fancy rocking chair

A mosaic project - sadly, forgot to take photos of the finished version (which I finished up at the friend's house it was intended for). However, like the colour very much (almost couldn't part with it) so thought I'd post here:

WIPs - end of Feb 2007

Well, here I am at the end of Feb. It has been a good stashbusting month (see below).

I'm now working on the following projects:

(a) Freeform Log Cabin


Another stashbuster intended to help me make use of a Fleece Artist afghan kit plus some other Fleece Artist yarn I got on sale (the afghan kit has been sitting around a bit too long - I made another one previously with a pillow:


Lovely pattern but I HATE yarnovers.

I'm interested to see how the log cabin works out. Am using 10mm needles with 12 mm needles for the bindoffs.

(b) Denim Messenger Bag



This is based on a pattern I found in "Greetings from the Knit Cafe". Knitting all done. Just have to line with more denim and fix the strap (which I'm putting off because I am looking for plastic needlepoint canvas to put in the bottom). This was hard going as the yarn (Blue Jeans Cable) gave off dye and fibres which made me itch. The pattern had called for Rowan's denim but I found this stuff on sale at less than half the price. Sometimes you get what you pay for... but the finished bag looks good, I think.

I also just bought a bunch of yarn (drat payday!) for two more projects: entrelac knee socks (I *must* be a masochist. So far have avoided the yarn craze but couldn't resist this pattern in the latest INterweave Knits) and a pair of boxer shorts (using elasticated yarn).

Curve of Many Colours - done!

Well, I couldn't leave well enough alone despite the wise and well-appreciated feedback from some...!). This is the final version (with border added - two rows of half-double crochet in teal).

Front

Back



Specs

- final size: 60" x 60" across
- yarn used: Paton's Decor (85% acrylic, 15% wool) - 20 x 100g balls with a little bit to spare
- needles: 5" addi turbo and 5 mm crochet hook
- started on: 21 January 2007
- finished on: 16 February 2007
- other projects completed during that time: two fuzzy winter hats, fuzzy winter scarf, felted recycled bulletin board
- other projects started/worked on during that time: Tilting at Windmills wall hanging, felted recycles sweaters, mosaic rocking chair, log cabin purse
- old episodes of Law and Order watched while completing: 115 approx ;-)
- pattern by: Woolly Thoughts (Pat Ashforth) with an extra "square" and log cabin border added

I loved knitting this (although I must confess the "extra" square was starting to get a bit tedious. I would recommend it to anyway. I will be doing this pattern again (probably with only 3 colours next time around)

And... I am so happy to finally use the Paton's yarn up... which was the albatross in my yarn collection. Funnily enough, I located the receipt for the yarn the other day - it was purchased in 1995 (at a cost of $2.99 per skein). I had thrown it aside in disgust after attempting a (lovely but frustating) sweater pattern by Kaffe Fassett. This is the third (and only successful) attempt at a pattern using it.

In the interval, it has languished, unloved and reviled, in the spare spaces/sparerooms/musty storage lockers of at least 8 apartments! (I had around that time developed a real snobbery about synthetics and the corresponding financial ability to spend more money on "luxury" yarns). So - I feel a real sense of accomplishment in finally giving the yarn a beautiful "home".

Now off to whip up a sweater or three... . Actually, next project will be a messenger bag made out of denim cotton (which I located on sale on Friday - wrong gauge for the project - but hey, it's a bag!).

Curve of Many Colours - 1st border finished!

Being a masochist, I decided to do two borders on this blanket - one log-cabin style, and one mitered. To be quite honest, I'm getting tired of this project but must finish it and the yarn I started with.

Anyway, I think it's looking pretty good...

Well, still hacking away at the border for the Curve blanket. Am finally starting to get tired of it! but still have quite a bit to do as I decided on two log cabin rounds then a mitered border. SIGH.

In the meantime, I got a new computer (having dropped my former one on the floor - AGH!!!). Perhaps the "drop" was intentional as I LOVE my new home computer (17" widescreen MacBook Pro). Here are some wonky photos I took with the computer:

curve of many colours... almost done!

Just trying to figure out the border scheme now. Will likely knit a sweater and then do it ;)

I love love love this pattern! (from woollythoughts.com - Curve of Pursuit)

front:


back:


yarn: Paton's Decor, 2000g approx (acrylic/wool)
needles: 5 mm addi turbo
size: 48"x48"
number of stitches: lost count at 91,745. Kidding. Tried to calculate but am very bad at math.

felted bulletin board - completed!

Hoping that this will jazz up my office somewhat:




I'm very proud of this effort, although imperfect. I had wanted to tackle a sewing job and now it's done and doesn't look half bad!

Technique:

- felted a sweater that I purchased from Goodwill, then cut into pieces
- stitched together with dark grey yarn, then overstitched with blue.
- edging in blanket stitch

bulletin board in progress

Have finished the initial seaming of this... didn't actually take too long! It is messy, but can't really be seen. I am going to go over it with some embroidery stitches suggested by knittyfolk... particularly as I have some yarn in blue that matches the blue in the recycled sweater.

Will also be trimming off the stick out bits at that time.

log cabins in progress...

here are my stashbusters (pursuant to new year's commitment [as opposed to resolution])...

1. Curve of Pursuit



This is probably a bit more than halfway done - will depend on yarn supply. Right now it's 30"x30".

2. Purse of Plenty



Not sure whether to add a few more panels or not before starting the next side. Will mull it over a few days.

seamless sweater

Here is a photo of a sweater I knit for DH some time back. I loved the pattern because it is completely seamless. Will have to dig it out... was inspired to post this by a post on knitty re. seaming sleeves (which I detest):



Yarn: brown sheep cotton fleece
Needles: 4mm circular
pattern: can't recall right now. It was a canadian outfit. Will dig it out.

next challenge

Still with the Goodwill sweaters... this is one I had picked up some time back but given up on because my (baby) sewing machine doesn't handle the sewing. Or maybe it would if I ever used it instead of going to the seamster...

(someone on a mailing list told me that the suffix -ster originally denoted the feminine. This in response to my wondering what the gender neutral term for "seamstress" is).

This time I'm trying to make a bulletin board to jazz up my (NGO beige) office. Work in progress...



I will spare you my rant on how much I hate sewing and how bad I am at it. However, I thank the kind people on the Knitty board and on the Woolly Thoughts mail list, some of whom were patient enough to read this rant and then kind enough to post suggestions and response. I have decided to sew this one using a matching thread and use it as a practice piece for the funkier coloured one I plan to do next.

recycled sweater bags

I was very happy to come across several wool sweaters in my (biweekly) pilgrimage to the local Goodwill. Here are my stabs at two bags made out of one sweater. Not completely sold on them, but it was fun to work on them and a break from blankie knitting.

1. Ocean's 13 (working title )


stats:
- background is deeper teal than it looks in the photos with the cheapo digital camera and the apartment lighting
- edging done with Noro Kureyon (lost label and don't have colourway) in crochet - hook size 4 mm
- starfish and other details mostly with same Noro in crochet
- I intended the handles to come out wavy but am not 100% on the look
- thanks to DH for his deep sea suggestion...

2. starfish up close



3. Neckless (I know... groan!)


stats:
- same sweater as above
- edging done in crochet with Brown Sheep Burley spun -Strawberry Patch, handdyed
- detail flower in Burly Spun - Orange you glad and can't remember the red colour, maybe Red Baron

4. detail on trim



This is rather addictive, actually. I hope to refine my technique shortly. Perhaps if I weren't doing this work in front of CTV Newsnet shouting at politicians it would be easier... at least I'm not inclined to pitch my mug at the screen that way!

there was a man and he did sing...

c-c-c-c-c-c-COLD!!!

But I digress... here is my latest chill buster, just in time for the (late) January deep freeze. The synthetics create super warmth without itchiness, strangely enough:



Yarn: Bernat Disco and some leftover DK blue wool from my stash (can't remember the brand)
Needle size: 6.5 mm - DP and circular
Time to knit: 1 1/2 hours approx
Pattern: mine

fuzzy Lara hat!!!

I am very pleased with this hat, which I whipped up in about an hour and a half after an excursion to Zellers - where I saw some cheap eyelash yarn. It will go very nicely with my new winter coat (reversible with a black plush side) - although I am quite bothered about the fact that half the buttons popped off the coat first time I wore it! My attempts to re-sew were disastrous - so will just have to wear this hat tomorrow with my black leather jacket.

The pattern is from "Hip Knit Hats" by Cathy Carron. It is meant to be designed after Lara's hat in Dr Zhivago... but I added some colour:

works in progress...

An update (for myself if no one else) on what I'm working on right now:

(a) Curve of Pursuit - log cabin style



This is my third attempt at using this huge lot of yarn I had bought originally for a Kaffe Fassett sweater many years ago and given up in complete disgust (with myself). I DETEST intarsia. I think all of the yarn will get used up this time! :-)

Yarn = Paton's decor. Needles = Addi Turbo (5mm - I'm trying to get this big enough to use as a bed cover)

(b) Diamonds geometric wall hanging



I am liking the way this is turning out, but the sewing is tedious.

... and a detail from the next row of diamonds...



(c) Glitzy scarf



Bernat eyelash yarn ... the colours do not look as "Hallowe'en" in non-digital land (not that Hallowe'en is a bad thing... !!!)

compulsions, redux

The knitting seems to be getting just a wee bit out of hand. Housework suffers (doesn't it always?), food (which I usually enjoy preparing) has become whatever I can excavate from the freezer and throw into the crockpot. Am (barely) managing to get to work in the morning - refrain from taking knitting on the (1/2 hour) commute because would risk staying on the tram and riding the rails all day.

As well, I seem to have swapped my yarn-purchasing habit (oh really? What about those 2 skeins of Cotton Fleece earlier this week?!? hmmm) for a needle fetish. In 2007 alone I have bought Denise needles and 5 (!) sets of Addi Turbo (having learned that I far prefer Addis to Denise needles). I fear I will not stop buying Addis until I end up forced to sell all of my clothing and drape myself in felted bags and blankets in order to scrape together some money to throw at the landlord in order to continue housing myself and my stash (not to mention DH!).

Did I mention, by the way, that I pay for all of my various habits by working as a tenant advocate? But I digress...

My stained glass and other mosaic tools have been moved to the storage locker to make room for the stash, which is slowly (well, not so slowly) taking over the spare room. I have swapped the pleasures of gleaming, smooth glass for the comfort of cotton and wool. Sometimes this saddens me, but I imagine the mosaic muse will strike again when least I expect it.

And then I'll *never* leave the house...!!!

AGGHGHGHGHGHGHG...

wall hanging - (almost a) quarter done!

I say "almost" because I ran out of patience in sewing the rest together this evening (I must confess that sewing in general rates on the "preferred things to do" list somewhere between cramming into a super-jammed streetcar in 35 degree heat, or is that 43 degrees with the humidex?... and going to the dentist for my 16th root canal. I must further confess that I'm not very good at it [sewing, that is!].

But I digress:

I am quite proud to have finished 1/4 of the knitting involved despite limited time of late (and despite whipping up yet another buttonhole bag, which I forgot to photograph before giving it away... oh well...).




Specs:

- pattern by Woolly Thoughts (a variation of Tilting at Windmills)
- each square is 6'x6'
- there will be 48 squares in total (really, there will be! If I keep telling myself this it will be true. Actually, the knitting is a pleasure. It's the sewing I'm not too fond of... did I mention that already? ahem).
- yarn = Super 10 mercerised cotton
- needles = 4 mm Addi Turbo 16" (started with 42" or something, but far too unwieldy so had to go buy some more...)
- TV viewing of choice: endless reruns of Law and Order (we all have our weirdnesses, don't we?)

first finished object of 2007!

I finally finished the mohair sweater. For some reason the neckpiece hasn't turned out properly - probably my fault as I put a double strand of mohair in that section thinking it would strengthen it. So, I'm going to embellish/fill in gap with some crochet or ribbon yarn.




Pattern by Interweave Knits - Winter 2006 issue - "Cabernet Ribs"
Yarn: Zara
Needle Size: 4.5 mm.

PS. Have done a fix on the neck insert - 1 row of single crochet and some stitching.

today's work...

I managed to sketch out a pattern for the Tilting at Windmills blanket which I will start whenever I have finished wrestling with the mohair (I have promised myself this much although am sorely tempted to abandon it)...



... and here is the cursed mohair. Might as well be trying to knit with cotton candy!



PS. (edited 8 January) I have already made a colour change to the pattern as I saw "imperial teal" at the LYS and couldn't resist... starting knitting tonight:

happy (belated)...

new year 2007!

A little progress/setback update:

- stopped working on the advent blanket because other projects beckoned (see below 26 December). Will probably take it up next year again!

- also stopped work on the log cabin below due to a frogging mishap and also inherent dislike of the yarn I was working with. Am stashing it in the storage locker for possible future rehabilitation.

- work in progress: a lovely frou frou mohair/merino sweater in hot pink... I feel like the knitting alter of Marilyn Monroe!



...and in detail...



This is a pattern from Interweave Knits Winter 2006 called "Cabernet Ribs". Yarn by Zara. I suspect it will end up rather form-fitting (ahem)... but isn't that what being a "sweater girl" is all about?!?

Right now have started work on sleeve 1 (in the mohair only). To be honest, this is slowgoing work for me - the first time I have worked using mohair only, and probably the last. However, I think the end result will be worth the taedium.

- another anticipated work-in-progress: a BIG blanket (to cover a queen-sized bed. It will be based on a pattern from the Woolly Thoughts web site (http://www.woollythoughts.com) but I'm not sure which one yet as I just ordered three. This project will help me cope with my ever-burgeoning Super 10 Butterfly stash...



- I have also started work on my first real "art" project... something using free form knitting/crochet. This is proving a real challenge as I have until late been a stickler for patterns! Stay tuned...

- I also have plenty of Brown Sheep worsted (in various blues) so will likely be churning out a felted bag or three in the near future.

- for Christmas a friend of mine gifted me with a funky mini shelving unit with about 40 spaces for small curios. I am going to turn this into a mosaic wall hanging with tiles. Again, stay tuned.

Lifewise (aside from knitting) I have just started a new job... a 3 month legal research gig. This is a welcome change from the hectic pace of my regular job. Also, it has the benefit of having an office located down the street from Loomis and Toles, where I spent too much money yesterday... buying graph paper for the blanket project plus any amount of sundry things for mosaic.

Everything else is low key as befits January ... although I certainly am enjoying the temperate weather! Sat on a patio the other day for lunch, of all things!

And that's about it...