Hurting Hands

October 28th, 2006

I was going to write a post a week or two ago about the Christmas gift that I’m knitting with the Alpaca & Silk yarn. It was going to be all rant-y, and complaining about the knit on the project being hell, and it was. Instead of writing about it I stewed for this little bit, and took my time to decide that if knitting something was causing me so much discomfort, then I should stop knitting it.

I’m still knitting the Christmas gift, as you can see, but I’ve changed the decorative ribbing to something less painful on my fingers. This yarn has very little stretch, so doing the twisted stitches to get the beautiful zig-zag rib on these gloves was killing me. For the sake of my hands (and my sanity, good god it took hours to get just a few rows) I changed the ribbing to a k2,p2 shifting rib. Muuuch happier hands. Muuuch more progress as of today.

On the spinning front, I’ve finished my second yarn. I can never figure out quite how I should say this. I’ve spun yarn for the second time? That doesn’t really convey the time it takes to create a full…something of yarn. I’ve spun my second skein of yarn? It’s only a skein if it’s not a ball, or some lump of yarn which it is now. I’ve spun my second batch of yarn? We’re not baking cookies here.

Anyways, it’s done. I plied the thinner bunch that I did early on, and kept the second half as singles. I’m going to use both to knit a winter hat, which will be so wonderful to wear when it is complete. I can’t tell you of the anticipated satisfaction I’m feeling right now! I will admitt though, that I’m feeling slightly trepidatious about knitting a hat without a pattern for the first time. I know I can do it, but using handspun yarn to do so makes things a little more uneasy. All will be well, right?

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Knitting Pictures

October 26th, 2006

I was looking at some pictures a friend took when he was visiting for mine and Corey’s wedding in April. One of the pictures was from when we were doing some gaming together after the wedding. I don’t know why I get so excited looking at this picture, but there is just something very satisfying to see in it.

Click on the image to view the larger version, it’s a bit easier to see.

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Let the Christmas Knits Begin

October 14th, 2006

Lots of Christmas knitting in my future here, and it seems to fit the beginning of this season. I feel ready for winter already, what with the cold, chance of flurries tonight, breaking out the hot chocolate, and wearing winter gear already. I’m loving it.
I have become obsessed with knitting Malabrigo Aquarella scarves. Last night I finished the one in the pinks and purples, and it’s drying from the wash I gave it last night. Pictures forthcoming. I do have a picture of the beginnings of my second one, which I did in a little diagonal ribbing. The size needle and thickness of the yarn makes it a slightly stiffer scarf, but it’s nice and thick and warm. Plus, making the scarf thinner in width I think will make it easier to wear. I love the texture of this yarn!

There’s even more excitement over yarn at my place tonight, as some yarn for more Christmas knitting arrived today. I’m making some gloves from Handknit Holidays out of the alpaca and silk yarn the pattern calls for. I must say it certainly wasn’t a mistake following the pattern’s directions on what yarn to use, because this stuff is so heavenly soft. I have a feeling it will make for some wonderfully elegant gloves. The great thing about the silk combined with the alpaca is that it doesn’t shed quite so much as 100% alpaca yarns seem to.

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I Caved

October 12th, 2006

I just had to make the scarf out of this yarn. I was thinking, and talking to my wonderfully supportive husband, and decided that not everyone is as picky as I am about scarf softness. Even I’m not so picky as I seem, as I have a wool knit scarf (not made by me) that’s kinda rough which I still wear (and love). It’s going to keep her warm, and hopefully she’ll love the colors.

You may be able to see in the picture that I decided to make the scarf ribbed, so it can be reversible. I tried to think of the various ways I could make the scarf with stockinette, but in the end reversible is what became most important. I was unsure how the k2,p2 ribbing would look with this yarn as it’s normally a nice clean simple style. It seems to be working out wonderfully with this thick and thin yarn. I love this yarn more and more as I knit it. The best part about knitting with a thicker yarn is that the project will be completed more quickly!

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On Scarves and Softness

October 11th, 2006

I find that I am very picky about the softness of the yarn I am to use for a scarf. This may be the reason that I haven’t yet completed very many scarves, and don’t wear any of them. It needs to be incredibly soft in order to feel comfortable against the skin. I mean, the neck is a sensitive place on your body, and who wants to wrap something scratchy around oneself to keep warm. I want something that will envelope me and feel comforting in the brisk air. I don’t want to have to wear a turtleneck, or wear my jacket collar underneath all my scarves to be comfortable.

Today I bought some of Malabrigo’s new yarn Aquarella, which has this great thick and thin texture. This yarn has the wonderful look of spun singles, and the amazing colors that I always find in Malabrigo, but it isn’t nearly as soft as their Merino yarn. I should have expected it, and been more discerning when I was buying it with the intention of making a scarf.

My second purchase was some more Frog Tree Yarns alpaca. This yarn is so incredibly soft, but still has a slightly itchy feel to more sensitive parts like my neck. Perhaps I’m being too picky, but I don’t want to give scarves to people made out of something that isn’t wicked soft.

I’m disappointed that I won’t be using the yarns I bought today for the scarves I had in mind. Perhaps I will make some mittens, or some other suitably warm winter gear that doesn’t need quite as soft a yarn. Then it will be back to the yarn shop to get some more Malabrigo merino, because I really think it will suit the scarf I want to make the best.

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Satisfaction of Quick Knits

October 9th, 2006

I must say I am really pleased with this scarf. It doesn’t hurt that the yarn was enjoyable to knit, and works perfectly for this piece. It’s so soft and has a little elasticity to it. I especially love the color. Everything seems to have gone right for this piece, and I will really enjoy wearing it.

I’m really pleased with the pictures I managed to get out of my camera for this one. It almost seems to be a fickle thing, whether or not it will pick up the knitting details well. Sometimes if I zoom in close enough it won’t pick up any detail at all. This second picture is zoomed in all the way, and doesn’t look fuzzy at all. I wonder if it has something to do with the steadyness of my hand.

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On Blocking

October 8th, 2006

Don’t you just hate waiting for your finished pieces to dry while they’re being blocked? I seem to find it even harder than normal tonight, the waiting and staring over at it, still wet. This may have something to do with a lack of distractions, and no husband in the house. I finished the serendipitous head scarf, and I’m really itching to try it on. I want to wear it, see what it looks like on my head, and feel the satisfaction of a completed knitted item I can use. Fortunately for me, I won’t be home tomorrow to wait longer. I’ll have work to distract me, but wouldn’t it have been nice to wear to work tomorrow?

Big sigh. No pictures of blocking-in-progress items, because they just never look good.

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Complete for Good

October 6th, 2006

I finally got up the motivation to redo the stupid toe on my new ankle sock. Forget whatever I may have said before about the toe I did, I hate it. This is still just the first sock! Hopefully now that I’ve gotten past that stupid toe, and remembering what size needles I used, I can knit the second one.

I decided to rip out the kitchener stitch, pull back to just before the toe, and do a short row toe. I found a great article at Knitty.com, and adapted the method for short row toes to an ankle down (rather than toe up) sock. The best part of all this? I like the toe!

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Christmas Decisions

October 6th, 2006

I plan to do some knitting for loved ones this Christmas, but I’m having such a hard time getting started. I really want to get started early so everything can get done in time. This year will end up being the year when I find out just what kind of Christmas knitter I am as well. Do I complete everything as planned on time? Am I going to be a last minute knitter who gives the unfinished product, and takes it back to finish a month later? Will I just give up knitting for Christmas because of the deadline?

I’m partly stalling because I’m not entirely excited by my ideas. I think I’m just worried about what the receiver will think. Will they enjoy it? Will they appreciate the time and effort whether or not they enjoy it? Too many questions.

I’ve only got a small list, and I really just need to stop stalling and buy the yarn already. I already know what I want to do for the most part. It’s time to just get started.

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Project Handspun

October 5th, 2006

OK, so the pictures look kind of bland, and the finished product looks kind of poorly made. However, this is just meant to be the backing of a small wall hanging I’m making. The dowl will be cut to size into two pieces. The piece will hang from one dowl, and the other dowl will hang from the knitting. My idea was basically to create something to display my handspun yarn in little samples. I thought it would be fun to see my progress, and remember some of the stuff I’ve made.

I’m thinking of painting the dowls, but what color? White? Black? Brown?

I’m really amazed that something I made out of a pile of wool has turned into something knittable. It isn’t terribly even, or terribly soft, or even terribly pretty. All I can say about it is that it’s mine, down to the very light-mauvy color.

I must say I’m really enjoying the future discussions I may have with visitors who see this thing hanging on the wall, pieces of my spinning fluttering from it. I’ll say “Oh, I spun that…”

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