4/5/2004
Just reminder for those in the Ft. Collins area -
SnB session at Cup of Colorado in Raintree Plaza on the NW corner of Drake and Shields - 2555 S Shields Ste B (next door to The Pulse) 6-8pm tonight!
Unfortunately I forgot about book club tonight at 7pm, so I’ll be there from about 5:30 - 6:45pm or so and hopefully others will be there to stick it out until 8.
Also, check out the yahoogroup
too!
4/4/2004
I actually like Kool Wool (okay, shoot me for liking a cheap yarn), but it’s just too thick of a fabric for a tank like Sigma. It would make a nice tank that could double as a vest though. So, the 9 skeins I didn’t swatch from will be going back. I was thinking of Cotton-ease, but they don’t really have a purple or green so I haven’t a clue what colors to pick. Now, if it were from SIL3 I’d grab the orange and yellow and run!
So, a couple questions - is mercerized cotton a little easier on your hands than say cottontots or peaches and cream? A nice acrylic, like the Micro-spun would not make a nice tank despite it’s light weight and super smooth/softness, right??
I’m actually really wanting to use a cotton tape, but that is way too much over budget. Especially with a retirement party for FIL on July 4th to host and my trip back to MN in June for my dad’s 50th b-day. Bummer!
4/3/2004
Well, I finished my first skein of yarn on the Shapely Tank! Whee! I have two more increases to go. Then, according to my calculations I have to squeeze in the short row shaping for my bust right away after so that is all done in time to start the arm hole shaping at 14 inches. That means I have to decide soon whether I should do one or two sets of short rows. I’m on the C-D line cup-wise (I know, more than you ever wanted to know), then yesterday I was meadering through the ample-knitter’s gallery and noticed one gal said she was a DD and she only did 2 sets of short rows… I’m thinking maybe one as I’ll be at 3.5 inches extra circumfrence from my chest measurement anyway… Anyone have words of wisdom for me on 1 or 2 sets of shortrows?
Also while strolling through the gallery I noticed at aleast one gal said she did the shapely tank in the round. Ever since I figured out the short row shaping I was wondering if I could do it when knitting in the round (I’m terribly scared of the seaming process, LOL). Do you just temporarily split it in two like you do once you get to the arm and neck shaping? If you are just doing it for the bust do you just split early to do the short rows and then seam at the top? Inquiring minds want to know (and are not ready to delurke on the ak list *grin*).
What I am noticing is that my hands are tiring of the smallish needles and the 100% cotton yarn. So, my SIL2′s birthday is coming up in early May and she is in tank tops nearly 24-7 in the summer. So, I’m going to make Sigma for her. We normally set the price range for b-day gifts around $20, but I splurged and found yarn to make it for about $40 and on size 10.5 needles and from non-cotton so it’ll be a nice break. If I recall, we skimped a bit on Christmas for her gift so it should all be a wash in the end. As I figure it, with it in the round and her being a medium it shouldn’t take me much longer than it takes me to knit a couple hats so I should have no trouble getting it done in a month. I hope.
Since I’m also tiring of solid color st st, I’m going to make her’s stripey. I’m using Kool Wool (I sure hope they are right about it being good in all seasons) in Grass and Eggplant (her two fav colors, though the web site does not do them justice). I’m not positive if I’m going to do a Fibonacci sequence thing or even striping or random striping. I figure I’ll swatch and get the pattern transcribed for this yarn and her size and then make the big decision. I’m leaning towards the Fibonacci though since she was a math major in college, plus I just *love* the look.
Off to swatch…
4/1/2004
Anyone living in or traveling to the Western US this summer - be mindful of the fact that majority of the west has been in drought conditions for the last 2-3 years.
- When camping, follow all rules about open flames and use of grills or propane camp stoves etc.
- When driving through these areas DO NOT throw your cigarette butts out your car windows - this can and will likely start a fire with the serious lack of moisture in the vegetation along the roads
- Be educated on all the permits required to burn your trash and whether you are in fact allowed to do so on a given day
If your actions are found to have started a wildfire in CO (and likely other locations as well), you may be charged the costs associated with fighting the fire in addition to fines and possible jail time.
Why am I talking about this in a knitting blog? Well, because a nearby wildfire being called the Picnic Rock Fire by media and authoriries is burning not too far away. It has completely obscured the view of the foothills we normally have and has forced me to no only stay home but also to wear a mask in my home because of the large amount of smoke. Not only does this wildfire impact those whose homes are in the path and the amazingly courageous firefights and bomber and helicopter pilots, but it impacts thousands and thousands of others who may not be in direct threat of the flames, butthose whose health is severely compromised by the smoke.
So, in the wise words of Smokey the Bear - “Don’t Start Forest Fires!”
Okay, on to knitting. Not much to report. I did sneak out of the house so I wouldn’t be charged for a $60 massage therapy session that I didn’t get. Joan (the best CMY ever!), worked my wrist and forearm really hard yesterday. So, I haevn’t made any further progress on my tank :-( But, I plan to do at least a few rows on it tonight. At the very least I’ll finish the final set of rows for the final decrease, but hopefully I’ll get up to the increases!
Also, I’d love to join The Knittlette and Kitten Avec Whip’s Zoo-A-Long, however, it appears there is not a single knit toy book to be had here in town. So, if anyone has any on-line patterns to suggest please let me know! My cousin’s little boy will be one here soon and they will be visiting MN at the same time as myself so I’d love to have a toy to give him while I’m home.
