10 posts tagged “knitting”

Last week was crazy - CRAZY I tell you!

I spent a great portion of the past weekends and last week studying for my standardized exam - which I took on March 8th, this past Saturday. All I could really keep my mind on all last week was getting through it. Then Saturday after the test I totally crashed. I spent most of yesterday just doing lazy type things, and picking up a copy of Smash Bros. Brawl to have more Wii fun.

Of course the craziness meant I totally forgot to post! I definitely want to keep going with these posts so I'll just play catch up today.

WIP Stuff
Lets see - Monday of last week (March 3rd) I started socks! I'm using the wonderful TSock 101 Kit, purchased from the marvelous Tsarina and Jen. The kit is awesome. A long time ago I received wonderful instructions on sock knitting from a swap. But they just didn't get through my thick noggin'. I kind of gave up on socks after that. Well now a few years later, and thanks to Ravelry, I connected with amazing sock knitters and got the kit which is making total sense to me.

I started a lovely toe up sock and adore it already. I had some concerns about fit, at first, but now about an inch or two into it I think it's probably fine. And hey - if it's not - I can fix it to fit my foot! Having socks that fit my tiny-ish feet will be awesome. Typical store socks are usually too big. And now I feel like a whole world more of knitting has opened up to me. There are some amazing sock patterns out there that I can't wait to give a try!

I really do need to keep plugging away at my half finished projects though too. Having something fresh to work on for March is a nice change. I'm hoping to finish my first pair of socks by the end of the month latest. Then April I will totally focus on finishing all the second arm warmers/mitts I need to make, and plug away at my scarf projects as well. But for now - socks!

Study Sunday Stuff
Most of my Sundays have been wrapped up studying for my exam. I gave myself the day off from work yesterday because I really needed to keep destressing. This upcoming Sunday I will be at my parents for the week of Spring Break. I'm excited to get home to see my family and the animals! Of course this probably means I won't be doing school work. Especially since I'll be driving home Saturday and that usually takes a lot out of me, being an 11 hour (sometimes longer) drive. Hopefully I will get extra work done during the week though. My parents will be working all week so I'll have time to do some chores around the house to prepare for moving back there in May, and hopefully get some preparation for finals done. 3 of my 4 exams are take home exams, I get to either write a paper or write the exam answers at home. Which means I can use any books and notes I want, and in turn that means I really don't need to get my materials together the same way I would for an exam without them. So the plan right now is to make sure my 1 "in class" (no notes, taking it at the school with a time limit, etc) exam I start getting ready for. I'll need to be able to study very efficiently for it. I try to take class notes that are easy to study from but I really need to go through and make sure I put notes from the book into my class notes. Shouldn't be too hard. The class is actually quite interesting and the book highly readable.

So that's the plan in regards to that! This week my only goal is to just keep up. I've been doing fairly well at utilizing my time between classes to read for the next day, and on a fairly good read at home schedule for the rest. Having a week off next week makes it easier to get things done too - because I can tell myself "Only 4 more days till a vacation!"

I think that catches things up. Woo!

Woops! I missed WIP Wednesday . . . on Wednesday. So I'm posting now instead as I have a few minutes while my brain is absorbing my studies for the day.

I sadly must report it was a tragic week in knitting for me. I thought I'd finally finished the first of my arm warmers. I bind off and go to try it on and it's way, way, WAY too small. I thought it might just be my bind off but after ripping it back out and trying again with a different technique . . . nope! Still too tight. WAY too tight. So I started measuring. The ribbing portion had enough give to go up my arm. But the stockinette cuff portion, even with two increases, was almost an inch too small on give to go over my arm, elbow, and above. Ugh! This is why the pattern so desperately needed finished measurements. You know, about what size arm it fits. Because obviously its not supposed to fit mine! I was getting gauge, so, I knew it wasn't that either.

After being really upset for a while I realized it was a learning experience. I've never really knit anything where I had to worry about fit for a larger portion of my body. I mean, hats are one thing. And my Endpaper Mitts only cover a small portion of my arm, so, fit there wasn't really a big deal either. Once I saw the ribbing fit I didn't need to worry. But these? Definitely a larger project. Plus, I've never ripped anything out and restarted it from a point in the project. I now have experience doing that - woohoo! Seriously, ripping out and restarting without totally redoing always scared me. But now I feel utterly more capable and confident.

I'm going to get some work done on them tonight I hope. I sort of put it aside for a few days because I was getting too obsessive about it. Tonight I'm going to put in a life line and start the cuff. The warmer will end below my elbow as well. Considering the many layers I usually wear I think that would be a better place to stop anyway. And if I ever want to try above the elbow length again I have a much better idea about how much I need to check size as I go, and how following the pattern might not be the best thing! No offense to the writer, but, for a beginner with no ideas about how to check sizing, or stretch, or whatnot, this pattern was not informative enough.

Still, the parts I could get on I loved. It was so soft and squishy and warm. I can't wait to finish them up to wear them still. Hardships in the making aside.

I also hope to start socks sometime this weekend. Well, today, Saturday, is almost over, so probably tomorrow. I want March to be my month where I continue to finish WIPs, but I also really am dying to make socks. So I'll allow myself to start.

Well I'm feeling a bit under the weather. That is hampering my knitting. Mostly because I just want to sit mindlessly watching a DVD and pass out. Still, I made some great strides the past week.

First, I finished my hat for Hat Attack! Hat Attack was so much fun. And I now have way more confidence about my abilities. I also have a better idea of how to plan my time and how long it'll take me to knit things like this. I will definitely be signing up for the next Hat Attack in the fall.

The hat I made I loved - so I'm planning to make another with some pink Lamb's Pride I picked up at the same time I got the red for the attack. I also have a lovely yellow version, which goes great with my brown jacket, which my assassin sent.

It fits perfectly and is super warm. I really can't believe how much I am loving hats lately. I used to be anti-hat. I thought they made me look goofy and made my hair all crazy. I do have to finagle my hair into cooperation but whatever. I'd much rather have a warm head than perfect hair.

Anyway - I am in love with hat knitting. I plan to make many many more.

But I have to finish some things first - namely I must get my arm warmers and Endpaper Mitts finished. It will be a relief to have them done, plus, I'll get to wear them! I'm realizing my biggest issue getting through the alpaca arm warmers is I have no idea how much further I have to go. My recent projects, the hats, had definite markers - 4 chart repeats or 30 rows - etc etc. I could clearly see where I was and how much I had left. The arm warmers are like a knitting vortex. I need to get them up to 13 inches long to fit my arm properly. But how many more rounds is that?! I have no clue. I've tried measuring an inch of stitches - and my guesstimate was 30 more rounds. But I have this sinking feeling I'll get those done and still have more to go. I love the yarn and I want the arm warmer . . .  but it's taking forever! And thinking about having to make a second one?! ARGH! At least the second one I will have an idea how many rounds I have to do because I can count my first.

The Endpaper Mitts went fast, at least the one I've made, the first time so it's just a matter of getting to them.

After those are done I want to try out my first pair of socks! Hopefully I can start the socks sometime in March. At least that is my current goal. I'd also like to make some progress on My So Called Scarf that goes with my Koolhaas. That is easy knitting but once again, like the arm warmers, will be endless repeats of the same thing until I get the right length. At least that one uses bigger needles than the arm warmers and is knit straight . . . just makes things a bit easier.

So that is the plan. I'm hoping by next week I can have the arm armers done. It's a bit of a stretch goal for me but I think I can do it. I just have to focus like I did for Hat Attack and knit every possible second I can!

So - my assassin mailed my hat of doom to me on Monday, from a location a mere 3 hours away. I fully expected to receive my death Tuesday or Wednesday latest. Here it is Friday and the mail already came and nothing. If I can sneak by tomorrow that gives me a whole extra weekend of knitting time I wasn't planning on.

Considering I've gotten chores done today and have actually be reading for class this week my weekend time is fairly free. My death extension has given me a new lease on my knitting life too and I intend to knit knit knit like there is no tomorrow.

Well . . . I'll start after dinner. Right now my achy hands (stupid cold weather!) are begging for a breather. I better not over do it and get a knitting related injury that deters me from finishing my hat!

I really wish I'd posted about finishing things - because I actually did this week!! - but now I can't recall every little detail I wanted to write about.

Lets see . . . on Thursday, February 7th, I finished my Gnome. He's not perfect - I made a lot of boo-boos. But I have a good jumping off point to make another - which I probably will. I'm going to modify it to make it a girl though. With a cute little dress!

Saturday February 9th I finished my Koolhaas which I was very pleased with. I don't think I messed up once! I need to wash it and see if I can stretch it out a little bit to even off the ribbing, and to maybe get just a tiny bit more length. I prefer my hats to be a little bit longer - mostly because of my hair. But I've already proudly worn it out and about and someone here at school, who knows I knit, was shocked when I said I made it! I think he thought I was a big liar about knitting ;).

Anyway - the to-do list for this week has been Hat Attack! hat (which I'm not going to get finished before my hat of death shows up . . . *sigh!*) and I really am gung ho about finishing my alpaca arm warmers. It's just a lot of ribbing with thin-ish yarn. If I can work diligently I'm pretty sure I can get them done in a week. It has to be the only thing I work on though and I have to keep up my current routine of knitting every chance I get. Which I've been highly enjoying. If my hands are idle, I should be knitting! Even a few rows when doing things like waiting for water to boil for pasta. Assuming I'm not reading for class. Actually I'm hoping I can practice knitting without looking using the arm warmers. Then I can read for class and knit, which would be wonderful.

So this was a good week! Two finished objects, diligent work on Hat Attack! (which was fun to be in and I'll do it again - only next time I must be more prepared for war!), finding out I have way more knitting time each day if I knit when waiting for things or whatnot, and a plan of action for the upcoming week. Go me!

I've made a lot of progress on my hat but it's still slow going. I was struggling with the cable needle, which wasn't really appropriate for the yarn or the regular needle size of the project. I switched to just using a split ring stitch marker and it's definitely going faster. No more worry about the cable needle falling out, or having it in the way. I pretty much have to finish this within the next two days though - I need to get ready for Hat Attack! I don't think I'll have time to swatch so I'll be living on the edge, jumping right into the pattern when we get it, and having to test gauge then. Despite never going swatches I generally have pretty darn close gauge. At least the times I've checked. So chances are good I will this time too.

I've also been working hard this week to finish my Amigurumi Garden Gnome - Gary. I completed him tonight and just need to make the little accessories which should go quickly. I have a lot of free time tomorrow so I'll likely get it done then. Having a finished object will be uplifting and hopefully lifted spirits will help me blast right through my Koolhaas.

Gary has been an adventure. I'll write a more full summary when I finish him, but, I struggled with some of the assembly tonight and it made me cranky. Mostly because I don't know what I'm doing. Even so I was pleased with the adjustments I made to his arm attachment. I was not so happy with the felt buckle. I think I might make a girl gnome at some point to go with him - but instead of a belt and such I'll make her a little dress I think. And if I make a boy gnome again I'm definitely going to rework the buckle issue. I'll either crochet one and attach that or just omit it completely. It was way too frustrating for me.

Happily progress on things has been made this week! I really do need to finish the hat though. Not only to be ready for Hat Attack! but because it's so freakin' cold and I really need it so I can wear it!

Progress has been made this week, though it has been slow.

The mug cozy is kind of on the back burner. I was getting really frustrated with my own abilities with the project and so I needed to put it aside. I'm hoping some weekend when I'm not as stressed about life things I will feel more Zen and be able to tackle it. My mug really does need a cozy. Those last few sips of tea are going to waste because it gets cold so fast. I'm still hemming and hawing about just frogging it and trying a different pattern, coming back to the one I'm doing now when I have different yarn or something.

So instead of working on that I finally was able to start my hat! I made it through 10 rounds of ribbing, which for me, is a big deal. I got the first row of the cable chart done on Sunday I think . . . and now progress has stalled. Mostly because I've had school and work work to do, and being a bit blue I wasn't sure I could concentrate on a chart anyway.

Things have perked up a bunch over the last 24 hours. Tomorrow I will be busy but home early and with no classes Friday as usual. I think I will devote my free time to working on the hat tomorrow. Friday is up in the air as I do have reading I should try to get done. Even with school work to do I'm really hoping I can whip through the hat. I think once I complete the chart in full one time the other repeats will fly by. I'm really excited to have a finished object this weekend and have a functioning hat to wear in the bitter cold we've been having. So I really am anxious to work on it.

I also would love to finally complete my Amigurumi gnome I started ages ago. He has a lot of parts which is why I've kind of been avoiding it. But I think a little gnome to brighten up my desk would really cheer me up.

So Hat and Gnome are the two goals for this week!

So my lofty goal of hat making and finishing up WIPs last weekend did not come to fruition. The hat was thwarted by not owning proper needles. Other stuff was thwarted by me being lazy. So I really have no progress to report.

My de-stashing efforts haven't been going well either as I purchased more yarn. In my own defense I did get rid of a bunch, and what I bought was very limited and for a purpose with a time limit, so, it won't be sitting around for years like the other yarn. Still, saving money is part of my plan too. I allowed myself a tiny splurge since I made way more than expected selling old books on Amazon. And I made sure to bargain shop for deals and get the best prices I could find!

I'm hoping I can finally finish up some stuff this weekend. The hat is my number one priority as I need it when I'm standing outside waiting for the bus. Second on the list is the mug cozy of doom. I don't know why I can't get this pattern correct . . . but I'm determined to at least finish it. If it's awful I'll deal with that - but for now - it's still on!

Greetings and welcome to WIP (Work In Progress) Wednesdays!

I really should have started this 2 weeks ago - but - with holiday craziness and getting back to school it just didn't happen.

So here were are! Each Wednesday, or close to it, I want to update with where I am on my knitting, crochet, and de-stashing. Actually finishing things is a big goal for me this year. I want this to be my most productive year ever! And de-stashing is also a big deal. Keeping track of everything I've gotten rid of will be awesome.

Knitting Progress

• Still working on my alpaca arm warmers. Sadly, this project should have been done weeks ago. I'm a slow knitter, but, I also have kind of slouched on progress. I still think I can finish the pair by the end of the month, so, I'm going to try!
  
• Next is my Endpaper Mitts - two pairs. I need to finish the second one of my red and blue pair, and finish the entire pink/black pair. I have yarn to make more but if I can get those two sets done but the end of February I think I'll store the yarn and work on other things so I don't get burned out on the mitts!
• I need to make a hat. Waiting at the bus stop without one is torture. So now added to my To-Do list is a Koolhaas hat from IK Holiday '07. I'll probably cast on for it this weekend.
• I'm working on a mug cozy too. I really should only need a few hours to get that done. I need a quick finished object!
• Lastly, there is of course my on-going Chevron scarf. I'm not pressuring myself to finish that. It's kind of a fun "work a few rows here and there" thing for me. I'm sure at some point I'll want it done, so, I'll get my act in gear. I really love the yarn though so I'm letting myself slack so I can enjoy the process!

• Not too much going on here - I need to finish my Garden Gnome! He'll be so cute around the apartment. I don't really have a time frame to finish him though . . . right now I just want to get some stuff off needles!
• I also really want to make my brightly colored Magnetic Katamari. But again, no idea about time frame. I think once I get some of the knitting stuff done I'll devote a weekend to crochet and get these two finished!

• The past week or two I've had people request things that I put up for trade on Ravelry! Excellent! I got rid of almost an entire bin full of Knitpicks Crayon yarn. I purchased it to make a blanket - but - I later changed my mind. Plus, I can barely finish a small thing let along a blanket! I'm so glad to have it out of the closet and off to good homes!
• I also decided that, come March/April, if other stuff I know I want to get rid of isn't gone I'm mailing it to some people I know who do charity knitting. Then it'll get used up for a good cause and be gone - so I don't have to move it!

January - 2008 - Knitting Goals

1) Do not make any additional purchases of yarn, patterns, or books.
2) Assign patterns to all yarns I already own.
3) Make a to-do list, numbered, to work from.
4) Finish, or frog, all current WIP before starting anything new. Specifically I want to finish, for January, my Endpaper Mitts (both sets) and my Alpaca Arm Warmers.
5) Put up for trade/donation any yarns I'm just not excited to use.
6) Knit-A-Mile Challenge - Begin January 5th.
7) Organize Ravelry queue.

General 2008 Goals
~ Try cables and lace
~ Make a sock, blanket, sweater (or some kind of top), and dishcloths.
~ Try to limit myself to one crochet and one knit WIP at a time.