Knitting at Night

Kaleidoscopic

nobody@vox.com(Angelique) — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 07:14:27 -0500

I nearly fell out of my chair when I read this Onion article a little while back about the "Hubble Kaleidoscope":

BALTIMORE—Astronomers analyzing the first images captured by the new Hubble Space Kaleidoscope, which went online Tuesday, announced that they've acquired the first concrete evidence that the universe is in a constant state of total weirdness.

And this morning I wake up to read my daily Cute Overload email update, and they've, for reasons unclear, kaleidoscope'd a brunette poodle using this Very Important App.

And so, I could not resist ... look what it does!

Noro LUV

This is what my apartment looks like inside without the crazy glasses incidentally.

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iPod cozy

nobody@vox.com(Angelique) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 22:40:42 -0500

What the world needs now ... is another ipod cozy :)

My old ipod mini still runs, but I couldn't pass up a sweet deal on a refurbed nano. It's only an upgrade for me in the sense that I've got a color screen & the nano is TINY compared to the mini. Oh Apple.

So a new ipod cozy naturally follows a new ipod, check out my improv skills:

It's crocheted sort of freeform in Rowan Yorkshire 4-ply Tweed. I love this yarn so much, and it's actually slated for a wrap cardigan but I figured I could spare a bit for a cozy. Dig the treble stitch click wheel access!

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Disentangled Yoke!

nobody@vox.com(Angelique) — Wed, 21 May 2008 20:39:33 -0500

Disentangled Yoke

I completed my version of the Tangled Yoke cardigan on my birthday weekend. In a genius stroke of rationalization, I decided I wasn't much of a cables girl anyway (wink, wink). So I opted for a simple lace panel--Eyelet V's.

For anyone interested, I only modified the cable section--all other elements are true to the pattern instructions. From the words: "(WS) Set up Celtic pattern ...", do this instead.

(WS) Purl across. Next row: Start eyelet lace pattern, as follows:

(key: ssk - slip 2 knitwise, return both to left needle, then k2tog through back of both loops; all other abbrev. standard)

Row 1: k, k, k2tog, yo, k, k, k, k
Row 2 (and all even): p across
Row 3: k, k2tog, yo, k, yo, ssk, k, k
Row 5: k2tog, yo, k, k, k, yo, ssk, k
Row 7,9: k across

Repeat rows 1-9 once more, then continue on with the pattern as written from "Dec row: (RS) K14 (12,10, 8, 6) ..."

I'm so happy to be done!

Now I am moving on to the Sunrise Circle Jacket ... to be continued ...

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Dragging on and on, this sweater...

nobody@vox.com(Angelique) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 16:05:48 -0500

After much focused, earnest effort at knitting the cable section of the Tangled Yoke cardigan I took a hard look at what a mess the whole thing was becoming, then took a hard right & high-tailed it out of Dodge. Those cables can suck it, seriously.

I first discovered that I didn't know how to read a cable chart properly, and that helped enormously. However, even once I was following the chart as written, I kept screwing up. "Un"-knitting cables is a serious beating, and after you knit then un-knit/frog, whichever the case may be, the same 5-7 rows close to ten times you figure you may as well come up with a plan B. Plan A was a fool's errand. There is a reason those cables look like thorny brambles; they want blood. MAYBE I will attempt this sweater as written some other time, but for now I will be satisfied instead with a simple eyelet pattern to take the place of the cables.

Disentangled Yoke cardi

See that turquoise life line? I totally needed it. Precious arrows, no? So now I've only got the button band left to wrestle. I've already knit & frogged once, and now I'm thinking about doing it double knit, not 100% decided though. I'm really happy with the collar, and I finally got a nice photo of the true color of this lovely yarn ... see?

Disentangled Yoke cardi

Cute, huh? So I'll be meditating on the button band for a week I'm sure. I've been very good seeing this one to the bitter end. It had better fit :)

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Fun with Ravelry

nobody@vox.com(Angelique) — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 13:25:26 -0500

Ravelry is good for mindless cruising, my fave cruise being a trip through the Kitty Pi project gallery.

Always a pick me up! Today's gems:

Kitty's pissed

http://www.flickr.com/photos/75502789@N00/1662976286/

Kittens Pi!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8303671@N02/534478000

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Thoughts on circular needles

nobody@vox.com(Angelique) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 11:44:44 -0500

I love Knit Picks. Love 'em. However, having just finished my Tangled Yoke Cardigan sleeves on two Options interchangeable circulars I notice that the cords got rather bent up.

One of my least favorite features of the average circular needle is the eternally kinked cord. And while the Knit Picks cords (interchangeable and fixed alike) are a huge improvement over what you get from Susan Bates, Clover, Balene, etc.; they don't take a real beating the way some others do.

Skacel Addi Turbos cost a fortune, but they are so durable and smooth that I don't mind the investment. I've also got a pair from Inox that I'm test knitting. I used them once for a pair of socks, and that went pretty well. The nice thing about Inox is that they are way more affordable than Addi.

I was so excited to finally get my Options set, but now I'm sort of relegating the kit as backup to my collection of fancy fixed. And slowly I will have either gifted, discarded or put into deep storage my quirky, cheap circulars picked up from JoAnn and the like in my early days of knitting.

Of course, I wonder if the Boye or Denise interchangeable sets are any better? Thoughts anyone?

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Endless orange

nobody@vox.com(Angelique) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:52:17 -0600

Quite negligent on the updates, but that's me. I am almost to the yoke of the Tangled Yoke cardigan. The sleeves have been dragging on forever especially after having taken a little baby blanket break:

Pinwheel baby blanket

The sleeves I am doing on two circulars, and I am so glad I did or I'd never finish this thing. I've got about 20 rows left on the sleeves at this point, and then it's time for tangles:

I'm itching to start about 5 different projects: more socks, a beret for myself (though cold weather is basically behind us for now), hand towels, more sweaters ..... and on, and on.

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Milestone?

nobody@vox.com(Angelique) — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 17:09:43 -0600

I finished my first pair of socks, and so now I'm pretty much assured of success in all my knitting adventures. I wish I had the recipient's feet to model these. They'd look silly on me...

My first toe-up magic loop socks!

I think I may be confused about what constitutes a magic loop. I thought it was simply knitting on two circular needles, but Knit Picks' most recent email links to a tutorial where they are using only one circular needle folded in on itself. I thought I'd seen this trick once before, but then decided I must have made it up. Hmmm, so I'm not sure how I feel about magic loop -- this other approach is complicated looking enough to seem like magic, that's for sure.

At any rate, I'm so pleased to have finished the socks. Now I'm moving on to Eunny Jang's Tangled Yoke Cardigan ...

Tangled Yoke Cardigan

The yarn is Reynolds "Whiskey" in a pretty interesting orange. My camera has difficulty with red and orange, so here it looks bright & loud. In person it is a stunning color, but more variegated and complex ... dare I say, groovy. I love the feel of the yarn, classic wooly springiness. So far, so good.

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I'm Mohair

nobody@vox.com(Angelique) — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 09:23:56 -0600

I used to fall under the spell of silly quizzes routinely whilst a regular on LiveJournal. Lately I've shown enormous restrain, until this one spoke to me. You have to tally the results yourself, but it's only 5 knitting related questions.

I'm Mohair, which fiber are you?

Mohair – A smooth, polished surface

“Mohair is warmer than wool, with larger, flatter scales that contribute to an overall silky-smooth appearance. The fiber absorbs dye readily and, thanks to that smooth surface, reflects it back brilliantly.” –The Knitter’s Book of Yarn

Mohairs are positive and confident. You always strive to make a good first impression because you are a proud person, and you care a good deal about what people think of you. You are careful with your words and are always tactful. You enjoy having a broad base of support and respect from those whom you come in contact. You attract this with your warm, sunny, and inquisitive personality.

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On a roll...

nobody@vox.com(Angelique) — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 20:47:39 -0600

But still no sweater in sight. It was a fruitful vacation, though in truth I took very little time off from work. I just spent the holidays sequestered with DVDs and various knitting projects, chief among them a pair of socks on a magic loop. Oh how exciting!

I'm up to the cuffs now, so I hope I don't lose steam. I also made myself a pair of furry slippers as a brief diversion. I used a pattern for Pocketbook Slippers--called that because off the foot each one looks like a little handbag.

Hairy slippers

As a gift for a friend I tried my hand at cables for the first time, and it's true -- cables are way easier than they look. I'm so glad I made this hat; it has completely obliterated my fear of cables and opened a door to loads of exciting projects. Finished cables are insanely satisfying stacked up against how easy they are to knit. I've been sitting on all this red Cascade 220 -- now I know what to do with it!

So I didn't make all that many gifts -- a few -- but I did clear some old hurdles. So I'm ready for the new year and the yarn pleasures it holds.

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