At Stitch ‘n Bitch last night, I completed my Clapotis, deciding it was about time I cleared some WIPs before adding to the list. There it is in all of its glory. Yes, I realize not all the stitches are dropped and that there are ends to be woven in. But, it’s an FO right?
NOT!
(more…)
I’m currently having a flare up so knitting on the now heavy Clapotis with cotton/rayon tape yarn is not really agreeing with me, nor was knitting on the Sockotta anklet, as that yarn is very non-giving. So, I read a lot this weekend, including about 100 pp of Maggie Righetti’s Sweater Design in Plain English. I am appreciating this book a lot! It is very stimulating and has me wanting to break the seal on my Cascade Sierra and start swatching. However, I’m trying to be disciplined and wish to read at least the majority of the book before I actually get down to the designing. Mostly so I know what points I’ll want to go back and reference while I’m doing the designing. 
Now, I haven’t read a ton of other design books, I have checked them out from the library or borrowed from generous friends, but I haven’t done more than skim them. But, I am amazed at the depth of information in the book so far. She goes into all the different body types and includes special measurements that are required for each to ensure a good fit. She also goes into the general characteristics of certain families of stitch patterns and in some cases problems that might arise when using a particular stitch pattern.
Now there are some “rules” she makes note of that designers do not always follow, and some that I don’t wish to follow myself. At first I was little upset about the emphasis she was making on those points. However, designing sweaters is no different than designing a collage or a hand bound book. There are rules and as long as you know and understand the impact that will result when you don’t follow specific ones you are okay. So, yes, I won’t have a tight ribbing on the bottom of all my sweaters or sleeves, but I will enter into making such sweaters knowing full well that they will elongate in time, especially if they are made in yarns from plant fibers or silk rather than wools (I did, incidently know this before reading this book - mostly from experience with store-bought sweaters).
Other than test driving cars this weekend there was a lot of movie watching because of my flare, so I finally gave up my knitting moratorium for the weekend and cast on a new sock for DH. He is quite excited, though it has turned out to look like a camoflauge sock, which if you know my DH, you now camo is definitely not his style, though the colors in the yarn are colors he wears which was why I picked it out. It’s Regia Stretch and I couldn’t find the color on-line anywhere. I was annoyed though because I couldn’t match up the balls at all. I tried both ends of both balls in both directions in case one was wound backwards or something. But, no luck. But I’m guessing it’ll be okay. I’m kind of bummed that DH’s first socks from me are not going to really be a color that he likes. He swore he’d still wear them, but would anxiously await the ones I plan to design him with a greek key detailing.
Speaking of designing, I just need to get my Spearfish sock pattern read through by a few people and it’ll be set to release. I’m hoping to have it ready to go by the end of the week, so check back soon if you are interested in that sock pattern.
And, tonight is Stitch ‘n Bitch! Yeah! I’m so glad we have Stitch ‘n Bitch on Mondays because it gives me something to look forward to on a day that is often dreaded.
Okay, so we have car troubles for the last week - with both cars. Then I run out of yarn for Clapotis. Then I get some yummy yarn from mail order and it definitely will not work for the intended project. *sigh*
Quite a difference! I looks like perhaps the photo for the online swatch was taken with a flash that totally washed out the colors. The photo I took looks almost exactly like the real thing. This yarn was order with the intention of knitting some Spearfish socks for myself with it. However, this color definitely won’t do. I’m thinking I might go for the Wildefoote Gunsmoke that I picked up last week… I’m really itching to get a pair made for myself and I know many are itching to get their hands on the pattern, so the sooner I get this made, the happier everyone will be!
Of course I really should wrap up that darn Sockotta sock the is quickly approaching it’s 9 month birthday without completion of the second sock. Plus, soon it’ll be skirt and capri season and it’ll look great to wear such a bright and funky anklet for everyone to see. Of course, a glance out the window this morning says Spring really isn’t here yet (there is snow on the ground with more supposedly on it’s way over the next two days), but I can pretend!
Well, it became very apparent yesterday evening at Textiles that there indeed was not enough yarn to complete Clapotis at her current length. That was a total of 850 yds! However, the more I looked at the safety line I had put in to mark where I should have started the decrease section, the more I was convinced it would not be the length I wanted. What to do, what to do?
Buy more yarn of course! However, there was none left like what I had used. So, I decided to “tip” the last corner with a solid color that is present in the varigated variety. I was originally hoping for the peach that is jusr barely in there, but she only had the 100% rayon tape in that color and not the cotton/rayon blend. So, I pulled the lavender, green and blue. Of everyone there it was split 50/50 between the green and the blue. I really liked the green myself, but it seemed like it was maybe too subtle of a change. If I was going to make Clapotis assymetrical, it needed to look deliberate! Sooo I chose the blue.
Now, you can see I bought another 850 yds of this cotton/rayon tape in blue and I certainly don’t need that much to complete Clapotis. However, had I only bought one I probably would have had a good 325+ yds left and not a whole lot do with it. So, I picked up two and am going to make a coordinating shell to go with my Clapotis! I had a shell design in mind for using eith KnitPicks Andean Silk and Silk twist or two colors of Berocco’s Denim Silk. I might use it for that design, but I might go with something a little more simple, as the design in my head really calls for a contrasting yarn for a fairly large section and I’m thinking it wouldn’t look so nice with a wrap. But, I think I want to finish Clapotis and do the summer sweater out of my Cascade Sierra first so I have time to make a decision about the Clapotis coordinate shell. I might go as simple as the Sigma/Shapely Tank hybrid like I did last spring for my SIL2’s Seguential Sigma.
Now on Clapotis, I need to decide if I want to rip back to where I began the decreases, or exactly where I wish to start tipping it in blue. Last night I was thinking I’d do the entire decrease section in blue, but today it seems like that is more than just “tipping” it in blue. So, I’m contemplating doing another 12 row repeat in the varigated before changing or possibly even just run out of the varigated before switching to the blue. I’ll probably go for one of those last two options as I don’t relish trying to rip and pick back up this slick yarn without a life line, and I think the smaller the amount of blue the better, so it is more of just a slight accent.
Thoughts? Comments? I’m stuck in bed on drowsy enducing drugs today, so I have more than enough time to discuss and digest comments on this alteration of Clapotis…
Sorry, no pics today. I’m stuck all day in retirement land today. DH’s car is in the shop and with my back I didn’t wish to spend 2 hours commuting so I’m camped out in his company’s meeting room, hooked up to their Internet connection.
I will get to pop out a meet a fellow SnBer for lunch today! I don’t think DH was real happy about that, as I think he enjoys having lunch with me. But, we’re going to a restaurant I’ve never eat at because their vegetarian selection leaves more than a little to be desired. It’s Bavarian, and being ~1/4 German, I’m quite excited by that.
Clapotis began decreasing last night. I put a safety line in again ( like I did with DH’s multidirectional), one repeat before I started the decrease section in case I run out of yarn. But, I think I’m safe. But, if I’m not, it’ll make it easy to go back and start the decrease section 12 rows sooner. I dropped a total of 14 stitches before decreasing, but despite the fact that my gauge appeared to be on, I don’t think I’m going to get the size given in the pattern and I’ll be using roughly 1000 yds! Yikes! Well, we’ll see what happens once I block it I guess.
I have successfully done all the work that needed to be done today already, and I grabbed my Gilmore Girls, Season 1, Disc 3 from Green Cine and will pop that into my laptop here soon and pick up Clapotis. My goal is to be able to block it no later than tomorrow morning so I can wear it to Textiles A Mano late tomorrow afternoon.
Of course, there is the chance that I won’t be able to make it. The last time DH took his car to this garage, they did a good job, but at the end of the day it was scheduled for they hadn’t looked at it yet and they had to keep it a whole second day. If that happens, DH takes my car to work tomorrow. Now, Textiles A Mano isn’t that far from my house (unfortunately there isn’t an easment from the green belt to her street) so I can walk it in about 30 minutes (I don’t walk fast due to my disability, so it’s probably about 1/2 mile or so), however, thundershowers are in the forecast. But, if I can get over there dry, DH will pick me up after work to go retrieve his car.
Well, time to go meet my peeps for lunch!
With the Sockapalooza socks complete (well, I gotta make the band this morning and head over to the PO, but for all intents and purposes done) I was able to finally lavish Clapotis with the attention she deserved once again. We watched a lot movies this weekend (none really worth mentioning - yes, that bad) so as of this picture yesterday morning I had 12 stitches dropped, with just one more to go before starting the decrease section according to the pattern. However, I’m only at 44 inches in length and I think it is really too bulky to wear as a scarf and since it’s cotton/rayon had mostly planned on wearing it more as a wrap/stole so I’m continuing on for a bit. I do wish I had weighed it when I have completed the increase section though so I had an idea of how long I can continue lengthening it.
Last night I dropped the 13th and 14th stitch at SnB and hope to drop at least another 2 I think, then I’ll probably need to start the decrease section to be sure I don’t run out of yarn.
My classes start tomorrow, but so far most of the students have gotten into the classrooms without any troubles, so I’m hoping I can do a lot of knitting this week and perhaps get this completed. I think I might need to order some blocking wires though, with the length of this and the lightness of the edges I think it’ll be much easier to block this baby with wires.
Has anyone use a pin to hold their Clapotis around their shoulders? I got a tip at SnB last night from Amanda that there were some nice pins at Target that might go with her and I’m tempted to head over there. Perhaps after I go to the PO…
I headed to the PO yesterday afternoon in a huff about a publication I hadn’t given permission for. The offending rag was not in my PO box, but instead I found a package from my SP4 to wash away my rant.
I resisted ripping it open right there in the PO and instead rushed home. As soon as I had the envelope unsealed this love aroma came wafting out. It was a very sweet, yet floral scent. I reached my hand inside and first discovered the Cachet Journal with it’s spiral binding (always great for arting in, that way the book stays open and flat) with black pages! I haven’t had the pleasure of working on black pages in a journal for a long time. In fact, ever since I discovered my preferred paper for binding journals has a bleeding problem with their black. And, the cover is in my favorite color - PURPLE! Wheeee!
Upon dipping my hand in the envelope again, my hand found a box of jewelry proportions. I was shocked! Inside was a love memory wire coil bracelet all beaded in blue and purple with wonderful accents of a shocking lime. I *love* it! I don’t have much in the way of bracelets so this is a wonderful addition to my jewelry collection. I think the bright spots of the lime are my favorite.
Hmmm, I still hadn’t uncovered the source of that lovely smell that had permeated the entire package and its contents. The next item I removed from the package solved the mystery. It is Mango soap from Ten Thousand Villages! Ah-ha! I think it must be more like mango blossom as there is definitely a floral scent mixed in with the sweet, but it makes it smell very exotic and intoxicating.
At the very bottom was one last little giftie - a retractable tape measure in blue! This is great. I have one that is clear that resides in my main “accessories kit” (a clear make up bag with my gauge/needle sizer, calculator, darning needles etc.). However, I just got this lovely new tote bag from Target a week or two ago and with somewhat sizable projects (like Clapotis) I don’t have room for the entire make up bag, but there is a small bag attached to this tote bag that will hold some stitch markers a calculator and this tape measure. So, now I don’t have to go hunting down which bag I have my kit in because I’ll have a tape measure in my two main project bags!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I know you’ve probably left on your trip by now, but hopefully you’ll see this when you get back.
With all the movie watching I’m in the home stretch on the Sockapalooza sock, having nearly completed the gusset. Not bad considering I hadn’t picked up knitting needles in the two days prior. I won’t have much knitting time today as I’ll be busy getting all currently enrolled persons into their respective classes today (class doesn’t start until next Wednesday but I like the students to be able to get settled before the actual classes begin). But, I’m hoping to knock off a little early on all that and enjoy the nice weather we are to have today and knit and little bit outside with Emma. I know I’ll be needing the calming factor. Opening up the classrooms always makes me irritable as you always get at least a handful of people who don’t read ALL of the directions and then can’t get into class.
Poor, poor Clapotis has been banned to the project bag, not to be taken out again until the Spearfish socks are complete. She’s lonely and sad and wishing that I would get done with the darn sock!
I brought the two Sally Melville books to SnB last night and ended up trading Amanda for these two lovely hanks of Interlacement’s Houston rayon/cotton boucle yarn. There is 2500 yd there with a label gauge of 6 sts/in on US 4 needles. I’m not quite sure what I’ll be doing with it at this point, though I have a few ideas. I don’t think the photo is very accurate in the color, but it’s a cloudy, windy, rainy day out today so this is the best I’ll get. It’s kind of a dusty mauve as in some lights it looks kind of pink, but in others it looks more lavender. I do know that it looked great with my plum jeans I was wearing last night
In progress news, I have 2 or 3 more repeats before I start the heel on second Sockapalooza sock. It’s funny because I remember the first sock looking better without blocking than this one seems to be, but I think that was because I photographed it on a glass… But, anyway I bring you another progress pic…
I put the sock aside for the last 30 minutes or so and picked up Clapotis and made another drop. I think I have three more to do before beginning the decrease section if I recall correctly. It looks awesome in this yarn! But I’m really needing to focus the majority of my knitting time on the sock. I have less than a week now to finish it. Clapotis is just for me, so there is no real deadline.
I have a few books I’m ready to part with. They’ve served their purpose or were not a good fit for me and they are looking for a new home…
Stitch ‘n Bitch by Debbie Stoller
Retails for $13.95
Selling/Trading for $9 + Shipping - Spoken For
The Knitting Experience: The Knit Stitch by Sally Melville
Retails for $19.95
Selling/Trading for $12 + Shipping - Taken
The Knitting Experience: The Purl Stitch by Sally Melville
Retails for $19.95
Selling/Trading for $12 + Shipping
I can ship Priority or Media Mail, whichever you wish to pay for. I can take non-CC paypal payments. In the case of a trade, I will require a delivery confirmation number before shipping your item.
For trade, I’m interested in Sz 0-2 5″ Brittany Birch DPNs, or 16″ AddiTurbos, sock yarns, there are some books I’m also interested in. If you are interested in any of these, just drop me an e-mail (remove the NO SPAM) and we can work out the details.
Check in tomorrow for a surprise…
Here is Clapotis with 8 stitches dropped. I just switched to the second ball of yarn about an inch ago or so. So far it appears the two balls are close enough in color - yeah!
Yummy! Don’t those dropped stiches just look awesome? This is draped on the back of our new loveseat And, for those who know of my dilemma of actually sitting on the loveseat after it was delivered on Friday - I’m totally over it now and sit on it whenever I can!
Do you knit using the English or Continental Method?
English *sigh* I’d like to knit Continental and I can mostly, but am soooooo much slower at it since I learned English and I’m just not disciplined enough to make a concerted effort to switch.
How long ago did you learn to knit?
Well, I first learned around age 11 or 12 (I won’t tell you how long ago that was), but I finally learned enough to do real projects about 16 months ago.
Who taught you how?
My mom, her mom and my dad’s sister-in-law all taught me various things about knitting.
What was your first FO?
A kitchen rag the first time. This time it was a very long purple scarf made from Lion Brand Homespun. And, yes, I still wear it fairly regularly.
Favourite yarn?
Anything from Textiles a Mano I love Laura’s stuff. That said, I really don’t have a “favorite” specific yarn. I keep trying new ones. I did keep going back to Lamb’s Pride often because it is so readily available locally, but it is more of an availability thing than being in love with the actualy yarn. I want to try Cascade 220 and and the new Knit Picks yarns for any basic wool projects that I don’t already have Lamb’s Pride for.
Favourite pattern you’ve knit so far?
Probably my Spearfish Socks. Even though there are changes I will make to the next pair before releasing the pattern, I’m quite proud of them. For a pattern I didn’t design, Clapotis is probably up there. It is one of the only patterns I’ve knit that I haven’t changed some to make it my own. Though since I have enough yarn, I might make it one more repeat longer since I’m an ample. I want to be sure to have enough length for a wrap, as I think I’ll wear it like that more often than as a scarf.
Favourite Pattern Source?
Knitty is definitely full of inspiration, even though I’ve only knit two patterns from it. Otherwise, I consult Ann Bud’s books very frequently since I like to do my own designs.
Favourite Needles?
addiTurbos! Though I like my Plymouth Bamboo Sister Interchangeables as well. Much to the chagrin of DH, some needle/yarn combos just work better than others.
Nicest thing you’ve ever knit?
All of it??? I don’t know… I probably get the most comments from my multi-directional scarf.
Most hated project?
I don’t know that I have a hated project per se. My shapely tank as languished in the bottom of a bag for going on a year here in another month or so. But, the pattern is not the problem, it was more my choice in yarn. I’m planning on picking it back up here this spring though and hopefully finishing it. Oh, and I do have a love-hate relationship with the Bottom’s Up Bucket Hat pattern. I have a really rough time working on the brim and it is almost enough for me to not like it, but I love the final product enough that I keep knitting them every once in a while, LOL!
Who are you going to pass this on to?
No guilt or that, just answer if you wish… PurlingSwine, Julia, and Kathy . . .
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| « Dec | ||||||
| 1 | ||||||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| 30 | 31 | |||||
