Spirally

Here are the pics for the blanket. The initial triangles were fun to knit (albeit the simultaneous 4 skeins of yarns did get tangled alot).



However, as the blanket grew, the knitting did get a tad more monotonous, however, the yarns stopped tangling. Okay, easy knit, since it's only knit stitch. I used #7's on Plymouth Encore. I've used almost 4 skeins of each colour. I'm not done yet, I've still to put edging. Without edging, it just doesn't look finished.

Happy Halloween!

So, I was in charge of hollowing out the pumpkins and the boys were in charge of carving while I was at knitting last night. What do you think of these. Fabulous.

Yes, z picked the baying wolf and helped dad carve it. Cool or what. Now, 2 more pumpkins to go...

Non-knitting Molbio (work related) post

So, since the demise of the company that I worked for, I've been primarily learning to knit, and then doing lots of knitting (in case you're wondering how I can manage 2 small children, work, the beginning of a huge remodel, and knitting, well, I hadn't).

Anyway, seems that I may have landed my perfect job -- all without actively pursuing it. At a wedding this summer, I was seated with friends who asked when I was going to go back to work. I flippantly said ' when there's a part-time job on this side of the bay'...knowing full well that 1)most positions were located in the Penninsula and south and would require a huge commute and I've been there and done that and don't want to do that again, 2) there have been huge layoffs at biotech companies around here and the market is saturated with desperate folks looking for jobs in my field, 3) part-time biotech? yeah, that's like cheap housing in the Bay Area... Well, it turns out that such a beast does exist. I got a call from a friend who told me about her friend (who I've met and quite like and have actually worked with their company) who was looking for ...yes, a part-time molecular biologist. Yay me.

Looks like I'll be starting this Wednesday. The only sad thing is that I had just gotten into a good schedule with a, and now, she'll start at z's school this week.

On the knitting front, I've 'finished' the blanket, and now it's only edging, yeah, right, only edging.

Spirally Loop-D Geek transfiguration

I'm over the moon. My z actually requested a knitted object. This is the boy who refuses to wear the sweaters I knitted for him (orange lovely from Last Minute Knitted Gifts, blue rolled collar pull-over from some pattern, and the Italia Fingerpaints toddler cardi). This is also the same boy that had no interest in a kitty or elephant that I knit for him. Or any of the knitted bags, scarves, hats, etc...

Well, he wants a baby blanket. But not a baby blanket, a big boy blanket...I immediately started looking for a pattern. I showed him the Curve of Pursuit that I first saw in the Mason-Dixon book. He thought that would be cool. I then saw the Swirl Without End and he thought that was also cool. I thought hey, I have this pattern...Loop-D-Loop as the Geek sweater. Well, gee, I wanted to start it now, and to order the pattern from across the pond would just take too long.

As for the yarn, he likes blue. We went on-line and he picked out the blue colors he liked. I came home with navy blue and medium blue and he pitched a fit (did I mention he's not 4 years old yet?). Apparently, he doesn't like the navy. What's a mom to do? Yeah, I caved. I told him that if he didn't like the Miami Aqua (I had that for a sweater I never finished for him because I wasn't going to knit him any more clothing -- and yes, the sweater was done minus one sleeve. Yes, one sleeve), he wasn't getting a blanket. He said he liked the color and so I started knitting (after ripping and rewinding the sweater).

I knitted the blanket according to protocol in the book. At triangles 8 or so, I figured out that I've knitted a bowl. Awww, pickles! The pattern asks for an increase of only 2 stitches per side and well, that's not enough. Think about geometry and tell me how an additional 2 stitches per side would work out. (it doesn't.)I could stretch it out to flat again, but since this is being made w/ Encore, it's not going to ever block out. Soooo, ripped out to block 6 and started again. At block 9, realized the culprit was at block 5 (double pickles!) and ripped it back. The nice thing about Encore is that no tinking required. Pull out the needles and rip away and super easy to pick up the remaining loops.

Anyway, I'm knitting triangles. And more triangles. I'm tired of knitting triangles, so the blanket should be done pretty soon. I have pics in the camera, but can't be bothered to upload them. Will take finished shot and post then.

One thing tho'...he's got a good eye for color. It looks really good.

peace.

Shetland triangle

I've been coveting the IK Wrap Styles for awhile now. It's not one of the books available at the library, and I so wanted to make a couple of wraps. I've visited the book on a number of occasions and finally picked it up (the one remaining copy -- I felt that if it were still there, I'd get it since I had a 50% off coup). No, seriously, I'd go visit the book. Pick it up and walk around with it for awhile, then put it down again, 'cause, you know, I've not worn a wrap since I was 8 years old and my mother made me a yellow poncho with a multi-colour strip in the middle, and it had fringe. And it was acrylic -- I'm suspecting it was Red Heart or something similar. I have nothing against petrochemical ponchos, I wore that thing for years...Anyway, I'd go to the store and see that yes, they still had the book, but did I need that book?

Why, yes I did. I'll be making a project from this book for at least one person on my xmas list.

I'm starting with the shetland lace. It doesn't use much yarn and it's an easy pattern to memorize. Of course, remember when I first started lace and was amazed and confounded by folks that, wow, can remember the pattern. Well, I've become one of those folks. yeah for me.

Here's the specs:
Start date: 10/8/06
Finish date: 10/11/06
yarn: blue angora yarn (same as black but blue) 1 ball
blocking: 10/13/06

kiri

Kiri shawl was such a fast knit that I didn't even have time to blog about it.

Specs:
black 70% angora 30% nylon yarn
1.5 balls of it
started: October 2, 2006
finished: October 9, 2006
15 total repeats
needles: size 4 Clovers with size 9 bind off (after reading about too tight bind offs on other blogs)
*edging looked pretty crummy since it was so loose.


Blocking: Check out that scallop (yippee!). Of course, I'm not a huge fan of that pointy thing at the bottom pointing to your bottom, but I guess the new thing about shawls is to wear it skewed (or is it just me?)

It blocked much much larger than I expected. It spans the extra large bath towel (aka bath sheet) and I had to block it in our almost cleared out basement.

Very very pretty. I am a tad worried that the angora won''t block out that well, the pattern will be obscured and look like a black cat around the shoulders. That and that it'll shed everywhere. I noticed that the water did change color when I had it soaking in the sink. Either way, this yarn was lovely to knit with. I'll likely make this again with another yarn (in a lighter shade).

Wave Bye Bye

Yep, I finished Eunny Jang's Print O' Wave shawl. Here are the specs:
start date: Aug 2006
finished: Sept 29, 2006
materials: 3 skeins of Misti Alpaca (actually, more like 2.4 -- surprising since I thought I'd read that you're only supposed to use ~900 yds of laceweight. I tend to have much more left over yarn than other folks, especially if I follow the directions)
needles: size 4 Clover straights, Clover circs, Boye circs (didn't like the Boyes because they are too slippery for alpaca and got the Clovers)

Observations and alterations from nicely written protocol:
- knit the main piece in one piece, not two. I didn't like the way they joined in the middle.
- they should warn you that most of your time is spent on the edging...damn that edging. That part of the stole took me seriously, a month. None of that 40% of the scarf is edging, more like 60%
- in hindsight, should have taken the time to do the math, and figure out the pattern of the edging. It sure got wonky right on the corners. I hope it'll block out.
- knit with different needles. I figured out that for Misti Alpaca, must use bamboo.
- I'm really a loose knitter, and I really should consider smaller needles.
- Misti Alpaca is quite warm, and I hope I'll wear the stole.
- will attempt to block using music wires and am hoping that they don't rust
- I really like this pattern.
- I really like knitting lace.

Before:


Later...

Observations about the blocking:
This blocked large, way large. I had purchased some music wires and had to use additional pins to pin it out (it's larger than 72 in). The stole blocked beautifully, but I did come across a glaring mistake on the edging. Okay, not glaring, but somehow I managed to have 2 somewhat peaks instead of 1. I'm a tad puzzled since the math worked out, but oh, well.

Will post beauty shots once I get a chance. (The weather is crummy).

Linen bookmark

I've revisited the bookmark making thing since I've decided I like lace. I have some linen laceweight yarn and thought I'd make this bookmark.

I used 100% linen yarn
#1 plastic straights.
pattern from the internet -- starts as 1 stitch on the bottom and each row starts as a YO


I thought I had #1 Addis but they were in fact #2. I swatched this yarn (actually, more like string) on #4, #3, and #1. The 4s were a little too lacy for a bookmarker, but if I decide to make a larger project w/ the linen yarn, I may opt for the larger needle. I blocked it and now it's soft, so I'll have to stiffen it w/ whatever concoction folks use to make crochet snowflakes and angels (which I'll be attempting soon).

I liked the pattern, but the first thing z&a's dad said when he saw it was that it looked phallic.

btw--the book it's on is Omnivore's Dilemma. You'll never think about food in the same way again...(or at least that's what z&a's dad says -- I bought him that book for his birthday).

Oregon Stash

While at the Oregon Flock and Fleece Festival, I saw some beautiful stuff, roving mostly, but lots of yarn too...I'm still bummed I didn't get additional alpaca yarn, or the beautifully soft cashmere that was available (the $$$ it cost was another factor).

Now, for what I did get. I got enough laceweight wool for a shawl (in dark grey), a ball of laceweight alpaca (2 oz) for another swallowtail or a shawlette, and a little alpaca. You can't see the alpaca very well in my picture. I may take another pic at a later date.