Between a stomach bug and bad sunburn crafting has come to a temporary halt as I lie in bed and frequently 'water' myself to prevent my very red skin from drying out. My stomach should be better within the next day or so, so I'm not too worried about that. The sunburn however...
On a good day, my skin is pale enough to rival a fresh box of printer paper. Then yesterday I unexpectedly found myself outside for 4 or 5 hours (read: completely unprepared and sunscreen-free). While I'm (thankfully) not blistering, I'm still pretty red, and while it doesn't hurt as much as it could (I'm either used to it or fried all my nerve endings long ago) my skin's still pretty sensitive. I can play with yarn a little bit, but can't, for instance, try on sleeves or anything like that. Moreover, the inside of my elbows are burned too and that actually hurts, limiting mobility for other crafts.
I'm debating calling in sick tomorrow, but I'm not the kind of sick where I could stay in bed all day. If I can't sleep but can't do anything else either, I'd be bored out of my mind. Let's see what tomorrow brings...
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Chocolate Peanut Butter Love
A few weeks ago I discovered a bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Chips at my boyfriend's house. They look just like chocolate chips except they're made with peanut butter. It was love at first bite; they're amazing! As much as I love regular peanut butter from a jar, you can only have so much before your mouth is glued shut. These babies have all the flavor of peanut butter without that inconvenience.
I was eating them by the handful when I saw a picture and recipe on the bag for chocolate peanut butter chip cookies. That's right: chocolate and peanut butter together in a portable cookie. I finally convinced my BF to make them with me this weekend and we were pretty satisfied with the results:
The only downside is that they're a bit too sweet to indulge more than a couple at a time (or maybe that's a good thing?).
It would be more than worth making them again, though, just for the batter:
Ok so it doesn't look like much in the photo, but trust me it tastes fabulous.
If you want to make the batter yourself (or, you know, the finished product too), the recipe is online: REESE'S Chewy Chocolate Cookies
I was eating them by the handful when I saw a picture and recipe on the bag for chocolate peanut butter chip cookies. That's right: chocolate and peanut butter together in a portable cookie. I finally convinced my BF to make them with me this weekend and we were pretty satisfied with the results:
The only downside is that they're a bit too sweet to indulge more than a couple at a time (or maybe that's a good thing?).
It would be more than worth making them again, though, just for the batter:
Ok so it doesn't look like much in the photo, but trust me it tastes fabulous.
If you want to make the batter yourself (or, you know, the finished product too), the recipe is online: REESE'S Chewy Chocolate Cookies
Monday, August 11, 2008
Sprite Love
No, not the drink...
http://www.spritestitch.com/ - a site for video game inspired crafts! *love*
It has everything from crocheted afghans, to needlepoint controller cases, to even pixel cookies!
Makes me want to get started on a couple ideas I've been tossing around, like a tetris scarf or SMB3-themed hats (though now I have to make pixel cookies, too... those are just too awesome to pass up)...
http://www.spritestitch.com/ - a site for video game inspired crafts! *love*
It has everything from crocheted afghans, to needlepoint controller cases, to even pixel cookies!
Makes me want to get started on a couple ideas I've been tossing around, like a tetris scarf or SMB3-themed hats (though now I have to make pixel cookies, too... those are just too awesome to pass up)...
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Cherie Amour: First major frogging
True to my intentions, I did work up a lot of Cherie Amour while at the beach (even finished the first ball of yarn!), but I'm caught up in the Harry Potter's again I'm having some doubts so once I got back, I left it in the bag, and didn't break it out again until finishing the 4th, 5th, and 6th books until a week later for an assessment and photos.
Current progress:
[Those purple squiggles are lifelines]
I'm not sure why the photo's so pixelated (it doesn't look that way elsewhere on my computer... maybe because of Blogger's automatic resizing?). A close up of the waist section:
After giving it a week's rest, I'm still not satisfied. I want the lace part longer so the ribbing doesn't end up the same length. As for the ribbing itself... well... as much as I love the cables, each rib is really wide and bulky and unflattering (and that's on size 8 needles). I'm going to try a 1x1 rib instead.
Next up: frog, de-kink the yarn, add a couple more pattern repeats to the lace, then 1x1 rib for the waist section. Then I still need to look into the rest of the sweater, too. I know I don't like the shape of the sleeves as written--I want at least straight sleeves, if not belled--and I'm concerned that 6" of positive ease around the bust is going to be huge. We shall see, we shall see.
Current progress:
[Those purple squiggles are lifelines]
I'm not sure why the photo's so pixelated (it doesn't look that way elsewhere on my computer... maybe because of Blogger's automatic resizing?). A close up of the waist section:
After giving it a week's rest, I'm still not satisfied. I want the lace part longer so the ribbing doesn't end up the same length. As for the ribbing itself... well... as much as I love the cables, each rib is really wide and bulky and unflattering (and that's on size 8 needles). I'm going to try a 1x1 rib instead.
Next up: frog, de-kink the yarn, add a couple more pattern repeats to the lace, then 1x1 rib for the waist section. Then I still need to look into the rest of the sweater, too. I know I don't like the shape of the sleeves as written--I want at least straight sleeves, if not belled--and I'm concerned that 6" of positive ease around the bust is going to be huge. We shall see, we shall see.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Meet ...swatch?
Ok, so that one doesn't really work. But you can still meet my Cherie Amour swatch:
Ain't it purty?
Photo was taken before blocking. After blocking, it was still about the same size AND I was able to get rid of most of the wavyness at the bottom (it might be a cool design feature for some, but combined with the lace it would be a bit too girly for my tastes).
In the interest of full disclosure, this was knit back and forth, not in the round. I was going to make another, bigger swatch knitting in the round and this was going to be my lets-see-just-how-much-damage-I-can-inflict-without-felting swatch. Then I was so excited that I met gauge and figured it really can't be that much different and am I really going to get more needles? No. No I'm not. Let's be honest--I want to knit the sweater, not tons of swatches until I find the right needles and everything. If anything, my knit gauge is tighter than purl, so it'll come out a bit smaller. I don't see that as a bad thing--I just barely fit the XS as it is.
So I cast on.
So far it looks awesome, fits fine (yes, I tried it on when it was 2" long), and is going by so fast I balled another skein already because I'm almost done with the first one.
Coming up: 3 days of work, followed by a few days at the beach. I might get some knitting done in the mornings before work, but those beach days... I'm not a sand & surf kinda gal: the only thing I like less than seaweed and jellyfish wrapping around my legs is sticky, wet sand covering every part of my body. So while half of my boyfriend's family is on the sand and playing in the ocean for a week, I'll stay near the house with the other landlubbers. There will be much knitting those days while I sit my pale butt down in the shade of an umbrella and over-sized tee in a backyard that overlooks the ocean. Minimal ickyness exposure; maximum needle time.
EDIT 7.27.08 11.24pm
Completely forgot: I told you that I blocked the swatch already, what I didn't tell you was that it was a wet block and it stunk! I had no idea wet sheep smelled so bad. I was worried there was something in the water (no special wool stuff for now, I just wet it in plain ol' water so it would block). Now that it's thoroughly dry it's fine, but I really wasn't expecting it to be that potent. (Actually, I don't know what I was expecting, nor what inspired me to stick my nose in it in the first place...)
Ain't it purty?
Photo was taken before blocking. After blocking, it was still about the same size AND I was able to get rid of most of the wavyness at the bottom (it might be a cool design feature for some, but combined with the lace it would be a bit too girly for my tastes).
In the interest of full disclosure, this was knit back and forth, not in the round. I was going to make another, bigger swatch knitting in the round and this was going to be my lets-see-just-how-much-damage-I-can-inflict-without-felting swatch. Then I was so excited that I met gauge and figured it really can't be that much different and am I really going to get more needles? No. No I'm not. Let's be honest--I want to knit the sweater, not tons of swatches until I find the right needles and everything. If anything, my knit gauge is tighter than purl, so it'll come out a bit smaller. I don't see that as a bad thing--I just barely fit the XS as it is.
So I cast on.
So far it looks awesome, fits fine (yes, I tried it on when it was 2" long), and is going by so fast I balled another skein already because I'm almost done with the first one.
Coming up: 3 days of work, followed by a few days at the beach. I might get some knitting done in the mornings before work, but those beach days... I'm not a sand & surf kinda gal: the only thing I like less than seaweed and jellyfish wrapping around my legs is sticky, wet sand covering every part of my body. So while half of my boyfriend's family is on the sand and playing in the ocean for a week, I'll stay near the house with the other landlubbers. There will be much knitting those days while I sit my pale butt down in the shade of an umbrella and over-sized tee in a backyard that overlooks the ocean. Minimal ickyness exposure; maximum needle time.
EDIT 7.27.08 11.24pm
Completely forgot: I told you that I blocked the swatch already, what I didn't tell you was that it was a wet block and it stunk! I had no idea wet sheep smelled so bad. I was worried there was something in the water (no special wool stuff for now, I just wet it in plain ol' water so it would block). Now that it's thoroughly dry it's fine, but I really wasn't expecting it to be that potent. (Actually, I don't know what I was expecting, nor what inspired me to stick my nose in it in the first place...)
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Meet Hank
And Hank, and Hank, and...
(I'm sorry. I'm hopelessly attracted to bad puns.)
This past weekend, I bought 7 hanks of Cascade LE for Cherie Amour. I couldn't stop touching it (Hank is pretty irresistible like that), so I balled one hank shortly after walking out of the store:
A swatch of it is already knit up and drying.
(I'm sorry. I'm hopelessly attracted to bad puns.)
This past weekend, I bought 7 hanks of Cascade LE for Cherie Amour. I couldn't stop touching it (Hank is pretty irresistible like that), so I balled one hank shortly after walking out of the store:
A swatch of it is already knit up and drying.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Goals: Fail
As good of an idea as it sounded, I'm giving up on the "goals" concept. It's just not practical for me I guess to keep up with deciding on what this month's goals should be and sticking to them instead of getting distracted by another project.
In other news, I had a wonderfully productive morning--and there's still an hour to go before I have to leave for work! Besides a bunch of cleaning (which never seems finished), I knit a bit of a scarf and photographed my newly acquired yarn. This whole late-shift thing is looking even better than I anticipated!
In other news, I had a wonderfully productive morning--and there's still an hour to go before I have to leave for work! Besides a bunch of cleaning (which never seems finished), I knit a bit of a scarf and photographed my newly acquired yarn. This whole late-shift thing is looking even better than I anticipated!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Yarn: check!
My yarn came in! And due to work I had to wait until the weekend to get it. [Side note: Starting tomorrow, my hours change so that I'll be working the late shift instead of mid shift--ideally to work less overtime. There's a small chance, if I get up early enough, that I can go yarn shopping before work during the week now. Assuming, of course, I can find my way there by myself, make my decisions quickly, and find my way to work from there (and it's not on the way at all). ...but I do have the motivation, lol.]
Work aside, I have my first "real" yarn! Cascade LE 109 (I think it's a super bulky) in a golden brown that should go well with my plethora of jewel-tone t-shirts (and blacks, and whites, and even the couple pastels I have).
It came out to a lot more than I was expecting--like, $40 more. When I checked out the Cascade price tag last time I was there, it was for the worsted 220, not the weight I bought which is more expensive. Plus the needles were a lot more than expected as well ...but they're Addi Turbos which, according to the Ravelry boards, seem to be pretty high quality so I guess they're worth it. I was a bit confused when she first told me the price, but I'm not going to guilt myself over this. Especially now that I'm working the late shift because I get a differential for that. The total amount spent at the LYS came in just under the extra bucks I'll get in my first paycheck for this shift, so it's not like I lost money yet, per se (last work reference in the post, promise).
It's way too hot and sticky to break out the camera, set up one of my make-shift backdrops, take photos, edit them, etc. I can't even stay on the comp long because that generates additional heat. So I'll post pix another time. I do finally grasp the concept of how yarn is seasonal: besides balling one hank, I haven't had much of an urge to fondle the yarn. It's just too gross out to play with heavy wool.
Actually, now that I think of it, turning off the comp sounds like an excellent idea. I'm off to grab a big glass of ice-cold water before going to sleep on top of the covers. G'night.
Work aside, I have my first "real" yarn! Cascade LE 109 (I think it's a super bulky) in a golden brown that should go well with my plethora of jewel-tone t-shirts (and blacks, and whites, and even the couple pastels I have).
It came out to a lot more than I was expecting--like, $40 more. When I checked out the Cascade price tag last time I was there, it was for the worsted 220, not the weight I bought which is more expensive. Plus the needles were a lot more than expected as well ...but they're Addi Turbos which, according to the Ravelry boards, seem to be pretty high quality so I guess they're worth it. I was a bit confused when she first told me the price, but I'm not going to guilt myself over this. Especially now that I'm working the late shift because I get a differential for that. The total amount spent at the LYS came in just under the extra bucks I'll get in my first paycheck for this shift, so it's not like I lost money yet, per se (last work reference in the post, promise).
It's way too hot and sticky to break out the camera, set up one of my make-shift backdrops, take photos, edit them, etc. I can't even stay on the comp long because that generates additional heat. So I'll post pix another time. I do finally grasp the concept of how yarn is seasonal: besides balling one hank, I haven't had much of an urge to fondle the yarn. It's just too gross out to play with heavy wool.
Actually, now that I think of it, turning off the comp sounds like an excellent idea. I'm off to grab a big glass of ice-cold water before going to sleep on top of the covers. G'night.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Real wool!
I have real wool! ...or at least I will in a few days.
I went to a LYS for my second time ever and was very satisfied with this shop. Lots of yarn and quite friendly & educated staff. Apparently brown isn't a very popular color, but she pulled out pretty much every skein of brown they had. But that wasn't enough so she pulled out books and such containing samples of yarn that could be ordered. Just like that. Crazy!
Since there wasn't enough yarn of any type for a sweater (6 skeins), I did end up ordering. Cascade... something or other (bulky? 109 or 128?) in a lighter brown than most of the others that she showed me. It was by the yellows on the card instead of the rest of the neutrals, but didn't look too much like a gross brown color. I had a goldish brown in mind anyway for Cherie Amour.
I'm still worried about getting the right sized needles since I'd like it to fit, making gauge important. When I said I needed needles too, she found the recommended ones and stashed them away for when I come back for the yarn. I have no idea if I'll need the recommended sizes, but I thought that was really sweet of her so I didn't want to say anything. I've gotten a lot better since high school, but I'm still quite shy.
Since I went in with the pattern in mind and showed it to her, she quickly jumped on Ravelry to find what others used for it. Still shy, I didn't ask what her username is, but I was able to find the group for her store! lol. I'll keep an eye on the boards and hope that anything special that goes on in the store takes place on a weekend since work is taking up more and more time during the week.
But back on topic, probably by this time next week, I'll have 6 skeins of wool ready and waiting for me to begin my first sweater! I'm still getting over the fact that it'll cost twice as much as my synthetic ones ($42 just for yarn), but the warmth factor should make it worth the splurge. Just think--an article of clothing that will actually keep me warm (if I completely ignore the fact that it's lacy, lol). That kind of logic, plus the beautiful examples I've seen on Ravelry are inducing an urge to knit socks. But that will be a contemplation for another day.
I went to a LYS for my second time ever and was very satisfied with this shop. Lots of yarn and quite friendly & educated staff. Apparently brown isn't a very popular color, but she pulled out pretty much every skein of brown they had. But that wasn't enough so she pulled out books and such containing samples of yarn that could be ordered. Just like that. Crazy!
Since there wasn't enough yarn of any type for a sweater (6 skeins), I did end up ordering. Cascade... something or other (bulky? 109 or 128?) in a lighter brown than most of the others that she showed me. It was by the yellows on the card instead of the rest of the neutrals, but didn't look too much like a gross brown color. I had a goldish brown in mind anyway for Cherie Amour.
I'm still worried about getting the right sized needles since I'd like it to fit, making gauge important. When I said I needed needles too, she found the recommended ones and stashed them away for when I come back for the yarn. I have no idea if I'll need the recommended sizes, but I thought that was really sweet of her so I didn't want to say anything. I've gotten a lot better since high school, but I'm still quite shy.
Since I went in with the pattern in mind and showed it to her, she quickly jumped on Ravelry to find what others used for it. Still shy, I didn't ask what her username is, but I was able to find the group for her store! lol. I'll keep an eye on the boards and hope that anything special that goes on in the store takes place on a weekend since work is taking up more and more time during the week.
But back on topic, probably by this time next week, I'll have 6 skeins of wool ready and waiting for me to begin my first sweater! I'm still getting over the fact that it'll cost twice as much as my synthetic ones ($42 just for yarn), but the warmth factor should make it worth the splurge. Just think--an article of clothing that will actually keep me warm (if I completely ignore the fact that it's lacy, lol). That kind of logic, plus the beautiful examples I've seen on Ravelry are inducing an urge to knit socks. But that will be a contemplation for another day.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Stockinette v. Illusion
It looks like my star illusion WUA section is not going to meet the WUA dimension requirements: 9.5" across, 4" @ 2/3 of the way through (it's supposed to be 9" x 7"). I doubt they'll mind an extra half inch and I can make up the shortness by adding a crochet border on those two sides, but it's still a bit of a disappointment that I didn't get it right the first time.
Lesson learned: all-stockinette gauge swatches should not be used as a measurement for illusion knits.
Lesson learned: all-stockinette gauge swatches should not be used as a measurement for illusion knits.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Illusion Star Chart - Completed!
I'm so excited about this illusion square that I scrambled to finish the chart before leaving for work yesterday morning. It's the first chart I've ever made and the first anything I'm doing with illusion knitting, but for some reason I'm really confident it's going to work.
After studying a couple patterns (the alien scarf in Stitch 'n Bitch and another one on dA), it just clicked--colors alternate every two rows, the second row of each color contains the RS purls, and the actually number of RS purl rows is 1/4 the number of total rows so the image has to be on a 1/4 vertical scale. That's it!
Which makes me wonder if I could write up a tutorial for it... hmm...
The only thing I am scared of is that the total number of sts and rows will be off. The results of the stockinette 7" x 9" gauge "swatch" I made to prep for this really surprised me. It was the first time since beginning to knit continental that I had entire rows of just knit or purl, not mixed. All my purl sts were loose enough that they're at risk of slipping off the metal needles; my knit sts were so tight that they took a bit of effort to slide around the metal needles. Weird. It makes sense, I guess, since purling continental is easier than the knit for me (...which itself it also a bit strange).
Whatever happens, it'll be a good experience.
After studying a couple patterns (the alien scarf in Stitch 'n Bitch and another one on dA), it just clicked--colors alternate every two rows, the second row of each color contains the RS purls, and the actually number of RS purl rows is 1/4 the number of total rows so the image has to be on a 1/4 vertical scale. That's it!
Which makes me wonder if I could write up a tutorial for it... hmm...
The only thing I am scared of is that the total number of sts and rows will be off. The results of the stockinette 7" x 9" gauge "swatch" I made to prep for this really surprised me. It was the first time since beginning to knit continental that I had entire rows of just knit or purl, not mixed. All my purl sts were loose enough that they're at risk of slipping off the metal needles; my knit sts were so tight that they took a bit of effort to slide around the metal needles. Weird. It makes sense, I guess, since purling continental is easier than the knit for me (...which itself it also a bit strange).
Whatever happens, it'll be a good experience.
Monday, June 16, 2008
June 2008 Goals
A bit of a delayed start, but this month I want to...
Knit two more WUA squares. One that's the same pattern as another I made (quick, easy, mindless knit). The other was essentially a 7" x 9" gauge swatch for the illusion square to come.
- At least get the yarn & needles I'll need for Cherie Amour. I'd love to actually cast on, but that's a bit difficult without all the materials.
- Knit up another WUA square. This time I really want to try illusion knitting, just a simple star pattern.
- And if I get the chance, get some more work done on that snowflake/starching tutorial tutorial. Maybe I'll finish it before this year's Christmas =P
Knit two more WUA squares. One that's the same pattern as another I made (quick, easy, mindless knit). The other was essentially a 7" x 9" gauge swatch for the illusion square to come.
Goal Check: May 2008
The hold up has been the photos ...so I'll just skip those for now and add them later (eventually).
I only made two of the three WUA squares intended, but got so much more done:
I only made two of the three WUA squares intended, but got so much more done:
- 2 WUA squares
- finished (wove in ends) a pair of wrist warmers I knit over a year ago (finally!)
- took photos of 3 different projects that have been waiting to be documented for quite some time (the wrist warmers + 2 entrelac scarves)
- took the photos needed for a starching tutorial (another "finally!")
- started planning more projects
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Fourth Try's a Charm
The first square for this month's project--a green square completed in seed st--I knew I wanted to make for a while. It just fit.
For the second square, I'm trying to use up some pink yarn and it's not going far. I've tried three different st patts so far. I'm choosing them out of a book (The Knitting Directory, Alison Jenkins) and they're coming out a lot more ...vertically squished than the photos in there. A purl st chevron, moss st triangles (purl triangles + knit triangles)... I think I'm just going to settle on the caterpillar st and keep going once I frog it and cast on enough sts (oops).
Blah.. knitter's block I suppose. At least all this frogging is giving me practice at the double cast on. I still don't like how you can't tell how long the tail is going to be beforehand, but it's so much more fun to cast on that way than knitting them on. ...a nice change, we'll say, to use fingers instead of needles.
Knitting continentally isn't getting any easier (thank you, learning curve). The seed st was awesome and easy; surprisingly knitting and especially purling are more difficult when not alternating st. Weird.
But my commercial break from The Incredibles is over. Back to the needles for me.
For the second square, I'm trying to use up some pink yarn and it's not going far. I've tried three different st patts so far. I'm choosing them out of a book (The Knitting Directory, Alison Jenkins) and they're coming out a lot more ...vertically squished than the photos in there. A purl st chevron, moss st triangles (purl triangles + knit triangles)... I think I'm just going to settle on the caterpillar st and keep going once I frog it and cast on enough sts (oops).
Blah.. knitter's block I suppose. At least all this frogging is giving me practice at the double cast on. I still don't like how you can't tell how long the tail is going to be beforehand, but it's so much more fun to cast on that way than knitting them on. ...a nice change, we'll say, to use fingers instead of needles.
Knitting continentally isn't getting any easier (thank you, learning curve). The seed st was awesome and easy; surprisingly knitting and especially purling are more difficult when not alternating st. Weird.
But my commercial break from The Incredibles is over. Back to the needles for me.
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