Month: June 2005

  • waves

    As in, I’m drowning in work. Ugh. But I remind myself, by this time (edit: next week, can you see how my brain is fried?) it’ll be over, for better or worse…

    So, some knittings and things to show, despite all the work (girl’s gotta do something to relax before bed, or she don’t sleep):

    Progress on Sideways (not) Spencer:

    I’m working on the right front straight section, before I bind off for the right sleeve. Have I mentioned how much I love Cotton Fleece? As a side note, I bought quite a bit of yarn for this project but won’t be needing it all – hurrah, trading in for some roving without actually spending money!

    Now. Cotton Fleece.

    I got a whole 10 skeins off eBay for less than $40 USD (including shipping to Canada!) – it’s seconds, you might be able to see in the bigger picture, on the left. I know it just looks black in the picture, but it’s actually very dark brown – definitely not black. I’m planning on probably doing a classic allover cable and rib pullover, but not for a while.

    I started a new project – a skirt for my sister, out of coned unmercerized cotton from Camilla Valley Farm, in raspberry. It’s a weird colour though, sort of a mauvey rose. She chose it based on the actual colour card, so she’d better like it!

    I actually washed my swatch and all that for this project, so I know how much it’ll shrink. I’m thinking of doing some eyelets and drop stitch sections lower down. Making good progress – I only started yesterday. One thing about the yarn though – it is SPLITTY!

    So, that’s it for now. I probably won’t be around too much this week what with all the exams and such. Oh, I do have a finished Tivoli Tee to show you – but only after it’s washed and blocked. Coming soon!

  • clap off

    Currently at school, killing time – I got out of a three-hour lecture after only one hour! And it was the second last lecture of the course, to boot! I’ve started a new project, a skirt for my little sister, but I only did the waistband and don’t have the right needles for the body of the skirt, so I can’t work on that anymore.

    Now that the secret gift’s been given, I can reveal it – not that it was allll that exciting:

    A Clapotis! It’s knit with 3 skeins of Cotton Fleece in “Provincal Rose” and it’s very nice. I want one now – a full size one (the one I have is DK weight and skinnier) but I don’t want to knit it. I think I’m done with that pattern, at least for awhile.

    It’s for a friend who’s leaving for France this week!

    Now, I’m a bit sleepy because I had a pint this afternoon (and still have a lecture to attend this evening) so maybe I’ll take a break from the computer.

    Later (or tomorrow): new yarn! I didn’t break my yarn diet; it was purchased before the start of the diet and only just showed up.

  • how I learned to knit

    I received a lovely email from Beth, suggested that I write about how I learned to knit. Since I got nothin’ with the progress pics, how about now?

    I first learned from my cousin, when I was about 12. She was a very prolific knitter – I still have a sweater my sister got for Christmas one year, pink with snowflakes on the front. Thinking about it now, I can’t believe she knit sweaters for presents..

    Anyway, I learned on a car trip to Stratford. I learned the long-tail cast on and the knit stitch, and away I went. I think I went and bought some acrylic from Lewiscraft – cream, red, brown, to make a scarf with blocks of colour. I eventually finished it, and it was huuuuuuuge. Rip rip rip.

    I picked it back up in November 2003. I have this big book on needlecrafts that I consulted – and I learned to purl! I was on my way! First project: a ribbed scarf. Next couple of projects: scarves for my 2 sisters and boyfriend for Christmas, and a kitty ear hat.

    I discovered the internet community early – and am I ever glad I did! I found out about blogs, knitty, yarn stores, fancy yarn, everything. I discovered lettuce knit in time for the boxing day sale (I bought my Denise set!) and everything just went from there.

    First garmet? Sonnet, from knitty, and then Banff, and then Topsecret. Sonnet and Banff are ripped, and Topsecret went into my Dulaan box. First fancy yarn thing was Stephannie’s Silk Garden Beanie, and my first double pointed needles project…fingerless mitts out of koigu! Somewhere in there, I taught myself to knit continentally.

    Obviously I got into the more high-end yarns pretty quick, but I also discovered Elann and shopping online, plus then I got my job at lettuce knit and was paid in yarn for awhile.

    I’m so glad I discovered all this, and that the online community, as well as my lettuce knit community, is so supportive. Maybe too supportive, going by how much yarn I have!

    There you have it! Now, back to some knitting…