Bias Knit Sari Silk Scarf

Bias Knit Sari Silk Scarf
Originally uploaded by ShelbyD.

This is my current project in progress. I like the way the bias knitting forms diagonal stripes, and I thought it might also help alleviate the vertical stretching issue. I haven't decided what to do with it when I'm finished, but I just may keep it for myself.

Completed drop stitch scarf

Completed drop stitch scarf
Originally uploaded by ShelbyD.

This is in the mail on its way to Oregon right now in honor of Kim's 30th birthday.

Detail of drop stitch scarf

Detail of drop stitch scarf
Originally uploaded by ShelbyD.

It's less pink than it looks in this photo. Damn flash.

Ellie adopted this hat I designed

Ellies adopted this hat I designed
Originally uploaded by ShelbyD.

She seems to like wearing it, and keeps grabbing it with her jacket when it's time to go out. I need to write the pattern down before I forget what I did.

Baby Blanket - Complete

Baby Blanket - Complete
Originally uploaded by ShelbyD.

Finished the Big Bad Baby Blanket last week.

Spring Knitty

The Spring issue of Knitty has been published. Love this tank, this camisole, this pretty lace shrug, and these wraps.

Current and Planned Projects

I've added a short section on the sidebar to note what I'm working on, and what's coming up next.

After I posted those photos last night, I finished the hat. It is somewhat goofy looking. I only have three rows left on the blanket, which I should be able to finish handily during the commute tonight.

Stack o' sari silk 

You can see the individual skeins here 

Ellie and her baby 

Ellie's baby models her new hat 

Current hat design I'm working on as my portable project 

New Affiliates

I've added three new affiliate links to the sidebar:

Create For Less offers 50,000 discount craft supplies

half.com is offering a $5 discount to new buyers

Name Trains, just one of the great child's gift ideas from 2Blockheads.

Please check them out, along with eBay, Joann, and Fabric.com. Happy shopping!

Sari Yarn Arrived

My kilo of recycled sari yarn, purchased via eBay , arrived in yesterday's mail. It looks beyond cool - lots of red and blue, with yellows and purples and greens. I spent much valuable baby-blanket finishing time winding the hanks into balls, where it can sit and de-kinkify for a few days before I start to work with it. Photos coming soon. I think my first project will be a simple scarf for a friend's birthday.

The eBay seller I bought it from, knittersknot, seems to have lots for sale most of the time, in varying quantities. I also noticed a few other sellers by searching on "sari silk."

Intervention Required

Hi, my name is Shelby, and I'm a hat-oholic.

Ellie's baby doll is the proud owner of a new striped hat I finished on Saturday. I took some photos but haven't got them up yet.

I got almost two inches into another hat at lunch today with some of the mixed lot of yarn I got an eBay. I know that's it's 75% wool and 25% acrylic, dk weight, but I don't remember the brand - I had the genius idea of wrapping the ball of yarn around the label, so that I wouldn't lose it. It didn't dawn on me until too late that I won't be able to read it, either, until I get back down to the center of the ball. Idiocy.

Working with the wool is so nice, though. It's so springy and resilient. I haven't done any wool yarn since I made that scarf for Greg. The blend I'm using now doesn't bother me too much - my finger was only a bit itchy after an hour of knitting over lunch.

The End in Sight

I may actually finish this baby blanket before the young person is born. And here I was alternately worrying that I would put it aside again and again until the kid is in college, and thinking that I've worked on it so much that I hope he gets all Linus about it and takes it to college with him. I have about 15 rows left, which I may even be able to knock out tonight while we sit in our room watching Arrested Development.

What Kind of Yarn Are You?

You are Merino Wool.
You are very easygoing and sweet. People like to
keep you close because you are so softhearted.
You love to be comfortable and warm from your
head to your toes.


What kind of yarn are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Twist Hat Pattern - Free!

I have completed a version of the rainbow twist baby hat pattern, after coming to the conclusion yesterday that it would be easier to explain the pattern stitch than try to get a row-by-row rundown written. Using more general directions allowed me to write for different sizes, as well.

I am making the pattern available for free via this site for a limited time. Please let me know if you would like to receive a Word document via email containing this really cute, easy to do pattern.

Stitch 'n' Bitch Nation

Last night, during the gleeful suburban spree of steering an enormo cart through Costco, Greg came upon Stitch 'n' Bitch Nation for a mere $9.49. I leafed through it last night while putting the kid to bed, and it looks like some fun patterns. (I will say, though, that calling a poncho a "hands-free" shawl doesn't make it any less of a poncho.) There's one particular project in there that I must make for my sister-in-law, and couple of sweaters I may even tackle for myself.

As for project progress, I did a few inches on the baby blanket last night, and cast on another attempt at a hat this morning.

Dis-hat-ster

So last night I started making another twist hat, like the rainbow one I made last weekend. I cast on, using the lovely pink Debbie Bliss cotton cashmere yarn I picked up last week. I wanted to document the pattern so that I could share it with y'all, and be able to recreate the hats later, so during each row I made sure to capture what I was doing on a piece of scratch paper. In addition to using different yarn, I decided to skip the stockinette brim and start the pattern right away at the edge of the piece. As I started knitting up, writing down the pattern all the way, I noticed that the edge wasn't rolling up as easily as with the stockinette, but I figured I could fold it up. No biggie. The fabric was also seeming a lot floppier, but I was making it a bit bigger than the last one, thinking maybe I could let Ellie have it.

So, less neat brim, kind of limp. I can deal with this, I think, it's just important that I get down the pattern. I brought it to work on at lunch today.

Well, at row 35, the pattern I was writing down went from looking something like:

*k3, p1, k2, p1* to end of round

to this:

k2, p1, k2, p1, k2tog, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, k2tog, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, k2tog, p1, k2, p1, k2, k2tog, p1, k1, p1, k3, p2tog, k1, p1, k3, p1, k2tog (and on and on with NO discernible repeats in it at all)

I was getting a bit uneasy about halfway through row 35, but figured that this may be due to the decreasing/stitch pattern convergence just making things a bit weird. Until I got to the last two stitches, to be knit together, and instead of there being two stitches left in the round, there was only one. I counted back in the row, trying to find where I had dropped one, or knit one together in error, or the mini-black hole where this stitch went. I can't find a mistake anywhere, but it has to be there, or there would be two flipping stitches at the end of that row!

I actually started row 36 and got about halfway through it when less neat brim + floppiness + mystery stitch that totally killed my decrease pattern + pissedness = forget this hat. This isn't a good yarn for it and I screwed up somewhere. That little fwipfwipfwip you hear is the stitches of my little twist hat being frogged.

Sari Yarn

I finally won a silk sari yarn auction! I have some ideas for small drawstring bags, and little clutches. I bought 1000 grams, so that should be enough for several small projects or one big one. Can't wait.

NY Times editorial

There's an editorial in the New York Times today about knitting's current cachet.

Progress

The second Haiku sleeve is knitting up quickly, and I should be able to finish it up tonight, if I decide to work on it again. I may be working on documenting my twist hat pattern, though, since I brought that with me to work on at lunch. I'm almost nervous to finish the sleeve, so working on my hat is a good way to avoid seaming.

Argh!

Stop sniping the sari silk auctions I'm trying to win, you sniping snipers!!

Unless you are bidding through my affiliate link, in which case I will grudgingly accept your superior bidding skills and spendthrift ways.

Second Haiku Sleeve

Armed with enough yarn, I did the last few rows of the first Haiku sleeve and got a few inches into the second. I may actually have all the pieces done this week, but it may take a while to screw up the courage to start sewing it together.

I still need to buy buttons for it, too. If you're looking for buttons or other sewing supplies, check out my new affiliate on the sidebar, Joann.com.

Rainbow Twist for Sale

The Rainbow Twist hat is currently up for sale on a major auction site that I'm not supposed to name since I'm in the affiliate program. If it doesn't sell at auction, I will make it available for sale here.

Newly designed baby hats for spring 

Rainbow Twist hat - Berroco Lullaby 

Easter Egg hat  

Support my yarn habit

Are you shopping for yarn or sewing notions? Are you one of those people who keeps outbidding me on that gorgeous sari yarn on eBay? If you use the affiliate buttons in my sidebar to visit eBay or Joann.com, I will receive a teensy commission on any shopping/bidding you do during that visit, at no additional cost to you! If you have any questions about the affiliate program, leave me a comment. Thanks!!

Rainbow Twist Hat

I'm really enjoying designing baby hats. The Rainbow Twist hat pattern turned out so well last night that I think I'll make another out of my pink Debbie Bliss. After I work on the Haiku sweater some more. And make progress on the baby blanket. Oh, who am I kidding?

Rainbow twist has in progress 

Yesterday's Eva's acquisitions 

Completed Easter Egg hat 

Stash enrichment

When I started to knit, I decided I needed somewhere to put all of my yarn and knitting supplies. We made a trip to Ikea around that time, and I picked up a huge snake-charmer looking basket. I thought I would never have enough yarn on hand to even get close to filling up that basket. I'm going to pause for a second here, as my laughter at this misconception is giving me a bit of a side cramp.

Another couple of balls for the basket I picked up today, spending part of my lunch hour at Eva's Needlework: a pale pink skein of Debbie Bliss Cotton Cashmere, another skein of the Patois I'm using for Ellie's Haiku sweater, and a multi-colored Berroco Lullaby in springy colors. The Lullaby and CC are for more baby hats. I finished my Easter Egg hat last night, and want to make another one so that I can make sure my pattern works. Not sure exactly what I'll do for the Lullaby hat, but isn't that what stash yarn is for?

I looked and looked for something to make this tank, but my inability to wear wool really cuts down on my choices. I was looking at some cotton, and may go that route eventually. As it is, I only ended up using half of my gift certificate today, so I get to make another trip to Eva' partially funded by my Valentine.

Easter Egg

I'm working on a baby hat of my own design that I started last night. The pale purple color of my yarn and the time of year reminded me of an Easter egg, so I'm putting in a subtle pattern in horizontal bands. I should be able to finish it up during my knit lunch with Yvonne today.

Silk sari yarn

Last night I started bidding on some recycled sari yarn on eBay. Looking at the end prices of some of these auctions, I may never get over my inherent Dutch tightwadness enough to place a winning bid. But it's so pretty and funky and cool. Sigh.

Clapotis Remnant band

I whipped up another headband last night, out of the tiny bit of Cotton Twist yarn I have left from my clapotis. This one is a 2x2 rib, which provides some elasticity. I'm wearing it this morning, and Ellie asked me to make one for her. We haven't yet discussed my fee for this commissioned item, but I think she found a penny on the floor last night. That should be fine.

Never enough time

I didn't do any knitting last night in favor of finally putting up some pics of what I've been working on. I did sneak in a few rows of baby blanket on the way to work this morning. I need to get going on that - intended giftee will be born in May and I keep putting it down to do other projects.

Blanket detail 

Baby blanket in progress 

Haiku sleeve in progress 

Haiku body as it will look sewn together 

Haiku - completed body panel 

Made this last night 

Headband 

Again with the shortage

I got most of a sweater sleeve knit this weekend while visiting with Greg's family, and I'm going to run out of yarn. I thought I bought enough to have almost a whole skein left over, but no dice. The good thing about this yarn is that it doesnt have a dye lot, so I'll be able to run over to Eva's and pick up another matching skein without much trouble. Hey, I'll probably have plenty left over to make Ellie a matching hat. I wove in ends for the body panel in the car on the way home yesterday.

Last night, I did a few rows of baby blanket, and then picked up the lavender Debbie Bliss cotton cashmere small skein that I bought just to play with. I knit up a little six row seed stitch headband. It's nice yarn to work with, very soft.

Haiku update

The sweater body
is finished (well, except for
weaving in the ends).

Now I must make two
sleeves, which I have never done.
I'm a bit nervous.

My rose pink ball of
yarn is looking rather small.
Will it be enough?

Jordana Paige bag

I got an awesome Jordana Paige knitter's purse for my birthday yesterday. Right now it's holding my wallet, the Haiku sweater-in-progress and my other fabulous present, an engraved iPod mini. Thanks, Greg!

Haiku

Sweater, not poem. I'm almost halfway done with the body panel. It's coming together pretty well, now that I've figured out the box stitch. My little Susan Bates Knit Check is coming in very handy for measuring. I'm a little worried about the sleeves, since I've never made sleeves before, but we shall see.

One of Greg's coworkers is a knitter as well, and we've set up a few lunches to get together and stitch. The first one is scheduled for next week.

Ellie enjoying a sunny day 

Back view of clapotis 

Finished Clapotis! 

Not knitting related, just a cute shot of the kid to test image upload. 

Drat

I have about two inches to go on my clapotis, and ran out of yarn. Yarn store where I initially purchased it is in the Valley, so I'll have to go on Saturday. Sigh.

I went to Eva's, a yarn store not far from work, over lunch yesterday to cash in some of my Valentine's gift certificate.

I picked out some rose-colored yarn to make this sweater for my daughter. It's acrylic, because it's my first sweater attempt and because a two-year old needs very washable clothes. I'll need to choose some buttons at some point. I also bought a small skein of lovely soft lavender yarn to try out the headband pattern I worked out earlier.

I've gotten to the point in my clapotis where I start to drop stitches to create the pattern. I am almost certain I'm going to need more yarn than I originally bought.

I got Vogue Knitting and a $50 gift certificate to a local yarn store for Valentine's Day. The stitch dictionary in Vogue Knitting is amazing. I know I'm going to me using it as a reference for years to come. (Thanks, honey!)

I started my clapotis last week, got about 40 rows in and decided I was making an error in reading the pattern. I ripped it out, asked some more experienced knitters, and found out I was doing it the right way after all. Oops. I cast on for attempt #2 during my lunch break today.

Over the weekend I knit up a little red cotton hat for a coworker's upcoming baby shower, using the Umbilical Cord Hat pattern from Stitch 'n' Bitch. I also made a long I-cord with the same yarn to use as a ribbon when I wrap it up.

I am about 2 inches from being halfway done with the baby blanket. At the halfway point I get to reverse the blocks of pattern.

Clapotis

On Friday afternoon, I picked up some blue-purple variegated Cotton Twist yarn to start work on the wrap I linked in below. I'm going back and forth between working on it and the baby blanket, based on what else I'm doing. The clapotis takes a much more focused attention than the blanket does. I got an hour of clapotis in over lunch today, which was nice. At this rate I should be able to wear it by Labor Day.