cosmicpluto knits!

FO: Diva!

It’s been a long, long time coming, but I finally finished my Diva sweater a few months ago! Took me ages to get some decent photos…

Pattern: Diva by Hanne Falkenberg, in Dark Olive and Cyclamen – I think I bought the kit from CucumberpatchUK on ebay.
Needles: 3mm
Yarn: kit yarn; it was a pretty delicate two ply lightweight wool, slightly scratchy, something like Jamieson’s.

Thoughts:
This sweater took ages, but it was kind of nice to knit a sweater from someone else’s pattern for once. The shaping is unique and very interesting to knit! It took me ages to figure out what the heck was actually going on with some of the shaping. The collar was a LOT of knitting but it’s shaped with short rows in a really interesting way.

Cons: It’s a little big. I knit the smallest size, which was supposed to 37″ – it’s a pretty good jacket size, but a little looser than I usually like my sweaters.

The sleeves are WAY long, about 4″ too long, and the collar kind of hits at a funny place. It’s difficult to find a good place to pin it closed that isn’t directly on my boob (which I have much more of than the pattern model), but it doesn’t really work worn open. From a design standpoint, the armholes are a little weird fitting – they’re not quite set in and not quite raglan.

I shouldn’t have seamed with the main yarn – it’s just a little too delicate for the task. I found this hole in the sleeve seam after washing. I should really fix that up.

Overall? Fun to knit, interesting construction. It doesn’t fit perfectly but I’m still happy I made it.

hey! it’s an FO!

I haven’t done much this weekend, though I did book a few hotels for Leeds, Cardiff, and Swansea. Still need to do trains, and Ireland! Only 7 sleeps left…yikes.

This weekend I made scallion pancakes, and had them in a Chinese feast along with egg drop soup and some broccoli. Nom. It’s a good thing I only made half a batch, because I would’ve just eaten them all.

I worked on a shawl in Spud & Chloe Fine. I love it, and I think I’ll be making another version on my trip as one of my take-along projects. I need to block this one so I can see what the finished dimensions are – this is the larger version, and I’ll be doing a smaller scarfy one next.

And for the first time in what feels like forever, I finished something! This is the simple lacy cowl that I started on my trip to NYC. It was great carry around knitting, just one ball of yarn and working in the round.

I used one skein of Socks that Rock Silkie in “Walking on the Wild Tide” (rockin’ sock club colourway). The lace pattern is just one round knit, one round yo, ssk, with the beginning of the round shifting one st to the left every lace round.

I have some more FOs to show you this week too – I’ve been pretty bad at taking photos of my finished sweaters, so I finally just up and did them all in one fell swoop!

the hive mind

So I need your help! I’m very shortly embarking on a month long trip to the UK and Ireland in May – and yes, I just realized that that is very, very soon. I haven’t done much planning other than buying my ticket there, and since you were all so helpful for my trip to NYC I’m hoping you can help me out on my trip planning.

As of now it’s just a pleasure trip, but I’m open to talks or teaching at any LYS if you’ll have me. Let me know by email (cosmicpluto@cosmicpluto.com) if you have an LYS or guild that would like me to stop by!

I’m still working on my itinerary, but here’s where I’m thinking of going:
Edinburgh, Newcastle, Liverpool or Manchester, London, Cardiff, Dublin, Belfast, Glasgow, and the Scottish Highlands.

I’m looking for things to do, places to stay (would you like to have a visitor for a few days? I bake!), or pretty much any other advice you have! I’m really excited, although freaking out a bit since I have so much to get done here before I go, and the time is just flying by.

Somewhat relatedly, spring cleaning of my apartment has also resulted in the intense desire to pare down my stash a bit – so I’m having a stash sale. Check out my Flickr set by clicking on the photo below. If you’re interested in anything, email me at cosmicpluto at cosmicpluto dot com.

Maybe you can help me out with that too?

nyc, part 3

Monday and Tuesday in NYC I was on my own, so I wasn’t really sure what to do! After several days of intense food-ing I needed a bit of a breather, so I just snacked a bit for breakfast in the hotel before heading over to the Tenement Museum. From the magic of Twitter I found out that Jennie the Potter was also in town, and also headed to the Tenement Museum! My tour actually wasn’t until the afternoon, but I headed over anyway to say hi – the museum was super close to the hotel. Yes, a lot of things were super close to the hotel, which was awesome.

Hi Jennie!

I bought my ticket for the “Piecing it Together” tour, which focused on several families of garment makers that lived in the tenement. For those not familiar with the museum (I hadn’t heard of it before I started planning my trip), the museum is a tenement building on Orchard St that was built in 1863, and occupied until the 1930′s when it was condemned by the city and boarded up. The museum was founded in the late 80′s, and consists of apartments in various states of recovery and restoration. I couldn’t take photos inside, but it was super interesting and definitely worth checking out if you’re in the area! The museum’s about page has lots of great info, and there are photos and stories on their website as well. After the tour I bought a copy of 97 Orchard, which I’m excited to read!

Since the tour actually wasn’t until later in the day, after I said hi to Jennie I decided to do a bit of shopping. I hit up All Saints, Anthropologie and Purl Soho and got some great clothes and some Shelter yarn. Purl was really lovely, sadly I had a bit of camnesia and didn’t take any photos!

After the tenement tour and dropping off my purchases at the hotel, I went to Momofuku Noodle Bar for a late lunch – the ginger scallion noodles are veg, and really hit the spot. I loved the roasted rice cakes as well, and I’m hoping to try my hand at a similar dish here at home.

I decided to check out Habu since everyone said it shouldn’t be missed – I didn’t take any photos, and I didn’t buy anything, but it was really interesting to see all the yarns. It’s such a funny space in an office building, almost feels just like someone’s stash or something. I went to the Avril/Habu store in Tokyo when I was there a few years ago, so it was nice to check out their yarns in person again.

Amidst my wanderings I ended up outside the Rockefeller centre, and though I hadn’t been planning on it, went up to the observation deck (Top of the Rock). It was just after sunset, so it was quite cold and windy but the city lights were lovely. I ended the night by grabbing take out from S’mac (macaroni and cheese! mine had broccoli and cauliflower in it) and turning in early.

Tuesday was my last day in the city, so I decided I would check out a museum or two before I had to head to the airport in the late afternoon. I went to the MOMA only to find out they were closed on Tuesdays! Way to research, self. There were plenty of other people milling around outside who’d clearly made the same mistake, so I didn’t feel too bad. I guess it’s like the Louvre. Instead, I went next door to the American Folk Art Museum and looked around there – they have two floors of quilts amongst other exhibitions, and they were lovely to look at.

I’m glad everything ended up the way it did, because by going to the Folk Art Museum I was reminded about the Infinite Variety quilt exhibition that was going on over the weekend, put on by the museum at the Park Avenue Armory. I hustled over on the subway to see it, and I can’t even tell you how glad I was that I made it there!

On display were 650 red and white quilts collected by Joanna S. Rose, hung as if suspended in midair. I can’t really describe how incredibly awesome, gorgeous, and humbling this was.

It was spectacular. I just don’t know what else to say about it!

Every time you looked, there was something different that you had missed, some amazing shape or texture or entire quilt you hadn’t noticed before. There were lots of people there, and you could just feel the amazement of the whole crowd. There’s so much history, so many stories in these everyday quilts. I would say it was one of the most inspiring and beautiful things I’ve ever seen.

I made this panorama out of several photos stitched together in Photoshop. I know it’s small here because it’s so much wider than it is tall, but I hope it gives you a bit of a sense of the layout – this was only half of the room! If you want to see it bigger, click here! This version is 2000 px wide, and I hope it helps you imagine what it was like to be there. I can’t wait for the catalogue to come out, because I’ll be picking it up for sure.

For my last meal in NYC I went to Motorino again and had the lunch special, a salad and and a margherita pizza. It was delicious. And then despite some mishaps with NJ transit, I got to the airport early enough that the airline put me on an earlier flight home and I got home 2 hours early. And that was my trip to New York! I had so much fun. I can’t wait to go again…maybe in the summer!

moving right along

Yesterday I went on one of my favourite types of sprees – a finishing spree! I finished up three different projects yesterday, and today I’ve given them all a bath so they’re soft and ready to go.

I got about 2/3 of the way through the foot of the second cabley sock before I had to join a new ball of yarn. I do think you could do a pair of plainer socks out of just one skein – these ones take more yarn because of the ribbing and cables! A little while later…

The cables really keep this pattern moving, and of course, the thicker yarn helps with the speed too! I hope the recipient likes them.

This hot water bottle cozy is knit from 2 strands of Blue Sky Alpacas Skinny Cotton on 6mm needles. Just needs a couple of buttons at the bottom.

These aren’t a gift, but I’m still glad to have finished them! A pair of flip-tops with the same details as my Fred+Ginger Cardigan, so if you’re not quite ready to commit to a whole sweater you can still knit some pretty ruffles. These used less than 1 skein of Sweetgeorgia Superwash Sport and just a little bit of the CashSilk Fine.

They’re sized to fit my tiny hands, but the pattern will be written for three different sizes. Look for it in the new year!

I’d better get back to it, these presents aren’t going to wrap themselves. Darn.

P.S. A few people asked about the snowflake lights – they’re just from Ikea. I think they’re probably on sale by now if you’ve got one near you!

knitting factory

There are so. many. projects. on my desk right now! And just to add another one, I started a pair of worsted weight socks that I got into my head as a good Christmas present.

Just started them last night, but I think they’re going to be fast and fun! I’m using Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted in Chocolate.

I don’t have a lot of other knit projects on the go, though. I’d really like to finish these flip-top mittens for myself.

I have really tiny hands and the mittens look almost comically tiny but they fit! Now that it’s actually snowed I might be needing them soon.

This week I’ve played a couple of handbell concerts, gone to a couple of parties and made a lot of caramel corn. I’m hoping I get to knit a lot this week, but you know how it goes – December is so very very busy. My handbell group, Pavlov’s Dogs Handbell Ensemble, is playing another show this week – the Rivoli Christmas Show on the 18th at 9pm. It’s always a super fun show. Tickets are $18, available at the door, and benefits the Daily Bread Food Bank.