Monday, December 22, 2008

Warm Legs, Cold Feet



I knit these chunky legwarmers for my friend Tammy's birthday. She loves to wear legwarmers around the house, so it was an easy gift to make, and fun! My computer still won't upload photos to the internet, so I put these on my external hard drive and brought it to another computer. All that work for a not-so-great photo, but oh well. I'll post pics of Tammy wearing them soon.

I'm snowed in at my parents' house, so maybe I'll make some fun new things! Happy Holidays!

Thursday, December 18, 2008

What the Heck?

I've been trying to upload a picture of these leg warmers I made and it just won't work. I don't know what the deal is with my computer. I can't e-mail picture or put them up online. This is a problem I don't know how to fix. Bummer. Hopefully soon I'll figure out what's going on here! Small problems, in the grand scheme. Happy happy holidays!

Monday, December 08, 2008

Ah, Colbert, I wish I knew how to quit you...

You may have already seen this. I've already e-mailed it to about everyone I know, but just in case you haven't... it's hilarious. I HAVE been knitting, just not very much! I have much blogging to do. Will start taking pictures and start updating on my progress. Happy Holiday season to everyone!

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Update, not a lot of knitting...

My band is on a deadline. I haven't been knitting very much, but for a good reason! Open Hand is finishing our album "Honey," due out in March. Hope to have it completed soon!

Friday, October 17, 2008

I've been...

working this week on a top of my own design. It's a simple design, but sizing is trickier than I thought. I knit up the first pass at it (sized for me), and it's a little bigger than I'd intended. The yarn looks great and I love the way it looks, it's just a little big. So I'm going again with different colors (for a change) and a smaller gauge. I've never really written out a pattern before, other than little scribbles on post-its, so I'm challenging myself. I'm referencing the Craft Yarn Council's (CYC) sizing standards to try and make sure I'm doing it right. As for the first attempt at knitting the design... I know I say this every time something doesn't fit me, but maybe it'll be a gift.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Rowan 44

I got the new Rowan magazine, number 44, last week. This is the 30th anniversary edition. It has some gorgeous clothes in it, though I haven't picked any to knit up yet. I've been working on some projects that I'm not posting for a while, but I will get new pics up soon.

Thursday, October 09, 2008

Finished Vest

Okay, here's what the vest looks like on. It's a little wide I think, but this is a much better representation of the color. Who knows if I'll wear it, but it was fun to make something so quickly!

Balthazar Vest, Continued...

I finished knitting up the vest and here's a photo. I'm not sure I like it. Tried it on and it's bulky to the point of being unattractive. I'll post pics of me wearing it later, when I have someone to take the photos. My photography is not great, the color is actually quite different than what I'm seeing on the screen. More soon!

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Twinkle's Balthazar Vest

I think my next project is this vest, designed by Wenlan Chia, from her book, Twinkle's Big City Knits. I think this entire outfit is just darling, and I want it. I've checked out the completed vests on Ravelry, and see that quite a few people have had problems with the pattern, or are unhappy with the fit, so I'm proceeding with caution. I don't have the size 19 circulars, but I've ordered them. I'm going to give it a shot with 17s for now, because I don't want to wait. For more about Twinkle, click here.

Monday, October 06, 2008

Aspen Neck Cowl

I'm back in Los Angeles. It was hard to leave Oregon, but I'll be back for the holidays. While I was there I needed a simple project to keep my hands busy, so I knit up this Aspen Neck Cowl, designed by Andrea Tung. This was painfully boring to knit.
I used Cascade Yarns in 100% wool, so the cowl will definitely keep me warm during the harsh L.A. winters. Though I don't think I'll keep it. I'll probably give it as a gift. You can also pull it up over your head for a hood! Or wear it as a skirt or tube top, if you're really wild.

Friday, October 03, 2008

Knit Knit, the book

Ahhhh, yes! I finally got Knit Knit, the book. I've been wanting this for a while now. It's a fantastic book full of profiles of a wide variety of fiber artists. The photography is great and the projects range from political to philanthropic to microscopic to extremely large-scale. It showcases artists with their own unique approach to knitting. I'm so excited to get into this. For more photography and profiles of the artists, you can check out http://www.knitknit.net/book/.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Fall!

I'm up in Oregon at my parents' house for a couple of weeks, and though it's been warm, fall is definitely coming. The trees are changing color, and this beauitful place is looking even more wonderful every day. Hopefully I'll get some cooler weather this week before I head back, so I can wear my newly finished project! I'm so happy with this sweater! I've finally created something for myself that I feel is fun, fashionable and flattering. Here are some different views of the sweater.
I made a few mistakes while knitting this. I had quite a difference between the tension of the front and back. I don't know why or how I did this, but I think I fixed most of it by blocking before I seamed. Other than that, there wasn't anything majorly wrong.
Here's a back view with my mom's finger in the corner. I really like this blue! After 6 years of knitting, I'm still learning with each project, and I really enjoyed this one!

Monday, September 15, 2008

Finished Cape

It's done! I'm so glad. I really do like the argyle pattern in this cape, but the overall design was not my favorite. If I were to knit it again (and I won't) I would change a few things.
I would use a different yarn. The Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick N' Quick recommended for this project sheds so badly it gets all over my clothes. So unless I bring a lint roller out with me, it's not entirely practical.I would also write this pattern with different size options. It's only given in one size, and even though I got the gauge before I started, it's way too big for me! Had I realized this, I could've adjusted the pattern, but I didn't. I may give it to someone who'll wear it better, I'm not sure.
I would also add a garter or seed stitch edging on the cape, as well as in the armholes. The stockinette stitch rolls in, even after blocking. I would use a few more buttons, to keep the garment together. This was a fun project, and hopefully it'll get some use!

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Wallis

I've begun knitting this pattern from the Rowan 38 magazine, called Wallis, by Sarah Hatton. I love it so far, and think I finally may create something that I'll actually wear. The blue is actually a little darker than it appears in the picture. I'm not the best photographer, but I try. I'll post more as it progresses. Hope to have it done in a couple of weeks!



Saturday, September 06, 2008

Argyle Cape

This Argyle Cape is from the Fall/Winter 2005 issue of Knit.1 Magazine. I loved it when this issue came out, and started knitting it in 2006.


The cape starts knitting at the top, then works down through the armholes and the colorwork. I was about half way through the argyle pattern, when I put it in my closet, unfinished.




After a few years in my closet, I've pulled it out and revisited it today. It's kind of sloppy work and I'm not really sure if I'd ever even wear it now, but I bought the yarn and I want to finish it.

Justin took a pict of me working on it today, yarn everywhere. Intarsia is not my specialty, and I have kind of a mess of yarn on the bed.

I'm interested to see what the end result will be like.



Here's a close-up of my work.

Friday, September 05, 2008

My Mom is a Winner!

Okay, this is unrelated to my knitting, but I just had to share, since my mom doesn't have a blog of her own. My mom is a very talented scrapbooker/card-maker, and she recently entered a card-making contest at the Oregon State Fair. She won second place!!! She's so great, and my dad and I are proud. He made her this special frame of her accomplishment. How sweet! I guess crafting runs in the family.


The Blanket is Finished!

Ahhhhh... it's done! I realized during the creation of this afghan, that I love to start knitting them, but it's very hard to finish. Especially considering how ambitious I can get with the size. I put the finished blanket on my queen-sized bed to give an idea of just how enormous it is.



Now, I really want to make something wearable for myself. I'm thinking a sweater, wrap, hoodie, I'm not sure just yet. I have several fun things queued on my Ravelry page. I also have this argyle cape from a pattern I found in Knit.1 magazine that I started a couple of years ago and has been sitting in my closet since then. I might revisit that, just to see where I am, and if I even like it anymore.

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Politics and Ravelry

I'm still knitting away at my rippled afghan. I have 2 1/2 thick stripes left to knit and then just a lot of finishing. I've been watching the coverage of the RNC, which is confirming to me more and more why I'm proud to be supporting Obama. I'm ready to get started knitting something for me to wear. I realize how long it's been since I've made something for myself that wasn't a scarf, hat, pillow or blanket. Hopefully pics of the completed blanket will be up soon and I'll get started on something fun to wear soon!

I just discovered the Ravelry site, which seems to be already pretty popular, and so fun! I just love the idea of a social networking site that is geared toward knitters and crocheters! You can do just about anything on it: keep inventory of yarn, needles and hooks, updates on projects, friends, patterns, books, groups, it's endless. I'm really excited to keep exploring it.

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Hot Summer!

I'm still working on the afghan and other projects, but I have to admit, not as much as I'd like. It's hot! Will post pics when I've finished something new. Thanks for checking out my blog!

Thursday, June 05, 2008

New Afghan Project

I'm excited about this new afghan I started knitting. Purple and black! Just wanted to put a little update picture up. I will post pics when it's finished.

Baby Blanket

I knit this for my cousin's baby, Preston. I love the ripples, and the color of green.



Yoga Mat Bag

I am so proud of this bag! I just love it. It's durable and really cute (I think). I love to practice yoga, and this bag makes me even more excited to go.

More Winter Scarves

I haven't blogged in a while, I'm bad at taking pictures. I made these scarves last winter for our trip to Illinois in the snow. I love them, they're all very warm and chunky.



Sunday, February 17, 2008

Phone and I-Pod Cozies

I've been knitting these phone/i-pod/camera/blackberry/whatever-the-heck-you-want-to-put-in-them cozies for about as long as I've been knitting, (Before we saw them in stores, I've gotta say) and I've never posted any pictures of them. Here are what a couple of them look like. Unfortunately, I lost my red and black cozy for MY phone. Bummer. Been too lazy to knit a new one.

New Favorite Hats

I'm a fan of these hats this winter. I especially love the red one I knit. Wish I had more of that yarn to make a matching scarf! These are pics taken at my parents' house during the holidays. It's snowing in the background! xoxo





Thursday, January 03, 2008

Christmas Pillows

I knit two cream colored pillows for my parents for Christmas. They're soft and really fluffy and nice. They love them. Here are pictures of the pillows. Happy Anniversary to my parents today!