Will Knit For Food

URGENT! Will Knit for Food is MOVING!!!!

2010-12-23T13:12:00.000-06:00

HELLO! I have big news! As the new year approaches, will-knit-for-food.blogspot.com will be moving to a new home!

http://www.willknitforfood.com/ http://www.willknitforfood.com/ http://www.willknitforfood.com/ http://www.willknitforfood.com/
http://www.willknitforfood.com/ http://www.willknitforfood.com/ http://www.willknitforfood.com/ http://www.willknitforfood.com/

I hope you'll come with me or at least stop by for a visit every now and again! Things are barely operational at this point, but hopefully, soon, it will start to feel like home!

2010-12-23T13:05:00.001-06:00

Testing. One. Two.

2010-12-23T00:01:00.005-06:00

This is a test; I repeat, this is only a test.

Though I haven't been blogging....

2010-12-20T10:01:00.005-06:00

I promise; I have been knitting! I've also been doing a million other things. One day, I will catch up with myself. I was completely lying to myself when I began to believe December would be less hectic than the month preceding. At any rate, progress in the form of posts will be documented in the very near future; until then, another of the things occupying my time this month:

The entire afternoon leading up to our ceremony, Mike and I, along with our photographers and my sister, bounced around Chicago for photos. I was totally bent on the idea of having a wedding video, but couldn't rationalize spending $$$$ on it. We bought a Flip instead, and my sister captured clips of the entire afternoon (plus, our entire ceremony and pieces of the reception). If you are getting married in the near future, going on any sort of trip, have children, or are generally entertaining, I highly recommend putting a Flip on your Xmas list! It's completely user friendly and incredible!! Plus, with imovie, it's insanely easy to turn little bits of coverage into your very own little movie trailer!

Sweater of the Month: December

2010-12-01T11:06:00.000-06:00

It's December 1, and, appropriately, it's snowing here in Chicago! It's a wonderful steady blowing, non-accumulating type snow. From my desk I feel like I'm inside a snow globe, and I have a strong urge to make some cocoa, wrap up in a blanket and use some of the files piled in front of me to start a fire....... though I'm not sure how well this would bode with building security and the other tenants, as there is no actual fire place in my office....

As I mentioned, November got a little out of control in the crazy-busy department. Mike and I got married. We enjoyed TONS (but never enough) good company and visitors! Then, my cousin got married. I got the Christmas tree up. I cooked Thanksgiving dinner this year.... we had a small grease fire.... it was a wild month! And, instead of knitting, I spent a lot of time cleaning and baking. I'm pretty positive I was nesting for winter, or I had an abundance of unchanneled nervous energy. Either way, I'm totally ready to hibernate until April; if only I could work from home for the next four months... Le sigh.

On the needles for December: Oblique by Veronik Avery as published for FREE in the fall07 Knitty.

Source

I've had four skeins of Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool in my stash since I started knitting. I came across them during my recent cleaning frenzy. Anything that stayed out of the donation ~~pile~~ mountain had to earn it's place in the house, and so, I decided to put it to the test. I typically turn my nose up at yarn that can be purchased at a superstore, but I swatched a bit, and to my surprise, this yarn knits beautifully! I am both shocked and very impressed with the seeming quality of the fabric this "bargain" yarn yields. Of course, further, intensive testing is necessary, but truly, at just over $10 a skein for 465yds.of 100% wool, this might be the best deal a sweater knitter could ask for! Do the math, it's between $20-$30 a sweater! Un. Real.

AWOL

2010-11-30T22:13:00.001-06:00

Where did November go? I can't believe that the entire month slipped past me! Even more unbelievable to me is that I barely touched a knitting needle the entire month! Who knew that pending nuptials could/would be so all-consuming! With the wedding(s) and Thanksgiving behind me, I'm feeling a lot more focussed and ready to pick up where I left off. Besides, it's really freaking cold here now and a girl can't not knit if she knows how. So, get ready December! This little lady is coming back with a vengeance!

FO: October Socks

2010-11-03T12:38:00.000-05:00

Good and bad news on the subject of October socks. The good news, I finished a pair of socks doing them one at a time! Also, I absolutely LOVE the Turkish cast-on recommended in the pattern. My friend H suggested that I might use the cast-on in future toe-up endeavors, while still using my beloved two at a time method, if I work the toes separately and then consolidate them onto the same needle before beginning any patterning. I will likely do this. Also, I think I prefer Wendy's toe-up heel/gusset formation over any other I've tried!

I'm excited to attempt more of Wendy's sock patterns. I learned a new cast-on and heel while working these socks which is totally exciting! Because, really, why keep knitting if you're not progressively learning new skills/patterns etc...

Now for the bad news... the yarn.

I honestly cannot believe I'm about to admit this, because I can't remember ever having a negative opinion about wool yarn before, EVER; this yarn is terrible.... for several reasons... first, I photographed these after wearing them for the first time... and, without any scientific measurements to substantiate my claim, I'm certain they doubled in size at some point during the day. There's no "spring" or structure to this yarn. I may go as far as to machine dry them in order to again have a pair of socks that aren't sliding down into the toes of my shoes as I walk. Next, after a single wear, the yarn is already pretty fuzzy and shows signs of wear; I have a feeling they won't make it through the winter without holes in the heels. And, let's talk stitch definition, or rather, the absence of it. While this yarn appears defined in stockinette stitch, it swallows up the pattern on the top of the foot, making it pointless for me to have knit it there in the first place.

It saddens me to have to report so negatively and brutally, and I cannot speak to any of Craft's Meow's other yarn varieties, but the soft serve gets two big thumbs down from this girl. Sorry.

FO: October Sweater

2010-11-02T11:44:00.000-05:00

It likely comes as no surprise that I am late, yet again, in posting my monthly projects! The final week of October was primarily dedicated to completing my "flock's" little lamb costumes, and everything else got pushed to the side. If I do say so, it was TOTALLY worth it. I am beyond pleased with how cute and funny Mike and the dogs looked! November, will likely be a repeat of past months' schedule deviations. THREE WEEKS left until the wedding, and I've got a few little projects to squeeze into the agenda. Priorities people.

But, let me finish October before I get onto the topic of November. And, I'll start by presenting: Paper Dolls!

This sweater nearly didn't happen. I COMPLETELY ran out of the gray Jamieson (all 175grams!), and I almost ran out of the eggshell (only a few yds left!)! I had to make some adjustments as a result. First, I didn't work an eggshell colored border above the dolls. I was pretty aware of my situation and decided this was a fair sacrifice, granting I could make it to bind-off. Also, because I COMPLETELY ran out of grey during the second round of corrugated rib on the neck edge, I continued the rib using only the eggshell. This, I'm not as happy about, but truly, I don't think it's overly obvious unless you look carefully.

Hindsight is 20/20. And, looking at photos of my finished product, it's apparent, I certainly could have shortened the torso by at least an inch and avoided my situation entirely. Otherwise, the sweater fits beautifully. The garment shaping KD uses is WONDERFUL! I did, however, modify slightly by not increasing after the waist shaping. I'm not an endowed woman, and I didn't want the bust to be baggy.

Overall, I LOVE the way this project turned out! It was a great introduction to color knitting, (which is actually not difficult at all after you figure out how to juggle the strands!). I definitely predict future variations of this pattern sometime in my (distant) future!

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T12:29:00.001-05:00

From my flock to yours, HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Happy Birthday, Puppy!

2010-10-26T21:14:00.000-05:00

Today, Miss Dulce is Three (we think.... she was a stray, so we sort of adopted this as her special day)!!!

Sunflowers for Little Miss Sunshine

3year old. 3 Presents

Yes, I am that person.... I can't help it. I LOVE my fury babies!

Progress Report: October

2010-10-26T11:39:00.003-05:00

Sleepless nights, induced by stress, have provided me with some much appreciated additional work time this month. Three weeks remain before I join the old-married-folk club, and my life is nearly consumed with weaving in all the loose ends for the big day... In further loose end related news, here's a 3am I-phone shoot:

On the Sock front: One down, one to go! (Yes, you read correctly, ONE AT A TIME!)

Yarn shortages nearly destroyed any possibilities of survival for this sweater, but with some flexibility, chances of amiable compromise are rapidly increasing.

Sweater-of-the-month: October

2010-10-07T12:00:00.001-05:00

If you're a knitter (crocheter), you probably have a Ravelry account. If you have a Ravelry account, you probably know how easy it is to "hoard" favorites and bog your queue with endless projects and patterns you hope to cast-on next, or the time after, or next month, year, etc.. meanwhile browsing the recently added section each time you log-in looking for more haul to throw on the heap. It's an addiction. We may not have a support group yet, but certainly, I'm not alone. Right?

Katie Davies Paper Dolls sweater was one of the very first patterns I favorited away for a rainy day, along with her Owls sweater...but that will have to wait for a different month. At last, I'm taking it out of the Queue and casting on!

It took me a while to search through all the completed projects and make a decision on exactly how to execute my first Paper Doll sweater. After much contemplation, I've decided to emulate Sannie's Guys'n'Dolls rendition, shown below.

Source

As far as pallet, I'm staying fairly true to KD's original, substituting Jamieson's Double Knitting in Granite for my main color.

And, St. Denis Nordique in EggShell (Contrast Color 1) and Navy (Contrast Color 2).

This will be my first real stab at multi-color knitting, batman sweater aside. So, I want to play it safe.

I cast-on and completed the corrugated rib during last weekend's Bear's game. Glad I had an interesting project to work on; the game was a complete bust. The I-cord cast on is wicked time-consuming, but looks neato! Hopefully, it blocks well, cause right now, mine's all sorts of curly.

Sock-of-the-month: October

2010-10-06T10:47:00.000-05:00

It's OOOOOOOCTober! (say it with a sustained O, like Oprah would. It's fun. Or, don't. If you hate fun.)

October is by FAR my favorite month! I can always count on October to provide crisp days ideal for scarves and sweaters, lots of technicolor foliage, perfect apples, pumpkin spice lattes, not to mention pumpkin squares, muffins, pies, etc..., Chicago fashion week, and October hosts my FAVORITE holiday, HALLOWEEN!

Unfortunately, this year, October is JAM packed for us. It's all fun stuff. But, my work time, is going to be severely compromised by all the goodness I have crammed in. The knitting, it's portable. I'm hoping to fill my plane/train travel time knocking needles (sorry passengers sitting next to me). Sewing. Not portable. I'm really going to have to manage my time well in order to finish on deadline. PLUS, I still have immense work to do in order to complete our costumes! We're already a week into October. Clock's a tickin'!

My Socks for October will be knit with Crafts Meow soft serve in the Creme de Menthe colorway, which, in person, is a much deeper green than shown in this picture.

And, I will be knitting from Wendy Johnson's Sprucey Lucy sock pattern-it's another freebie, available on Wendy's blog. While you're checking things out, make sure to browse through the dozens of sock patterns Wendy has posted! Talented lady!

source

What are you working on this month? Any fantastic Halloween costumes in your near future?

FO: September Sew (finally)

2010-10-04T19:39:00.000-05:00

Again, delay of post due to difficulty making time to take some modeled shots of my finished project. I spent the weekend with my family, and getting things up on the blog slipped a few notches on the list.

My first sewing project was a bit more advanced than the basic skirt I sewed in my intro class over the summer. This dress required a BUNCH of skills that I was completely clueless about. All I can say, THANK GOD for YouTube; she really hit the ball out of the park with that one. I learned how to set in sleeves, sew interfacing, and refreshed my zipper installation knowledge with some handy dandy tutorials!

Lacking skills aside, I got the dress done. And, it zips.... But, as Joan Rivers would say, "just because it zips, doesn't mean it fits..."

Snug fit, is an understatement. I definitely wouldn't feel comfortable wearing this ensemble in public until I manage to shed at least an inch from every moving part of my body. Vintage sizing is a far cry from the vanity sizing we're all so accustomed to in the modern era. Lesson learned: Get over yourself, it's just a number. What good does it do me to sew a dress in the number size I think I am, when the measurements corresponding to that number don't match my actual body? NONE.

This one is going to be sitting in the closet for awhile. Maybe someday. Though it doesn't fit the way I'd like, I do consider this a success. I got past my fear of the sewing machine, and I'm ready to rock the Kasbah this month.

FO: September Sweater! (finally)

2010-10-04T19:11:00.000-05:00

Modelled photos of my September sweater took me a while. I apologize for my delinquency. Hopefully, I'll become more timely as I get into the routine of this whole "project-of-the-month" regimen.

I liked this pattern. It's well written, and the piecing provides a really flattering drape. The yarn, perfect sweater weight yarn. Lana Gatto New Alpaca is discontinued, but Lana Gatto has other varieties that I would be interested in working with. The biggest flaw with the New Alpaca, I thought, was the shedding. It seems to have resolved after a good soak and blocking but was incredibly annoying while I was knitting.

If I had to change anything about my Katherine Hepburn, I would probably use more buttons on the closure. And, I would have narrowed the sleeves one repeat for a slimmer fit, as per personal preference.

I didn't waste any time putting my newest sweater to use. We had our first frost last night. I'm pretty sure summer has left the building.

Procrastination Project

2010-09-30T10:48:00.000-05:00

While I was not sewing my September project, I kept busy working on another of my loose ends. Totally reasonable considering I had been procrastinating the completion of said knitting project far longer than said sewing project; this validates working on knitting over sewing; Right? TOTALLY. Skip past the notion that I feel like I might have jumped in over my head and have been coping with irrational fears of failure in the seamstress department by resorting to my "comfort zone"... must. stop. self-analyzing...

The project. Last year at Stitches, I bought two bags of Tahki Montana super bulky. I had grand plans to turn it into Wenlan Chia's Best Friend Cardigan. I had all but set the sleeves into my version when I took an objective look at it and acknowledged that 1. My gauge was WAY to small. 2. My fabric was WAY to thick 3. I looked like a sausage in the sweater. I did what I do when I'm frustrated. I stuffed it in the pile of UFO's and forgot about it.

There was really no salvaging the work I had done, so I frogged the f*ck out it. We're talking scissors to seams. It was a gore fest. Fortunately, I had purchased an obscene amount of this yarn and I was able to combine reclaimed ex-best friend yarn with the multiple unused hanks I had hanging around.

The end result: Amber

The collar on this tunic is out-of-control and awesome. And the texture of the lace rocks my socks off.

Amber is a really mindless knit. There's hardly any shaping involved. The Lace repeat is only eight rows. It was exactly what I needed. Working with this yarn, I was initially concerned with the coarse texture of the wool with direct skin contact, but after a soak bath, I was left with a surprisingly cuddly soft garment. On that note. This was my first ever time using/blocking super bulky wool and I nearly panicked when, after removing this from the soak, my garment appeared to have doubled in size! It was mostly simple to squish back. But, I may resort to dry cleaning in the future in order to avoid the whole headache.

Have no fear, I didn't forsake my actual September sweater. I'm just a bit behind on the whole end-of-the-month posting. Be back later with Katherine Hepburn. And, you might be surprised to discover, I spent most of last night sewing ... but that's another (triumphant??) disaster, deserving of its own post. Stay tuned!

FO: September Socks!

2010-09-29T08:05:00.000-05:00

I may be a sewing slacker, but I'm on track in the knit department. I was super excited to get these knotty nibblets off the needles. Fall has arrived and there's a crisp chill in the air. It's almost cool enough to pull-out the sweaters; until then, socks.

I successfully knit these socks to fit my feet. Mike is sorely disappointed.

Kalajoki is a really easy quick knit. The pattern is well written and the charts are straight forward with short, easy to memorize, repeats.

I LOVED working with Lorna's Laces Shepherd's Sock yarn. It's very strong, yet delicate and creates a beautiful fabric, and the stitch definition is fantastic. In actuality, the yarn is much more vibrant and purple than I was able to photograph; this is what I get for shooting indoors at night with poor light.

I used Addi Lace size 1.5 and knit two socks at a time, in the round. I was finished with these within a week of casting on. My only concern with these socks is that my cuff ribbing isn't elastic enough to withstand wear. I used a cable cast-on, and there's not a lot of "snap back". Hopefully, diligent blocking will keep these in shape. Any recommendations for future cuff down casting on?

September Sewing Project (Finally...)

2010-09-28T23:00:00.000-05:00

It's taken me far too long to build the courage to face my first sew-of-the-month attempt. I'm really cutting it close. Up first:

A blonde, a brunette and a red head walk into a bar... wearing the same dress...

Pattern: Simplicity 4541-view B
Fabric: Bruno Crepsi Pura Lana 120's Faillie

I haven't been able to find a print date for this pattern; based on those sassy hair do's, skirt length and silhouette, I'm guessing early sixties...

I laid-out and cut on Sunday, but I'm going to have to haul ass if I'm going to get this dress sewn together, complete with zipper, before Friday! Lesson to self: Procrastination not advised for future success in monthly deadlines.

September Projects Progress Report

2010-09-16T09:51:00.000-05:00

I was so tired from the weekend, I didn’t think twice about heading straight home after work Monday, and, alas, I will have to seek out another opportunity to photograph partially finished socks with a celeb. On a high note, anticipation of my partially finished sock photo led to some fantastic sock progress on Sunday! I can hardly believe how quickly these pups are flying from my needles!

I didn’t get the socks cast-on until after half-time of the Packer’s game, because, by the end of the Bear's game, I was too close to completion of my second sweater sleeve to put it down without first casting off! If I can maintain this pace, I’m going to finish September with time to spare!

I haven’t forgotten about my September sewing project. I just haven’t gotten to it yet. I think it’s intimidating me. If I can whip together a neckband, block sweater pieces and aim to cast-off these socks by the end of my next Sunday session, I’ll have almost two weeks to tackle something super stellar and sewing related… I think I can; I think I can.

September Socks

2010-09-09T11:25:00.000-05:00

I'm off to a slow start with this new blogging routine. Totally slacking. We're already approaching the second full week of September; really??? At any rate, I've got to cast on. I'm hoping to convince this guy to pose with my partially finished sock, so I can join this lady's "partially-finished-sock-picture club". Wish me luck! I wonder if he's a knitter... let's hope not. I'm not sure I could stomach any sour reviews from someone so wondrous.

September Sock: Kalajoki (ravelry link) by: Tiina Seppälä

source

Yarn: Lorna's Laces: Shepherd Sock- 80% Superwash Wool, 20% Nylon

Color: 709 Hermosa

Football season officially starts Sunday = A whole day of knitting and consoling Dulce while Mike yells at the TV, because the Bears blow....again! Go, PACK, GO!

September Sweater: Katherine Hepburn Cardigan

2010-09-02T14:13:00.000-05:00

This month's sweater :

Source

Pattern: Katherine Hepburn Cardigan by Kathy Zimmerman

Yarn: Lana Gatto New Alpaca: 50% Wool 50% Baby Alpaca; Sport Weight

Needles: Addi Interchangeables size 6 US

Septembers in Chicago are generally unpredictable. It's not uncommon to experience extreme bounces between flesh-melting and tear-freezing temperatures while fall tries to establish itself as the momentaryy reigning season. Consequently, a good cardigan is an essential layering piece! I'm aiming for the full-length version. The pattern is available for free download through Interweaves' website if you're interested in a knit-a-long!

Anniversary

2010-08-31T13:32:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow begins my new blog regimen. Appropriately, the end of August marks another milestone in my knitting. Two years ago, I taught myself to knit! It feels like It's been a lot longer than that; I'm not sure whether that's a good or bad sign. I also feel like I've come a long way in a very short time. Likely, the full immersion approach I've been experiencing is to thank for my quick progress. I imagine it parallels learning a foreign language while living in its native country. I would still be knitting squares and rectangles if not for the awesome, often competitive, knitters I've had the pleasure of learning from! Knitting amongst a group who are constantly pushing their own limits has helped me hurdle many self-imposed limitations. Knitting is an incredibly tangible way to measure your own development. Everyone who picks up a pair of needles and some yarn for the first time, starts at the same place, the beginning. And, there are, really, only two stitches you have to learn. Ever. Then, you have all the tools you need to take-off. It's what you do and which direction you take it in that makes it so diverse and expansive. I know this is probably too Freudian and psychoanalytical, so I will stop before I go too deep. Instead, I present my demented "BabyBook" of knitting evolution.

My Starter Project: Basket Weave Blanket- Note my oblivion to color and texture patterns

My First Attempt at non-quadrilateral projects... mostly successful, but my lack of knowledge of gauge made these sizabley suitable for a ten year-old

100% Kid silk Mohair

Angora/Merino
These projects mark the beginning of my love affair with lace and luxury fibers.

And, of course, the sweater progression from mostly awful, to pretty awesome.

I have a million and one things left to learn about knitting, and my photography could use some work. Here's looking to the future!

D.I.Y.= Do it yourself....

2010-08-30T16:35:00.001-05:00

***DISCLAIMER... THIS IS A RANT***

Conversations of varying content over the course of the last week have led me to the conclusion that those foreign to the realm of "handmade" just don't get it. Misconception numero uno: "knitting your own sweaters must be a great way to save money on clothes". Go ahead. Laugh. It's pretty innocent and funny. I'm sure there had to have been a period during the course of history when this was reality...like fifty years ago. But, in the era of factory machine-knitting, there's really no cost-effective way to compete. The $15 cabled pullover you bought at Target would cost me more than twice that in materials (assuming a comparable quality material is used) + the time it takes to actually engage in the act of knitting the sweater... and honestly, I can't think of a single person who wants to spend 30+ hours knitting an adult sized sweater from awful artificial yarn-ish product. This explanation is not well received. I find that trying to explain fiber content vs. cost per ball x #yds. needed to complete project often leaves the inquirer perplexed and befuzzled; though it is a great way to disengage from a conversation, as the person listening to you will likely initiate some exit strategy shortly after you begin.

Source

Of course, it seems equally confusing to an "outsider" that "it took you a month to do that?" I knit moderately quickly, and yes, it did. I fear modern society has been so indulged by the whims and fancies of instant, mass-produced gratification that anyone who has never made something from scratch, be it a pie, a bookshelf, or a sweater, etc... is actually cognitively incapable of appreciating the work and/or quality of a handmade item (and no, shopping at IKEA doesn't count). I am sad to report, all traces of Utilitarianism are extinct amongst this population.

Also, widely misunderstood, is the assumption that one could amass a great fortune by producing and selling handmade (handknit) merchandise. Based on the above, investments, both of time and money required to embark on such a venture, would have to yield some level of profit in order for this theory to work....and, if I knit-up a pile of $15 cabled sweater replicas... that I paid, let's say only $30 in materials a piece, and I sold them at a wholesale to retail price of $60 each... I would be earning approximately $2hourly per sweater....If I were to, using the same sweater, charge for labor only, of let's say, Illinois current minimum wage $8.25hrly x 30 hours... I have to convince somebody to buy a handknit sweater made from shit-yarn for $247.50 each, which leaves a profit of $217.50 per sweater. My aim here is not to discourage the future starving artist of the world, but let's face it; unless I inherit a lifestyle sustaining fortune from a long lost rich uncle, there's no way. Again, expect a lot of glazed over eyeballs and blank stares when you start doing math with these "outside" types.

Finally, my favorite: "You can make me _________" (usually expressed as an imperative statement). Now, friend. No part of our conversation has inspired me to make you anything, especially the parts when you told me how you refused to wear and later threw away the sweaters granny made for you when you were a kid. I'm flattered. Really. However, I'm not so confident that whatever I knit for you wouldn't end up in the donation pile. I don't think you would appreciate it or be genuinely grateful. You would probably try to machine wash and dry, and consequently felt anything I might present to you. It's possible I will knit for your dog. I will likely knit for your future offspring. But, as for you friend, I will VERY GLADLY teach you how to knit, and you can do it yourself.

Fiberful

2010-08-24T14:58:00.000-05:00

I never thought I would say this, but I think I've had my fill of fiber, if only, momentarily. The last week, I bounced all around town collecting stamps for the Chicagoland Yarn Crawl, and though no purchase was necessary to participate, I did my best to find a memento from each location. Had I not gone to Stitches, I probably wouldn't have run out of steam Sunday as I finished crawling, but Stitches was WONDERFUL and totally worth the mental strain I'm currently experiencing. I haven't actually tallied up the damage yet... but from memory, I'm certain I have enough new yarn for 5 sweaters (two are for Mike...like this provides some excusability for the excess???), 2 lace shawls, a couple pairs of ballet flats , my wedding project, a secret scarf, and at least 3 pairs of socks.... YEEESH! I also bought some buttons, cable needles and Addi lace size 1.5 "40 circulars....

The crawl was a fantastic opportunity for me to get around to suburban area yarn stores and to check-out new neighborhoods within the city. I will likely continue to give patronage to my local favorites, but I want to recognize a couple "NEW" stores for their outstanding yarn selection and overall presentation and awesomeness.

Three Bags Full 1927 Cherry; Northbrook, Il

The location of this shop is a little peculiar; it's in a residential? mini-mall. However, the space is enormous! The variety of sock yarn available in this shop is unrivaled by any store I've had the pleasure of shopping to date. The walls are lined with cubby shelving and there are numerous tables and stand alone shelving units throughout the store. Three Bags Full carries yarn from both major manufacturers and small, specialty producers. Also, they have an array of knitting accessories and totes (check out the website for a list of yarns!). Most importantly, the woman working when we stopped into Three Bags Full were fantastically helpful and knowledgeable!

Chix with Stix 7316 W. Madison St; Forest Park, IL 60130
I wish this shop was easily accessible from my house! Not to play favorites, but Chix with Stix is probably the most adorable of all the stores I stopped in. Upon entering, I was greeted by the cutest, friendliest little chiuaua! The yarn selection here isn't as ample as some, but it's well chosen. Staples like Malibrigo, and Cascades are readily available amongst others. And, they also carry the biggest variety of chunky yarns I've seen under one roof. There are several seating areas in the store for shoppers to cozy-up and stay a while. On the evening I visited, there was an impromptu knit group gathered, and they were quick to offer me a seat to join them. A major fringe benefit of this store is the bead shop located immediately next door...where I may ~~or may not~~ have gotten some beads for one of my future lace projects.

As far as Stitches... things get a little bit blurry. Of, course, WEBS' out-of-this-world-amazing bag sale is almost reason enough to make an annual pilgrimage to Schaumburg: Mirasol, Noro, Aracaunia by the bag-full?? For half-price?? Thank you sir, I'll have another!!! If you're still able to lift your arms after you finish at WEBS, why not head over to Tess' and indulge in sensory overload? K and I did our very best to make it through all the vendor booths. We both agree that the best gem-of-a-vendor award at the Renaissance Convention Center this year goes to JENNIE THE POTTER. Jennie's merchandise includes pottery and yarn. Her knitting/sheep coffee mugs are still on my mind. I having been kicking myself for not buying a pair. Also, her knitting bowls are the perfect combination of stylish and functional. I can totally see one adorning my coffee table topped off with my latest project. And, I would probably knit a lot less dog and human hair into things if I had such a nifty way to keep my ball from rolling onto the floor!! But, the reason Jennie wins our imaginary award is definitely her Home Brew silk! You know it's special when it stands out against over 100 booths containing some of the finest yarns produced around the world. I'm not sure whether Jennie produces any other yarn varieties, but really, there's no need. It's the most lustrous, luxurious lace weight silk a person could ever ask for and the colors are INCREDIBLE.

OK. That's enough for now. If you made it through all of that, CONGRATULATIONS! You win my imaginary favorite blog reader award!

Loose Ends Part II: In Stitches

2010-08-20T20:04:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, it takes me the right type of motivation for me to get my rear in gear and get things done. For example:

This dress has been sitting in my UFO pile since April. The knitting was 100% finished. I machine sewed the seams; they too, were totally finished. The only thing left to do was weave in my ends. There were bunches, and bunches of ends, but it wasn't an overly time consuming or grueling project. This unfinished object required the least amount of work of anything I've left unfinished to date. I think the reason I let it go for so long was because I was a little disappointed in the fit of the completed dress. Before I started knitting, I expected a more tailored, knee-length dress. What I got was an awkward, below-knee-length shapeless sack dress. I didn't know what to do with it. Ripping was a heart breaking option, but at the time, I didn't have the capacity to handle that undertaking.

Last night, as I prepared for my day at Stitches, I returned to the dress. And, this morning, before I left the house, I got ever last end woven in. A bit of playing around with the knitted belt I made from scrap yarn helped create a more flattering fit. And, VOILA, one less UFO.

The dress was a hit. It's insanely gratifying to "show-off" complex projects while in the company of other knitters. We just love to make a fuss over each other. And, honestly, had I not finished this dress, I probably wouldn't have had any knitwear to don....it's way too hot for sweaters here.

Stitches was awesome, and I'm exhausted. Night y'all

OVERLOAD.

2010-08-19T13:51:00.000-05:00

HOLY COW CHICAGO! Could we possibly squeeze any more fiber fun into this week? I know, personally, I've been pretty manic ~~competing~~ participating in the first ever Chicagoland Yarn Crawl.

But, truthfully, I do consider this a competitive venture.... You see, each of the 21 participating stores has generously put together a gift basket worth +$100. Each crawler gets one entry per store when they visit a location. AND, there's a grand prize valued +$500... a crawler has the potential to earn three entries into the grand prize drawing. One entry if you get to 10 stores. One entry if you get to at least one store in each of the 5 regions. One entry if you go to at least 15 stores. Sounds simple enough, right? Maybe if I had endless free time... hmmm, sigh.... I'm pulling all the stops. I WILL have three entries in that grand prize drawing.

If that isn't enough fiberful fun fervor... STITCHES MIDWEST is also this weekend! Over 100 fiber/yarn/notion vendors under one roof. It doesn't get much better.

I fully expect to be in a yarn induced coma by Sunday evening! OMG. SO MUCH FUN!

Loose Ends Part I: Never-Ending Ball of String

2010-08-17T09:37:00.000-05:00

Dulce has been surprisingly curious lately... she is typically terrified of the camera.

Last night, I got around to closing the toes on my UFO pile socks. I'd really like to have a clean slate for the beginning of September. So, yay. Socks finished. The only problem... they are way too big for my dainty little girl feet. I'm not sure what kind of crack I was smoking while I knit these, because I knit toe-up and tried them on as I worked.... I was pretty sure they were going to be perfect. And, in fact, they are the perfect size, just not for me.

I was getting ready to rip these suckers a new... you know. when Mike grabbed one and slipped his bear foot into it. I questioned his level of seriousness as he tried to convince me that he should keep them (think seagulls in Finding Nemo "Mine, mine, mine")

I pointed out the "lace" pattern... he countered with a "vent hole" rebuttal, after which he pointed out that we wouldn't be having the discussion if I were a "better knitter and/or knew how to do math". Point in case. He won. I'm pretty sure he was overcome by the luxury of having slipped into hand-knit foot cocoons for the first time. I may have added to my own burden here. But, I suppose I'd rather have him stealing my socks than my shoes.

I Hate Hat.

2010-08-16T11:08:00.000-05:00

Mike likes to constantly remind me that, unlike my knitting friends for their boyfriends, I have never knit him a hat. He loves to use the non-hat as ammunition every time I cast-on a new project (even though, I am pretty sure, most, if not all of the afore mentioned do not have sweaters to boast...). And, so, finally, I agreed to knit him a hat, if only to get him to stop whining...

I have since learned that knitting out of concession does not suit me. The first time I cast-on I knit the Hurricane Hat but was disappointed with the lack of pattern definition shining through. I ripped. I cast on a second time to knit Ryan, but quickly realized that I was setting myself up for failure and ripped that as well. I finally committed to Jarod Flood's Koolhaas and, with determination, vowed that this would be my third and final version.

I am still not thrilled. I've come to terms with knowing that it is likely the heavy, short variegation of the yarn, and not any fault of mine, to blame for the absorption of any signs of clearly defined pattern. Knowing this doesn't make me any happier.

Pattern: Jarod Flood, Koolhaas

Yarn: Mirasol Yarn: Chirpa in Onyx Quartz

Modifications: I knit down to seven stitches at the end of crown shaping, because I didn't like the small hole drawing through twelve stitches left in the FO. Also, I knit with DK weight yarn.
Overview: This is by far the most unnecessarily complex hat pattern I have ever knit. Every stitch is twisted and cabled. It required me to knit at a slower pace than I am used to, which only added to my frustration. Well done Mr. Flood, truly, seriously, this pattern is worth paying for. If I ever decide to knit it again, I will definitely use worsted weight yarn instead of DK, and I will use a more solid-colored strand.

My negative thoughts aside, Mike likes his hat. The yarn is the perfect pallet to match his snowboarding gear. The yarn is is of incredible quality; not only did it withstand excessive knitting and ripping with no signs of abuse, the fabric is lightweight and resilient. It should be welcome, toasty addition come winter. And, most importantly, it is Dulce approved.

At Last.

2010-08-13T14:00:00.000-05:00

... finished photos of my cardigan.

Pattern: Lace Cardigan in Eyelet Pattern (free download)

Yarn: Cascade Yarns Heritage Solids- Superwash Sock

Modifications: I opted for a cropped sleeve. I'm totally one of those people who is constantly shoving her sleeves up; such a waist of a perfectly good sleeve. Also, I picked up and

knit my button band instead of knitting separately and sewing it on. And, most obviously, I used a sock weight yarn instead of a lace weight to knit this sweater.

I HEART this sweater! I can tell I'm going to wear it often. It's lightweight, yet warm. It's delicate and Oh so versatile! If I were to make any improvements, I would have given myself a few more stitches on the button band so that the last button would be more able to resist upward draw, and I would probably use an even smaller needle on the sleeve ribbing to prolong the onset of stretching issues. Sorry it took me so long. I've been busy and have a lot to share before I kick off the first round of monthly projects September 1.

Mission (Im)Possible

2010-08-05T12:13:00.000-05:00

Years ago, I devised a plan. I started assembling an arsenal. One piece at a time, I gathered tools and equipment. I waited for the perfect opportunity to attack. Then, I waited some more, and some more, and, well.... you know how these things go with me.

Patterns? Check!

The plan was (is) to complete my very own one-of-a-kind DIY wardrobe. Unfortunately, I did not have the skills necessary to sew the fantasy creations conceived in my wild imagination, and I quickly learned that knitting was a ground-up process that was going to take time to develop and practice before I would be able to make any sort of object suitable for wearing in public.

Can anyone else see Joan (Mad Men) rocking 4541??

Flash forward. Present day. I have run out of excuses not to do this or at least begin trying to do this. Granted, I haven't practiced any sewing techniques since I learned them at the beginning of the summer. Experience has taught me, however, that most things are easier in application than they seem in concept, and thus, the best, confidence building, approach is to try, and to make mistakes, while figuring things out along the way. I am humble enough to go into this process with low(ish) expectations... I certainly am no Valentino, and my friends, unfortunately, do not call me Coco (probably because it's not my name).

tres chic, Spinnerin!

As you can tell from the photos, I have amassed a pretty decent starter collection of vintage patterns. There are definitely some things that I'm going to take a huge PASS on; not everything translates well between 19__ and 2010, even when one is aiming at contemporary vintage styling. But, shockingly, as I looked through my stack the other night, I was amazed at how many of the designs are effortlessly timeless!

I swoon over the men in this pattern book.... I think Mike may have to benefit from this experiment also...

The knitting books/leaflets/mags I've hoarded are ESPECIALLY incredible. I'm probably looking most forward to reading through them. The majority are LOADED with technique approaches, tutorials, tips and tricks. I can't believe I had these invaluable resources sitting on the shelf all those times I searched desperately online for Youtube videos and in Ravelry forums for fixes.

I am, without a doubt, not the first or only crafty maven wanting to break free from the chains of factory mass-produced, clone clothing. In fact, the spark the re-lit the fuel to my fire was this blog. The author solidly rocks-out a new garment every week. VERY Impressive. Being as I am hoping to assemble a mixed medium wardrobe, I'm not sure I can produce pieces as rapidly. Instead, I will be self-imposing monthly sock, sweater, sewing clubs. It should be enough to keep me busy but also allow me time to knit accessories (fall/winter are nearly here again)and to work other "fun" projects on the side. My goal is not a quantity one, but rather a quality one, and I really hope to build complete outfits rather than eclectic hodgepodge pieces. And, mostly, I want to be able and to feel confident enough to wear the things I'm working on. Since, admittedly, I'm a bit of a snob, I am prepared to spend due diligence tweaking my work in order to assure my outward persona embodies my inner individual. I will share my successes; I will share my failures, and hopefully, you will have some pointers and input for me along the way. It's about time there was some structure around here! Don't you think?

Every Girl Needs a Boye????

2010-08-04T14:32:00.000-05:00

I spent some quality time flipping through my collection of vinatge knitting magazines and pattern books the other night and found some really fun(ny) ads. I thought you might enjoy them too.

Oh. No.

There are too many things politically, and otherwise, incorrect about this for me to even know where to begin.

Nothing like honest advertising...

Pull out those capes! There's work to be done!

Homecoming

2010-08-02T23:22:00.001-05:00

I spent most of my life trying to get out of the small town where I grew up. Now that I don't live there, I absolutely LOVE getting to visit. The really wonderful thing about a small town is that it never changes. Certainly, people evolve, but for every role, there is an understudy ready to take stage and play the part at first sign of vacancy. There is comfort in the predictability of a place that has, like a wrinkle in time, remained so stable through my many phases of development.

And the people in a small town... well, they're the best. The majority of my core group has also moved away from the place we all consider home, but we had a fantastic, rare opportunity to reunite this past weekend to celebrate the achievement of our friend-in-law Jeff, who came back to the stage where most of us sprouted to direct a his first production!

We made a night of it... Let me say, there are few things in the world more satisfyingly enjoyable than salty, inappropriate girl talk over eggs at a truck stop at 5am on a Sunday morning....

Also, while I was home, I got to meet Jess' and Jeff's baby Apollo.

Apollo is my favorite kind of baby... the furry kind. I, of course, knit for him the way I knit for all the little ones in my life. Apollo's (daddy's) love of comics was the perfect opportunity for me to try my hand at color work for the first time. I'm mostly happy with the way this worked out, but I did pull my carries a bit too tightly (and I was really conscious of trying not to, ugh). So, I got a smidge bit of puckering around the edges of my bat symbol.... overall, a confidence boosting experience and I feel ready to try some more complicated charting, multi-strand pieces.

Transgression

2010-07-29T12:26:00.010-05:00

I have good news, and I have bad news. But, in actuality, the bad news isn't all that bad... maybe this is just more rationalizing bad behavior, thus perpetuating the cycle in which I have so easily allowed myself to spin....decide for yourself.

The good news: I have my cardigan cast-off and laying out to dry! A few buttons, and this little knitty ditty
is DONE! BooRah!

(Less craptastic, better lit photos to follow...)

The unfortunate bad news, I couldn't bring myself to tell you until I cast-off that blasted cardigan, is that I was unable to uphold my self-imposed commitment to knitting monogamy.

A week to the day ago, I received word from my friend that she and her husband are expecting their first child (GULP). They're the first of my friends to wander down this road. I was reminding myself to breath and was coping appropriately until, I got a second phone call, less than 12hours later, from a second friend who shared similar news (GULP, GULP)... I literally felt my ovaries shrivel and retreat. I should have been mentally prepared to expect this type of emotional anguish. We are all in our ~~early~~ ~~mid~~ late twenties now, and this was bound to happen. (I have since stopped answering my phone calls for fear there are more. I was unaware that pregnancy was such a contagious condition, but apparently, it's spreading like wild fire in the small town where I grew up. (attempts at comfort and phone counsel from my mother led to the discovery that another two girls from my graduating class, still living in that area, are also "infected")).

This is the part where I cheated on my cardigan... I really, didn't know what to do, think, feel about all of this baby bullshit. It was one of those moments in life where I and everyone I know is standing at a fork in the road, and splitting off. And, really, who knows when/if/how that road will intersect again. I embarked on a bittersweet retrospection of all the choices I've made in my life that have lead me to the path I'm currently following. I breathed a huge sigh of relief at the realization that I am exactly where I want and need to be. And, then I started to stress knit "welcome to the world" gifts for my new pals.

He's a handsome little fellow, isn't he?

A teddy seemed an appropriate gesture during this time when I myself, need something squeeze and hold onto until everything feels Ok again. One down, one (hopefully only one) more to go.

The Art of Making Mistakes

2010-07-28T15:06:00.000-05:00

Monday evening, during our final weekly summer session under Jay Priztker Pavillion, the topic of mistake making was nearly as hot as the weather! I know several knitters who will rip weeks of work to correct an erroneous oversight, refusing to settle for less than perfection. And, I admire the determination of said individuals.

Personally, I only have the mental/emotional capability to re-work blunders that would be obvious to a non-knitter eye. I like to let the small things go (read- "too lazy to be bothered"). This is not to say that a lot of little mistakes don't/can't add up to a huge problem and should be overlooked. I do my best. I fix what I can. I am human. I make mistakes. I accept and am at peace with this concept.

My knitting buddy K had a slightly different spin. A spin, I assured her I was adopting into my own vault of rationalization tactics. K heard that Native American weavers DELIBERATELY incorporated flaws into their work as a way to avoid offending their gods! I am not a pious woman, but I love this idea SO thoroughly, I checked into it a bit further. It is (more than) possible this idea sprang from myth or folkloric legend, but apparently, Native Americans aren't the only masterful artist who allegedly made purposeful mistakes in their work to prove their humility and humbleness.

Further examination into the story K relayed led me to many story variations along the same lines: potters intentionally adding nicks to their pieces, quilters turning squares out of pattern, painters placing rouge dots and lines at random into their paintings, etc...all for the sake of appeasing deities and demonstrating their humble nature. None of these stories sited any actual factorial history... yet, it seems that the idea transcends many mediums, cultures, religions and generations. The most concrete version of this concept I was able to locate, wabi-sabi, is not so hopeful... I can't allow myself to come to terms with the idea that nothing is ever finished... I get too much satisfaction from FOs, and, truthfully, why bother beginning if it's never going to be good enough to consider finished. Not so sure about that one, folks.

I should probably go knit the button band on my cardigan so I can cast-off and not fall victim to wabi-sabi mind set. I have yet to find any mistakes, and the mistakes I'm sure I'm yet to discover during blocking may not have been deliberately placed, but, hell, it will be done. I can live with that.

Guilty.

2010-07-21T11:53:00.000-05:00

SO. You might be wondering, "Michelle, where are those socks you started like... three weeks ago?!?"... The answer, I can't bear to pick them up and work on them at the moment.... or the last two weeks for that matter...

The two sock method is AMAZING, and adjusting to the toe-up vs. cuff down was really, very simple. I found an anklet pattern on ravelry and was off to a fantastic start! But, my initial impression that I had purchased enough yarn for a pair of anklets was WAY off. I got to the point of anklet length socks with abundant yardage to spare, so I kept knitting, and knitting, and knitting... until my socks were knee high... they will be perfect boot socks. I'm sure I will wear holes in them when fall/winter rolls around, but, being as I have no immediate use for them, I have no desire or will to close the toes and weave in the ends that stand between me and project completion...

Instead, I have been indulging in a new project. Enter guilty feelings. I know I shouldn't have cast on anything new since I am so close to finishing my WIP pile, but I really needed to cleanse my pallet.

I'm not sure ~~miles~~ hundreds of yards of boring lace was really a suitible choice for a pallet cleansing project, but I've promised myself I wouldn't stop until I finished, thus not hindering progress made so far on my abandoned ventures. It's only been a week, and I'm already starting to negotiate ...

Mind, I've gotten a considerable amount of knitting accomplished

over the past week, but I'm starting to get a wandering eye, and wanting to start something else... something new...EEK. I fear I'm becoming the Don Draper of WIPs; loving then leaving for something new, fresh, better? I better stop while I'm ahead. I'm not sure that's a path I'm prepared to go down. I am, however, very excited for Season 4 of Mad Men! Thank goodness Itunes enables us folks without cable to keep up with the wonderful world of Stanley Cooper as it unravels!!

Meanwhile, I will keep working on this cardigan,

I have you to keep me accountable, right? It'd be easier if lace didn't look so disgusting before it was blocked... if I could see some semblance of goodness to come, maybe I wouldn't be in such a hurry to find the next best thing. UGH.

While the cat's away...

2010-07-20T13:33:00.002-05:00

Mike worked out of town consecutively the last two weeks! I always get a bit stir crazy when I'm home alone. Mike doesn't work out of town overly often, but when he does, I find the best remedy to alleviate my madness/boredom/loneliness is engaging in some sort of "home improvement"/"SURPRISE, LOOK WHAT I DID WHILE YOU WERE GONE!" project. Poor. Mike. (Fortunately, for me, he is a patient man). SO, during Mike's most recent absence, I found myself a little endeavor to ease the ill. And, per usual, it worked like a charm!

I bought these beauts off Ebay. To my great fortune, a lady in a nearby suburb snatched these Mid-Century Modern-esque swivel/rockers at an estate sale and was immediately struck with buyer's remorse at the realization that they didn't "fit" in her home. So, for the fantastic bargain of $50, I snagged the pair! The chairs seemed to have been (poorly) recovered at some point in their lifetime, they were coated in layers of caked on dust, and they smelled eerily similar to my dad's Great Aunt Maggie's (RIP) house, or at least what I remember her house smelling like when I was a kid.

I disassembled the first chair as gingerly as possible in order to use the covering as my pattern. This was MUCH easier than I anticipated! The chairs are essentially covered with three panels, so it was not hard to duplicate and required ZERO sewing. After being very careful to avoid skin penetrating encounters with rusty upholstery tacks, I introduced the chairs to my friends Dyson and Murphy, then settled the chairs into their new home (of course, they also received thorough olfactory inspection by the munchkins throughout this process). Out of fairness and consideration, I did wait for Mike's input on fabric preference. And, as reward for putting up with my insanity, Mike treated himself to an afternoon at Pitchfork where he was able to peruse flatstock and add to our ever-expanding screen print collection (to think... there was a time, not so long ago, I struggled to convince him to put ANYTHING on the walls...).

I'm pretty pleased with my first reupholstery attempt. It was definitely the perfect time consuming antidote I needed! And, I learned some approach techniques (for the next time?) I can use to improve my efforts. I feel like I probably used too much tension when stretching and securing, but I'm hoping wear/tear will remedy that over time. And, I found it was a lot less stressful to alternate secures from side to side/front to back, as opposed to getting one side fastened and realizing I didn't have enough slack to hold the other in place. My next project is obviously going to have to be the fabrication of some form of moveable/rotating wall upon which we can hang even more prints... or, perhaps a yarn cubbies/bin system, as those currently in use are at capacity...hmmm. The possibilites.

Out of Africa (INCREDIBLEY PHOTO HEAVY POST!)

2010-07-15T12:36:00.000-05:00

Hallie has returned from Africa! And, as promised, she took lots of pictures for us! Hearing about Hallie's experience was both amazing and humbling. Being so far removed and naive, I was shocked to hear her account of the time she spent travelling and working.

A large portion of the urban areas Hallie witnessed while driving from Nairobi to Tanzania were slum areas.

Market vendors sell second-hand, presumably donated, goods to the people. Hallie said that she didn't see any stores selling "new" merchandise, and she was given the impression that a lot of the donations coming from charitable aid and relief contributions ended up in the hands of merchants who sell them to earn a living.

The roads from Nairobi to Tanzania are pitted and rocky. On one four hour supply trip, Hallie's group had to stop to change four flat tires. Vehicles are equipped with inner tube tires. Popped inner tubes are repaired and used repeatedly. Nothing is taken for granted.

Those fortunate enough to attend school are required to wear uniforms. Children whose families cannot afford to purchase uniforms are not allowed to attend school.

The children were both excited and very scared to see "white" people, masungoos.

Villages have communal water sources. Lake Victoria is within very near proximity to the communities of Tanzania, however, it is owned by Egypt, and the African people are not authorized to place pumps. Consequently, water is in short supply.

Families have to travel and carry water back to their homes for cooking and bathing.

Water also has to be carried to the hospitals for instrument sterilzation.

Hospital rooms are sparingly equipped. This particulary room is the hospital's labor and delivery room.

The school where Hallie and her peers worked was in the middle of winter break when they arrived. But, Hallie managed to find some friends hanging around.

These are the desks the children use at school. When class is in session, they attend class from 8am-5pm and again from 7pm-9pm.

While the engineers assessed the site, Hallie spent time reading with this little girl and her brothers. The books the children use in school are discarded textbooks from English speaking countries. The children are only allowed to speak English while at school. Hallie said the boys, who were approximately third grade aged, sat for hours sounding out words and reading after she had finished reading to them.

After the team assessed the work site, they piled into a van and headed to town to buy supplies.

While they were in town, Hallie saw these men playing checkers with beer bottle tops...

she watched this baby riding in her father's bike basket...

and she made friends with this little girl, who's father ran the hardware store where they purchased their materials.

Hallie said she had a lot of time to take photos, because, as a female, she was STRONGLY discouraged (nearly prohibited) from doing any work. Because there is such a patriarchal influence in Tanzania, both she and the other female on her team were expected to let the "men" handle the labor portion of their project.

This, however, did not sit well. After reaching their tolerance of complacency and boredom and Hallie and the other female member of the team took it upon themselves to wire an entire room without male supervision!

The solar panel and lighting installations were a success!

After their project was completed, Hallie and the others took time to mingle with the community they had been working in, and she gave out the rest of the dolls and books she brought with her.

While they were out exploring the surrounding area, Hallie met some resourceful/crafty locals!

These boys fashioned fishing poles from some sort of thin, very flexible reeds.

These boys made toy cars from coffee cans, flip flops, boxes, and other refashioned materials.

This boy had even managed to design in a steering axil into his car so he could drive and turn his car with the stick at the front.

After Hallie's group finished their work, the professor overseeing them took them to see the project he and his wife have dedicated their life savings to.

The professor and his wife are both Africa natives who achieved success through education. Because of the opportunities they had, they purchased land and began building the first school in the region that will admit students whose families cannot provide them with uniforms.

The school will provide a home for the students attending it, as a large portion of them are expected to be orphaned children. The project is still underway.

To gather some understanding of the work and time commitment necessary for this project, note the man in the photo above, who is crushing rocks in order to make cement for bricks.

I was/am in awe of Hallie's account of her experience. I'm VERY PROUD of the effort put forth by the group that Hallie travelled with. The program that hosted their trip will continue to work improvement, for two additional years, at the same school where they completed this project. Hallie hopes to obtain a mailing address for the school her teacher is building so that we might be able to continue to contribute in some small way, as they begin their efforts.

Wisconsin or Bust.

2010-07-07T13:43:00.000-05:00

Long weekends never seem long while their happening. The week leading into a long weekend, on the other hand, is gruelingly, painstakingly lengthy and seemingly unending... the week following a long weekend... DISTRACTION CENTRAL. I may as well not bother going into work this week. It's going to take the remainder of the work week to draw my head back down into the realm of reality for periods of time long enough to complete a thought process without wandering into daydream mid-sentence.

In the spirit of prolonging flighty fancies, some weekend reflections:

We, along with a motley crew of friends, stayed here.

We enjoyed daily shenanigans on the water and nightly campfires where we're pretty sure we invented the next best thing to storm campfire dessertdom. "Even-mores": a perfectly toasted marshmallow sandwiched with a piece of graham cracker between two bakery fresh double chocolate chip cookies. Try it. You won't be disappointed. Stinging pink flesh, bruised forearms, and an extra 5lbs. Souvenirs of sunshine, beach volleyball and grilling goodness. Ah. memories.

And, I can officially cross-KNITTING ON A BOAT- off my list of things to do before I die.

In other adventures, Mike and I made a couple yarn store pit-stops to breakup the monotonous flatland driving. (Google maps is either a big stinking liar or calculating driving times travelling at light-speed when claiming The Dells are a 3 hour trip from Chicago) Our first stop was during our vacation-bound trip, just outside Milwaukee at the Yarn House.

I'm not sure how to express my disappointment. At a glance, this place seemed to have the makings of a quality LYS, but I was saddened to discover, first, The Yarn House didn't carry any locally produced yarns; second, they only seemed to carry between 1-2 hanks of each yarn/colorway in their inventory...what's more, or rather, less, they have an entire wall of ACRYLICS!!! Sad Panda.

I was disheartened. However, I was able to dig out two skeins of Mirasol Chirapa, destined to be Mike's new winter hat, before stretching my legs, hopping back in the driver's seat and voyaging onward.

In defense of The Yarn House, it seems the fiber community is struggling in the outlaying towns we drove through. I attempted to drop in at Yarn Cafe in Baraboo, WI only to discover it had been closed and turned into a an antique shop within the last year. And, a phone call to No Barn Yarns in Reedsburg, WI led me to a disconnected dead end.

On a high note, we were able to stop at Sow's Ear in Verona, WI on our return trip.

During a happenstance encounter of the knitter-kind on the BlueLine last week, I was tipped off by a Loopy employee, that Sow's Ear was the cat's meow. What were the chances that I would be taking a road trip past within days of discovering its existence?!?!

Sow's Ear is very nearly the culmination of everything I love in this world. Yarn, knitting, coffee and food under the same roof (add literature and music to the equation and I might have chained myself to the porch and refused to leave. What more does a person need to survive?).

I somehow did not take a picture of the cafe/seating area, but I assure you, there are multiple nooks with cozy chairs and tables inviting patrons to sit down with their WIPs while they enjoy beverages and cafe sandwiches. I didn't take an official count, but there appeared to be between four and five separate knitting groups while we were there, plus, a group knitting on the porch when we walked in.

And the yarn... OH, THE YARN!

I hate to compromise any loyalties I may have formed, but all the yarn stores in Chicago combined can't compare to the inventory here. It's Heavenly. I can't wait to go back. If only it was closer...(sigh) At any rate, Kudos to the fantastic master minds behind Sow's Ear for combining such obviously suited counterparts to create a whole much greater than its separate parts.

And, now, we're home. Suit cases unpacked. Goodies Stashed. Really, it felt good to get back to our little corner of the world and cuddle up with our furry babies (who are TOTALLY whipped from their long weekend at the Pet Retreat) on the couch.

Hope your weekend was WONDERFUL!

What did one love dove say to another?

2010-06-30T15:05:00.002-05:00

I'm TWEET on you!

Without further adieu, my first sewing project! (Took long enough, didn't it!?!)

My darling assistants Dulce and Danger were a bit unsure why I was standing in the middle of the room smiling. (...uh, oh, she's lost it again...)

I'm positive they thought they were going to get to go outside when I put my shoes on.

And, they quickly grew bored watching me take pictures of my own backside... which is a very awkward thing to do, ever, don't you agree?

They were such good sports during this whole operation, I rewarded them with treats, but not before making them "hustle" for them.

They're my favorite little beggars... I actually can't believe this is their first appearance on the blog. It definitely won't be their last... If you look carefully, you can see my steadily dwindling UFO pile! I may be able to stack other bits of random crap on the top of that bookshelf someday in the very near future; my desk would definitely appreciate regaining some of its work space... In other news, we're getting ready to take off for the long, holiday weekend. "Where?" you might ask. To the magical land of cheese just north of us, Wisconsin, of course (Come on, it's not long enough of a weekend to go anywhere truly exotic)! I can't say I'm a fan of cheese curds; I am actually of the opinion that they are, in fact, cheese flavored packing peanuts; however, I hear there are some pretty righteous yarn stores in Madison, which just happens to be on the way to The Dells! Coincidence or fate? I'm going with the latter as my argument to persuade Mike of the necessity to make a pit-stop. And, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for some charming local yarns! What are you up to this (U.S.) Independence Day weekend?

Narrowing the gap

2010-06-29T13:56:00.003-05:00

I devoted a lot of weekend hours to the completion of my Asphodel scarf. It paid off. Knitting FINISHED!

Saturday, I toted my knitting along to The Cell for the Cross-town Classic, Pt.2 (for those of you non-Americans who are constantly wondering at the allures of baseball, consider whether you might be able to simultaneously knit and watch soccer so efficiently!) Even with our unfaltering support and encouragement, the Cubs couldn't pull it off... which really, doesn't usually bother me. Being a Cubs fan is a life-exercise in embracing short-comings and learning to keep moving forward; however, Sox fans, generally, are SUCH JERKS it was huge disappointment. I've never seen more people (all sox fans) removed from a baseball stadium for physically fighting than I did on Saturday...guys, seriously, it's baseball. It was nice to see the Cubs gain some redemption with a "W" on Sunday. Saturday will likely be my one "so I can say I did" and only trip to the South Side for a baseball game... I'll stick to Wrigley, shitty bathrooms and all.

Sunday I knit in good company, with good food, and good BEER at Revolution in Logan Square. It was the perfect remedy to the muggy hot weather thrown at us after Sunday's early morning temper tantrum t-storms. We've had a really wet summer so far. Seems like we're constantly expecting rain!

By the time I got home, I was ready to reciprocate some of the torture this project has inflicted on me. The pattern says to "rigorously" block. So, with the aid of a disassembled kitchen window curtain rod, I did.

(YEESH...my windows need washing....)

The pattern instructs the knitter to continue the lace repeat for approximately 55 inches, or until out of yarn. I only got about 30 inches-> a not-so-subtle, reminder-to-self that I need to go up two needle sizes to achieve accurate gauge. ALWAYS. After a good stretch, I should be able to get a single, comfortable neck wrap worth of length. All agonies, twitching eyelids, and neck cramps considered, this scarf makes me smile, and I'm happy to have this off the needles and to start working on my very longest outstanding UFO. Socks.

I took a sock class well over a year ago, since which time, my single, barely started UBER MINERATURE sock has been "Bertha'd" in the back of a cubby under a pile of yarn . I've learned a lot about myself and knitting in the meantime and know certain things to be true:

If I knit anything on a size 0, 1, or 2 needle, I will need magnifying bifocals to work on it, and it will fit a Barbie when I'm finished.
I'm WAY to scatterbrained to knit something as tedious as socks one-at-a-time, and until I have an amputee friend, should not bother using this method.
I am a hazard to myself and to others while ~~working~~ attempting to work with DPNs.

Those things considered, short-comings accepted (see above), I am taking a stab at one of the 2-sock methods! The knitting is going well. Casting on and getting started was awkward and clumsy but felt more comfortable once I finished a few rows. My biggest issues are: not remembering what type of yarn I bought, and, consequently, not knowing the yardage I have at my disposal, and, not knowing which pattern we were using during the class.

I'm positive we purchased enough yarn to make a pair of anklets; a Ravelry search yielded numerous possibilities. And, I'm slaying the beast by taking the 2-socks technique and working toe-up. Fingers crossed, I will be triumphant. I cast on last night on size 3 needles. Progress is at a much faster than anticipated pace. Retrospectively, I realize there was nothing to be intimidated by (let's talk again after I turn the heels). Any finished objects on your end? Tackling any new feats (get it, FEETS, socks. hahaha) so far this summer?

Update From Africa.

2010-06-28T15:06:00.000-05:00

I'm a very lazy, slacker of a blogger right now... so I will do what slackers do best and take the easy way out!

Hallie has been in contact from Africa! So far, we have received a few email accounts of her experience. Here are a couple blurps on the dolls and books! ENJOY!

... "I gave some books to three boys and they LOVED THEM. They are only in first grade but knew how to count in english, so I read them the elmo counting books and then they sat on the stairs for hours trying to read them. (the phonetics in swahili and english are the same so they were able to sound words out). There was a little girl with them that I gave a doll to and she LOVED it and would not leave me the rest of the time we were there. She didnt speak a word of english though, so our only communication was through the head master(prinipal) at the school. I also gave a doll to a girl at the market where we bought our steel and she smiled and then ran behind their desk and played with it the whole time." ... HAK

..." yesterday I gave out 5 dolls to girls outside of our site and before I knew it there were over 100 kids swarming me saying "give me". They are a huge success, but I have to decided to save everything till the last day in order to keep the kids away from the welding, drilling, and us while on the roof.

Today when I walked into the village for their market day a little girl screamed musungo, which means white person, and when I looked, she held up her doll and smiled! ...I am having a great time!" ...HAK

Hearing Hallie's reports have such an awesome effect on me! It was my first time doing a project like this, and it is both insanely cool, and incredibley moving to think that something I did is making somebody smile half-way around the world!

I'll be back, in better form, tomorrow with updates on the recently finished Asphodel and, FINALLY, the skirt that took me FOREVER to finish!

Hope you're more functional than I on this Monday ~~morning~~ afternoon!

Lunch-Break

2010-06-24T16:16:00.000-05:00

I really couldn't think of a better or more pleasing way to spend my lunch today than knitting in the park. Really, park accessibility on days like today is probably one of the biggest, best fringe benefits to working across the street. Yesterday, it was miserable. It stormed. We had our first ever (<-pretty sure) tornado warnings in Chicago. Mike and I were, no joke, about 1/2 block away from getting struck by lighting! It was rough. But this afternoon, you'd never know how evil the sky looked as it opened a can of whoop on our "you-know-whats"...

So, I grabbed an iced soy chai and peanut butter cookie, the ~~breakfast~~ lunch of champions, popped a squat on a cornerstone near the "bean", and began to knit... which got me thinking about knitting in public... because really, there are few days that go by when I am not. Whether in a coffee shop, in a bar, on the train, or in the park, etc... I'm constantly pulling out my needles and working outside the confines of my own living room (though, I'll admit it, I do a lot of tv knitting). And certainly, knitting has become one of the more social activities I engage in. A few days ago, World Wide Knit in Public Week ended (June 12-20). I don't want to knock anything or anyone; I have a similar beef with Valentine's Day. I mean, do you need a special day to tell somebody you love them?

(this one is a little more, "WHERE'S WALDO". Can you find Asphodel?)

On the other hand, maybe it's completely necessary to have "awareness" events. It may likely be my age (I'm a pretty ~~young looking~~ short 26year old), and every time somebody over 60 sees me knitting, usually men, they like to praise me for keeping the DYING art alive... DYING? It's not Latin...

I know I'm not alone. I see you knitting on the el, and at New Wave. We are many, just sayin.

For my next trick....

2010-06-23T14:24:00.001-05:00

With the dolls done and on their way, I'm refocusing my energy back to my Asphodel Scarf. And, I'm remembering why I left it in the first place... I know a six row lace repeat is not and should not produce this much difficulty, but I SWEAR, I'm a suddenly a magician who can make stitches disappear and reappear several rows later. For fear of being booted from the Magicians' Alliance, I will not reveal my secret... actually, if somebody could fill me in, that would be great... I can't begin to tell you how many times, to no avail, I've reworked individual rows trying to figure it out.

It really doesn't help that there isn't a chart with this pattern (I know, just break down and make one, right?)... Certainly, this is not the most complex pattern I've ever read from; it's not the most difficult project I've worked on or completed; and, it's not my first go-around with lace. SO, WTF? There are literally three completely RANDOM repeats where I thought compensating might mask my errors in a way that was suitable to live with and "keep on moving forward". Alas, I have had some hopeful success with the last 8 or so repeats, and all I can focus on are those jerk-faced, misaligned, skewed repeats preceding them. It's like they're taunting me. Like, HA! You may have won the battle, but not the war! We'll see who's laughing when I rip them back....teach you to mess with me... well, I oughta...give you a lesson you'll never forget; TAKE THAT!!!!

(Let's hope alpaca repsonds well to shit talk.)

Sneak Peak

2010-06-22T13:55:00.000-05:00

My sewing class at Vogue Fabrics wrapped on Sunday. We didn't quite move as quickly as Veronica had intended for us to move; but fortunately, we were able to work-in all the necessary finishing techniques we needed to cover in order complete our skirts at home.

I should start by saying that I knew a lot more than I gave myself credit for, and this class was a huge confidence booster. I guess all the time I spent in my grandma's sewing room as a kid paid off! However, there were definitely enough tricks and side notes during the course of this class to make it WELL worth my while! After picking our basic skirt patterns, we learned how to use a French curve to accommodate our own body types (clothing can fit your hip and your waist areas at the same time!). I'm still giddy over how simple it was to modify a standard pattern to our own unique measurements. We learned slip stitching, catch stitch, under stitching, transferring markings, darts, zippers, facings and waist bands and gads more. Most importantly, I learned that I need to invest in a better iron... Heck of a lot for an intro course!

I've gotten my handwork finished, but still need to press my hem and attach my hook and eye before the "big reveal". Here's a little peak.

I am going to take a few months to practice everything I learned in this course! I already have some LOVELY fabric to start my second skirt, and I imagine I will have a fleet before the summer is over, but that might be a little more ambitious than I'm capable of. ! I'm going to get daring a put a lining in my second skirt !

Bon Voyage!

2010-06-21T15:52:00.001-05:00

The day has finally arrived!

I spent a large portion of my weekend adding the finishing touches to the fifteen little friends I'm sending over to Africa (special thanks to Hallie and Mike for being super stuffers!). With a little imagination, I was able to give them all their own unique hairstyles! Ha!

Initially, I planned to make closer to 25 friends to send, but I'm glad I didn't, as these gals turned out to be a bit larger than I anticipated (I didn't intentially make them all girls...boy dolls are totally cool, and I think boys should be allowed to play with dolls if they like)! I knit from the instruction for the 10inch doll, and stuffed them to the max to compensate for the torture I was about to inflict on them during packing....

The dolls are vacuumed packed and ready to make their way across the ocean! The next time you see these ladies they'll be in the arms of their new caretakers!

Hallie plans to use the dolls and the books my mom is sending as prizes for language and learning games with the kids in order to avoid favoritism....I assured her I could send more if and/or when necessary. She will be in Tanzania with a team of engineers for the next month working to install solar panels and independent energy sources to the local school building. She promises to take lots of pictures for us!

If you want to knit your own little dolls, go check out Wee Folk Art (again, many thanks for sharing)!!!!!!

Winner, Winner!

2010-06-21T13:22:00.000-05:00

Last month, I indulged in Sew, Mama, Sew's giveaway day. It was INCREDIBLE to have so many fantastic blogs listed in one place! I started following many of the blogs on my bloglist that day, and while I was at it, I entered some really cool giveaways! To my delight and surprise, I actually won! This (winning) NEVER, I repeat, NEVER happens to me!

My prize?

An amazing custom embroidered and handmade skirt from the very lovely and talented Nerines! I couldn't help wearing it as soon as it arrived! If you get the chance, check out Nerines blog and see her imaginative and beautiful work! The details on this skirt are exceptionally outstanding and it is perfectly constructed! Trust me, you want one!

Details.

2010-06-16T14:38:00.001-05:00

Recently, I attended the amazing wedding of one of my knitting friends! I can't begin to express how dazzled I was with R & M's beautifully orchestrated event. Probably most impressive was the way they managed to integrate and incorporate so much of their personalities into the details of their wedding. They fluently combined their different heritages and hobbies into every aspect... For example:

R folded each of the origami flowers in her centerpieces, some from maps that her family collected on road trips during her childhood!!! AND, note how she anchored them into balls of YARN!!!!! GENIOUS!!!!!!

Congratulations, 1000x over to R&M!!!

With my own wedding in the not so distant future, I am a sponge, soaking up any clever and/or creative ways to go about making our wedding into a very personalized and intimate experience! I'd definitely LOVE to find a way to incorporate some knitting/yarn related touch into our day, as I know so many knitter-brides before me have done. I've seen a lot of bridal shrugs, shawls, etc... but I'd love to be spin it my own direction...I'm on a mission. Any suggestions? How did you make "you" shine on your wedding day?

Do Dododo Dododo Dododododododo!!!!

2010-06-11T16:33:00.002-05:00

Only one city in the world knows how to throw a victory party like this! GO HAWKS!

People began lining the parade route before 7am! Lucky me got to watch from my office before heading to the rally!

By 11am, the parade reached Michigan/Randolph

Toews held the Cup high for the crowd to see.

The people from the begining of the parade route poured into Michigan Ave and followed the trolleys to Wacker for the rally.

Over 2 MILLION Chicago and Illinois residents filled the streets to celebrate victory! We love you Black Hawks!

I can't believe how amazing the energy downtown felt! Let's go for two! Until next year, peace. GO HAWKS!

Home, Sweet Home, Chicago.

2010-06-10T14:20:00.001-05:00

Well. Vacation is over. Already. It went really fast, except during those times when I desperately wanted to turn on my iphone to check on my dogs or read my email and blogs. I suppose I could have thrown caution to the wind and paid the $25 per 2mb of received information... Let's consider it an executed exercise in restraint!

Right before we jet-set to the Caribbean, we received our first set of engagement photos! The amazing people at Lightology generously let us into their space to use their incredible rooftop as a backdrop...

HUGE Thanks to Lightology!!!

Back to the grind.

2010-06-01T11:43:00.000-05:00

I LOVE long weekends! It's amazing how one extra day of R&R can make a difference in my overall state of mind! I did my best to take FULL advantage of my time and squeezed in A LOT, including my first outing to the beach for 2010!

We had gorgeous weather this weekend (so nice of it to cooperate)!

I brought some Misti Alpaca lace weight and tackled another of my temporarily abandoned projects, the Asphodel Lace Scarf, while I worked on my VitD intake.

This UFO isn't nearly as far along as the others I've completed since taking on my pile, and it's going to be an exercise in patience. Fortunately, I have my doll project to work on when I start to get a little cross-eyed! In fact, I worked on dolls during the second Stanley Cup finals game....what a relief to not have to look at my hands or pattern at all; I couldn't take my eyes off the tv! GO, HAWKS !!

Like I said, I squeezed a lot into this weekend! After the beach, Mike and I had our engagement photos taken, I went to see SITC2 with my sister, we met friends for brunch @ Chief O'Neill's, I went to sewing class @ Vogue Fabrics, came home to clean/do laundry so we could pack for VACATION this weekend, and managed to lay on the couch and not to change out of my pajamas Monday! I'm so glad to have a short work week leading into a week of sun&fun with the fam! I hope it goes fast!

Send me on my way.

2010-05-31T12:18:00.000-05:00

My Rusted Root! I'm very please with the way this sweater turned out. The sizing is very accurate, however, I needed to add a 13 st. decrease before ribbing my sleeves because they were too loose. I'll be stashing this away for fall! I may knit another in a smaller gauge, lighter weight yarn to wear as a spring/summer top. Any suggestions?

Summertime in the city!

2010-05-31T09:48:00.000-05:00

FINALLY! Summer showed its sunny face! And, it was just in time to kick off one of my favorite summer activities! Knitting/picnicking in Millennium Park under Jay Pritzker Pavilion on Monday nights for the summer concert series! There are so many fantastic bands (She and Him, Great Lakes Swimmers, The Books, On Fillmore ft. Nels Cline (Wilco w/o Jeff Tweedy!), and bunches more) playing FOR FREE this summer as part of this program. I highly reccomend taking advantage! It's a perfect date night, or in my case, opportunity to knit in public. Bring blankets. Bring Food. Bring Booze. Bring Yarn! ENJOY!

Nearly Finished with my Rusted Root sweater!

You may note my halo. This means one of the following 1. I am, in fact, an angel 2. It's CRAZY humid.

What let's you know summer has officially arrived?

Mike's Sweater....

2010-05-25T12:37:00.001-05:00

As promised, Mike's sweater:

This baby is HEAVY on modifications...in fact, there's merely a glimmer of the original pattern remaining in my finished version... To start, I knit the body and sleeves in the round. We opted for a slimmer silhouette over the loose fitting version. And, I decided to rip the hood, and use a ribbed shawl collar instead.(Sorry for artificial light photo, we rarely see each other during daylight hours).

Overall.... I'm pleased with the finished product. I think the cabling gets a little lost in the yarn, which is a disappointment, considering the amount of energy required to produce so many... Lesson learned. In the meantime, one down... only 6 more UFOs to go!

On another note, my flightful thoughts of attempting pattern design were validated when, just days after I finished, Bergere added this to the new patterns on Ravelry! Sweater design may be in my very immediate future!

REWARD!

2010-05-20T12:08:00.001-05:00

I finished Mike's sweater!!! And, to celebrate, I cast on Rusted Root last night with my new Addi's and Lamb's Pride! DEFINITELY not what I'm supposed to be working on... But, I feel, a very deserved detour. It's my first time knitting with any of Brown Sheep's yarns, but I can already tell it's going to become a regular go-to.

Mike's sweater needs to dry, but I promise pictures before the end of the weekend!

Fabric

2010-05-18T17:33:00.001-05:00

Today, I started the quest for fabric to use in my basic skirt pattern. After several hours of scavengering around, I can tell, I'm going to have a problem... HOLY HECK! There are THOUSANDS of amazing printed fabrics out there! I'm not sure that everything I've been scoping out is suitable for sewing apparel, and I'm probably barking up a few wrong trees, but I've already planned out several hundred dollars, worth of future purchases... which leads me to the problem... A new (to me) way to spend money. SHOOT! Shopping on the interweb for fabric could easily become dangerous! Click, Click, Ship.... At least making clothes will cut back on the amount of clothes I purchase? Right? And, create balance in my universe? Let's hope...

I did my best to purchase only the one cut of fabric I need for my class- I ended up with two. Both, will be dedicated to variations of my basic skirt.

Fabric 1: I fell in LOVE with this

cotton print, TALAVERA,
from Alexander Henry!

It was nearly IMPOSSIBLE to find a cut
of this fantastical rainbow-sherbert
fowl print, and while I was looking
I found this feathered fabric by
Michael Miller , and I couldn't pass
it up.

I have TONS to learn about fabrics... so far I've only touched the tip of the iceberg on cotton prints... but here are a few of the pieces of eye candy I've got crazy mad love for:

By: Amy Butler

By: Joel Dewberry

By: Free Spirit

By: Alexander Henry

By: Michael Miller

And These By: Moda

I warned you.... I'm going to have a serious problem on my hands if sewing sticks. On that note, do you have any suggestions or favorite fabric sites/stores?

Sew much fun!

2010-05-17T16:18:00.001-05:00

I own a sewing machine. I know how to turn it on and sew in a straight line. I can make pillow cases and curtains. I've even machine sewn the seams of hand-knit garments!... HOWEVER, I am extremely intimidated by the cabinet full of vintage sewing patterns I've collected in anticipation of producing my very own one-of-a-kind collection. SO, I'm facing the beast head-on and taking a six week beginners' sewing class! I tossed a few options around before deciding to take Vogue Fabric's course, and, after my first class yesterday, I couldn't be more pleased with my decision!! I found myself amazed by our instructor, Miss Veronica's, breakdown and walk through of different fabrics as she led us on a tactile tour of the store, took our custom measurements, discussed garment silhouettes and helped us pick out our patterns for our project. We're starting with a basic skirt pattern. There were a variety of patterns to choose from, but they all cover: waistbands, darts, zippers, button holes, interfacing and lining- PLUS, Miss Veronica introduced us to the French Curve and explained how we will be able to use it to tailor our patterns and garments for ideal fit (YOU MEAN THERE'S A WAY TO HAVE SOMETHING FIT YOUR WAIST AND HIPS AT THE SAME TIME!?!?!?). I chose an A-line skirt pattern-view E

After class, I felt like a kindergartener shopping for school supplies, but managed to find everything on my list of notions. I still have to pick out my fabric-the most important decision of all! What to choose; what to choose? I'm going to have to spend a few hours on Sew, Mama, Sew's web shop-not that I haven't already

spent enough hours of my day blog-loving Sew, Mama ,Sew's sponsored give-away page! If you haven't already, go check it out! There are hundreds of amazing blogs and hand-crafted prizes waiting to be discovered!!! And, if you have any fabric suggestions, send them my direction! DECISIONS MUST BE MADE!

In the name of progress

2010-05-13T15:52:00.000-05:00

SO. Maybe ripping and restarting Mike's sweater wasn't my best ever idea, as I am rapidly growing tired of it again; however, I am pleased with the amount of progress I'm making AND, more importantly, the amount of yarn I am saving on the re-work version! To keep things interesting and make my life a little easier, I decided to modify the pattern and knit the body of this sweater in the round until the arm shaping and then began to knit back and forth to the shoulder join- rather than knitting it in two separate flat pieces. (Notice how abnormally LONG this has to be in order to fit Mike without mid-drift!)

I've managed to save myself the hassle of seaming the sides! And, based on several fittings, see no reason not to knit this pattern in such manner, assuming I decide to punish myself with endless cabling again!

These pictures really do no justice to the cable pattern; I promise improved images in the near future. Maybe by then, I'll have some sleeves (which I've also opted to knit in the round, against instructions) and a hood to show you! For some reason, I always expect sleeves to knit up more quickly than they do. Deceiving little things!

Hope you're making progress on your projects!

I Like (LOVE) Mike

2010-05-13T11:49:00.001-05:00

Reason #176,098,071: Mike is Random.
...After work, on a day with no significance Mike looks up from his fantasy baseball stats into the adjacent living room where I am on the couch knitting...

Mike: Hey, I've been thinking about buying you a present (!!!!), but I need your help so I don't screw it up.

Me: What kind of present?

Mike: Like, a new set of knitting needles, but I don't know which you would want, so you have to...

Me: (squealing) Addi Click Interchangables !!!

SO, we took a trip down to Knit 1 and checked them out. Mike was impressed with the German craftsmanship and the fact that "WHOA, these things are spring loaded; Cool". Me, I couldn't stop smiling and stroking them... MY PRECIOUS.

And, if that wasn't enough, he got me some yummy new yarn, which I hope to use to knit this designed by Sarah Johnson! I can't wait to finish up my UFO pile so I can cast on with my new needles! Mike is the best boyfriend (fiance)!

Are there any acts of delightful random happenings spiraling in your universe?

Breaking the Cycle

2010-05-10T13:02:00.000-05:00

LOVELY weekend! I had some delightful ladies over to stash-bust yarn and nibble on nom-noms while we knit the afternoon away.

(Mom's Zucchini Bread with and w/o walnuts)

There's something wonderfully enjoyable about going through one's stash, weeding out random hanks of project excesses and realizing that you have enough __________ to knit an entire sweater! Also, it was hilarious for me to chart my own fiber evolution (I started knitting approximately 1.5 years ago and have been doing it religiously since).

Stubborn and determined, I taught myself to knit from a book. With ZERO clue, I went to JoAnn Fabric, picked out a pair of aluminum size 12 straight needles and six skeins of worsted weight Lion's Brand Wool to knit a blanket; not a terrible place to start. However, I didn't know anything about fiber. There was no way I could have fathomed the depth of the new universe I was entering! As a new knitter, I was willing and eager to take handouts from the back of my grandmother's closet; knitting with Red Heart is blasphemous? What? I didn't care. I took anything from everyone, open armed... I didn't realize that these gracious gift givers were unloading their shame onto me until I was preparing my gaggle of goodies the other night. Over time, I discovered LYS (Nina, Loopy, Knit 1, Arcadia, Wooly Lamb, to name a few) in my area and began mingling and absorbing from knitters whose skills and knowledge FAR exceed what I had learned in my 50page DIY booklet. It goes without saying, I learned TONS.

Amongst my pile of swap ready yarns were 1+ hanks of malabrigo, 4hanks of Tahki Montana, ~500yds of Newton County lace weight Cashmere, a full hank of Knit Picks lace weight silk/alpaca, and some Knit Picks DK merino-Not too shabby. Until, I pulled out the Red Heart that had been pawned off on me. It was so out of place. I am by no means, a fiber snob, but I do have some standards! A decision needed to be made. Perpetuate or break the cycle? How could I, without shame, send this yarn back out into the universe? Yet, the thought of tossing totally unused yarn into the dumpster weighed on me the way the thought of pitching religious memorabilia left in the house by previous owners, etc... does (Seriously, I'm unaffiliated, so why does the notion of discarding a Virgin Mary statue creep me out so severely?)

What to do?What to do?What to do?What to do?What to do?What to do?

Cycle broken....kind of. I marched my Red Heart down to the thrift store depository. Hopefully it finds a good home, or not.

Slowly, but surely.

2010-05-04T16:38:00.000-05:00

I had a wonderful long weekend with family and friends! It's such a treat to (temporarily) retreat home where things are quiet and move slowly. While I was in town, I delivered my newly finished baby gifts to the lovely mama-to-be. I am so pleased with the way things turned out!

I added a little tie-closure to my One Skein Hooded Baby Sweater

and Sewed buttons on my Little Green Bean Sweater.

And, so that Little Miss Clare would be able to use some of her knits upon entering the world, I whipped up some cute Mary Jane Booties and this adorable little hat.

Meanwhile, I've been getting a lot of work done on Mike's sweater. I had him try in on for fit last night, and feel pleased with the drape and gauge so far. Also, I'm feeling really good about my yarn supply issue. To make my life a little easier, I've decided to knit the body in the round. It might get a little tricky when it comes time to work the arm shaping, but hopefully it won't be as tedious as all the seaming that would follow had I followed the pattern... wish me luck. I hope you're on you way to tying up your lose ends!

MaMaMa My Corona

2010-04-27T18:43:00.001-05:00

OK. CHEEZY. (Yes, I am aware that the lyric is Sharona).

For those of you keeping score:

Michelle- 1, UFO Pile-7

And the best part; Fits PERFECTLY!

Completely Ripped....

2010-04-26T14:37:00.001-05:00

I got a little carried away this weekend....ok, a lot carried away...

I finished knitting my Corona (!!!SWEET JUBILATION!!! Post to follow after blocking). And, after I'd set it out to dry, I turned to my UFO pile to choose my next conquest.

Mike has earned a sweater for the hours of neglect inflicted on him due to the hours... days.... weeks... I spend knitting and, he's a really good sport about it (keeps me out of his hair while he's playing Fallout). So, he picked out his own pattern, 15-Cabled Hooded Top, by Debbie Bliss, and he created his own yarn while we were at Yarnia (project 2 of 3 in the UFO pile from the same), and I agreed to knit it for him.

I was flying through this project until I RAN OUT OF YARN midway through the second sleeve! I would need to place a special cross country order before being able to finish... ugh! I threw the sweater in the pile and decided I might not ever want to see it again.

Flash forward 6months. I picked it out of the pile, examined it and I started ripping...

HAVE I LOST MY MIND?!?!?! Maybe. But, I think that going up two needle sizes is the answer to my problems. As difficult as it might be to tell from the photo, this sweater was a beast! At the time I ran out of yarn, I'd consumed over 1500 yards! That's almost a mile of yarn! And, though I was getting great gauge, this sweater was THICK; almost an inch; suitable for an Everest ascension; unnecessary. I'm convinced that reworking will leave me with more than enough yarn to finish, and I will be much happier with the finished project than I would have been if I started where I left off. What do you think? Have you scrapped a project on the verge of completion?

Sunday Salad Review

2010-04-26T12:25:00.000-05:00

In an effort to eat fresher, more colorful foods, Mike and I have commited ourselves to sit-down salad dinners on Sunday evenings for the duration of spring/summer (read: Mike is humoring me). Now, I'm not talking lettuce drenched in ranch dressing; I'm talking loads of fresh produce and wild (for us) flavor combinations. We're in week #4 this week, we prepared Orange and Avocado Salad from the Taste of Home website. This is a really simple salad complete with an orange vinaigrette recipe. I added some thinly sliced steak to Mike's salad; I don't eat the meat, so I left my unadulterated.

Michelle Says: Two Thumbs up! The mandarin oranges

I bought for these salads were incredibly juicy and sweet!

I squeezed them to have fresh orange juice for the salad
dressing. I will definitely make this again! It’s light,
yet satisfying and very refreshing!

Mike Says: 1 ½ thumbs up. He likes the flavor combos,
But he prefers roughage with fewer “ruffles”. He says it’s
repeat worthy.

In addition to our delish dinner, we ate birthday cake for dessert! Happy Birthday, MIKE! What are you eating? Have you tried any fun new recipes lately?

Hello, Dolly

2010-04-21T15:18:00.001-05:00

It's my extreme fortune to know people who spend time contributing to the human cause in far stretching regions of the world. And, it comes as no surprise, these fantastic individuals have provided me the opportunity to contribute in a small way by helping bring knits to the people they reach.

The insanely generous duo WeeFolkArt have graciously given their blessing, and pattern, to make the Basic Knit Dolls they designed. With a little work, a lot of love and the help of everyone involved, some deserving children will be getting dollies and a piece of the joy that comes with knitting!

Updates to follow as dolls are made and find their ways to new homes! Hopefully, some photos of smiling faces in the very near future!

Spring Cleaning

2010-04-20T12:01:00.001-05:00

I'm a little late to the gate on this, but better so than never... right?

I have a pile.... It's grown steadily over the past six months. It haunts me.

It's most definitely a fire hazard. One spark amongst all that wool would certainly prove as detrimental to this city as Ms. O'Leary's cow in 1871. (It should be noted that the cow was cleared of its involvement...wouldn't want to be accused of slander)

It's time to take action! I'm hoping that once the ball gets rolling, I'll realize that the task at hand isn't as gruesome as I'm making it out to be. Truly, most of the projects in the pile are at least 2/3 complete... it's shameful to admit that.

First UP: Corona. The yarn is a 100% wooly blend I created at Yarnia with this pattern in mind.

After ripping this back from mid-neck divide to the ribbing and reworking the body on larger needles, I had had enough of this... stockinightmare!!!

The pattern instructs using the same size needle throughout; however, doing so created an obvious "ledge" between the ribbing and body, which I knew would drive me !!CRAZY!! every time I went to wear this, so I went up two needle sizes between the ribbing and stockinette to create a smoother transition and, what I consider, a more flattering fit.

After a little push last night, I'm nearly ready to attach the second arm! Hopefully tomorrow, while I'm knitting with my favorite LSK, I'll make some serious progress and be ready to cast off before the end of next week! With the exception of the neckline cable pattern, this is mindless speed knitting. Wish me luck.

It's going to be a tough month...two... trying to cast off all these loose ends, but I know it's going to feel great to not have all my abandoned ventures hanging in the back of my mind. And, with the pile removed, I'll have regained space to stash new yarn! What's hanging over your head? Do you need a pallet cleanse as badly as I do before jumping into spring/summer knitting?

The Birds and the Bees, Flowers and the Trees....

2010-04-15T15:43:00.002-05:00

Spring is all about new life, right? Lovely hues of green transform the gray days of winter. Baby birds start peaking their beaks up from their nests. And, all of you whose cold weather under-cover-cozy-up sessions resulted in conception are getting ready to contribute to the chaos with new life of your very own!

Admittedly, I am a very selfish knitter, but knitting for babies is just TOO MUCH FUN not to do! In addition to being adorable, I have found baby knitting to be incredibley gratifying, because it knits SO FAST! It's really just what I needed to overcome the wintertime lull! After three mini sweaters, I have mustered enough courage to tackle my UFO pile!

First UP: My version of the LIttle Coffee Bean Baby Sweater, which I refer to as "Green Bean Baby Sweater"

Next: One Skein Hooded Baby Sweater in a heather gray. This is an incredibley easy and fun pattern to knit.

And, finally, Ruby, which, is such a sophisticated little sweater for a person so tiny!

As you can see, everything still needs finishing (Buttons, embelishment, blocking), but, for a three day block, I'm pretty proud.

Why? Because everybody else is...

2010-03-19T13:37:00.000-05:00

Being a sheep. Starting a knitting blog. I never claimed to be original.