NuttyIrishmanKnits

Good Things in Small Packages

Baby Elephant from Hansigurumi.
Knitted with Cascade 220 wool, small amounts of pink and gray.
Knitted on US size 3 Crystal Palace Bamboo DPN's.
Pattern Modifications:  Decreased and pulled through remaining stitches for foot pad rather than picking up stitches along bottom of leg, and used only one contrasting color.
Ravelers find Zoe here.

Meet Zoe, named after, and soon to be mailed to my niece as a belated gift for her fifth birthday.  Zoe is another great creation of Hansi Singh of Hansigurumi.  I started this baby elephant yesterday morning and finished her up by noon today.   And I really had a great time with this pattern because, minus attaching the head, there was no seaming at all.  (Did I just say that... about a toy?)  Yes, it's true!  No seaming.   But I'm not going to lie, if I were a beginning knitter I would stick to one of  Hansi's easier patterns, like the octopus for example.  This pattern is pretty darn fickle, and at times I think I had every size 3 DPN I own sticking out somewhere.  No seaming is wonderful, but to be able to do that with such a small pattern, you make up for it with picking up little stitches in lots of little places.

I am such a Hansigurumi fan.  Her patterns are so unique and you are never bored while knitting them.  I think I knitted four straight rows in the entire elephant.  Not to mention you get to practice lots of fun knitting techniques that you don't always use everyday.  For this pattern I learned the Three Needle Bindoff, which was really easy, but I've just never needed it before!

Zoe's birthday was actually a couple of months ago, and I am way behind in getting this off to her, but her sister Rachel also has a birthday coming up, so I'm off to make one more toy to go in the gift package from Kansas.  Hopefully they won't notice! 

I modified the tail for the baby elephant as well  in this pattern.  The original called for picking up stitches and knitting a semi-tube.  But quite frankly, I was tired of picking up stitches, so instead I opted for using three scrap strands of my main color yarn and pulling them through a stitch, then braiding.  And of course I left Zoe some "fringe" to shoo flies.  I also zigzagged a little Z on there for Miss Zoe so hopefully she and Rachel won't fight over the baby elephant!  (I've got two myself, they fight over everything...)

And I sure do love the little face on this baby elephant!  I think we're going to miss her around here.  For some reason, we all seem to get attached to all the little toys I knit.  I had plans to knit two, one for Zoe and one for Rachel.  But I'm really thinking I'm going to do another Hansigurumi pattern for Rachel.  Rachel is a bit older and I think she would really get a kick out of a Dumbo Octopus, or Squid-a-licious, or maybe even a big 'ol Cuttlefish.  But any way you look at it, I know the oldest kid in the bunch (namely, me!) will have a blast in the process! 

 

Am I a Knitting Puritan?

Bird in Hand by Kate Gilbert.
Knitted in Cascade 220 wool, avocado and deep brown.
Knitted on a pair of US size 3 Addi Turbos.
Modification: After reading the braid instructions I wimped out and used my old fave, the Norwegian Braid.  I also chose to use purl rows where the pattern denoted additional braids.
Ravelers find my mitten here.

Now I know what you're thinking... this doesn't look like the Clap!  Nor does it look like Chevalier, or bloomers... I know!  It's none of the above, but it is a partially finished knit that has helped me break through my mental block of finishing all those other projects, minus Chevalier.  Chevalier had to be frogged four times (!)  in an attempt to find a suitable size for me, and sadly, I was unable to do it with the o-wool.  I hate that!  I really wanted to knit those mittens in the o-wool, it's perfect for them!  But I kept ending up with either a flimsy wanna-be (single-stranded) or a ginormous  man-mitten (double-stranded).  Even changing needles sizes didn't work.  Drat!

And my Clapotis is coming along.  I am four skeins into it using the Silk Garden.  My unrealistic goal of last weekend was a no-go, so I've moved this deadline out to Mother's Day, which I think is much more reasonable!   So the Clap should be in the mail by then, on it's way to Memphis.

And as for Annabelle's Unmentionables... all I can say is when you drop the ball, it is so nice to have a friend there to pick it up and run with it!  I am barely inching my way through this pattern right now, and Shelly blew through it with considerable gusto.  Her FO (and it's model) are so adorable that I had to show them off to you guys.  Blogger's bragging rights!

This is Miss Ainsley modeling her Unmentionables, which look awesome!  Shelly used Nashua Cilantro for these in a pretty mint green.  This yarn has such bounce to it!  And being worn by an active toddler doesn't hurt the bounce factor either!  (Ravelers can find Ainsley's Unmentionables here.)

Yesterday, while knitting from the screen**, I was listening to my favorite podcast Stash & Burn.  I don't know which episode it was (found it!),  but a question regarding "Start-itis" with was posed:

        ~do we penalize ourselves in knitting? 

And this got me to thinking, probably because I find myself in that particular boat right now.  Do I sometimes chastise myself for wanting to cast on a new project when I have several on the sticks already?  Projects that are going no where fast and I find myself MOPPING the kitchen floor instead of finishing?  Maybe this is something we can all relate to, and I'm just throwing it out there...

        ~have I begun to impose unnecessary rules on my HOBBY?

As for Bird in Hand, I've got to say, my confidence in my own stranding ability has been somewhat restored.  The Fiddleheads so threw me off my game that I seriously began to question whether or not I really understood stranded-colorwork.  But this mitten encouraged me along the way, and I'm really looking forward to working on the second.  It also doesn't hurt that Cascade smooths like a dream when blocked within an inch of it's life...

So hopefully after a bit of a self-imposed break my pace will begin to pick back up to one I'm more comfortable with and I'll have more FO's to post about!  In the meantime, it's time to hit the sticks and I'll be darned if I'm not actually looking forward to it this time!  So here's wishing you happy knitting today... Cheers!

**When we moved to Kansas my printer cable was lost, and I am therefore relegated to knitting from the screen on nearly everything.  Including Inga!  Crazy!

 

April Showers Bring November Mittens?

Fiddlehead Mittens by Adrian Bilizia
Knitted using Hello Yarn Mitten Kit, original colorway.
Knitted on US size 3 Crystal Palace Bamboo DPN's and US size 3 Addi Turbo circular, 35 inch.
Ravelers they are here.

Well they are officially finished.  Okay I'm lying, they're not.  But linings don't count and it will surely take me until October to get them finished.  But I will get them finished because these mittens really must have a liner.  My fiddleheads took a week to complete, but could have been finished in just a couple of days if my mind hadn't wandered on the last mitten.  I wrote more about that in my previous post.  But overall I am very pleased with how they turned out.  The texture of this yarn was a booger for me to get used to.  It's 2-ply and has a sort of "rope" look to it.  And it really forced me to think long and hard on blocking.  I actually re-blocked my first mitten after making Alice's mitten form.  But the colors are so rich and deep.  It's hard to describe how beautiful they are in person. 

This was my first time using any of Hello Yarn's hand-dyed yarn and I will definitely be going back for more.  This year my goal is to learn to spin, and I know that I really want to join the Fiber Club at Adrian's site.  If you are are spinner, there is plenty more about that here.  I am really looking forward to knitting this pattern again, not only in alpaca, but also in Cascade 220 heathers.  Cascade is such a reliable yarn, and loves colorwork.  This pattern is perfect for it.

And for some of you guys who didn't know it, Playtime Petit Fours has been added to the list of patterns available at Knitting Pattern Central.  All I can say is thank you and HOLY COW.  The pattern was added yesterday around noon and at my last check before bed last night I had received over 700 visitors from KPC.  That is just nuts!  So thank you guys for visiting and come back again!  There is a subscription link in the top-right sidebar if you're interested in checking back in from time to time.  Playtime Petit Fours is also a free download available on Ravelry as well.  You can just store it away in your library there... a new little feature they've recently added that I love! 

As you can tell from yesterday's post I have too many knits on the sticks right now, which means probably not much posting for the next week or so.  I am so easily distracted when I should be knitting.  So I'm thinking I'm going to step away from the love/hate relationship I have with my Mac and make significant progress on my current knits!

But in closing, let me say again how thankful I am for the loyal readers of NIK, and the new readership that continues to increase daily.  It really means a lot, and keeps this normally scatter-brained momma focused and determined in finishing all those projects!  Y'all are the best!  :-)

Rediscovering Mojo

Clapotis in infancy.

It has been a bad week for knitting.  For the past few days I couldn't knit a garter stitch dishrag without frogging it ten times.  It seems like every knit I have cast on since Fiddlehead has taken four or five times to take off.  I think I've eaten some bad mojo. 

Truth is, Fiddlehead so wore me out that I'm in a slump.  My internal alarm starts sounding the moment I start casting on multiple projects within hours of each other.  For me, that is not a good sign.  That means nothing tastes good, I'm just grazing...

Where did it all begin?  Honestly, it began with Fiddlehead.  Alice and I blew through the first mitten and I thought al-right, who 'da man?  who 'da man?!  Then mistakenly I started the lining for that mitten.  Fingering weight yarn on size 2's.  For me, I'd prefer to be shot and put out of my misery.  So I ended up wasting a day's worth of knitting, which caused me to lose all interest and momentum for the second mitten.  Not to mention blocking these mittens was a major pain.  Thankfully Alice bailed me out with directions for a great mitten form.  It may look like prison contraband, but this little do-hicky gets it done.

For some mysterious reason the colorwork for the scrolls causes a major ridge down either side of the pattern.  I tried to adjust to this on my second mitten by knitting it on a long circular instead of dpn's, but that ridge reappeared almost immediately.  I tried everything... switching colors so that that the dominant yarn would be less-dominant, knitting loosely through that change in pattern... ooi.  It was a struggle, that in the end gave me nothing but another ridge. 

So I've spent the last couple of days in cast on... rip off, cast on... rip off mode.   And surfing Ravelry way too much.  (Speaking of patterns... who killed Magknits?)  Oh, and buying WAY too much yarn!  But, I've got to say, buying a butt-load of yarn will improve anyone's mood.  (WARNING:  If you're on that yarn diet, you might want to quit reading here, or proceed at your  own risk.)  First I bought some of that amazing o-wool made by the Vermont Organic Fiber Co.  I purchased a couple of twists of their incredibly soothing tweedy Balance.  It is so soft, and then after a soak it plumps and softens even more.  Ahhhh.  The healing power of tweed.  I have cast on Chevalier and am in heaven.

Then there are the eight skeins of Silk Garden (see picture top 'o page) I just bought to knit the incredibly French and incredibly lovely Clapotis.  Andy's mom is flying out for Annabelle's birthday at the end of this month, and since her own birthday was last month (the plane ticket was our present to her...) I thought this wrap would make a lovely gift as well.   I'm officially on the Clap wagon, but a bit late.  (I can't call it that without snickering...)  And of course Noro, like Malabrigo, can make you light-headed it's so good...

Then there are the six balls of Nashua's Cilantro, in aqua, bought for a certain Unmentionable  pattern that I am now mentioning.   I have high-hopes for this yarn.  It is washable and dryable.  Right now that is sounding oh-so wonderful. 

As for my Fiddleheads, I will be taking pictures of them today and will hopefully post about them tomorrow.  The KAL was a blast, and I think Alice and I just feed each other's yarn addiction.  She's trying to stay away from buying any more and I just keep sending her links of all my recent purchases.  (OMG.  I'm an enabler!)  And I am seriously loving her finished mittens knitted in Ultra Alpaca Light.  What do I love the most you ask?  NO LINING!  They are so full and plump that lining is not necessary.  Then of course there are also these inspiring babies on Flickr that will make any yarn addict completely gorge themselves on alpaca.

So that's where I am!  I don't normally post on things in progress, but I guess a post like this is in order.  Knitting is sometimes an uphill battle.  A mental up-hill battle, that requires as much dogged-determination as it does knit and purl.  So slowly, but surely, I am rediscovering my mojo.  My knitting wheels are starting to turn again and that fire is being stoked... (okay, how many lame clichés can I actually string together in one sentence?)  I hope all your projects are moving quickly and with considerable gusto!  If not, please... let me know.  You have my permission to vent here.  After all... misery loves company!  (sorry, just one more for the road.)

A Tale of Two Mittens

Fiddlehead Mittens by Adrian Bizilia;
knitted from Hello Yarn Mitten Kit, original colorway;
knitted on Crystal Palace bamboo DPN's, US size 3, smallest size.
Ravelers find my mitten here.

This is a snip-it of dialog between Alice and myself over the last couple of days.  There have been some pretty tense moments to say the least: 

I think it's too small!... my gauge is way off!... the cat just ate my yarn!!

And on and on.  But we've had such a great time knitting together!  I wondered how a cross-country KAL would work.  Three time zones mind you.  But it's worked out great, and you really get to know each other in the process.  Okay, I admit it.  I've been finding out what yarns Alice is using on all her projects.  She so thoroughly does her homework, and I'm so lazy!  It's just an added bonus that her knits always end up looking just like (or better) than the original. 

And where is Grace?  I don't know!  She's like Waldo... we're still looking for her!  I have a feeling she's in the zone and will then boom! Drop a spectacular mitten on all of us that will make us all pea green with envy!  (She has a way of doing that too!)

The Fiddlehead Mittens are to die for.  Really.  They are absolutely spectacular.  After you finish one, and it has blocked you just sort of sit there staring at it.  Stunned that an idea so beautiful could be envisioned and then executed.  Adrian is the queen.  All hail the queen!

I've still got another mitten to go.  My plan is to work on the lining for this mitten at the same time.  I really want to feel that squishy Alpaca against my hand.  And it will make the mitten so full and fuzzy!

So back to it... no time to spare!  Alice is a machine and you've got to have your running shoes double-knotted to keep up with her.  Hopefully we'll all have some finished mittens by this weekend, and some fun pictures to share with everybody!