Without further ado...
I present Madli's Shawl:
This was really fun to knit. From Interweave Knits Summer 2004, by Nancy Bush. Knit in Rowan Kidsilk Haze, color Trance, on US 4. Click here to see it big and laid out.
I loved loved loved knitting this, and I loved wearing it. It's actually pretty warm! And yet so light. Pin courtesy of this good friend.
Notes: Really not many. When you knit the bobbles, do them very very very loosely. That's about it.
And also.
I succeeded in dyeing the yarn from my old brown sweater. I'll call it "Resurrected Sweater" for now. Here it is:
Kool-aid "Black Cherry" was what I used. I don't think this yarn had been dyed, I think it was brown off the sheep, so it really took color nicely.
What's all this about SPINNING?
Well, really, you knew it was a matter of time, didn't you. Yes, you all did. I had to try it. I just had too, if just to see if I could. You know how it is.
So I got me a bottom-whorl spindle and some bright blue $3.00 roving and went at it. I made a tiny ball of singles to ply and was working on another tiny ball, when THIS happened:
I am Bear. I am the Destroyer off all things fuzzy.
MUST he be a stereotype? Really. Hi, I'm a kitteny-cat and I love small balls of yarn. Haven't we heard this? Hasn't it been done and done again? Dipshit. I'm disappointed in him. No originality at all.
Also no remorse. I can't bear to show a picture. More will be spun soon, I'm sure.
Stash update: One item remains. Check out the Stash page to see! If not sold by the early next week, it goes on ebay. Thanks so much to everyone who bought/took in yarn!!!!
Save the last graft for me.
When last we left our intrepid (albeit High Energy) knitter, she was being VERY GOOD and knitting away on Madli's Shawl. She finished the required repeats. She finished the edging to put on the remaining side. She then reviewed Nancy Bush's instructions which state, "Graft the two pieces together with kitchener stitch."
I'm sorry. What?
This is Kidsilk Haze, Nancy. I can tell you right now it is NOT going to like grafting or any sewing of the sort! It will have none of it. Why Oh Why must I do this?
Highly Neurotic Jenny: "But, HEJ, Nancy's pattern doesn't use Kidsilk Haze!"
Highly Irritated Jenny: "Shut UP. But thanks for playing."
Well, here we are then, at this grafting situation:
Some tips if you are going to do this:
1) Start no earlier than 12:00am. Really, these things are best done late at night, when the senses and vision are dulled. Other late night activities to consider, dear bloggers? How about upgrading your computer system software? Or changing your hair color back to blonde from red?
2) Be out of provisions. Caffeine, sugar, chocolate, these things are only distractions from your task at hand. Be sure to have no reinforcements, so you can stop midway through to go to Kroger because you are going out of your FREAKING MIND.
3) Add another complex task. When doing a tough task such as this, I prefer to add a level of complexity, such as watching a movie. Best really, is a mystery with lots of characters who resemble each other, or even better, a subtitled foreign film. I chose a documentary. It was not as challenging as one might think.
Voilą
And she did it! Here's the finished seam:
The bottom one is the grafted one.
And just cause I like you all, click here for a close-up.
Now, to block the damn thing...
Of no particular interest, really.
1) I got a flu shot.
OW. My arm hurts.
2) I lost my favorite tape measure ever that went with me everywhere. It's gone. It was so perfect, right shape, right size, didn't make noise, was 17cm around (why do I know this? IT'S a TAPE MEASURE!). Gone. Sniff. I got a new one at JoAnn's, but it's magenta for Pete's sake. And clicky. I'm not satisfied.
3) Have finished 22 repeats of Madli's shawl. They look the same as the previous 18.5, so there's really no need for a picture.
4) Ran 12 miles yesterday. That was a really hard one. Those hills are killing me. Six miles into it I really really really wanted to quit. But I coaxed myself into just running "to Anne's house," "to that ugly yellow building", "just one more hill," and I did it. I truly believe that running more than about 5-6 miles is IN YOUR HEAD. If anyone out there thinks they can't do it, you're wrong. If you believe you can, you can run it. Just do it.
5) Finished Anouk while on High Energy Hiatus (HEH). I love this pattern. Kate rocks. I used Nature Spun Cotton Fleece from my lovely LYS, and it turned out really well, I think. Take a look there!
Wanna see a close-up of the buttons? Go on, then.
I tried to intarsia the pockets and they looked SO CRAPPY. So I duplicate stitched them instead and I really liked it. Also, to sew on the pockets I referred to the Knitter's Book of Finishing Techniques which I LOVE. Nancie Wiseman, thou art smart.
6) Ate a funnel cake with Fasty McSpeederton at the Cotton Gin Festival and Race:
7) Had such nice comments from you all! Thanks so much, you guys. It's nice to be missed.
Well, hello there.
Hi people. I thought I'd post a little post here, but actually it's a BIG post, so be forewarned!
A friend of a friend suggested this idea on his blog about taking a picture of your day, hour by hour. I thought it'd be interesting... I couldn't do it on a work day, since I can't take pics at work, but here I document for you my day off work on Sunday.
2:30pm
Hi. I'm sleepy and the gnomes and I really want to stay in bed.
3:30pm
Walking a happy person who is getting her news. All the news that's fit to sniff.
4:30pm
Knitting on Madli's Shawl, from IK, in Kidsilk Haze. I'm working fast, cause I have a month left till I wear it. At this point I have 18.5 repeats out of 31 done.
5:30pm
The boy and I decide to take the tandem out for a spin. Lord is he silly.
6:30pm
Buying new bike shorts from Bike Nashbar. And no you can't zoom in to to see my credit card. Stop trying.
7:30pm
Carrie, John and I waiting for AM and Dixie Chick. We were so hungry, we threatened to eat Carrie. We were in a vegetarian restaurant, and they caved and seated us. We won!
8:30pm
Dessert. Yum.
9:30pm
Talking to my Mom-in-law on the telephone. Gabgabgab. My mom and dad: I will call soon, I swear.
10:30pm
Jenny actually starts in on a project for work she was supposed to start hours ago. Excellent. I HATE writing.
11:30pm
Still working. Have called in reinforcements: ipod, Lucky Charms, Diet Pepsi. Thank God for Diet Pepsi.
12:30am
Waiting for last page to print. So. Tired. of. Waiting. Have resumed Pajama Status.
1:30am
Kinko's. 1:30 am. The Jennmeister, High Energy Jenninator, Making Copies.
I am the ONLY one in the copy shop. This is a college town on Sunday night. WHAT?
2:30am
I'm exhausted and I deserve a movie. Goody. Headphones, laptop, sofa.
3:30am
Mid-movie, knitting up a storm! Almost 20 repeats down!
4:30am
Writing the blog. Too boring for picture.
5:00am
Must work at 5pm tomorrow. Maybe just a little Harry Potter time before I go to sleep...
Good night ya'll... More knitting soon.
So Little Time.
Ok, seriously, I think of things to blog everyday, and I would blog everyday if I had time. It's RIDICULOUS, the things I want to share with you people. Just all this stuff that's so cool, so you'll know, you know?
1) Like THIS: Mary-Heather's pattern for this cool lace capelet. I mean, really, how talented can you people BE????
2) Or like this: I got these cool-as-shit circular needle markers. No more guessing what size each of my circulars are. Can't use one of those hanger things, and I was going to make a cool case like Maya did, but I'm too lazy. But from Knitpicks I got these:
Blurry, but good.
You snap 'em on your needle till you need it, then when using the needle you can wrap the marker onto the end yarn so you know what size you are using - in case you forget, which I always do.
OOH! What else?
Then, there's this book:
UM, HEJ, what's that fair isle thing? Hmmm?
The book is pretty decent. I like how it tells you how to figure out how much yarn you might have leftover, and ways to think about its use. And as you can see I did kinda um maybe castonandknitsome of the "checkered beanie." It's ALL STASH! ODD leftover skeins. Yay!!!!
And for this hat, I did not knit a gauge swatch.
[stony silence.]
[and also some accusing looks.]
I know. I KNOW. But see, I have already knit fair isle with this yarn, several times, and I know my gauge on what needles. So, I made an executive adult decision to just cast on.* Like as a grown-up, I can decide I won't eat broccoli, at all, ever, even though I know it's good for me.
We'll see.
Lastly, I suppose I should give some updates on what I've been doing.
1) Ignoring "Honeysuckle" because I can't bear to do the math yet.
2) The NBaT is on the intarsia part! Yay, and also painful. PIcs soon.
3) Started Blaze, from Knitty, with stash yarn. I know I didn't tell you first. But there it is. Cable-crazy. What was I thinking?
And, 4) here's "Madli's Shawl" from IK, which I love so so much that I have knit THIS MUCH...
It's like 16 inches of shawl. Reallly.
...without a picture yet. FOLKS, really, Harlot doesn't call it Crack Silk Haze for nothing. That KSH is so amazing to knit with. I love it so much. If they ever discontinue it I will FREAK. OUT. And then buy a whole lot of it.
Ok, kids. Thanks so much for your sweet comments about my dog and her bed. She's a cutie-patootie. It's true. More knittin' soon...
*please don't let this bite me in the ass. please don't let this bite me in the ass. please...
PS - I fixed the pictures that were crappy. Graphic Converter 1, Photoshop Elements 0. Grr.