It's been a good week for knitting....

Until today. Because it's so bloody hot. *fans self with Elann newsletter that came today* I want to knit, but even in A/C I can't bring myself to.

But otherwise, it's been good. I've made good progress on the Slyth scarf, I've pretty much doubled my progress on the sweater, I've considered working on Charlotte (of all my projects, it's hardest to work on her with the cat around, because of course she's attracted to the Good Stuff, not the acrylic blends *grin*), and I made a washcloth, and actually wove ends RIGHT when I finished the knitting! I NEVER do that! (No pics yet, still have to block the thing.)

BTW, hi, Secret Pal! *waves*

Need a new transit project.

I've been carrying Sarah's HP scarf around to work on while riding the bus, but as I was telling Kelly today, it's really getting too big to bring with me. It's not even halfway done, and I think it's almost 3 feet. So...what to bring? I should make something out of the 2 skeins of beige-y Koigu I have kicking around. Gloves?

BTW, I put two more batches of Kureyon up on my give-my-yarn-a-good-home page. I think if something goes unclaimed for a week, that's when it goes on eBay.

Projects I've neglected the past few days: the sweater and Charlotte. My friend Tiffany admired my entrelac swatch today (I hung it on my bulletin board, because I'm a dork like that.) Of course the non-knitter appreciates the most fiddly, complicated thing I've done! *grin*

Buy my stuff.

Here.

Experimentation

I hate picking up stitches. Hate hate hate hate hate. It's the Knitting Technique of Doom. So, that leads me to the question....what in the WORLD possessed me to want to try entrelac? I knew going in that it must involve picking up stitches. Lots and lots of damn stitches. But apparently on Mondays I'm a masochist, so I pulled out my Official Trying New Things Yarn (white Red Heart) and went through the instructions in Debbie Bliss's How To Knit. (I knew everything else in the book...I checked it out of the library JUST for the entrelac directions.)

Thoughts:
--When it says cast on loosely, OMG, they ain't kidding! I cast on loosely, or so I thought, and the cast-on edge still pulled in compared with the rest of the piece.
--It would have been way cooler in the variegated type of Official Trying New Things Yarn, what with the stripes going every which way.
--Wouldn't it make more sense to have the slipped stitches on the loose edge where you'll be picking up stitches eventually rather than the edge that's connected to the rest of the piece?
--The process became routine after a while. I stopped counting stitches on the short rows and just watched for a gap in the stitches...that meant I had to do something different.
--I still hate picking up stitches. It's much easier on socks.

Next challenge: Fair Isle.

Other randomness for the day:
--Bought yarn for DNA scarf and for socks for Roger. All yarn to make Christmas presents is now procured.
--Found PERFECT patterns for various presents. That is all I can say.
--Barbara Walker's stitch pattern dictionaries are TEH AWESOME! I ignored them for a while b/c of the lack of pretty color pictures, but when I gave them a chance...wonderfulness. Couldn't resist grabbing a couple.
--Lucy Neatby's handpainted merino is just as beautiful as Koigu. Bigger hanks too.

The votes are tallied

Looks like y'all want me to list what I have here before I throw it on eBay. I can do that. I need to write up a small webpage with the list and take a bunch of pictures and stuff, then I'll let you know the address to that...just so I don't have to post a big long entry going on and on. Lisa wanted to know how much I'd want for the Kureyon. It averages about $8.50/ball in stores and $65-70/bag of 10 on eBay (except for the really popular discontinued colors, which I do have a couple of...I saw a batch of 5 in color #70 go for over $90!), so I think probably $6 a ball from blogreaders. But look for that in the next week or so. I have to buy batteries for the digicam. (BTW, if anyone's interested, I do have some needles and a ball of Schaefer Elaine up right now. Needles end tomorrow afternoon, Elaine ends Tuesday afternoon. Username is himeykitty2.)

In actual knitting news, I'm plugging away at the WIPs I have and started a flower washcloth from Weekend Knitting, just to have something small going. I did a few rows on Charlotte Friday afternoon. Those rows are getting long, and after doing the math I'm going to add over 100 more stitches before I'm done. Over 300 stitches in the last few rows! That'll be fun to bind off. I need to get moving on my Christmas list...I have 5 months as of today. I should start Roy's DNA scarf, as that's probably the most complicated thing to do. I just have to find sport weight alpaca first. Have to go to Cityside (soon!) and see if they have the kind I'm looking for.

I noticed something this week.

Charlotte: 100% merino wool.
Kelly's sweater: 80% acrylic/20% wool.
Sarah's scarf: 75% acrylic/25% wool.
Weather: hot and humid.

Is anyone else seeing anything wrong with this picture? *digs for cotton*

Commenting

Okay, I added a new commenting service. It's pretty much just like other blogs now, name, e-mail, website, comment. Now I can actually respond personally to comments that people leave. Of course, now I can't see any comments that were left on the built-in Blogger commenting system, but whatever. Comment away! (Jessie, I did get your comment on the last entry e-mailed to me. If I don't end up posting my yarn here, I'll e-mail you with what I have for Kureyon.)

Edit: Okay, so the screwed up thing is, even when there are comments through the new system, the link on the page says "0 comments". I'm gonna try to change that, but until then, don't be misled!

Edit again: Fixed it! Yay me! (For those who read this through the LJ feed, I'm sorry, I probably screwed things up good by editing this entry so damn much. I'm done now, I promise.)

(Almost)FO!

Yep, that's Sophie. She still needs felting, but that might be a few days, depending on when I can get to a washing machine that doesn't require quarters. (Mom? *grin*)

Other than that, I don't really have much else knitting-related to talk about. I need to start something new, as everything else I'm working on will take a while to finish, and I don't want the whole boredom thing kicking me.

Poll: Like I said a couple entries ago, I need to destash. Question is, should I post what I'm getting rid of in my blog first and give my loyal readers first crack, or should I go with the eBay? Of course, I'm not sure how many people read this thing, but it's worth asking. Leave a comment with your opinion! (In case you're wondering, I've got a Metric Butt-Ton of Kureyon, much of it in discontinued colors, some novelty yarns, a batch of Cascade Sierra, and possibly some Iro and some completely unrelated-in-color Wool-Ease. What I've got might influence decisions here *wink*)

*overwhelmed*

So I've started going through my yarn collection...Alas, I must sacrifice much of the Kureyon. I'm only keeping the colors I absolutely love and know I will use. I'm also going to get rid of some of the random wool (Colinette stuff, a couple skeins of Elaine, etc.) and some cotton blends. Possibly some acrylic as well, not that I think people will really want it. A bunch of the Fun Fur too.

So I have to get to the business of taking pictures of all the yarn and actually listing the stuff. Dunno why, but eBay seems to be a pain to use. Probably it's super-easy and my addled brain is making it harder than it actually is. Weird sleep patterns will do that to ya.

The good part is, during the agonizing decision making I've been making some pretty good progress on Sophie. 16 rows left to the body, then the i-cord. I ought to do some more on the sweater too. I don't want to start anything new until I'm done with something. My WIP list is way too long, even for KADD (Knitting ADD) me.

Destashment (Is that a word? It is now.)

You know what? I have a hell of a lot of yarn. I was cleaning my computer/knitting storage/cat hangout room yesterday and realized this. When I first started knitting, I became addicted to eBay and pretty pretty pretty Kureyon. Not to mention the piles of Fun Fur. I think tonight I'll try to sort through what I have, see what I absolutely must keep, and start listing the rest on eBay. I could use the money more than the yarn anyway.

*reminds self, it's just yarn, they make more every day*

I am perpetually bad about pictures.

But I realize this about myself, and have endeavored to redeem myself today. (Granted, the pics are all out of date because I took them a few days ago, but anyway....)


A random hat that got lost in the shuffle of FOs. It's out of less than 1 skein of Colinette Point 5. It's too big...next time, I use sz 15 needles rather than 17. Free pattern from ChicKnits.


A finished pair of socks! Again, ignore the scary white legs that my cheap camera interpreted as gray. I'm most likely never going to wear these, but I'm proud of them anyway!


Mmm, green Kool-Aid. I think that's probably 10 or 15 rows up the body of the bag (I'm at 30 now). Patons Classic Wool dyed with some combination of Kool-Aid. Kiwi something-or-other? I don't even remember now.


The stitches go marching two-by-two, hurrah, hurrah! Yep, a whole swath of 2x2 ribbing in rose heather Wool-Ease. Yes, Kelly, I am working on it, and you'll have it under your tree!

The ends are woven in on Elise's Christmas scarf, and eventually I'll take a picture of that too. Most likely after I block it, which will be closer to Christmas. Right now I'm knitting up lace swatches to choose a pattern for Karen's scarf. I wish more pattern books would specify which stitch patterns are reversible *sigh*

Wednesday is a wonderful day. Maybe.

I came to a lovely realization today. I can knit standing up...provided said knitting is on circular needles. Yes, I know this is probably rather stupid and legions of knitters have been practicing their craft on foot since the dawn of time. But, for me, it means that time spent standing at the bus stop need not be wasted! Huzzah!

Since the last post I:
--finished knitting Elise's scarf (just in time, as I was thoroughly bored with the stitch)
--finished Broadripple (they're too big, but thankfully they're cotton so they'll shrink a bit)
--started like 17 other projects (okay, not really, but my list has gotten more ADD than usual)
--came up with like 17,000 other projects I want to do (less of an exaggeration than above)
--finished my Christmas knitting list (at least until I remember all the other people who I want to knit things for)
--subscribed to Interweave Knits (first issue is to be mailed on the 22nd)
--took no pictures of FOs or even WIPs (sorry!)

Now a run-through on the knitalongs I'm participating in:

Tank-Along update: I think I'll start a Chickami fairly soon. There are things about Shapely that I don't particularly like, so most likely I won't make another one, at least not for myself.

Charlotte Women update: Yeah, I haven't done any more since the last time I posted. I'm not super-motivated to rush through it, as I won't be wearing it until mid-December, so I'm just taking my time.

Lace-Along update: Finished one scarf, looking for a lace pattern to start the second (like I said before, I am SO SICK of fan-and-feather)

Sophie-Along update: I hate picking up stitches, in case anyone's wondering. The Kool-Aid yarn is working up nicely. Almost to the first set of decreases (I'm on row 8 of the body I think?)

And I'm off.

Weekend knitting?

Not so much. I just didn't really get much of a chance. I tried to work on F-and-F on the bus trip to Boston, but the seats were way too cramped to work on her with The Boy sitting beside me. I did start a swatch for the master knitting program...the seed stitch one (#3? I don't have the sheet in front of me.) The only reason I could is I bought shorter size 8 needles earlier that day...just for the sole purpose of knitting the swatches :-) They'll be useful for scarves later. It looks pretty decent. I'll probably redo it anyway, because I'm having real problems getting my cast-on even. You'd think I have plenty of practice now, but the whole time I've been knitting (including the knitting-a-whole-bunch-of-nothing when I was younger) I always used the knitted cast-on. I could never get the hang of the basic one-needle one...none of the pictures I'd ever seen ANYWHERE made it make any sense to me. Then a few weeks ago I told myself that I was going to learn it and I was going to like it. I've nailed the first, and I'm making myself use it every time I cast on for something new, but I still don't have it perfectly even yet. Which means I don't really like it yet. (Any tips, anyone?)

Last night I managed to get a few rows done on Charlotte (I've started color 4!) and I started Sarah's HP scarf this morning. I think I'm also going to make her a condom cozy (a la summer Knitty) in Slytherin colors. Bwa ha ha.

YAY!

Level 1 arrived in the mail today! I barely want to touch it...I want to keep the instructions immaculate. Yeah, I'm a dork. I'm making myself clean the bathroom and computer room and finish Broadripple before I start it. Hopefully tonight!

I hate Kitchener stitch.

So I'm procrastinating on finishing Broadripple Part Deux. Grafting the toe and weaving in ends on both socks is all I have left (I finished knitting the toe this morning before catching the bus--gotta find every moment possible to cram knitting into, y'know?). That leaves me with 3 projects on the needles. 4 seems to be a healthy number for me, and everything I have going is on medium-sized needles. So I need something on big needles...sounds like Michael's afghan on ass-kicking 35s is the way to go. Hopefully that'll go fast, because the needles feel like they're going to be really awkward, not to mention working off two cones at the same time. I need dowels and scrap wood to make a holder before I begin, I think, otherwise I'm going to tie myself together with black and blue Homespun. Not cool. Maybe I'll trek over to Aubuchon between work and WW.

Still awaiting the TKGA kit. Despite all the other stuff I have going, I'm really looking forward to starting it. Whatever I do, I always want to be better at it, and knitting is no exception.

Bought Space Bags for the yarn stash last night. For some reason, they aren't helping me fit any more yarn into the cedar chest, probably the shape the bags ended up being after they were vacuumed out. But I just about cleaned out my 3-drawer thing, except for the kitchen cotton in the top drawer, which doesn't deserve to be in something as cool as a Space Bag. Realized I have way too much Noro for my own good. I think the orangey-rusty-red Silk Garden I have is going to turn into a cardi for the fall. Either Rosedale (from Knitty) or just a simple top-down V-neck (which I have the pattern for from Knitting Plain and Simple). Probably the V-neck.

Progress--picture heavy.

Yes, I have been knitting in between trying to figure out who gets what for Christmas and how to store my yarn. I have pictures of each project-in-progress (except for one, but I'll get to that).

First off, Charlotte. The whole thing:


The edge, with the pink-and-yellow yarn I love in focus:


Now, Broadripple. One and a half socks done:


Please don't mind my glow-in-the-dark-white leg:


Feather and fan scarf:


And up close and personal with Miss Feather-and-Fan:


Amazingly, the colors in every picture are fairly true. Charlotte (the full view) and Broadripple are a little washed-out, but what do you expect from a cheap digital camera anyway? Next one I buy will have a better macro mode, so I can get better closeups.

I don't have any pictures of Kelly's sweater yet (Pinup Queen from Stitch N Bitch, if anyone's wondering) for two reasons. One, it's an inch of 2x2 rib. Not the most exciting picture in the world. Two, I left it at a friend's apartment, so I couldn't take even a super-boring picture of it. Kelly's seen it though, and she approves.

Hey Mom!

And anyone else who doesn't have a blogger account.

If you feel like leaving a comment, just comment anonymously and sign your name in the comment itself. (I'm posting this because Mom said something about trying to comment, having to put in a username and password and the name of your 3rd grade teacher and all that.)

Actual knitting content after I finish rearranging my bedroom. I have progress pictures of the stuff I'm working on sitting on my digicam.

Ah, Charlotte

I meant to take a picture of my progress this morning before work, but guess who got up a weeeeeee bit late. I finished row 86 last night, out of a total 154. "Yay!" you say. "Over halfway done!" Unfortunately, this close to the end the rows just keep getting longer and longer and looooonnnnnggggeeeeeeeerrrrr. I haven't figured out how many stitches will be in the last row, but I know it's a lot. There's a lot on the needle now. I think the 29" circ I'm using will be long enough for all the stitches though. I'm going to change the color order a bit, so I can have more of that pretty pink/yellow mix that I mistakenly cast on with when my intention was to use it last. See if I cast on another Charlotte when I'm overtired again.