I just need yarn, a couple of sticks and a computer, right?

oh...and a great pattern.

early morning thoughts of a tee,
utilizing bamboo straights and
reknitting mottled sweater in Noro Kochoran

Is it just me or are there others that thought that all you needed to know to blog was how to knit and type? Luckily, other bloggers and online resources fill in the gaps (with a bit of trial and error thrown in the mix-or is it a lot of errors with some trials, lol)

Blogline update: Due to some updates, only one feed will continue to update regularly. The following will subscribe you to this particular feed if you would like to receive updates.

Continuing Feed

Gmail users: Ok, what's up? I am finding that for some reason, some emails are being grouped with previous conversations for no apparent reason.

example 1: lets say i read a email and don't delete it. later, come back and delete it not realizing that another has come in and attached itself to it like it was part of that thread (and its not. i mean it's from a different person entirely) then of course i delete it never realizing that it was there.
however on the flip side i do love the search feature so when someone asked if i got it and i think i didn't, search can find it in the spam or trash folder when it didn't appear in the inbox. but now i'm afraid to empty trash or spam. ugh i need to clear out folders, but when will i organize stash then, hee, hee.

example 1b: three unrelated emails arrive and gmail reads
email sender 1...email sender 3 (now if i don't click the email that opens all three conversations (as gmail calls them), i'll miss something. but why are they even together. they are from 3 different people using 3 different subjects

I just realized this is happening. Has anyone heard of similar issues....or is this a "user error", lol (don't know why i find that so amusing). I'll have to contact gmail, but you guys are always on top of everything techie so i figured you may be able to shed some light.

There were a couple of trades that I had boxed and was just waiting on an address. If you sent confirm with address, please resend as I may have missed the email.

Luckily, now that I know this I don't use the check boxes to delete anything. I do it all individually, but boy do I need a folder to put all of the knit tips in. I guess they should go in an excel chart so as not to eat up mail storage. Thanks for such great knit tips! And speaking of organizing knitty items, I've been wanting to get to it after seeing that fabulous spreadsheet at savannahchik knits. Man, what a great idea.

And if anyone is still reading at this point, I bet you thought there was not any knitting content, huh. Well I'm just about done with a few blasts from the past. One so far away it was in another galaxy, lol.

any guess what this could be, hee, hee

But of course I had to take a break as I have been having thoughts of knitting Alison's. tee from MagKnits and doing a little bit of recycling that has been on my mind for a while now along with what to do with a supply of straight needles that I hardly ever use due to my discovery of addis.

Posted by froggy at 04:15 AM | Comments (37)

Go wit' the Flo

back view

Project Specs:
Pattern: Rowan 30 Flo
Suggested Yarn/Used: Rowan Wool Cotton in Gazelle (original in Tulip)
Needle Size: bamboo straight US 2's and 3's
Gauge: 22sts/4" in St st

I really like how the collar falls when it is open. I definitely see myself knitting another as its a nice basic "kick around town all the time" cardi. I really need more cardi's and this is great weight. This is my first sweater using US 3's and I have to say that I'm in love with the drape of it. Just can't get this on big needles(though big needles have a plus side as well). Lookin' forward to knits with a similar type of feel. I'm hoping that Strike from Rowan 27 using some Rowan Wool Cotton in Spark knits up the same way. I'm seeing a trend forming wit' the orange. Now I'm wishing I had enough Spark for another cardi. Hmmm, how many skeins did Flo take again? If I don't have enough, maybe an accent color for the seed stitch is in order.

Could've, would've, should've...and did

I could've knit it one size bigger to accommodate some layers, but now that is supposed to be warming up I'm not going to worry about it. Maybe on the next one. And I wish I would've been a bit more careful in eliminating all of the edge stitches that I added on all pieces. It threw off a few numbers when working out the collar and the seed stitch pattern, but nothing too major. It would have made it easier to just get rid of them before picking up on that neckline. I usually get rid of them before I bind of, but I left everything live on this one and forgot that they were there until I did a stitch count on the collar. Just ripped back a bit and it was "all good". End stitches are such a habit at this point that I forget them all the time. When I work on Rebecca patterns (which usually include end stitches in the pattern), I almost always throw off the stitches if I don't remember they are already included. And I should've blocked Flo 'cause the girl does deserve a decent blockin'. Note to self: There is really no point in blocking after you complete the pieces if you are going to ball them up and put them in a bag for months on end.

But for the most part Flo's a keeper 'cause I did really enjoy wearing her when I took her out to test drive those buttons. Boy, I just love cardis. Gotta knit more of them.

why yes, I do still knit sweaters ...hee,hee

It looks like Lara is way on the small side so a rippin' is in order. I'm on gauge and the smallest size fits a 40 inch bust (i think) but its too small. As it turns out I knitted the sleeve at gauge (18 st/4in), but then started to knit tighter as I tried to tame the slightly unspun yarn hoping this would help reduce the amount of split stitches I was creating. Well, it worked, but it also created at 19 st/4in fabric (duh). So the sleeve is visibly another gauge than the front and back. And of course I prefer the tighter gauge so that means the sleeve gets a rippin' too. This was one of those "something feels wrong", but I just kept right on knitting. Can't even hate on Lara anymore than I already have 'cause I should have stopped when I first felt it going awry. Too bad it took a sleeve, back and front before I decided to wise up. Hopefully going up a size will help that out (or maybe two). Don't really think the small would have worked out anyway even if I were on gauge considering how small the back turned out.

After sitting around in a bag for months and moving from one basket to another. I finally picked up Flo again. Haven't worked on her in a while. I finally reworked that collar so now its on to the buttons. She could probably use another blocking but for now I am happy just to be working on her. For some reason this is a very funny sweater. If I photograph it on the sofa or chair, its pretty true to color but if I try it on it takes a whole 'nother hue. Go figure. I'm going to have a time getting some FO pics outta this sweater when its finally done.

Now where are my buttons? Humph...

See, you get no attention for being bossy. When I feel like it, I'll just button her up and hit the road. Humph, that, Flo.

Ok, I'm a bit concerned that I am now having conversations with my knits. I'll have to get out more, lol.

Swatching up some lace

closeup using GGH Soft Kid color 037
I have been talking about knitting lace for quite some time now and like socks it has turned out to be more fun to actually knit than to talk about. This was intended to be a no frills practice swatch or study just to gear up for a Flower Basket Shawl or maybe even a Birch. Okay, I do know that Birch is adventurous, but a girl can dream. So I started with this little number from Rebecca 24 and now I don't really want to give it up so I guess she'll be completed...one day. It's the Schal mit Lochmuster (aka Scarf with Eyelet Pattern) It's taking me a bit of time for even a couple of rows, but I'm really enjoying it. I have wanted to try lace knitting, but more for the admiration of finished shawls. I never expected to actually like knitting it. But I really do. I would actually like to block it to get a better sense of the pattern, but don't know if that is a good idea since I have a ways to go. Any thoughts on that? I have made a bit of progress and knit one ball of the 6 balls required. I dropped my usual 2 needle sizes, but I think that I usually don't have to do that with Rebecca patterns for some reason. Maybe they knit continental or loose or both like me. Can't remember, but I guess I better figure it out if I decide to knit that little Rebecca Wrap Cardi that everyone seems to be knitting right now. For this scarf, I don't think it really matters though. Below is a section of it stretched a bit so I could see the pattern. I can't really tell a whole lot from the pattern pic, but I'm sure I will like it. I know it looks a bit wonky, but I'm quite proud of it and can't wait to wear it. Hopefully blocking will spruce it up a bit.

can't wait to block this

I had made some mistakes starting out like forgetting to read from the correct side of the chart for a given row and I must have been concentrating a bit too much on counting stitches that in some instances I forgot about the yarn over all together. I ripped back the initial 2 rows and instead of ripping back after that, I just kind of picked up and made one (yo) from the previous row. I worked another repeat up and can't seem to see where I did that so I'm thinking its probably okay, but I'm making an effort to actually make the yo's appropriately now. Other than that, which seems small in my wide margin of knitting errors I find this surprising simple. Of course its not blocked and is not completely finished, but I'm optimistic. It only seems to get easier with every row.

Woohoo, I'm knitting lace.

I have to admit that after I whipped up that little wanna knit/do list I was a bit overwhelmed by it. But now its almost like I picked out a bag of my favorite candies. They are all good and things that I picked, but it just a matter of what I want to eat first. So far I've hit on socks(#2), toys (#13), knit stash yarn (#3)-which has been everything excluding socks and now lace (#7). I am by no means finished with any of them. I have only just begun, but still I feel like this is turning into the year of knitting those things I've only thought about. It's almost as if I'm knitting from someone else's knitting bag, hee, hee. And I'm hoping that they don't ask for it back.

Hello dolly...

I have to say that sock knitting has really changed my perspective on what some (which used to include me) consider "fussy knitting". Just doesn't seem so fussy anymore. I have wanted to kit the Best Friend Dolls from Interweave Knits and now can't remember if it was the dpns or seaming tiny bits that kept me away, but have to admit that it was nice to use dpns again and kitchener the top of the little dolly. I'm missing socks right now and luckily the US 5 dpns didn't give me any trouble. Still can't believe I was a bit excited when I realized I would be "kitchenin' again.

~bits and pieces using left over bits and pieces~
And then we have da bunny...

Not sure how I feel about "not so happy bunny". My stitching skills need some work. I'm hoping that my next bunny will be a bit more visibly content. Mini is quite pleased so that is the most important thing. His arms and ears aren't mirror images, but we love him just the same. The experience itself was worth more than the bunny to me (but don't ask mini...to her its all about the bunny right now). She loves it. I have to admit that we (i) got a bit ahead of ourselves with the last one and sewed it up before stitching the last one. Didn't make it easy getting that expression on there. Won't make that mistake with the next bunny. I'm trying not to rush the face on this one, but mini is wanting another "stuffing party" so I best be getting to it.

Oh my, did I finally knit an animal for the Zoo-along. And yeah, I know that was over ages ago. Better late than never, right? What a minute, do they even have bunnies at the zoo, hee, hee.