Category: crafting

  • what’s on the needles?

    Way too much, my friends! Let’s concentrate on knits that are actually in play, hm?

    one long sock

    Stripey knee socks. I started these on the trip, and am almost done one – I probably would’ve made more headway had my needles not broken in the middle, there! I did pick up a set of double points at le bon marche in paris, so I was able to get back to it in the later part of the trip. The yarn’s Indigo Moon fingering weight, in raspberry and chocolate. I really do love the stripes!

    crochet

    And on the hook rather than the needles, a crochet project. I like crochet, but I have a really difficult time finding projects that I’d want to make. I’m working up a cardigan, but I’m not entirely sure about how it’s going…oh well. This was a trip project too. I’m really not sure what I’m doing with this! The yarn is Fibre Company Savannah DK – it’s a really interesting yarn, sort of dry-feeling and nicely tweedy. The crocheted fabric is so much thicker than it would be if it was knit up, though. I think this one’s going into hiatus for awhile.

    Still working on the koigu mittens, but they’re coming along – and since I’ve finally gone and made the chart on the computer (I’d written it by hand), the pattern’s coming right along too.

    And then there’s all the various secret projects. One in particular is going to take up a bit of attention for the next little while! I’m cooking up some new designs, and wanting to do a website redesign (so don’t worry if it goes wonky in the next day or few, I’m just working on it), redo my workspace, buy software and hardware…so many things to do. I almost don’t know where to start, these days.

    (Although I do enjoy making lists.)

  • good-bye 23, hello 24!

    It’s my birthday today (August 1) and I’m saying good-bye to 23 – it was a very weird, up and down kind of year. Hello, 24 – I hope you’re a good year.

    And, well, it’s starting off with a bang! It’s been awhile in the making (not that long in publishing terms, I think) and even when it came out for pre-order on Amazon I didn’t say anything. But hey, it’s my birthday, what better day to announce that…

    I wrote a book!

    surprise!

    Teach Yourself Visually Sock Knitting (Amazon.com link) comes out in September! (Here’s a link for my fellow Canucks.)(And one for the Brits.)

    (But if you wait a little bit and order it from lettuce knit, I’ll sign it for you!)

    I’m freaked out, people. But assomeone gently reminded me the other night, it’s too late now to worry about it!

    So all I can say is, I hope there are still knitters out there who want to learn how to knit socks, need a new sock reference, want some new sock patterns (there are a dozen of ’em), or, y’know, just want to buy my book!

    My first book. Freaky.

  • random wednesday

    Ahem. Did I say more blogging? Maybe I really meant less blogging. Or perhaps I overlooked the fact that when one works eight days or so in a row…one doesn’t really have time for the blogging. Get up, go to work, come home, dinner, tv, knit, bed, repeat. My two-hour-a-day commute doesn’t exactly help things, either. (Although I have been getting some reading done on the ride home. I’ve been attacking this pile.)

    Both pairs of shoes have gone to new homes, and I bought another pair of Fluevogs, in red of course! They’re having a huge sale – I had my eye on those shoes already, but then they were 30% off! Can’t beat that.

    I’m rather boring these days what with the working, but I’m counting on some much-needed crafting time this weekend. I really want to make some new skirts, maybe a top or two as well. I did manage to sew up an infinity dress for a friend this evening, using a gorgeous chocolate bamboo jersey – I even learned a few things from the first time and it came out super! I’ll try to get a photo in the morning. Being at the sewing machine again did give me a little bit of a kick – it’s so fast and gratifying. Must. Sew.

    To those emailing about the Baby Thermal pattern, I’m hard at work on it. The Baby version (up to 2 years) is pretty well done, but the Child/Youth version (up to size 12) is still on the needles. Soon, soon. I really want to get it done and out there!

    In other super-random knitting news, I just realized that the party for my newly-arrived cousin/niece (the daughter of my cousin…first cousin once removed? niece is easier) is early next week and I have not knit a stitch! I’m going to try and bust out a quick little sweater and hat, so there’d better be some finished projects on this here blog soon!

    I’ll leave you with a beauty shot of the Mooi shawl I’ve been working on – it’s darker than in this photo, but so luminous.

    mooi shawl