PumpkinKnits

Wednesday, March 30, 2005

HA! Take that, you pesky sweater

Guess what I did last night? I bound off two Devan sleeves, and then blocked them, and after that, just for kicks, I joined each front piece to the back at he shoulders. Can I just say how much I love 3-needle bind off - it just looks so neat and tidy and it is so easy to do. Maybe I'm a freak though, as I do love seaming and finishing pieces and that seems to be a rare trait in knitters. No photos as it was too late, but they'd be boring anyway. All that is left is rest of seaming and the all-the-way-around button band/neckband. I can do this!

Also, I am coveting this. I'm still working on rationalizing a $70 T-shirt though - anyone want to help me with some more reasons I need to knit this?

Tuesday, March 22, 2005

Aurora Pullover Progress

Completed the back of the Aurora pullover this weekend. I am in love with the fabric that this yarn makes, it is just so light and soft, and the way the purl side stacks due to the tape-like nature of it is just really neat. This is a good pattern to show that off a bit. Here's a shot of the ribbed top section. Its a very simple pattern, and I love the arches at the bottom, I think I will certainly squirrel the chart away for future use. Home sick from work today, so plugging away at Devan sleeves.....almost there!


Aurora Back Posted by Hello

PS - I have been diligently ignorning the fact that finishing the neck of Aurora will require crochet work. Something I have never done. But, its never too early to start planning so if anyone has good online how-to sites bookmarked, please share.

Saturday, March 19, 2005

Lumberjack Socks done!

The trip to Chicago gave me a renewed burst of energy for these socks and I finished numer 2 last night. Because they're my first sock-yarn socks and the first I can post a photo of on my blog, you're getting two shots (so nice to have some sunlight - ahhhhhhh)

a one...


and a two

Legs are a little baggy, but I can't stand doing ribbing on DPNs. I guess I'll have to get good at it sooner or later. Really enjoyed my second Kitchener attempts, and found a groove and felt very comfortable with it. We'll see if I remember my groove next time.

Project Specs:
Pattern: Magic Stipes basic socks
Yarn: Magic Stripes Lumberjack Black
Needles: #4 Clover Bamboo DPNs

Monday, March 14, 2005

Airplane Knitting

The past two days have been big for me. The smallest items of the big days is that I've knitted in public for the first time (just due to lack of opportunity, rather than fear of KIP). I flew from Boston to Chicago yesterday and got much sock knitting done on the flight - it was wonderful to have 3-hours of straight knitting time. The ruddy business man next to me was not impressed with my vast skills - he prompty lolled his head to the side and started snoring. I'm not almost done with the (long abandoned)1st of my 2nd pair of socks. Its the pattern from the label of Lion Brand Magic Stripes, very simple and quick.

The other big thing, and this is really big, is not knitting related. I'm feeling a tad bit like Stephanie these days, as I have left my baby boy for the first time ever in his 20-month life. I miss him terribly, but he is in good hands with his daddy and is doing just fine. Its only been 24 hours and I have about 48 more to go - I cannot wait to get my arms around him again.

While my soul may be suffering, my knitting is not. There are a couple fabulous yarn stores within walking distance from my hotel, which will get a visit. I packed more sock yarn (the nice stuff from my SP) as well as the back of the Aurora pullover and pleny of yarn to start the front if I should finish, and the soft soft camel-colored baby alpaca from my SP, and I might go browsing online for a nice lacy scarfy pattern for it - any ideas out there for me? I've got about 218 yards of it....

Tuesday, March 08, 2005

Guess what this means:



It means I finished the back of Devan, which means we are all one step closer to me not whining about this sweater. Also, this was my first intarsia attempt - its far from perfect, I think I can tighten up some of the loosey-goosey parts with some selective yarn tightening. This shot makes the patch look warped, but it is a rectangle. I am doing the sleeves at the same time, and making good headway on them already.

The sharp-eyed may have also noticed the addition of of the Aurora pullover in the WIP sidebar. I am loving this "yarn" (its really a knitted tube), and it is so light and airy and soft. This top is going to be worn-in-T-shirt comfortable, and even with long sleeves, I'm guessing I'll be able to wear it long into the warm months, it feels that light and airy. I'll post a pic when I get to the interesting parts - for now its just a 7-in piece of stockingette.

Friday, March 04, 2005

Packages and packages to come....

Package arrived:
My Knittyboard SP has done it again - yay! 2 skeins of Froehlich Wolle for a pair of socks, in a nice blue colorway that is all me, as well as a set of Brittany #2 DPNS - my first "fancy" pair of dpns - wheee. And more alpaca!!! This time a lovely camel colored baby aplaca that I've been petting since its arrival. And last but never least in my book - delicious coffee! Thank you SP!

SP Package

Package arriving soon:

I could not help myself. I have been eyeballing this top since I first checked out Elann's site months and months ago.


Aurora pullover

Each time I browsed for yarn I went back to the Schachenmayr Aurora Color and hemmed and hawed about whether or not to get this yarn for this top. When I noticed that the color I was eyeballing (blue granite) had only 13 balls left, exactly what the pattern called for, I pulled the trigger. So this will be the beginning of my first spring knitting season - a nice cotton pullover. As the color is now sold out, I don't have a photo, but it actually looks much like the sock yarn I just got - blues, grays, blacks.

Also, I've been spying on the RibbiCardi knitalong, and as the FOs keep piling up, I'm liking this sweater more and more. Elann just got some more Puruvian Highland Wool stock, so I grabbed me the following:







pottery red

Oatmeal Heather

Gray is for the body, red for the sleeves, although I just might have ordered enough to do it the opposite if I change my mind.