jinjur knits! (and sews, and so on...)

an actual entry!

Thu, 25 Nov 2004 01:06:28 GMT

Well, as I've gotten closer to the impending arrival of Baby X, I've had less and less time to think about blogging or, well, anything. Although I have actually been sewing like a fiend (it's ony of the few things that relaxes me right now). No time to post pics and info, but the ever-growing pile includes: two chenille/flannel blankets (one for a new nephew, one for Baby X); one fleece/satin blanket; a ton of fleece hats (thanks to my new and awesome serger!); a fleece snowsuit; a whole stack of sheets for her co-sleeper (micro-fleece and flannel, which they don't even make -- all that's available are not-so-great cotton ones for $16 or more); mattress pads for her co-sleeper; diaper doublers; changing pads; lap pads; a load of super-cute burp cloths (Evan said "those are too cute for her to puke on!); a couple extra receiving blankets (I think I had enough already, but...odd squares of flannel + serger = more blankets!); a fleece-lined sling; and I think there was more although I can't remember at the moment. When/if I get the chance I want to post photos, though!!

Until then, if anyone's actually ever checking, don't freak out if all the graphics vanish sometime soon. My paid account status is ending, and between the fact that I don't have time to post here, and I do actually have a main blog to write on, I don't want to spend any $$ (that could, after all, be better used buying cute little tiny pink socks!) right now. When I do start posting stuff again, either I will move all my sewing/knitting project info over to jinjur.com, or I'll pay up again and restore all my cute design stuff. Well, I think it's cute, anyway.

As far as knitting goes, I haven't wanted to test the waters there...but, I am doing much better with the whole knitting=nausea thing. A couple months ago, just looking at a knitting magazine or bunch of yarn made me start feel crappy (I'm not kidding at all) and now I can look at magazines and patterns and yarn and things again. But I think I'll put off actually trying to knit for a while longer, just in case I'm not over my bad association with it. I am looking forward to knitting baby things soon, though! Partly because they're so cute and they'll be for my baby. Partly, I confess, because they're tiny and they'll get done so much faster!!! And of course, I have to have fun dressing her now, because it won't be long before she's dressing herself and I won't be able to indulge myself any more...

the truth about why I have not been knitting

Wed, 15 Sep 2004 04:00:31 GMT

the illness that stopped my knitting (and uh, actually, I still can't) finally revealed!!

knitting news

Fri, 14 May 2004 16:53:24 GMT

Knitting newsletters abound! The Berroco "KnitBits" arrived today, and included links to a load of patterns they've just published for free on their site from books 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, and 198 (all scarves). The Lion Brand newsletter arrived a few days ago while I wasn't paying attention, not much of interest but they have added an extensive "Learn to Knit" section of their site, which looks like it'll be a nice resource to point people towards.

ugh! rotten!

Fri, 14 May 2004 05:28:04 GMT

I've been feeling blech, and unable to knit (it makes me feel worse). Now that I'm feeling better of course I have so much work to catch up on it feels like I'll never get back to my knitting or sewing. So profoundly aggravating.

I did break down today and buy more yarn, which I shouldn't be doing seeing as how I have no time to knit! But the Online Linie Vega I loved so much came back in stock at elann so I bought enough to make a sweater. Last time I wore the Vega scarf I was actually saying I wish I'd been able to get more because I'd love a sweater of it. I just hope they're right about the yardage since I won't be able to get more!!

scarf ideas

Tue, 04 May 2004 21:14:30 GMT

Things in real life have been conspiring to make me tired and frustrated (like the front door falling off as we try to leave for something we can't be late for). So everything's all annoying and running behind and so on. Urgh.

I have been DVRing the Shay Pendray show on PBS for the last few weeks, and fast forwarding through the needlepointing sections to get to the knitting. (I've been enjoying it so of course they've just taken it off the schedule!) Yesterday's episode had a really nifty idea -- use a vintage lace or edging pattern (like the ones found here) but make a sort of "magnified" version, with soft chunky yarn in a length appropriate for a scarf! I thought that was pretty brilliant, and an interesting way to try out some of these patterns (because I certainly don't need fine lace edgings around my house). I think one of the insertions would work especially well. Something to think about for fall, anyway!

In the meantime, I'll just keep patiently awaiting my wool so I can start my TKGA swatches. The Stanley book has already whetted my enthusiasm and made me itch to get swatching!!

tidbits

Fri, 30 Apr 2004 14:46:59 GMT

item: things are so topsy turvy right now work-wise, I've finally given up on getting to P&S myself to buy my wool for the TKGA swatches, so I broke down and ordered it yesterday. If I'd done that to begin with I'd have had it weeks ago. Grrrr.

item: got the last book I needed (actually I don't have them all, but everything else is on order and should arrive soon), Montse Stanley's Knitter's Handbook. So far I'm just skimming through it but already I've had lots of "aha!" moments. Absolutely great. I think it's replaced the Buss book as my favorite knitting book.

item: anyone in the NYC area? Seaport Yarns is putting all Brown Sheep Company yarns on sale starting May 3rd. I think the sale runs for all of May. I'm tempted to check it out but (a) I know I'll never get there in the next few weeks and (b) it's not like I have a project in mind I can shop for!

colorful!

Wed, 28 Apr 2004 15:03:38 GMT

More on color -- after checking out a link to the pantone "colorstrology" system (very silly but fun to play with), I went "duh! pantone's web site!". There's a section devoted to colors in fashions and home deco, with tons of articles, forecasts, and color charts; and you can sign up for their members-only content for free. (Really good stuff in that section, including some tutorials and booklets you can download.)

I've always coveted one of their swatch sets, but....at those prices, I think I will stick to my pain chip collection!!

Summer knitting

Tue, 27 Apr 2004 18:20:59 GMT

Subscribed to Interweave Knits yesterday in a moment of weakness -- I'd been thinking about it anyway but then I found out that subscribers can download copies of all their reference articles! So I have gotten them all and am learning, learning, learning.

While I was on the site, I checked and found that the patterns for the Summer issue are up with yarn info. Nothing screams "you must make me" but there're several really nice patterns. I think my favorite is the "Juliet Pullover" (although it reminds me a lot of Rosebud, albeit much sleeker). The Snuggly Baby hats are adorable, of course, and the Mosaic Mitts look like a cool project for next winter. I love the Fiesta Tea Set although I'd never actually make it -- I just love the fact that it exists as a published pattern. Several tanks and shells, too, which if you got started now would be done in time for warmer weather. Um, if you lived here or further North, that is! There's a bunch of things that make me go "eh" too though. And the colors are pretty muddy. I don't know why people think "fall colors" = dirty old leaves.

news to use

Mon, 26 Apr 2004 14:46:28 GMT

The latest Lion Brand newsletter arrived in my inbox today. I can't say I actually use their yarns that much but I like the newsletter a lot. The new makeover is really great, too. This issue features a new kid's sweater pattern in cotton-ease, which I could possibly consider making for one of my nieces/nephews that are in warm climates. Very cute. They also are running a special offer on the Winter issue of Vogue Knitting, $4.99 ppd, which you can order from them here.

In personal news, the shoulder is all better, so I have given myself the all-clear to get back to my projects. As soon as I recover from last night's overdose of Italian food, that is. (the paglia e fieno was to die for.)

more swatches!

Sat, 24 Apr 2004 03:06:46 GMT

I decided to google around and see if there were any more swatches to see anywhere, and the pickings were pretty slim. I found two blogs with Level I photos: Here you can see one of the ribbed swatches as well as the "knitter's choice" cable (and a beautifully cabled sleeve just above them!); and here I found a photo of the first three (rib) swatches. (and look at her neatly organized swatches!)

Of course, there is also the "On Your Way to the Masters" article series in the members-only section of the TKGA website. All the articles have color photos and several of them picture swatches. The tension article is especially valuable as you can see examples of unacceptable knitting (I was totally mis-interpreting the "striped knitting" problem until I read that article).

Now...if my shoulder would just finish getting better so I could start my own swatches...

color color everywhere

Wed, 21 Apr 2004 16:57:07 GMT

I have seen a number of people (and talked to people I know) who have real trouble with color in their knitting and sewing. They're fine with a one-color item, or with using colorful yarn that someone else has designed. But putting colors together freaks them out. Now there's a lot of things that freak me out, but color is not one of them. I was matching my mom's outfits and accessories from before I can remember, and I've always loved color.

In fact, I don't do it full time, but I actually color professionally (and I was even nominated for an award for it once!), and think about color a lot -- putting together combinations in the house (turquoise and pale blue dining room; red and gray living room; orange and cream in the boy's office, etc) or wherever. And starting to play with color in knitting is something I look forward to!

But for those who aren't comfortable with color there doesn't seem to be a lot of help other than the most basic color wheel instruction that you get in any home decorating book, although there is an upcoming book that looks very valuable, Color Works, which addresses the issue.

Here are some things I recommend to anyone interested in color:

Read through some basic color theory books. For the most part, get them from a library as you will not really need to refer to these books later. The Elements of Color is a great book I read in one of my design classes in college. The Color Star is by the same author. Skip the books about mixing color, or that are geared towards painters. The effects of color in paint (or printing) are quite different from the effects of putting two opaque colors side by side.

Also check out some books on color for graphic designers. The pantone books are almost always great (if frightfully expensive). The Guide to Communicating with Color is a very good one.

For slightly cheaper inspiration, look for home magazines that focus on painting. There are often specialty issues that are about nothing but color schemes for rooms, which I always find fascinating. There is nothing wrong with copping someone else's color scheme!

And finally, my #1 source of color play and inspiration: every time you are near a home or paint store, look at the paint chips. Pull colors that attract you, whether you think you'd ever use it or not, whether you think you can put it with anything else or not (skip the metallic and special effects stuff). The larger single-color chips are especially good for this. Take them home and start a collection of them. Eventually, you will have a vast range of little swatches of colors you have found interesting, and you can combine and recombine them to your heart's content. There is no better way to learn about color and to learn what combinations you like. Reading up on color theory may help you understand why you like what you like and make it easier to find other colors you will be able to integrate into your color schemes. But even if you're just running on intuition, this alone will really help you look at color. I have a whole box of paint chips myself (going all the way back to the 1930s) and I may not pull them out all the time, but I still will go through them looking for inspiration every so often, whether it's to change the color of a room, pick fabrics for a new project, or whatever. And if you decide to chuck it all and never think about color again, your investment was $0!

more references!

Wed, 21 Apr 2004 16:15:34 GMT

So that was Nanette of Knitting in Color who let me know about her swatches. And she also sent me some more great references for the Master Knitter's program:

Esther Bozak's intro to mosaic knitting -- for Level III, but essential because I know I haven't been able to wrap my mind around the concept yet, so this'll be great to have on hand when I get that far (you know, in 10 years).

An online argyle sock knitting class!! From the Socknitters' site, an absolutely great reference for the Level II sock. Not just a pattern you can use, but every step and every concept is explained in detail. Just going by the quality of this guide, I'd say if you're interested in socks at all please go check this site out.

And here's an interesting page, including the actual "you've passed" letter that this woman got when she passed Level I. Pretty neat. (She also has pamphlets and patterns available that are almost all applicable to the program).

In knitting news, hurt my shoulder and arm badly yesterday so no knitting! It hurt all the way to the end of my left hand. No idea what I did, either. The boy was all for taking my to his arm/shoulder guy but I decided to wait and see. Seems better today. Fingers crossed it's nothing (um, right hand fingers only, that is)

TKGA swatches

Tue, 20 Apr 2004 15:07:18 GMT

Got a comment 2 posts down about Level II swatches being up on someone's blog -- the comment was anonymous, but then I thought "maybe that was Nanette from knitting in color"? (which btw is one of the few knitting blogs I check daily, it's so inspirational -- and spookoo, she has bunnies...). So, anyway, I started looking in her archives and came up with more swatches to look at!! These are for TKGA Level II: inset pocket; several seaming examples (see close-ups); tubular knit fair isle (I love that pattern); laces; cables; and an inside-out view of the argyle sock.

Knitting in Color was on the short reference list I sent around to friends of mine who are also signing up for Level I:

So you want to be a Master Knitter? Info from a current judge.

Knitting in Color blog -- you've got to just go through the archives (no way to sort or search yet) but she's written a lot about getting through levels I & II, and she's doing III now. Essential stuff, including photos of submissions.

TKGA knit-along - a bunch of knitters doing level I together. I haven't read through these yet, but marked it as useful.

knitting history report -- an example of the report required for level II, (interesting because I would have thought they'd want something much longer!)

Yahoo master knitters group -- whew! the archives here go on forever. I signed up, and then read a batch a day (and copied off anything I thought I could use, book lists etc). Takes a while but you'll get tons of great info.

Also, keep meaning to post this link: Joann's online now has a knitting section of the website/catalog. Not the greatest selection but their prices are always good.

bleh

Mon, 19 Apr 2004 15:44:11 GMT

Long weekend, didn't get much done. Got some work done on the stripey kitty blanket, but I think a kittycat here has an eye on it...but since our cats are all, in fact, rescued NYC cats, I suppose they deserve kitty blankets too. If I have to I'll switch to sewing for the kitties!

In TKGA tidbits: I hopefully will be picking up all my office supply stuff today, and yarn on Thursday (we'll see). I did find a good cheap source of Paton's Classic online though, at Smiley's Yarn. (scroll down). Minimum order is $30, but there's a lot of really neat discounted yarn here, it would be easy to put together $30 worth!! If I can't get to my yarn by the end of this week, I may go with Smiley's myself.

And I think I found my next project...there's a really cute moss stitch cardigan in the Winter 2003 VK, with a silk tie. Can't find a picture online but if my scanner stops being mean to me I'll get a pic of it soon. I think it would be a great fall sweater (not that interested in summer knits). Looking at Lopi Lite for it, which comes in some beeyootiful colors. I'll need to get a sample and see it it itches me too badly.

TKGA links

Fri, 16 Apr 2004 15:38:53 GMT

Some recent posts on the knitting in color blog worth hanging onto: brioche stitch (level III) and some thoughts; a list of reference used through all 3 levels.

I'd love to see more swatches like this, especially from people who've passed. I think it's good to see that no, you don't have to make your knitting look like a machine did it!

Also on the TKGA front, I scored almost every book I needed with a deal from the Crafter's Choice book club. They sent me a "renew your membership" offer and for about $15 total I got: The big Vogue Knitting book; the Maria Parry Jones Knitting Stitch Bible; Knitting in the Old Way by by Priscilla Gibson-Roberts and Deborah Robson; Nancie M. Wiseman's Knitter's Book of Finishing Techniques; then because there was no reference left, the Knitter's Book of Handy Patterns by Ann Budd. Plus, a bonus free book (for inviting a new member -- anyone else want to join? I love free books ^_^), the upcoming Knitting on the Edge by Nicky Epstein. SCOOOOORE!!!The only other book I wanted was the Montse Stanley book, which amazon has pretty cheap. So all I need are my office supplies and then my yarn, which I hopefully can go in to get next week.

In other news, all knitting on the secret project was finished yesterday (mostly at the accountant's). Today it's sitting through some very hardcore blocking. I have it on top of the (hot) radiator, my favorite blocking technique, so it should be ready to finish tonight. It's the first thing I've designed 100%! (Well, I did design the scarves, but that whole group grew out of the original Coronet design so I don't count them as 100% original.)

whoops, never finished this entry!!

blocking was a huge success. Finishing today and then some photos.

The reason I never finished this is we took yesterday off and went to our favorite hangout, Mitsuwa. At the big Kinokuniya, I tracked down the knitting book shelf and checked a few out before we went to eat. A little too much on the foofy-frilly side but there were some neat-looking books. Next time I'll have to give myself time to really look. And the best was all the character knitting! A book of Hello Kitty/Sanrio toys to knit; a book of Hamtaro sweaters and toys; and an all-pokemon book! (the highlight -- the pikachu hoodie) Such cute stuff! When my nephew is a little bit older I might have to start picking those books up!

Norwegian knitting!!

Thu, 15 Apr 2004 14:33:06 GMT

A link to this collection of vintage knitting books from Norway (actually, in Norway, I think) was posted recently on the yahoo vintage knitting group. Very cool, every single page is scanned. Of course the instructions aren't quite readable and they're in Norwegian. But the pictures are great. Check out all the lingerie and bathing suits! Pretty amazing that people used to knit such things. I'm so glad that we have a zillion places to buy clothes from and we aren't forced to make our own, we can do it because we choose to.

Also from Norway -- knitted menstrual pads from the 19th century. (Don't worry, the photo is not creepy.) I think....not. Although I bet someone, somewhere, is going to revive this idea.

argh

Wed, 14 Apr 2004 14:38:27 GMT

Yes, we're going to the accountant's today to go over the tax return. Could I have cut it any closer? Ugh. But, on the good side, I can take my knitting and (assuming I get a seat, that is) try to get closer to finishing my current (secret) project. It's pretty close, although it will be in need of some heavy duty blocking when I finish.

And to add to yesterday's list: a notebook to keep track of stitch patterns and things in, which isn't exactly a big deal since I've probably got 10-20 unused sanrio notebooks I've amassed over the last decade. Gotta use it or recycle it!!

And now that all that is over, hopefully I can get to that last piece of Emerald City and finish that up by next week!

things to buy

Tue, 13 Apr 2004 15:06:50 GMT

My TKGA shopping list:

:: Sheet protectors, 20-25. Have to hold knitted swatches so these "high capacity" ones might do the trick.
:: A binder, no more than 2" thick. Won't buy until everything's done so I know just how deep it needs to be. Lighter weight is recommended, and I think this is a nice option, or something like this with a thin plastic cover. Maybe grab a super-cheap one in the meantime to hold everything.
:: supplies for making tags: card stock (which I probably have) and hole reinforcements (which I may also have).
:: A couple balls of Patons Classic Wool, in a pastel with one (light) contrast color.
:: And a few more reference books. If nothing else, a copy of Vogue Knitting. Which is of course, out of stock everywhere. And maybe the Montse Stanley Knitter's Handbook. But I wanted those anyway. Maybe a finishing book too, but I haven't had a chance to check them out and figure out which one I want.

And that should just about do it. Now, the question is...when do I actually find the time to get everything?

home again II

Mon, 12 Apr 2004 23:52:12 GMT

LYS update: we drove by the open store and it turned out to be really for quilting and needlepoint. They were closed but we could see in pretty easily and there is some yarn and knitting supplies. And it looks like a nice friendly store, so if I need something quick and don't want the headache of Joann's or Michael's, at least it's an option. The 2nd store (not open yet) looks to be all-knitting, so here's hoping!

Also, I got my TKGA Level I materials in the mail! Very exciting. I need to go into the city to buy the yarn I plan to use and figure out what else I need to assemble before I start. I feel pretty confident about, well, let's say a decent portion of it. And I think there's nothing in there that's beyond me. Cables are about the hardest and I've been doing those for a short while now. Which doesn't mean I'll breeze through, or pass the first time even, but that I feel totally up to the challenge.

I've also decided to put a couple of blankets for the critter knitters on my project list for the next couple of months (although I may sew a few). I got to see an old blanket knitted from Lion Brand Homespun this weekend, and not only has it held up well to many washings, but it was very soft and the cats love it. So I think I'll make kitty blankets out of that, and maybe practice color changes or something while I'm at it, using this Critter Blanket pattern as my starting point. With 3 of our cats being rescued, and having personally rescued and adopted out 4 feral kittens it's kind of a personal thing for me. We see those shelter cats (and I've seen their little blankets!) and we wish we could give them all a home. But we can't (because that's how you turn into those crazy people with 74 cats and a health hazard) so I'm going to make them some quick blankets instead.

home again home again

Mon, 12 Apr 2004 15:28:15 GMT

The trip was good, got lots of work done. Actually had knitting talk, as my brother's mother-in-law is a die-hard knitter and crocheter. She is way beyond me proficiency-wise but I was able to tell her about provisional cast-ons which she didn't know about (I think she's mainly a blanket knitter). Got lots done on my project, both on the plane and during the weekend.

Exciting knitting news: a week or so ago the boy noticed a brand-new yarn store open pretty close to us, which I haven't gotten a chance to check out yet, and this weekend he was driving somewhere from our house and saw a storefront for yet another new store that is "coming soon". So that is pretty exciting, since the only actual LYS near me was pretty lame (because it's really for latch-hookers!). And now I'll have 2 locals and at least one of them looks pretty hip.

I also found a book I'd gotten waiting in my stack of mail, Hollywood Knits by Bill Gibb, a major 1970s UK knitwear designer. The book came out in 1987, shortly before his untimely death, and is a guide to recreating 20 different old-Hollywood sweaters as seen in various studio publicity shots. The photos and bios are great (and I'd never heard of some of these people, like Vilma Banky, "the Hungarian Rhapsody"), and a lot of the sweaters are really cool. I got my copy super-cheap because it was discolored on the outside (who cares!) but it seems pretty gettable at a reasonable price. Definitely worth seeking out if you're interesting in vintage sweaters or just want an interesting project.

I also had about a half-hour of downtime during which I just started surfing knitting blogs, and if I can figure out where some of them are I found some interesting links I'd like to post. If I can find them again, that is....

phooey

Thu, 08 Apr 2004 04:40:47 GMT

So we had to run out yesterday afternoon to pick up a few things and run errands, and on the way home we stopped in at Barnes & Noble to just browse and see what was what. After looking through our usual areas we hit the giant wall of magazines and the boy suggested I look for the knitting mags. Lo and behold, they had every single one I'd ever heard of. So I thought I'd pick one or two up to read on the plane -- and after looking at every single one I decided to skip the whole thing. Why isn't there a knitting magazine with articles and info? Every magazine (except Interweave Knits, which I already have) had just one or two really interesting articles, then loads of really daggy patterns that I would never, ever, want to knit. And I'm not paying $5-6 for two articles, no matter how good they are! It was very disappointing. And most of them actually are so badly designed...where's the cool hip knitting magazine for all the "new knitters" I keep hearing about? They can't really be slavering to make glittery fake fur granny-square vests, can they? Doesn't anyone want to read about history? Research? Techniques? Anything?

So then, thinking that for the price of a few magazine I could just get a book, I went to the gigantic knitting book section. Where I found....more daggy patterns. Okay, they weren't all stinky, but still. Again, no books about knitting. I did spy a few books I was interested in as reference, like this Knitting Tips & Secrets book, a really neat spiral-bound stitch encyclopedia I forgot the name of, and of course the big Vogue Knitting book which is...oh, wow, out of stock at amazon and b&n online. Yipes.

I know there are books about knitting out there, I just got two of them. (And No Idle Hands has been on my wishlist for ages.) I just wish they were of interest to enough people that I could have just bought one!

getting ready to leave...

Wed, 07 Apr 2004 17:05:33 GMT

Eep! I'm this close to leaving for my trip (back late Sunday).

The bad news: I'm stressing because I am never ready when I travel. I suffer from total "I know I'm forgetting something incredibly crucial" paranoia and since the trip is half business I can't forget anything.

The good news: knitting projects are go! My in-flight project is all packed up in a little kit (with Denise needles so if the worst happens, I surrender the points only and the knitting stays safely on the cord). I think it will keep me busy since I have to cast on 352 stitches. ;P And Emerald City is back in gear, we sat and watched a movie last night, during which I worked out the proper buttonhole size, charted out the placement and got started on the last green piece. I should be close to done before I leave, so maybe next week I can do the cuffs and collars and get this thing finished. And hey, if the weather keeps on sucking, I might even wear it!

sometimes, things look stupid at first glance...

Tue, 06 Apr 2004 17:12:24 GMT

Almost two years ago, I saw an entry on the not martha blog about these Donna Hay (The "Martha" of Australia, although she probably doesn't want to be called that now) knitted cup sweaters, complete with buttons. I thought, well, that's kind of cute, but completely silly.

Then last year, spookoo got a knitting book, Knitting Pretty, which included a beer cosy, which we all made fun of at our knitting party. I thought, well, good practice for knitting in the round, sure, but it just seems like those cheesy old drink jackets.

But then, late last fall, I picked up an old swatch to practice seaming on. And after I'd seamed it, it occured to me that it was exactly the same size as my glass. So I put it on the glass. And lo and behold...it kept my fingers from getting cold. So then I made a second one. And I haven't had time to make any more (I want to make some properly, actually designed specifically to be glass cosies) but I actually use them quite often. So no more making fun of drink cosies!! And maybe I'll have to go make one with buttons in honor of Donna Hay.

(For coffee drinkers, the new Magknits has a coffee cosy for takeout coffee cups!)

yeehaw!

Mon, 05 Apr 2004 20:31:34 GMT

Things are looking up!

I got my TKGA ID # emailed to me, and ordered my Level I materials. I think this will be a great project for the upcoming months -- small things that I can do here and there, and also nothing huge to deal with if it ever actually does get warm. The idea that I'm going to write book reports just slays me...

The yarn that has been torturing me has been tamed! A swatch I did last night looked like absolute crap, but it's blocking right now and looks so completely different it's amazing. If I have time to convert a pattern to use it on I may even have a knitting-on-the-plane project! I think I will have to knit flat though, I can't see dealing with knitting in the round (with decreases and needle changes to boot) when I don't even know how much room I'll have. I'm still going to have to rethink my plans for the remainder of this yarn since it won't do what I originally wanted. Maybe I'll use it to learn fair isle on or something.

And I just sent off a big job so I can catch up again for a few days before I leave. Whew!!

need...more...projects!

Mon, 05 Apr 2004 04:38:12 GMT

I'm suffering some serious knitting frustration right now.

I can't find the time to get the last piece of Emerald City going.

I'm swatching a stitch pattern that just isn't working for me.

And worst of all -- I am flying to TX this weekend, which means 2 3-4 flights plus airport time, and do I have a project I can take with me? NO! EC is too complicated and all over the place, and my only other project is in it's infancy and I won't have time to work it out by Thursday. I do have some stuff put away, but it's all too complicated to take on a plane (like a pair of thrummed mittens) I meant to go and buy some yarn to start a simple sweater I want to make for next fall, but I haven't been able to and it doesn't look like I will. I'm going to try and find some time to look through my (very small) stash and see if I can come up with anything. It would totally blow if I couldn't make any use of those hours!!