Monday, June 18, 2007

What I've done, what I haven't and I what I want to do

The rules: Mark with bold the things you have knit, with italics the ones you plan to do sometime, and leave the rest.

Afghan - One day when I have enough patience and matching leftover yarn
I-cord - part of the project I'm working on
Garter stitch - garter stitch is where we all start
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn - if someone has spare, send it over, I'd really like to try but haven't gotten my hands on it yet. I did find a yarn band in the park once (a glue that there are other knitters), which was camel hair yarn, but she didn't leave any yarn behind.
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL - It's Knitting Nature and Forecast for me
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn - didn't have much when I grew up
Slip stitch patterns - they create excellent patterns if you're not into fair-isle knitting
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Domino knitting (=modular knitting) - another WIP not yet to be revealed
Twisted stitch patterns
Two end knitting
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing - there wasn't much where I grew up, all toy clothes were self-made, and man in the end we were good at it.
Knitting with circular needles
Baby items
Knitting with your own hand-spun yarn
Slippers
Graffiti knitting
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments - taking my first steps. Should write down patterns.
Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran)
Lace patterns
Branching out
Publishing a knitting book
Participate in an exchange
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit - I'm struggling at home, she wants to but isn't ready (too young), ah well, keep trying
American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to make money
Buttonholes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dying with plant colors
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cosies…) - now that's a thing that doesn't quite flatter my skills. Maybe I'll do a lamp cover or knit a pillow, but I'll call them home design.
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on one or two circulars - I'm strictly 5 dpn lady if knitting in small circles
Knitting with someone else’s hand-spun yarn
Knitting with dpns
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit - I'm luring my husband into my net :)
Bobbles - I have tricks for bobbles and started to like them when I got to know the tricks
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dying yarn
Steeks - I'm looking for that courage
Knitting art
Knitting two socks on two circulars simultaneously
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener stitch
Knitted flowers
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac
Knitting and purling backwards - it's fun!
Machine knitting
Knitting with self patterning/self striping/variegated yarn
Stuffed toys
Baby items
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn - when I was young and price had a huge effect on choises
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Free-form knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mits/arm-warmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an on-line knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting - tried it, but it never gets cold wnough here... one day, one day...
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair- it makes me sneeze too much
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

Friday, June 15, 2007

Estonian color swap

We swapped colors with a bunch of knitting women in Estonia. I was requested for lime green and more or less lime green it came. But it was oh so hard not to buy all lime green items I saw around. And I went over them limit they set, but the prices are different, I guess. Hell who cares about money if swapping is fun. I will recieve my package when I go to estonia in a few weeks time.

Edit: 8.07.2007
I finally recieved my own package as well, I got if from Vardakeerutaja and I think she did a great job choosing the items for they are exactly my tase.
Proof:
Pakk MULLE!!!!
Click on the picture, it has notes.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

New purchase

I ought to be getting rid of my yarn stash, well most of it, and yet I couldn't stop myself when last week a natural products market took place for a day. And of course I just happened to pass by. And of course I bought yarn, some natural wool from Puglia (Southern Italy) and some Argentian handspun wool in darker natural colors. Of course I'm knitting it already.
And today, right below my house there is another market and this yarn swift was calling out my name, I swear. Now it's mine for only 15 Euros. I used it to wind a ball from one of the skeins of that courgeous wool.

Sunday, June 03, 2007

Belle & epoque

Selgitus:
Kõik kiidavad seelikut, ega vist pane tähele, et neid on ju KAKS! :P Modell on ainuses, aga seelikuid topelt. Tõestus:
Muuseas on need kootud sama arvu silmustega. Belle näeb välja kitsamana, aga süüdi selles on äärepits.
****
Kahandan oma lõngavarusid kududes kiiremini (khm khm väiksemaid asju).
Mullu ostsin 2x400 grammi Katia Jamaica puuvillast lõnga. Türkiis-roosa-oranžist sai Clapotis number 2, kuid rohe-beeži-puna-oranži kirju istus kapis ja ootas mustrit või ideed.
Eelmisel nädalal tuli Leenuke koju ja küsis luba sõbranna poole ööseks minna. Muidugi ma lubasin, nad on nagu õed (sukk ja saabas).
Samal päeval olin just oma lõngavarusid sorteerinud ning suur otsustamine, mis võtta, mis jätta käis. Ja tuligi nagu välk ja pauk mõte, 2 päeva hiljem olid nunnud valmis:
Belle

... ja E'poque
Satsidest lähivõtted (Nicky Epsteini raamatust "Knitting on the edge")
Belle Epoque

...ja knit fluted edge
Satsi nimest tulid ka seelikute nimed, sest Belle èpoque tähendab prantsuse keeles "ilusad ajad", lapsepõlvest paremat aega ma ei tea, seega on satsi nimi igati sobiv.

Info:
Lõng: Katia Jamiaca, 100% puuvill, värv 4002 (Suzanne) , kaks kokku 320 grammi
Vardad: 4 mm Addi Turbo ringvardad
Muster: omalooming

Ennustus - Forecast

Tadaa! Mu Ennustus ehk Forecast on valmis:Tegelikult sai see valmis juba kaks nädalat tagasi, aga kuigi ma olen kiire kuduja, siis piltidega läheb mul alati üle mõistuse kaua aega.
Viie-päevast valmimisaega selgitan laheda juhisega :)

Ja nööbid tegin ka ise :P

Muudatused:
  • Ei kudunud pahempidiste silmuste ridu, vaid muutsin need hoobilt parempidiseks.
  • Lõnga ning vardasuuruse muutuse tõttu tuli nupukesi palju rohkem, aga ei väsinud ära.
  • Ei võtnud vaevaks nuppude kudumisel tööd koguaeg keerata. Kudusin 1 silmusest vajaliku arvu välja, tõstsin tagasi vasakule vardale, kudusin läbi, ning tõstsin silmad ükshaaval üle esimese silmuse.
Mis oleks võinud teistmoodi teha: kududa sooniku pikemaks (teistkordne venitamine ehk aitab, või siis tuleb kaalust alla võtta) ning oleks ikka võinud iga rea esimese silmuse läbikududa - mul on lõtv kudum ning nüüd on nööbihõlma ja kehaosa vahel rististe silmuste rida. Aga ma nimetan seda disainielemendiks.

Info:
Lõng: tundmatu mark, 100% meriino, kreem, 350 grammi
Vardad: 4 mm ja 3,25 mm Addi Turbo ringvardad
Muster: Forecast
Aeg: 5 päeva

Forecast done!

Tadaa! My Forecast is done.Actually it was done quite a while ago, I just didn't get to taking the pictures.
I like the design a lot and it was really fun to knit, which explains how it got ready in only 5 days.

And I did sew on the self-made buttons.

Modifications:
  • I didn't purl, I knit the garter stitch part, which meant changing the pattern a wee little in the beginning.
  • Different kind of yarn. I went down on needle size, that meant more bobbles (iiiik), but I got them done.
  • I didn't turn my work while knitting bobbles, I just slipped stitches back to left needle and knit them through then just passing stitches over the last stitch.
What I wish had done differently: knit the ribbing part longer (blocking again will help I hope, or losing weight :P) and knit the first stitch of every row. I trusted the pattern, but should have trusted my experience, now I have this strange cross-stitch row between body and button bands (It's because my stitches are quite loose). But I guess you can call it DESIGN element.

Info:
Yarn: Unknown producer, 100% merino, cream, 350 grams
Needles: 4 mm and 3,25 mm Addi Turbo circulars
Pattern: Forecast
Time: 5 days

Friday, June 01, 2007

Belle & epoque

I am licquidating my stash by knitting faster (khm... smaller projects)
Last year I purchased 2x400 grams of Katia Jamaica cotton yarn, the turqoise-pink-orange one became Clapotis nr. 2, but green-beige-red-orange mix hid in the closet and didn't find a pattern.
Then one day last week my daughter came home and asked whether she could stay over for a night at a friend's place upcoming week. Of course I said yes, last time they had great fun together.
And it just happened that I was cleaning the closet and deciding the fate of my stash, so I instantly got an idea to knit some playful skirts. I pulled out Nicky Epstein's Knitting on the Edge and picked out two ruffles.
2 days later I had these beauties ready:
Belle

...and E'poque

Close-ups of ruffles, they are:
Belle Epoque

...and knit fluted edge
Why such a name... Well, Belle èpoque means in french "good/beautiful times" and I guess childhood can be considered the best of times, so it wasn't difficult to name the skirts after ruffles :)

Info:
Yarn: Katia Jamiaca, 100% cotton, color 4002 (Suzanne) , used for both 320 grams
Needles: 4 mm Addi Turbo circular
Pattern: my own