Sayllama's Craftastic Blog

Moving to Wordpress

nobody@vox.com(Sayllama) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 22:06:42 -0800

Ok... it's official. I've moved this blog over to Wordpress... it wasn't nearly as difficult as I feared. So you can now find me at: http://sayllama.wordpress.com/

Sorry for any confusion this might cause....

Anyway, FYI, you don't need to sign up with Wordpress in order to comment on my future posts. Wooo!

See you there!

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Blog gripes

nobody@vox.com(Sayllama) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:05:06 -0800

First and foremost, I want to apologize to anyone who had to sign up for a Vox account in order to post a comment on my blog. My blog was originally on Livejournal, then I moved it over to Vox without really researching it much, and I didn't realize that this was the case.

That said, I'm getting kind of annoyed with Vox... it has some cool features but it's missing some crucial elements I really want (the ability to add custom html content, for starters). I'm really regretting not being on Wordpress... almost all my friends use Wordpress, including my husband. I'm sort of debating making another move, but right now Wordpress only allows one to easily import blogs from Livejournal and a couple others, but not Vox. Similarly, Vox does not have a feature where I can export or back up my entries (another annoying thing). So I'd basically either have to start fresh or manually copy and paste each entry into Wordpress.... which actually might not be that bad considering I only have like 17 posts to date or something like that.

In the meantime, while I decide what to do, I've given this blog a little facelift. The pink was starting to annoy me. It's so weird... I go through such strong "color phrases" where I'll love one color one month, and can't stand it the next.

There was one year I wore almost nothing but blue. Most recently I was on an orange kick. Right now I'm totally digging purple, which is weird for me because that's never been one of my favorite colors before.

In other news, I've ripped out all my progress on my two-at-a-time Belle Epoque socks. I can live with a few flaws in my knitted work, but the mistakes were starting to pile up - particularly in the sort of lacey-cablely part of the pattern. But now that I have a "feel" for the pattern I'm going to start again and go more carefully this time.

I also went to my LYS last night for their weekly Stitch N' Bitch and somehow found myself walking out with this:

My new yarn bag

A Namaste Zuma bag in peacock! I've been wanting a good knitting bag for a long time and I think I've finally found it! I am a total bag-a-holic. While I don't own any bags that are "designer" or pricey, (this Zuma is probably the most I've paid for a bag), I do have a closet full of them. But out of them all, there isn't one that really works for holding my projects when I'm on the go. The big ones all have zippers or too few pockets, and the small ones are... well, too small.

The Zuma is deceptively small on the outside, but it really holds a ton of stuff. I love the magnet closures and the front pocket has mutliple slots which are perfect for holding my circular needles and iphone. Right now it's holding my dreaded Avalon hoodie and my Noro striped scarf!

Now I need to plan more outings so I can use it more. (One of the setbacks of working from home is that I don't get out very much...)

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The Never-Ending Socks

nobody@vox.com(Sayllama) — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 18:48:00 -0800

I had one goal for this weekend: finish my husband's socks because I am really sick of knitting them and I want my sock-plate clear for when I start the Rockin' Sock Club. (Sock plate.... ewww)

But.......

Ran out of yarn!

That's right, I ran out of yarn. I can't say I was that surprised, but I was in a stubborn state of denial until the bitter end. Even before I turned the heel I began to have that sinking feeling that I didn't have enough yarn to finish, but I preferred to look the other way and say "I'm sure it'll be fine - a little yarn goes a long way!" (Let me just say I am terrible at guessing how much yarn is needed to complete something and I was hopelessly optimistic).

Well, a little didn't go a long way at all. I still have about 5 inches left to knit:

Ran out of yarn!

So I'll have to order another skein and hope that it looks semi-similar to the original skein, which I purchased about 2 years ago. The most painful thing is knowing that the socks still aren't done. I swear, they are testing my patience and are making me more prone to falling victim to Second Sock Syndrome again. I wish I hadn't knit the leg part so long because then I'd probably have enough yarn to finish. But mostly, I wish my husband's feet weren't so big! Uggh... they will be completed though, mark my words!

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In which I find myself with more time on my hands, hence the lengthy post.

nobody@vox.com(Sayllama) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:03:08 -0800

Every other Tuesday morning, my LYS has a thing called "Breakfast Club" where, for $5, you can come in a couple hours before the store opens to knit and enjoy good company, coffee and bagels. It's sort of become one of the highlights of my, well, fortnight. And it's pretty much the only time I go to my LYS to sit and knit for a couple (or few) hours and spend time with other knitters (and crocheters).

Seeing as how I'm fortunate enough to work from home, I realize I could, hypothetically, go to the LYS like every day of the week and hang out, especially since it's only a 15 minute bike ride away. But, of course, that wouldn't be very productive - especially since the yarn store also doubles as a black hole where all time and space becomes distorted. Therefore, what feels like an hour and a half is actually more like... uh, 5.

5 hours is what I spent there today I'm somewhat shocked to admit. But I think it's ok because I'm sort of in job-limbo. (More on that in a second). Anyway, I enjoyed myself as always but I did not get an inch of progress out of my dreadful Avalon Hoodie. It wasn't for lack of trying. I had to rip back 3 times because, no matter how closely I tried to follow the directions, my collar was not turning out at all like it was supposed to. And looking at the photo of the finished product, I can not conceive of how the corresponding pattern could possibly result in that same look, because, believe me, I've tried. I do find it mildly suspcious that in ALL 4 photos of the finished product, the model's hair or hand just so happens to be covering up the crucial part of the pattern upon which I am stuck. (I could just be paranoid and delirious, however.)

What are you hiding, woman?!

As of right now, I am screwing the pattern and just improvising something that I (hope) will work. But I have to say, I am getting dangerously close to loathing this project and wanting to rip it all out and never speak of it again.

I should have just spent those 5 hours finishing my husband's remaining sock.

I was so frustrated I had to buy some yarn to soothe myself. I bought some beloved Noro to make a striped scarf. I wanted to use Silk Garden but there were no colors available that I liked. So I went with Kureyon. And instead of colors mixed with dark stripes, I'm going to try a light-striped version.

Noro Kureyon

I also picked up these cute and teeny little circs. I had no idea they came in this size! I'm gonna try to knit a sock on them, because double pointed needles get on my nerves sometimes (although they are quite efficient).

Teeny Circular needle

Anyway, back to the job-limbo. For the past 5 years I have worked for a certain comic book company as the writer and illustrator for one of their monthly books. It has been a most satisfying run, but alas, all good things must come to an end. Last week I completed my final issue. And for the first time in years I find myself without a deadline. I do have other projects lined up but nothing as reliable as that first one, and those are still in early-stages. So right now I'm sort of in project limbo and have a bit more time on my hands until things pick up on my other projects. Part of me is like "woo hoo!" because I suddenly have some time to get some personal projects complete (I'm trying to write a novel), and of course, knitting! But another part of me feels a little adrift and sad at losing such a big part of my regular work routine.

Right after I finished my final issue, I felt a little melancholy and decided that I needed both a pick-me-up as well as some kind self-congratulatory prize for my 42 issue run. And what better way to acheive that than with a little retail therapy?

In what was clearly a haze of desperation and sorrow, I found myself signing up for Blue Moon Fiber Art's Rockin' Sock Club. I can't be held responsible for my actions, really. ;)

I must be crazy because I have only completed ONE pair of worsted acrylic socks to date. But, when I'm learning something new I ususally like to just dive right into it and tackle it head on. So what better way to learn to knit nice socks than to subscribe to a sock club that will surely have patterns that will drive me insane? Of course, the yarn is main draw to the club. BMA has some of the most gorgeous colorways out there. I ordered two skeins of their yarn back in my early knitting days (when paying more than 5 dollars for yarn was ghastly and risque!), and I loved and treasured them so much I couldn't bear to use them. As a result, they have been sitting in a bowl on my coffee table as decoration for the past 3 years! Of course, for my husband's socks I finally relenquished one of them (Beryl) and used it. And I love the yarn so much I am totally sold.

One last note.... it seems I have been wearing my aforementioned acrylic socks a little too much. (More like slippers than socks, really. I only washed them once, but I swear they don't smell!). It is a little painful to see a gaping hole in something I spent hours on... but it kinda just makes me love 'em even more.

Holey socks, batman!

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Sock Bug

nobody@vox.com(Sayllama) — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 19:21:36 -0800

Ok, well, remember how I swore off socks some months ago? Well, I have officially flip-flopped. In fact, I have worse than flip-flopped. I have caught the sock bug... bad. All I want to do is knit socks. I've lost interest in all my non-socks projects. Yes, it's that bad. So what would make me change heart so drastically? Well first it was reading the latest book by the Yarn Harlot. Every time I read her stuff, I come away wanting to make socks, period. (She just has a way of making it sound like they are the most amazing thing in the world).

Free-Range Knitter: The Yarn Harlot Writes Again

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

Then, completing my first pair of socks which I mentioned a couple entries ago was a factor. Even though they're made of cheap acrylic and they're kind of saggy on my feet, I've been wearing them almost nonstop since I made them (and as I write this, in fact). They keep me warm and cozy when I'm in the house and I get a little ego boost every time I look at my feet and think, "I made these"!

The real cincher, however, was when I made a sock for my husband. (Yes, just one. I'm still working on its mate!). I wanted to make a "real" sock, using tiny needles and sock yarn (Socks that Rock medium weight in Beryl, for those who want to know). What I didn't realize was how much time it would take. This wasn't anything like my first pair which were knit with worsted yarn on size 6 needles - those were cake compared to this. And it doesn't help that my husband has huge feet and that the pattern was a time consuming and mind-numbing 3x1 rib.
It was a real test of patience to finish that sock. I always kept it nearby and did a few rows here and there, whenever i had a chance. And I had a couple of marathon sessions too. But I was determined to finish it.

And I finally did, on Christmas eve while hubby and I were visiting my folks for the holidays.

A single sock

I got that familiar warm and fuzzy feeling of completion, but the best part was seeing my husband actually put it on. It was a little tight, he admitted, and I realized that I would possibly have to rip it back. But he wouldn't give it back to me. He insisted it was fine and it would "probably stretch out" on its own, and he continued to wear that one sock for the rest of the night and urged me to hurry up and finish the second one!

So even though the pattern is pretty dull, I'm fully determined to finish the second one! I think I may have officially beaten Second Sock Syndrome! Of course I can't really say that until I complete the pair, but I feel optimistic!

I've also decided to give 2-socks-on-one-circular-needle another try. And naturally, because I like pain, I chose one of the more difficult patterns (well, difficult for me) in the book to attempt to re-learn the technique, Belle Epoque, which has a picot edge AND cables, and Yarn Overs! (Oh, my!).

But so far, so good. The picot edge was a headache and if I was more type A, I might have re-done it so that it looked better, but I'm not. So I will learn to love my flaws. I like the technique of knitting two at once and I've finally gotten into the flow of it. The yarn tangling continues to be a problem, but that's partially my fault because I chose to knit from two ends of the same ball of yarn, rather that separate it into two. As for the yarn - I love it! The color is just amazing and the yarn is so soft. I got it in a swap so I don't know exactly what it is, only that it's by Mystical Creations. I have a feeling these socks are going to take a while though.

Belle Epoque in progress

I want to start another pair of socks... something that is less boring than the pair I'm working on for my husband, and something less complex than the Belle Epoque ones... but I'm trying to convince myself to finish those before I start any new ones!

When I went home for the holidays I brought along my Avalon Hoodie to work on, but since I was so enamored with my sock projects, I didn't even touch it. I have to say, the more I look at it, the less i like it. The way the yarn is pooling isn't really appealing and I'm still not convinced it will fit right. But I have to remind myself that it's still in progress and not yet blocked... and it may end up being cute! But taking photos of my progress didn't really encourage me...

Bleh...

And on one final note, I've joined Indie Dyer's WoW sock club! What better way to feed my new sock addiction than to buy yarn inspired by my WoW addiction? :D

Speaking of WoW, here's a peek at my main toon, Tauren Hunter Ishtaur. I just dinged 60!

Ishtaur

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Crafting Guilt...

nobody@vox.com(Sayllama) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:32:42 -0800

I was getting ready, late last night, to prep some stuff for shipping before Christmas - namely the three market bags I crocheted for my aunts in Pennsylvania. But I couldn't do it. I just could. not. do. it.

The reason? One of the market bags I made was so hideous, I knew I could not, in good conscience, give it away as a gift. It would be borderline insulting.

I made it using the same pattern as the other two, but the yarn seemed to sag and grow with every row. By the time I finished, I realized the thing was almost as long as my body! But it took just enough time to make that I was reluctant to rip it out. So I did the next best thing: I stashed it in my closet and didn't look at it for a month.

Yesterday I pulled it out again and realized that time did not make the heart grow fonder. It was just as awkward and elephantine as I remembered. Plus, it looked really plain... it was just a blah tan color with a dark brown rim and strap. It definitely wasn't as cute as the other two bags I made.

But, rather than face the problem for what it was, being: the bag was just too big and saggy, I decided to attempt to cover it up by embellishing it. And let me just say that embellishing is not my strong suit.

I crocheted some scalloped lace edge to go around the rim. Let's just say it looked more elegant in my head than it did in real life. Still not satisfied, I figured it just needed more bells and whistles. So I crocheted 3 different sized flowers and sewed them randomly on the bag.

I then took photos and couldn't fight the nagging feeling that I perhaps made it even more ugly with my embellishing.

I tried to justify it by reasoning that the intended aunt is eclectic and has a funky style, so she would probably really like the bag, though deep inside I knew this was a lie.

And my husband only confirmed it when I showed it to him later and he whistled through his teeth and said "Sorry... but that's really ugly."

"But my aunt will like it, right? She's got a sort of cool, mismatched style! Right?" I replied, desperate.

"....Sure..." my husband replied tentatively.

So that sealed it. I knew I could not send the bag to my aunt like this. And even though the Priority Mail deadline for Christmas is tomorrow (talk about last minute), I knew I had to fix it.

So I sat down and took the time to rip out half the bag, add a new border and strap, and add one new flower made of the 3 previous flowers to make a bag that was smaller, simpler, but much better.

I'll admit ... it's still not my favorite crafted item, and the yarn is still saggy so it's still bigger than I wanted. But at least it looks like a bag I can see my aunt using and not like a deflated dinosaur bladder!

And now: Comparison photos!

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Finishing what I've started

nobody@vox.com(Sayllama) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 19:06:09 -0800

I have a short attention span. I think I have more projects in-progress than I do actual completed projects. The projects that I have completed tend to be one-shape deals. A scarf, a baby blanket, a coffee cup cozy. As soon as extra elements such as sleeves, shaping, seaming, and especially pairs are introduced, the chances of my finishing the project drop dramatically.

However, I've decided to take a stand and start taking care of those un-finished objects (or UFOs in yarn-speak) and get them done, if only to free up some of the needles they're resting on. And so far so good! I think it's a promising sign that my knitting is getting more proficient because finishing my projects seems to be taking much less time than I anticipated.

Last February I knit a cozy orange neck-warmer and wanted to make arm-warmers to go with it. I completed the first one, but lost motivation to finish the second. Well, I picked it up the other night and was amazed that I was able to finish the second arm-warmer during a few episodes of 30 Rock. That wasn't so bad... and now I have a cozy neck and arm-warming combo to wear just as the weather is getting more nippy!

Finally finished my arm warmers

Emboldened, I dared to face a project from my very distant past. Almost 2 years, to be exact. That's right... my first sock. I was so proud to have finished the first one, but also traumatized and I couldn't bear the thought of repeating the experience. I even dabbled in other sock-knitting, but as I mentioned in my last entry, socks are just not for me. But that one single sock has been a spot of bother in the back of my mind for the past 2 years now and I decided I wanted to be done with it once and for all!

My poor neglected first sock and the accompanying ball of yarn were buried in a basket and somehow coated in dog hair. I spent a good amount of time picking these hairs off as I contemplated my mission. Then I began, feeling somewhat reluctant, like it was a chore.

But then, something funny began to happen.

I began to enjoy myself. The sock seemed to fly off my needles (it is worsted weight yarn on size 6 needles, after all), and it seemed like I was done in no time at all. And even though the socks were made of basic acrylic yarn - nothing fancy, when I slipped them on my feet (which are perpetually cold, by the way), I experienced a sudden blissful feeling of "Aaaahhhh". I'm wearing them now as I write this and my feet feel so cozy. I'm usually always barefoot in the house - I don't like wearing socks indoors...but I'm changing my mind!

Finally finished my second sock

In fact, I've decided to give socks another try. I'm now working on a "real" pair of socks using real sock-yarn and tiny needles for my husband's huge feet. I'm almost done with the first. If I can finish the pair I'll know I have beaten my second-sock-syndrome for good!

It isn't just knitting projects I've been finishing. I also weaved in ends and embelleshed three market bags that I made for my aunts for Christmas. I'm feeling quite good about getting all these things out of my way!

I still have projects left though.

The main one that's bugging me is the second Beer Glove to match the first I made for my husband. I learned that if there is something I like less than socks, it's making individual finger holes. But the first turned out fairly well and I would really like to get the second one over with. That's next on my list.

Next, is my Avalon Hoodie. I fell in love with the image in the magazine and I really should have held out for the kind of yarn shown in the magazine (Lorna's Laces Swirl in Pewter).....

Riding to Avalon Hoodie

...BUT... I was impatient and bought what was immedietly available at my LYS, (Lorna's Laces Swirl in Black Purl). Now, don't get me wrong. I like the color - it reminds me of my favorite time of day - dusk. But I'm not sure I like it on me. I very rarely wear purple and as I've been working on the hoodie (I've got the body done, just need to finish the sleeves and hood), I'm not sure I'm digging the stripey effect of the yarn.

Swatch for Riding to Avalon Hoodie

I'm having a hard time seeing myself wearing this, and from trying it on so far I fear the bottom edge isn't as long as I would like so I'm already wondering if there's a way to knit from the cast-on edge to make it longer... As if that weren't enough, the LYS only had 5 balls of the yarn, not 8 like the pattern called for. But I was too impatient to worry about it (else I would have ordered the color I really wanted and waited for it to come in), so I bought the 5 that were available and knit until they were almost gone and ordered 3 more online. And, of course, the dye lot is different. Luckily it seems very similar, if not for the annoying shades of pink in the new lot of yarn that were absent in the first skeins. Sigh...

As a result of all these annoyances I haven't been working on the hoodie much of late, which is a shame because I do have so much of it done and that yarn was not cheap!! So that will be next after the Beer Gloves.

Lastly, I have a crochet afghan that I started enthusiastically when my good friend Cecily was asked to host a Crochet-Along for Lion Brand. I started using all the random acrylic colors in my stash just to get rid of some stuff I wasn't going to use ever again. But the damn thing was just so ugly!!! And when I saw Cecily's blanket which was in lucious shades of purple, and crocheted with a much bigger hook so the blocks were large and springy compared to my tightly-wound curmugeons,

Cecily's Afghan (Borrowed from her Flickr Page)

So I basically got yarn-envy and ripped out all my blocks in brown and orange and god-knows-what-other-random-pukey-color and ran out and bought a bunch of puple Lion Brand yarn and started over. And I got like 6 blocks done! But.....then I sort of lost interest and I currently have a bag full of blocks and heaps of yarn that I bought in desperation.

I'll have to deal with that later...

I also have a gray boatneck sweater that I've barely started. I may just rip that out and pretend in never happened. (Anyway, gray boatneck sweaters are so two years ago.)

I think that's all of my UFOs...though I'm sure if I went digging I would find one or two more. I'll try to pretend that isn't the case while I get my current list tackled.

I'm already forming a resolution for next year and that's that I will not start a new project unless I finish another one first!

We'll see how long that lasts!

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Long Time, No Blog

nobody@vox.com(Sayllama) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:44:20 -0700

I am a very bad blogger. I just realized that I haven't updated this blog since February! Well, despite the fact that I haven't been blogging I have, at least, been continuing to work on projects.

I admit my 2-socks-on-one-circular-needle experiment never reached fruition. I was optimistic that by attempting to complete 2 socks simultaneously that it might somehow stave off my boredom. But, no. I have just accepted that socks are not for me. I still have several skeins of lovely DK yarn that, at one time, I had dreamed of turning into luscious socks. But now I am eying those same skeins with new possibilities - namely, clothes for Blythe.

My Blythe collection has grown quite a bit since I last posted about them. I now have 12, count them, twelve dolls! And I still anticipate each new release with a whetted appetite. But I am currently on a strict "Dolly Diet" after acquiring my two dream girls: a Darling Diva, and a vintage Kenner. For the time being, at least, I am content with my big-headed family and of late I have been venturing into the scary realm of pattern-designing. I figure I may as well start small, since there's less time invested and it's easier to whip up multiple attempts while I work on perfecting the pattern. I admit my confidence at first was a little shaken. I wasn't sure I was "qualified" to create my own designs as I'm self-taught and relatively new to knitting and crochet. But once I dove into it and began keeping notes as I went along, I realized that it's not so intimidating after all. In fact, by paying closer attention to what I'm actually doing, while I'm doing it, it's actually helped me become a better crafter.

My goal is to start an Etsy shop where I'll sell my creations. And then, once I grow bored of making a particular design over and over again (which will happen, trust me, especially given my attention span), I'll start selling the pattern instead so people can make their own. Or maybe I'll just be charitable and give the patterns away for free. I mean, it's not like I'm really in this to make money. It's all for the love of Blythe!

At first, I was a little iffy on my Blythe-clothes-making skills and I didn't dream of selling any of them. Instead I participated in various swaps in which actually made me feel a little worse. Because I would often receive amazing items from my swap partners that my own crafted items just didn't live up to. But over the past year, I've kept at it and I realize that my biggest problem was that I was using yarn that was too thick for Blythe's little body.

Chunky yarn works great for some items, of course, like Blythe hats and scarves etc. But for dresses and tops, I was getting frustrated with my results until I switched over to ultra-thin Crochet thread and sock yarn. It really makes a difference, let me tell you!

Anyway, here's one of my favorite Blythe creations of late:

Blythe Beaded Pouf Dress

I think I've definitely come a long way since I made this abomination!:

Lemony's cable knit dress

Besides Blythe stuff, I've been keeping busy with lots of other projects as well. I finally finished my mom's infernal scarf in time for her birthday (never mind that it was April in Atlanta and she couldn't even use it at the time), and my best friend gave birth to a baby so I took that opportunity to make some baby items, which was fun. All those projects can be seen on my Ravelry Projects Page!

My proudest accomplishment was a Latvian fair-isle bag that I made during the Olympics for an event my LYS was holding called "Amanolympics". I think it's safe to post a photo here because I don't believe my mom knows about this blog - I intend to give it to her for Christmas this year.

Latvian Bag

Speaking of my LYS, I've finally found one that I love. It's A Mano Yarn Center! This is the fist yarn shop that I've ever felt truly welcomed and comfortable going to. I'm pretty shy, so at first I felt a little awkward when I showed up for their bi-weekly "Breakfast Club" event, or their Stitch N' Bitch nights, but the ladies there quickly made me feel welcome and now I look forward to going there every couple of weeks to knit and crochet for a few hours. I kind of want to go in more often, but I'm worried I'd never get any work done! (It's hard enough working from home as it is!) But I'm glad to have a place that I can call my "LYS" with pride. :)

Anyway, I've also been working on a few other things, but this post has been long enough! I'll try to post again before too long!

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My Neck is Warmer than Your Neck!

nobody@vox.com(Sayllama) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 21:52:33 -0800

Well, I still haven't started on any socks with the nice koigu I bought, but I am making some tiny practice socks with some cheap acrylic yarn using the book, "2-at-a-time Socks", which teaches the mystery that is 2 socks simultaneously one ONE circular needle!

2-at-a-Time Socks

Melissa Morgan-Oakes

So far it's a little baffling, but I've managed to knit two tiny cuffs so far. The yarn keeps getting tangled which makes it sort of annoying, but maybe I'll figure out a good way to keep the balls apart as I get more experience with this method. I'm already wondering how on earth I'll be able to do the heel flap and gusset, but I guess it will make sense as I go along. I hope I end up loving this method because it will surely cure my Second Sock Syndrome!

I've also finished my neckwarmer with the Cascade Baby Alpaca yarn I bought. I followed THIS pattern and I'm thrilled with how it turned out! The yarn is so cozy and warm and I've already worn this neckwarmer on several bike rides. It really keeps the chill out and I don't have to worry about long scarf ends getting loose and flapping around as I ride.

Orange alpaca neckwarmer

Now I'm working on a matching pair of fingerless mitts to go with them. I've already got one of them done, and I hope to finish the other soon!

Hmm... what else? Oh! I had a crazy dream last night where I dreamt this amazing pattern for this cute crochet babydoll-style top. I had drawn it out on paper and started writing up a chart for it, and deciding what kind of decorative crochet edging should go along the sleeves and what kind of stitch would consist of the bodice... and then I woke up. I completely forgot what the pattern looked like and I felt a little sad when I came to the realization that I'm not a designer... and even if I could remember what it looked like, I wouldn't be able to actually make it.

It was an inspiring dream, though! Who knows, my memory might return and I might be able to at least sketch what it looked like. I bet my friend Cecily would be able to help me deconstruct it!

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Getting Projects Done...

nobody@vox.com(Sayllama) — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 19:19:36 -0800

Well, I haven't fulfilled my sock itch yet, but I did buy some lovely orange Koigu yarn that is destined to become biking socks! For some reason, I feel a little reluctant to actually cast on. I always feel a little intimidated casting on for a new project - especially with yarn as thin as this. It's like part of me already senses the hours of work ahead of me and balks a little. So, for now, I've mostly been squishing the yarn and appreciating it in cake form.

Koigu

I did promise myself that before casting on for socks I had to finish one of my other works in progress. I kept to my word and finished my 2nd Hurry-Up-Spring Armwarmer, to go with the first one that I made a year ago!

I guess my knitting has improved because the 2nd one felt much easier to knit and I didn't mess up on the placement of the thumb like I did the first. However, I realized halfway through that I must have been using a larger needle size than I did on my first armwarmer (either that or my hands have learned to relax considerably) because the stitches looked much bigger. But I wasn't willing to rip back so I plunged ahead and finished the thing anyway. Now, seeing them side by side, I can see that they are, indeed, two different sizes. Fortunately, it's not as noticeable when I'm actually wearing them. It's just that one feels a little more snug than the other.

Anyway, I'm just glad they're done with.

One year later...

I have to say that Noro is now one of my favorite yarns... at first I deemed it to be too scratchy and rough, but it really does soften up when knit, and when I wore my armwarmers around one day they felt cozy and warm and not scratchy at all. And the colors are just lovely. I'm already wondering what my next Noro project might be...

I also finished a quickie project the other night - a neck-warmer. My friend Feaver sent me a link online to a shop that sold neckwarmers and commented on how it'd be cool to learn to make one. I agreed, and decided to try one out. It's basically just a really short scarf, so it flew off my needles.

Speaking of needles, I actually started this project as an excuse to try out my new Lantern Moon rosewood needles that my friend Cecily got for me! They are the most amazing knitting needles I have worked with. I thought I was happy with bamboo... until now! Thanks, Cecily!!

Anyway, I digress. Here's my finished neckwarmer which I made using Bernat Alpaca Natural Blends Yarn:

Bernat Natural Blends Alpaca

I love Alpaca yarn and was excited to see a "cheapie" yarn with Alpaca fiber at my local Michaels. But even though it feels soft to the touch, it's incredibly itchy against my neck...

Neck warmer

Itchy or not, I love the idea of this cozy little neckwarmer, so I'm already planning to make another. This time in orange, and in a much softer yarn: Cascade Yarns Baby Alpaca Chunky. Yum!

Cascade Yarns Baby Alpaca Chunky

I'll let you know how it turns out!

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