Archives for posts with tag: FO
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FO: Clarity Cardigan

January 11, 2013 //
9

I opened up my laptop, because I was supposed to be doing something.  But I completely forgot what it was that I was supposed to do.  I’m sure it’s something really important, because I only forget the important things.  All those stupid little things I always remember, like how I always remember to get a bag of chips at the grocery store, but then forget the toilet paper.  Why is it always the toilet paper?  I’m stocked now, in case you’re wondering…

Well, since I’m here and since it’s 1am and I can’t sleep (because I am not a normal person) and I can’t remember what it was that I was supposed to be doing, I’m going to obsess over knitting stuff.  I finished the sweater!  A couple of weeks had gone by and my hands recovered mostly (I’m pretty sure I developed early onset arthritis in my thumbs), so I picked up the needles again to finish knitting the pockets.  It really amazes me how often I underestimate the amount of work that needs to be done for something.  I looked at this pattern and thought: yes, I can totally knit that in three weeks tops.  It’s all stockinette, what can be so hard about that?  I suppose I never really took into account the fact that I was going to be knitting on the tiniest needles imaginable for a sweater.  Turns out it doesn’t take only 10 minutes to knit each pocket.  I think I must have an extreme amount of blind optimism for knitting.

Knitting a sweater for someone was definitely a new experience. Knitting a sweater is no easy task and right now, I have nothing to show for it besides some really crappy pictures (thank you Seattle for another dark rainy day).  It’s weird having knit something like that and not being able to fondle it with love and affection while wearing it.  Maybe I’m suffering from withdrawals.  I’m not sure.  Maybe I need to buy more yarn to assuage my postpartum knitting depression.  Something super bulky…. Don’t judge me.

Pattern Details:

Pattern: Clarity Cardigan by Gretchen Ronnevik
Yarn: MadelineTosh DK in Venetian and in Tern (pocket lining)
Needles: US 4 [3.5mm] Circulars
Modifications:  Nothing too drastic: did a couple extra increases in the yoke because I felt it was too tight originally.  I didn’t follow her decrease notes on the sleeves and just worked it myself.  I thought hers made for really baggy sleeves (even if I didn’t do extra yoke increases).
Recommend to a friend: I would only recommend this pattern to experienced knitters.  Although simple to knit, the pattern itself was a pain to follow.  I had to rely on my intuition a lot as I found a few errors and inconsistencies with her writing.  It’s a great design, but I think the pattern deserves another once over from a better tech editor.
Notes:  See my notes on my Ravelry page.  And think twice before you cast on for a sweater on size 4 needles.
 

PS. Sorry for my uber crappy photos.  It’s always great to see a lifeless sweater limply styled on a plastic hanger.  My friend is giving this to his mom on Sunday and he said he’d take a picture of her wearing it.  I hope she likes it.  If not, they better lie to me because I don’t think I’d be able to handle that sort of rejection.

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Categories Freshy Knits!

FO: Argyle Lace Hat

August 10, 2012 //
1

Remember that day that I was boasting about all the FO’s I had in my back pocket?  You might be wondering where the last one is.  You might even be thinking that I was lying to you that day.  But I’m here to say that I wasn’t lying and I haven’t forgotten to show you this last one.  I’m just really good at procrastinating.

I’m so good at procrastinating, that when I tell you when exactly I finished knitting this hat, you will be shocked and amazed and probably scared, because you will have then realized just how good I am at not doing things in a prompt-like manner.  When I think about it, I’m also scared because I begin to wonder if all my projects will be like this.  The answer is most likely a definite yes.  I think that’s just the nature of procrastinators.

Ok, so here’s the ugly truth about this hat.  I finished it in May. GAAAAAAAAAAAASP!!!!  Here’s the funniest part: (are you ready?) I finished knitting this hat in two consecutive days.  DOUBLE GAAAAAAAAAASP!!!  Yes, I really finished this hat nearly 3 months ago.  I finished it so quickly that I didn’t even bother photographing my progress.  Plus, I think the guy sitting next to me on the airplane thought I was weird in the first place, so I didn’t want to add to the weird factor by busting out my camera and posing the hat all over my tray table.

I couldn’t believe how fast I made it.  I was impressed with myself.  I had every intention of adding the buttons and blogging about it the moment I got back home.  But then a terrible thing happened…. I bought more yarn and cast on for about 10 more projects.  Oops?  Then I was just making excuses that I hadn’t seen the recipient in a while and we were kind of having a sort of summer in Seattle and I had to find the right buttons, and isn’t this other project so pretty and soft and don’t you want to touch it?  It was quite pathetic.

Pattern Details:

Pattern: Argyle Lace Hat by Laura Irwin in Boutique Knits
Yarn: Classic Elite Yarns Fresco (60% wool, 30% baby alpaca, 10% angora) in Charcoal Black
Needles: US 4 [3.5mm] Circulars
Modifications: None, knit exactly to pattern instructions
Recommend to a friend: Yes! 
Notes: Pattern is fun and easy to knit, with enough details to keep you busy.  This yarn is also pretty amazing.  It shows off the stitch definition well and it really softened up after blocking and has great drape.  Perfect for a slouchy hat or a flowing scarf.
 

Maybe I just like deadlines.  Maybe I just like the self-imposed pressure of finishing everything before some big event.  I’m not really sure.  But then the recipient of the hat decided to up and move to Vegas.  Umm, will she still want a hat if she lives in Vegas?  An alpaca/wool blend hat?!  She did.  So I buckled down and found the perfect (in my opinion… and mostly because I was tired of looking) buttons.  Thus I finished the hat and she’s really happy she has a warm hat, even though she’s now living in Vegas and I let another 3 weeks pass by without blogging about it.

So there you have it.  The story about how I procrastinated….yet again.

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Categories Freshy Knits!, Lace

FO: aCute Angle Cowl

July 26, 2012 //
20

This is a story.  A story about the generosity of knitters….and how procrastination pays off.

About a month ago, I found myself attending a knitting retreat for the first time ever.  I was excited to meet people who, like myself, really love yarn.  I don’t usually participate in big group knit-a-longs and I don’t spend a lot of time on ravelry forums chatting with strangers, but when I signed up for the retreat, I did.  I wanted to meet and talk to the people that I would be interacting with for three whole days and I wanted to really get involved.  So when Steven suggested that we all do a KAL with Blue Moon Fiber Arts yarn, I jumped on the opportunity.  And when I say I “jumped”, what I really mean is that after initially agreeing, I then proceeded to procrastinate with said purchase of yarn and pattern.  Because, procrastination really is the only thing that I do well….consistently.

A few days before I was all set to leave for the retreat, I order the yarn and pattern.  Of course, my yarn showed up on my doorstep the day after I left.  So there I was, at the Gourmet Retreat, yarn-less for the KAL.  We were all gathered together in the sun room, introducing ourselves whilst happily knitting away on our own projects (many were casting on for the KAL, I shamefully worked on some other lame project that I’ve probably frogged since).  The woman sitting next to me, Tamara, was working on her cowl and I mentioned that my yarn didn’t arrive in time.  Of course I left out the part where I procrastinated, because I wanted to make a good impression and whatever.  She just looks at me and without a second’s pause says, “Well, I have an extra skein.  I’ll go get it for you right now.”  She got up so swiftly that I didn’t even have time to register what had happened.  Did a complete stranger really offer to give me her skein of yarn?  Just like that?  What kind of weird alternate universe have I stepped into?  Did I really get rewarded with a free skein of 100% silk yarn because I procrastinated?!  Well, I guess that’s one way to instill bad habits.

Tamara asked for nothing in return.  We spent three glorious days together cooking, knitting, and dyeing.  I got to know her pretty well during this time, and I have to say, she is without a doubt, a most generous and kind person.  She didn’t even scold me for procrastinating.

I was able to participate in the KAL and finish knitting my cowl before the end of the retreat all because of the selflessness of a wonderful knitter.  So, this FO post is a shout out to you, Tamara.  Thanks for making my first knitting retreat a memorable one!

Why am I posting this FO a month after I finished knitting the cowl?  Didn’t you guys learn anything?  I’m a procrastinator, and honestly, Tamara really shouldn’t have rewarded me for my bad behavior.  But I’m sure glad she did!

Pattern Details

Pattern: aCute Angle by Samantha Roshak
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts, Luscious Silk in My Blue Heaven
Needles: US7 [4.5mm] circular
Modifications: Absolutely none
Recommend: Absolutely yes!
Notes: Silky smooth yarn, fun simple lace pattern that’s easy to remember…what’s not to like?
 

See what other (and most likely, non-procrastinating) knitters have made at Tami’s blog.

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Categories Freshy Knits!

FO: Friggin’ Overload

July 20, 2012 //
17

Holy yarn balls, Batman, I have four FO’s sitting here in front of me waiting to be shown to the world!!  Seriously, four FO’s!  But I don’t want to overload you with the awesomeness that is my knitting…and also, I need to quickly type out this post because there are crepes out there with my name on it.  mmm…delicious crepes, I can taste you now… What was I saying?  Oh right, FO’s.  Four FO’s.  But you only get to see two for now.  And that’s not two four.  Sorry, it’s early and I’m too distracted by crepes to make good jokes.

You know what I love about knitting stuff for babies (I mean besides the obvious fact that babies look friggin AH-dorable in handmade knits)?  They’re so quick!  So quick and require so little yarn that you can make two baby hats in two days from one skein of yarn.  That’s what I call a logistical dream come true.

Pattern Details

Pattern: My own
Yarn: Berroco Blackstone Tweed in Ancient Mariner (aka brownish with purple and green tweed nupps).  Each hat used up approximately 63 yards.
Needles: US 8 [5 mm], Circular
Size: Fits 3-6 month old
Recommend to a Friend: Well, I would if there was a pattern.  Would you want a free pattern?
 

I made both hats up as I went, but it’s not like they’re anything too profoundly original.  That being said, would anyone be interested if I wrote up the pattern and offered it for free?

There’s a lesson to be learned in making baby hats, which is this: DPN’s are your friend, especially when your only size 8 circular needles are 46″ long.  It was only slightly annoying having all that extra cable just hanging out doing whatever it wanted.  I was sure I had some size 8 DPN’s somewhere.  Maybe they ran away with my size 7 circulars, which I could of sworn I had.  Ooh, plus side: this means that I can buy myself some new needles at work this weekend!  I mean….make do with what I have because it’s not good to spend all of your paychecks at the yarn store.  *sad face*  But it’s my birthday?  I mean soon, like in a month…but still….right?  Right?!  Someone help me out here!

It’s raining right now in Seattle (surprise, surprise), the kind of rain that requires me to wear rainboots, and the crepes are out there somewhere.  After I eat them, I will probably sit somewhere nice and cozy and knit some more.  Maybe that sweater that I need to finish…. And then maybe when you come back in a few days I will have not two, but three more FO’s to show you.  Well, one can dream.

PS. I’m joining other knitters over at Tami’s blog for FO Friday.  Check out how productive we can be!

PPS.  On a totally unrelated note, (I find if I add a photo at the end of a post, you guys actually read the whole thing.  I’m onto you, slackers.  Oh I’m onto you….) I have tomatoes!!

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Categories Freshy Knits!, Greenish Thumb

FO: An Elephant for a Peanut

May 4, 2012 //
17

This had to have been the easiest, quickest, and most satisfying thing I’ve knit in a long time.  The first two aspects are pretty self explanatory: Ysolda Teague created a wonderful pattern that’s simple to execute and small enough to make in a day, seriously.  But what made this such a gratifying project was that it wasn’t made for me.

Lately, I’ve been a little consumed with selfish knitting.  Ok, ok, a lot consumed.  But this was different; I had someone special in mind.  While making things for yourself can be immensely satisfying, there really is something in making a gift for someone other than yourself.  Granted, I haven’t met her yet, but I’m hoping that when she enters this world, she will feel all the love around her.

Oh and Mom, I just want to clarify that it isn’t my baby.  You can sleep safe now.

Check out other FO’s at Tami’s blog.

Pattern Details

Pattern: Elijah by Ysolda Teague
Yarn: KnitPicks, Swish DK in Marble Heather, some stash yarn (have no clue…) for the heart.
Needles: US 3 [3.25mm], Circular
Modifications:  None, besides doing duplicate stitching for the bum heart.
Notes: The pattern calls for DPN’s but I think it’s completely doable with circulars.
Recommend to a Friend: Yes, yes, yes!  Knit one for you, or share the love and knit it for someone special.
 
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Categories Freshy Knits!
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