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Monday, September 25, 2006

finally getting somewhere

I woke up with a start at 8am on Saturday, after four measly hours' sleep, and said to myself, "Self, I'm gonna write the animal cracker pattern this weekend." I rolled back over, snoozed for a half-hour, then went on a six-shop yarn crawl (similar to a pub crawl in just about every way -- and certainly just as expensive -- but the sense of temporary euphoria doesn't destroy brain cells). To wit:

And then, I wrote a pattern. Just like that.

Of course, my real goal was not just to write the pattern, but also to test-knit the sizes (there's four, 'member?), do my photo shoot, and be writing my unveiling post right now. I was actually on track, too, and then a deadliney project popped back up (no, I can't say what it is; yes, you'll certainly find out eventually; and of course I'm evil, that's not news), so I switched over to that.

Oh, and I also shot more yarn porn! At this juncture, I'm fairly certain that yarn falls into the same category as baby animals, sunsets, and British rockstars: It just doesn't photograph badly.


animal cracker makings...


...and the resulting hat! this is actually the one I knit last summer, but the final pattern is the same. see how the Shannon yarn makes the top all variegated and jawesome?


yesterday's Koigu. the gold's not nearly so bright in person, and looked even less bright in the store. not complainin' -- I like bright!


Frog Tree alpaca in the foreground, DB Alpaca Silk in the background. I hadn't planned it, but what an alpaca-y picture.


this isn't new, but it is sexy. Rowan Yorkshire Tweed 4ply, which had been earmarked for cabled socks for Jon. I don't think his new girlfriend would take too kindly to an ex knitting for him, so I have no idea what it'll be now.


Kaalund Classic Two, laceweight wool. would you be shocked to hear that I bought it in late winter? :) I think it might become the IK Icarus shawl, if it's not too busy to hide the border.


Vee! I'm a bit further now, and I'm getting a bit terrified of running out of yarn, even though the math says I should be fine.


see how smushy and wrinkly it is right off the needles...


...and how smooth and drapey it is after it's blocked? that's silk for you, I guess. we loves it!


haven't posted about this before, I don't think. this is most of my hipster hat, 2 skeins of Classic Elite Intrigue -- metallic cashmere! the yarn was a congrats-on-permanent-employment present to myself in March.


you can't actually tell, but it's a couple inches short of being done. I was mid-decrease, too, so it'll be a bitch to get back into. I love the way the waffliness shows off the metallic thread. actually I love it in general, I'll be picking my winter coat around it.


a heavily tweaked one skein wonder -- half-length sleeves, allover butterfly lace, and an attempt at a short-rowed shawl collar. I got bored before the collar was actually big enough to fold over, but I still like the fit. (a couple skeins of Blue Sky Alpaca Silk, which had been bouncing around my stash for ages.)

and finally...


new shoes! I was actually looking for shoes suited to knitted socks, and wound up with so-ugly-they're-cute hipster shoes. (they'll still make a nice foil for anklewarmers, so I didn't absolutely fail my mission, riiiight?) my love knows no bounds.

okay, that's it. :)

(Aaaand commenting should be working here, now, so no need to link LJ! You'll need to be register for a Typekey account, if you don't already have one -- sorry for the fuss, but this is the only way I can find to stop myself from getting comment-spammed to death again.)

Lauren posted at 0.11 on 09.25.06 comments (5)

Friday, June 10, 2005

witness my halo, please.

Nothing like two unsupervised crack-of-dawn hours at work in which to weave the (surprisingly few) ends on a certain newly-completed shrug. Too bad I didn't bring my camera today (actually, not too bad, as it's rainy) or I would run to the bathroom and take pictures.

And my boss just got here. moohaha.

Aaaand my coworker likes it. "Great colors," she says. w00t, indeed.

Lauren posted at 9.03 on 06.10.05 comments (0)

w00t!

My one skein wonder is finished! It would've been done several days ago - I realized Sunday night as I was knitting the second sleeve that one of the shoulder increases had mysteriously shifted over by a stitch, and that that would bother me, and that I should rip back... so I did. Definitely the right way to go, although it was as heartbreaking as ever to find myself buried in a pile of crinkly once-knitted yarn. Just gotta weave my ends and then I'll try to get FO pictures, probably just in the bathroom since it's too freaking HOT to even think of wearing wool outside right now.

I'm still on the fence about the colors in the yarn, but I think in the end (after all but having my head beaten in by Jon and Adrienne, since I've refused to shut up about it) I'm alright with it - it's a small garment, and the colors are springy ones that look good on me, and it means I have slightly less impossible double-strand mohair boucle to haunt me whenever I go scrounging for yarn. There's an interesting '70s tweedy thing that happens in the seed stitch in the sleeves. Normally I hate seed stitch - it's not rewarding given the amount of time the yarn forwards/backs take up - but I might actually consider it as a basis for whatever I do with the rest of the yarn (which I'd guess is 300-400 yards?).

Meanwhile, my daunting pile of unwashed scarves still remains...

Lauren posted at 0.31 on 06.10.05 comments (0)

Friday, June 03, 2005

it's not my fault!

I blame the yarn shop.

I stopped on my way home to try to get a 24" #1 bamboo circular needle so I could keep working on the Quidsocks. (Naturally I broke two of my teensy birch dpns during the line, and I figured that if I switch to using two circs for the rest of the sock, I can carry it with me and thus finish sooner.) Anyway, I thought it was a reasonable request, but the yarn shop didn't seem to agree, and there wasn't really any way I was buying a $16 Turbo when all I need is a $10 Crystal Palace.

So, to console myself after having been denied the needle necessary to my existence as a responsible knitter, I did what anyone would do -

I cast on a new project.

Granted, it's a small one, and it's out of my stash, but still, not really the wisest use of my time. The project in question is Stefanie's one skein wonder. I'm using this handpainted double-strand loopy mohair I got on eBay ages ago. Would be absolutely gorgeous, except that I'm still not sure whether I love the colors or detest them. The yarn is... I guess I'd call it jewel-toned? There's nice stretches of emerald green, some pretty reds and oranges, the occasional bit of bright blue, and then a whole lot of various murky browns. It doesn't particularly match anything I own, which means I'll wind up wearing it with the same lacy black camisole I wear everything with.

Has there ever actually been a cute sweatery garment to wear with a loose t-shirt? That's really what I should be making, since I won't be buying a whole new girly wardrobe any time soon.

Whine whine whine!

I also got the new Yarn of the Month today. Predictably, lots of cotton - blehhhhhh - but Bahama seems like it could be fun for something, I'm not sure what. I can't really fathom wearing much of anything that looks like really poofy terry cloth, but it ought to be good times to knit with.

Lauren posted at 22.55 on 06.03.05 comments (0)