An In-Progress Knitted Citron In The Least Citrus-Like Color Possible

Pictured above: My scrunched-up, in-progress Citron shawl (pattern/completed version pictured here) alongside my iPhone for scale.

I was in need of some mindless knitting at the end of last week in time for the long weekend, and this project has been perfect -- in that it is simple and goes on forever, much like the never-ending-but-equally-beautiful Clapotis pattern ...)

It's similar to the Clapotis I knit for KT (way back when) in another way -- I'm using the exact same yarn: Naturally Caron Country in Deep Taupe (25% merino wool, 75% acrylic). Ever since I finished binding off the Clapotis, the last 1 and 3/4 skeins have been lurking in my stash, waiting to be found again.

I like this yarn a lot; it's easy to work with and has a very subtle sheen to it, which adds a bit of fun. I only slightly regret not going up one needle size (it's currently on 24-inch circular 6's), because I think the extra space in between the stitches would have fit the whimsy of the pattern a little better ... But then again, it is all scrunched up right now as it's still in progress. I think that after I finish, some blocking and a wee bit of stretching could do some good if need be.

Plus, this was my tester, just to see if I could pull off the pattern. For the next one, I'm thinking a much brighter, better-quality yarn. This looks tempting.

The Knitting That Never Was

A few weekends ago, I resolved to tidy up my knitting corner in our office. I planned to divide and conquer in three hours or less, bagging like yarns together, organizing labels from used skeins, reclaiming good yarn from bad half-finished projects, and disposing of some bad finished projects altogether. Of course, I had planned to photographically document the whole process for posting here -- and I did start to take photos as I went -- but after a short while, it became clear that the whole ordeal was just too pathetic.

As a result of my investigation into what was lurking in my knitting basket (tub? the thing is huge), I discovered three or four heinously ugly (but well-knit!) scarves that I will be begging some charity to take off my hands, as well as two winter hats and a striped sleeveless top sort of thing that will absolutely have to be incinerated because it's so ugly.

Other findings included what was supposed to be a knitted headband that turned out to be more the size of a bonnet (ye shall always knit a gauge swatch), about a billion bajillion random buttons, all sorts of little stringy scraps of cotton, wool, acrylic (shudder), silk and cashmere, AND ALSO some mohair yarn with like, glitter or neon sparkles woven into it. Yikes.

Not only were the items too sad to photograph, they're things I never want to have a visual reminder of ever again, so I did the logical thing -- I deleted the photos I'd started to take and then put the camera down. Because after all, friends don't let friends post bad knitting pictures. And at the risk of sounding like I have multiple personalities, I'll say I'd like to think that I am my own best friends. Er, friend. I meant friend. Singular.

On the plus side, the experience did jog my memory of what good-quality yarn I still have left that I need to use. And as I was sifting through the piles, potential projects started to come to mind. The knitting bug seems to hit me about once every two months, so I guess I'm due for another bout with my needles.

Stick around. You never know what tragic thing I'll knit next.

I Knit Because the Yarn and Needles are a Few Things in Life That I Can Control

A few 100-hour-plus work weeks in the month of November and now I'm back. And I brought presents.

Well, kind of.

Who doesn't love bad knitting photography?

Here are long overdue photos of KT's finished Clapotis, which I was able to block into shape over the Thanksgiving break:




Another project I was able to both start and finish (it's a Christmas miracle!) over the weekend were these baby booties for the baby of a former co-worker and his wife. I really liked the way they turned out, even if the pattern was a little confusing at first.



And because I regularly use this blog to remember when I knitted what and for whom and with which needles and what yarn, I'm just going to start logging away these little details here for the purposes of Future Me ...

KT's Clapotis: Naturallycaron.com; Country; 75% acrylic; 25% merino wool; Color: 0015 Deep Taupe; size 8 straight needles; Pattern "Clapotis" from Knitty.com; at least 4 skeins (185 yds./85 g./3 oz./each)

KJ's Baby Booties: Lion Brand; Cotton Ease; 50% acrylic; 50% cotton; Colors: 152 Charcoal & 123 Seaspray; size 3 straight needles (could have been smaller size); Pattern "Saartje's Booties" from Saartjeknits.nl; 1 skein each color, not much used

The baby booties didn't require much yarn, and I love the colors, particularly the bluish charcoal color, so I'm going to use them for a pair of practice "Cashmere Fingerless Gloves" over at The Purl Bee.

If they turn out well and/or don't make me become violently frustrated and prone to screaming like some other knitting patterns, then I might consider buying some fancy cashmere-y yarn and making them again.

All in good time. Or, knowing me, all in a really, really, really long time resulting in a case of binge knitting.

Photos by Sway Sovay

Get Yer Knit On

Up until a week or two ago, I hadn't done any serious knitting in months. Something about my insanely demanding job and freelance writing activities, combined with the 100-plus-degree weather here in the summers, made me put it on hold for a while.

But I plan on getting back into the swing of things. In fact, I've already started something -- as well as compiled a list of all the future projects I want to work on. I'll keep these items in my queue, whether it takes me a year, or five years, to get to them.

In an unsure order:

1. "Ms. Marigold," a V-neck, sleeveless tank
2. Glampyre Knits' famed "One Skein Wonder"
3. "OpArt," an optical illusion baby blanket
4. "Bonbon" bath loofahs
5. "Sonnet" cardigan, knit from side to side
6. The other mitten to Kate Gilbert's "Gifted" pattern (I got sidetracked after the first one.)
7. "Easy Drop Stitch Scarf" at Frazzled Knits
8. Picnic Knits' "Snappy Hat"
9. "Buttercup Beret" by Sweet Sassafras
10. "Saartje's Bootees" by Saartje Knits
11. "Cashmere Fingerless Gloves" by The Purl Bee
12. "Daytrip Cardigan" by Neoknits
13. "Tank Girl" camisole (I would probably alter this one a teensy weensy bit ...)
14. And something by Presents Knits. Maybe even this.

Whew! I should be busy for the rest of my life with all that!

First thing's first, though ... I have to finish this ...


... because it is a birthday present for my dear friend, Ms. KT. Happy birthday, KT!!! It's a Clapotis, the color of um, dirt -- yeah, that's right, dirt -- just what you wanted. ;-)

I know it doesn't look like it, but I'm nearly halfway finished, and I'll mail it to you as soon as I can!

If You Pay Close Attention You'll Notice I Have Avoided Doing Any Real, Actual Work

This month I'm writing two articles for our magazine, and each will appear in a different city's publication. The first is an eco-friendly beauty products piece for the "green" issue that we publish every April, and it's going in one of our California magazines.

So far I am loving this first assignment, because all I have to do is call up companies and ask them for free samples and press releases. Then I write up two or three short sentences describing the products' benefits and ta da!, I am done. So easy. Not to mention all the fun, free swag I'll receive by the end of the month. I may have to beg my editor to let me do one of these every month from now on ...

The second article is about the West of Western culinary festival which will be taking place here in Phoenix next month at the Phoenix Art Museum. Have not really started this one yet, but it's due like, yesterday, so pray for me. (In my defense, my editor assigned it to me late, so I won't feel guilty about taking some time with this one. I'm operating according to the concept of quality over speed this time around.)

Things I have done instead of writing the culinary festival article...

Well, I made this:






















Just the one for now. Maybe by Monday morning I'll have a bonafide pair.

The pattern is "Gifted" by Kate Gilbert and the yarn is some I had left over from the Man Scarf I made for my boyfriend. Again, I'm aware that this is further proof that I am in denial about living in the middle of the desert. Or maybe just proof of a personal conviction that I will not always live in the desert? Regardless, mittens are adorable -- particularly these -- and I do intend to make another!

Also, happy Valentine's Day! (If that's your thing. If it's not, you are going to want to visit this post on Lemondrop.com and click through to the foreign site. I certainly hope you're not having THAT kind of a day.)





















Photos by Sway Sovay

à la Fin

A dear friend not so long ago informed me that the name of my most recent knitting project ("Clapotis") sounded like the name of an STD.

Ew.

It took me a few days to forget about that comment before I could pick the damn thing up again. Maybe in time I'll forget she ever mentioned it. (You know who you are. And you know I'm going to say something to ruin your lunch today. Look out.)

At any rate, I have finally come to the end. Voilà!

















Photo by Sway Sovay

Clapotis Update -- Nearly Finished

Am getting... so close... to the... end...

This is a photo of my updated progress on the Clapotis. The good news: Hooray! -- It's nearly finished; I just have a handful more decrease rows to go. The bad news: Boo! -- The pattern goes on for-ev-er. Additionally, as a result, the thing is freakin' huge. Look at the size of it. (See my highlighter to the right of it for scale.)

The pattern does describe the finished product as a type of hybrid scarf/shawl thing, but now that I've actually knitted it, the Clapotis seems impractically large for a person my size. (I'm 5'3".) I wrapped it around my neck and felt a little like I was about to be eaten by a boa constrictor.

Also, the fact that I live in Arizona, where there are really only something like four days a year that are cold enough to warrant the wearing of a scarf/shawl, makes this even more impractical. (I'm not sure what I was thinking, except that apparently I really failed to conceptualize how big it would end up being before I began.)

Yet, having said all that, I do plan on making another one, just slightly different. The pattern includes instructions for adaptation, so my next attempt will be narrower. I really love the drape and the accordion-like folds that the ladders of dropped stitches create, making the garment feel very thick and warm. I'll probably always leave this pattern unblocked (i.e., I won't steam it flat), so as to keep that crimped effect.

Not sure what I'm going to do with this thing after it's finished. Will I have a change of heart and decide that maybe it doesn't swamp me as badly as I originally thought? Will I unravel it and use the yarn for something else? (Hell no. Ahem, I mean... Probably not.) Maybe I can stash it somewhere in my apartment until I can gift it. (Preferably to a person who I'm sure does not read this blog, and has not read this post.)

More photos of knitted goodness to come!

Man Scarf

Last week I presented my boyfriend with this scarf, which I knit for him as an anniversary present. The yarn is the Brown Sheep Company's "Lamb's Pride Superwash" in grey heather, and I knit it on #10 needles in German rib stitch.

The scarf remains unblocked, actually, mainly due to the fact that I couldn't decide which way it looked better -- blocked or unblocked. But seeing as how my boyfriend lacks an opinion one way or the other, and also, because to block it would require extra effort on my part, it will probably remain as you see it here.

Classically plain and simple, it's the Man Scarf.

Photos by Sway Sovay

This is What Happens When I Look at Craft Sites When I Should be Getting Ready for Work

Crafty things:

This chandelier at Apartment Therapy would make me feel less like any room looked artistic and more like I just needed to clean.

This wedding quilt at Purl Bee is so beautiful! (And further proof that it helps to be good with numbers if you sew, knit or crochet.) I want to make it! Of course, I can see a few obstacles standing in my way -- namely, that I don't own a sewing machine, and also, that since it took me a year just to knit my boyfriend's afghan, I don't think the quilt would be finished in my lifetime.

Hmmm... could these make good Christmas presents for all my earring-wearing girlfriends next year? Hey, if they pass them up, then that's just more for me.

Halfway on the Clapotis, Etc.

I am now more than halfway through the Clapotis pattern, and it looks like this:


I know it doesn't look like I'm halfway there, but trust me, I have a notepad full of tick marks to prove it. I'm still trying to decide whether or not I want to block it so that it lies flat, or just leave it as is, so that it continues to kind of bunch up and curl on its own. Hmm.

More stitchery goodness:


And in other knitting news, I have finally finished (mostly) the afghan I began making for my boyfriend about a year ago. I still have a few loose ends to weave in on the wrong side, but other than that, it is finally, finally done.


The pattern is my own, albeit not a very tricky one, as I'm sure any advanced knitter could look at this photograph and reproduce the exact same blanket. At any rate, if you have any questions regarding the pattern, just e-mail me.

We're so close to Christmas now, that for a moment I considered just wrapping up the afghan and giving it to my boyfriend as his holiday present, but seeing as how he's been waiting a year for it, I figured that might be like cheating, don't you think?

Photos by Sway Sovay

Beginning the Clapotis, Etc.

I've been underground for the past week for good reasons.

1. I've been writing an article on this film, which has turned out to be a very fascinating subject matter. I wrapped up the article yesterday, though, so that is finally done and done.

And...

2. I'm a bridesmaid in a wedding that will be taking place in Oklahoma City on December 20, so I had to fly back to Oklahoma last weekend for bridal shower and bachelorette party activities. Amazingly enough, although the bride lives in OKC, none of the bridesmaids live in Oklahoma, so pulling off the parties required major coordination on our parts, but it was absolutely worth the work.

In other news, I've been working on a knitting project for myself. I know every online knitter and her sister has already knit a Clapotis by now, but I can't help it, I want one, too, and so I'm going to follow the crowd.


This is the current state of mine -- after several dozen attempts that had to be destroyed and reworked. (I thought I understood what an SSK was, but I didn't. I also thought I understood what a KFB and a PFB was, but I didn't. Fortunately, now I finally do.)

I haven't gotten to the unraveling stages yet, but I think the colorway and dropped ladders of stitches will complement each other well.

The yarn is Patons' SWS (Soy Wool Stripes) (70% Wool, 30% Soy) in the "Geranium" color, and the pattern is very fun. (Once a person knows what she's doing, obviously...) It's repetitive enough that I can zone out for a while, but also just tricky enough that I don't get completely bored. If this one turns out well, I may consider making more Clapotises (Clapoti?) as gifts in the future.

I'll post updated photos as my work progresses.

Photo: Sway Sovay