Neophyte Knitter

Best Laid Plans Go Awry

Well I didn't make it to Stitches West after all.  I was going to go on Friday, right after I checked in to the hotel but I was sick.  To be honest, I was hungover.  To be brutally honest, I was probably still a little inebriated on my 8am flight.  I made the mistake of going out Thursday night and getting a little too happy.  To make it worse, I hadn't packed intending to come home by midnight and do it.  So I was a hurting camper when my roommie woke my wrecked ass up at 5:45am.  I threw things in a suitcase and off we went.  So when we got to out hotel in SF at 10:30am, I decided that sleep was my highest priority and slept until late afternoon.  I felt much better after my long nap but missed my opportunity to revel in fibery goodness.

Instead I had to settle for the geeky awesomeness that was WonderCon.  I bought way too many half-priced trades (soft cover collections of multiple issues of comics), saw crazy people in costumes and listened to lots of Hollywood stars talk about their current projects including - James McAvoy, Anne Hathaway, Steve Carell, Summer Glau, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Brendan Fraser, Gillian Anderson and David Duchovony not to mention all the cooler people who write, direct and produce their projects.  Forgetting Sarah Marshall looks to be a hilarious new Apatow project and I am so crushing on Jason Segel.  It was a really great convention.

The only downer was my knitting.  I brought my totally rocking Noro Kureyon sock and I finished my anklet right before the premiere showing of Justice League: The New Frontier (which totally rocks).  My sock was perfect.  I loved the striping and colors and fit (after ripping back and redoing the heel three times).  Notice the past tense.  I lost my newly completed sock somewhere between leaving that Hall and the hotel and didn't notice until the next day.  It totally bummed me out.  Really.  And I think its spun me into a knitting funk.  Now I don't have enough of the yarn to do socks.  And I can't finish my few WIPs without supplies.  And I don't have any idea what to start next.  I haven't knitted in three days!  I had no idea how much it really calms my natural antsiness.  I noticed this on Sunday at panels, at the airport yesterday, watching TV last night, and on the bus this morning. 

I plan on going through my stash this weekend and trying to set aside the next few projects.  Hopefully that will help me get my mojo back.  And the new set of Knit Picks Options needles that came while I was away.

The Queen

I finished my Lady Eleanor!  Last week actually.  I even got it done before my Valentine's Day deadline but since blocking was a two day affair, I was wrapping it up the morning of (at 3am due to body fluke were I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep).  This meant that my FO pictures are crap.  I'm hoping the recipient will snap some of her wearing it for me.

Lady Eleanor
Pattern: Scarf Style
Yarn: Kauni Effektgarn 8/2 in ET (100% Laceweight Wool)
Needle: Size 5
Knit: December 28, 2007 - February 14, 2008
Notes:  I made few modifications to accommodate my gauge.  The rectangles were each 12-stitches and I added one repeat to make it wider.  Which I probably didn't need to do.  It ended up being 30" x 60" after blocking.  I would have loved to make it a bit longer but I had the deadline and getting more fiber would have been a pain in the arse.  The recipient is tiny so i figured the length wouldn't be too bad. 

As for the pattern itself, I think it's gorgeous.  The entrelac is a perfect choice for this striping yarn due to the long repeats.  And I spit-spliced for the first time which was amazing.  It's really like magic. So much so that I had to demonstrate it to my magician roommate.  He was impressed and a bit grossed out when I spit in my hand.  Totally worth it to only have two ends to weave in at the end.  I need to use this joining method more often.

What you might notice me not talk about is the golf club covers.  I didn't finish them.  I decided I will get them done eventually and will mail them to my retired mentor.  He doesn't know they are coming so he won't know they are late!  What I really want to buy is a pom-pom maker so I can make some really good full ones.  Last time I made one with my own rigged apparatus it turned out a bit wimpy.

Instead i picked up the Brea Purse.  It's all done except for a handle, another thing I need to get.

Luckily I think I will have the perfect place to shop to get gadgets/accessories for my current projects and much, much more this weekend!!!  I am heading to San Francisco and on Friday will head to Stitches West just for the market.  Then Saturday and Sunday I will be getting my comic geek on at WonderCon.  Throw in a drink with a friend from my high school I haven't seen since we graduated (almost 14-years!) and a brunch with a college gal pal and it promises to be a fun and very busy weekend!!  Yeah!

It's Hard to See Past Friday Night

Time is flying.  Really.  Work is kicking my butt.  So much to do and not enough time.   And now the Mayor is pushing "voluntary" furloughs as a way to save the City money.  He wants City employees to take 5-days off without pay before July 1st.  Really.  Doesn't he know I have a yarn habit to support.  Not to mention my gambling addiction.  Well not addiction but I do like my Las Vegas trips.  Like this past weekend.  I met up with my Mom and sister for some Sin City fun.  And some girlfriends who also happened to be there.  I do subscribe to the edict "What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas", especially when we went out to LAX at the Luxor on Friday.   Crazy times.  Hooters, fights, State Senators and lots of alcohol.  But fun was had by all and I didn't lose too much money.   And I always love hanging out with my Mom.

The same lack of time goes for knitting projects too.  Besides the flights to and from, Sin City wasn't conducive to knitting.  And my deadline for finishing my gifts is fast approaching (Feb.14th) and I am still knitting furiously.  Lady E is still looking gorgeous, she just seems to take forever!!!

I have some other crafty things to share that I have finished in the last few weeks.  I succeeded in sewing my first ever piece of clothing - a pair of pajama pants.   I took a class at a local Sewing Arts Center which was fabulous.  The only thing was that I had to miss the last class in early December because I headed east to visit the family.  So my almost finished pants languished for over a month.  I finally did the casing and tie and voila!  I am proud but of course they are far from perfect.  Too big.  The tie is way to long and my cuffs are different widths.  But I made it so I am happy.  Next up is another class. The next one teaches you how to make a skirt.  Or maybe I will do an intro quilting class.

Also on the sewing front, I finally put a lining in my Autumn Bag that I finished like over a year ago.  It was beautiful but to floppy to work.  So I took some plastic, covered it in some fabric and sewed it to the bottom for reinforcement.  Now I can finally use it!!

Other than that, I cast on for a sock with the new Noro sock yarn.  It was supposed to be my poker table project but I didn't play that much.  I really want to get these projects done and then finish up the one or two WIP's I have.  I want to clear my plate in anticipation of the projects I plan to start after hitting up the Stitches West market!!!  Yup.  I am going.  Well at least too the market on Friday.  The rest of the time I will be at the comic book convention, WonderCon.  It's my own personal version of nirvana - comics and yarn in the same weekend and in beautiful Northern California!!!  I can't wait! 

Friday Review - Pretty in Punk

Pretty in Punk by Alyce Benevides and Jacqueline Milles (May 2007)

Punk.  I can't say I was ever that.  I did go through the period in high school were I was a different but I went the geek route - editor of the literary magazine, choir, and all honors courses.  It worked for me.  But I know a lot of people go a different route - punk, goth, emo - they want to stand out from the crowd.  So I have been pleased to see that knitting books have recognized and been targeting these groups.  In general, I think these type of people tend to be more crafty by nature - altering clothes and making accessories to help them stand out as individuals in what sometimes seems to be a sea of sameness. 

Pretty in Punk offers 24 patterns broken down into 6 sections - head, neck, chest, arms, bum and the rest.  I have to say that the stylist for these pictures did an amazing job.  They look amazing!!!  My only quibble is that they are the only pictures showing the projects themselves and sometimes you just can't make out any of the details.  Not such a good thing for a knitting pattern book. 

The patterns are written like the authors were just having a conversation and are extremely thorough.  No abbreviations are used and finishing is explained in lots of details.  This can make for some long directions but it has the benefit of even brand new knitters being able to understand what is going on.  Patterns do have charts where needed and some schematics but they are pretty hit or miss as they don't show measurements for all sizes and are not included on all garment projects.

Now I did read up a bit on the authors company knit-head and I was blown away by the prices they are charging for the hats whose patterns are in this book.  The mohawk hat on left goes for $110-$130 depending on how many colors are involved.  And the "God Save the Queen Hat" goes for $175.  Wow!   More power to them for being able to command such prices (check out all their press) and kudos to them for offering the pattern so anyone can make their own (if they buy the book).

Still this isn't a book for me.  It's not my style and the patterns are very simplistic.  But if this is something you are into or you know someone who is, it might be worth a gander.