Ketchup

Did you guys miss me? I have been so freakin' busy. And it's funny how going more than two weeks without blogging about current projects means you have a TON to talk about, even if it's been light knitting.

1) I got into Ravelry at last! I've found some of you already, but you can look for me as EverwhelmingLiz.

2) I forgot to say, but I passed my comps. I am now ABD (all but dissertation), and once I fill out a form and turn in a transcript I will have completed the requirements for a Bonus Master's Degree. But now I'm frantically working on a dissertation proposal and, soon, grant proposals. I should be doing that right now, but I missed you guys!

3) The wedding plans are... progressing. Slowly. Hopefully on Friday we'll get the final news about whether the seamstress can do the dress I want. I'll post about that later, if it works out it is going to be really awesome.

4) If you guys pray, please pray for my grandmother and our family. If you don't, send us some good thoughts. She has Alzheimer's and finally had to go into a nursing home last week. Just thinking about it makes me want to cry, it was so sad to see her there, with her mind essentially gone.

Ok, and the knitting.

1) I've mostly been working on the second Twisted Flower sock, which is done at last. In a fit of generosity last weekend I offered these to my aunt, but I don't know how well they will wash, so I guess I ought to test a swatch.


These were some very challenging socks, but so much fun. Also, Dave had better keep an eye on me, because I am tempted to run away with Louet Gems and have its babies. Softest, prettiest yarn EVER.


2) With the socks winding down, I started working on smaller things. I made a baby hat with some leftover 1824 Wool. The Yarn Harlot is coming to town next Tuesday, and this is my contribution to the representation.


The pattern is the Umbilical Cord hat from Stitch n Bitch. This was my first ever baby knit, and it is so freaking cute. I hope it makes somebody's baby very happy and warm.

3) With the baby hat done, I went even smaller.


The plan is to make enough of these to cover my entire Christmas tree, then have a Christmas party and let everybody take one home. They're lots of fun to make. Would you guys be interested in a pattern? They're pretty basic, just the normal sock on normal US1s, except only 16 stitches around.

4) This post is quickly approaching critical mass, but I need to include the status of the Equestrian Blazer. I am really not happy with this thing. My row gauge is off and it's coming out too long. I made some adjustments and lowered the armpit a couple inches. It was still too long, and then the other front came out about a half inch longer. Groan.


I have the back and both fronts done (they're those long skinny curled up things), but now that I can see other people's finished blazers on Ravelry I am falling more out of love with this project. It is just not as tailored or sleek as I had hoped.


I think it is destined for the frog pond. I want to make a cardigan with the same lines as the Tangled Yoke cardigan from the latest IK, but maybe without the cable. Any thoughts?

Mmmerino

Lots of knitting with Merino here in Orange Couch Land.

I'm working on the second Twisted Flower sock, finally.


I also whipped up this project for a dear friend who spends her days in a refrigerated lab.


Pattern: Hermione's Cable and Bobble Hat, Charmed Knits
Yarn: Filatura di Crosa Zara (100% merino), just under 2 balls.



I am obviously no good at this "self-portrait" thing. Let's pretend the off-centeredness is me being arty.

It's not easy being green...

This is how far I got on my Origami Cardi before giving up. That very loooooong, skinny strip is supposed to be the back. Like, it is supposed to go sideways across my back and not swallow me like a tent. Obviously the "not swallowing me" was not going to happen. I got gauge when I swatched, but I never bothered to check on the sweater itself because I could see that it just wasn't working. Plus, I left the pattern at home when I went on a long-weekend trip to visit scenic Oklahoma. I knew the lace pattern well enough to knit without it, but I totally botched the edge treatment.

By the time I was reunited with the pattern and understood what I'd done wrong (and how big it was turning out) I was kind of sick of the whole idea anyway. I decided that the yarn wanted to be something much more classic.



It is now turning into the Equestrian Blazer from the Winter IK. And MAN is it going quickly! This is basically one evening of knitting, and I am already to the bust increases. My row gauge is off so the sweater's going to be a lot longer than called for, but I'm tall so I think I can live with it. (Note: this color is "Spruce" and is a much deeper green than the pictures would have you believe)

Something green also came off the needles yesterday:



(and my cool heel)



To recap, this is Artyarns Supermerino, US 6s, for my brother. Now I have to decide whether to give him the socks next time I see him or to make him wait until his August birthday.

Not everything around here has been green, though.



Wow is this pattern (Cookie A's Twisted Flower) ever complicated! But soooo pretty. The heel flap nearly killed me, though--it's lace patterned every row, so I had to do backwards ssk's and all that craziness. But I'm getting close to the end on the foot! Wheeeeeee...

Good year

I had a birthday last week! That's part of the reason I haven't been posting much lately... all sorts of running around. Weekend before last I went home to celebrate with my family.

I got a big box.



What's this? (seriously, count the arms)



It's a swift! Squee!



Even better, this swift was the product of much scheming between my parents and my buddy Auntie Ann. Not to mention, it's a really sweet Mama Bear swift from The Oregon Wood Worker

When I got home I made cupcakes for my friends, but I am lazy and made them ice their own. The croissants really wanted to be in this picture too.



Oh, and notice that I'm wearing the Cherry Leaf shawl in the pics above. I LOOOOOVe it! I've never had a triangular shawl before, but I really like the way they hang on the shoulders. I bet one of those curvy Faroese ones would be even cooler.

I still hope to take better pics of it eventually, but i think this one shows the drape and the pattern reasonably well.



I was so bored with the (stockinette) Ravenclaw scarf and the (garter rib) camo socks that I had to start something interesting, for fear that my brain would melt. These are Cookie A's twisted flower socks, and they definitely got my brain moving again. Also, Louet Gems is such great yarn that, if I didn't think Dave would object, I'd marry it and have its babies.

In which Liz acquires several bad habits

I have acquired several bad habits recently. Venezia and I are having some minor issues, and this is probably motivating some of my bad behavior.

A disclaimer: I know that for many of you, these things are not bad habits, or at the very least are fairly normal and acceptable. But the truth is, I've been avoiding them for some time now, and it pains me that they've all snuck up on me at once.

Bad Habit #1--Stashing

Three skeins of CTH in the bluegreen colorway for the Cherry Leaf shawl in Victorian Lace Today, acquired two or three weeks ago.

Two skeins of Louet Gems in burgundy and the Twisted Flower Sock Pattern by Cookie A., who is now selling her fantabulous designs here. Now this one actually has a pretty cool story behind it. I fell in mad mad love with the sock when Cookie posted it on her blog. She would be selling it at Stitches West. Now my good buddy Auntie Ann was going to Stitches, and I thought about asking her to pick it up for me because I was in such mad mad love with the pattern. But I hesitated, as I hate buying yarn without knowing I'll get to it really soon. I resigned myself to hoping Cookie would sell the pattern online.

The Friday before Stitches I listened to Lime n Violet's podcast and they, too, are in mad mad love with the Twisted Flower sock, and I took it as a sign. I emailed Ann and asked her to get it for me, but alas! she was off having a fabulous time and didn't get the email until she got home. But, knitbloggers to the rescue, she asked her friend Deepa to save me from the torment of not having Twisted Flowers on my feet. Deepa gets a gold star for being awesome and an extra gold star for picking such a gorgeous color yarn. Yay! Thanks again!

Bad Habit #2--Working on too many projects at once.

There's Venezia. And the Bearfoot socks. Usually, that would be more than enough for me.

Then there was a dishrag. And another, and a third. And another random project with the same dishcloth cotton that, if it ever becomes interesting, I will let you guys know, but for now it isn't very interesting.

Then a friend had a birthday and I decided said friend needed some socks. Thick, squishy, washable socks made out of Mission Falls 1824 Wool on big needles so I could finish them quickly.

Then those were too big, so I frogged them, and then I needed something else to cheer me up, so I cast on for:

Click for big so you can see my pretty Cherry Leaf pattern.
Bad Liz! I still haven't finished the Moebius, which I promised myself I would do before starting the sweet sweet lace. Which I love. A lot.

Bad Habit #3--Warshrags.


Warshrag #1 is mine, and oooh I love it. Warshrag #2 is circular and kinda lacy and wound up going home with a friend who likes it so much she's afraid to use it. Hmm, I think this friend needs to be rewarded for her Appreciation of The Knitting. Maybe with something she will use. Maybe thick, squishy and washable, made out of Mission Falls 1824 Wool.

Does she read this blog? I'm not sure! Takin risks here!

Anyway the above is Warshrag #3, destined for the kitchen of Dave's aunt where it will totally clash with everything, but she said she loved knitted dishrags and hadn't found them in years, and what can I say, if you tasted this lady's cookies you'd fall all over yourself to knit for her, so before I knew it I'd cast on for her own Warshrag.

Do you guys like the crochet edging? I've never done shells before, but they make me smile.