New projects!

So much has been going on! I went to Cape Cod last weekend to visit my grandparents. My grandma is the reason I started knitting. She knit me this awesome poncho and I couldn't figure out how it worked, so I started trying to figure it out. Do you want to see how awesome my grandma is? This is what she's in the process of knitting:


She bought the yarn from Knit Picks and it came with a pattern for a vest that was on the cover of the magazine. She's never done steeks before, so she's kinda nervous about that, but it looks absolutely beautiful (and crazy!).

While I was there, I asked her to help me out a bit. I found some adorable fabric at Purl Patchwork a few months ago. I've never sewed before, so I wanted to sew something simple (I chose a skirt) and I knew my grandmother knows how to sew (she's made a lot of quilts). So it took us just a few hours to whip up this little number:


I LOVE how it came out! I love the mushrooms, the style, all of it! Do you want to see the invisible zipper?


I totally feel like I need a sewing machine now and I want to do like all these projects and everything. I loved how instantly it gratified my need for an FO, and how it's like...(this is going to sound stupid) real clothes!!!

Pretty much all I did while I was on that little mini vaca was knit. I mostly knit the clapotis, which is now finished. Here's a still WIP shot. I have to block it still.


My grandparents live on a lake...which is what that is in the background there (not sky). I'm taking Friday off of work, but hopefully, I'll already be packed by then so I can just set to blocking things. First on the blocking table is Icarus. I'll be making my bed before I go and then I'll soak and pin Icarus out to block. When I get back from BM, She should be wearable!

I think I'm going to steam block the clap, because, let's be honest here kids, I don't really care if the clap is perfect or not.

I've started a couple new projects (OMG this is the longest post ever) - which can be seen from my ravelry page. :) Jack Sparrow's Favorite Socks are on my needles right now. I just started the Fair Isle bits:


I saw the colors together at the store and knew they had to be together. This is my first time doing a toe up sock, and I must say, I like it a lot better than cuff down. I tend to get excited when i get towards the toe, which means I start decreasing too early and all of a sudden I end up with socks that are too small for me. Well, these are bound to fit perfectly as long as the fair isle doesn't end up getting too tight. The yarn is Koigu KPM. I've never used it before, but I must say that I really like working with it. At some point, I'll post a hierarchy of sock yarns. This one's in the top 5 for sure!

Finished Coachella!

I love the way this turned out! I wore it to lunch today with Stanley and I haven't been able to take it off! It's so comfortable! I used Berroco Touche with size 9 Denises. I ended up taking Mary's suggestion to heart. I really wanted to make sure it'd fit, so what I did was take the way too drapey version, pin it up to get the drape the way I wanted it and then I measured to see what diameter I had to get to. Once I got past the my bust (which I probably should have put in more darts into) I realized that I should increase on the sides more than the pattern required. So i increased a total of 7 or 8 times. It's so soft!

To celebrate, I wandered over to M&J trimmings on Broadway (?) and 37th. I have a capelet shrug I want to make and I wanted to get good buttons. The buttons I bought look like this:



I'm pretty excited about learning how to create that thing in my head. I started reading Knitting from the Top by Barbra Walker today. I'll certainly keep you informed with how that process turns out. Who knows, maybe it'll even be good enough to offer up as a free pattern or something.

The other project I'm working on right now is a Clapotis out of some Sweet Georgia Speeed Demon. Blogless Ruth got the same yarn in the same colorway as I did and we decided to knit it up together. I'm almost done with the increasing rows. The yarn is ok, not amazing or anything, but the colors sure are pretty:

woohoo!

So many things to be excited about!!

1) Someone from MAP Magazine in Germany requested the use of the image below for an article she's writing!



2) I have finished the Rhode Island Red Sox!!!



I really really liked this yarn and the weight (medium). I realized, however, that the toes of my socks should generally be a bit bigger. Especially after I had followed the directions incorrectly. I thought that I should have been kitchener stitching 32 stitches together, instead i was supposed to be kitchener stitching 16 stitches together (16 on each needle vs 16 altogether). So a new goal is to actually follow the directions when I get to the toe of a sock.

3) I started a Clapotis out of some Sweet Georgia that Blogless RUTH and I got at the same time at the Point. I don't have any photos of it yet because I put it on the backburner almost as soon as I've started (Ruth and I have an understanding).

4) Why did I put it on the backburner? I saw Coachella on the summer Knitty. At first I just saw it and realized that I had enough Berroco Touche in a nice red color to knit it with. Then, late thursday night/ early Friday morning, I decided that I'm going to Burning Man. Burning Man is a giant art festival thingey held in a desert in Nevada for a week. Obviously, knits are needed. Bright, summery, light, tank tops for a hot, Hot, HOT desert. I've even already started it:



5) I went out with Blogless RUTH and Ravi on Friday. I ended up coming back with too much yarn, and fabric!!


The mint Koigu was 40% off because there was only one left. It's going to turn into a pair of anklets. The yellow is destined to be the spiral knee socks from the Summer 07 issue of Interweave Knits.


You see, Ravi and I were only going to help Blogless Ruth pick out fabrics/colors for her quilting project at Purl Patchwork. I don't even have a sewing machine so I figured this would be safe. NOT SO! I found this mushroom fabric and simply HAD TO HAVE IT! When I go to Cape Cod to visit my grandparents, my grandmother's going to help me do the simple A line skirt pattern.

6) I got my Ravelry invite today!! I haven't started even setting up my profile or anything like that yet, but I'm really excited about it!! When I get it together, I'll let you all know!!