When a sweater is a home

I was so good for a while, wasn't I? Blogging three, sometimes four, times a week. Pictures almost every time. And then all of a sudden a week went by. And it wasn't until the weekend that I realized that I hadn't blogged.

Well, if it is any consolation, I've completely given up on exercising and making my own lunch. And let's just say Jimmy John's every day and no jogging has made it so I can only wear one pair of pants anymore.

Since it was Sunday night when I decided to write a blog post, I had to use what I have. So I'm going to tell you all about my at home project.

I always have one. It's become a habit of mine. When you work at a yarn store, people are always jealous about all of your knitting time. But sometimes your knitting time isn't your own. There are examples that need knitting (new yarns, classes) and customers often pay me to finish their projects (I am not naming names--you purchase loyalty along with my mattress stitch!), not to mention that sometimes, with all the working that's going on, there really isn't a whole lot of knitting time.

My at home project is my monogamous personal project. It's what I knit when I'm watching TV. It's what I bring over to friend's houses and sometimes to the bar. It's what my dog sleeps on when I leave it on the couch. So that's why, when I all of a sudden show up to the shop with a sweater nobody has seen, it's not because I'm fast, it's because I'm loyal.

Anyway, I've had this Cotton Glace forever. I actually bought it from Handknitter's in Middletown to make Stella's Blouse from Spring 2004 Interweave Knits (rav link). Even then, I was terrible about following directions, so this was my effort to make a sweater the Right Way. I would use the same needles, make a gauge swatch, block--I was doing it all!

You think you know what happened, but you don't. I made the sweater. I finished it. I wore it around a few times. But then I thought, "You know, this isn't really my style." And I frogged it. (You gotta remember, this was before the days that I owned a yarn store. I was a teacher with a meager yarn stash!)

I thought about making the Lucky: Clover Lace Wrap from Stitch N Bitch Nation (rav link), but I only got a few inches into it (below). And then the yarn sat in a basket for the next few years. Homeless.

But then I saw this pattern in the new Rowan magazine.

I only needed two skeins of the red for the trim (isn't it funny how stash busting always requires new yarn?) But I think this one is a keeper.

Whew! How's that for posting? I think I'm good until at least Wednesday!

Erika's Blanket

It was sad when Erika moved away. But it was also a reminder about how great technology is. She still calls us up at the shop to see what we're up to. We write notes on Facebook and Ravelry. And of course, email.

There isn't much of a knitting community where she lives. So when she finished a blanket for her nephew, she knew how much we'd appreciate it and emailed us some pictures.


The color scheme is sophisticated, but still colorful enough for a little boy. It will be something that can see him through his whole life.

It's made out of Blue Sky Cotton, which is without a doubt my favorite yarn, particularly for baby blankets. The vibrant green color is called Pickle.

Squares are a great way to experiment with new stitches. Also, blankets like this can be great stash busters. If you only have a little bit of yarn left, it might not be enough to make a hat, but it might be enough to make a square.

My favorite is the square with the F embossed on it.


Thank you, Erika for sharing your knitting with us! It's great to still feel connected even though you live on the other side of the country!

March classes

Tonya is teaching two great classes in the next couple of weeks. Her Baby Shrug class starts March 29 (and that's this month!). The Baby Shrug is a perfect introduction to sweater construction. Top down and on relatively large needles, this is a quick knit perfect for our unpredictable Easter weather. (Seriously, one of our customers said she knit one up the Saturday before Easter so her daughter would have something to wear to keep her warm that wouldn't cover up her Easter dress.) For an adorable picture, look at Tonya's blog. For more information about this and all classes, look at the Knit Nook website.

The other class Tonya is teaching is the Argyle sweater vest. This class started Sunday, March 1. (Yes, I'm a little late advertising for it.) But there are still three weeks left if you want to jump in. This is a more advanced sweater, but is a great introduction to intarsia (that's how you make the colors go). It is made out of Mission Falls 136 superwash merino.

I did have a bunch of photos of the sweater vest, but then Tonya reminded me that she can't post photos of it BECAUSE THE PATTERN IS GOING TO BE PUBLISHED IN YARN FORWARD MAGAZINE! So boo about the photos (they were of Leo, being cute and holding a knitted cob of corn), but congratulations, Tonya!

World's Fastest Knitter

Sometimes, don't you wish you could knit like this?

Makes my sorry attempts at continental knitting seem inconsequential.

It's not a race, right? I always tell the beginning knitters that. The fastest way to get a scarf is not hand knitting it, it's going to Target and buying it.

But it sure would make frogging not such a big deal.

Socktopus!

There is also the debate about what to do with extra sock yarn. It's too pretty to just throw away. Sock knitters--always gluttons for punishment--will just use the extra yarn in a new pair of socks, heels or toes, or whatever. I've held it together with plain wool to add color to a hat. Sharri has started knitting condom cozies out of her left over sock yarn (way to update the whole cozy phenomenon, Sharri!).

Or you could follow Heather's lead and knit a Socktopus. She has eight legs that need eight little socks (or leg warmers as the case might be) which is just perfect for sock yarn left overs.

And even though those of us who have seen Coraline recently shuddered at the button eyes, she really is an adorable lady!

Shalom!

A finished object by Colleen! It's the Shalom sweater (free pattern from Involving the Senses, easily found on Ravelry), made out of approximately 5 skeins of Lamb's Pride Bulky in Old Sage.


Unfortunately, Colleen refused to be photographed actually wearing the sweater. Which is beautiful by the way. It's all the good things about a cardigan combined with all the good things about a vest. AND it's knitted top down on US 11 needles. The only negative is that the pattern is written for one size. But I'm sure I could help anybody figure out different sizing.

If you want to see an actual person modeling this sweater, check out the links above, or Jessica's blog (and her Shalom has long sleeves!)

Malabrigo!

The Malabrigo is here! And it is so delicious, you don't even need to knit with it to enjoy it. Mary Beth demonstrates how wrapping it around one's head makes a very fashionable turban.