Moving to a new URL

This will be my last Blogger post, I have created a site via wordpress (I succombed to Ravelry advice).
For the next few days, I will probably be playing w/ widgets, template, etc. But I am knitting voraciously and should have lots of silken progress coming your way soon.

My new site is also easier:
http://allieknits.wordpress.com
Link here.
My blogger page has always had a sort of funny link, so maybe this will make life in general less confusing (Oh, if it were only that simple).

Have a great weekend everyone!

Productivity

I finished the Ballband Dishcloth last night at a friend's house.
Pattern: Ball Band Dishcloth from Mason-Dixon Knitting
Cast-on: June 11, 2007/ Finished: June 12, 2007 (<24 hour projects are great for summer!)
Yarn: Sugar n Cream Cotton in Cornflower Blue, Ecru, and Sage, using up leftovers
Needles: US 7
Thoughts: Quick projects are such a great feeling when you finish! I made this dishcloth for my mother, as I don't need them while still living at home. I loved how quick the 4 row slip stitch pattern went, so rewarding.

And now I know just what to work on next.
The Pick:

Rebecca White Silk Sweater in Regal Silk
I enjoy the silk and the pattern. I began writing this post and listing excuses not to work on this sweater. Now, however, I see that the problems are simple to fix and the sweater doesn't have too much left to go. I plan on picking it up right now while I read Pride and Prejudice for my summer reading challenge.

Here's a fun shot of all the dishcloths I've made my mother:

Knit, Knit, Knit as Fast as I Can

This fall, I'll be moving into a teeny, tiny dorm room. And I have overwhelming amounts of UFO's, yarn, and books!
UFO's are my current focus.

Tonight I worked on a Valentine Pillow(something I cast on before I became a yarn snob). And ran out of yarn.


Then, I picked up my first Better-than-Booties Baby Sock and I screwed the toe up royally.

So far, my attempts at finishing these projects are failing miserably.

I received Mason-Dixon Knitting today from KnitPicks and I plan on making a few ballband dishcloths to rid myself of my overflowing cotton stash.

More progress and hopefully a few FO's coming soon.

Recent Obsessions

I got my Ravelry invite this morning! It was very exciting: I've already added many projects and as much yarn as I could before my camera's battery died and I got tired of taking pictures. It's definitely as much fun as I heard it was-- hats off to frecklegirl and her husband for taking on such a project.
I bought a few books the other day:

Knitting Lingerie Style is such a beautiful book and with many patterns I love and cannot wait to knit. I ordered some elann Esprit last night so I can make the basic bra and panty set(Orchid Pink) and the thigh-high stockings(Chamois). Very excited!


I've been eying this book for a while. What drew me to it initially was the French Twist part, but Simple Sewing with a French Twist has many simple projects that I think even I could make.


Last, but most certainly not least, is Amy Sedaris' new book I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence. It is amazing. I was reading it yesterday in the same room as Hunter and I kept bursting out laughing. He thought I was a little crazy, but I never said I wasn't. She makes me want to throw amazing parties and be just the quirky woman that I am. Love it... it's been my night-time reading for the past two days!

Also, I've been anxious to make nona's sidewinder socks, but I didn't have the right size circulars. I ordered a few of KnitPick's classic circulars so that I can knit them as soon as the needles arrive. They will be arriving with a couple more books, ones I've also been lusting after for quite a while.

Until next time, I will be wasting hours upon hours of my life, and possibly losing real-life friends, while I play with Ravelry!

Summer Knits

Summer Projects
I have cast-on/swatched/purchased yarn for 3 different summer tops:

White Silk Sweater from Rebecca 33

I even took it with me to NC for Memorial Day:

This pattern is originally written to be knit flat in two pieces, but I wanted to knit it in the round, so I had to re-chart the lace, cast-on, etc.


Collared Tank from KnitSimple Spring/Summer 07

Cotton Twist

Rusted Root

Cotton Fleece

Summer Socks

After I modeled for Loopville, I bought some yarn (and they gave me a discount!)


I'm hoping to make nona's sideways socks

Adventure Bag Progress

This bag has accompanied me everywhere this week and it's growing quickly!!


I have lots of pictures and little time, so a longer post will be coming probably Friday as tomorrow's Girl's Night Out, and of course I'll be taking the bag.

Randomness

I have been intrigued by everyone's random things and found many of them to be like mine, so I tried to find some original ones (I know I'm too random).
Here goes:
1. I am a night person. Whenever I want to get things done, I start around 2 am and work, work, work until it's done. If I try to do it during the day, it doesn't get done.

2. I love French. I watch movies and TV shows in French whenever I have that option. I also love to listen to French music and sometimes translate songs and sing the lyrics in French. Also, I have a list of French knitting terms and sometimes I will read that for fun as well.

3. I hate heat. For a southern girl, that makes things tough. My pale skin and blonde hair is linked to my Norweigan heritage which prompts me to carry SPF 50 in my purse and offer it to friends whenever we go on an outdoor adventure.

4. I am a very idealogical person and believe that I will be able to do everything I want to in my life. Making my own beauty products, making my own clothes, baking bread, cooking with food from my garden, spinning my own yarn, having my own sheep, being completely sustainable while traveling EVERYWHERE as I begin school studying International Business, etc. You name it, I probably want to do it.

5. One of the most gratifying feelings to me is parking perfectly in a tight spot. Why? I don't know, but whenever I execute a perfect parking job I feel strangely proud of myself.

6. I have a fear of finishing knitting projects. Sewing seams, weaving in ends... it all scares me. I am a perfectionist and I always want my knitting to be perfect. The finishing/seaming of a knit reveals to me whether or not I'm happy with the project. Usually, there's something "glaring," but I suck it up and know that if it was perfect, I probably wouldn't be as happy with it.

7. I am an avid reader, or at least I used to be. Knitting has taken up a lot of my reading time and I have ADD, which makes it hard for me to concentrate on audiobooks. So, I now own more books that I have NOT read than I have. Luckily, I have learned how to knit and read, so this summer I hope to finish MANY of the books I own!!

Short and Sweet Update

Oh, it's been a very busy week. Graduation, which included lots of family in town, left little time for blogging this week. I do, however, have some knitty news.
My new project:

A great felted bag for summer made with Cascade 220 (my first experience with this yarn and it's been a good one).

Next, I went to my LYS and they currently have the Vogue Knitting Summer 2007 trunk show in town. Since they have the trunk show, there will be a piece on a local show and I will be modeling one of the garments tomorrow on tv!! I'm very excited and it's also one of my favorite patterns of the issue.

Anyway, more pics, thoughts, and a whole lotta bag progress coming your way very soon!

Ta da!

That can only mean one thing.
Yes, the Central Park Hoodie is finally finished and I wore it tonight! And I just realized that it also coincides with green for Project Spectrum!

Cast-on: November 14 ,2006/ Finished: May 13, 2007
Pattern: Central Park Hoodie from Knitscene Fall 2006
Size: 36" and fits great!
Yarn: Plymouth Encore Worsted color #1233 , 4.5 skeins
Needles: 4.5 mm(US 7) and 5.5 mm(US 9) Clover Takumi for the body and 4.5 mm Knitpicks Options
Modifications: I read the double cable chart backwards on the back, so I made the sleeve cables match.

For a bit of randomness, I found this after emptying out the purse I took with me to Europe last summer. Which is perfect cause my lips have been cracking so much lately.

Determination and Its Knitting Benefits

This week I've been taking a few AP exams, I went into 2 of 3 determined and sure of myself: English and Calculus... Government was disastrous. All the studying and just the feeling of determination (also the adrenaline rush of the end of the semester/high school!) made me determined to finish a project: The Central Park Hoodie.

I picked up and knit the edging, the seams have been sewn and by tomorrow all of the (MANY) ends will be woven in and I'll have my FIRST completed sweater.
Stay tuned for more fibery goodness!

Relaxing Knits

I've been relaxing this week before everything begins next week. Doing the daily rows of my KAL seemed to be just the trick. I had to leave in a hurry for a meeting and took a hat I'd started a while ago, frogged part of it, and left it sitting alone for months. It got some love today, but I forgot the book with the pattern and had to hope I could remember the stripe width (Candy Cane Hat from Handknit Holidays).
Yesterday I said I'd be trying some combination knitting and, people, I think I'm sold. It's so quick. My one problem is keeping a consistent gauge, but practice makes perfect, right?

May: Day 1

Spring and the end of the semester has sent me into small project mode. I finished two crochet coasters yesterday.

Started: April 30, 2007/ Finished: April 30, 2007, but I still have to weave in ends and block them a bit.
Yarn: Sugar n Cream Cotton in Yellow and Cornflower Blue
Hook: G/6 4.25 mm
Pattern: Soft Coaster from Cozy Crochet

This morning I woke up with 2 KAL's Day 1 messages in my inbox. As soon as I got home this afternoon, I cast on my bookmark. I'm using some leftover sock yarn and size 0 Knitpicks needles because I don't own any size 1's. I decided for such a small project I would attempt to knit in the continental method. I think I've got it down pretty well, but I do need to work at keeping a constant gauge. It's even green for Project Spectrum, unplanned of course.


Once I finished my rows on the bookmark, I cast on my dishcloth. I am also knitting the dishcloth in the continental method... hoping to be knitting faster soon.


Also, I was watching Knitty Gritty with Annie Modesitt and she was discussing Combination Knitting with which I am completely intrigued. Tomorrow I will try to incorporate the combo knitting with the continental. Pretty excited, really.

My new set-up

Finally, I got my own computer: such a gratifying thing. Before, I had to share with the rest of my family and sometimes they had more time-consuming important things to do than my blogging- they're Muggles, they wouldn't understand.

Last night, I caught up on the last two episodes of Lost. While I watched Lost on my beautiful new Mac, I decided I needed some mindless knitting. The Multi-Yarn Shawl is perfect: row after row of plain old stockinette.
I'm really hoping having my own computer will make blogging so much simpler, and already I think it does. Still learning the Mac, since I'm an ex-PC user. Wish me luck! Everyone have a great weekend of knitting!!

April Update

I haven't posted in a few weeks and I really have no excuse-- just business combined with laziness. I've been taking plenty of pictures, but then I can't find the time to post. So, with graduation coming up in 3 weeks, I think, I will have much more time to knit and post. Also, this weekend I will finally be getting my own computer which will make blogging a lot less of a hassle. Now here's a comprehensive list of what I've been buying, knitting, crocheting, and thinking about kniting.

New Treats

I read Stephanie's new book in 2 days-- I couldn't put it down. I also picked up the new Rebecca mag, my favorite. I've found a project in my new mag that would be perfect for some ArtYarns Regal Silk I've had in my stash for about a year:

The shrug on the front is absolutely adorable as well-- I'm planning on making it with either Louet Euroflax or KnitPicks new CotLin.

While I was out buying books, I picked up some yarn to celebrate Lent's ending. I gave up buying yarn for Lent and it was fairly difficult, I'm happy I made it through alive. Anyway, the yarn is also in keeping with Project Spectrum's colors.

The soak is for blocking my Cabled Footies. The MIssion Falls 1824 Cotton is in a great bubblegum pink with which I plan to make a crochet cap from last summer's Rebecca:


Blushing Grannies
I loved this pattern the first time I saw it:

Blushing Grannies is from the Feb/Mar 07 issue of Crochet Today.

This is a close-up of the squares-- I'm really enjoying the crocheting. So far, I've completed 8. Blushing Grannies is destined to be my dorm bedspread next year, but I've got quite a few months to finish.


Choices
This week my LYS is having an anniversary sale and I've limited myself to purchasing enough Tahki Cotton Classic for one summer top. Here are the two I am trying to decide between. Any input would be great and color suggestions would also be helpful.

Tank from Knitting Nature

Tank from KnitSimple's Spring/Summer 2007 issue, I think.

PS for Spring

Pink, Yellow, and Green


My Favorite Tree and a close-up of the blossoms:

Here are some more shots of flowers in my yard:

Fixation Gauge Drives Me Crazy

Knitting with Fixation is a lesson in patience for me. I love the way it looks and stretches, but the tension is a pain in the neck.

I sat and finished the first sock while reading The Blind Assassin. The second sock I cast on at work, knit the ribbing, turned the heel and decreased the foot and knit it around for a few inches. That night I finished the toe, but didn't graft the toe together until this week. They still need the ends woven in and to be washed, but I will have a great pair of summer socks shortly!

Once I finished the Fixation socks, I've been working pretty much exclusively on my Somewhat Cowl, but I had a row or two of tension issues due to being used to knitting with Fixation. The rows aren't very obvious and I'm nearly done with the bottom ribbing. Once I have the body finished I will try it on and make sure everything is as it should or I may be ripping back a few inches to correct the gauge and/or waist increases.

I've not sewn another project but I've been doing lots of research and trying to organize a space for sewing. My family also went out of town this weekend to visit an aunt who is a master quilter and I have plans to "study" with her this summer. I'm really looking forward to it. Hopefully I'll have some more time to sew this coming week!

More pictures will be coming soon and I am combing my stash for projects to work on for the April/May Project Spectrum Colors. Some might even include sewing projcts, I hope.

Sewing Extravaganza

I put my sewing "skills" to work these past two days and made a bag I am proud of. My first project has MANY imperfections, but it's a tote for my knitting and any extra bag is good.
My main screw-ups were:
Using my rotary cutter and not making a straight line
Threading the machine wrong (the bobbin, too)
Sewing the top of my tote closed
Mainly, I just got very skilled at using a seam ripper and developed many new and interesting curses each time I made a rookie mistake.

Here she is in all her blue splendor:


And she's already been put to use in storing my Somewhat Cowl:


I don't have too much time before I have to go to work, so I'll leave you with some Project Spectrum shots I've been meaning to share. The movies I had to include because I watched them this week and was excited about their "blue-ness".

1. Periwinkle Fixation, 2. Blue Needle Case, 3. T-Pins on the Cheap, and Blue, Too, 4. AnotherBlueMovie-Bewitched, 5. Blue Plymouth Galway for Felted Bowl, 6. Blue-ish Rotary Cutter, 7. Periwinkle Fixation Socks' Heel Flap, 8. BlueMovie- AGoodYear, 9. My Blue Tools, 10. Periwinkle Fixation Sock, 11. Somewhat Cowl in my NEW BAG!!!, 12. My First Solo Sewing Gig

Cable Footies Finished

I went to the SouthEastern Theatre Conference this past weekend. And it was a blast!! I took some knits with me to wear: Le Slouch, Bejeweled, and the Bridgetown Belt Bag. I wore them all and felt oh-so-crafty when I could remark that I did, indeed, "knit it myself."

The weekend was also filled with lots of knitting time. I cast on the One Skein Cable Footies before I left and finished them this evening. I always finish projects in the evening when it's hard to take a decent picture, but I don't possess the patience to wait until tomorrow to take a picture.

This is the actual color and all that remained of the two skeins (I included a pad of Post-Its for scale).

Pattern: Cable Footies from One Skein
Cast-On: March 6, 2007 / Finished: March 14, 2007
Yarn: Mission Falls 1824 Wool- 2 skeins, color 23
Needles: Clover Takumi 4.5 mm (US 7) dpns... the reason I used 7's instead of 8's wasn't that I checked my gauge, but because I didn't double-check the pattens spec's. But they still fit!!
Size: Small (Women's 7 1/2 to 8 1/2)
Modifications: None that I can think of besides the needle size.
Recipient: Hunter's mother... hoping that some knitty goodness can change her heart toward me.

Quick, small projects have been what I've been thriving on lately, but I'm not totally sure what my next small project will be. But whatever it is, I'll keep you posted!