The Yarniad

Patternum Gratis: Safire Minisweater

2009-11-11T13:14:00.000-08:00

Working my way through the patterns on my to-do list... Safire (originally created last year) is now available on Ravelry (and below)! As with the others, this is a free pattern so I did not use a tech editor. Though I checked, double-checked, and triple-checked, there may still be errors in the pattern, so please do not hesitate to contact me if you encounter any.

Pattern: Safire (click here to download now)
Sizes: XS (S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL)
Finished Measurements: 28” (32”, 36”, 40”, 44”, 48”, 52”, 56”) bust
Yarn Requirements: 1 (1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2) skeins of Tess’ Designer Yarns Superwash Merino, or 490 (560, 630, 700, 770, 840, 910, 980) yards of a similar worsted weight yarn
Needles: US 6 (4mm) and US 7 (4.5mm) circular needles, at least 32” long and same size of needles preferred for working sleeves in the round
Gauge: 21 stitches x 26 rows = 4” in Stockinette stitch

Res Completae: Baby Gifties

2009-11-07T10:40:00.000-08:00

So back in September, I actually forgot that I knit and sew. I had been invited to the dedication of a dear friend's baby around the same time that her other baby had turned 2 years old, and I completely agonized over what to get them for days. What would be special enough for the little one, what would be fun enough for the older one, etc. etc. I finally called my mom for her advice on what to do about gifts for these two little boys and she responded, ".......Couldn't you make them something?" I don't know if in the back of my mind I was thinking that I had already knit them things when they were born so I couldn't play that card anymore, or that they were boys and there was nothing to make them, or what. But.....yeah. Not sure why that was so hard to figure out.

For the little bebe, a blankie:

Pattern: Sumptuous Ripple Afghan, from Lion Brand Yarns
Yarn: James C. Brett Marble Chunky, about 3 skeins of color MC10
Needles: US 10
Start to Finish: September 20-26, 2009
Mods: I really just used the ripple stitch pattern from this pattern and didn't follow much else. I did 8 repeats of the pattern and worked until I had a 3ft square blankie.
Notes: I cannot say I adored working with this yarn, but as acrylics go, this one was pretty soft and squishy. I do love all the blues, though.

The 2-year old got a sewn stuffie:

Pattern: Peanut the Wee Elephant, from Last Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts
Fabric: Some leftovers of a fat quarter for the body and some of an old shirt of Neill's for the insides of the ears.
Start to Finish: September 23, 2009
Notes: This was a great, quick project! But I have a question for the sewing experts out there: how is one to press the seams of something when the space for said pressing is much smaller than the width of ones iron? For example, the seam that runs along Wee Peanut's head and nose? Or the space between his little feet?

In the end, I believe the little ones liked their gifts. The baby actually wasn't present for the opening of his blankie, but his mama assured me he'd love it. And the 2-year old (who was thrilled to be getting a present in general) opened Peanut then promptly threw him across the room. I think that's a good sign.

Better

2009-10-28T17:48:00.000-07:00

Thank you all so much for your warm well-wishing last week. I think all the happy thoughts kicked my immune system up a notch and I was able to start knitting a little bit the day after my post. And by the weekend, I was on a project-finishing rampage that could not be stopped, including, but not limited to, the following:

A couple of those just needed to be blocked, one's brand new, another needed the brim and a few inches ripped back then the brim reknit...the scarf needed a few more inches knit (I had ripped out half of it to make Ishbel, then had some of the yarn left over...it was bothering me so I reknit the end of the scarf with the leftover yarn and reblocked it). Not pictured are a sweater that needed a couple inches and some finishing as well as the only sweater I have ever made Neill which didn't fit right and had needed some fixes (*cough*for the past two and a half years*cough*). I'm telling you, I was on fire. I was coughing, sniffling, and in pyjamas, but I was on fire. It felt great to check those things off the to-do list.

I'm still not feeling 100% back to normal, but, characteristic of my healthy self, I have been obsessing over what my next project should be all week. (Well, I know it should be something that will be given as a Christmas gift, but that's no fun.) I can't stop thinking about Philigry's Amanda Sweater....or this, the Not-A-Poncho City Cape from Custom Knits.

Any thoughts on knitted capes? Cool? Insane?

When I was feeling a little better

2009-10-21T08:59:00.000-07:00

So on Monday, I started feeling a little sick. Coughing and such, but nothing too bad. Then came the 102 degree fever. Then the inability to do anything but lie* there and watch trash television (couldn't even knit!). It ends up that I have the flu. The swine one. The ol' H1N1. Really, this is no fun. I can't remember the last time I was too sick to knit. In fact, in the time I've been knitting I don't think it's ever happened. So because I don't have the energy for much of anything, here are some photos from my trusty telephone** from a wonderful*** trip to New York City that Neill and I took for our anniversary a week and a half ago, when I was feeling just a little better.

A walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.

A visit to the MoMA.

A window display outside the MoMA. I think this would be an excellent project if you happen to have tons and tons of roving lying**** around.

American Ballet Theater. There were no curtains on the stage, so we got to see the dancers warming up before the show and during intermissions, their costumes half-covered by leg warmers and sweatshirts. I enjoyed this as much as the performance itself. As an ex-dancer, it also made me really, really, really nostalgic.

Purl Soho! I, like, get their emails and stuff! Beautiful shop. Extremely friendly staff. Very, very tiny. The New York City Yarn Crawl happened to be going on at the time, so I also got a free tote bag. Cool!

Neill taking photos of the Statue of Liberty on the Staten Island Ferry.

The Chrysler Building.

Fancy night at the Met.

St. John the Divine. We went to an organ recital.

The Guggenheim. The building itself is a work of art.

Real Greek Nescafe frappe in Astoria. I tried for years to make a good frappe, but failed. I think you actually have to have Greek blood in you to make it taste good.

Manhattan from the train from Queens.

---------

*I originally wrote "lay" then figured I should look it up to make sure I was getting it right. I wasn't. All those lay/lie lessons over the years and I still don't have it! On the upside, I have effect/affect down pat.

**For me, cameraphone photos are kind of like Polaroids. Of course nothing beats a Polaroid, but I like having a camera with limited capabilities and an inability to adjust anything...sometimes the pictures turn out surprisingly interesting.

***Wonderful, yes, but I'm pretty sure that's where I picked up this devil virus. Either there or the airport.

****Ugh, I just had to look it up again.

Res Completa: Audrey in Unst

2009-10-02T10:20:00.000-07:00

This might be my favorite sweater. Like, ever.

Pattern: Audrey in Unst, by Gudrun Johnston for Twist Collective
Yarn: Brown Sheep Nature Spun Sport, 4 skeins of Scarlet
Needles: US 3, 4, and 5 circs
Start to Finish: August 27 - September 18, 2009

Mods: This isn't really a mod per se, but I had a very hard time getting row gauge with this yarn (way too few rows per 4 inches) so ended up having to make a few little tweaks. I'll be honest, I was a little worried about knitting lace and top-down, set-in sleeves in the wrong row gauge, but after swatching a bazillion times and coming up short, I just went with the needles that got me stitch gauge and figured I'd deal with any potential problems as I got to them. So daring, I know.

For the body up to the armpits, this wasn't really an issue. For the bits with no shaping, I just calculated the length (instructions were given in rows, not inches) and worked to that measurement. When the waist shaping came into play, I figured some extra length would be ok, so I just worked the number of rows called for. It got a little trickier after the armpits, so I kept a very close eye on the length of the piece and omitted rows as necessary, including two repeats of the lace bib pattern. Somehow, it all ended up ok. Phew!

Notes: Firstly, I love the design of this sweater. Upon first laying eyes on it when the Fall Twist Collective came out, I immediately determined that I wanted one in every color. It's such a classic, wearable style (would go well with jeans, skirts, dresses...jumpsuits...satin harem pants...I can't really think of a type of outfit that this wouldn't work with), and the twisted ribbing and lace bib add that little extra oomph to the classic shape and also makes for some fun knitting.

Not only that, but I learned a great deal knitting Audrey, too. Having only ever read about the elusive top-down, set-in sleeve, I was thrilled to experience one in the wild. And applied i-cord edging? Fabulous. Why have I never done an applied i-cord edging before??

Love. Love, love, love. What color should I do next?

Res Completa: Indigo Playmate

2009-09-23T11:11:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much, everyone, for the lovely birthday wishes! When I logged into the ol' blog just now, the comment count was at 19, which is of course my magic birthday number (when I turned 19, it was on 9-19-1999...so I had a party at 1900 hrs...yep, I'm a total dork about these things). That's pretty cool. And I can't tell you how much I appreciate each and every one.

So about the knitting. Back in February, when my knitting ladies and I went down to Stitches West, I got a great deal on a ginormous ball of navy blue cotton from the Newton's Yarn Country booth. (The last photo of this post shows just how ginormous). Originally, I thought I'd make some sort of garter stitch cardigan, but the texture of the yarn wasn't quite right, so I had a human-head sized ball of cotton sitting around in my stash for about a half a year. Then, in early August, I was flipping through Custom Knits and decided I needed an Indigo Playmate immediately. My lounge-around-the-house wardrobe was severely lacking and I needed something nicer than a beat-up, 11-year-old sweatshirt to wear while watching the Giants on tv*, and I needed it that night. Having no idea how much yarn I actually had in that giant skein, I wound it up, threw caution to the wind, and cast on.

Pattern: Indigo Playmate, by Wendy Bernard (in Custom Knits)
Yarn: Newton's Yarn Country Bulky Softball, ~1 lb.
Needles: US7 circs and dpns
Start to Finish: August 9-27, 2009

Mods: The original sweater is very slouchy with a large collar, which I love, but didn't have enough yarn for. So I used the pattern as a guide and, being a top-down'er, I was able to work everything to my measurements with a little bit of ease and use just the amount of yarn that I wanted to. The collar is teeny, but enough. Also, I worked a buttonhole in the collar just under my bust and added a button to close.

I don't think I've talked about how much I love Custom Knits, so I'll say it now. I love that book. The designs are fresh and adorable, and there is a mountain of information for aspiring designers inside all laid out in a very clear way. To quote Chrispy's post back in February, "If you don’t have Custom Knits, Run. Don’t walk to your nearest bookstore." For me, this book was an impulse purchase, having gone into a bookstore after wine tasting (great idea) and being lured in by the pretty pictures and fun style of the designs. But now it has a special spot on my shelf, alongside Sweater Design in Plain English and the Barbara Walker pattern treasuries, so much do I consult it. Run, don't walk.

*Silly me, wearing a sweater in Dodger blue while watching the Giants is totally bad luck. After a couple of losses, I went back to the sweatshirt.

XXIX

2009-09-19T09:59:00.001-07:00

This year I am so lucky to be able to spend my birthday at my very favorite of all the California foggy sea-side locales. I will have two sweaters to share soon, but for now I need to turn off the computer, go outside, and enjoy my breakfast of chocolate covered gummy bears and celebrity gossip magazines.

Res Completa: Aestlight Shawl

2009-09-09T18:00:00.000-07:00

And the summer of shawls continues...

Pattern: Aestlight, by Gudrun Johnston
Yarn: Shepherd's Lamb organic wool from a farmer's market in Santa Fe, 2 skeins of Indigo
Needles: US 6 circs
Start to Finish: July 19-24, 2009

Mods: Because I used a DK weight yarn and didn't think I'd have enough to follow the pattern exactly as written and simply create a bigger shawl, I thought I'd get my math on and recalculate things to fit my yarn. So, for the center triangle I only worked until there were 40 loops, which made it about the same size as the pattern's center triangle (calculated from gauge) and also gave me the number of stitches needed to do the Bird's Eye Lace evenly later on. After the Bird's Eye Lace and surrounding garter stitch border, I kicked myself because it appeared that I would have had enough yarn to do a bigger center triangle and a larger shawl. So I added another little panel of Bird's Eye (4 repeats), started on a second garter stitch border and kicked myself again. Totally right the first time, and I had nowhere near enough yarn to do the pretty border. And because I tend to be anti-ripping (when I rip, I end up not picking up the stitches correctly and messing something up 100% of the time), I just kicked myself a third time and bound off. I really do like it this way, but I'd love to make one true to pattern as well.

P.S. I have a confession to make. I originally made this as a gift, but loved it so much that I kept it. It's just so cozy...and such a pretty blue... Ugh, I am a selfish knitter!!!

P.P.S. I absolutely love all of Gudrun's designs. Am almost done with an Audrey In Unst from the new Twist Collective...

P.P.P.S. According to the label, this yarn is organic and was dyed with chemical-free dyes and was processed organically and they make a big deal about using a non-petroleum soap to wash it. But I also noticed that, though the wool comes from sheep in New Mexico, it was spun by a plant in Vermont. Though I fully appreciate the all-natural and low-environmental-impact state of this yarn, doesn't shipping it back and forth between New Mexico and Vermont come with a pretty big carbon footprint (because I'm pretty sure they didn't walk it there)? Or am I being too critical?

Res Completa: Featherweight Cardigan

2009-08-31T15:50:00.000-07:00

Apparently, I've been having some trouble posting regularly to this blog lately. First, there was some official secret knitting going on. Then, there was some not-secret knitting that I've kept a secret because I can't figure out to do with it. Then, somehow, Neill and I have been gone every single weekend for as long as I can remember and though things like trips to the beach and visiting family are extremely relaxing and fun, I feel like it takes about a week to catch up for each two days taken off. And though there has been lots of knitting goin' on, there has not been much time to document it, either with photographs or with words. I've been tempted to share some non-knitting content, but it mostly has to do with the Giants (ohmygosh this weekend was amazing) and, well, I think you got enough of that in this post from mid June.

So some completely overdue FO roundups! The following sweater, Featherweight, and its sister sweater, Whisper, really made the rounds earlier this summer and for good reason. Simple and beautiful...I had to have one.

Pattern: Featherweight Cardigan, by Hannah Fettig
Yarn: Springwater Fiber Workshop Spectrum Hand-Dyed Pony Laceweight, 1 skein in color "Moriah", at long last liberated from the stash!
Needles: US 6 circs
Start to Finish: July 8-19, 2009

Mods: My goal was to use up my entire skein of this laceweight and I did. Unfortunately, I ran out before the collar was fully done (I wanted mine to look like Sophy's). To make up for that and add a little somethin' extra, I did one repeat of Feather & Fan, knit a couple rows in garter stitch, and bound off. I didn't love the way it hung on me, so I added a little yarn loop and a button to close it.

Notes: Great pattern, but what I really love about this sweater is the yarn. As I was knitting it, I don't know if it was my anticipation of visiting the Stanislaus County Fair or what, but all I could think of was cotton candy. So light and fluffy and pink...yumm. (Note to self: Stop it with the food/yarn references. It's weird.) Anyway, knit in laceweight with US 6 needles, with its lightness, and cropped-ness, this is officially the perfect summer sweater.

Res Completae: Little Shoes for Tiny Feet

2009-08-17T14:00:00.000-07:00

I believe I've previously mentioned the baby boom going on amongst my family, friends, and acquaintances. In the last month alone, there were four new babies born in my family and my husband's! Having just received confirmation that the following were received by their intended tiny recipients, I can now share these new baby knits with the internets...

Pattern: Saartje's Bootees by Saartje de Bruijn
Yarn: Scraps of Koigu KPM (dark purple, light purple, and blue) and Claudia's Handpainted (the green)
Needles: US 3 dpns
Start to Finish: July 31 - August 2, 2009

Mods/Notes: I only did one strap because I didn't have enough yarn for two. Also, this pattern is fabulous and is extremely addictive. I think these might be my favorite of the bunch.

Pattern: Saartje's Bootees by Saartje de Bruijn, again
Yarn: Leftover Dream in Color Smooshy in Petal Shower
Needles: US 3 dpns
Start to Finish: July 29 - 30, 2009

Mods: Nope!

Pattern: Tiny Shoes by Ysolda Teague
Yarn: More leftover Dream in Color Smooshy in Petal Shower
Needles: US 3 dpns
Start to Finish: July 26 - 29, 2009

Mods/Notes: Nada. Also a very fun little pattern.

All together now...

The above and the below were made for my fantastic cousin, who now not only has a two toddlers under the age of 4, but also newborn twin girls! It can't be easy, but seriously, the older two are so sweet and well-behaved that I bet they're already changing diapers and offering to help their mother.

Pattern: Suede Booties by Candi Jensen
Yarn: Berroco Suede (3/4 skein) and some white novelty yarn I've had forever
Needles: US 3 dpns
Start to Finish: July 25-26, 2009

Mods: For some reason, my first attempt at this pattern yielded some very large and oddly shaped booties, so I modified it thusly:

To begin, I cast on 16 sts rather than 26. Then, wherever the pattern said “k11” in the first section, I knit 6.

In shaping the instep, I knit 24 instead of 29 in row 1, then knit 16 instead of 21 in row 16.

I just love the idea of knitted baby Ugg booties.

Patternum Gratis: Cerus Scarf

2009-08-14T12:30:00.000-07:00

Another pattern! I don't claim to be the first person to think of knitting a scarf in Linen Stitch, but I received many questions on how exactly I made this, so decided to write it up with my own combination of yarn, variation of linen stitch, stitch counts, etc.

Pattern: Cerus Scarf (click here to download if you don't have a Ravelry account)
Finished size: 7.25 x 54"
Yarn requirements: 4 balls of Rowan Tapestry (131 yds/120 m per ball) in color 170
Needles: US 8 (5mm) circular needles, at least 40" in length
Gauge: 26 sts/4" in Linen Stitch (Note: Rowan Tapestry has an advertised gauge of 22 sts/4" in Stockinette)

Cerus is the name of a very old Roman god, who was originally the male counterpart to goddess of grain, Ceres, and was eventually "absorbed" by other gods in the Roman pantheon. The woven look of this scarf, along with the colors of the yarn, reminded me of wheat for some reason (and "Woven Wheats" is the name of the generic grocery-store brand of Trisquits that Neill and I buy, so I couldn't name it that). I originally thought about naming it Ceres, also as a tribute to a smallish town near where I grew up, but because this scarf is suitable as a man-knit, I thought a masculine deity might be more appropriate.

So there you have it.

If you have any questions at all about the pattern, please do not hesitate to contact me!

Patternum Gratis: Tiffany Neckwarmer

2009-08-14T12:06:00.000-07:00

Just for fun and to test out some layouts I was playing around with, I have created a pattern for what was formerly, and creatively, named "Neckwarmer Kerchief Thing". Based on some of the comments I got, I have renamed it "Tiffany Neckwarmer", after the blue of the yarn, which resembles the color of those pretty little bags you get when you buy something really, really fancy.

Pattern: Tiffany Neckwarmer (click here to download if you don't have a Ravelry account)
Yarn requirements: 80 yards of special-to-you aran weight yarn. Other yarns can easily be substituted - calculate the number of stitches to cast on based on your yarn's gauge, and knit to the measurements specified in the pattern.
Needles: US 8 (5mm), straight (14") or circular
Gauge: 15 sts/22 rows = 4" in Stockinette

I designed this little neckwarmer because I had a very little amount (less than 80 yards) of some beautiful Malabrigo Angora that I bought as a souvenir. It is knit into a trapezoid, then cinched in on the sides. Instead of tying it (didn't have enough yarn to make it long enough to tie!), you sew on snaps to fasten it.

I hope you enjoy! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Knitting and The Giants

2009-07-31T10:27:00.000-07:00

Little is more exciting to me than the yearly combination of two of my greatest loves: knitting and San Francisco Giants baseball. Last year's Stitch and Pitch event was sadly missed, so I had been looking forward to meeting up with my knitting gals for Monday's game for several months.

Sophy, Erica, and Brenda...

This is what summer nights at the ballpark look like here...

Sophy and I both kinneared this girl wearing matching (and gorgeous) Koolhaas, Fetching, and scarf (see woman in turquoise hat)...

And this? This is Brenda's knitting and my knitting with Tim Lincecum pitching a COMPLETE GAME WITH FIFTEEN STRIKEOUTS!!

On the way home, we stopped at Sophy's office to say hello to the adorable sheep stuffie and animatronic pony. Yes, Sophy's office has an animatronic pony. Tell me you don't want to work there.

We ate a lot, laughed a lot, knit a little, and the Giants won. A perfect evening if you ask me!

Some Summer Sewing

2009-07-26T19:05:00.000-07:00

So, some good news: I got a promotion at work! Woo hoo!

The bad news? The workload that has come with said promotion, due to how it was timed, has been insane. Add to that my tendency to, at times, be a crazy perfectionist means that I've been a complete wreck at work, not taking breaks, hardly eating, and collapsing into a puddle of my own stress when I get home. (Actually, it's not really that bad, but I get a little addicted to exaggeration sometimes).

A little more bad news? Stressballness at work and collapsing at home means way less time for bloggy activities. Not only have I abandoned my own, but I've also been neglecting friend-blogs, which I hate doing! So if I'm a regular commenter and have seemed silent, that's why. I'm still reading! It's just mostly been straight from the feed-reader on my slowish phone during the commute home.

And there has been knitting going on (my cousin just had twin girls so my weekend was pretty much filled with baby booties), but not as much as I would like. Earlier this month, though, I got on a total sewing kick after some really cute patterns popped up in blog land.

First up, some tops! I used Rae's Ruffle Top Tutorial with a few mods. One I made without ruffle sleeves...

And one I made with...

I also did the little armpit scoop thingies, which, once I wore both tops, I decided makes the top more comfortable to wear.

I deviated from the pattern in that I didn't do pleating on the back piece (I actually made one more of these tops, my first, fully to spec and it made me look like I was 9 months pregnant). Instead, I cut it so that the top of the piece was the same width as the front after pleating and the bottom was the same. I also made the bottom quite a bit narrower because of aforementioned pregnant look.

This is, like, the perfect summer top pattern. Easy to execute and I wear these all the time!

Next up, a skirt, from Amazing Mae. Again, very easy to make, and great, wearable outcome.

The only change I made was to omit the drawstring (because I got lazy).

Hooray for awesomely written sewing tutorials and new summer clothes!

Now if only there were more warm days in San Francisco in which to wear these clothes...

Res Completa: Textured Shawl and Bridal Shower for Erica

2009-07-13T18:25:00.000-07:00

First of all, thank you to everyone who voted in response to my last post. My Trina Cardigan pattern ended up winning in the knitting category of luvinthemommyhood's Top Tutorials week! I can't believe I was even nominated, let alone won - thank you, thank you, thank you!!

So on to some bridal knitting. My dear friend Erica (1/4 of my knitting group) got married this past Saturday in what was one of the most lovely and fun weddings I have ever been to. But rewind a few months...before Sophy and I even received our invitations, we started planning her bridal shower. How could we pass up an opportunity to bake, craft, gather friends together for a tea party, and buy lingerie for our friend??

As part of the festivities, we decided to each knit her a shawl in her wedding colors. I got the brown:

Pattern: Textured Shawl Recipe, by orlane
Yarn: Exactly 1 skein of Malabrigo Yarn Sock
Needles: US 6
Start to Finish: around June 15-21, 2009

Mods: Since I used a fingering weight yarn rather than a worsted, I had more yardage so was able to do more of the textured bands. Also, the whole thing ended up a lot smaller than the original the recipe is based on. (By the way, I love referring to knitting instructions that aren't full patterns as "recipes". It totally goes along with the strange fact that most of my yarn reminds me of food.) I'm not gonna lie, I kind of wanted to keep this shawlette. The Malabrigo sock is so pretty!

Sophy (wearing a gorgeous Featherweight Cardigan) chose Ishbel in a beautiful pale blue Malabrigo Lace and styled Erica for her photo...

Erica then whipped out a knitted handlebar mustache she had just finished (how awesome is that??) and we decided to pile all the knits on her at once...

Of course, as crafters, Sophy and I couldn't let it go at just knitted shawls, lots of baked goods, and hand assembled pom-poms (the huge poofy white things are from Michael's and I LOVE THEM). Sophy created gorgeous little ribbon roses to glue on the gift boxes and painted an E and a J in honor of the couple. I wish I had a better photo of the roses, but they are there below being inspected by Stewart.

And as knitters hosting a bridal shower that wouldn't only include knitters, thus keeping us from pulling out the needles the second we sat down, we had to plan for something to do with our hands. So we all filled a jar with origami stars for the guest of honor.

A fun day all around.

And congratulations to Erica and Jeremy!

Shameless Self Promotion

2009-07-07T09:15:00.000-07:00

I was absolutely honored and delighted to find out over the weekend that I had been nominated in luvinthemommyhood's Top Tutorials Week contest! Five tutorials/patterns were chosen in each of five categories, with my Trina cardigan pattern having been nominated under "knitting" (obvi). If you are so inclined, you can click on the button above and vote for Trina all week long. But really, you should stop by this great blog anyway for the gorgeous photos and loads of crafty inspiration. With every post, I add more and more to my craft queue!

Res Completa: Buttercup

2009-07-02T13:16:00.000-07:00

Finally, an actual knitted garment! After seeing several of these pop up on Ravelry throughout the spring, I just couldn't resist anymore and cast on for my own.

Pattern: Buttercup, by Heidi Kirrmaier
Yarn: Rowan RYC Silk Cotton, 5 skeins of color 687 ("Fresh")
Needles: US 6 circs and dpns
Start to Finish: May 25 - June 1, 2009 (boy am I behind on blogging!)

Mods: Because my yarn was a completely different gauge than what the pattern called for, I pretty much re-wrote the whole thing. I started with a proportional number of stitches, but recalculated the raglan increases, left out the back gathering, and started the feather and fan neckline a bit higher. I also worked the feather and fan without any rows of garter stitch because it looked a bit too bulky in my yarn (see chest shot above).

When I got to the body, I realized that I was running out of yarn pretty quickly (and knitting faster, though it seemed like a good idea at the time, did not in fact keep me from using it up any faster). So I only did 2 a-line increases, stopped when I ran out, and then blocked the heck out of the thing. It's still a little short, but worn over a camisole or other top I think it works ok.

This is such a pretty design! Heidi Kirrmaier, blogless (gasp!), has a great collection of patterns going on over at Ravelry and I adore her longer-sleeved Buttercup variation. Definitely one to watch! (P.S. You can read CanarySanctuary's profile of her here).

Res Completa: Another Ishbel

2009-06-19T15:14:00.001-07:00

Thanks so much, all, for allowing me to gush a little about the Giants and baseball on Tuesday. It's been a full week, but I honestly still find myself sitting around or walking along, remembering last Friday's reception, squealing, and saying to myself, "I can't believe I met them!!" Several of you noticed that I was wearing my Julia Livilla cardigan -- I just had to wear a handknit to such a momentous occasion as this! But after reading Eliza's comment, I am kicking myself! I so should have taken a sock for them to hold...

So anyway...my love affair with triangular-shaped shawls has not yet ended, so here is one more before I get back into the sweaters.

And excitingly, it is another Ishbel.

Pattern: Ishbel, by Ysolda Teague
Yarn: Koigu Premium Merino, about 1.75 hanks
Needles: US 6 circs
Start to Finish: May 18-22, 2009

The first one I made with some gorgeous laceweight from Chrispy, so I thought I needed another in a heavier weight yarn. I couldn't stop thinking about the pretty purple Koigu I used to make a Lace Ribbon Scarf last year and the fact that that particular scarf ended up being 9 feet long and wasn't seeing much wear. So I unraveled half of it and repurposed the yarn, ending up with a new shawlette and a more wearable scarf. Win win!

I have to say, I'm loving this shawlette trend. Scarves can be too long and bulky and I don't feel that cowls hug my neck enough - the shawlette is the perfect compromise, and can be so pretty and feminine, too. Great for those warmer (and by warmer I mean colder) San Francisco summer months. I like to wear mine both with the main triangle point in the front...

and in the back...

I can't believe it, but I kind of want some more of these.

An Afternoon with the 1989 Giants, or I am So Excited I Can Hardly Contain Myself

2009-06-16T17:10:00.000-07:00

Fair warning: this extremely long post has nothing to do with knitting or crafting and if you are not from Northern California (and especially if you are not from the US or a few other areas in Asia and the American continent) you may have absolutely no interest in what I am about to write. But I am just so incredibly excited about what happened last Friday that I had to share it here.

This post is about something I loved before I knit, and something that at one time I may have been as obsessive about as I am knitting now: baseball. And specifically: the San Francisco Giants.

Some background: Growing up, I was a very girly girl. Main interests included such things as kitties, dolls, playing dress up, and the color pink. But starting at a very early age, I also loved baseball. I don't seem to remember having much interest in playing baseball, but I LOVED THE GIANTS. I loved going to games and watching the Giants and, in particular, 1st baseman, #22, Will Clark. Strangely, I have very vivid memories from the 1987 through 1989 baseball seasons. I remember my dad traveling to Davis when I was about 7, talking to him on the phone, and thinking it was hilarious to ask him "Dad, is it chilly in Davis??" (in reference to Giants outfielder Chili Davis), I remember being devastated when in '87 the Giants lost the playoffs to the St. Louis Cardinals (and, in fact, held a grudge for over a decade and finally felt retribution when the Giants beat the Cardinals in the 2002 NLCS), I remember the '88 World Series between the A's and the Dodgers and Orel Hershiser pitching. Most of all, though, I remember the 1989 season, the Giants making it through the playoffs and to the World Series, and the events that then unfolded. On October 17, 1989, moments before game 3 of the World Series was to start, the Loma Prieta earthquake hit. And I was there. What was already the most exciting thing that had ever happened in my 9 years of life (i.e. being able to go to the World Series in which my favorite team was participating) turned into something I truly will never forget.

Some more background: Now it's not easy being a Giants fan. Not only have they not won a World Series since 1954, when even my parents were too young to remember, but in my lifetime they've only made two attempts, both of which were hugely disappointing (I can hardly even talk about 2002). There is not much instant gratification with this team, and when they make it to the postseason it is a BIG DEAL.

Needless to say, the Giants meant a whole lot to me as a child and when I think or hear about that winning '89 team I get all sentimental and think of happy childhood memories (even though the Giants did lose that World Series) and how things were in days of yore. Sometimes at Giants games these days they play little historical video snippets between innings and if they ever have to do with the '87-'89 Giants I usually tear up. I really, really loved that team.

Oh, and I mentioned Will Clark, right? Totally my favorite player of all time, and totally had a giant crush on him starting around age 7 and through the early '90's.

Fast forward to last Friday. In honor of the 20th anniversary of the '89 World Series, several members of the '89 team were invited back to San Francisco to be honored on the field as the Giants took on the A's in some interleague play over the weekend. Neill and I made plans to go to that game with my parents and I was really looking forward to it. But then last Monday, I heard a rumor that was confirmed on the Giants website that they would be holding a reception on Friday where fans who bought tickets would have the chance to (...wait for it...) MEET THE PLAYERS. I read this and my heart started racing. Meet the players?? Like, Will Clark? Kevin Mitchell? Robby Thompson? Mike Krukow, Candy Maldonado, Dave Dravecky? Yep, those players. I bought tickets. First I got nervous that it would be too crowded and that I wouldn't actually get to meet any of them. Then, I got nervous that I would get to meet them but wouldn't have any idea what to say and would chicken out and leave. I went between the two about a hundred times. But Friday at 2pm, Neill and I showed up at AT&T Park. We waited outside. And then we went in and we MET THEM ALL.

Some of my favorite photos from the day:

Kevin Mitchell, of bare-handed fly-ball catch fame

Dave Dravecky, a pitcher with an amazingly inspirational story

Robby Thompson, rock star 2nd baseman

Mike Krukow, one of my favorite pitchers of the late '80's who these days provides color commentary for televised Giants games (and is incredibly hilarious)

And, finally, Will "The Thrill" Clark

And what did I end up saying to him? Well, I said to him exactly what I told myself NOT to say to him, which was something along the lines of: "Hi!!!!!! I'm Hilary!! Will you please sign my hat?? Ohmigosh, I totally thought I was going to marry you when I was 7!!!!!"

Sigh.

At least he was nice about it (he laughed, then enthusiastically gestured towards Neill, who was acting as my paparazzo at the time, and told me he thought I did pretty well). But still. Now, I actually really do like baseball - not just "cute guys" or whatever - but I guess you put me in front of a player I had a crush on when I was a child over 20 years ago, and I turn into a blubbering fangirl. And why would I say that in front of my real husband?! Geesh. And can I just say how awesome Neill is? He wasn't really even much of a baseball fan when we met (he's more of a football guy), and even if he had been, his allegiance would have been to the Atlanta Braves, not the Giants. I'm very lucky that he now not only roots for my team but also lets me drag him to things like this, especially when I practically confess my love to a middle-aged ex-player.

Finally, this picture I love:

It's my old hat from back in the day, which my mom bought and had signed by then catcher Bob Brenly at some event at the mall (my little brother has one, too), which I wore to the earthquake World Series game, and which was signed by my favorite player 20 years later. I guess it just makes me happy looking at this and knowing that after 20 years, I still felt as thrilled to meet the Giants as I would have had it happened when I was 9. It was so fun, and it's nice to know that that childlike sense of excitement doesn't fully go away, even when you're grown up.

Make it Work

2009-06-11T12:20:00.000-07:00

You know how every season of Project Runway they've had some sort of inspiration challenge wherein all the contestants are given cameras (which is obviously shameless product placement as the brand of said camera is usually in full view through the whole episode and each contestant is sure to mention the brand name every time they talk) then are told to run around New York City taking pictures, one of which must become the inspiration for a garment they are to produce? (If not, you do now.) Well, after I received an iPhone for my birthday last September, I thought I would try a PR inspiration challenge of my own. Most of my design and knitting decisions have been based simply on what happens to strike my fancy that week (at Anthropologie), what I feel like wearing, what hole in my closet I need to fill, or what fun things I can do with a certain yarn I've had sitting around for awhile. I've rarely thought too deeply about what to knit and why; I've just let it come naturally. That said, I was curious to see what sorts of things in the world were actually aesthetically speaking to me and if they had any correlation to what I had been knitting or designing. So for several months now, I've been taking random iPhone snapshots of views and buildings and things -- I haven't been putting any thought into these snapshots, I just point and shoot anything that I like, for whatever reason. Below is a selection of these snapshots that represent a few themes I found when going through the photos recently. What I noticed is that I focused on colors rather than shapes and some surprised me a little...

Red and blue? Orange and green?! Never in my life have I knit or worn these color combinations (save for a few 4th of July outfits), but I am apparently obsessed with them. The color against grey and the black, white, color, and grey were expected, but I'm not sure where the orange and green thing came from. Secret passion for Irish politics?

This was a fun exercise, and I'm going to keep doing it, not least because I have a whole record of places I've been (including my own neighborhood) on my telephone. And maybe this is telling me that I should start being a little more adventurous with colors (other than bright green) when I'm knitting. Even if I don't wear it, at least I know I'll enjoy the process!

Res Completa: Simple Yet Effective Shawl

2009-06-04T13:00:00.000-07:00

Yet another from my Spring of 1000 Shawls...

(Tan + cleavage = not me modeling)

Pattern: Simple Yet Effective, by Laura Chau
Yarn: 1 skein Noro Kureyon Sock, purchased when I met up with Barefoot Rooster last fall
Needles: US 4
Start to Finish: April 8-30, 2009

Notes: This shawl is exactly what it claims to be: simple and effective. Stockinette, garter, simple triangular shawl construction - that's it! The awesomeness of the Noro sock gives this shawl a kick (though it can truly be beautiful in monochrome as well). Instead of dividing the ball of Noro into two, I worked alternately from each end of the ball because I didn't want to have to worry about using one ball more than the other and having yarn left over at the end. This actually became extremely annoying. This yarn loves to twist around itself and curl up all the time, so having two strands in such close proximity to each other proved to be a bad idea in the end -- I was constantly having to stop and untangle. But the colors are gorgeous and I love how they blend into each other. For some reason the finished shawl reminds me of one of those craft projects I made when I was young at Nana's house that involved putting crayon shavings between two sheets of waxed paper and melting them with the iron.

My best friend (and roommate) from college came to visit from LA over Memorial Day weekend. Though one (including myself) might argue that northern and southern California are really two different states, they're not actually that far apart, but Karrah and I hardly ever see each other anymore. Lives too busy, work too oppressive, the usual nonsense. It was so wonderful to have a whole, long weekend to hang out and catch up, and when it was over I thought I'd send a little part of me back with her in the form of this shawl. It's not exactly the season for wool shawls down there, but hopefully she can at least look at it and remember with fondness our windy, grey, and freezing Memorial Day picnic at Dolores Park.

Res Completa: Ishbel the First

2009-05-27T13:50:00.000-07:00

Because no one seems to be able to make just one of these and, in fact, I have already made a second.

Pattern: Ishbel, by Ysolda Teague
Yarn: Habu Textiles A-1 Tsumugi Silk, ~265 yards of color 38
Needles: US 6 circs
Start to Finish: April 4-8, 2009

Mods: Because I didn't have as much yarn as was called for in the pattern, I did fewer stockinette increase rows, then fewer (horizontal) repeats of the lace pattern. I would tell you all about the extensive math I did in order to figure out exactly how many increases to cut out, but in the end, I was 6 stitches off so just did some decreases on the last row to get to the number I needed for the lace. Oh well.

Notes: First of all, this yarn was awesome and unlike anything I've ever used before. I won it during Chris' blog giveaway earlier this year, received it when we met at Stitches West, and was thrilled to knit with it. It has such a neat texture, kind of crunchy and soft at the same time, and almost looks like a tweed. Because of its laceweight-ness, it made a light-weight Ishbel (my second is the heavier weight version), and it will be perfect for wrapping around the neck on a hot day (when I go to Turlock. But I'm sure it'll be great on cold San Francisco days, too). I didn't do such a great job pinning out the bottom into points, so a re-blocking is in order, but here is what it looks like stretched out anyway:

Being still a little green in the lace department, this was a wonderful project to wet the feet a bit. Plus, 1,058 Ravlers can't be wrong...this is one fun and adorable little shawl.

Res Completa: Koigu Kerchief

2009-05-21T08:30:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe how many comments my last post generated! A common love of Star Trek even brought out some folks I didn't even know were reading! Thank you all so much -- for the blogiversary wishes, the Star Trek comradery, and for being so darn fun in general. (And by the way, I saw the movie again last night with Sophy and Erica and I believe it was just as good, if not better, the second time).

So in the past few months, as I have worked on some attention-requiring projects and have tried to hone my pattern-writing skills (thus attempting to wake up the math part of my brain), I seem to have developed an addiction to triangular-shaped objects to be worn around the neck. There's something calming about them to me - they move so quickly at first (instant gratification!), then as they grow you get to enjoy long, repetitive rows that can be worked without thinking too hard. The first in this series: the Koigu Kerchief.

Pattern: Silk Kerchief, by Kate Gagnon of Zeitgeist Yarns
Yarn: Three Koigu ends purchased in Asheville, NC a couple of Christmases ago - I believe they added up to about 1.5 skeins
Needles: US 3 circs
Start to Finish: February 13 - March 10, 2009

Notes: Talk about a calming knit - all the garter stitchy goodness of this kerchief made me very happy. This was one of those projects that I kept around when I needed a break, I worked on it off and on (sometimes just one row per sitting), and one day it was time to bind off. Mine is not as long as the pattern calls for because I ran out of dark red yarn, but I like it mini, too.

I didn't really plan how the colors would come out - I just wound those Koigu ends and started knitting with nary a plan - but I love them together! I feel like there's something '70's-ish about the combo.

And finally, I have been honored with the "One Lovely Blog" award by the Clumsy Knitter (And really, she is anything but. Her knits are AMAZING and everything she makes seems to involve intricate lace or cable patterns that she executes beautifully.) and Kristen of Learner's Per-Knit (isn't that an adorable blog name?). Thank you so much, ladies!

The Yarniad: Book III

2009-05-09T19:49:00.000-07:00

Two years? Really? I can't believe it was two years ago today that I started this blog. So much has changed since then, in my knitterly life, my work life, everywhere. Unlike last year, when I revealed knitted panties, I unfortunately don't have any exciting knits to show today. Well, I do, but I'm not allowed to. So instead, I am going to go with something that may make me lose all my readership when you realize the true dorkitude that goes on here at The Yarniad...but I'm going to take that chance. I believe on a blogiversary (like on a birthday), one should be able to do anything one wants. So I will show you a photo from last night at the movie theater, featuring my crafting partner in crime, Sophy, and our latest sewing adventures:

Indeed, we attended a showing of the new Star Trek movie...in Federation uniforms...that we made ourselves. (Well, the best Federation uniforms we could cobble together from Simplicity 2922 and some quilting cotton). One of the interesting things about living in San Francisco is that you can walk a mile in broad daylight, ride the train for three stops, then walk another three blocks wearing a full Deanna Troi outfit that is not only too tight, but also too short, and no one gives you a second look because you're actually not the biggest weirdo that happens to be out and about.

It's been a fun two years -- thank you to everyone who graces me with their online presence here...and please don't stop coming because you've found out I'm a Star Trek nerd. :)

Res Originalis: Baby Tanner's Little Vest

2009-04-30T14:04:00.000-07:00

During the first great baby boom of my life (two summers ago), it felt like everyone I knew having a baby was having a boy baby. And though I loved knitting for them, I didn't think it was nearly as fun as it would have been for girl babies, what with all the frills and pink and little tiny versions of currently trendy clothing. Maybe I just have more experience as a knitter now, but I am finding myself much less limited than I originally though with baby boy knits. And in fact, I am finding them just as fun as baby girl knits!

Pattern: Improvised v-neck sweater vest
Yarn: Little bits of Dale of Norway's Baby Ull in blue and white and RYC Cashsoft 4-ply in grey ("Weather")
Needles: US 4 circs
Start to Finish: March 12 - April 3, 2009

This vest was made for the brand new son of two dear friends -- Kelly, whom I've known since about 8th grade and lived with my first year in San Francisco, and her husband Joey, whom I've known since kindergarten (in fact, I had a huge, unrequited crush on him somewhere around 3rd grade, but luckily this has never been an issue in my friendship with Kel :) ). This is the same little dude who received this blankie via his mother's shower, but I thought I needed to start him off right with something he could wear as well.

Using the Yarn Standards measurements for a 3-6 month old, I kind of made up the vest as I went along, leaving the body straight, then decreasing at the armholes. I started with 2x2 ribbing, then after the vest was done picked up stitches and added 2x2 ribbing to the armholes and v-neck as well. It's not visible in the photo, but the back and front of the right shoulder were not seamed, but left as separate pieces, hemmed with 2x2 ribbing, then buttoned closed. The thick blue and grey stripes are 5 rows each, the thinner are 1 row each, and the white stripes are 2 rows. All was done in the round until I divided the front and back at the armholes. All yarns used are some form of superwash, so I didn't try steeking or anything fancy. Somehow I seem to have misplaced the closeup photos I took of the vest before taking it to its new home (seriously, how does one "misplace" digital photos??)...otherwise I would have written more specifics. Unfortunately, my notes on this project are very, very poor.

The photo above is the ultra-cute Tanner on Easter morning. What a compliment to have my little vest as part of his first Easter outfit! And I hope he likes it, too (I myself have decided to interpret his movement in the photo as a gesture of excitement rather than a "Get this off me NOW!" type of protest.). This is one adorable and sweet little guy...though with parents like his one can hardly be surprised!