Make Me

Sundays are for Knitting

Went to the Whistlestop today for knitting.  Met up with Nancy, Wendy, Cristina (fresh from her Fair Isle class) and Tania.  I'm started knitting a purse in Lion Boucle.  I made one last year for a friend and liked it so much I had to make one for me.  I basically used Suss Cousins' pattern that she showed on Carol Duvall only I made it bigger. And I lined it with cool fabric.  I got this far today.
I'm not sure what I'm going to line it with yet - I used a turquoise print for the last one and I think it came out fun.

On the way to The Grove I noticed a posting for the Thread fashion show.  I'm thinking about going.  Anyone else game?  If you're in the SD area you might want to check it out.

As promised, here is a photo of the buttonless Sonnet.  It's too big (made it for the old boobs, not the new ones!) and falls off my shoulder.  I'm thinking of attaching a collar of some kind - any ideas?
Okay, so it's really only half a photo.  My arms aren't that long and I accidentally deleted the better picture.  Just be thankful I spared you the mirror glare shot, okay?  When I get it finished I'll have someone take a real photo for your enjoyment.

In the back, the box stitch panels are done in a darker turquoise mohair.  The buttons are going to be covered in the same.  This is the time when I could really use a dressmaker's dummy.  I think that may be the number one item on my Christmas list this year.  I've gotten all kinds of jealous because of Eunny.

Finally, after much garter stitching for Sonnet, I decided I needed something a little more challenging.  I bring to you....(drum roll)...Orange Cruller!

I used a pattern from Knitting on the Edge, but I changed it so the cables "face" each other. I really liked making it.  And I got to practice cables without a needle cuz I forgot it when I was getting my car fixed.  When I got home I had trouble cabling with the needle! 

I don't know if I can post the pattern.  I want to because I want to chart it but I don't know if I can without violating copyright.  I mean all I did was change the directions of one of the cables.  Does that mean I'm free to post the pattern? I love the way it came out and am thinking of doing another in Koigu (I found some at the bottom of my yarn basket!) but I'll wait until it gets chilly. 

Hot Child in the City

My apartment does not have air conditioning.  For about 50 weeks of the year that is okay.  This was not one of those days.  The home thermometer measured 86 degrees earlier.  That's the one inside my living room.  So I had to escape for a little while.

Went to chilly Barnes & Noble and sat around for about an hour slowly reading books in the craft section.  Loved these three:

This was a lot better than the other t-shirt books I've seen lately in that the shirts are more creative.  Only most of the shirts I would not dare to wear in the privacy of my own house, however, let alone in public!  Let's just say the world is a better place for me not going backless.  Also wish there could have been photographs instead of illustrations.

I was intrigued by the title and the cover and was delightfully surprised by the great projects using photos.  It made me want to come home and play!  I think I will have to add this to my library when I go back to work.

And I finally got a hold of this book!

I've been reading about it on blog after blog after blog, but every bookstore I went to was out of stock.  The photos are gorgeous and I love the ideas.  Do I need a hexagon shirt?  I just might.

Lately I've been in a mad clearing rush.  I've totally decluttered my bedroom!  Unfortunately I just threw a lot of the junk into the living room which is always the coolest room temp-wise. Now I can't stand to be in it because it's a reminder of how much work I have to do today.  I've also been listing things on ebay again, hoping to bring in some extra cash dollars.  I'm not very good at guessing what is going to sell and what isn't.  I've got some random stuff up and I add a little more every day.  I'll be up close and personal with the PO in the coming weeks.

In the melee that is now my living room I have lost my camera, some really nice hand lotion and about 20 single earrings.  And maybe my will to live.  It's all just papers I have to go through and file or toss.  Can you think of anything more boring?  But I'm going to go do it.  Right now.  Yesiree.  Here I go.  No, really.  Right after I play a game of Text Twist on Yahoo games.

What's the Sitch?

So let's say I knit something up, say a scarf.  And let's say that I got the idea for said hypothetical scarf from a book of edgings...say Knitting on the Edge.  Supposing I made a slight alteration on said hypothetical edging pattern and used it for aforementioned hypothetical scarf.  Could I post the pattern?

I've checked in the book and it doesn't mention anything.  I've also checked the guidelines for submissions for Knitty.  Books of knitting patterns - edgings, stitches and the like are not necessarily property of owner - I mean can Epstein claim she created mistake rib?  But I'm unsure how to properly attribute this because I don't know if this particular pattern is her own. 

Or am I worrying over nothing?  Just curious.

Dyed & Gone to Heaven

The ever so wonderful Wendy hosted a dye-fest last Saturday and I have to say I was surprised by how much fun it was.  Not the company - that wasn't surprising at all, but the dyeing.  I didn't think I'd like it all that much.  You know when you get that little packet of RIT dye and you dye your T-shirt some color and it comes out all funkified (and not in the good way) and then bleeds all over your white bra?  Yeah - that's pretty much my experience with dyeing - disappointment.

I wasn't even properly prepared.  I brought the wrong kind of yarn.  Truthfully, I was going to bring some lovely alpaca, but I couldnt' find it in my usual mad rush to leave the house. So I half-heartedly brought some 100% cotton ribbon yarn.  And it wasn't properly prepped either cuz I didn't read the directions.   But I was okay with that cuz I would've been fine just watching everyone else have fun.

Alas, watching from the sidelines was not my fate.  The lovely Heidi brought extra wool and I dyed three lovely skeins of my own!  Yay! Heidi!

Here are the results:
I'm bats about the one on the top.  Think there will be some more hats in my near future.

I have to tell you that Wendy is a dyeing machine!  Her yarn is so beautiful it makes you weep!  I can't wait until I can get some of her silk yarn.  There's rumor of clapotis kits.

The coolest thing about dyeing is you squirt all this concentrated dye onto your yarn and it's dripping and stuff and you've got purple hand (or gloves) and it's all oozy wrapped up in the little plastic wrap donut - so much so that you may need to triple or quadruple wrap it for color safety!  Then it steams and all that liquid dye is gone when you squeeze out the yarn!  It's just water!  I swear, it's magic!

Other cool things - Nancy's Lady E is fantastically gorgeous.  I seriously had fantasies about clocking her with a dye bottle and running off with it.  But seeing as she is something of a sock dojo for me, I guess it wouldn't be nice of me to hit and run.  She helped me to cast on for my very first sock!  But that's another post in itself.

Wendy's house is doggie heaven.  I have to share a little secret - those dogs she's always posting cute pictures of?  Welll, um, I don't know if you're going to believe this - they're cuter in real life. It's a shame Wendy never feeds them.  I mean, I'm usually immune to the doggie look, but these guys take it to the next level.  I was ready to sign over my car to them.  And Susan brought her Viszla (sp?) pup, Bella, and she is so cute!  She's a sassy auburn gal with big puppy paws and a taste for entrelac.  Check out this post for more info on our day and cute pup pics. Golly, I need a pet!

We went to lunch in La Mesa and I loved it when Susan, Jessica, Cristina and Nancy all pulled out socks to knit!  Nancy helped me get cast on for my Straight-laced socks and I am now past the ribbing an working on the lace.  I'd show you but I just realized I left my sock at Lori's in Alpine where I was today. 

Speaking of Lori's - the Cascade rep came in today and we got to ooh and ahh and drool over lots of yarn.  Fun!  Nearly finished my Ella shawl only to find I made a huge mistake and have 19 more stitches on my needles than I'm supposed to.  44 rows later.  I've put Ella in a bag in the closet for the next day or so just so I can regain my composure and what's left of my mind.