the sheep-free knitter

confession time

nobody@vox.com(abigailvr) — Sun, 25 May 2008 10:06:11 -0700

I went to the Purlescence sale yesterday. I was trying to stay away, but I was holding out hope that All Seasons Cotton would be on sale, so I could get some to make Manon. It wasn't, but I found some Maizy and Puffin that I liked, for socks and a baby blanket, respectively. Then I broke down and go the All Seasons Cotton too. I am accumulating sweater quantities of yarn. I need to get on the ball and start knitting sweaters faster.

I am not sure who will get the Puffin blanket. My friend who is currently pregnant is more of a natural fibers person. I might make her a Moderne Log Cabin blanket, like the one I made for Stefan, from Pakucho. Someone else will get pregnant for me to make them a blanket, I'm sure.

I also wore my Tomato yesterday. I was going to wear it on Friday for HK, but Friday is preschool day with Stefan and I didn't really want paint and/or play dough or any of the other things the preschoolers were like to smear on it.

another tomato shot

So while I was at Purlescecne, I picked Sandi and Nathania's brains about fit adjustments. Sandi measured my shoulders and helped me measure bust in the front versus the back, so I know how much more fabric I need. I noticed in wearing the Tomato that the shoulders are slightly too big and that the side "seam" where the shaping is gets pulled forwards and the sweater bags slightly in the back. I have a lot of adjusting to do! I think that Cookie was right recently when she pointed out that since I change patterns so much, maybe I should just start from scratch. I am going to get some knitwear design books out of the library and do that sometime soon, I think. I hope. You know, in my copious free time!

I seem to have a touch of startitis, so here's a shot of the Montego Bay Scarf that I started in BMFA Bambu. It's soft and lovely and I have no idea what I'm going to do with it.

montego bay scarf

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ripe tomato!

nobody@vox.com(abigailvr) — Sun, 18 May 2008 23:11:49 -0700

I finished my Tomato tee today! (Ravelry project details.) I'm very pleased with it. I have to say that I was a bit anxious how it would turn out when I tried it on before washing it. It just looked droopy and not very flattering.

tomato, prewashing

But, Pakucho is magic in the washing machine. All the knitting evens out and it shrinks about 10% into a wearable garment!

tomato, postwashing

I am quite pleased with it. Someday, I think I want to use this yarn to make a long sleeved cardigan. I was going to say cabled, but I already have one of those, so, I'll just have to keep thinking.

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on chocolate tomatoes and bringing things out of hibernation

nobody@vox.com(abigailvr) — Thu, 15 May 2008 23:55:26 -0700

I am a sneeze away from being done with my Organic Chocolate Tomato tee. I've been quietly knitting away on it. It's hard for me to tell if it's going well, since it will shrink 10% when I wash and dry it the first time. It doesn't look great now, but hopefully that will change. I also have mixed feelings about the colorwork, but I think I will like that much better after washing as well. Washing fixes everything!

almost ripe chocolate tomato

The thing washing won't fix is that the ribbing on the one sleeve I finished is too loose. I'm going to reknit it with smaller needles. Cookie helpfully pointed that out to me, but was kind enough to also warn me not to show her my sweaters, because she'll always find something wrong. Duly noted, Cookie!

I have also pulled my Lotus Blossom Tank out of hibernation. It was actually pretty much finished. I had sewn the shoulder seams and just had to finish around the edges and it was done. But, it wasn't right. I did two sets of short rows for the bust and that was too much. In addition, I hadn't knit far enough on the sides so it did some ugly angling things. I ripped back to right before I started the second set of short rows and I'm moving forward. It might even be done in the right season!

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bombshell and amy singer

nobody@vox.com(abigailvr) — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 22:45:34 -0700

7/27/07

My Bombshell is so close to being done. I am working on the neckband, but I don't have enough yarn to bind off, so I need to go back a row (I added extras) and start the bind off again. bummer. It does have edgings on the sleeves, though, so that's progress! I took it in to Purlescence today to show Sandi how I was doing, since she helped me change the back shaping. She oohed and aahed for me.

7/28/07

Speaking of Purlescence, I also attended Amy Singer's No Sheep workshop today. It was quite informative, as I knew it would be! On Amy's recommendation, I bought one ball of Pima-Tencel to do the GKY thing with to see if I think it will work for Lift and Separate from Big GIrl Knits. I'm still itching to knit some silk into Annie Modesitt's silk corset and some linen into the lotus blossom tank from a recent issue of Interweave Knits. So many projects, so little time.

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