Knit by Nora

Compulsive ~ a strong, irresistible impulse to act (i.e., to knit) and Obsessive ~ to occupy the mind excessively (thus this blog)

Thursday, October 30, 2003

Today’s Knitting News

I have decided how to handle the possible yarn shortage for Chaise. I am going to complete the neck ruffle before the second sleeve. If needed, I can frog the 1st sleeve and divide the remaining yarn in half for two sleeves that could be knit slightly shorter. I just do not have time (or energy) to track down another ball if I do not have to.

While in Atlanta I visited the Needle Nook. This LYS had about three dozen felted items that were really nice. So I picked up a couple patterns and the new book on felting.

Which was interesting considering my travel project ended up being a Bucket O’Chic to felt.

I swatched for Mark’s Christmas gift – he picked the pattern himself: the hooded sweatshirt made of Lion Brand Wool-Ease.

I have three new venues wanting triangle scarves so I picked up enough yarn for a dozen scarves via credit card. Usually I can finish and sell them before the charge slips come in. Since Christmas is coming, I find the extra cash handy and the scarves are easier to sell as people are looking for unique gifts.

The weather is also perfect for this weight scarf (see the beautiful fall trees out side) as opposed to a wooly one for snow. From the master bath:

From the master bedroom:

And this is the end of the autumn leaves, most are lying about the yard. We are looking forward to a beautiful weekend -- sunny and at least 70 degrees!

posted by Nora | 2:22 PM

Saturday, October 25, 2003

Today’s Knitting News

I finished the 1st sleeve of Chaise. I only have two balls and the swatch left for the 2nd sleeve and the ruffle neckline. I am very nervous about having enough yarn…actually I am paralyzed at the moment and afraid to cast on to knit the final piece. The ruffled neckline is half of what makes this design. The yarn came from a LYS in Pittsburgh last May and it is an hour away.

I need to figure out a travel-knitting project to take to Atlanta. I leave tomorrow night (Sunday) and will be back Thursday.

posted by Nora | 1:30 PM

Thursday, October 23, 2003

Today’s Knitting News

I frogged the ruffle of my first sleeve on Chaise – had cast on 120 not 122 stitches. I just could not leave two sets of P2 in a row along the seam (is a P2, K2 ruffled rib stitch). And I finished the marsupial Booga J bag. The grommets really polish the bag, thanks to Ginny for this great accent idea.

The mini also turned out well – the wood button is adorable. I wish I had bought more for a cardie.

posted by Nora | 2:45 PM

Wednesday, October 22, 2003

Today’s Knitting News

I have posted 2 patterns; one is the skull and cross bones cap in 2 sizes. I have knit three of these and need one more for a Christmas gift. It is stretchy – I wear the small/medium and so does Mark when he wants a tight fit. The medium/large does not crush his hair. (He spends more time grooming his coiffure than I do!) The second is the infamous triangle scarf that I hawk to earn more yarn dollars. It is presented in honor of all garter stitch scarves. This one takes it up a notch by using an increase stitch to shape a triangle the size of a half a bandana. The scarf can be tied any way a halved-bandana can be worn. It never looks like much while in the ball, but made up it becomes a showstopper. I also managed to get my archives up-to-date and in a monthly format. I want to catch up on my gallery, also. I plan to combine the monthly files into a larger pdf.

I finished the back of Chaise last night and will block the front and back tonight.I am doing the sleeves one at a time. Usually I like to knit them both at once, but the ruffled ¾ sleeve starts with 140 stitches cast on. And as promised, the debut of...Grace! Mark took the photo of me in the front yard, I used auto for one on the steps to get better detail of the cardie and the outfit.

posted by Nora | 1:45 PM

Monday, October 20, 2003

Archives are not current. Testing after adjusting publication settings.

posted by Nora | 5:07 PM

Just waking up from napping, a sleepy-eyed Bowie.

Today’s Knitting News

I am still on a run with purchasing books – this one followed me home from Barnes & Noble (I used my sister’s 10% discount) and it is not an expensive book to start with! Debbie Stoller’s Stitch ‘n Bitch – The Knitter’s Handbook is half instruction and half patterns. The instruction is written in a fun, funky manner and was amusing to read just for the verbiage.

The patterns are quite modern. And for good reason! Many were done by knit bloggers, including the renowned Becky . A couple other blogs I have read in the past include: Melissa , Jenna and Annie. I plan to check them out again. Congrats to all on being published.

This weekend I finished knitting my 2nd Booga J bag. I was inspired by Meema’s Felted Marsupial Tote bag pattern in the new book and knit a little connecting pouch for Booga J. It is a little bigger than the original (to hold lipstick) and I added a buttonhole. The perfect wood button has been waiting for a place to nest. All I need to do is felt. Another slight change is making two I-cords for the handles instead of one and cutting it after felting. This bag will also have cute brass grommets.

I also finished Grace and wore her today to work with a paisley skirt! I will get a photo to post tomorrow. And my TGIF project was an Explosion scarf (a Christmas gift). It feels good to be back in the groove!!

posted by Nora | 10:42 AM

Friday, October 17, 2003

Today’s Knitting News

I finished the collar of Grace, seamed the sleeves, seamed the first side and then tried to seam the second. To my dismay, I found I had knit the front right with 8 rows of rib not 4 like the front left and back piece. No way am I undoing a collar and frogging an entire front with buttonholes to correct those 4 stupid brain-dead rows.

Thanks to the help of Katharine Buss’s Big Book of Knitting (and a couple other references for more detail) inspiration struck – use the technique for lengthening/shortening a garment to change the stitches rather than the size! All I have left to do is use the graft stitch to “reknit” the two pieces back together and then I can seam and wear my new cardie!

posted by Nora | 10:59 AM

Thursday, October 16, 2003

Today’s Knitting News

The UPS man came this morning with my Amazon.com order, so I looked through Celebrity Scarves at lunch today. This is a book that has created a minor controversy. My comments may do the same. I have refrained from commenting because unless one reads a book, I do not think one should comment – although this book is more eye candy than content. (Note: I have in-laws who have condemned the Harry Potter books without having read a line. When I planned to purchase sets for nieces, I was thought of as “unchristian”. To me, book burning is a hate crime and criticism without substance is superficial.)

Most new knitters start with a scarf and many experienced knitters return to scarves for various reasons: to try new yarns or patterns, for a break from the complex, to complete a gift for someone who appreciates the effort and a hodge-podge of reason too numerous to recount.

Personally, I have made about 200 scarves in the last three years, about ¾ to sell and the others as gifts and for myself. About half were the same triangle pattern and the same yarn. I must say that nothing else evolved my rhythm and comfort with knitting like the repetition of these scarves. True they do not advance specific techniques like cables, increases/decreases, intarsia, etc., but scarves are like the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic! They set a foundation for learning.

During times of extreme stress at work, I cannot tackle the challenging and “retreat” to scarves. In the introduction, Isaac Mizrhi has a similar thought, “Let’s face it – there aren’t many who could unwind or focus while trying to figure out a complicated Fair Isle cardigan or even a cable-front crewneck.” I suspect that the basic garter stitch scarf will always be a safe knit to return to.

Celebrities, along with new knitters (or bloggers), should not be ridiculed for knitting scarves. Or for taking an expensive yarn, casting on and knitting away. After all to knit is “to make a (a fabric or garment) by intertwining yarn or thread in a series of connected loops.” And I would say each of the ladies in this book can knit (or crochet). On this webring, I have seen “experienced” knitter/designers take Colinette Point 5 and offer scarf patterns much like the Portia de Rossi and Jennie Garth scarves. Heck, I have made a Point 5 scarf myself (cast on and knit till end of yarn—no purling required). True I have not been photographed for a glossy book, but I are not mocked as much either…

In reading this book, none of represented themselves as any thing other than novice knitters. The reasons many of these celebrities knit are the same as ordinary people, because of a woman in the family, to feel creative or for relaxation. Knocking novice knitters, even “celebrities” is easy to do and just a bit arrogant.

What I am taking away from this book is a desire to knit more scarves -- for me, inspiration can come from anywhere as you know (see my last entry about mail-order mags being inspirational). I would love to try the yarn Sirdar/KFI in Snowflake Chunky cause it looks just like snow!! I have used Gedifra Techno Hair for a couple make-up bags, but might try it in a scarf or simple pullover sweater. I actually made a scarf like Laura Leighton (without the end accent yarn), which is a kit from Anny Blatt that I loved when I saw the scarf made up at a LYS in Princeton and later searched the web to purchase. I would like to try Trendsetter “Blossom.” Rowan’s Biggy Print is still really cool and I would not mind a scarf from it. And finally, I like the colors of Daryl’s scarf and the yarns, also. So go ahead and mock me for my simple tendencies.

posted by Nora | 3:48 PM

Wednesday, October 15, 2003

Today’s Knitting News

Patternwork’s Fall 2003 catalogue has a beautiful cover of yarns in pumpkin, rust and autumn colors – pretty enough to make you want to scope all of them up for something luschious. Inside, the Liv pullover and Gyrid Sleeveless top from Elsebeth Lavold’s Designer’s Choice Book One The Viking Knits Collection are shown, along with the silky wool yarn. A Viking sweater is in my future in the next year or two.

Another good one for Winter 2004 is the Gorshuch catalogue of finished clothing. The fun part of this mag is the Dale of Norway finished sweaters and accessories, along with other Norwegian inspired knitwear. I understand why Julie is hankering to knit one of these treasures.

Yesterday was a great knitting day. I am half way through the back of Chaise and seamed the shoulders of Grace & knit 4 cm of 12 on the collar. By the end of the week, I should have a new cardigan! Lunch today is the Booga J bag. It seems like my knitting is flying…the time away must have recharged my knitting batteries or something.

posted by Nora | 10:54 AM

Monday, October 13, 2003

Today’s Knitting News

My normal knitting life has returned to me! Since last Wednesday night I have:
1. Completes six scarves (5 triangles and 1 long rectangle with fringe) made of Stacy Charles Cancun/Rinalto mixed with eyelash yarn for a wholesale order;

2. Finished the sleeves of Grace – all pieces are blocking (photo soon). Only knitting the collar and seaming are left; and

3. Cast on and knit the bottom of Booga J bag # 2 made of colorway #55 from Noro Kureyon. I realized that I had done the bottom of my first one in stockinette stitch not garter. It will be interesting to see the difference in felting.

Since Grace will be finished this week, I can move onto back of Jo Sharp’s An Island Holiday Chaise (front is done). And I can also start daydreaming about my next project thereafter!

Work hours came down to about 50 hours last week after five in a row 60-hour weeks. My goal is a normal 40-hour workweek, this week. Double yippee. Thank you for your supportive comments, patience in checking back and just being buddy bloggers/knitters. It is terrific how the knitting webring has experienced a growth spurt lately.

Web shopping continues to be my other past time. Knit “N” Time is the source of my first Phildar purchase: Spring 2003 Tendances. I had to see the magazine that inspired Becky’s pretty cotton jacket. They included the English translation with the magazine! Still, I wish I could read all of the text, not just the patterns. This was my first experience with this Canadian site and it was a smooth transaction.

posted by Nora | 3:44 PM

Wednesday, October 08, 2003

~~Today’s~~ This Week’s Knitting News

No progress on Grace. I have completed the Anny Blatt scarf and a second lacey, mohair scarf. Lately I have read more about knitting than I have accomplished. I anticipate a more normal schedule in the next month. A trip to Atlanta, Georgia the week of Halloween will afford me a great deal of knitting time and visits to new LYSs!

I picked up Better Homes and Gardens premier issue of Simply Creative Crochet. Since my crochet goal is granny-squares, the “Hip to be Square” article on granny-square basics grabbed my attention. It is neat to see life on the other side…

Amazon.com has been my respite from 60-hour workweeks. I picked up Alexis Xenakis’ The Knitting Experience: Book 2: The Purl Stitch and Vicki Square’s excellent Folk Bags: 30 Knitting Patterns and Tales from Around the World. These are awesome bags. On the way for next week (a reason not to quit my job) are Celebrity Scarves by Abra Edelman and Jean Frost Jackets: Fabric, Fit and Finish for Today’s Knits. Great prices and free shipping. Forgot how easy it is to click and shop.

The winter Anthropologie mail-order magazine came in the mail. It is a great source of inspirational knitwear – I save my copies. Now I want a capelet having seen the two they feature (look below). I already have two ponchos, one silky for warm weather and one thick, blankety one for cold weather, or I would be tempted to join a poncho knit-along. (As if I have time to knit.) A capelet seems more manageable and much funkier.