Laci's Bikini

Chris had one item on his list that wasn't a scarf. He felt Laci needed a bikini. (I keep wanting to spell it Lacy and not Laci, so her name on the blog may change...)

Pattern: Laci's Bikini (my ravelry project)
Materials: Less then one skein of Moda Dea Silk 'n Wool Blend in Plum
Made for: Laci
Needle: US#9 Addi Tubro circs (24"), Size US H crochet hook for strings and back triangle, Size US J hook for edging on bottoms. (The yarn recommends size 8's. I wanted the lacy part to stand out though.)
Start Date: 4 July 2008
Completion Date: 5 July 2008
Size: 4 in bottoms, D in top

Notes: Yes it seems creepy to me to take pictures of Laci's nearly naked body. Yes she usually wears the coat because we don't have clothes for her yet.

Let's see I should probably put the pattern here just in case he wants another for some reason. Or in case you know someone with this sort of figure. Its my own, therefore, use caution. (Also tell me if you try this and it doesn't work right or you need clarification. I was writing it from memory and since I've only made one it has not been test knit.)

I remade the top about 14 times before we got something that looked "right". You'll want to cast on a lot more stitches if you want to remove the holes because it will be smaller sized without them. Ask me how I know? You will need to reinforce the edges with crochet if you don't have the holes because it will curl in.

Also mannequins are slippery and what will stay in place on a human body does not so much do so on a mannequin. Hence having to not make bows on Laci's back but rather tie everything together and hide it with her hair. This is a halter bikini with two bows in the back. It looks like a racing back in my photos.

Top
Cast on 29 with a purl cast-on.
Row 1: *SSK, YO* to center stitch, K1, *K2TOG, YO* until end.
Row 2: Slip stitch purl-wise, Purl until end.
Row 3: Row 1
Row 4 and all wrong side rows: Slip stitch purl-wise, Purl until end.
Row 5: *SSK, YO* until two stitches from center, slip two purl-wise, knit center stitch and place back on left needle, Pass next two stitches on left needle over center stitch, put center stitch on right needle, pass two slipped stitches over center stitch, *K2TOG, YO* to end. (Decrease by 4.)
Repeat these 6 rows twice more. 17 Stitches remaining
Row 19: Row 1
Row 21: Row 1
Row 23: Row 1
Row 25: Row 5
Repeat these 8 rows twice more. 5 stitches remaining.
Row 43 (I think): Row 1
Row 45: Row 5, pull yarn through single stitch left.

Make sure triangle will cover everything you want covered. This is very very important. you don't want to get the rest done and have to undo everything to start over. A modification for more width overall might be to repeat Row1 three times at the bottom of the triangle and then repeat it only twice at the top. i.e. Rows 1, 3, and 5 are all the same, Row 7 becomes the decrease row. 8 rows repeated at start. Then at the narrow top part you would have Rows 21, 23, and 25 leaving row 19 off. (or whatever row it would be at that point. I'm a mathematician but I don't want to think about it...) 6 rows repeated at finish. Also if you want a smaller top (she's very well endowed) you probably want to decrease by cast-on by 4 stitches since it is balanced on a center stitch or try a sport weight yarn. If you wanted a bigger top try increasing the cast-on in 4 stitch increments.

Repeat what you did above for second bra triangle.

With size H hook crochet a long chain to go around the lower part of bust. Make this at least long enough to tie in back. Add additional length to be able to wrap around body a couple of times if desired. Thread through bottom set of holes in bra triangles.

Double yarn and pick up one stitch at top of bra triangle with size H crochet hook. Chain for length needed for comfortable fit to tie in back. Repeat for second bra triangle.

Weave in ends.

Bottom:
Cast on 21 stitches with a purl cast-on.

Row 1: *SSK, YO* to center stitch, K1, *K2TOG, YO* until end.
Row 2 and all even rows: Slip stitch purl-wise, Purl to end.
Row 3: Slip stitch knit-wise, Knit to end.
Row 5: SSK, YO, SSK, knit to last 4 stitches, K2TOG, YO, K2TOG
Row 7: Slip stitch knit-wise, Knit to end.
Repeat until 3 stitches left. Bind off by slipping left and right stitches over middle stitch.

With size J hook slip stitch (single depending where you are from) around entire edge. Make a second slip stitch pass around two side edges. Continue to crochet a long chain (for the thong part) from bottom tip of triangle.

With size H hook crochet a small triangle. Start with 2 half double stitches and increase two half double stitches every row to 8 stitches. This should be a triangle of about 1.5 inches wide by 1.25 inches tall (or so. Smallish)

Holding yarn double. With size H crochet hook chain a long chain to go around waist. Thread through eyelets in front (largish) triangle. Sew ends to back (smallish) triangle.

Sew chain attached to bottom part of front (largish) triangle to bottom of back (smallish) triangle. You may want to try it on the person wearing it to make sure that its sufficiently long/not too long.

Weave in ends.

Take pictures. Don't use this particular yarn if you actually want this for the beach or the pool. It won't support a real person and its not water friendly. Plus those holes in the top are a bit see-through so you might want to line it in something...

Not So Fun Fur - Chris' second scarf

The second scarf for Chris' scarf photography project. He actually volunteered to LEARN TO KNIT so that he could help with all the scarf knitting. Isn't that awesome??!? I told him he didn't have to if he really didn't want since I am belting them out at a rate of one a day so far (probably slow down a bit for the work week) but still very awesome he volunteered.

Pattern: Not so fun fur scarf. (my ravelry project)
Materials: 1 skein Bernat Bling Bling in a reddish purple. 1 skein Bernat Boa (the fun fur part) in a red-pink-orange color
Made for: Chris' photography shoots
Needle: US#11 Addi Tubro circs (24") (Still large twigs only shorter this time.)
Start Date: 29 June 2008
Completion Date: 30 June 2008
Size: 3" by 60"

Notes: If you click on Laci's image you can get an idea of what Chris is doing with these. (This is NOT a family friendly image - that's why its not here on the blog, because my blog IS family friendly. He'll be using these with living models and not really so much with Laci except for testing. So you know, he is a glamour photographer. This means images for things like Maxim, GQ, or Esquire. Not fashion photography. Generally, as I understand this, its about nearly naked women and old fashioned pin-up girl type images.)

Not much to say again about my latest scarf project. This is my own design. (haha) Cast on 8 with yarns combined and then knit in garter until you run out of yarn.

This is what the fabric looks like. The fur is the Boa and the bobbles are the Bling Bling. Don't they combine nicely? Well at least I like the colors this time. Scary thing about that? I have blue yarn that he wants me to knit up. Bleh...

Somewhat embarrased.

I am actually somewhat embarrased by this finished object. Egads it is somewhat really ugly, perfect for his use for it, and certainly a little girl would probably be THRILLED with it. The first of many "novelty" scarfs. The things I do for love.

Pattern: My So Called Scarf. (Ravelry pattern and my ravelry project)
Materials: 2 skiens Moda Dea Gleam in Amethyst. Three-quarters skein Patons Classic Wool Merino in a rosey hue.
Made for: Chris' photography shoots
Needle: US#11 Brittany Bamboo Straights (Large twigs...)
Start Date: 28 June 2008
Completion Date: 29 June 2008
Size: 4" by 64"

Notes: There isn't a lot to say about this scarf. I cast on 22 instead of 30 because I didn't want it to take more yarn then it did and Chris was looking for a bit of a narrower scarf. I knit till I ran out of the Gleam. Thats all.

There is the nice feature that it is pink, purple, fuzzy, sparkley, and random. A little girls dream scarf I think? Or at least the 6 year olds that I know. Princess scarf.

By the way I don't believe I've introduced you guys to Laci yet. I came up with name and Chris decided it was an i and not a y on the end. She is a lingerie manequin. VERY curvy, 5' 7" or so, very fake hair (which didn't take well to being balled during shipping), badly painted face, but I think she'll work out alright for what she is here for. She will be my new model for scarves and hats and things. YAY! She's really Chris' though so he can set up lighting properly and practice new techniques before shoots.

Now if she would only quit startling me everytime I walk by the room that she is in. I swear I don't need an adrenaline rush that often.

Portable

Since I actually don't feel much like being on the computer today I'm giving you lots of pictures of my newest bag and very few words. I think its a pretty easy bag to understand anyway. This is sort of a new design since I haven't made one before and sort of an old design becasue I mixed my normal totes with my small bag pattern on a large scale. It is not one of the designs that I was taking this month off to work on and sadly I've not had time to make either of those designs yet.

Plain ordinary tote? For the most part yes. Its 13" by 17" with a 4 inch base. It hangs to a nice place on the body but I might make the strap just a tad shorter next time.

What's not so ordinary? Its reversible because I love being able to exchange sides.

I love the two fabrics I picked out. Both fabrics have been in my house for a while waiting for a project. Both are medium weight canvas.

Stripes.

Flowers. I think it gives the bag a really different when you switch the sides.

The straps are made from durable woven cording. I really like the texture.

Finally I topped it with a line of stitching at each of a quarter inch, half inch, three-quarter inch, and inch.

So that's it for my new tote. I really think my next one is going to be some sort of bag to wear across the body. I want a more travel friendly tote too.

pinafore dresses for two

Pattern: Itty Bitty Dress from MadebyRae
Materials: 1 yard total of dot fabric for outside and .25 yard of white fabric for bodice lining. 1 yard pink piping. 2.5 yards pink bias tape.
Start Date: 22 June 2008
Completion Date: 22 June 2008
Size: 1 to 3 months
Project Spectrum 3: Air (white, gray, yellow) (um there is purple so does it count for next round too?

Notes: Cecil graciously agreed to model this outfit. He's a bit short for a very young baby but probably just about the right size around.

Such a stoic pig.

These were made for my co-worker Ray. He and his wife are expecting twins sometime in the very near future. The baby shower is on Tuesday afternoon. I haven't any idea if the babies will be identical or not but if they are the dresses won't help my co-worker tell the kids apart. The dresses are identical. I thought about using white piping and bias tape for one of them but I liked the effect of the pink too much.

I finally got to use my gathering foot. This is a crazy archaic looking contraption. It worked like a charm though I had to redo this several times to make it the right length. I love how it turned out.

I love the little bows for ties. Somewhat adjustable I hope. In case they have fattish arms. I need to get some fatter bias tape. I only have quarter inch and I need half inch to cover up the inside seam where the bodice meets the skirt. I'll have to stop at the store tomorrow night to get that.

I love how these turned out. I went ahead and made a doll dress that is similar to these because really so so cute. Plus I was afraid I would screw this up on the first couple of tries, so I got two yards of fabric. My record of making things from patterns that turn out to look how they should is not the best. Might as well play around!! I made the doll dress out of scraps from the first yard. So I still have a yard left.

Fiery with a dose of sunshine

The fiery socks are finished. I finished them last night at knit night. I knit exactly 1 row and the bind-off. Then I started and finished something I can't show you yet. Here they are.

Pattern: My standard plain sock recipe. (post with pattern and my ravelry project)
Materials: Drooling over yarn Dreamy Orange Creamy Truffle. Um. The yarn has great, awesome, stupendous color. The customer service wasn't that hot for me and the other yarn I bought wasn't quite what was pictured. I still gave her a positive rating on Etsy. Shipping was fairly quick. Just word to the wise to watch what you are getting...
Needle: US#1 Addi Turbo 40" (2.5mm)
Start Date: 9 June 2008
Completion Date: 17 June 2008
Size: 11M
Project Spectrum 3: Fire (pink, red, orange) and Air (white, gray, yellow) - so they don't really count for Fire, but they are fiery so why not!

Notes: You can notice a distinct difference in the two socks. Despite the fact that this is all from one ball of yarn I have a light sock and a dark sock. Not sure how she did that but it sure is interesting that she managed it. I think maybe one half was at the top of the water in the dye pot and the other was at the bottom so less dark dye got there?? You can see the difference more clearly in this photo.

Those are the heels. I like the socks this way. I think its kind of interesting. One is fire and one is sunshine (hence the title).

I had a good bit of yarn left over. Almost a quarter ounce. hmmm... So maybe that isn't so much but it might make a nice doll sweater. Definitely going to try that. This yarn was very soft.

One other photo I want to show for this. I almost always forget this image. I totally loved the inside of the purple and yellow socks and wished I took a photo for you. So since I like the inside of these just as much, here it is.

fiery

That is what these new socks are. Fiery.

There is so much color and pattern in this sock yarn that I am just going to knit plain socks again. I'm pretty sure that lace or cables would get totally lost with these colors.

I am about two inches further along now. They are making me very very happy, which is good because I am STILL sick. In fact now I have a dry cough now to go with my congestion. Can someone send me some healthiness??? Thanks. And send Jenny some dryness too. Wisconsin is very wet and scary at the moment.

I'm off to go relax. Take some more meds (they don't seem to be killing my gauge at the moment) and drink a LOT of water and some orange juice.

Stripy Shoes in Plum, Yellow, and White (or stripes revisited)

Pattern: Magic Monkey Flower shoes in plum and yellow and white. (ravelry link and my ravelry project)
Materials: A tenth of one skein of YarnChef Minestrone Striping in the colorway Monkey Flowers. (There is quite a bit leftover. I may do something with it but not sure what yet.)
Needle: US#1 Addi Turbo 40" (2.5mm)
Start Date: 7 June 2008
Completion Date: 8 June 2008
Size: really quite small
Project Spectrum 3: Air (gray, yellow, white) and Water (blue, black, purple)

Notes: These are really really cute and very very small. I think they are newborn size but give that newborn a week and they might be outgrown. In fact the only thing in this house that these fit are the knitted bear that I made a while ago. (Penny's feet are too small, I would have to knit the opening smaller!)

I love how the stripes on the bottom and the top match up. I still have a TON of this yarn left so the bear may find himself with a matching sweater. She'll have to take off her hat and scarf though because I don't think they really go!

I knit these last night while Chris was at a shoot and finished the second up this morning just before breakfast. Really fast and super cute...

Stripy Plum and Yellow Socks (or how much I love stripyness)

Hello All! Thank you for all the well wishes. I am feeling sorta better, well less nausea. I think the official diagnosis would be that I have a cold. But its a dry cold all in my sinuses and lungs. So I feel like if I could just blow my nose I would feel better, but I can't because there isn't anything making them congested. If that makes sense? Anyway you all probably didn't want to know that.

Yesterday's (today's) yucky-ness did not stop me from knitting. Oh no. If anything it sped it up because I knit from the gusset onward yesterday. I had some waiting at the doctor office and then at the vet for Gus. Then watching Law and Order and Unbreakable.

So I present Monkey Flower socks in Plum and Yellow and White. AKA - I love stripy socks...

Pattern: Monkey Flower socks in plum and yellow and white. (my ravelry project)
Materials: Less then one skein of YarnChef Striping in the colorway Monkey Flowers. (There is quite a bit leftover. I may do something with it but not sure what yet.)
Needle: US#1 Addi Turbo 40" (2.5mm)
Start Date: First - 23 April 2008; Second - 4 June 2008
Completion Date: First - 29 April 2008; Second - 7 June 2008
Size: 11M
Project Spectrum 3: Air (gray, yellow, white) and Water (blue, black, purple)

Notes: So I really should have waited to start these until the end of July and finished them just into August to count them to project spectrum Water, but whatever. Does it really matter?

(I like how it looks like I stitched the heel into place with all those little straight connectors where the stitches switch directions...)

Let's see, I cast on 40 (because I don't need deep toes as mine aren't pointy) and then increased 4 every other round to 64. I knit straight up to 2 inches from needing to turn. I started a gusset on the heel needle, starting with 30 stitches on the instep and 34 on the heel and increasing to 60 on the heel. Then I turned the heel, knitting only the heel stitches until I decreased back to 34. I picked up two stitches between the heel needle and the instep needle to fill the hole. I started up the leg at 64 stitches. Increased to 68 after 21 rounds (3 repeats of the striping pattern). I increased again after 11 rows to 72. Finally increased one last time after 10 additional rows to 76. Knit straight for 10 more rows. I did 29 rows of 2x2 ribbing and bound off with a size 6 needle for a VERY loose bindoff.

The stripes line up very well despite the pictures. I've notice that sometime my socks, which always fit my feet, fit on the blockers and sometimes they are too long. Its weird. They didn't fit this time and I had a devil of a time making things line up evenly even though I know they do! The only place the stripes don't line up are the heels. I fudged it on the first sock so that the yellow stripe that was started already on the instep needle would continue properly in the established striping pattern after I finished turning the heel. So I skipped a purple section of the yarn. I did this on the second sock as well, but I think the heel turn was started one row sooner on the this sock so the bottom yellow stripe is wider and the top is narrower. It doesn't bother me since I will probably wear these with shoes or just around the house. Its noteworthy though I think.

I totally adore this sock. Its wonderful. It fits very well in the toes, heels and ribbing. Comfy and roomy but not too roomy that it would be uncomfortable in shoes. The fabric is incredibly soft and the striping just makes me very very happy. Also with this sock finished I have no unfinished objects, nothing on the needles which I am currently working on (not even my secret plotting thingy...), no projects ready to cast on. Crazy. I need to go remedy that.

For all my English language expert readers (I know a couple of you are out there!) I have a question that I would love to know the answer to. If I write the (probably not a complete) sentence "Increased to 68 after 21 rounds (3 repeats of the striping pattern)." Does the period go after the word rounds, inside the parenthesis or where I have put it. I debate that every time I write one of these sentences. Punctuation wasn't covered in my English classes (or at least not very well) where I went to school, so I don't have a very good feel for where these things go. (My grammer, spelling, and puncuation lessons were a bit on the slim side, so I probably have a LOT of bad grammer in my sentences.)

Harvesting Strange Autumn Leaves

Pattern: Embossed Leaf socks by Mona Schmidt from Interweave Knits Favorite Socks and IK Magazine Winter 2005 (yes I own both, is it weird that I had knitting magazines before I learned to knit? Apparently they don't have the magazine in their back issues either!) . Ravelry link and my ravelry project.
Materials: Less then one skein of Smooshy Sock yarn in the colorway strange harvest.
Needle: US#1 Addi Turbo 40" (2.5mm)
Start Date: 29 May 2008
Completion Date: 3 June 2008
Size: 11M
Project Spectrum 3: Earth (green, brown, metalics) and Air (gray, yellow, white)

You were expecting this post right? Obviously, I was gonna finish them last night. They still need a good blocking but who knows when they will dry if I try and do that first. So that would just be delaying this post like I usually do. Since I knit these faster then usual I figured I would post them faster then usual! Four days into June and I already have my first AIR finished project! I don't expect to repeat the speed here again, but it was kind of fun to finish a pair this quickly!

Notes: This color in the pictures about and below is really close to the actual. Its a really nice yellowish green that some people might be inclined to call puke green, but I love this color! I didn't get a good picture of the heel, but the pattern heel left a lot to be desired so I switched it to match my zombie sock heel (eye of partridge with garter stitch border) You can sort of see it in the picture. I think it was a really good choice. Very pretty.

(Don't mind the dog hair on the carpet. They like that carpet a lot and have been shedding like CRAZY the last few weeks. Gus has lost more hair then it looks like he even has but none the less still has a ton more! Yes I am that pale pale pale shade of white. I will admit it. I don't spend any time at all in the sun without slathering on a bottle of sun screen. I do that anyway when I am going to be indoors all day. Seriously.)

My second modification was to the number of stitches cast on. I have "swimmer's" calves as Chris puts it. I call them exceedingly curvy. Either way I need the cast on to be wide around. So I cast on 80. Thats my usual number I think and it makes them tight enough to stay up but loose enough not to feel restrictive. The pattern calls for 64.

I knit all 80 for the twisted ribbing. Then I immediately decreased by 4 by knitting a single round that isn't in the pattern and decreased when I got above each of the four decreases for the pattern's first round. (Hopefully that wasn't too confusing.) Incidentally instead of trying to add in another leaf set and decrease it out I just added a bunch more purls between the leaf sets. Three stitches in each purl section to cover my now 12 extra stitches. I knit through a half pattern repeat and decreased by 4 stitches again. I knit through a full pattern repeat and decreased by 4 stitches again. Finally I knit through a full pattern repeat and decreased by 4 stitches one final time. Leaving me a full pattern repeat at the specified 64 stitches before I got to the heel. Worked perfectly. No other changes except to make them longer by one pattern repeat because my feet are long. Super comfy fitting socks.

I love how the star toe makes the leaves at the very end come to a point. I walked around in these for a bit and the decreases that you walk on felt weird at first but I got used to it pretty quicklly. Its really comfy on my toes. So thats always a plus. I have really rounded toes. So I generally don't decrease as much as the patterns say, as they get to pointy, but I did for this because it was so rounded. I like it alot. Did I say that already?

This is how much yarn I have left. Its about 1/2 of an ounce. I am hoping to make myself a pair of socks from all my left over smooshy because I had a lot left from Chris socks and from my Zombies and now from these. Plus I have another skein in my stash that I just got from Robyn's Nest (Knit and Purl Mama's store, I also linked above directly to the smooshy page, she's got great customer service!). To be honest I am eyeing the chinatown apple colorway and I'll probably need at least one more skein to have enough leftovers for a decent pair of socks. I have them plotted in my head already and adding on more colors won't change the pattern any... I just have to knit through all the big skeins so I make sure I have enough to knit decent socks with those skeins! Probably first I am going to knit some of my other skeins of sock yarn because while photographing it all I made plans that I am excited about for a lot of it. Already started the next sock...

By the way, Chris said today that he thinks I might be wearing out my camera. I think I have taken more then 20000 (20386 to be exact) photos with it. Its been around the world with me. Its been dropped on hard surfaces 80 or 90 times (probably more then that - definitely a lot more if you count soft surfaces!). Not to mention slobbered on (dog photos!) and I've let the battery run to the ground and still tried to and succeeded in taking pictures with it. Tonight it had trouble focusing on what I wanted a macro shot of. Namely the toe of this sock. If anyone can wear out a camera, its probably me!

There are already so many photos here so why don't we end with one more. My Gus is worn out from helping with my photo shoot. He kept moving too much so a bit blurry but this is usually how we see him anyway...

Old Shale

Just a word of warning. I seem to have a lot to say the last couple of days so long long post coming!

So there was this tractor outside mowing the fields across the street. It was making Abby crazy. She wanted to go see it so so much.

So I put both their leashes on and we walk out the door. Just as I close the door the tractor starts heading in our direction. Abby FREAKS. I knew she would. She hates really loud noise unless it is music or movie. It just doesn't make her ears feel good I think. Anyway she bolted for the door and smashed right into it. Meantime Gus has decided to get a closer look. I opt to drop his leash and call him to chill rather then get torn in two as Abby is dragging me back to the door in her panic. Gus gets to about the middle of the driveway and stands there watching and wiggling. Boys like tractors. I let Abby back in the house and off the leash. When Gus and I head inside she lets her head poke out of the door and just stares. Butt wiggling, tongue hanging out. You'd think she was having a good time. She's cool as it gets further and further away, but the second it starts coming closer she freaks again. Did I mention how this was all her idea? Silly dog. My baby girl is not a farm dog.

OLD SHALE

Pattern: Old Shale Scarf by Tienne. Ravelry link and my ravelry project. (By the way if you don't know Tienne, go check out her blog she knits absolutely gorgeous things! Its very inspiring!)
Materials: One skein of Knit it Up! Squishy Sock yarn in the colorway peach cobbler. I used almost all of it.
Needle: US#6 Addi Turbo 24"
Start Date: 8 May 2008
Completion Date: 29 May 2008
Size: 8 inches by 90 inches
Project Spectrum 3: Earth (green, brown, metalics)

Notes: Literally I used all but 7 inches. The small piece in this picture is after weaving in on the cast off edge (I wove in about 4 inches). The large piece is from the cast on edge and is the remains of my long tail cast on (I again wove in about 4 inches). Love that I really truly got to enjoy almost every inch of this yarn. Gorgeous color and super soft.

There is nothing I don't like about feather and fan (Old Shale) stitch. If I had 500 more yards of this yarn I would have been happy to keep going. Though if that was the case I probably would have made it twice as wide and gotten a stole from it! I really love the texture and wavy-ness. It reminds me of a lazy river just moseying along. Albeit a muddy one in this case.

Old Shale as a name is so appropriate as this is what old shale (the rock-that link is for wikipedia) really looks like when you see it in the ground. Piles of curved, compressed, rock, just smashed into one another. (Usually it is a bit more gray in color and less variegated!) Sometimes full of fissures and holes (where natural gas lives until it is pulled out of the ground). Its really incredibly beautiful. Nature is simply amazing I think.

Also, I almost forgot this, but I live on the outskirts of a geological formation called the Barnett Shale, which is considered to bet the largest natural gas field in the entire US. This is also one of the formations that I work with in my everyday job. So Old Shale is so appropriate with that too! I think I was destined to knit this scarf!

I followed Tienne's directions exactly except that I simply bound off when there wasn't any more yarn to knit with rather then when I got to a certain length. I'm really pleased with this. I can't wait to wear it. Its so light weight I think it will be very appropriate for the not so cold, but somewhat windy chilly, winter days here in Texas. Plus it is so so pretty and I think it will be really good with a lot of my winter clothes.

I took so many photos of this and I love them all and its so pretty to look at I'm having trouble deciding which to post! Do you ever that problem where you just can't make up your mind? This is the last one! I promise.

Oh and Gus! He was sleeping on my foot as I was trying to take photos with that horse sculpture.

Lizard Ridge. One last time...

She's been finished for a while. I just hadn't managed to get good pictures for you.

Pattern: Lizard Ridge from Knitty. Ravelry link and my ravelry project.
Materials: Ummm...twenty squares. Three balls for 4 squares. So 15 balls of Kureyon in varying colors that I couldn't tell you the numbers to if I thought about it very hard for a full year. I have tags somewhere but I can't remember where I put them.
Needle: US8 Bamboo (not sure the maker)
Start Date: 1 June 2007
Completion Date: 1 May 2008
Size: Four 12" squares by five 12" squares. Plus the edging which is about an inch wide.
Project Spectrum 3: Earth (green, brown, metalics)

Notes: I think it was supposed to be larger then this. I didn't need a huge blanket so I didn't make it as large. I used every last bit of each ball, except the last one. I needed just a few yards of it so I used left overs from something else. Actually I used a LOT of leftovers. I had bits of Kureyon from other projects that I just incorporated in. This project is great for that.

Here it is laid on the drive so you can see it better. I wanted to put a fabric backing on it because Kureyon is not the softest wool ever. Its not that skin friendly. So it wouldn't be that comfortable if you were wearing shorts because it was hot out and you wanted to cover up in the air conditioner. I couldn't make it work. The fabrics were not nearly as flexible as the blanket and frankly I didn't want to block the blanket as a whole because I had no where I wanted to set it for days to dry.

Here is a closeup of the edging. I think its a nice touch but I would probably do another row of crochet before starting the scallop next time.

DONE. Finally.

Oh and headgear...

(She's ok, she's just got a cut that she won't leave alone. It needs to heal. We are almost done with the headgear though. Thank goodness because she hates it!)

felted bunnies do not multiply

At least they don't if you don't have enough of that yarn to make another. ahem....

The other use for the yarn?

Pattern: My own(my ravelry project) based on the shape of 16 or 18 others I have seen.
Materials: A skein and a fourth of Manos Del Uruguay in some sort of Autumn color. About 1/3 of a skien of Malabrigo in a creamy tan.
Needle: US11 Addi Turbo Circular 32"
Start Date: 3 May 2008
Completion Date: 8 May 2008
Size: It was about 14 inches tall by 12 inches across by 6 inches deep before felting. It is now about 10 inches tall by 8 inches across by 4 inches deep post felting.
Project Spectrum 3: Earth (green, brown, metalics)

Notes: Like yesterday there isn't a lot to say. I cast on 40 and knit for 50 or so rows (I wasn't counting). Then I picked up stitches around all the edges and knit upward until I ran out of the Manos. Then I knit with the Malabrigo until it was about a fourth of the height. Cast off. Knit a 6 stitch I-cord forever until you get to about 7 feet (by the way this felted to 4 feet!) or get sick of it. Felt everything. Take a pointy object, I used a Philip's head, and poke a few holes in each side (some measuring and considering might be in order at this stage.) Then thread the cord through. Finished. Super easy and fun!

Its a medium sized bag with a nicely sized opening. So I think a fat scarf project or a vest or something in that range could fit? Turns out to be a really useable size. I did think it was going to be larger though.

I like the little knots in the side. I forgot to mention the part where you cut the cord in half after it felts. Oops. Because then you get knots on both sides. I guess you could just two cords of 3 and a half feet long or something.

This Manos felted a LOT better then yesterdays. I love the texture. It looks almost like boucle. Well at least to my eyes.

Hippity Hoppity...

Two bodies. Four ears. In need of a pompom (or really two!). Hippity Hoppity...

BUNNIES!

Pattern: Easter Bunny by Christine Manitz (Ravelry Link, my ravelry project)
Materials: A little more then half a skein of Malabrigo in a very creamy tan, plus a very small smidgen of leftover Manos in Wildflower I had lying around from my SIL's scarf two Christmas' ago.
Needle: US9 Addi Turbo Circular 24"
Start Date: First: 7 May 2008; Second; 13 May 2008
Completion Date: First: 9 May 2008; 14 May 2008
Size: Tall is about 9 inches, Short is about 6 inches
Project Spectrum 3: Earth (green, brown, metalics)

Notes: This is sort of a recipe more then a pattern. So the increases and decreases while evenly spaced aren't set in stone. Giving each bunny its own shape.

The manos was an issue. I thought the lip of color at the bottom of the second bunny was going to be really really cute. The manos didn't straighten out when felted, it curled instead. And really didn't felt that well either.

I am a bit disappointed about it. Who knew that while it usually felts well it doesn't straighten out like the malabrigo or Cascade 220 or a number of other yarns.

Still they are very cute so that makes up for it I think.

Two

Happy Birthday to you...
Happy Birthday to you...
Happy birthday my girlie....
Happy Birthday to YOU!!!!!

My Abigail is two today. I can't believe that she's been in the family for nearly two years. Just 7 short weeks from now that happens.

When I got home from work today she wanted to go play soccer. Here she is ready to attack the ball (and my foot). She's always been the sporty one.

She's my sweetheart. A crazy soul. A group hugger (runner over). Never shy. Rarely afraid. Always looking for action. She's a happy-go-lucky, go-with-the-flow, everything is a good time, type girlie. She stole our hearts at first sight, even before we "met" her and once we had met we couldn't let her go and we big time rearranged our lives (mostly mine as Chris was working quite far away) so that we could bring her home. She is stubborn, eccentric, loving, and over-the-top. She is a BIG personality in a compact body. She is the embodiment of love. I think a dog is always in investment in love. (Cats too!) No matter what you paid/donated they are always worth more. And always bring you so much more.

For Abby's birthday she wanted to give you a gift. I've knit two Calorimetry head wraps in the last week. I didn't have enough of this yarn for a zeebee (Schmeebot if you don't do ravelry.) like I planned and I didn't think I had enough for a long enough hat either, but I did for two calorimetry. One for me and, instead of giving the second to Abby like I might have, I've knit one for you! (Don't worry Abby will steal mine. She won't go without.)

These both need blocking but I'm calling them finished or I'll just put off this post (can anyone say Lizard Ridge finished project??) They've also already been Gus approved as he tried to eat mine.

Pattern: Calorimetry from Knitty (my ravelry project)
Materials: Each one took exactly half a skein of handspun yarn. The batt was from Loop yarns and it was spun by StonyCreek. I traded one skien of Sundara Sock in Rust over Chestnut for this skein of yarn through Ravelry. This yarn was very rope like to knit with but in the skein, the ball, and in the finished project its soft, comfy and oh so pretty. Its a brighter green then the photo here. Think more Kermit and less lettuce.
Needle: US7 Addi Turbo Circular 32"
Start Date: 9 May 2008
Completion Date: 12 May 2008
Size: Smaller then the pattern. I only cast on 88 and its plenty big enough. Also on the one I am giving away I've knit some cables on one side so it is reversible. They are random cables. Whenever I felt like making one I did. So there isn't a pattern to them and they don't occur even in every knit rib.
Project Spectrum 3: Earth (green, brown, metalics)

All the second one needs is a bind off, weaving in and a set of buttons (needs two since it is reversible!) This won't have the leaf button because it wouldn't feel good against your head when you reverse this and its not openable with the awkward button. I've permanently sealed mine, but then mine also isn't reversible.

Are you interested in a handknit head wrap you can't use for another few months (most likely)? If so leave a comment before Thursday night 6PM Central (15 May) and I will draw a name for the recipient. If no one wants it I will give it to Abby, since it is a little silly for me to have two as I only have one head.

Orange and Brown (plus a bit of red and brown...)

Two finished projects that are NOT socks. All from one skein of yarn in the last week or so.

My mitts, Finally.

Pattern: Garter Stitch Mitts by Ysolda (my ravelry project)
Materials: About 3/5 of a skein of Alabama Fiber Dreams Twisted Yarn (Sport weight). This was a Christmas gift from my sister. (Thank you Isidore!) I loved this yarn. I hope that she posts more because its so so soft and squooshy and wonderful. I've got her favorited so I can get more if she posts it. Its called Twisted because one ply takes the dye just a bit darker. Its 100% Merino with 220 yards per skein. Can't remember how heavy a skein was.
Needle: US4 Addi Turbo Circular 32"
Start Date: 14 April 2008
Completion Date: 18 April 2008
Size: Made for me. Not really sure how else to describe it??
Project Spectrum 3: Earth (green, brown, metalics)

First Mitt

Notes: This pattern is a smidge confusing at first I think, but if you just follow the directions blindly it quickly makes total sense. I added a couple of rows to the thumb creation. I skipped some of the palm increases because my hand isn't that much bigger around then my arms. I actually skipped more of them on my right wrist then my left because apparently my right arm is bigger. This is why the patterning on the two mitts is different. It was a striping yarn and the short rows messed with the patterning and broke it up more on the left mitt.

Second Mitt

I've been trying to make myself a pair of mitts for a while and always found them to be uncomfortable or odd looking on my larger arms. These are really pleasant and not at all uncomfortable. I love the garter stitch. Its nice and stretchy. I'm particularly fond of the ends of garter stitch. Its very pretty to me.

Abby's Kerchief.

Pattern: Whimsy Kerchief by Magistra Lanam Amat (my ravelry project)
Materials: About 3/5 of a skein of Alabama Fiber Dreams Twisted Yarn (Sport weight).
Needle: US6 Addi Turbo Circular 36"
Start Date: 18 April 2008
Completion Date: 19 April 2008
Size: Until I ran out of yarn. Only just barely big enough!
Project Spectrum 3: Earth (green, brown, metalics)

Notes: Abby is really happy with it.

But you notice how it kind of rides up? Yeah no good that. Right now it is being held on by a crochet chain cord. Well like any drawstring the item tends to creep up it. I think a button might be in order. It will just barely be big enough, but then neither of them can try and eat the cords either. So bonus.

It looks good on Gus. Abby didn't like me to put it on him. She got really jealous when I put it on me though. She basically demanded it back. She steals all the bandanas. I am not allowed to have any. To be honest though I imagine I have dog hair in my hair now because Gus is shedding like crazy right now. So maybe I don't want this one so much right now.

Here are a couple of photos that show the detail a bit. I'm pretty fond of the spine. I love it when they are constructed like this because they look scale-y to me. Cute.

A side view. I really loved this project. It went super quickly and was a great way to use that last bit of this yummy yarn. And the fact that three of us can enjoy it. Well that is just bonus.

Even though this is a very picture heavy post I promised a shot of my current work in progress.

This is the Chickadee-Cowl from Kirsten at ThroughtheLoops!. As soon as I saw it I thought it would be awesome for this Manos Del Uruguay. I'm knitting out of the skien because I wasn't sure that I was going to commit the yarn to it (Its not bulky like the pattern calls for) so I didn't bother to make a yarn ball. Of course this is another project I won't get to use for 8 months. Apparently not being able to use something for a while is a motivating factor for me. Go figure.

I don't feel like posting tonight

I know why. Its because I have a finished object today. I don't know why that makes me not want to post. I really really don't, but for some reason I never want to do these posts. Maybe I'm just not ready for knitting projects to be finished ever?

Oh well. Here is "bleh to blue chairs, I need a pillow"

Side one in the chair in the home office.

This started out seeing this pillow on MLEknits. I loved it and it stuck in my memory. So I copied it when I wanted something simple and easy on thick yarn to knit after the zombie socks. Plus I can't stand the ugly blue chairs in my office at work and I wanted to spruce up the one that rarely gets sat in.

Pattern: None. (Ravelry Link to my project). This is trinity stitch from the 1st Barbara Walker Treasury Book. I cast on 60 because the stitch pattern needs a multiple of 4 and just knit until it was long enough. I turned it inside out actually because the pattern stitch looks like this.

Which is very pretty itself but wasn't enough texture against the ugly blue chairs to really stand out. Plus I love the squishy-ness of the bobbles.
Materials: A bit less then 3 skeins of Kureyon colorway 164A (I think its 164)
Needle: US9 Addi Turbo Circular (36" I think, but as its not a circular knit it doesn't matter the length of the cord.)
Start Date: 4 April 2008
Completion Date: 9 April 2208 (finished knitting) and 13 April 2008 (sewn shut and insert created)
Size: 11 x 14 with a bit smaller of a pillow inside because I forgot to cut it with extra along the edges when I made the insert so I cut a 11 x 14 and it ended up being 10.5 x 13.5 insert. Ah well. Live and learn.
Project Spectrum 3: Earth (green, brown, metalics)

Here it is in its new home. Doesn't it make that ugly chair look better?

Side two in the work office chair. I think it looks great here and is a nice little touch of interestingness in a boring blue world. (Notice the carpet is blue too! ughh) This is in my new office they moved me from the one next door into this "bigger" office yesterday. This one has no pole in it and the other had one. Otherwise they are the same. oh! Except this one has a door. (To the outside - they both had inside doors) I can go stand on the balcony and enjoy the (strong) breeze. (I office on the top floor - there is a lot of wind!)

PS Go see Studio Knits. Its almost her birthday and she's having a question contest.