What’s your most challenging project?

I’ve worked on a lot of tough projects because I love challenges but I think this one was the most challenging. Back in ‘09 our friend Nick sent me a link to a R2D2 pattern and photo that was traveling around the net and asked if I could make two for him and Lindsey. It was a simple version so when I saw it my cocky self said “Oh, I can do better!!!!”… And this is what I came up with. So many problems with this one in the beginning. I had knitted the cap several different times. For the first time it really sunk in that if I’m going to knit something in the round or flat that I have knit my swatch the same way since my purls are more relaxed than my knits. So the gauge for each one will be different. I had planned on knitting this in fairisle in the round but found that the floats were too long (was still a bit inexperienced with color working so I didn’t know about twisting them at the time) so I changed it to intarsia (which I personally do not like) but because the hat was going to be knitted flat my gauge was now all off so I had to re-chart the whole thing…. boring details I know. Anyway, it’s done and they were ecstatic. The cap is knitted and the details are crochet and/or sewn. A lot of work and a bit of a struggle but so worth it in the end.

Day 6: What is your favorite piece that you’ve knit?

My favorite piece has to be the sweater above. A 1/3 scaled version of Kate Davies Owl Sweater for Hitomu. A lot of swatching and math was involved in making this one but it was so worth it in the end.

Day 7: Your least favorite?

…This one is a hard one to answer since I don’t really have one. I kind of have this rule that if I find that a project is just too unpleasant to do, then I either don’t do it or I frog it if it’s been started. I will say that I think that entrelac is the devil. I try it a few times and hated it… no offense to those who love it.

Had to make up a day this evening. Finishing up the last of my commissions so far and then it’s Katsucon knitting for the next several weeks. All of my spare time is being spent making sweaters and plushies. I even have a few wooden surprises this year… doll related and not. Pictures to come if I have time.

Day 5: How long did it take from the time your learned how to knit, to finish your first project?

I honestly do not remember. I learned to crochet really young so I picked up knitting very fast (though when I re-learned to knit years later, thanks to crocheting, all of my knit stitches were twisted). As for how long it took me to make my first knitting projects… I would say several months but mainly because I had to wait to see my grandmother to learn how to cast off. As in the project mentioned in Day 1 my scarf wound up being 11 feet long because I did not know how to bind off. I just kept knitting and knitting.

Is it friday yet?…

How did you learn how to knit?

My grandmother Elsie was the first to teach me to knit in the early 90′s. She had taught me to crochet when I was really young. After she had taught me I kept it up for a few months but slowly drifted away from it. A few years later I tried to reteach myself and thanks to the interweb was doing okay with it (even though at that time I was twisting all of my knit stitches when I knitted). I don’t drive and here in Baltimore places to purchase yarn were non-existent. Or so I thought… I was told that a few year before a tiny little yarn store called A Good Yarn opened up in the Fells Point area of the city. This completely boggled my mind. A shop that sells yarn and has knitting lessons?! Brilliant! The owner Loraine taught me how to knit in the round on my first visit. From then on I took several classes at her shop. If it wasn’t for that little store I honestly don’t think I would be knitting today.

Do you have any other WIPs (works in progress)?

Ah this one is going to be a boring one tonight… it feels a bit redundant from the last question. Luckily I have two more projects on the needles.

A v-neck style Takumi sweater in cream/white mohair (commission)

and yosd sized pants suspenders made from merino wool webbing and leather scraps. We’ll see how this second one turns out.

Tmi… but my eye has been twitching for several weeks now. At first I was thinking it was my sinuses but after getting some nerve up to read up on it (it is seriously annoying) I found that it could be stress or lack of sleep, maybe even too much caffeine… all of which I’m guilty of right now. Going to bed while it’s still some what early (for me it is). There have been a few nights of me asking the Mr…
Me: can you see my eye twitch?
Mr: no
Me: now?
Mr: no…
Me: how about now?
Mr: NO YOU CAN NOT SEE IT TWITCH!!! *eye twitch*

What is currently on your needles?:

Emily Dickinson Shawl made from gray Shetland Supreme and a V-neck style Takumi Sweater in Dark teal mohair (commission)

( I have several more on the needles but I’ll save them for tomorrow)

Spent the early part of the day at Nancy’s (Spinnit) house picking and carding some Border Leicester wool I had purchased at the last MD Sheep and Wool Festival. I thought that I could somewhat get away with having to wash it before doing so but soon discovered how wrong I was. It was no where near as waxy as the first batch I had purchased the year before but it’s still very sticky and greasy as I’m spinning it. I’m hoping to make a hat for the Mr with this carded batch but I’m seriously going to need to wash it in hot hot water to get it all out (unless he wants it water proof… and I’m not kidding). The best thing out of it is that I had a great time spending time with Nancy (she is one of the most generous people when it comes to her knowledge of spinning) and my hands haven’t been this soft in ages after having to handles all that lanolin.

What was your first finished project?

My first finished project was an eleven foot, jet black, fuzzy acrylic/mohair, garter stitch scarf. At the time, I was being taught to knit by my grandmother. Due to time she was only able to teach me to cast on and knit so I took what she taught me and knitted away. Let me tell you that black is the worst color to ever practice from when you’re learning to knit… and the fuzziness also didn’t help. You can barely see a thing you’re doing. I started with 25 stitches and some how worked my way up to 32 and down to 24. So the poor thing was incredibly wavy width wise. I was also a tight knitter when I started the thing but managed to loosen up my tension by the time I had finished it. Again, not helping in the consistency department. It was a few months later that I would see my grandmother again to learn how to bind off which was the main reason the scarf was a long as it was. I found the horrid thing right before moving into the place we currently live in and gave it to my cousin. …I have no clue where it is now.

Happy New Year everyone!!!
Now that that is out of the way here’s a fun little meme I found through Some Stardust on Tumblr. I figured it would give me a good reason to blog. Feel free to join in:
30 Day Knitting Challenge Read the rest of this entry »

I always like comparing my human sized knits to my doll knits. The stitch count on these two are exact and both are at the 50 row mark (yes I count my rows… doesn’t everyone?). I didn’t swatch for the doll sized wrist warmers since all I wanted to see was how different the size would be but I think leaving it alone may totally work. We’ll see when I have to place the thumb hole though.

I received a copy of Miette from my mother the other day. Lovely cookbook. There is a recipe for Fleur de Sel Caramels that I really want to try. Besides marzipan (which I really do not count) I’ve never made candy but the recipe look simple enough that I really want to try. I think I will attempt to make a batch over the holidays.

I finally watched the newest BBC version of Sherlock Holmes(yes Lauren, I’m only seeing it now… don’t hurt me). This was after seeing all of the lovely fan art that a certain group of artists had for sale at the Nekocon AA earlier this month. I really didn’t think anyone could play a more handsome Holmes than Basil Rathbone or a more brilliant one as Jeremy Brett but after seeing the first series last weekend I have to say that Benedict Cumberbatch comes pretty darn close (what an awesome name by the way). Also Martin Freeman plays a pretty awesome Watson if you ask me. Anyway, I will admit that what won me over was the last scene of the last episode when Moriarty finally reveals himself. In all of the other Holmes series and movies I’ve seen Moriarty always seemed to be this old but elegant, bore of a man (yawn). In this one he is 1. young and 2. absolutely terrifying in my opinion. With his odd speech pattern and all out vibe that he gives off I was actually scared of this character for once. Great show and I can’t wait to see the second series once it’s out. It’s streaming on Netflix now for anyone who hasn’t see it.

So this is the wrist warmer design I had mentioned in the last post. These are no where slouchy than the man whose pair I used for inspiration (one day I’ll get around to making those) but they are considerably more so than the other pairs I usually make for the Merry Mart. Now mind you, the one shown has not been washed or blocked yet so they are looking a little rough (Also ignore the band aid… I managed to stab myself twice this week at work). It’s seriously magic what blocking does and yet so many skip this stage. Anyway, I’m really happy with them. They kind of have a retro look in my opinion and as soon as I’m finished this black pair I’m taking a break and making a red set for myself.
I kind of want to keep making more (I’m having a blast doing so) but I’d hate to keep making something new that I’m not sure is going to sell. What I love is not always what others love. Should I keep on knitting or go back to making my slimmer design? It’s decisions like this that take the fun out of business… or at least for me that is. If they do well I may dust off the Amubleu etsy shop and put these up as a commission-able purchase. I figure why not. If not I’ll keep making them for myself and I’ll have several pairs in a million colors.

By the way, I seriously need to make these in doll scale. Hito and Aki need a pair…