Planning

I've been thinking about the afghan. Or just afghans in general. I'd like to knit one for my home - something that would be warm and cozy, and that I would feel very proud of. I've been thinking about it, reading, looking at stitch patterns, searching Ravelry high and low. I took out Cover Up by Nicki Epstein from the library to see if any of those patterns were what I was looking for. I do like the Wedgewood afghan (white with blue applique) and the Diamond Lace afghan, but they aren't the kind of thing I'm really craving right now. I also like the Craftsman Afghan by Knit Picks, but, again, it's not exactly what I was thinking of. Also, I would probably do it in a cooler color scheme, blues and greens. Anyway, I do have a sort-of pattern sketched out, but it wasn't totally working for me. It seemed fragmented and didn't have all the things I wanted in it. Then I was flipping through the latest issue of Interweave Knits magazine and found the Yggdrasil Afghan. Yes!

It's essentially what I was looking for, with gorgeous cabling and braiding and a tree theme. A great archetypal tree in the center. This was the grounding, earthy motif I wanted. Perfect for a housewarming for me no matter how many times I move. Bonus: mythological reference in the title and designer's inspiration. I'm dying to start it, but I know I need to get a little more experienced reading charts first! Check out the pdf file (free download!) on the Interweave site. It's complex. But I think it would be so worth it. On Ravelry, there's a great picture of the bedspread size in the author's collection of projects, which is what I'd like to do. A blanket can never be big enough for me, and whether I use it as a bedspread or a nice big blanket for the couch, I'll be pleased with it.

The pattern calls for Lion Brand Nature's Choice Organic Cotton. I'm not sure I want to use cotton. Certainly I want to use a natural fiber, but I had been thinking of wool primarily. The option of organic cotton is attractive. I'm not sure about colors - I'm thinking of probably a cream/natural color though a sagey green might be nice. I have noted that for the largest size of this blanket, 37 skeins are called for. That's over 3,800 yards of fiber. I'm trying not to think about what a dent that will put in my small bank account. This would be an investment piece, like my black wool suit. And I could always scour Michael's and A.C. Moore with coupons every week and build up my 37 skein supply slowly. (Being careful to get the same dye lot if I can. Though with a natural or undyed shade, maybe it would be easier.) Actually I just did the math: 37 skeins multiplied by approximately $7 per skein is $259. You know, that's just a tad less than last month's heating bill. And had I had such a deliciously warm blanket, the bill may have been less. Yes, it's certainly an investment piece in many ways. A means to greater energy efficiency and an heirloom. Plus organic cotton. It's a crunchy granola hipster's dream. (Not that I am those things, just sometimes they fit....my friends always did call me a hippie.) What more could I want?

I won't answer....oh why not? Dissertation participants, a job/post-doc/fellowship for September, a city where both DB and I would be happy, and an MFA program for DB - that's not so much, is it??? I should get back to my Cafe au Lait mitts. They are moving along slowly, though I have a feeling if I work at them more they will go quickly. It's been more my slowness lately and wanting to read instead. Also, all the aforementioned afghan research.

I finished The Thirteenth Tale. Wonderful! Definitely in the vein of Daphne du Maurier and Jane Eyre for those of you who enjoy gothic ghost stories. Makes me want to read The Turn of the Screw which so happens to be sitting on our bookcase. But I started Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton, lent to me and recommended. I try to finish all books I start. Not always the most enjoyable policy, but I feel sort of obligated once I open a book to read to the end....that no matter how awful it is, especially if it came highly recommended, there must be some redeeming quality to it. I'm finding more and more this isn't so (Twilight, I'm thinking of you!) so maybe my policy will change for my own happiness. So I'm off to do something that will make me happy. Not sure if it's reading or knitting, but either will be perfectly fine for me this evening.

DIR Knitting?

I didn't immediately inquire about the hat when I picked up DB at the airport. It had started to weather, as his plane landed, and I was happy to see him. So hat inquiries waited until last night. I settled down to finish the hot water bottle cosy and at some point asked. He laughed....not in a mean way, in a kind of "I didn't want to say anything" way. Definitely too small. He said it felt like a vice, and that it was slowly creeping up his head. That kind of too small. I tried it on. Yup. Too small.

Oh, the importance of gauge! Every knitting book, help forum and most experienced knitters say: Check your gauge. Me, I assumed I didn't have to for some reason. Not that I was "too good" for gauge, but that my knitting wasn't on the level of a sweater or something really complex, so it must not matter. Right? Right???? Also, I'm not much of a book learner, when it comes with anything that can actually be hands on. I need to do things and figure things out for myself by doing them and making mistakes. That's how I learned how to knit/purl backward to correct errors in a row or round, by making mistakes and figuring it out on my own. I never ran across a project where gauge was crucial, so it never seemed important. Now that this has happened, I get it. I'm not thrilled about it, because I always just want to dive in to a project.

Now I'm faced with leaving the hat as is and hoping boyfriend's head will get smaller. (I'm a head shrinker, right?) Or, frogging it and knitting it again, with bigger needles and possible a few more stitches. Not thrilled about the last option, but I'm equally unhappy about essentially wasting gorgeous yarn. So what's Japanese for "to be frogged and re-knit"? This won't happen for a while because I am not looking forward to it and it wasn't the most interesting of projects. But it's on the list. At the bottom, for now.

Last night, I finished the hot water bottle cosy. I have to say, I have typically been more pleased with the items I've made for myself, than those I've made for others. Maybe this is related to the idea of Scroogenomics? Either way, it encourages me to keep up the selfish knitting!

The changes I made to the pattern were starting from the top down, with 10 repeats of the rib, then the eyelet rows, then starting the cable pattern backward from row 12. It wasn't quite long enough for my taste, so I continued the rib for I think 4 or 5 more rounds before using a three needle bind off to complete it, no seaming required! I love this cable pattern. Cabling has been such a rewarding knitting technique. Love love love!

Currently the HWB, cosy and all, is under my covers, warming up my bed before I climb in for a little reading before sleep. I've always had cold feet, poor circulation maybe, and I wish I had a hot water bottle years ago. I found one - in a fuzzy, pink acrylic cover, complete with pompoms - at Christmas Tree Shops a year ago. I loved that thing - perfect for keeping warm, but also for stomachaches, cramps and other aches. Recently the metal fitting came off and though I tried to fix it, it leaks. The new one is fine, but not as nicely made since it doesn't have ribs on both sides of the bottle, just one.

I've been leaving it on the couch for the cat on the days she's home alone. I think she likes it too, being a snuggly cat. (Currently she is being a bad cat. She jumped on the kitchen counter and dragged the little microwave bag for the curry we had tonight off the counter and down the hall. Obviously someone needs some attention.)

I'm not entirely sure what I will do next. I want to do a pair of mitts for a coworker who really wants a pair. I'm trying to decide between doing the pair I did for myself, doing the Cafe au Lait mitts or Fetching. Maybe I'll do the last two and save the other for a gift. I think I will probably do the Cafe au Lait mitts because it's a beautiful pattern and something different. I've really been needing variety lately, and those would work for me I think.

I've been thinking about an afghan, too, plotting one out in my head. I've got a lot of ideas, but nothing final yet. Basically I've planned something that will have four 8"x8" motif squares in the corners, and then long strips on each side of a pretty design, like a vine. Finally, the center. So I would produce it in pieces and seam. I know. My favorite. Why would I do that to myself? I think because doing a big afghan in pieces like that would be more manageable for my attention span than doing the whole thing all in one. Also, I can't figure how I could possibly do that with all the different stitches all over the place. Yeah. I feel like I'm integrating DIR into knitting for myself....considering my attention span, learning style, strengths, weaknesses, knitting skill level....not so much the relationship piece. But the development and individual differences part at least. As you can see, I am fully back into work!

Off to read. Currently on the nightstand: The Thirteenth Tale. I'm enjoying it a lot, and all the more so with toasty feet and my hot water bottle!

Strangely, vacation isn't conducive to blogging.

I kept putting it off. Though I did a lot of knitting! It may not look like a lot....but it was. That hat. I don't have a picture of it at the moment. But I finished it! DB had it just in time (really - I finished it right before we left for the airport) to wear to Chicago. Per his report, it is a bit snug. But he likes it, I think. I can't tell if he is lying. I hope he does like it and that it does fit.

He's coming home tonight, so I should have a picture of the FO soon. His flight was supposed to get in before 8. Now it's scheduled for 10. There's supposed to be weather, so I'm not happy about that....but I am looking forward to seeing him again. It's only been a few days, but it's been a few of those kinds of days. The no good, horrible kind.

To start - I got stuck in traffic for over 2 hours after I dropped DB off at the airport. I hadn't eaten, I was tired and I had a headache. I got home and glanced at my computer as I got settled in for lunch and knitting. My utility bill arrived. It was almost double of last month. Last month we started to leave the heat on 60 during the day, and 55 at night, hoping to reduce what the bill was in January. I am really hoping that something is broken or not working properly. Because really! Right now I am wearing my coral long johns, my thermal winter boots and sweats. And I'm not exactly toasty. Ridiculous. So we will see. I could also apply for energy assistance, but I'm having a lot of resistance to that idea. I called the utility company and gave them the correct meter reading for the gas (their reading was too high) and it's supposed to be adjusted, but I don't see that it will really make a huge difference. And someone is supposed to come out to look at the whole system to make sure it is working properly. So. We will see. But I am super stressed out about this. What an ending to a vacation!

Vacation was nice up until that really. We spent a few days in Vermont visiting my aunt and uncle. Not enough snow for those kinds of activities, but we did some hiking, visited Simon Pearce, the VINS Nature Center and the King Arthur Flour Baker's Store. And of course I managed to find a couple of books at the bookstore in Dartmouth (both on the bargain shelf, though). It was very relaxing. I did have an interview on the tail end of the trip, which of course, interview-like, was a bit stressful. But it went well and it's a place I'm certainly considering going next year.

Knitting-wise, since I finished the neverending hat, I started the hot water bottle cosy. I actually decided to do this pattern - a different one than I was originally planning - because the cables were so neat! The first one I looked at had cables very similar to my mitts (which I still adore and wear every day), so I wanted to try something different. I'm altering the pattern a little to accommodate my dislike for seaming. I started knitting at the top of the cosy and am working my way to the bottom, which will be closed up in the binding off process. I am pretty happy with it, and may finish tonight. I love the color. It is somewhere between both of the below photos - not bright red and not a dull purpley red - a nice deep wine red.

I really want to finish this soon. It will be immediately put to good use, keeping me warm. I love my hot water bottle, but not the fuzzy acrylic pink cover that is on it now!

I almost forgot- because of DB's cashmere hat, and probably the one I knit for roomie, I am realizing a few things about my knitting. 1) I knit very tightly, even when I try not to. It's an anxiety thing probably. 2) I need to remember this so things aren't too tight/small.

I finally sort of remembered as I began work on the hot water bottle cosy. I didn't exactly do a gauge swatch, but I checked as I started to knit and sure enough, I was way off. It was going to be about 2 inches too narrow. So I ended up casting on 72 stitches, instead of 56. Working out okay - I have a few extra ribs in there, but I think it will end up looking nice.

As I'm excited for the result, I'm off to knit until it is time to pick up boyfriend at the airport. It's gonna be a late night...and I have a 8 o'clock patient tomorrow. Ugh!

Knitting after cables

I finally started on the kasimiya no boushi for Kevin. I think I mentioned, or not, that it's a 3x3 rib pattern for 9-1/2 inches (about 24 cm). It's been feeling like forever, already. And really, I've only been working on it in this incarnation since Saturday. It's Wednesday. I knitting nearly all day Saturday, all day Sunday and all day today - snow day!

Hurray! It was just as great as I remembered from my school days. Snow days do need to happen more often. They - and snow - are nice reminders that we need to slow down a bit in our lives and that we are not always in control, and that is okay. That's definitely a reminder I need more often, from the weather or otherwise.

I have on my counter that I've done 24 rows, of 90 in the pattern, though I'm going to go more by measurement than row count anyway. Partly that is because I am certain I must have forgotten to turn the counter at various points, because I must have done more than 24 rows, working on this hat for 3 days, plus a few evenings! I must have! I have just over three inches right now.

Okay, after doing cables, with all the variety of using the cable needle every few rows and the twisting, turning, trickiness of it....a three-by-three, knit, knit, knit, purl, purl, purl is dull, dull, dull. Right now anyway. I can't imagine if I went back to a stockinette pattern after cables. *Shudder* I'm sure I will get re-accustomed to less exciting knitting patterns. I have to, right? Well. I suppose I can decide, but so many lovely patterns do have long, dull parts. I can't cable all the time....

I am enjoying working with this yarn. It is SO soft. The double stranded thing I'm doing....I'm not totally seeing the colors of the fingering coming through that much, but maybe the larger effect will be more noticeable. The knitted fabric is so soft though. Maybe that is slowing me down, too - touching the work all the time!

Anyway, after sleeping until 10 this morning, I'd better try to get to sleep soon tonight since I'll have to make an earlier start tomorrow to clear a foot of snow off my car and make it to work on time. I certainly do not trust the plowing and snow removal around here to do a good job, and I definitely do not trust the other drivers. (DB said he may make an effort to help me get out the driveway at 8:15 a.m. Ha! We will see....though it would be appreciated.)

Warm hands at last + delicious new cashmere!

I finished the Valentine Mitts! Not that I intended them to be an actual Valentine's gift to myself....but they do make a very nice one. Warm, soft and beautiful to see. And I completed them in just over a week, only 8 days...not bad for me considering this was my first cabled project :)

And a couple of days ago, my yarn from Argosy Luxury arrived. I didn't open it right away for some reason or another. I just opened the package this morning.

Working with cashmere is going to spoil me....It is (of course) a lovely, soft yarn with a nice rich color. (I'm still toying with what works best for photographing yarn and knitting....this shot is a little overexposed, but does show some of the complexities in the color that wouldn't otherwise show.)

When I opened the package, to my surprise and delight, the owner of Argosy Luxury had included some complimentary yarn, a sweet and appreciated gesture. It is Bonsai Bamboo, in a pretty soft blue (Faded Denim). I've loved what I've seen of her yarns so far, and now these two others have me pretty hooked. Also, the pricing is very reasonable and fits my budget. I'm going to take a look around to see if I can find an appropriate yarn for the Soft Kid Bubble in Boutique Knits....I'm not quite there yet in terms of skill (I think), but I've been plotting it for a while because I do think I can do it, with a little extra practice. Part of what I am learning is to trust patterns. I typically read a pattern and try to understand in my mind how it works and spatially what I will be doing. I haven't quite been able to do that with the Soft Kid Bubble yet, but I think I am getting there. One additional obstacle will be my attention span....I've been doing much better now that I've been working on shorter patterns instead of longer ones, like scarves or shawls. If I have a beautiful yarn to work with...and the motivation of completing a garment, perhaps that will help me along.

I'm off to wind the new cashmere into a ball. Fortunately dear boyfriend's attention is captured by a movie so he shouldn't mind holding the hank for me, I hope.

Valentine Mitts & Cable Love

A goodie for me - the Valentine Mitts. I'm more than halfway done. I finished the first mitt this weekend and I'm getting there on the second one. I should make it almost to the gussett tonight. (Is my knitting getting faster?) New love: cables! *squeal*

Also, I love this yarn and the color, so beautiful...I've got to figure out how to get a nice picture of it so you can really see how lovely it is.

I'm almost done with one skein at this point so I imagine with the three I purchased I'd have enough to do another pair if I so wished. (Or another fun project. Again: I love the color.) Probably my gauge is a little off because I'm a tight knitter, but it worked out alright in this case it seems. The one mitt fits well, so I think it's fine.

Kevin's new cashmere yarn should arrive soon, so I want to finish this and start on his hat. Again. I'm so happy I've got a nice long list of patterns and a great stash to keep me busy and out of the snack foods at night. Knitting is so much more fulfilling!