Reading about Knitting: Almost as Good as Knitting?

I have no fun knitting photos to share, but I can report that I am on the last row of the Linus blankie. I got distracted from that by yet another project I can't share, because I am test knitting for my friend. The end product is really cute, so I hope to share it with you all soon. And it uses up sock yarn, another bonus! That project has so many instructions that I've had to only work on it at home for a while, but now I am in a long easy section, so I'll be able to tote it around and finish it. Sadly, nowhere to tote it, though, because our Monday knitting hostess is sick. Get well soon, Dawn!

The blankie has gotten so large that I can't really transport it. I can work on it while riding around in the truck with Lee, which is how I got a little bit done this week. I had to resort to true comfort crafting: I am making simple, traditional granny squares out of the leftovers from the mitered square blankie. I'll edge them all in black and figure out some creative arrangement for them whenever I finish, and I'll have a second Linus blankie!

I've been browsing afghan patterns looking for something to make out of all that Marble yarn I got a couple of weeks ago. I found a nice book at Half Price Books, called Under Cover: 60 Afghans to Knit and Crochet. There are a lot of ideas in it, using standard inexpensive yarns. I found a square that looks like a flower, a bit, in the center, then turns square, so I think I'll try that one.

I've enjoyed quite a bit of knitting reading this week, none of them new books, but ones I hadn't looked at yet, so they were new to me. I enjoyed the new Interweave Knits, and also got another oldie at Half Price Books, Men Who Knit and the Dogs Who Love Them. It has cute dog patterns and fun profiles of men who knitted a few years ago. Since my dog sweaters apparently will stay with the former LYS, I ought to make more at some point, for my future skinny short-haired dog (none of my current dogs need a sweater, even the pug).

The books that have really fascinated me are two books about mittens that were recently reprinted. Now, I have made mittens, but never kept them--they have all been gifts, and have all been standard ones from the Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns (see photo above). I'd been admiring all the fancy mittens I've seen on other people's Ravelry pages and in some of the magazines, but hadn't decided what I wanted to make yet. So, I ordered two mitten books and thoroughly enjoyed looking through them while watching Winter Olympics. The books complement each other well, because one is all about mittens knitted from the cuff up, and the other is about knitting them from the top to the cuff!

Magnificent Mittens and Socks: The Beauty of Warm Hands and Feet,by knitting treasure Anna Zilboorg is so much fun to go through. Zilboorg's personality just shines through, and the photography is lovely. The socks she designed that are similar to her mittens are a great addition, making it quite worthwhile that they re-issued the book to include the socks. These mittens have spectacular patterning and amazingly fancy cuffs. They don't look like something a person living as a solitary in an isolated cabin would come up with! Her technique makes a lot of sense, and I look forward to making a pair of these, just for fun.

Mostly Mittens: Ethnic Designs from Russia, by Charlene Schurch (whose sock patterns you have seen me praise if you have read this blog for a long-ish time) has slightly less extravagant patterns, and they use the more standard cuff-up construction approach, but I love all the things she did with the traditional designs of the Komi people. I learned a lot about them in the book, which was an added bonus. Learning about different traditions is always fascinating to me. I will see what I think about her thumb techniques, but I know I will love making more than one of the fascinating patterns, which look way more complex than they actually are to knit. This is another book that was recently re-issued. I remember when both originally came out (because I am old), but I wasn't in a mitten-loving phase back then.  I'd say Mostly Mittens is more practical, but both are so inspirational--and the designs could easily be translated into hats, bands on sweaters, etc., so I'd get them just as interesting stitch pattern references.

Finally, I want to encourage you to find the Knitting Traditions magazine put out by Piecework. This is more of a reference than a magazine, and has 43 projects that originally appeared in Piecework (which is a magazine that covers all kinds of hand-work).  There are many lovely socks, and some particularly nice shawls, as well. And of course, there is at least one pair of ethnic mittens (Swedish). I enjoy the articles, because they talk about a technique used in the past, then share a modern version of the technique. I've learned a lot from these articles over the years.

So, that's Suna's book report. I need to go work on ye olde secret project for a while. By the way, I really appreciated all the comments on my last post--thank you, kind readers--and I do hope to visit Gauge one Sunday and knit there! I know a lot of my blogging friends are experiencing posting droughts, so it is not just me. But I thank you for your patience as I plow through a bit of a rough time.

Converging Ribs Done! And Finding New Projects

I did finish my Converging Rib socks on Wednesday and am wearing them now. They fit really well and look smart and stripey. I regret that I don’t have a photo of both of them, but it has been raining here for three days, and I am trying to get photos of them in the right light so the patterning will show. I really need to design socks using less patterned yarn, but in my defense, when I started these I wasn’t going to do the fancy decreasing, but rather plain ribbed socks. That does mean, though that I have completed one whole pair of socks this year. My previous pair had actually started in November, because I dawdled over it. As a reminder, I put a little recipe on how to do these socks in the blog a few weeks ago. A couple of people have asked me to link it on Ravelry, but really it’s not a pattern—just hints for doing the design element. Maybe I will just go ahead and do it. If it's boring, no one will make it, and that's fine.

I think I’ll go faster on the next pair, the Charybdis , that I mentioned last week was designed by Fiona, who was inspired by my Glacier Lake socks to design her own pair. They are lots of fun, and look way more complex than they are to knit—just what I like in a sock! I may even go ahead and do the short-row heel, just for a change of pace. It’s nice to get back to toe-up socks, since I took a little break from them with the last few pairs.

There are a couple of factors that I hope will keep me interested in these socks. First, the yarn is very different. As I mentioned in a post a little while back, it is Araucania Ranco Multy, which comes in all sorts of nonstandard colorways and is randomly dyed, with lots of splotches and spatters to break it up. The colorway I picked is one I got fairly recently from The Loopy Ewe, even though I already had two skeins of it in my stash. I just liked the way the aqua and lime green blended with the more dominant berry color. So far, it’s just fine to knit with, not splitty or harsh.

Note: I took a picture with my camera phone of the sock toe and have tried to email it to myself, but it isn’t here yet. So, come back later to see the work in progress.

The knitting itself is interesting because I decided to use my new needles that I got at Fibers. They are Chiaogoo stainless steel circulars in size 00, which I hope will make my sock gauge just a little tighter than it has been lately. I am very fond of the clear nylon cable on these. It’s a bit more flexible than KnitPicks or Addi Turbo, but not as overly flexible as the Kollage square ones. This means that I can push the yarn toward the tip without the cable bending back on itself like the collage ones do, but it doesn’t annoyingly insist on poking out like some thicker cables do. I am, however, not sure that I love the slightly bend tips. They remind me of some of those old Aero aluminum or nonstick needles. However, I am getting used to sliding the yarn around the bends, and it isn’t slowing me down. In any case, it’s always good to try a new needle, in case you love it. And these were not at all expensive (I actually think they were just $5), so I didn’t break the bank getting 00s and 000s. That’s a bargain compared to some of the other needles I’ve bought!

I have a tiny project I will probably work on Saturday, then I should be heading into my next UFO completion project, the Itchy Shalom. More on that later!


What Are You Doing Next?

Looking for things to knit? Here are some online magazine ideas (some of which I have already discussed in greater detail, but wanted to group together):

• Spring 2009 Knitty , featuring a scarf called Fit + Flirt by my friend Birdy in San Antonio and the lovely Decimal sweater by an Austin resident.
• Spring 2009 Twist Collective, which also has some great patterns, including good ones for guys.
• Spring 2009 Knotions, which has a lovely scarf and socks, plus a “Spring Kimono” that reminds me of the Decimal pattern, in that it will look good on petite or statuesque folks.
• Ravelry, every day: What I do most days is click the Patterns tab, then click the small link above the selection of latest patterns that says “see more.” This shows you everything that’s been added, from most recent to dim past (if you have the patience to click that long). It’s a fun way to find inspiration, or to see if someone just published the idea you had (has happened to me). And it can give you a good laugh sometimes. For example, this morning I went to look and up popped a crochet pattern that I think was supposed to be a calla lily, but looked to me like the cup on a lacrosse stick. Ravelry will eventually have all the patterns in each of the other things listed above, but you would miss the articles, so do the advertisers a favor and check out the online knitting zines! I must say I enjoy the ads, too!

Question of the Day: What online knitting magazines have I left out? Tell me more!

Friday Randomness

Like some of my blogging friends and acquaintances have been saying of late, “I gots nothin’” in the way of fascinating blog content for today. I am not burning with passion about a particular issue, and my knitting is fun but just getting bigger, that’s all. So, here are a few tidbits about things I’ve noticed or am interested in these days.

1. Yes, the Kauni Jacket is coming along just fine. I am about halfway up the right half of the back, heading toward the start of the right arm. The stripes are very wide, since there are only 64 stitches on that half. It’s a neat contrast to the thin stripes on the other side. I hope to get quite a bit done over the weekend. And maybe I’ll finish my socks, too. I just have an hour or two left on those socks. Just have to get motivated.

2. One motivation for finishing the socks is that I have the next pattern and yarn chosen. That’s the yarn in the picture--which was hard to locate, because I'd apparently forgotten to add it to my stash on Ravelry--and it's one of my most recent purchases, too! The pattern is called Charybdis. It is so cute, and I’m flattered that I actually inspired the designer to try her hand at designing! I think the yarn will look as good on the pattern as the yarn Fiona chose for her prototype. Heck, if she knitted a pattern I did, the least I can do is knit hers, right?

3. I even have another sock pattern to love. One of the ladies on the Texas knitting list I read posts patterns she finds, like every day. On Wednesday, this one, called Seriously Southwestern Socks, came up. I like it way more than some of the other two-color ones I’ve seen. I think I will try to find a suitable dark semi-solid, perhaps a very dark green, to make this with one of my many lighter colors of indie dyer sock yarns.

4. I’ve been reading a few of my magazines, and I enjoyed the latest Piecework, which came yesterday. If you are a fan of historical re-enactments, you really will want to get this issue. There are socks, a “vest” and a kind of shawl called a sontag, with authentic directions. I did find lots to like in the new Interweave Knits, too. Tonight I will look through it again to see if there’s anything in it I am just dying to make, so I can get yarn for it tomorrow. I’ll let you know if I choose a pattern.

5. Yep, tomorrow Deana, Dawn and I are going to head back out to Paige and Brenham. This time I will have a list of things I am looking for. Since there isn’t enough yarn for many large projects at my LYS, I hope to get a couple of projects’ worth of yarn. I’ve been carefully studying my queue on Ravelry, too.

And here’s a random blogger hint. I’ve noticed that on blogs with word verification, occasionally the word just doesn’t show up. Just type something random in and try to submit. Words will usually appear the next time. I do the verification of comments, because I was concerned at first that inappropriate things might get posted. I did get a spam comment last week, but it has not been as bad as I feared, not at all. I thank ALL of you who have commented lately, too. I learn a lot from you, and I feel better when I read your words of encouragement!

Happy 08/08/08

I don't have any photos to share, darn it. I do have a new ball of yarn, but I haven't uploaded its photo yet. I got my Loopy Ewe Second Anniversary Kit in the mail this week, and the yarn that came with it is very nice. From the Handmaiden folks in Canadia, land of knitting. It's red, black and gray to match the company theme colors. I guess I was more excited about the Loopy Ewe temporary tattoos, which I hope to wear this weekend to the LYS, bead shopping with friends, and another mystery knitting day at the LYS. I don't really care what we make, since I'm just there to chat, anyway.

I am getting near the end of my initial two skeins of yarn for the Silky Kerchief that is now a shawl. I think it will need about a three-inch border to make it the length and width I want. I'm pretty sure the other skein of the rainbow colored Silk Garden Sock will be more than plenty to do that. I will look for a nice garter stitch border with just a few YOs in it, so as to not detract from the stripey main part of the shawl. I like the way a knitted border looks, and how it helps shawls drape and flow. The shawl I am wearing now (I am chilly in an air conditioned building) has a border with some fagoting on it, and it's awfully nice, though of course that would make for a more open looking edge. I'll see if one of the books I have features a similar border, since Jody made this one.

It was nice to get my Interweave Knits in the mail. It's too bad that, since Vogue Knitting always shows up in my mailbox ten days to two weeks AFTER it arrives in stores, and IK arrives BEFORE it gets to stores, I end up getting both at about the same time most issues. As usual, they are very different, but once again I liked more of the VK patterns than in the past. I doubt I will make much, other than some mittens, from either issue, due to all the heavy fall/winter items that just don't fit in well in Texas. I will have my heavy orange alpaca sweater to wear this fall (assuming I finish that last sleeve), so I already have one. I think I could use one more heavier cardigan, though...

On my to do list: subscribe to Interweave Crochet. If future issues are as good as the summer one, I'll want them!

On my not to do list: Any Olympics-related yarn activity. Man, the Olympics just started and I am already sick of reading who has knit what. I think, for me, knitting is where I try to NOT bring out my competitive side. I don't want to beat any one else, or even compete with myself. Of course, assuming I get time to watch, I will knit through the Olympics! Just it will be on my shawl, my crocheted cardigan and the socks I need to finish!

Kudos: Huge kudos to Lime & Violet for coming up with their new series of yarns, which are advertised as perfect for prayer shawls. They put intentions right into the dyeing process, even writing words like "peace" on the yarn to be dyed. Of course, the words only show up as little dots in the finished yarn, but you can be reminded of what you are supposed to be thinking about every time you see a dot! Sheri at the Loopy Ewe has some pictures and more details. I just think this is a wonderful concept, and if you know me in person, you will realize this is right up my alley. Of course, I see myself doing a lot with this idea! I have been finding lately that intention, focus, and attitude really DO make a difference.

Winter 2007 Knitter's

THANKS for all the nice Rainy Day Sock comments! Here is a photo of the sock from the side, which shows the raindrop pattern.

Another day of not-too-much knitting gives me not much to share, so let's see what I can say about the Winter 2007 Knitter's magazine. This used to be my favorite, but I think they are now designing things for people with different taste than mine--interesting techniques and all, but if they don't put in a shawl, not much I want to make.

One comment I have is that I thought it was nice that they took the photos in the town where the magazine is based, way up in South Dakota, but they really didn't find many scenic spots. I guess lining models up against graffiti and abandoned buildings is more artistic than putting them in places that give you a feel for the location's good points. Yes, I assume there are many good points to South Dakota.

I enjoyed all the articles (even though I couldn't figure out where Peri was going for a while in hers), and especially liked all the ads. Go ads! If you are an advertiser, yes, people do read them. And go to your websites! Some are so stylized, though, that I have no clue what kind of yarn or other products they have--entice me with something tangible!

As for the projects, which is a big reason why we knitters want a magazine for knitters, they grow on you, I think. Here are the ones that grew the most (my top 5):

• Radiant Diamonds: That's the one most likely to be made by me (ha, like I will ever get to it), but I love the lace diamonds, and it looks very wearable. Quite a pretty item.
  
• Cinnamon Bark: I think this is the loveliest item of them all, but when I looked at the pattern--woo-ee--even this experienced knitter thought, "I'd have to take my time on this one!" It would probably be worth it--that is one elegant looking sweater.


• Honey Gold: I don't think this one is particularly pretty (not fond of the collar especially) but I just LOVE how it is constructed, so I'd want this one just for the experience of making those fun sleeves! It has lots of elements (lace, cables, etc.) that I like, too. Definitely looks like the most fun to try.


• Warm and Ready: The dickie really would be nice for a motorcycle rider, who of course would not be wearing the hat rather than a helmet if he or she were riding on their bike.


• Chalk Stripes Scarf: I know this will be the item most popular with the general public--I already am reading about it. And I must admit that it looks pretty fun. Yeah, I might make one of those in other colors.

Others in the bunch ranged from OK if something were changed (remove the ties from that pink eyelet sweater; make Media Man in a more man-friendly or work-friendly colorway) to plain old ick (I find Chocolate Bars and Teal We Meet Again just ugly). I know many will disagree, so I look forward to seeing these patterns knitted up on Ravelry in a month or so. Your renditions may change my mind!

For your viewing pleasure

I was happy to learn that the preview for the Winter Interweave Knits is out (wow, I just got the holiday one--the subscription I distinctly remember renewing seems to not be renewed).

What makes me even happier is how many of the items are just the kinds of things I enjoy doing--classic knits with interesting techniques. A surprisingly large proportion of the patterns look like things I could actually wear, that would flatter many figures and be fun to knit.

Congratulations to Eunny and the folks at IK. They are going in the direction I like, and I hereby declare IK my favorite knitting magazine. (I still enjoy Knitter's and Vogue Knitting a lot, but the ratio of good stuff to weird/ugly stuff on IK is the best).

And while I am recommending things, I don't remember if I pointed you specifically to the lace stuff and socks that Goddess Knits does. If not, go look at some of these lovely things now! I know there's a link to one of their things in the "wedding outfit ideas" post, but this link will take you to all 25 of their patterns. Do enlarge the images!

Forget Me Not Socks in Progress, Vogue Knitting

Forget Me Not Socks in Progress 2
Originally uploaded by sunasak

Now you can see the current project, and exactly how far I am with it at this very moment! The very pale pastels don't photograph terribly well, but you can get the idea. I like the pattern and these will be good summer socks, but I do have some issues with my knitting.

The very lovely pattern calls for size 0 needles in Panda Cotton, and that is what I am using. I know perfectly well that I need to use smaller needles than called for most of the time, but was too lazy to go get the 00 needles. Plus, I was a bit worried that the splittiness of Panda Cotton would be hard to manage on teeny-tiny needles. So, the leg is a bit loose, and the eyelets aren't terribly pretty. The stretchiness of the yarn also affects the eyelets, I think (Panda Cotton has elastic in it, as well as cotton and bamboo). So, if I use this yarn in another project, I will go down a needle size or two.

I love, love the way this yarn feels. It is sort of "dry" to the touch--kind of like a cotton ball. It just feels like it will be cool when you are wearing it.

I also really enjoy the picot hem edge. In this elastic-y yarn it feels very sophisticated and classy, whatever that means.

Vogue 25th

Hey, cool, the 25th anniversary Vogue Knitting came to my house yesterday. It has the usual "interesting" Vogue patterns (which means mostly things I would never be able to wear or afford to buy the yarn for), but there are a lot of very interesting articles and super interviews. I'd recommend buying this magazine just to read the interviews with the "old guard" knitters and the "new guard" knitters. The new ones have some really good thoughts on the Internet and knitting, and the role of the local yarn shop.

And I just got tickled at the perspective of Alice Starmore in the "old fogeys" section. It's so nice to read about someone being so resolutely traditional. (Though I still wish I could buy her books from the past decade that I don't have, like the Aran book--grateful for the ones I DO have.)

They are selling patterns for some of the past items pictured in the interesting ad section at the start of the magazine (featuring different manufacturers and silver knitted garments). Hee hee, I have pretty much ALL the issues, so I don't have to buy any, if there's any I need. For once, being a packrat is good. I think I am only missing a few issues from when subscriptions ran out at the same time funds did. The relaunch of VK happened right when my 80s craze for knitting launched itself, and at that time I bought a LOT of magazines.

Next Interweave Knits

I love it when magazines send out previews. It's nice that the folks at Interweave Knits give previews of the patterns in upcoming issues. And the extra photos they give really help get me drooling over possible new projects. Now I will have to just sit and wait for my copy to arrive, or try not to bend up a yarn shop copy until mine gets here.

What did I like in this issue? Here they are in order of which I love them. Not the order in which I am most likely to knit...

• Tilted Duster: loved the way this looked and think it would be useful at my freezing work place or outdoors much of the winter here in Texas.
• Dickinson Pullover: I am simply a sucker for a whole lotta cables, and these look way fun. Also totally impractical in the above-mentioned mild Texas winters.
• Counterpane Pullover: I didn't think much of the small photo of the front, but when I saw the enlarged photo and the back, whoa! This looks like it would be great fun to knit! All sorts of directional knitting going on here!
• Minimalist Cardigan: may not look too exciting, but also looks perfect for the office and would be neat in bamboo. So I think. This one I would use a lot.
• Snowflake Socks: Of course I would mention a sock. It's graphically striking, and really, I've never liked any of the stranded or two-color socks I have started. Maybe this one will be different. Or at least fast, being sport-weight. Plus, I think I already have yarn I could use.

What do you like? And is this YOUR favorite knitting magazine? It's in my top three print magazines. They rotate.

More Progress on Shawl

Yay! I finished the main body of the Cherry Leaf shawl and am cruising down the border. It took me a while to get going in the right direction, but it's a nice border when stretched out. I just can't memorize it, darn it, and occasionally lose my spot. I will probably have it memorized the last couple of repeats. The colors look a bit more realistic in this picture and the one below, and it straightened out nicely when I stretched it on the cushion. It seems a bit on the wide side compared to length, but that may change in blocking.

Here's a close-up of the border, I am doing the connecting in a slightly different way than usual, which I think, when blocked will look nice--won't have that effect that looks like a crochet slip stitch chain on it. (Speaking of which, there's a typo in Victorian Lace today, on this pattern, where they spell "stitches" "stices."

You can see that I broke down and bought a set of those little short double pointed needles for making the border. They are NICE, way less awkward than the circular one and even less unweildy than longer dpns. And since I am doing my next shawl on the same size needles, I should be able to use them again. A good investment. They also make nice cable needles.

Yeah, I picked my next shawl. It is the Rosebud Shawl from Heirloom Knitting, and it is going to be extremely red wool/cashmere laceweight (like Lacey Lamb in texture). I look forward to that challenge!

I got the new edition of Wild Fibers. I sure like that magazine. It's like National Geographic, only for knitters. The articles on Bhutan are very interesting, and there sure are some beautiful yaks, goats and alpacas in the pictures! I got to see a couple of friends at the yarn shop, but no Jody. Shoot, who's going to explain to me how to do the corner on the border? I am having trouble understanding the instructions and she's the expert translator.

Well, Happy Mothers' Day. I got myself the Knitpicks needles for the event, if they ever arrive. I hear I also will get some cards.