Lazy Knitter Syndrome

Ay caramba! It's now midway through November, a little over a month until Christmas, and I haven't made significant progress toward getting my gifts done. Especially that damn blanket or Rob's vest. And don't get me started on the girls' dresses, which will now make their debut sometime next spring. Here I thought I was in a zone and getting everything done, but I'm not sure if that's going to happen. I may not even have enough yarn to get the blanket done, so I'm a little panicked right now.

Maybe it's inertia - I don't want to find out if I don't have enough yarn, only to know for certain that I don't, then I'll have to run up to Boulder to Shuttles and get some more Manos, if they have all the colors I need. With Niki's dress, she now may be too big to wear it...and I really don't want to start again.

I'm actually home sick today from my half-day at the school, but am I knitting like a crazy person?

Nope. I'm doing my freelance copywriting work and trying to get my self-marketing efforts off the ground. It would be nice to have some writing clients help fund my yarn addiction for a change :-)

I do knit, but I'm only getting little things done. Maybe if I'm up to it, I can get something accomplished this afternoon and evening, while watching Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddown, Jon Stewart and/or Stephen Colbert.

Panic (kinda sorta)

I'm still working mostly on Terry's (Rob's mom's) blanket, now into the second of three 5-foot panels. The work is actually going along fine, but I'm a little scared that Christmas looms in less than two months, and I feel that I should be further along. So I'm mildly panicked...but I still think I can get it done. It may take pulling an all-nighter on December 24th. Oh well, that's the price I pay.

Now that I'm returning to copywriting and travel writing - and also possibly adding photography in the mix - I don't have the time to obsess about knitting like I have for the past 23 months or so. That's probably a good thing, really :-)

One thing I realized is that I don't think I can project monomous for the long-term. It just isn't in me, because I get bored too easily. But I can no longer go off and cast-on 20 projects with abandon. Finding that happy medium and getting my WIPs done is an early resolution for 2009

Pics on Terry's blanket will be in the next post!

Want to get something done!

I don't think I have knitting doldrums now, but it's hard for me to feel gratified by what's on my needles. I guess that's what happens when you get into making an blanket that's actually really cool, but everything else falls by the wayside.

So here's a partial list of what still needs to get off the needles: Rob's vest, Jenna's linen dress, Niki's cotton dress, my fair isle mitts, Edna's scarf, Blair's scarf to match the hat she got for her birthday (which hasn't been cast on but needs to pretty soon here), my and Rob's socks (two different pairs, not a shared one), Patsy's mini-shawl. Eeek!

Luckily, I do not have to start Rob's niece's socks or his nephew's hat yet. My sister in law (their mom) said I could make them birthday presents for next year. Dodged a bullet there, Thank God.

Another thing: I haven't been on Ravelry for a while now...I think the novelty of it is wearing off. I still check it everyday to see if there's a topic that strikes my fancy, and every so often I do respond to something. But I guess other things are just kind of taking over, like my writing and wanting to get it going, once and for all. It's all a matter of priorities, right?

Project monogamy

When I first started this blog, I wrote about project ADD, more commonly known as startitis. I once has 20 WIPs going - that was simply insane.

Now it seems I've gone in the other direction. I can't seem to do anything but get Rob's mom's Christmas blanket finished. And it being a blanket, it's not exactly an instant gratification project. And there is a non-negotiable deadline: December 24th.

I'm almost done with one of three 5-foot long strips that need to be sewn together, then crocheted around the edges for a border. As you can see, it's quite the colorful project, reminiscent of a Mexican serape. I hope it's not too gaudy for my mother-in-law!



I think I'm doing this because it's simple mindless knitting, and it's relatively fast. There's something to be said for doing one knitting bit at at time.

Holiday knitting 2008 - yikes!

In the two years since I have begun knitting, I have made a grand total of about three holiday gifts: a hat for Blair, a scarf for Rob and another scarf for my sister Jeanne. Because of the stress they can inevitably create, I made a conscious decision never to make more than three presents for Christmas.

So much for rules...

This year, I'm making six different gifts, double my so-called limit, and luckily two do not have to be made until well into next year. The ones that do have a December 25th deadline are my mother-in-law Terry's blanket, my other sister Cindy's scarf/stole, Blair's scarf and Patsy's mini-shawl. If I get really ambitious, then I also have a scarf for my aunt Edna and a hat for my brother-in-law Gregg.

And then there's all the WIPs I still wanted to finish from summer. So here we go...let's see if I don't absolutely go insane.

Oh, what a feeling!

I LOVE it when I finally complete a project, even if they're are as mundane as scarves and hats. In this case, it's actually a combo scarf and hat and a garden variety scarf. These two projects were begun eons ago (OK, really just a year, but it seemed like eons). One is for me when I wear my red and black ski jacket, hence the color combo. It probably won't work as actual ski wear, since it's wool and alpaca and not microfiber. Plus the length of the scarf could pose a hazard. The other is just a scarf no one in the family really wants to wear. So on my Ravelry notebook, it's called the Scarf to go with Nobody's Hat. Hopefully, somebody will want to wear it.

Still getting out from under

This summer, I made a pledge to myself that I would get a bunch of WIPs done. Well...I really only managed to get my sweater done, plus a hat for Blair, but nothing else. I've completely neglected the socks I was making for myself and Rob, but I think it was just overwhelm that prevented me from finishing everything I wanted to.

I'll start with the girls' sundresses. They will probably be ready for next spring, but not any time very soon. Here's Jenna's:



and here's Niki's (this is actually the second half of this one - I really have made more progress on this one than what's shown):



Rob's vest - this one may actually have a chance to get done by the end of October (yay!):



My tank top (again, another item that will have to wait until April 2009, at best):



And finally, a UFO that is making a reappearance: Rob's mom's blanket, which I just pulled out last night because it's good mindless knitting - and it's her Christmas gift. Now that it's October, I better give a move on this one.

Spinning Wheel, Spinning Round

About a month ago over six weeks, I took a yarn spinning class a month ago and had a blast. Maggie Casey, the co-owner of Shuttles, Spindles and Skeins in Boulder and the author of a terrific book, Start Spinning, was the instructor. And I don't think I could've learned from anyone better.

We got to first learn on a spindle, then on a wheel. Over the course of the class time, we washed, teased, and combed raw sheep fleece to make into wool yarn. The last class was devoted to dyeing the yarn we made with natural dyes. As cool as that was, the colors were a little too muted and earthy for me. But here they are:



These were some of my more "instructive" attempts at spinning and plying:



When I finally got good enough, I bought some dyed roving and spun and plied these skeins, which are likely going to be knit up into a shrug someday (not bad, huh?):



And here's what I'm working on now with a spindle:



I thought about buying a wheel, especially the Lendrum I first worked with or the Schacht Ladybug, but it was just going to be another rabbit hole I'd get caught in. Needless to say, my knitting projects suffered greatly and little got done.

But now I can see why people love yarn spinning - now I do too!

Another hiatus

Wow - where did the month of August go? It's already September and at least here in Colorado, I feel it in the air. Well, not to use excuses, but this time of year always gets a little frazzled, more so than usual. That's because I go back to school and start my day job all over again.

But I'm still here, and I'll keep updated with all thing fiber-related. Much more to come!

Bummer...and the lessons learned

Aggh! I just finished knitting something that I thought would be terrific...and it turns out to be a potato sack on me. The printed silk cardigan from the Spring 2008 Interweave Knits is so huge on me, probably because I thought that a size 38" (in the bust) would be roomy and not clingy on me. But I should've made the next size down, a 34". I also didn't consider that the yarn I used, Valley Yarns Southwick, was going to drape a little too well. It feels great, since it's a yummy cotton/bamboo blend. But I simply can't wear it without wrapping it around my front to the shoulder. And that just doesn't look right.

What's particularly frustrating is that I got gauge on stitches, but not on rows. So I did make adjustments accordingly so it would not be too long. But I didn't think it was going to be that huge on me once I put it on.

I will post pictures eventually, but I need to find someone suitable to give it to first, either a friend or my sister-in-law who both have larger chests than I do.

My favorite knitting magazines, part 2

So really, this should be titled "My not-so-favorite knitting magazines" because these are the ones that just happen to be hit and miss for me.

I still subscribe to these magazines, because I do want to see what is popular design-wise and understand how design works, for that day soon when I will want to make the jump into that crazy make-my-own-stuff world.

The first of these is Vogue Knitting. At first, I really didn't like this mag at all. As my friend Wendi once said, it's a little too avant-garde. Sometimes the patterns have just been way out there and meant for someone who is six foot and 120 lbs, with endless legs and torso. Not me by a longshot. But the last issue (Spring/Summer 2008) had some decent patterns that I would actually consider making. Especially some of the tank tops, designed by Mari Lynn Patrick and Norah Gaughan.

Vogue's offshoot of this is Knit Simple. It has designs that are just as you'd imagine - simple and straightforward. I like them, and they're a little more up my alley than Vogue, but there's nothing yet I'd choose to knit.

Next is Knit N Style. This one struck me as very unfashionable and almost dowdy. The last few issues, however, have been more acceptable to me. I do like their articles, especially about yarn companies and designers. That gives me great ideas for my copwriting business, KnitWit Copywriter.

The last of these magazines has been the hardest for me to embrace - Knitters. Apparently, this was once a great magazine, but I have seen only a few items that would be worth looking at, let alone cast on. Many of these patterns have been WAY out there, and I'm not sure what's going on with it. I will still give this magazine a chance, but it's getting harder to appreciate what its goals and focus are. Maybe I should lay off the criticism, because I don't have a strong sense of what's fashionable in knitting now. But I know what can look good, and I'm not sure if Knitters does this.

My favorite knitting magazines, part 1

Let me just say, I'm not well-versed in fashion. Never have been, because I've rebelled against what is fashionable ever since my mom made me wear stuff that she thought was and only bought me things that were far away from that standard. I've kind of been a jeans and comfy blouse or shirt, flowing dress girl, nearly all of my life.

As an adult, I've slowly learned what it means to be stylish, but not a slave to style. Talk about a trial and error process!

I wear what I think looks good on me and in colors that I love, usually bright and bold jewel-toned colors. Sometimes I wear something more muted, like in gray or tan. But never, never orange!

Becoming a knitter has naturally made me more conscious about what I wear and how shape and silhouette (really foreign concepts to me) affect my look. And I have to admit, it's been fun exploring this new territory. Magazines have helped me out tremendously in what this fashion stuff all means.

No doubt about it, my favorite knitting magazine is Interweave Knits. Even when they have just an overall OK issue, like the current Summer 2008 one, I still think they are way above the others in the daily wear department. Some might think IK is not very fashion-forward, but that's not what I'm looking for in style. Hey, if I'm going to invest 2-3 months in making something with my own slow-moving hands, I want to make sure I can wear it for at least the next few years. For the year since I've subscribed to IK, I have chosen at least 4-5 out of every issue that I'd like to knit. Since that's logistically impossible, I only end up doing 1-3 projects out of each. My current cardi and Jenna's sundress are from the Spring 2008 IK.

The sister pub of IK is Knitscene, which is slightly aimed toward a younger crowd and more fashion-forward, but I still like a lot of what I see in it. Here, I'm planning to make the papillion top and a scarf that looks like a shawl. Well, once I get some more of those WIPs done.

Next time: more of my favorite mags (and some not so favorites)

Knitting up a storm!

So, just to show you I haven't been slacking or giving up on my blog altogether, here's proof that I'm actually getting some knitting done.

It's part of the pact I've made with myself, and to correct the major startitis I had for the past 6-7 months or so. I'm essentially working on six WIPs only now, in an effort to get my UFO count down to a more sane 5 or 6. And as with all good intentions, I'm going on another yarn diet because I went a big hog wild during May and this month. I don't really want to say exactly how much yarn is stashed around the house, especially to DH Rob.

Now, on to the WIPs!

First is my printed "silk" cardi from the Spring 2008 IK. Of course, it's not really silk, because then the yarn would've ended up costing about $600 or so (OK, more like $250). I've finished nearly all of it, so hopefully I'll assemble it by next week:



And here are the sleeves:



This project has been an exercise in pattern alterations, row gauges, math calculations and changes in stitches. It's been frustrating, but I've also learned a lot. And the color is, well, simply gorgeous - so all is forgiven. But the major lesson here is, ALWAYS swatch and ALWAYS check row gauge, too!

My sub yarn has been Valley Yarns Southwick, a yummy cotton/bamboo blend. Like with any bamboo fiber, it has a tendency to split, but I've loved working with this.

Second is the girls sundresses - one for Jenna and one for Nicole.
Here's what I've done so far with both:


Even though both of these dresses have been straight stockinette, with the potential to be mind-numbingly dull, both have been fun to knit. That's mostly because one has regularly changing color stripes, while the other has given me the opportunity to try new techniques - short rows, jogless stripes and the invisible provisional cast-on

The other aspect of these projects has been the yarns. Niki's is in cotton (Knitpicks Shine Worsted) while Jenna's is in linen (Louet Euroflax Sport Weight). It's true what I've heard about working with linen yarn - it's
like working with twine - not great, but I can't wait to see the final result after it's been washed. I haven't minded it at all. And the cotton - well, no surprise...it feels wonderful.

I'll post more next week with the other three WIPs!

Hiatus

I haven't blogged in a while (actually more than month now), mostly because of family issues and getting through some work-related obligations. Of course, I'd be lying if I didn't admit I've been frustrated by not being able to get traffic to this blog. I suppose it's because there's more knitting blogs out there than there are grains of sand on Waikiki. Like I wrote once before, I will continue writing here, because someday others will discover it. For now, this is a completely self-indulgent activity, meant for my onw enjoyment and knitting life.

So one positive thing... I have made lots of progress with two projects in particular and did get an FO in the books! They're scarves for the girls, and here they are:





As part of an attempt to destash from a Ravelry group, Stash and Burn Groupies, I've concentrated on getting two projects done - a cardigan and a sundress from the Spring 07 Interweave Knits. Both have been fun to knit, and I'm amazed by my progress on both.





Guess I'm just becoming a faster knitter...or more obsessed one!

Getting taken in by Ravelry

Like just about every other knitter, I've become obsessed with Ravelry, the online knitting/crochet community site. I go on every day, checking for new posts, chatting with other obsessives, and organizing my stash, needles, projects, the "queue" (projects in waiting) - my God, it could easily take over my life!

Knit-wise, I've made a lot of progress on projects from last spring, such as Rob's vest:



and that baby cardi for my work colleague:



I just think it's totally cool to keep track of my progress in cyberspace!

Instant gratification with knitting

I love projects that finish quickly. Case in point: the beret I made with Noro Kochoran was done in two days. Compare that to all my WIPs of three scarves, one baby cardigan, one vest, two ponchos and three shawls. Oh yes, and the Bonsai Tunic that has been on my needles since last spring. Actually with the last one, I've made considerable progress. OK, it may not look like it, but I think it's been pretty good, considering I had only done two rows when I last worked on it and had frogged it FIVE times (grrr)!

The beret was done because I wanted a cold weather hat that had a bit of style to it. Plus I had this beautiful skein that I had no idea what to do with. After looking through my zillions of pattern books and magazines, I finally settled on the basic tam pattern from Ann Budd's book (a terrific book, BTW). I made is a little larger than needed, but I wanted to have it be big enough so that I would cover my ears. Mission accomplished (sorry fellow liberals, for the Dubya reference).

Super bulky yarn and/or large needle knitting is great, but I'm not so sure if I could wear knitted items in that style all the time. I first saw this in The Yarn Girls Guide to Simple Knits, then in Twinkle's Big City Knits. Fun knitting, to be sure, and there is a real satisfaction in getting a considerable project done in no time.

But sometimes, huge gauge knitted garments just look - well, weird. It's almost as if you took a jumprope and knitted with it. Even I, as a person with a small medium build who could get away with wearing chunky knits, don't think of it as a permanent fashion statement.

I guess if I knit something up like this, and don't like it, it can always be frogged and made into a rug.

Coffee, scones and yarn addictions

So I love to knit and to a lesser extent crochet, and that's only because I'm still learning. But eating is right up there with my fiber fever. In my perfect world, I could do both, all day long, and not have to worry about weight gain, finances, my creaking house or who will be the next President of the U.S.

I've only found a few LYSs around here that have a coffee bar in the store: The LambShoppe in Denver and KnitKnack in Arvada. Maybe it's due to restrictive health code laws or a fear that spilled coffee permanently damages the yarn merchandise, but I think more LYSs should have coffee bars. Offering a few treats (such as my all-time favorite, scones) would be even better. This little extra would encourage me to sit down, pull out one of my 20+ WIPs and most likely buy something. Plus, I'd love to talk with the owners or whoever happens to be there, too.

The above scenario is what I do at Starbucks all the time. I'd just feel more comfortable in a yarn shop.

Better get some pics for here...

What is it about my picture-phobia? And what's any self-respecting blogger without showing off her latest triumphs in all their visual glory?


For some reason, I am reluctant to post pictures of my stuff on this blog or on Ravelry. Maybe it's just mere shyness about the quality of my work. I have this vision that other knitters will look at my completed work and go apoplectic in fits of laughter over how horrible they are. No, that would never happen. Knitters are an incredibly forgiving group.

How pathetic...I let my husband take more pictures of my kids/his stepkids more often than I do! So if I'm reluctant to photograph my own daughters often, imagine how it is with my own completed projects and WIPs. It's also ironic, because photography used to be a primary hobby of mine.

Resolved: As of this weekend, I will take pictures of my knitting - with my kids whenever possible. Then I won't feel so bad about it.

Project ADD

I work with many kids who have attention deficit disorder. Of course, I don't believe that it's contagious, but I have to say that I must suffer from some form of it, because I seem to start more projects than I finish. Project ADD, if you will.
Mind you, I do finish projects, but I'm not sure why I flit about so much when it comes to having so many WIPs.
Sometimes, I wish I could be like my husband's friend's wife, who once stated in no uncertain terms that she starts one project, finishes it, and doesn't even think about starting another one. A true model of efficiency, but really, what fun is that?
I like to have my mindless stockinette or garter stitch project, one that has more engaging stitchwork, one that has colorwork, one with lace, one with an interesting pattern, and just all those of family and friends.
Nothing wrong with that, right? Frankly, it's nothing to be ashamed of.
And I don't want to find a cure for it, medical or otherwise.

Crocheting

I haven't yet written about crochet...that'll change today.



Crochet was something that never appealed to me when I began knitting. I didn't maintain the purist approach, that knitting was the bomb and crochet wasn't. It just seemed so much more limited to me, that I wouldn't be able to make as many things with the hook 'n' wrap as I would with the needles, knit and purl.



There was a counselor at the school I worked at two years ago who crocheted really beautiful sweaters, scarves and ponchos and actually sold them every so often. That began to help me change my perceptions, the crack in the door.



Just like when I got the first Stitch n Bitch knitting book, I looked at the companion crochet book and became intrigued. Now, I have to say that I didn't like about half of the patterns in there - way too hip and edgy for my liking. But I finally wanted to give it a go.



I attempted the basic stitches - and wasn't able to get them, because I completely misunderstood the nature of the turning chain. Why were my swatches coming out as triangles? I put down the hook and went back to knitting, quite humbled.



When I saw both the Interweave Crochet magazine and the Teach Yourself Visually Crochet book, I was persuaded to try again. This time, success! OK, even if I made a beret that looked more Rastafarian than French. But now, I am, ahem, hooked (you knew that was coming) - and can't wait to try my next project!

I'm a bit overwhelmed.

I flew back to Colorado early (WAY early, waking up at 2:30 AM and leaving by 6) Sunday. I felt like I got hit by a truck, even with a two hour nap when Rob finally picked me up at Denver International and we drove home.

What can I say? Stitches West was way cool, so much I'd love to return next year or go to the one in Illinois. Of course, the Santa Clara Convention Center floor burst at the seams with fiber nuts like myself, to the point where I couldn't enjoy just browsing at all the luscious yarn and other necessary paraphenalia and the whole exercise became a test of sensory overload. I also only managed to make three purchases: one for an extra copy of Interweave Knits' current issue, the second for another skein of Handmaiden Sea Silk (a scarf for my sister), and a considerable purchase from WEBS' massive booth, which was practically half the marketplace.
Almost bought some qivuit (sp?), but just couldn't make the financial commitment...or the justification to Rob.

Nevertheless I loved being there, especially the two classes I took that centered on creating your own knitting from Sandi Rosman and Melissa Leapman. Both helped in building confidence and skill, plus they were just fun.

Going to Stitches West

I'm headed to Northern California this weekend for my first fiber convention (is that what they're called?), Stitches West. I never would've thought about going to one, but my friend Wendi attended last year's, and asked if I wanted to go, too. So in addition to getting in some family visiting time (I grew up on the coast south of Santa Cruz), I'll be learning how to design and write my own patterns. Needless to say, I'm pretty jazzed.



Now, because there will be a marketplace, I'll have to practice incredible self-control and not buy yarn...okay, too much yarn, and whatever else I might encounter, knit or crochet-wise. It'll just be fun to be around and chat with other fiber nuts like myself and Wendi. I probably should warn my husband Rob about what could transpire, since I don't want him to collapse from shock at seeing our credit card statement next month.



As far as my WIPs go, I'm getting through the two scarfs - one for Niki, the other for myself. Mine is actually an ingenious combination hat/scarf, the Nomad, which is in the Fall 2007 Interweave Knits. I'd love to use it for skiing, but it's not lined on the inside. That's pretty much essential for me and my cold-blooded self.



Other WIPs - the Composed Mitts (also from IK Fall 07, and my first venture into fair isle knitting), the baby cardigan for a work colleague who is expecting in June, the Bonsai tunic, the Icarus shawl, the Charlotte's web shawl, a shawlette, Rob's vest and the girls' ponchos.



Maybe if I'm out there for others to see, I can somehow be held accountable!

Welcome to my personal site!

I have KnitWit and Wisdom - then I have my fun blog.

Not that there's any shortage of knitting blogs out there, far more extensive and sophisticated than my own. But I have to start somewhere, right?

The odyssey started in December 2006, during one of the rare major snowstorms we had here in Denver. There's only so much TV you can watch and books you can read, so I took up my year-old Susan Bates teach yourself to knit scarf project and had another go. While that first project was eventually frogged and discarded, I moved on to Debbie Stoller's first Stitch and Bitch book, which pretty much taught me everything I needed to know. And I've never looked back.

I now have a place where I can write and share my knitting and nascent crocheting efforts and how the fit into my crazy life of being an mom, wife, friend, yogi and writer.

It's great to be here!