cosmicpluto knits!

like a treadmill

You know, where you keep going and going, but get nowhere? Yeah, like that.

I finalllly managed to get to the cuff of the second sleeve on my OSW.

I really want to finish this and make some more headway on Elspeth before I start yet another small sweaterish thing – another minisweater, this one with sleeves, out of black Elann Sonata. Boring, but very useful (I think).

Got a sleeve of Elspeth done – super fast, that.

And I’ve started yet another project – the Go With the Flow socks from the summer Interweave.

Yes, I know it’s pretty busy what with the lace and the many colours. But MEH, I say. At least it’s fun!

blue, and disclosure

Thanks for all the compliments on the minisweater! It was really fun to make and feels great. Here are my modifications for anyone that wants them – pattern is here.

- no puffy sleeves: I omitted the additional sleeve increases (those starting at row 15) and in the sleeve section, just worked straight without decreases.
- I did fewer increase rows in the body section, but it still ended up a bit big – I tried to do the button thing to the side, but it just didn’t work. So, I picked up four stitches from one of the front edges and knit a garter stitch strip for the tie, repeating on the other side for the other one.
- no trim.

Meanwhile, you know the yarn fast I’m on? Well, I did buy some yarn July 31st – from ebay, at Janette’s Rare Yarns. It’s a bag of Rowan Wool/Cotton, in “Poster Blue”, a gorgeous deep royal blue.

And….since fibre doesn’t equal yarn, I finally ordered merino roving from R.H. Lindsay – it comes in a 27-pound put-up, with free shipping in the States. So, I’m having it shipped to the SO’s family in NJ, and he’ll bring it back across the border at the end of the month. And no, it’s not all for me!

In knitting, I’m juuuuust about finished the back of Elspeth, despite having to rip 6+ rows at a time, twice due to stupid errors. I think I’ll do a sleeve next.

I also started a secret project, for a going away present. I’m not sure if he actually reads this, but I’ll keep this on the DL, I think. But, I did my first-ever (and second-ever – sizing problems) tubular cast on, and it is loooovely.

three

A three-day FO! And one of my favourites to date!

Minisweater
Pattern: by glampyre
Yarn: Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted, "vera", 2 skeins
Needles: Denise US9
Started: August 5, 2005
Finished: August 7, 2005

I had some fun with a self-timer photoshoot.

Next small sweaterish thing will be Elspeth, which I’m going to focus on for the next little while.

Have I mentioned that I’m on a yarn fast for the month of August? I’m doing well so far, and I think I can actually do it! Main motivation is the Kitchener-Waterloo knitter’s fair in September, so I’m gonna save up my money from this month to spend there! Excellent.

in which something is horribly wrong

So, I got to the end of the toe of the second Waving Lace sock. But wait! Something’s wrong…a different number of stitches on the instep needles from the top of the foot.

So I tried it on.

The one on the left, in progress, is WAY. BIG.

….I didn’t decrease enough in the gusset, then knit merrily along.

After:

Positive: My desk is covered in Handmaiden. Negative: it isn’t for me.

Anyway….the sock is sorted out. Sigh.

I started a minisweater today at work, out of Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted. I made good progress – divided for the sleeves and am working on the body now.

Also, I did the heel for my Zinnia sock – an experiment. A ribbed short-row heel. It looks funny!

Off to read some anthropology and knit that sock foot, AGAIN.

birthday yarn

Thanks for the birthday wishes and the compliments on the corset top!

So what did I buy myself for my birthday (ha, everything I buy is for me anyway. just another way to justify blowing money on yarn…)?

Some Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted in “Vera”, for a boobholder, sans puffy sleeves.

A ball winder, cuz if you’ve got a swift, you need a winder, right? I also got the new Interweave, and then armed with a gift card, I bought the New Moosewood Cookbook. Yum.

I’ve started another pair of socks, a boring pair that I can take along with me on the subway and such. They’re Knitpicks Sock Garden, and they are SO SOFT.

But, I’m also working on a store sample, a raglan pullover using luscious Hand Maiden Stretto. So that’ll be my big project for the next little while. Luckily I can work on it in my air-conditioned home.

Stay cool!

happy birthday to me

Silk Ribbed Corset
Pattern: by Annie Modesitt
Yarn: Madil Eden, colour “mocha”, 100% bamboo, 5 skeins
Needles: Denise US6
Started: July 21, 2005
Finished: July 30, 2005

Notes: I had some problems with the pattern and its format, but it all worked out in the end. I emailed Annie about an updated revised copy, but never got a reply – but that could be due to some weirdness with my email. I still had problems with chart F even following the revised copy. Let’s see, what else…oh. I couldn’t figure out the icord cast on, so I did a normal loop cast on and it worked fine. And I just didn’t do the crochet edging – I wore the top today and it was fine, so that’s that!

Look, look, what I got for my birthday from my boy:

An oak umbrella swift!

MADE BY HIM!

And he’s all mine. Heh. I thought I’d taken pictures of birthday acquisitions, but it would appear not. Tomorrow. Now I must sleep.