Discontent

I noticed last night that I have not knitted in almost a week. From about the 14th until a couple days ago, things were frenetic at work. I was too tired in the evenings to knit -- at least, that's what I told myself. Last night, however, I had time to sit quietly on the sofa with my knitting bag and reflect. I did not want to pick up my knitting.

Oh, it's not lack of desire to knit -- I want to knit -- and it's not lack of enjoyment -- I love to knit. No, this is no knitting ennui.

As I sipped my ginger beer, I realized that I do not like any of my current projects.

• Cherie Amour feels like a chore I've left unfinished. It's not entirely flattering, but it is functional. I knitted flutter cap sleeves for it, but as I went to sew them on I re-evaluated my simple bind-off and I'm not sure I like it anymore. And as I held up the sleeves in the mirror, I'm not sure the cap sleeves do anything for it.
• I took the cardigan for Mom out of hibernation about a month ago. I have been working on it in fits and starts. It's mostly that I dislike working with the yarn. It was fine when I started it over a year ago, but since then I have developed a general dislike for working with novelty yarns. I keep thinking that the colors and herringbone pattern are lovely -- if only it weren't fuzzy. It would be great worked up in an aran-weight wool.
• A few months ago, I put down a navy basketweave sweater (Sirdar 1521) that I had started for my nephew. The yarn is great, the pattern looks wonderful, but it is S-L-O-W going. I couldn't justify the time I'd spend knitting a sweater that the child -- who, at 18 mos, has a larger wardrobe than I did as a teenager -- may never even wear. The blankets I made for him have been well-loved. When he gets older I'll knit him hats and mittens and things.
• I cleaned out my in-process knitting bins (those 8x12x6" canvas organizing bins you get at Target) and found: the completed Short Row Ring Wrap, the still-in-process Two Socks on One Circ "Sugar Maple" socks, a nearly-completed Baby Surprise Jacket (which needs only seaming and buttons), the beginnings of a hat I told Bryan I'd knit him about a year ago, sundry balls of leftover yarn in various fibers and sizes, and a sachet of dried lavender.
  

So, the logical gears started turning... since I knew what I do not enjoy knitting, I needed to figure out what I do enjoy, and focus on that. I thought about the projects that I liked best -- the ones in which I either loved the yarn, the process, and/or the finished product.

My favorite finished objects are the Firmaments Shawl (ravelry link), the Icelandic Yoke Sweater (ravelry link) and the Crinoid Shawl.

The Firmaments shawl is the most beautiful thing I've made, and I actually enjoyed the process.





The Icelandic Yoke sweater was a breeze to knit; careful planning ensured that the colors and shaping turned out just right, and it's nice and warm in the winter. It is what made me love Elizabeth Zimmerman. I'd really like to knit another one like it and steek it so I have a cardigan.




The Crinoid Shawl was possibly the most boring thing I've ever knit. It was a brainless knit the whole time. But the finished object is stunning; I enjoy wearing it and I get a lot of compliments on it.

Based on these criteria, my next project(s) will be: a wrap/shawl, probably involving some kind of lacework. It may also involve a cardigan or jacket that I can throw on around the house to keep warm in winter.

Also, I decided that it's not worth suffering through knitting with a yarn I don't like (I will make an exception for Mom's fuzzy jacket, because that was promised before I had better judgment; the sooner I get that thing finished, the better). I pulled out a skein of Silk Road (50/50 wool/silk) and wound it into a cake. I had so much fun last night sitting there with the beautiful skein around my knees, cranking the ball winder, watching the second part of John Adams.

I don't have pictures of it yet (that's on the agenda for tonight: download pictures from camera!). But to make up for it, here's a good old-fashioned apple pie that I baked for DBF's family last week:

the little blobs are supposed to be acorns, to go with the oak leaves.

Hooray for fall!

New Beginnings

Hey, it looks like somebody was bitten by the fangs of the Cast-On Fairy*, or hit over the head with its wand, or something like that. I became so tired of knitting #$(%*#% dishcloths. In the back of my mind, I knew I was just biding my time until THE NEXT BIG PROJECT came along.

So, the other Saturday I was in Eleganza and I milled around the store for a bit... I started flipping through the Spring/Summer 2008 VOGUE Knitting. I saw the Medallion Top. Kristi had the yarn in stock in two potential color choices (the blue is my first choice, but I'm happy with the iced lavender). I bought the magazine and the yarn. NEXT BIG PROJECT: FOUND. 8-st Cable? 2 cable needles at once? Bring it on!

I bought some other things, too... such as the Stitch of the Day perpetual calender. Swatch in progress is from the Yarn of the Month Club, which ships out samples of yarn enough to make a full-size swatch and satisfy the knitter's lust for novelty. It's great because you don't have to commit to a full skein, or stand in the yarn shop fondling it, thinking, I think I like it, but what the hell am I going to make with it? and will I like it once I start knitting with it? Thank you, Yarn of the Month Club, for enabling me to fill the gap I created for myself. ;-)

Olive by Zaol

100% Tencel Color 1224 8 sts/inch on US 2s.

I love my Jenkins #2s. Check out those tips!

I'll have better photos up once I have some time and remember to shoot photos in daylight.

Medallion Top from VOGUE Knitting Spring/Summer 2008
Cascade Pima Tencel (50% Peruvian Pima cotton, 50% Tencel)
Color 9514 -- color altered in this photo -- still not right but close enough

Sirdar 1521
Reynolds Kids Wash Day Wool
100% Superwash wool (and soft!)
Color 5623


closeup of the pattern.

*The Cast-On Fairy is begging for an illustration, isn't it?

Knitting Adventures in SC, continued

I left off with a description of the jacket and wrap I intend to make. This post continues with the other things I bought at The Elegant Stitch.


PART IV - Wild Stuff

Just inside the door was a mannequin wearing a gorgeous jacket made of Prism "Wild Stuff." I fell in love with the yarn and decided I wanted to make one. Rosemary informed me that it takes 4-5 full skeins of "Wild Stuff," and while she did not have enough currently in stock, she would be happy to order and mail the yarn to me. Difficulty: "Wild Stuff" is $92 a skein (6-8oz/300yd). Think I'll put that one on the back burner.



PART V - Feathers

I also bought one skein of Anny Blatt feather yarn:



and one length of marabou with guinea feathers:


Rosemary had more available, and I almost bought all she had, but I have no idea what I'm going to do with these trims...


PART VI - Island Knits

The Island Shops remind me of the Channelwood Age in Myst where you had to turn the taps a certain direction... and I never got it right. Sometimes I think I spent half my childhood playing that game with one of my friends, but it was probably more like 3 weeks altogether. Now I feel like going out and buying it--and like the recovering alcoholic, I must say no, no matter how badly I want it, because once I pop that disc in my computer I'd probably be hooked into it for a month--and that would result in lost knitting time, which would be bad. So, ah, no Myst for me. I remember liking the books, too... but that was in elementary or middle school, when I thought Anne McCaffrey was the best thing to ever happen to the written word... who knows, I may still think the books are good if I gave them another read, but until then I'm reluctant to account for my taste back then...

ANYWAY, the Island Shops reminded me of that... except the Island Shops have a massive flock of ducks, geese and swans swimming in the swamp--of course I didn't manage to get any in this picture--which tended to hang out towards the front shops, where the feeders (and tourists) are. It's calm and peaceful. Even the sweltering mid-August afternoon didn't seem so bad there. But you didn't come here to read about the non-knitting shops.

Island Knits has an excellent variety of yarns for a small shop. They are organized in bins according to yarn, and grouped roughly by manufacturer. Of course, that all could change as I came in just after the owner had finished unpacking a shipment of new yarns. I was tempted by some baby alpaca, but I was also conscious of my yarn diet, and my resolution to not buy yarn without a purpose (hence why I've been buying projects and kits lately).

I settled on two things for my nephew:
(1) Basket weave-style sweater in navy blue Reynold's Wash Day Wool. Pattern 1521 by Sirdar. I saw the pattern worked up in a rougher wool of a different color and loved it (although not the feel of it). The Wash Day Wool is surprisingly soft and, as the name implies, is machine washable--I imagine this is a plus when knitting for a toddler... although his parents would send his things out for dry cleaning if I told them it was necessary. Dry cleaning is a damn sight easier than hand washing everything. I wonder if the dry cleaners have little bitty wire hangers and miniature clear plastic bags for babies' clothes...

(2) Cabled pullover in Baby Bamboo, also by Sirdar (1731). I'm using the color and yarn illustrated on the cover of the pattern, because that color will look excellent on him. I ended up buying a lot more of the Bamboo than I would have needed in the wool (also recommended by the pattern), but I have wanted an excuse to buy bamboo yarn for some time and I figure a baby sweater is perfect. The bamboo is deliciously soft...