bit but I won't right now because I'm too lazy to find pins. Maybe I'll add a tassel - so it looks more like a bookmark and less like a knitted rectangle... we shall see. And who knows, maybe I'll get back to that bag. Sooner or later...

Yeah. This yarn was by far the most exciting to unravel. On the outside it was cool with all the angle-y business and continues to be. But as I unraveled, I grew mesmerized by the swirly goodness. It's like a blue campino, really.



Blue goodness. :)


Close-up. Yeah, it really needs to be blocked to look more like wings. lol


Zoom-out.

WIP: Petunia Tote

Over the past week and a half (?) I've been knitting about a row a day. Which is nothing but that's all I've really had time for - sad, isn't it? Yesterday I went a bit crazy and knitted quite a bit. I basically have to do double what you see in these pictures + the straps + lining and it'll be done. I want to be done the knitting portion by the end of this week. For sureeeee. I can't wait to iron it out so that it's smooth and you can actually see the flowers properly - not as a mess like it appears right now. Also, it seems pretty bunched up because I'm using shorter needles than the pattern called for - but when it's done it'll be okay. And it's stuffed here with a dress of mine for better viewing - lol.

WIP: Petunia Tote

I am an idiot. Really.

Making this bag is ridiculously simple. Y'know what I did? I somehow managed to ignore the left-hand side of the pattern chart for three rows. Meaning I have to go back 552 stitches and do it all over again - this time including the second flower pattern.

How the heck did I miss that?!?!?!?!

Grrrr.

Add-on @ 8:22 p.m. on March 26: Okay, so that wasn't a big deal at all but I was in the mood to rant. lol

The never-ending list of things I want to knit

I have browsed many, many, knitting books in my short lifespan as a knitter. Or should I say Knitter? I see things I want to knit everywhere. And when I don't see it, I think "hey, I could knit this and come up with the pattern myself." While at Chapters today I realized I had already browsed most of the knitting books they had. In fact, I had already scoped out what patterns I eventually want to follow or modify or steal ideas from. I am not bothering to write all of them down on my sidebar list because it is scaring me how much there is out there that I want to knit.

WIP: Petunia Tote

Warm Weather Knits

I bought my supplies for the Petunia Tote today. I'm using Cantata Cotton Crepe DK in colour 3853 lot 219610 (for my own reference.) I bought a pair of 60cm 4mm Pony circs - shorter than what they called for - because the "right" size wasn't there.

Mai and I trekked to Romni Wools and I tell you, I have found my new favourite store. It is ABSOULTELY AMAZING. There is so much yarn! AND books! AND classes! AND a basement that I did not check out. It was simply lovely. They were incredibly helpful and friendly and I really can't wait to go back again, finished project over my shoulder, ready to get some more yarn. Man. It's THAT that makes me want to get a job. So I can afford yarn. Forget everything else!

Afterwards I checked out The Knit Cafe which is small but nice. I don't think it'd be good for our RyeKnits meetings (yeah... it's going to happen...) because it's too small but it'd be nice for four of us or something. It's also really randomly located. Like seriously. In the middle of nowhere.

Either way, Queen St. West is my new favourite place. We passed a gazillion and one fabric shops, button shops, paper shops, art galleries, art supply shops, unique fashion stores, used furniture, new furniture... EVERYTHING. Honestly. It killed me how tired we were coming back ... I couldn't even go to some of the places. Next time, I guess.

It looks peachy here but the colour on here isn't so accurate.

iPod Cozy #2

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
Yesterday I was dying to knit and I looked at the very little odds and ends of yarn that I had, and settled on making another iPod cozy... but that doesn't mean that my red one will be retired! Nope, it's going to hold my camera now (as it fits quite well.) The new one, INCLUDING FAIR ISLE, will hold my iPod. The colourwork was actually a lot simpler than I thought it'd be. It seems kinda silly now that I made another cozy since it's springy and all but whatever, it can offer some padded protection in the realms of my backpack.

What the inside of all that fair isle looks like.

What I'm About to Knit

I plan on knitting the Petunia Tote from Interweave Knits Spring 2007 edition. I can't decide if I'm going to buy another type of yarn or what. I need to figure this out. I want to get on it this week. I feel empty with nothing on the needles.

After or while I'm knitting the bag - depends how my attention span is - I want to follow this AMAZING tutorial on how to knit socks. The first one will be super-plain and then maybe I'll attack that ever-growing list on the right. Online I've seen some cool sock yarn that makes it look as though you did some crazy colourwork/intarsia as you go along simply because the yarn variates in colour in strategic ways.

Teaching

I taught a nine-year-old to knit yesterday. It felt good. She learned way too quickly.

iPod Nano Cozy

Keeping you cozy

I was trying to see how my ribbing was awhile ago and was making an armwarmer. Then realized I made it too small and could make it into a bracelet. And then I realized it was the perfect size for an iPod Nano.

Excellent.

Irish Hiking Scarf

A short relationship

So I've been a bit behind on updates despite thinking about knitting and crafts 24/7 these days.

After finishing my armwarmers I had a skein and a bit left over so I decided to make the matching scarf but instead of making it three cable repeats wide, I made it two. Perfect for spring. At least it was until I lost the armwarmers. Sigh.

Ah well. I still have a scarf, I guess...

It's much brighter in real life and is almost 5 feet long (and even though I was going to make it longer, I didn't as I ran out of yarn.)

Yarn Harlot

I love to read crafty blogs and diaries. It's neat to learn from other people's mistakes and to find out about possible frustrations that await you in a project. When I picked up Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's The Secret Life of a Knitter - Yarn Harlot I didn't realize I'd chuckle so much. I loved it. Only funny if you knit, I guess. Even though I'm a beginner and have no experience to relate to much to, I was entertained. I particularly liked her list of ten ways to anger a knitter.

She wrote:

Ten quick and easy ways to make a knitter angry:

1. Consistently refer to her work as a "cute hobby."

2. When the knitter shows you a Shetland shawl she knit from handspun yarn that took 264 hours of her life to produce and will be an hierloom that her great-great grandchildren will be wrapped in on the days of their birth, say, "I saw one just like this at Wal-Mart!"

3. On every journey you take with your knitter, make a point of driving by yarn shops but make sure you don't have enough time to stop. (This works especially if there is a sale on.)

4. Shrink something.

5. Tell her that you don't know why she knits socks, that it seems silly when they are only $10 for five pairs and they're just as good.

6. Tell the knitter that you are sorry, but you really can't feel a difference between cashmere and acrylic.

7. Tell her that you aren't the sort of person who could learn to knit, since you "can't just sit there for hours."

8. Quietly take out one of every set of four double-pointed needles that she has and put them down the side of the couch. (You can't convince me that you aren't doing this already.)

9. If you are a child, grow faster than your knitter can knit. Requesting intricate sweaters and then refusing to wear them is also highly effective.

10. Try to ban knitting during TV time, because the clicking of the needles annoys you.

Jewellry Storage

Colour My World

I have been daydreaming about the jewellry storage from Pottery Barn Teen for a good while now. It makes me sad that you can only order it online and that you can only have it delivered in the U.S. There is no doubt that if I lived in the States, I would pay the shipping fees for it. I could possibly have it delivered to a relative but then I have to ensure that I end up going there, am able to bring it back, etc. If I wanted them to ship the items to me here, it would be a lot of mula and the items themselves are already quite expensive. I might be going this summer but that's not for sure. I'm getting worried because I notice a lot of the wonderful items are no longer online. Meaning they're gone. Oh my.

My mom and I have way too many accessories from attending a gazillion occasions. We share stuff but we both still have our own collections. There are certain things I borrow from her and return to her room and vice versa. Though sometimes we forget to return 'em.

Awhile ago I made a really crappy-looking earring holder but it does wonders! I can see all my earrings (minus real gold which isn't a lot) so I don't forget what I own. I only wish I had the fancy PBTeen holder because then my mom and I would put both of ours on it and it would be like a store. I used cardboard and made a triangle-shape, cut-out little pieces of the middle, punched holes along the edges of the bars, painted it white and voila. Crappy earring holder. Suhweet.

If we have a lot of earrings you can guess that we have a lot of bracelets. Now see, my mom just has a lot of bangles but I don't keep them in my room. We saw this bangle stand that you can buy at our temple and it's pretty nice so we might get it. I have my own bangles that are seperate from our Indian collection because they are gifts that I try to wear more often. I also have a heck of a lot of beaded bracelets and stuff that I tend to forget I own. I organized the top drawer of my dresser so that I could see all my bracelets and necklaces by simply opening it but I didn't really think it was the best solution for me. Honestly, it takes so much time to open my drawer and check it out. Haha.

So I was in the basement and noticed a wine bottle holder that we aren't using. We used to use it. It holds two wine bottles. Seeing it empty inspired me to toss my bracelets and necklaces on it. Suhweet number 2.

I took the last picture because I love how neat it all is. lol the orange containers are my mom's old J-Lo perfume boxes.

I'm still sort of wanting a seperate necklace holder. I want to push pretty pins or knobs into the side of my dresser and hang them there. Or get a shelf and put little knobs on it. Or do the fabric-covered corkboard thing but my mom is afraid of me putting ugly things up on my wall since I'd do it myself, so for now, this will do. (I swear if I got the corkboard I would take the time to do a nice job. Sigh. I would even make a lattice covered one so that I could hang earrings that way and it could be like a set.

I really feel like sewing. And pretty fabric. I don't have pretty fabric, though. Sigh.

Note how I'm not ready for school at all but just want to keep crafting. I keep seeing cool ideas or coming up with nifty ones to make my room all cool but ahhh...