Waffling

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This past month has certainly been a busy one! I've finished mid-terms (barely) and made it home for spring break. I've been trying to find housing for next year (harder than you might think!) and a summer internship that pays (about as hard as you think) and a summer job (I'm applying to some knit and craft shops on the East side of Lake Washington) and trying to get some work ahead done for my classes. That being said... I've completed Alixandra's gauntlets (see previous post), almost finished one side of my current project (see below) and mom and I finished my knitting needle case (also see below)!

Alixandra's Spiryogyra Gauntlets - Complete
They turned out nicely, I think. Unfortunately, I got them done and gave them to her just as Walla Walla is warming up so I might have to wait until next fall to see her wear them. Pictures then.

Cabled Pillows (?) - Current Project
Right now I'm making pillows! Basically, I'm going to knit two roughly 14x14" squares (when blocked... my edges are curling) and then line them and then sew them together and then stuff them. That is my incredibly vague master plan. I don't know if pillows actually work like that. But I'm not sure about the whole pillow idea. The picture here on the left is what I've done so far. I like the pattern and I really like the yarn - it's the Suri Merino that I got on my yarn quest mentioned in THIS POST - but I'm not sure about the pillows. I'm worried they won't look very contemporary. And I don't want to do all this work for non-cool pillows.

Here's a close up of the pattern I'm making. It's called a Saxon Cable. It's pretty easy. The first set was a little confusing, but once I saw the pattern (when you're at this spot in the fabric, the cable needs to turn in, so it makes sense to move the purling to the right, etc.) it went a lot faster. I think I'm going to put on one more repeat of the pattern (17 more rows) and then see how close to being square it is. I might need to put on 5 total though.

But since I'm worried about the pillows turing out sorta lame, I'm thinking about making the squares into a little quilt. This presents several problems:
1) I have to buy way more yarn. I mean, way more. It looks like just one side of a pillow is going to take more than one skein so I'll already have to buy more just for pillows. (I have 2 skeins of green... all they had, 4 skeins of brown, and 4 skeins of white/beige).
2) This is going to be way more work. As in, possibly infinite never finished project that sucks my soul away leaving me a worthless husk of miserable knitting-ness.
3) The pillows (or quilt) are going to be living at my boyfriend Curtis's house. I haven't talked to him to see what he thinks of the pillows so far. I was going to talk to him about it when I go back to Walla Walla at the end of the week. I don't even know if he *wants* a blanket for in the living room. I don't know if he is going to be worried about the pillows not being up-to-date enough.
4) I don't know how big to make the quilt! If I do the pattern I've drawn (see image on right above) the blanket will be about 3.5'x3.5'. I guess that's okay for a little lap blanket, but I don't really like little lap blankets. I want to be able to curl up under a blanket. But I really like the design I've made. The green squares would all be the same saxon cables; the little squares inside the larger ones on the outside would be this neat leaf pattern I've found; the smaller squares on the inside would be some sort of pattern I haven't decided on yet. I could make it bigger (think closer to 4'x5') but then that messes up my design unless I make it HUGE, which I really don't want to do.
5) I don't know if a quilt is less lame than pillows. It might be just as lame but with more work.
6) I need to find the same dye lot. This is problem no matter what. Uggggh. I thought I bought enough... I'll have to call Jacci's Yarn Basket and see if she has anymore. If not, then I guess I'm on the ultimate yarn quest.

Knitting Needle Case - Complete
The knitting needle case is complete!!! Hooray! Mom did most of the sewing (well, okay all of it except for the hand sewing) and it turned out awesome. Brace yourself for picture show!

In progress:


Complete and closed up:

We're still deciding on ribbon length. They won't actually be that long.

Opening...:


Open:


With the flap up:

Without a flap, you run the risk of having your needles slip out. A very sad event indeed.

The oustide when opened:


All sorts of details and close-ups:

One of two zippered pockets. This one has a clear window in the front of the pocket so you can see what's inside!


Very cute butterfly applique! Also, please note the hot pink top-stitching.


Needle pockets! There are 15 slots for double-pointed needles (pictured) and 15 for straight needles. Again, note the hot pink top-stitching.

Thanks Mom!

Library Updates!
I've decided to do little reviews of the knitting books that I own (or are considing owning) and like at the end of each post. Usually it will be just one book, magazine, pamphlet, what have you at a time. Also, if it's available on Amazon for you to purchase, I'll put a link up.

I've added a book to my knitting library. Romantic Knits by Jennie Atkinson is really lovely. There are a bunch of really cute designs and patterns in here. Atkinson designed the beret that I made for Quinn's birthday. The design on the cover is her Butterfly Dress and I have every intention of making it eventually. There are also some lovely robes and some cute slipper socks.

The pictures are full page and full color. The book itself isn't particularly easy to carry around - it's pretty big. The instructions look easy enough to follow and there is a useful guide in the back of the book. What caught my eye in that guide was a little article on different finishing techniques you can do on the edge of your garments. I would definitely recommend this for a confident knitter.

***

I've also checked out Sock Innovation by Cookie A from the school library. I'm debating whether I should buy it or not. It has a lot of really useful information on how to make socks and (even better!) design your own. The patterns in the book are interesting, but I'm worried for someone who has never made socks (and has never had to turn a heel... or shape anything really...) that they might be too hard. It would probably be a good one to get though. I'm just not sure.

Gauntlets for Alixandra

After my yarn quest, I decided I might as well do something with the yarn rather than sit there and look at it, drooling. I've started (and almost completed... this week has been stressful. That means more knitting. ... I just realized it's only Tuesday night. Awesome.) the gauntlets for Alixandra. The pattern is called Spirogyra from Knitty.com and I'm making the short length, though they go all the half way up my forearm anyway.

Anyway, left gauntlet is done. I just need to sew in the loose ends. :-)

Pictures:

Yarn Quest

I live in Walla Walla, Washington - a little city of approximately 30,000 people with a Macy's and a Wal-Mart and that's about it. And technically, the Wal-Mart isn't even in Walla Walla, it's in College Place, the next city over. There is a Joanne's here as well, but sometimes you just need yarn other than Vanna's Choice or Red Heart.

As you all know, I finished Quinn's hat last week. I did not plan ahead very well, however, and found myself with projects mentally lined up but no yarn or patterns or anything! This is pretty much a disaster. (Considerably less frustrating, though, than finding out that all the reading ahead I did when I didn't have any knitting to work on were the wrong assignments because my professor used a different edition of the text when he made his sllyabus...) So! This means: YARN QUEST!

Within a 60-mile radius of Walla Walla, according to Google, there are 4 yarn shops. In order from closest to my house to farthest away: Oregon Trail Yarn in Milton-Freewater, Oregon (18 minute drive); Knits by Kyle in Waitsburg, Washington (30 minute drive); Jacci's Yarn Basket in Dayton, Washington (40 minute drive); and, Sheep's Clothing in Kennewick, Washington (1 hour 15 minute drive). So I went to the first three last Wednesday. (To get to Dayton, you have to drive through Waitsburg anyway.)

Milton-Freewater
I boldly set out south towards the Oregon border. My radio in my car doesn't work, so I've got my iPod on shuffle with the headphones up really really loud so I can hear the music from the passenger seat. As I'm sure you can guess, this was pretty lame and didn't last all that long. Milton-Freewater is a pretty depressed little town; it's full of closed down shops. There are some really lovely homes and a VERY purple building that houses a chocolate factory that looked intriguing.


I arrived at 1112 South Main Street and find myself completely baffled. There's a little quickie mart type thing and an auto repair shop. And it looks like this. Can you tell where the yarn shop is? (Answer: it's the door on the right.) I was pretty confused. So I called the store number that I thankfully printed out with the driving directions and was informed that the ladies probably stepped out to lunch if the lights aren't on. Supposedly they'll be back in an hour or so. Okay.

So I drive around looking for something to do. I find this completely bizarre kitsch-shop / salon (I'm not kidding). The first 3/4 of the store is full of super glittery fairy statues, fake leather purses with tassles, and wooden signs that say things like "I don't have time for ugly cowboys". I round the corner and there is a pedicure station right next to a perm setter thing and a hair dressing station. Apparently the lady who owns the shop will cut your hair, dye it, perm it and give you a manicure if there aren't too many other people in the store. It was a pretty amazing little place.

Hungry = lunch search. My choices include McDonald's, Dairy Queen, a questionable looking burger establishment, and this little house with a sign advertising soup and fresh bread. I pull into Nobody's Bizness (the soup & bread place) for lunch. The lady who runs it only has one menu item and on Wednesday it was 'Cheesey Cream o Broccoley!' soup. I figure this has to be better than McDonald's. And I'm sure if I liked broccoli soup it would have been. The bread was delicious. I mean it. It was soo tasty. And the soup would have been great if it weren't for all the broccoli in it. As it was, I ate the whole thing anyway.

Mosey back to Oregon Trail Yarn and it's still dark and locked. I call back and the lady says to just go next door to the car repair store and her husband will let me in. Skeptical, I do as she says. Her husband - very sweet - asks me what I'm looking for. Skepticism continues: "sock weight and worsted?" To my astonishment, he not only shows me where it is, he points out which is his favorite. What a guy. :-) I don't find exactly what I'm looking for - and it was hard to find stuff because the shop is under going rennovation. Most of the product was covered by plastic sheets to protect them or in the back storage unit in boxes. (I've since heard from Ravelry-ers that this shop has been like this for a while). I did find some things I wanted though... it's hard to go into a yarn shop and not find something... but before I go back there again I think I'll call first to see how construction is going. Until then, if I want any Wildfoote sock yarn (which came in lovely colors and was very soft - two hanks for $10.90) I'll go to their EBAY STORE which is well stocked.

Yarn purchased:

Wildfoote Sock Yarn by Brown Sheep Co. in "Mistletoe"

Lanaloft Sport Weight by Brown Sheep Co. in "Herbal Garden (green)" and "Mystical Pink"



Waitsburg
Determined, I head back north through Walla Walla and then make a turn to the east for Waitsburg. A much more pleasant drive than south or the first bit of the drive west (toward Kennewick), I definitely prefer going this way than the other.



Though the pictures don't really do justice, if you don't think this is pretty than you definitely don't want to do the drive to Kennewick just for yarn. It's flatter and browner.

Arrive at 525 Powell Street. It's somebody's house. There's a cat in the window. The lawn is a bit overgrown and it doesn't look like very many people visit, despite the large "Welcome" sign on the door. A bit run-down and nothing indicating a yarn shop. I'm sitting in my car watching the cat watching me. It licks its chops.

Yarn Purchsed:
None. Drove off in terror.

Dayton


After driving past it once, I arrive at 242 East Main. Jacci's Yarn Basket, after the previous two destinations, is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Inside is a fully constructed yarn shop with so many different colors and weights and brands and wools and everything. Oooooo. So I end up with the yarn I wanted in the first place (sock weight for gauntlets for Alixandra and worsted weight for the pillows for Curtis and me). And I am happy. Oh so happy.


Yarn Purchased:

Heritage Paints Sock Yarn by Cascade in pink/orange/purple/more pink


Suri Merino by Plymouth Yarns in green and white and tan.
(55% alpaca 45% merino)





And then I came home and showed Curtis all my new yarn and he was as enthusiastic as I can resonably expect him to pretend to be. (He's more genuinely enthusiastic about the projects themselves - especially the completed ones; I think he has a hard time visualizing what they'll look like completed). And then he accidentally sat on one of the skeins of yarn and I went "AAAAAAAAH!!!" Don't worry though. The yarn is okay. (Curtis survived as well). (Barely).

Birthday Beret!

HAH! Take that O ye demons of unfinished projects! Behold: a completed beret ready not only to be worn, but to be coordinated with outfits.

Overall, it went pretty well. In the middle, with the diamond pattern, it felt like I was never going to get it done. Hats are funny like that. They decrease so quickly that all of sudden it's done and you haven't purchased yarn yet for your next adventure, let alone picked out a pattern. (See next entry for yarn purchasing adventure).



I'll see if I can get Quinn to wear it in a photograph to post.

Quinn's Still Incomplete Birthday Beret

Today is Quinn's birthday (she just turned 20) and unfortunately her head is still bare. I'm 56% done (row completion, not stitch completion). I've made a ton of progress over the past week or so, but I wasn't able to get it done by today. I am about to start row 35 of 69, which sounds like I have an absolute ton left to do, but I'm past the widest part of the hat so the rows are getting shorter and shorter. Right now, my rows have 196 stitches, but next time I decrease, I decrease down to 168. Then 140. Then 126. Then 98! (70, 42, 28, and then finally 14). So it's going to start going really quickly very soon, I'm just not there yet.

On the plus side, it's starting to look hat-like. And if you sort of squish it down and spread the bottom part out it even looks like a beret sorta. I'm enthusiastic. I think it's going to work.

I told Quinn yesterday that her birthday present was still in the works and that she would get it sometime this week. She seemed a little disappointed that she wasn't getting her present on her birthday, but then I pointed out that it was like celebrating all week and she perked up.

I've been watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer while knitting. I think it improves morale. I just finished up season 1 (I decided to start over since I don't remember where I was in the show anyway). Season 2 will have to wait though. Something about wanting to graduate on time tells me that I should do my anthropology reading tonight instead of Buffy season 2.

Another Non-Knitted Project

So far, I'm not staying particularly true to my blog mission statement, but I'm so excited about this other project I just completed! I can't help myself. I am so excited. Brace yourself, this might sound dorky. I made... a schedule board!!!

I know, I know. Really cool, right?

Well, my housemates think so! Our names are Alixandra (A), Kristine (K), and Quinn (Q). The letters are wood cutouts that I painted and glued on. The fabric (which, yes, by the way, does have glitter ladybugs on it) is fabric glued onto a piece of posterboard. I made and printed the schedules using Microsoft Excel and then made pockets out of vinyl that I sewed on using a running stitch and pink embroidery floss. So every semester from now on, we can have our schedules proudly displayed. And if we change classes (say, at the end of the semester...) we just make a new schedule in Excel, print it out, and viola! Into the clear plastic pocket it goes.

And yes, that would be my schedule that has no Friday classes and nothing before 11AM. It's a beautiful thing, a well-crafted schedule.

Pictures!





In other news, I desperately need to do laundry.

Quinn's Surprise Birthday Hat - Incomplete

Quinn's birthday is in 14 days (today inclusive) and I'm about to start row 16 of her 69-row birthday surprise beret. I need to make significant progress today, especially since classes start tomorrow! As I mentioned before, I'm a little nervous about whether this will fit or not. Since it's a surprise it's not like I can just have her try it on half-way. I'm going to ask my other housemate to try it on though... her head is closer to the size of Quinn's that mine is.

I'm knitting the Virginia beret from The Knitter, issue 10. You can see what it is supposed to look like on the cover of the magazine (pictured on the right). I left the magazine sitting out at my house and Quinn saw it and just loved it. And since I decided I wanted to try and make a fancy beret as fast as I possibly could and, ideally, still have it look good, I decided that this would be a great present. So, hopefully she'll still like it in two weeks.

The yarn I'm using is Heritage sock yarn (100 grams / 437 yards) in red (color 5607). I'm using size 2 and 3 double-pointed needles; this is by far the smallest needle I've worked with and it definitely took some getting used to. Fortunately, the pattern isn't too challenging, just time consuming.

And now I'm looking at other people's Virgina berets on Ravelry.com and they all look really good. I know it's hard to tell when it's still on the needles (especially when I'm not even through the fancy diamond part) but I'm really nervous. I hope mine comes out looking as nice as everybody else's.