RIP

Let us take a moment of silence for those knits which are no longer with us....

Butterfly, you seemed like such a good idea at the time. Silky, green, with what seemed to be a forgiving fit, and in a gauge that wasn't going to take half of forever. As I knit you, it became obvious that you were a bit of a tease, eating up more yarn in a shorter period of time than it seemed like you should, creating pieces that didn't look proportional, and generally talking a good game and not delivering. Sadly, though I finished you, I am not pleased, and after you have sat for an appropriate amount of time in the back of my closet, I will reclaim your (horribly expensive) yarn for another purpose.

Ms. Marigold, I tried. I really did. I knit you twice, and still the sizing didn't work out. I think, ultimately, the fault is mine. I always want the cute, fun clothes - the kind that are meant for teenagers without boobs - and in the end my obvious cleavage, long torso, and squishy belly were not the match for your fun and sassy design. Fantastic yarn, though.

Ballet Camisole, last night I sent you to a good home. As I pulled you out of my drawer, your soft silkiness caressed my hands, seeming to say, "No, don't let me go!" But then I remembered how I hated the way you fit - how you bagged and gapped (although the shaping made is a surprisingly attractive baggy, gappy pink top) - and I handed you over to Caitlin. I hope she appreciates you more than I did.
From these failures I have learned that I must lengthen all tops by at least 2 inches, and that if it doesn't look right, it probably isn't.

Onward. Webs is having their summer sale. I caved. Yarn for the Dollar and a Half Cardigan and for the Deep V Sweater is on its way to my new apartment!

May Day

Or M'aidez! Because, dudes, it's hailing.

But the Ballet Camisole is done! This pic makes it look really pretty.

Pattern: Ballet Camisole by Alexandra Virgiel

Yarn: Knit Picks Shine Sport in Coral

Needles: US 6

Modifications: Used only the larger needles (not smaller for the ribbing) because I didn't have the correct size.

I'm not sold entirely on this pattern. It's on the verge of being too big. I washed a swatch in the hopes that it would shrink a little. It didn't. In any case, the fit is not horrible, just not perfect. So I'm washing it today instead of blocking it, and I hope everything falls into place.

Incidentally, does anyone know how to make blogger not skip a line when you press enter? Because the whole pattern notes thing all spread out is getting on my nerves.

And let me apologize in advance for the crappiness of this next pic. See comments above about hail. This is my newest project: Thermal from Knitty Winter 2006. Yes, I know that sweater weather is (mostly) over, but I don't care. I don't have much else lined up (except finishing Ms. Marigold, which is taking a really long time) and this yarn and the pattern have been in the queue since this winter. The yarn is Knit Picks Gloss in Woodland Sage. It's a fingering weight yarn and US3 needles, so it's not like it's going to be a real quick knit, but that's fine with me. I'm really enjoying the process of this sweater. With the others that I've made since starting this blog, I've felt really pressured to finish, because I needed something to keep me warm or I needed the distraction. Now, since I don't need wool to keep me warm, it's all about the process, and I couldn't be happier. It's a very stretchy fabric, so it should fit wonderfully.

In other news, I'm going to be radio silent for the next week or so. I'm headed on a family vacation to Santa Fe, and I'm so excited. I've never been to the southwest. I'm looking forward to experiencing a totally different landscape and everything that goes with it.

Windy

It would be a fantastic day if it weren't so windy - one of the first sunny days we've had in a while. I hear it's worse out East. I'm feeling hard core for those marathoners in Boston. Not only do they have to run one of the most difficult marathons (including the infamous Heartbreak Hill) but now they have to do it in some wicked wind. I managed (barely) to catch a picture of one of our daffodils, which somehow survived two weeks of snow. I love daffodils. They are my favorite flower. Anyone know what that says about me? I don't know my flower meanings. Let me tell you though, it was no easy feat to get a pic in this wind.

It's been kind of a crappy day. I saw the sun this morning and decided to go for my first outdoor run of the spring. Then I listened to the way the wind was whipping around the house, and I thought better of it. I had no desire to have the skin ripped from my body a la Jean Grey and Wolverine in X-Men 3. And the day spiralled downwards from there.

Went to Michael's to get a US5 29" circular (because I finished the body for Ms. Marigold) but they didn't have any. The didn't have any the last time I went, nor did the LYS in Kalamazoo this weekend. It's very possible that I'm not going to be finished with Ms. Marigold for a while, since apparently US5 circulars are really hard to find. (Speaking of Ms. Marigold, it fits better this time, but as predicted, it's not significantly larger than before, though I went up 2 sizes.)

The best part of today is that I got the last part of my shipment from Overstocks.com. Classic Knits by Erika Knight. Just look at the gorgeous picture of the Deep V Sweater on the front - immediately I want to knit that sweater. Well, that and the fact that Gabriella is (or was) making one now. I think I'm even going to spring for the Debbie Bliss Cathay after her rave reviews. I'm also loving the Silk Shrug and the Classic Turtleneck Sweater.

Now, I've heard there's been some problems with errata in the patterns - particularly with the camisole - so I'm going to have to be on the lookout. Plus, there aren't any schematics for the patterns, which is annoying, and it makes the patterns harder to understand. I just have to decide which size I'm going to knit and order the yarn!

Excuses

Lots and lots of excuses for why I haven't been knitting.

Recital, grad school, mom's week o' birthday, Easter, and traveling... It's been crazy around here, and it's only going to get crazier, at least until we get past the recital. 10 days, only 10 days left until I get up in front of a church full of people and prove to everyone that I haven't been wasting my life. Here's hoping that I don't embarrass myself.... at least in a musical way. Tripping on my heels is still an acceptable way to embarrass myself while not reflecting on my life.

Oh, and let's also hope that it warms up around here, so we don't have to worry about that pesky little detail of heating the church which the secretary mentioned might be a problem.

So as far as knitting goes both Ms. Marigold and the Ballet Camisole are growing, but slowly. No pictures to post because there's really nothing to see, just lots of stockinette.

I'm heading to Kalamazoo tomorrow to visit my brother, and I hear there's a yarn shop to visit. There's true brotherly love. Not only did he notice there was a yarn shop, but he told me about it, and is now obligated to take me there. Where I will immediately collapse into a pile of reverence. I haven't been in an actual yarn shop since I was living in Ithaca. I'm super excited.

Chicago Minibreak

Well, I have returned from the Windy City refreshed and relaxed, with pitifully few pictures to show you. I'm not used to taking a lot of pictures, which I always regret. It's a vicious cycle that I am working on breaking. So I will share what little I have.

This is a view from Millenium Park facing the Michigan Ave. skyline. You can see that lump of polished stainless steele slightly to the right of middle. That's the Bean, or the Cloudscape, depending on whether or not you are the residents of Chicago or the artist.

This is also Millenuim Park. This is the coolest ampitheater I have ever seen. It opens up when it's not the end of March, and they have concerts there. You can sort of see this at the top, but it looks like the music is literally blowing open the front and the steel is peeling back. Behind it is an underground theater specifically designed for chamber music. They take their music seriously in this town. So why am I not living there, again?

I went to see the Chicago Symphony and saw one of my musical idols Hilary Hahn. The whole concert was amazing, starting the the overture to the Flying Dutchman moving through the Goldmark violin concerto, and ending with Tchaikovsky's Symphony no. 6. Plus I got my CD signed Hilary.

I went to the Shedd Aquarium, which was super cool. I didn't take any pics, unfortunately. I say Pacifc White-Sided Dolphins, Belgua whales, sea otters, sea horses, penguings, live coral, and hundreds of fish. My favorite was a sea horse called a Weedy Sea Dragon. Here's a link to some pictures, but the pics don't really do this cool animal justice.

Another favorite of this trip was visiting my cousin out in Glen Ellyn, a short Metra ride away. Got to see his apartment, and we had dinner at the most amazing restaurant, Mykha. It's technically Vietnamese food (which I'd never had before, but has become my favorite) but there's some Mexican flavor thrown in. And the presentation! Here's my (slightly overexposed) dinner. Note how my salad looks like a tropical bouquet.

And it tasted just as good as it looked.

In knitting news, I have only 4 1/2 repeats plus the ending border left on mom's Trellis. Still probably not going to finish by Wednesday, but I should have it done by Saturday, which is the big family party. The Ballet Camisole is started, and Ms. Marigold, sadly, has been frogged. I finished the body only to have my fears realized. It was too small. I wondered as I saw how tight it was on my 32" needles. I have cast on again for the one that's 2 sizes up. The difference in sizes is a matter of stitches, so I don't know that it will be significantly larger. I'm making gauge, so the whole thing is a mystery to me. I'm going to have to do some modifications on the armholes and the depth of the V too, in order for it to (hopefully) fit. We'll see

Look out Chicago!

I'm leaving for Chicago at the butt crack of dawn tomorrow, and I'm so excited. A little CSO, a little shopping, a little museum-going, and a whole lot of spoiling myself. Here's a preview of my plans for the train ride:

That's mom's Trellis, Knit Picks Shine Sport for the ballet camisole, my iPod (on which I have 2 new CDs and 2 new audiobooks), and Meg Cabot's Size 14 is not Fat Either. I have been very good about this book. I bought it last week, and I've been saving it. It has not been easy. Add the fact that it's a sequel (to Size 12 is not Fat) to the fact that I love Meg Cabot and have since before the Princess Diaries was a movie, and you have one very, very good girl. Well all that goodness is about to be rewarded.

I think I'll make Meg Cabot an honorary Double G Knitster. Not only is she awesome, but our names both have 2 G's in them! Which just ups her coolness quotient.

All I have to say about the next pic is "addictive."

Ms. Marigold has been incredibly addictive for the past week. It's flying off my needles and I'm not even trying that hard! Plus I love the yarn. I love the color, I love the feel of it in my fingers, and I hope I'll love the feel of it when I wear it. I'm slightly concerned about size, but I think that once I finish up the ribbing at the neck and arms (I've elected against the ruffle. I have rather manly shoulders to begin with, so adding a ruffle on top is like icing a 2x4) and block it, it won't look so small. Once I get an idea of how the yarn will wear, I'd really like to knit something else out of it. A cardi, perhaps?

Adding greatly to the speediness of this project were two excellent movies - Proof and Casino Royale. Go rent them now.

Dilemmas

I started swatching last night for Ms. Marigold, and I discovered that I had ordered 5 balls of Knit Picks Elegance, but the pattern said I needed 7.

"What the hell?" I said to myself. "How did I do that?"

I always double check about yarn and sizes and stuff because, since I'm invariably making the fourth or fifth size, following along with the pattern can be a little bit confusing. I know I double checked the amount of yarn I needed to buy.

So, what the hell?

Well, if you take a look at kpixie, you'll notice that for the 40" size, they say 5 balls. The pattern says 7. I ordered the yarn before I had the pattern in my hot little hands, which is how I ended up two balls short. So which is right? What do I do? I have 2 options.

1. Order more yarn, hope they have the same dye lot, wait for it to arrive, and stew a little inside.

2. Play the "am I going to make it" game, and pretend like 5 balls is going to work. Then stew if it doesn't work out and feel smug if it does.

Still undecided....

Plans

Butterfly is coming along nicely, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to be short on yarn. Each of those front sections in the pic took 3 balls, leaving exactly 5 left for the bottom and all the crocheted edgings. Even shortening the two fronts by 2 1/2 inches and the bottom by 1, it's going to be close. The bottom part that you see is about 1 1/2 balls, just to give you some indication of the amount of yarn flying through my fingers.

The fit should still be ok. I "tried on" the fronts, and I probably would have shortened the bottom anyway. We'll see in a couple more days if my gamble paid off.

I got a shipment last week of yarn fromKnit Picks , and also of patterns from kpixie.

All of the patterns are by Zephyr Style. They have serious style, those girls. The yellow is for "Ms. Marigold," which is next on my list after I finish Butterfly.
Rusted Root and Glee I'm going to save for fall. Gabriella is doing Glee right now. The coral yarn is for Ballet Camisole, and the teal is for Thermal, which I'm also going to leave for the fall.