Becky's Knitting

I turned in my final paper of 2L year last Wednesday.  I had to write at least 25 pages as my portion of a joint research project.  I ended up writing 40 of the 65 pages we turned in (ok b/c I was doing it for more credits), and I easily could have written more.  We'd like to publish the paper, but that would require me going back in and adding the stuff I left out and some major editing, so I don't know if it will happen. 

I also started work last Monday, so the overlap those first few days when I was staying up late to write the paper and getting up early for work was pretty rough.  Now I'm living the life of a summer associate - big lunches and lots of activities paid for by the firm - the hardest part is trying to squeeze in actual work.  I'm really enjoying myself so far, even the work part! 

On the knitting front, the back of Isabella is done and I'm about 4 inches into the front.  I would show a picture, but it really just looks like a purple blob right now.  I got kinda tired of it and did a bunch on the second Crown Mtn sock while finishing my paper, so I'm not as far along as I'd like to be.  I'm going to have to do some major knitting this weekend to get it finished in time for Franklin's visit.  I'm struggling though because now that I'm done with finals, I really want to work on lace and cables and all those awesome projects I didn't get to work on while school was in session.  If I could get a little farther Isabella has lace - I wonder if I can force myself through it or whether I don't care that much.  We'll see.

Also, as a heads up, Season 2 of Vickie Howell's podcast will be starting soon.  I think the episode with the founder of Etsy is the one I am most looking forward to.

I owe you a recap of my yarn crawl through Minneapolis and St. Paul yarn stores.  Lots of goodies were purchased, and I want to take some good pics so look for that soon. 

And because I hate a post without pictures, here's Major helping me write my paper.  These pictures have not been rotated.  He curled up between my legs, and then rotated himself.  So cute!

Posted by Becky at 08:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Note: the majority of this post was written back in January, but I never formatted the pictures to upload them and post the entry.  Writing about the Dale dress yesterday, I realized I never showed my first FO of 2008, so I'm finally getting around to posting this. 

So you know how when you go to a baby or bridal shower, you always feel sort of nervous when your gift is being opened.  Did you spend enough money?  Will she like it?  Did 2 other people get the same gift?  Is it cute enough?  Does it have the aww factor?  Well I finally had an experience this past weekend where I didn't have those worries.  My friend Leslie is getting married, and her bridesmaids threw her an Ornament Shower where everyone brought ornaments for them to hang on their Christmas tree.  For the first time, I knew going in that my friend was going to love her present, and everyone else was going to be impressed.  The present:

Mini-Weasley Sweater Christmas Ornaments with the couple's initials on them in Texas Longhorn colors.  I love them, and they would be great presents to make for others for next year.  Just need to start early! 

Project Specs:

Pattern: Mini Weasley Sweater Ornaments from Charmed Knits
Yarn: Sirdar Snuggly DK in burnt orange and cream
Needle: US 4 Bryspun dpns
For: Leslie & Kevin
Started: January 2008
Finished: January 2008 

Ravelry Details

Thoughts: the seaming was a little annoying - next time I might try knitting them in the round.  The duplicate stitching was much easier than I thought.  DO NOT do a loose cast-on - otherwise the roll looks a little goofy like on the K sweater.  I bought craft wire at Hobby Lobby to make the hangers.  I'd love to make a set of these for my friends Matt and Nancy who are engaged.  One is a Longhorn and one is a Sooner so it would be cute to do each in their school's colors.  Really, it would be fun to start a tradition of doing a set for all of my friends when they get married, but no promises since I would have to actually plan ahead to pull that off.   

I leave you with a picture of Major being goofy.  He is trying to hide from one of our friend's dogs who was visiting. 

Posted by Becky at 06:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

I showed you two of my socks in progress last time, but my new Knit Picks sock needles came in, and I had my new Noro sock yarn balled up and ready to go, so I put the OU socks to the side (I've turned the heel on the first) and cast on with the Noro.  Here's what I have so far:

Very fun socks!  I had heard that the yarn is on the finer side of fingering weight, especially because it has a bit of thick and thin tendency and the thin is very thin.  So, I am using US 0's and getting a very tight fabric.  While I probably could have gotten away with my usual size 1's, I think once I wash these and they soften up (like everyone says they will), I will probably be happy that I used the 0's.  And hopefully it will help them wear better.

Here's me working on the socks while doing homework.  And Major in his usual position as well.

And here's a picture of the first OU sock, now on hold.  I turned the heel on this, put it on waste yarn, cast on for the toe for the second, and now they will probably have to wait until I finish the Noro's.  OU just can't beat out pretty rainbows.

Posted by Becky at 05:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It's amazing how quickly socks come together when you have them available for little bits of knitting time here and there.  My monkey socks have been living at school.  I pull them out when I have a few minutes between classes, or when I'm reading at school. 

I didn't catch any pics of the outside of the heel after I turned it b/c the light was bad, but it looks great!!  I think it's the best heel I've ever done - no holes and it looks really uniform.  I think I have found a method that I am happy with using the Priscilla Gibson-Roberts's method.  You can see the method in the free Interweave Better than Booties pattern.  And Alison has a great picture tutorial.

I gotta get back to doing homework now, but thought you'd enjoy seeing Major's current position on my lap.  Apparently he hasn't gotten enough sleep yet today.

Posted by Becky at 05:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In addition to my New Year's Eve tradition, another post that will probably become annual is my Christmas from a knitting perspective.  Here's the knitting related goodies I received this year:

Knit Picks Harmony set!  A skein of medium-weight Socks that Rock in Downpour, Montse Stanley's Knitter's Handbook, small sock project bag with matching dpn holder, and in my stocking a sheep tape measure and sticky clips to hook your pattern to the back of airplane seats, car dashboards, etc.  I also received Nancie Wiseman's Knitter's Book of Finishing Techniques (not pictured).  And, although not technically a knitting-related present, my new iphone is awesome for checking ravelry, knitting blogs, and pattern requirements when shopping for yarn!  I love it!!!

Here's our tree before and after:

Look!  Daniel got a red rider BB gun!

Well, ok, it's really a nice putter.

Major got a present too, all wrapped up in his own kitty paper.

It's a cozy cushion just like Lucy's!

And I did lots of cooking and baking over the holidays for my cookie exchange and Christmas dessert.  Here's a few of the goodies:

This is made of a blend of cheeses.  Unfortunately it was kinda bland, but it looked super cool.  Maybe next year I'll alter the recipe to make it more exciting.

And I made two pies for Christmas.  One was a cranberry cherry pie that was sooo yummy!!  The cranberry keeps the cherry from being too sweet.  It was also super easy to make.  And the one on the right is a Creme de Menth pie that was also quite tasty. 

In other Christmas knitting news, the FIL socks were a rousing success, and they fit!

The color is totally off in this picture - the pics in this post show the colors better.  My FIL has mentioned how much he likes them everytime I've seen him since Christmas, so I guess I'll be casting on for some more socks for him soon.  Even though he has big feet, it's worth it as much as he likes them.  I think his next pair will be out of sportweight though.  I already have some, but I need to get a coordinating color to do the toes, heels, and cuff before I cast on.

Right now I'm working on two miniature sweater ornaments for an ornament bridal shower I'll be attending next week.  Pictures coming when they actually look like something ;-)

Posted by Becky at 09:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

It has become a tradition around these parts for me to always post on New Year's Eve.  It's a great way to recap my year in knitting and set goals for next year. 

So, here's a status report on my list of projects posted this time last year.

• Finish Hanne Falkenberg Mermaid by next winter - Not a whole lot of progress, but I am almost done with the body.  I'd love to have the chance to wear it this winter, but it is good school knitting, and I have other things I want to finish first, so if I don't get to it, I'm ok with that.
• Finish Lacy Lattice Stole for a wedding in March - it was finished and blocked the night before the wedding, although I only did the border on one side b/c I ran out of time.  At some point I should put the border on the other edge, but I don't have the opportunity to do much lace knitting so I'm not too worried about it. 
• Pink cabled sweater for my mom - Debbie Bliss Cathay, pattern a combination of a Debbie Bliss pattern and a Louisa Harding pattern - still on hold - I've focused on Daniel's sweater, and once I finish that, or get bored with it, then I'll start my mom's.
• Grey cabled sweater for Daniel - Silky Tweed yarn, Rowan Classic pattern - halfway? done the front.  I really enjoy working on this, but it is not good law school knitting, so it is rare when I can concentrate enough on the pattern to work on it - it will likely be several more years before I complete this
• Finish the purple trekking socks and make lots more - done (and recently redone!), plus other socks listed below
• Finish Vickie Howell collection test knitting by Jan. 10 - done
• Finish the Grandmom Wrap (knitting done, need to block and fringe) - done and gifted, neeed to post FO pics 
• 3 Texas squares for LSSK babies - done
• dishcloths for my mom for her birthday or mother's day - I made one, but haven't gifted it yet as I want to do a few more - maybe for her birthday or mother's day this year
• embellish Daniel's stocking with beads and add names to both - didn't quite manage to do that before Christmas - maybe I'll do it before we put the decorations away, maybe not

And here's what else I made this past year:

• Socks for Daniel's Dad (and they fit!!)
• Longhorn Socks
• Clapotis
• Scarf for Red Scarf Project 
• Yarn Harlot's Unoriginal Hat
• 5 Harry Potter hats for charity
• One skein plush scarf for Daniel's mom for her bday - I need to post a pic of this - my pattern is super easy and quick and available on the sidebar
• Waving lace socks for my mom - this will get it's own blog post soon as I just finished them
• Longhorn baby booties for Landon - hmm, doesn't look like I ever posted a pic of these either, will have to do so b/c they are sooo cute
• I also fixed my blog to have 3 columns and more space for the posts in the middle - I was pretty happy about that as it took some time and messing around with movable type.

Plans for next year:

• Figure out the crochet edging and finish the Dale baby dress (c section scheduled for Friday so better do this soon!!) 
• Order Tilli Thomas yarn and finish Sahara
• Finish at least one Chevron Scarf (I have the yarn for several)
• Finish swallowtail
• Make a baby sweater for my friend Laura who is due in June (the sweater I had almost finished for her won't work for this baby since it was a 3 month size and a wool sweater will need to be 6 month for DE weather.  She finds out at the beginning of February whether it's a boy or girl and then I'll pick a pattern and yarn.
• make at least one pillow with the yarn we bought on sale for pillows in our living room - planning to use this Vickie Howell pattern
• finish Longhorn Danica scarf for my sister-in-law, didn't get it done for this Christmas, but maybe next year

I have tons of other projects I am thinking about as well, but I'd prefer to keep the list fairly short and keep my options open for other projects.  I have so many things I want to make that the list could get way too long way too quick.

Although this post has become an annual event, it also fits in nicely with Dawn's Knitting Resolutions, so I will be linking to that as well.  I don't really feel the need to resolve to learn any new techniques, as usually I just try new things as I need them.  But I would like to learn a little more crochet - this will be necessary for the Dale baby dress, and I got Debbie Stoller's Stitch 'n Bitch Crochet book so I'd like to maybe try the simple crocheted scarf out of that.  But I love knitting so much that I don't feel the need to learn to crochet just to have another thing I can do b/c I already have too many things I want to do ;-). 

And finally, because a post without pictures is no fun, Major (who has an obsession with paper bags) says Happy New Year!!!

Posted by Becky at 05:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Since I last posted I have officially slacked off on the baby dress and worked on Sahara.  I'm really enjoying how quickly it is going so far.  I made the first join which connects the 2 front panels to the back under the armholes. 

This picture is from right before I did that.  Now I work down a bit more and start the waist shaping.  I am wondering whether I should work down a tad farther than called for before starting the waist shaping to account for my bustiness?  Not sure if that will help or look weird.  I may just do a few extra rows - I doubt it will hurt anything.  What I really need to figure out sometime is how to do short-rows for bust-shaping.  If anyone has any tips, I'd love to hear them.

On Ravelry, there is a forum for grad students and a current thread talking about how finals affect your knitting.  I posted that I get more reading done closer to finals because I knit while reading.  How do I do it?  Here's my normal setup:

Cat next to me, computer ready for notes, book propped up, knitting on top.  I'm under the black blanket.  Works for me unless I am outlining or writing in which case the typing unfortunately takes precedence over the knitting.  Sigh...

Posted by Becky at 04:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)