One Fine Hooker

Jamaican Grey

2007-11-11T23:16:00.000-05:00

So who knew, Kool-aid had such a flavor as Jamaica Punch. And what would one expect as a color from such an auspicious name. Well Red of course. But mixed with my grey wool, its more a burgundy.

The yarn is hanging out to dry (haven't snapped a pic of that yet). I only tried it on one skein that was half on the needles half in the skein. Of course there are streaks, but who knows that may work in my favor.

Nothing like a little kool-aid to cure a little boredom

2007-11-11T15:35:00.000-05:00

I may have mentioned the tons of grey wool that I got at a bargain basement price, oh so many years ago that has been languishing in the bottom of my stash bin. Well, after I made my solemn vow to my husband that I would put this wool and most of my stash to use before purchasing new, I earnestly started what I thought was going to be my first top down sweater of my own phenominal design. Right.

Needless to say 3 months later, I hate it. I hate the sweater and I hate the yarn. So off to the frog pond it goes. But, alas, what to do with sooooooo much grey wool? An afghan? Oh no not for this lazy knitter. Hmmm...what to do, what to do. Experiment with kool-aid. Yes! Yes! why not.

Sock-a-Palooza

2007-11-06T21:37:00.000-05:00

Ok its sock time. Last time I knit socks was back in 2005. Knit my first pair toe-up since the thought of turning a heel and gussets seemed daunting. It was a great success, my husband loves and treasures them. Gives me a warm and fuzzy that he does. My second sock was knit with just as much love, but for a reason I wish had never happened. My son was hit by a car while riding to school and I knit the sock to cover his toes. Just the one. I wonder if he still has it.

But moving on. I did enjoy knitting the socks. I learned provisional cast ons, and shortrows and was looking forward to knitting more, but alas...I didn't. But I did buy tons of sock yarn.

Kiri Shawl - The End

2007-10-30T22:20:00.000-04:00

Kiri came off the needles last night. It was a nice pattern once you got into it. Easy to remember not terribly difficult to master. The yarn worked well. It looks yummy and does its name "cream caress" justice. It knit up a bit thicker than I would want for a lacey effect, but it is soft and warm and I love it. Of course, it still has to be blocked. We'll leave that for another day.

Feeling Froggie

2007-10-22T20:51:00.000-04:00

Ok, spent the weekend going through my stash. Found some things I started way back when. Like this beautiful wrap sweater Ivy on knitty. I thought I could do it. Bought my yarn, a beautiful alpaca green. Finished the back...which I now realize is not knitted to guage, and was on to one of the sides. For some reason or another, as these things always are, I put it down, lost my place, lost interest, hands hurt or whatever. But now, a year later and no offence to the sweater, I have no deisre to complete it. I must also add, that I have since realized that wrap styles dont really suit my body type. My boobs always defy the wrap to close in a flattering way. So gonna frog this one. As to what I will do with this beautiful yarn, don't quite know yet. I see some socks in the not too distant future. But for now its off to the stash bin.

Last of the Turkish Caps

2007-10-14T23:08:00.001-04:00

Cast off on the last of the Turkish caps. Here are the boys versions. Shorter than their dads. The dark grey literally just came of the needles so still a bit lumpy. Have to block it

Kiri Shawl - The beginning

2007-10-08T12:44:00.000-04:00

Going to start the kiri shawl now.

I found this Pattons lacette in the bargain bin, thought it might be interesting. We shall see.

Making some progress. Hope I dont screw this up. this yarn is a nigh impossible to frog.

It is amazing what being stuck 2 and a half hours on a bus can accomplish. Shawl coming along.

Top Down Baby Sweater

2007-10-07T23:57:00.001-04:00

I started this sweater about two years ago. Someone was pregnant...seems like that was happening alot. The kid is about 2 years old now...but I recently found it sleeveless in the bottom of one of my yarn stash bins. So I finished it and found come cute buttons -- any excuse to go to M&J Trimming in NY.

Who knows who will get this loverly little sweater...I'm sure someone will have a kid sooner or later. At least they'll get it before they can knit one of their own.

Hats On - Turkish Cap

2007-10-07T22:54:00.000-04:00

Great book by Charlene Schurch. I wanted to explore fair isle without the commitment of a sweater or falling prey to sss (second sock syndrome) so decided a hat would be the ticket. Not my first attempt at a hat. In my knitting infancy...I knit a beret for my mom. I've never seen her wear it, dont know what happened to it...and it was before digital cameras were so affordable. So I gues I have no proof that these arent my first. But they came out very nice.

Using the pattern for the Turkish cap, I've finished one for my husband, and one for my youngest son. The third hat for my oldest is currently on the sticks.

Yarn: Pattons Classic Wool Merino

Kneedles: Size 4 DPNs gave me correct guage.

After finishing my husband's, we realized that the caps were too tall(and yes...the guage remained accurate). So I shortened the kids using the height of the medium size hat with the width of the large.

Lets see if they actually wear them.

Mi Bella Paquita es rifinito

2007-10-07T22:45:00.000-04:00

I first saw Marnie McLean's Bella Paquita pattern about a year or two--could even be three--ago and thought that this was the most beautiful knitted sweater I had ever seen. I knew if I could knit that sweater, I could knit ANYTHING!

Well knitting this beautiful sweater over the past 2 months has been a journey and a half, not to mention one of my most painful knitting experiences. Painful, cause I'm lazy and there was way too much sewing and reckoning going on. Also, because I did the bottom first (see the pic) thinking that would be the easiest to knit...it was. Then I did the three top pieces as one. Again, the laziness factored in here, cause I hate sewing seams. Then, I couldn't figure how to bind off the shoulder seams and work the decreases/increases, so I started the lace.

Now the lace was a treat. My regular side came out really nice, but when I started the reverse, for some reason my gauge was off. So after doing the same number of repeats on each side, when I folded it in half the regular side was about 2 inches longer. The whole thing pissed me off and I decided to put this knitting aside and look for something else to do. I never took pics of top pieces and lace pieces while in progress. I just couldnt look at those pieces sitting there, unfinished. Mocking me.

Oh and then there were the sleeves. Those weren't too bad, I did them at the same time on a cable needle. The bind off decreases were a bit traumatic, but I muddled through. But oh my the sewing. The sewing, the endless sewing.

Finally, I bit the bullet, I managed the bind offs and the decreases. Adjusted the lace - I only did 12 rather than the 14 required for my size sweater and adjusted for the guage problem with some light blocking and lots of pulling during the SEWING to the bodice. And voilà the top was done. Only then did I realize to my horror that since I'd done the bottom first, there would be no simple pick up and knit stitches from the provisional edge. I was going to have to graft these two separate pieces together. HORROR!! I had to learn how to kitchner before I could put the dang thing together.

But I did, one loverly Sunday afternoon. Kids were at friends houses, hubby was EXTREMELY supportive and whoo hooo!!! it be done.

Well...there's still those pesky little ends that I refused to cut and weave in incase I had to frog...but its done. I'll post pics soon.

But yeah me.

Baby Sweater

2007-09-23T21:59:00.000-04:00

Filatura di Crosa - Dolce Amore 100% cotton

This is a babysweater pattern from "chick knits". The pattern called for a cashmerino yarn, but I'm a mom, and I know what a baby can do to clothes, and how much washing it will entail, so I used a soft cotton.

Just have to add the buttons and sew up the sleeves.

Confessions of Lazy Knitter

2007-09-19T23:08:00.000-04:00

If you come to this post looking for something of a sexual nature, look elsewhere. Knitting is my passion. OK...hooker may be a stretch for a knitter. Does it help that I crochet too? Hooks, needles, I likes me the yarn.

Even though it says I'm fine...neither my knitting nor crocheting is above reproach, I'm a self taught for both and still learning. I've got more unfinished work, stashes of yarn, and knitting project papers than I care to mention -- even though I will in a later post. I finally figure that if I write it down, it will come. So this blog will allow me to track and share my adventure as I get more serious about the thing that makes me happy. Follow along with me if you dare...