Ageless and Gaugeless

June is on its way

cosmo_dk — Tue, 25 May 2010 14:47:19 GMT

Well, clearly I've not been here in a year, nearly.

The sock knitting has resulted in several pair for ME. That is good. Many are worsted weight (thick, if you are not a knitter) so that I have warm feet at night in bed.

Mom wears her pink shawl all the time, and the yarn is holding up really well in the nursing home laundry. Acrylic is good at this.

There wasn't much Christmas knitting. I was sick, sick, sick. Many gifts were awarded later, as they got done.

Currently, back to shawls and making a shrug for myself.

That is all.

productive...

cosmo_dk — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:33:38 GMT

Much knitting is occurring this summer! The air conditioning is ON.

I finished one pair of socks from "New Pathways," the first pattern, little baby socks. Photo coming. They were much fun and very quickly knit. Found yarn for the second baby socks in my stash, but have yet to make them.

A pair of baby booties, baby socks AND thumbless mittens got finished. They will be a baby shower present in August - a barter was made for these (the giver bought me lunch! Very worthwhile).

Mom's pink birthday shawlette was finished ahead of the deadline. It is very soft and warm, and I hope to post a photo of it soon.

MOP Summer of Socks continues. I have two pair on the needles right now. Both are traditional top-down socks, which I wanted to try along with Cat Bordhi's less traditional styles. I've got Cascade worsted superwash socks going on size 4's - an Easter-ish colorway , which I've only started four times and have finally settled on a 44 stitch count in a four stitch beaded rib - and Trekking XXL socks going on size 1's, 64 stitches, at a gauge of nine stitches to the inch - I was going for eight stitches and seem to have overachieved on knitting to a tighter gauge, but they fit.

I'm fascinated by sock knitting, even if it requires knitting to a particular gauge. I love all the parts of sock knitting, so my brain is quite caught up in it. I wake thinking of socks and go to sleep planning socks.

Other events in the Summer of Socks - I gathered up all the sock yarns I've bought through the years and put them in a bin beneath the bed. I'm well set for sock yarn. Egads. Clearly I must use some of this up, and delightfully I'm excited to do so.

And I did more measuring and realized that I have high insteps, wackily high ankle bones (freakishly so, actually) AND a narrow heel. Knowing all this, a sock with a traditional heel flap, knit extra long (almost 1/3 extra), AND with a very narrow heel cup seema great way to go to fit my feet. I hope that Cat Bordhi's sock architectures will fit, too, but if they don't, I'll know why.

Mostly, I'm knitting sock earrings. I've got my own design to knit them flat and then seam up the back, which goes fairly quickly. Bartered two pair and sold one (which I should go knit) and made two pair for me. Plus I made a really cute sock mitten, for which I kept notes.

So I'm feeling productive AND organized. Yeah for me!

ambitious....

cosmo_dk — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:42:05 GMT

Another year of neglect for the blog, but not for lack of knitting or crafting.

For gifts for Christmas last year, I focused on knitting hats for everyone. I've been hat-phobic and decided to conquer the things. All went well - I think the hats were well received and fit well. There may have been a scarf or two.

This spring I focused on futzing around with stranded knitting and am finishing a couple projects in that vein. One hat with skulls is nearing completion, but languishes.

I'm making my mother a shawl which has a deadline later this month. The shawl is a very simple garter stitch Faroese shawl in bright pinky-peach, horrifyingly acrylic to allow it to survive nursing home laundry. Worked on Addi Turbos, the acrylic is actually fun to knit with.

For my next challenge, I'm announcing, here and now, my own personal Sock Summit 2009. No waiting for instructors, no registration necessary. Plans are to have a summer-long knit-along of my very own. I love the idea of having handknit socks but haven't done much making of them lately. Spouse Charming felted a lovely pair I knit for myself years ago, but there's lots of superwash wool to combat his desire to do our laundry.

I have just finished a lovely purple pair of socks for sleeping in, but they're a bit loose around the ankles. Comfie, though. Mission Falls superwash wool, bought in Bloomington-Normal. One skein apiece.

For MOP Sock Summit 2009, I intend to knit my way through Cat Bordhi's "New Pathways for Sock Knitters." I'll be focusing on learning her techniques and trying to fit my own flat-arched, high instepped footsies with some lovely woolen socks.

Heaven knows, the sock stash could use some reduction!

In addition, I'm pleased to be making class samples for classes at String Theory in nearby Glen Ellyn. I'm to teach there this fall and have finished making a pirate from Claire Garland's "Dream Toys." A mermaid from the same book is on the needles and going well so far.

Toots may have to visit the classes, and Tillie and the other doll from "Knitted Babes," who has yet to grace the blog.

Here's to summer knitting!

Neglected

cosmo_dk — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 14:28:17 GMT

I'm trying to decide whether to revive this blog, or forget it.

Last I posted, I was a yarn shop employee. That store has gone out of business, and I'm still knitting, but my crafty brain is spending a lot of time at weaving with Weavettes, and quilting and sewing.

So If The Blog Resumes, there will be more variety of content.

That could only be good, couldn't it?

Spring Break

cosmo_dk — Wed, 26 Apr 2006 12:01:34 GMT

Wake me if the guys from "Girls Gone Wild" show up...

I Should Have Gotten That Girl A Cell Phone...

cosmo_dk — Wed, 26 Apr 2006 11:53:23 GMT

Toots called. She's gone away with some friends for Spring Break.

She said she'd be home by the time I finished this lace shawl.

I'm nearly done.

I hope she's all right.

The Wearing of the Green, The Drinking of the Foam...

cosmo_dk — Wed, 26 Apr 2006 11:42:20 GMT

We tried to steer Toots away from celebrating St. Patrick's Day, but she felt it was HER holiday... something about "The Wearing of the Green" and how she was ALREADY green.

She snuck out of the store early Friday night. Saturday morning when we came in, she looked like this.

We've checked her vital signs. She's going to be fine, just as soon as her Martian metabolism figures out what to do with alcohol.

Miz Tillie

cosmo_dk — Sun, 29 Jan 2006 16:26:19 GMT

When Toots was released from federal custody (because she couldn't provide ANY information about Planet Four), she was placed in the custody of Miz Tillie. When Miz Tillie signed up to do foster care, this wasn't quite what she had in mind. She is doing her best to explain our planet to Toots, but finds that she needs a little knitting time every day to unwind.

Miz Tillie is pictured with her fabulous mitered tote (she was the first to finish hers, after the pattern was published) and is wearing her Einstein coat, possibly the smallest one every made.

She has a tendency to lose her needles from time to time, but is otherwise a prolific AND proficient knitter. We sell her new needles from time to time, and her hairdresser rescues a few from her coiffure once a month.

Technical details:
Pattern for Tillie from "Knitted Babes"
Hair by La Gran Mohair
Mitered tote and Einstein jacket knitted from Bernat's "Impressions" yarn, tragically no longer in production

Something Holiday style

cosmo_dk — Tue, 03 Jan 2006 06:51:03 GMT

A little belatedly, we present Toots in her holiday attire:

Toots begged for a peppermint dress for Christmas, and matching peppermint earrings. She wanted a peppermint coat and muff, but her dresser had to finish knitted presents for several other folks instead.

It was snowing the day she headed to Kool Knits, so she stole Barbie's boots.

Pattern for Toot's Peppermint Sheath Dress:

The dress is knit flat, on the bias, and then seamed together.
Needles: Size 10 (10" long single pointed)
Yarn: Party, 87 yards per ball. 1 ball red, 1 ball white
Stitch pattern - stockinette on the bias:
Row 1: Purl
Row 2: K1, Kf&b (knit front and back of same stitch), K46, K2tog, K1.
These two rows are the stitch pattern for the whole dress.
With red Party, cast on 51 stitches (I used invisible cast-on, but other methods could work).
Work 4 rows red.
*Work 2 rows white, 2 rows red, 2 rows white, 6 rows red.*
Repeat between * one more time.
Work 2 rows white, 2 rows red, 2 rows white and ONE FINAL ROW of red.
EITHER work Kitchener stitch through first and last rows (preferred method)
OR
Bind off last row of stitches and then seam them to the cast-on edge.

Toots's arms were pulled through stitches in the dress - no actual armholes were made. For the turtleneck, an extra piece of Party ribbon was threaded through the knitting and tied.

Something aquatic

cosmo_dk — Wed, 02 Nov 2005 14:58:25 GMT

When Toots first arrived on Planet Three, she was stunned by the simplest of things. One of her greatest fascinations was with water. Plain ole H-Too-Ohhhhhhhhhh.

The idea of LIVING IN WATER obsessed her for some time. (We've hidden the Disney video of "A Little Mermaid" from her. We don't know who showed it to her, and we'd better not find out.)

As we can't tell if she has lungs or gill slits, we've been keeping a close eye on her - locked the bathroom door, too.

Then Toots learned about Halloween and Hans Christian Andersen in the same week (the "H" volume of our encyclopedia has gone missing and she's not talking), resulting in:
http://www.pbase.com/cosmo_dk/image/51685553

There was considerable explanation about the need to wear a costume. Toots felt that she could simply pose in the nude, as the Danish mermaid statue doesn't appear to be wearing anything. As we were expecting young, impressionable children trick-or-treating at the store, we needed her to be a bit more modest. She was delighted with her top. Perhaps all the Knitting for a Cure made her a little too focused on breasts.

We're still explaining Trick OR Treat to her. She keeps hoping for both.

After consuming her Hershey's Kiss, Toots got hold of a Tootsie Roll, which she is convinced is named for her. Please don't anyone tell her about the movie "Tootsie." (We've hidden that movie as well.)

Toots is still happily ensconsed at Kool Knits in Naperville, Illinois.

(Toots' wig is my homage to Knitty.com's Hallowig from last year. The rest is terrifying original. Madonna has nothing on Toots when it comes to bras.)

Something inspirational - Toots knits for a cure

cosmo_dk — Wed, 02 Nov 2005 14:56:56 GMT

Toots spent October knitting.

She became rather obsessed.

As she lives in a knitting store, we weren't too concerned. We've seen this kind of behavior in new knitters. We kept asking her if she wanted to learn to bind off, and she would look horrified, so we backed off.

But when she began mumbling under her breath, we became concerned and leaned in closer.

"Knit for a cure... knit for a cure..."

We keep trying to explain the subleties of the English language to our little interstellar visitor, to no avail. But we love her fighting spirit.

Come visit Toots at:
http://www.pbase.com/cosmo_dk/image/51685560/medium

Yarn Harlot in town!

cosmo_dk — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 12:57:11 GMT

I have achieved a personal mote of fame.

Saturday, the Yarn Harlot came to Chicago, nearby our haven, and in a stroke of incredible luck, I had a front row (well, front throng) spot.

Today, I see my actual photo behind The Sock.

Yep, that's me and my lovely friend Barb.

On The Worst Hair Day In Personal History.

Sigh.

But the event was grand (except they sure could have had CHAIRS for the crowd) and Stephanie was charming. Spouse Charming drove me there, winning EXTRY points forever.

Dress your doll

cosmo_dk — Tue, 20 Sep 2005 23:03:57 GMT

Details for the dress I knitted for Toots, my favorite Martian, made using the doll pattern from "Knitted Babes":

Needles: Double points, Size 8 (metric 5)

Yarn: Tahki Select "lucky," 54 yards/50 grams, a tape yarn that is fringed on both edges.

Cast on 35 and join in a circle. Knit in the round for an inch/2.5 centimeters.

Next row: *Knit 5, knit 2 tog,* repeat until the row is completed - 30 st.

Knit for another 3 inches/7.5 cm (4 inches/10 cm total length).

Next row: *Knit 4, knit 2 tog,* repeat until the row is completed - 25 st.

Knit for another 1/2 inch/.75 cm (4 1/2 inches/12.5 cm total length).

Next row: Cast off 12 stitches. Knit the rest of the stitches and turn - 13 st.

Purl across - 13 st. Turn work.

Knit 2 tog, purl until last 2 st. and SSK (slip as if to knit, slip as if to knit, and knit two st. together through back loops) - 11 st. Turn work.

Purl across - 11 st. Turn work.

Knit 2 tog, purl until last 2 st. and SSK (slip as if to knit, slip as if to knit, and knit two st. together through back loops) - 9 st.

Purl across 9 st. Cast on 14 additional st., using backward loop method. Cast off 22 st. Knit last remaining stitch and cast on 14 additional st., using backward loop method. Cast off 15 and tuck yarn end into back of halter top.

Will someone please tell her to put that cigarette out?

Something ignored

cosmo_dk — Sat, 03 Sep 2005 17:20:53 GMT

I haven't posted much since I became employed in the yarn industry. All goes well. I love my employer, and the location, and the customers!

I'm enjoying knitting samples for the store. I'm enjoying decoding customers' projects when they bring them in.

It's all good!

I'm hemming a shawl here, and hope to post photos soon.

Something with a paycheck

cosmo_dk — Tue, 23 Aug 2005 18:20:47 GMT

As The Nest Empties... (cue sappy music)

The "children" have gone. The "children" have been taller than myself for several years, so their departure was inevitable, planned for, celebrated. We who remain here grieve slightly, but carry on, more happily than we might have expected.

It has been a happy summer, full of blissful days of sleeping in... knitting for hours on end... cooking exotic foods... napping...

The idyll is coming to an end, and another is beginning.

I'm now a parttime knitting shop employee!

Last week I wore this to work:

'Tis the boa from "Lood-d-loop) by Teva Durham, my mindless summer vacation knitting.

OK, so I didn't wear it in that form. Here's the headless shot:

Knitting: It's not just an adventure. It's a J-O-B.

Something botanical, for a change

cosmo_dk — Tue, 23 Aug 2005 17:11:21 GMT

In addition to starting (and abandoning) too many knitting projects, I also tend a flower garden. This summer, here in the burbs of The Windy City, has been the driest one ever that I can recall. It was even drier than the drought we endured during our California years (when flushing was rationed - eek).

Here's a sample of the worst part of our lawn:

Stunning, eh? A month ago, it was ALL like this. Most of it has come back, but not quite all.

The Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) survived The Attack of the Siding Contractors (last winter's event):

We've got happy migrating butterflies, due to the butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii):

I'll never forget buying butterfly weed instead of butterfly bush for my Charming Cousin (or was it the other way around?)...

As for our purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea), somebody owes me some honey! (Echinacea purpurea):

Lastly, our favorite garden denizen, a rescued compass plant (Silphium laciniatum), now in situ for the third year, is very happy:

I must go weed now. Thistles are obscenities.

Something snakelike

cosmo_dk — Sat, 13 Aug 2005 19:34:12 GMT

Beware the Random Knitted Object (RKO).

(Also referred to, in our lovely abode, as "Objets D'art" replete with truly awful pronunciation of the lilting French verbage. AHB-jay DARRRRR. Pretend you're a pirate and growl a bit on the r's.)

RKO's are usually launched at unsuspecting First Offsprung (The Practice Child). This latest artistic effort (or bastardization) was meant as a belt, a sash, a necktie, a guitar strap - whatever; 'tis an abstraction of the "Clapotis" pattern by Kate Gilbert, by way of Knitty.com, found online for free at http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall04/PATTclapotis.html.

"Clapotis" is the French for "standing wave" or something like.

TECHNICAL NOTES - IGNORE IF YOU'RE NOT A KNITTER:
Pointed ends, mine own silly idea. (I winged this. I didn't write it down. It looks fine, but was irritating to work.)
Border of 3 garter stitches, based on a suggestion by three other bloggers to the Yarn Harlot. Prevents the Dreaded Stockinette Curl.
Yarn: Haiti (Elizabeth Austin: 1 ball of 5/32" tape, 82 yards/50 grams, 50% Tactel and 50% Nylon - wash and wear).
Stitch pattern: Basically a stockinette design with dropped stitches - 1 drop stitch between 3 worked ones. To prevent the tape from collapsing into loose stitches, I twisted the undropped stitches on both knit and purl rows.

So there you have it. Stand on your head, rub your tummy, and knit - all at the same time.

Looks a bit like a banner for Slytherin in this photo, doesn't it?

First Offsprung had alternative usage, perhaps due to advanced aging ('twas a birthday RKO).

Her identity has been disclosed to protect the innocent. Or something.

Something fishy

cosmo_dk — Mon, 08 Aug 2005 17:29:36 GMT

My favorite part of Knitting Camp (and I loved all of it) was three days of Show & Tell: 60 knitters, sharing a year's worth of tales of knitting creation and the results. I think we must have gone in order of our hotel room numbers, which meant I was near the end of the bunch. Rather daunting to step in front of this group.

By Sunday, when this was taken, I worried that someone would march up to me and shout "Give Us This Day, Thy Daily Shawl..." but hey, if you've knitted it, wear it! This shawl was adapted from Fiber Trend's Pacific Northwest Shawl, to which I added a central panel to make a Faroese shaped shawl. The yarn is a Sockotta sock yarn from my stash, several balls worth.

The shawl reminds me of Spouse Charming's hometown in Washington state. 'Tis not too warm, but very decorative. And the memories of the Washington coast are warming in and of themselves.

Why were all looking over that-away? I don't remember...

Ah, my rear-end, featured on a blog. My life is now complete.

(Thanks to The Camp Sommelier for taking these photos.)

Something magnificent!

cosmo_dk — Fri, 05 Aug 2005 15:50:34 GMT

Words fail to describe Meg Swanson's Knitting Camp. I've wanted to go for several years, and this year I actually made it there. And I'm so glad that I did.

Suffice it to say that I am not alone on the planet. There are many other knitters out there, just as obsessed and passionate about their art, many of them much more so than I. And with so much talent in one room, I was bound to learn a few things! These lovely men and women were very gracious to me, and I am grateful to them, and to the home team (Charming Spouse) for all his efforts during my absence.

Here's a shot from camp:

As my darling daughter says, it looks like any ordinary conference room, until you realize that everyone has yarn in their hands...

Something circular, but knitted flat

cosmo_dk — Mon, 25 Jul 2005 22:59:05 GMT

Currently on the needles is the silliest thing I may have ever made! It's a wider version of the ruffled scarf in "Loop-D-Loop" by Teva Durham. I started with 12 stitches instead of the 10 in the pattern. And I'm making it longer, too, for more of a boa effect. The yarn is "College," made by Filatura di Crosa (165 yards each 2 balls). The needles started as one 8" doublepointed needle size 10 1/2, cut in half and capped with beads (Charming Spouse and I had a good time doing this).

The ruffled scarf was my vacation knitting, as you can see here:

Grits, anyone?

Something tiny, times two

cosmo_dk — Mon, 25 Jul 2005 22:33:47 GMT

It's too hot to knit in the Midwest, so I'm showing off some things finished a little while ago.

This sweater is in the mail to my nephew and his wife, awaiting their 2nd child. The garter stitch reminds me of waves and led to the fish buttons.

The pattern is a garter stitch version of an Elizabeth Zimmermann baby sweater. The yarn is the long gone, much missed "Impressions" yarn by Brunswick (which has gone out of business).

And this vest is based on Elizabeth Zimmermann's Moebius Vest. It's knit in one piece from the back toward the front. The knitting splits at the neckline and is continued forward. After all the knitting is done, the sides are given a half twist, which gives the look of a shawl collar.

The yarn was something in the stash, a very bulky wool. And there's I-cord worked around the edges and I-cord buttonholes.

This vest should be in Milwaukee by now, for Sam, the grandson of one of my friends.

Dulaan Hats

cosmo_dk — Fri, 01 Jul 2005 02:05:50 GMT

Here's a photo from last month of my shipment to the Dulaan Project. These were a joy to make. May they bring warmth to many folks next winter.

For more info on this project, google "The Dulaan Project".

Something more festive coming soon

cosmo_dk — Fri, 01 Jul 2005 01:41:36 GMT

I've updated my journal settings, hoping for a new look!

I'm working on photos for this blog. As soon as I figure this out, I'll have some finished objects here.

Something photographed!

cosmo_dk — Thu, 14 Apr 2005 14:21:38 GMT

I think these links will work!

The first is a link to my turquoise poncho:

http://www.pbase.com/larkbunting/image/41982671

And the second is a link to my brown shawl:

http://www.pbase.com/larkbunting/image/41774045

Would someone let me know if these work? They were taken by my friend Cindy, and are available at her photosite, and this is a public viewing area of that site, so it should work out.

Something else finished - I'm on a streak...

cosmo_dk — Wed, 06 Apr 2005 18:15:23 GMT

Two days ago I finished my "College" shawl. That's the name of the yarn, which is marvelous stuff - a lightweight, springy, blurry, textured yarn.

So what have I done? Bought four more balls of "College" yarn, this time in royal blue. I'm thinking poncho. Can I have too many?

While I love shawls, they are harder to wear than ponchos. Shawls, even Faroese styled, seem to fall off my shoulders eventually. Perhaps in olden times, when ladies were more decorative, they stayed in place. (I'm not deluded here. Obviously only a small portion of women have ever been decorative, and they had other women at their beck and call to do the real stuff of life.)

However, I discovered yesterday that ponchos DO NOT make good gardening attire. Picture me scraping the sawgrass cuttings from last year out of the knitting. Not a (pretty picture. The poncho survived, but it was close.