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Friday, June 26, 2009

Yay! Spinning!

So, like I have said earlier, this year is the year of learning new crafts. Crochet and spinning. I think I've got the crochet down pretty good, or at least good enough for only doing it for three months. So now it's time to focus on the spinning. My first attempt was horribly wonky.
This morning, I spent about two hours on this, my second ever attempt:

Okay, so it's still not all that great, but it's a little more consistent, and it's much lighter (light fingering?) Super excited to get it done and see what I'll make with it.
I'm not sure what the fiber content is either, can't seem to find the label.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

It finally happened, I've become the shawl lady.

I love making shawls, I love looking at shawls, I love wearing shawls. Of course, for some reason, I keep making them in heavier weights, must make some for summer ASAP. I've knocked off two in less than a week!
They're both, again, for BSGFPB. First up, is for RR#6 BSG Character

Pattern: Easy Triangle Shawl
Yarn: Lion Brand, Homespun in Antique (2 skeins)
Needle Size: 10mm
This challenge was all about strength. And strength, to me, is about using up this damn yarn. For those wondering, it is Lion Brand's Homespun. I don't even know how long I've had this yarn for, I love the colours and the feel, but it's like knitting with unspun yarn with a thread running through it. It was sooo frustrating.
The shawl is a big larger than what I normally like, and I STILL have a skein or so left over, but I'm quite amazed that such a horrid yarn could make such a lovely shawl.
Second one is crocheted (I'm getting quite good at it, if I do say so) for RR#1 History of The Colonies

Pattern: Be A Friend Shawl
Yarn: Vanna's Choice, in Dusty Blue (3.5 skeins)
Hook Size: 6mm
I am quite in love with this one. I made mine one tier shorter because, as I mentioned above, I don't like larger shawls. I know I should probably wear bigger ones because of my size, but I don't.  I love it though, it's got just the right amount of kick, swing, flair, whatever you want to call it. I used yarn left over from my February Lady Sweater, and still have some left. I always buy way too much, and I even made the FLS with long sleeves! Can't wait for it to be just cool enought to wear it.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

June is for Ladies

I finally jumped on the February Lady Sweater bandwagon, I know...really late, but I still haven't made a Clapotis. One step at a time.
Because summer is for challenges this is, once again, for BSGFPB. The briefing was for something to help cope with stress. Because it's worked in the round (hate seaming) and had a fairly simple lace pattern which I memorized after the first couple of repeats, it was perfect. I admit, though, after a while (the sleeves) it just go so damn heavy I didn't really want to work on it. But I started a new job, and because it's a work from home deal I found it really hard to stop working and start just being at home, I needed something big to distract me.

Photo is kind of blurry. I changed the garter stitch yoke to a stockinette one because I felt that it was more seamless when going into the lace. I also skipped the YO increase under the bust and just did a M1 (I believe, might have been kfb) I also lengthened the sleeves. I love the sleeves!
Pattern: Feburary Lady Sweater
Yarn: Vanna's Choice in Dusty Blue, exactly 7 skeins (I barely had enough to weave in properly)
Size: 49.5 (although, I probably should have gone down, it's a little loose, but I was afraid if I went down to the 44, it would be too small. a 46 would have been perfect)
Needles: 5mm
Time: Approx 3 days.
Also, again for BSGFPB I made a Crochet Necklace for the Cylon Hybrid briefing. Originally, I was going to do fabric + knitting (a skirt) and then I was going to do knitting + beading (perdita) but finally settled on knitting + Crocheting. The chains are crocheted, and the flower is knitting.

Pattern: Crochet Necklace (chains) and #2 Flower Scarf from Vogue's anniversary issue.(knitting)
Yarn: Bernat Satin in Bordeaux and Black
Hook size: 6.5mm
Needle Size: 4.5mm
The flower is actually two flowers layered, and it's a bit heavy for the chains. If I were to make this again, I'd go with a lighter flower, for sure.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

New Pattern Update: Princess

So a while ago I had made a post about a pair of wristlets that I made that I had intended to write a pattern for..but never really got around to it until now. And that was mostly because I was asked by a few people for it. So ahem:
Yarns used: Patons Classic Wool [white] & Blue Sky Alpaca 100% Alpaca [lilac] (or any sport and worsted weight) You only need a little over 100 yards, so it's good for stash busting. And they work up in just an afternoon!
They're worked cuff down so you start with a manageable amount of stitches. I always find that when I have to cast on a ton of stitches I eventually just get frustrated, or it seems boring right from the get-go because it takes so long. When working in the round, the more stitches there are, the more dangerous it is. No one likes a twisted join!
They have tons of volume and are super ruffly. I love them peeking out of a sleeve like so. 

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Finally, I did it right this time!

So a little while ago I had this idea in my head for an a-line entrelac top. I had drawn out a sketch, did a half assed gauge swatch and some sleep deprived math and went to town. So then I knit the entire thing, tried it on and...it fell to the floor. Yep. It was about 80 inches or so. 80 inches wide. Always swatch.
So with the Battlestar Galactica FPB game  and the FTL / Jump Drive challenge I was finally able to really jump on it. Har har. Jump.
Okay, so this time I actually did the math. Properly. I waited until there were no distractions, I did a proper gauge swatch. I even washed it! I cast on, and hoped for the best.
I managed to get most of the stockinette done in a day, it's stockinette in the round, you just keeping knitting around and around and around and around until your hands fall off. Started the entrelac bit..and it slowed down significantly. Like, it came to a crawl. I love knitting entrelac, but when you're juuuust about to finish something, and it's completely within your reach, but just sliiightly far away, it's the worst time ever. It takes forever. I start to get antsy, I want it finished right now. But, I managed to finish it in three days.



It fits better on me, the bust hits perfectly at the underbust. It's not quite as the sketch, it was more diamondy...but that's the nature of entrelac, I guess. I love the way it fits me and it's sooo comfortable. Will definitely be getting a lot of wear out of this!
The yarn is Bernat's Satin in Bordeaux (2) & black (1). Needle size is 5mm.