OpArt is 2009 FO #1!

OpArt Pre Blocking
Originally uploaded by sunasak

OpArt is done, as you can see. It only took a month and two days, which is not bad, considering its size and the little things I had to make before Christmas. I spent all day yesterday finishing up on the edging, which I made with a picot bind-off. I figure that is nice and stretchy, plus the baby is a girl, so this sightly feminizes it. I must admit that the blanket does its job--if you look at it too closely, it will get your eyes all confused and start to appear to move around. It's hard to believe that such an easy pattern produces such cool results!

As you can see in the picture of the whole blanket, it does need to be blocked. The instructions warn you to not get upset when it comes off the needles, because it needs to be "severely blocked" to end up square. I'll be doing that at some point today or tomorrow, I figure. I measured it, and unblocked, it's exactly 40" across, which is what size it's supposed to be. That's a rarity for me! I am not sure whether it will block out slightly larger or not. The bigger it is, the more space for the baby to roll around and enjoy it.

The yarn is very soft and was quite nice to work with. I'd use it again in an afghan or something (KnitPicks Swish). I am going to get some Fray Check stuff and dab it on all the ends so that the back looks as neat as possible. That's for two reasons: there's no way to avoid the back showing when it wraps a baby, and I know babies tend to pick at things like yarn ends when they get a bit older, and I don't want the blanket to get picked to death (like my own baby blanket did). This baby will have a LOT of blankets, though, so who knows which one she will pick for her "lovey" if she picks any at all!

Moving On

The next project is the Baby Surprise Jacket. I just could not control myself from trying this, and I am happy to use up some of the organic yarn I bought a while back to try out organic projects. I am using O-Wool Balance, which is an organic wool/cotton blend. It is worsted weight, but I am using a size 4 needle, to get 5 stitches per inch. That supposedly makes the one year-ish size jacket, which would work for baby's first winter, I think. I am going to make a second one in sport-weight yarn for another knitting friend's baby, which will be a little younger so might need a slightly smaller jacket. That does, of course, assume I make it through this first BSJ. I am trying to follow EZ's instructions and not read any additional hints and helpers. I want to pretend to be a lady of 1968 who got the original newsletter.

I am using some new row markers to keep track of the double decreases in the BSJ pattern. I got them from Entrelac (in person, but YOU can get them from the Loopy Ewe online, or Gauge or Knitting Nest locally). They are shaped like little omegas, and really work well. They stay in when you want them to, but easily come out to move up to another row. I got these nice shiny anodized ones, because I love shiny colorful things (as you may have noticed).

I'm off to write in my personal blog, then work on the jacket, watch football, and finish taking down holiday decorations. A nice end to the holiday season!

Mystery Solved - Happy New Year

OpArt Mystery

You may recall from last year (a mere two days ago) that I was perplexed about running out of black yarn on OpArt when I had only gotten to the size of the "small" version of the blanket. I became more perplexed yesterday, when I realized that my two remaining balls of white, plus a little extra, were not going to allow me to get my last stripe ten garter stitch ridges wide. The first ball only got me 7.75 rows (that's almost four complete stripes).

As I knit, I kept thinking, well, this is still plenty big, for being the small size. It will be OK. And by the end of last night, it was pretty clear that I'll get at least 9 stripes on the last row, which means it won't look too funky.

This morning, I got the bright idea to look on Ravelry to see other people's OpArt projects. Well. Once again I DO wish I would look at these things before the end of a project. There are all sorts of comments about the small size really being the one ending with 8 ridges, not the one ending with 10. So, I am actually almost finished with the large size, so it is not so bad to be just a tad short of yarn. And I am not the only one for whom the 6 balls of each color weren't quite enough. I feel so much better.

It looks like I'll finish OpArt tonight or tomorrow, but, no extra baby things from leftover yarn! That's OK, because I got another idea for making an organic cotton baby surprise jacket...or using some of that luscious Louet Gems I bought last week. I can always get more of that for mittens.

The plan is to be sure to take pictures of the blanket before and after blocking, because it really looks funny coming off the needles, but great blocked.

Knitting Resolutions

Everyone's putting their knitting resolutions on their blogs. I know I am a total failure at that, but I am trying to make reasonable plans for the year. I know times are hard, so I will have to moderate my stash aquisition. I also know I have a goodly number of projects lined up to knit (plus a couple I really want to finish--the orange alpaca sweater and Maelstrom, for example).

So, my plans are:

1. I will knit at least two items from my stash for every one item of new yarn. This is a minimum goal. I will try to knit primarily from my stash this year, but I know how the siren call of new yarn can be (witness the buying spree last week).
2. I will only buy sock yarn from independent dyers or limited edition others. Anything that will be around a while, I will wait for.
3. I will get back to concentrating on socks more and knit other stuff from sock yarn, too. Must use stash. (I actually have an idea that may work for making that Raglan Rust sweater I love in the current Knitter's from 5 or 6 different balls of Trekking rather than 3 each of two colors.)
4. I will finish the items I am working on. I hope to get one item, the orange sweater, done this weekend (so optimistic) and then I vow to spend at least some time each week on Maelstrom, then each other item until they are done. I will feel good if I do that.
   

Wishing for a FO New Year

I do so wish I could post that OpArt is done and an official FO in 2008, but that's not going to happen. What has happened, though, is it became obvious this afternoon (I got off early) that I will not be able to add another black stripe to the end of it. I am on the stripe with 9 garter stitch ribs, which is supposedly the end of the smaller version of the blanket, and I had to start the last skein of black. Since this stripe took up more than one ball, it's pretty obvious an even larger stripe would too. I must have a considerably different gauge than I thought I did.

The good news is twofold, though: 1) I do have enough to make one more white stripe (two more complete skeins and a wee bit of a third) with ten garter stitch ribs in it; and 2) I will be finished sooner than I thought! Honestly, it is plenty big now, so I don't think it will be a problem to lack those last two stripes, and I'd hesitate to order more black KnitPicks Shine, since blacks of different dye lots really can vary. Probably the white would, too.

A bonus: maybe I'll have enough to make a wee baby surprise out of the leftovers. Of course, now that I typed it, it will no longer be a surprise, huh. I have no idea how much yarn a genuine baby surprise jacket would take, but it would be fun to make one. Then the baby will blend in with the blanket, and Katie won't be able to find her unless she makes noise! And the other idea that just popped into my head is one of those "baby soakers" that there is a pattern for in the new Piecework. Even if they aren't going to be cloth diapering, the soaker is cute. So, Mom of the baby, what do you think? (She is actually too busy to answer, I am sure, so I will ask in person.)

Back to knitting and thinking about New Year's parties. I hope 2009 brings you good things, or at least good knitting to console you in challenging times!

Another Hat-- Such Fun

Hat from the side
Originally uploaded by sunasak

I made another hat yesterday. I really wanted to try the Crystal Palace Taos yarn, so I got my book of 1000 Great Knitting Motifs (found at Half Price Books) and chose a stranded pattern, then set off. I miscounted the first time I tried the hat, but yesterday I had the right number of stitches and made it. I used a natural merino yarn that I got in Fredericksburg from the yarn shop there, but I can't remember what it was called--I think it's the store's own wool. I think the lighter parts of the Taos were too light, really, but I like the hat. I knitted it on much too small needles--thought they were size 5 and I used size 3. For a pattern that called for size 8 originally, perhaps I went down too far! But, it fits nicely. I used a 2x2 rib, so all in all, I totally modified Patricia's pattern. I'm going to try to do one more using my Wooly Stripes red/orange and a dark brown or black base. Then I will stop.

Still trucking along on OpArt. Here is a photo of it from Christmas Day, on top of Lee's mom's crocheting from years ago. I thought that was a nice thing to have a photo of. I am not sure how much I will get done today, since my kids are home and we did presents (I did get an advance copy of a knitting book, Knitting for Good, which I'll tell you about once I look at it. No other knitting swag, but then, I bought all I needed last week!!). Also people appear to be coming over for dinner, or to visit, or something, so I'll be cooking and cleaning. Tomorrow,back to work.

Blocking Away

Lookee, I finally found some time to start blocking Wrap Me Up. Since I'd already fallen down and twisted my back trying to refill the dogs' water dispenser (hint, don't do that with a sore arm and with high heels on that would slip if you spill water), I figured that any necessary contortions would just add to my issues. And sure enough, I had to do some contorting. So the pictures here show each end of it, but I am sparing you the middles.

As the authors of the pattern hinted, the wrap is a bear to block. Some parts of it really didn't want to be as wide as other parts, especially the really firm section that was my favorite (it's the bottom middle in the top picture, but doesn't show up very well in the little picture). So, I did a lot of tugging and pinning in a very confined space, because the only safe place I could find to do the blocking was beside the guest bed. I can keep the dogs out of there, I hope!
Beccano says it smells like a wet sheep, but I washed it with lavender soap, so I think it smells good. I am hoping it is dry by Saturday so I can work on the border and have it ready to wear next week.

In the meantime, OpArt is moving along briskly. I have it on my longest Knit Picks cable, and I only have two blocks of each color left. Of course, rows are up to around 500 stitches each, so I'll still be working on that one for a while. But. Yay. I see the end in sight, and I see the end of Wrap Me Up, too!

Sigh, next it is more socks for Lee's dad. I know they will make him happy. Then, then I hereby swear or affirm, I will finish my orange alpaca sweater. I think that's all *I* want for Yule: a finished sweater.

And by the way, yes, I can type a blog post after a Margarita from the wonderful Mesa Rosa restaurant, even if some of my Facebook pals have their doubts!

You Can Make One of These!

Here's the OpArt project I am working on, a couple of days ago. I am enjoying it, because yes sirree it's a mindless project. It looks all cool and optical illusion-y, but it's just a square with the increases always in the same spot, which makes the increase gradually move off to the right. And it's garter stitch, so one row knit, one row purl.

The yarn is nice and soft, for inexpensive washable wool (KnitPicks Shine). It will be an excellent baby warmer, and not take too long, I am hoping!

Anyway, if you have a baby to knit for, consider this little fun project. You can do it! Even YOU, new-ish knitter. And it is a nice break for YOU, experienced knitter. You can make it in any color combo you'd want, and I guess you could do it in Vanna's Choice or something (I mention that because I had a weird dream that I had to buy a whole bunch of it for some project and could not find the right colors, so I was stuck in some el big box hobby store wandering the aisles looking for another color).

I think I will go knit now. Yay, I can knit!

Back to Knitting Soon

Here I am with some knitting friends and church friends, just before the wedding. Lots more photos are on my Flickr album or Facebook (I am Suna Kendall there).

It was a great wedding and a wonderful time with friends. I sure am grateful to have so many knitting and other friends to share my happiness with.

I have a longer post on my personal blog, so contact me if you'd like access to it (send me your email address in a comment, and I will delete it without posting). I just don't want all my personal stuff on my public blog, ya see.

I still need to block Wrap Me Up before I can finish it. I hope to do that tonight, though I have to finish my thank-you notes. Yes, I am being a Good Bride. And no, I did not change my name.

Last night I got going on OpArt, from Knitty. It is way easier than I thought it would be. If I had known what mindless knitting it was going to turn out to be, I could have worked on it last week when I was all stressed! I am sure this one will get done before its recipient gets born! I have three months. Gosh, hope I didn't jinx it.

I was proud of my wedding shawl. It lived up to its billing and people loved it.

That Looks Delicious!

Maelstrom on Two Needles
Originally uploaded by sunasak

Hey, what's that photo? Is it a pizza? A dried dahlia flower? Some lovely coral? No, that delicious-looking item is Maelstrom, nearly finished with the main body. If you look at the original, you might even see the beads, which are on the edges, but I doubt it. They are subtle. I only got 2.5 rows finished yesterday, thanks to wedding stuff I had to do, but hey, those are 800 stitch rows by now, so that took some knitting! I think the green beads are going to look nice gracing the last half of the last repeat. And then the border will have more beads (but not too many; I am trying to be tasteful).

I still have no clue how big this thing's going to get. I am concerned it won't be a big enough shawl. On the other hand, I mostly drape my shawls along the stairwell, anyway, so it has a life as a decorative object ahead of it, if nothing else. I'd hoped it would be a lap afghan, but I don't think so...I just have to be patient, since it looks like it will be a while before I find out! Now that I am beading, I can't work on it in the car or outside of the house (I think I can work on it at Chicks with Sticks tomorrow, though).

That means, maybe the Striped Celebratory Chevron socks will get bigger today, due to a bunch of meetings tonight! Poor socks. At least I am past the heel on them, so the end is in sight.

Hey, and guess what came in the mail yesterday? Why, YARN! What a surprise! I had to order the "Wrap Me Up" shawl pattern from Jimmy Beans Wool, and well, you can't just order a pattern, for goodness sake! So, two of those limited edition Lorna's Laces colors showed up (Gone Fishin' and Amy's Vintage Office), plus one sock's worth of Kafe Fassett Regia. WHY did I forget I would need two? Duh. And a Colinette Jitterbug, just for fun, in a very pinky/purple Wine Coulis colorway (depicted). I have GOT to stop buying sock yarn. Especially if I am going to keep committing to making blankets.

Yes, I have the OpArt baby blanket and the Wrap Me Up shawl in line to make. Those are big items that will distract me from shawls. Plus, it is almost cool enough to finish the orange alpaca sweater!

I must go be a mom now, and take one son to guitar lessons and attend Senior Parent Night for the other.