Look what we have here! A finished sweater! I've been meaning to blog about this one, but I just haven't had a chance.

Yarn: Hipknits silk in "barbie pink" (not really, it was custom)
Pattern: Angelica Tunic
Needles: Addi Turbos 5mm, 24" and 4mm, 24" circs
Date Started: 2.18.06
Date Stated to Ignore: 2.27.06 (a new stat I'm starting)
Date Finished: 3.18.06

Soooo this would have been a fast knit really. The last time I even mentioned it all I needed were the sleeves and maybe to redo the bindoff. Easy enough right? Except for some reason I just couldn't get myself to do it. Actually, that's a lie, I know exactly why I didn't touch it. I wanted to knit the sleeves in the round, BUT I didn't have circs long enough to do it. I never made it to the yarn store to get some AND I didn't have any dpn's in the right size either. So there Angelica sat, next to my bed every night mocking and taunting me. Finally she reminded me that I had a wedding shower to go to and nothing to wear. I really didn't feel like shopping, so I had to knit. The wedding shower was on the 18th, I decided on this brilliant idea on the 15th at ohhh 11 at night.

That night I ripped the bindoff and kept going till just before the hip increases. The next day (the 16th) I started knitting the body again and added a few more increases and also about an inch (maybe 1.5") in length. I was finally ready to meet my nemesis, the sleeves. What did I do? I went and finished the neck trim. I picked up all the stitches that night and finished the knitting on the 17th, when all was left to do were the sleeves. I still didn't have any new needles, so I forced myself to use what I already had. I found some 29" Clovers in the right size. OH. MY. GOD! I hate those damn needles. The join makes it impossible to knit in magic loop with ease. I spent most of my time trying to push the stitches up from the cord onto the actual needles. I never want to see those needles again (if you want them, then let me know). Once I decreased enough stitches I switched to my beloved addis and flew through the rest of the sleeve. By dinner time I was done and ready to start on the second sleeve. I ended up going out to dinner, then watching a movie, and maybe knitting a little just before I went to sleep. Not good! I woke up on Saturday morning extra early to get the sleeve done. I still had to weave in all the ends and seam that little bit in the underarm. The wedding shower was at 5 and we still had to get ready and drive an hour and a half to get there. With three shots of espresso in me I worked on the sleeves till a little past noon. I still had the purl ridges to go! We left the house at 1:30 and in the car I finished the sleeve and just started weaving in ends like crazy. At around 3, we got to our family's house and I seamed the underarms and finished weaving anything in. I forgot something important though, the button. At that point I didn't care, it didn't even faze me. I just looked through my boyfriend's house for a pin and used the best one I could find. Needless to say, there's been no blocking of any sort on this sweater.

After all that, what do I think? I think this was a great knit, an easy piece with some really pretty details. I didn't stray from the pattern at all other than adding some length to the body. I love the fit, I went for zero ease totally ignoring this conversation. The hipknits silk is super soft and easy to knit with. It did fuzz on my skirt a little, but I love the drape and feel of it so I forgive it. This was my first time knitting with a 100% silk and I definitely see myself doing it again. I think I will knit this sweater again, but next time in some cotton (totally ripping Illanna off) and without the neck detail. I hate to admit it, but I really liked the way the sweater looked with a more opened neckline (like Katie's). I really don't mind if it draws more attention to my chest (like I can somehow draw attention away from it, hah!), does that make me a slut or something?

Moving on....

Inspired by Leah, I decided to go around my kitchen and find some pinks and red for you. Of course, I had to throw some yarn in the mix. Can't fault me for that!

Sundara sock yarn in Cherry Blossoms

Sundara sock yarn in cirque

And what became of that gorgeous yarn I showed you the other day?

I think I've frogged this sock maybe three or more times. The first time I had the wrong number of stitches and the rest were just because I couldn't decide on a pattern. I really want my pal to be happy with his socks, but at the same time I want to make sure I finish these in time. I finally decided on a simple mock cable stitch, basically a k3 p2 rib but with a little decreasin-increasin action thrown in. I'm already six inches into the foot, but I'm still having second thoughts. What do you think of this pattern?

Posted by bitter purl at 06:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (42)

My dearest sockpal,

I've been a selfish knitter only thinking of me!me!me!! (hence the whole selfish thing, see how that workS?). Sure, I could say I wanted a clean slate when I started your socks, but who would believe that? I mean, let's face it, those last few socks I knit weren't wip's for long. I've been ignoring you, there I said it. Why, you ask? Your feet. I have no concept of what an 11" foot is. What size is that? I already went over that before, so I'll stop holding out. Guess what, I got you some yarn. Yarn just for you, in a color only you can have (well, unless someone decides they like it and goes asking for it. I can't make any guarantees). Want to see?

Posted by bitter purl at 05:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (20)

Boston MFA

I'm out of town for the weekend, so no real update tonight. BUT I do have a certain knit finished (which was worn tonight) and maybe, just maybe yarn for my ever-ignored sockpal arrived in the mail before I left (it's quite delicious). All will be revealed and explained on Monday. Hopefully this 'project spectrum' image will do. I took this during our vacation to Boston in the fall.

Posted by bitter purl at 01:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Posted by bitter purl at 10:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Yarn: Socks That Rock, Ruby Slipper (one ounce left over)
Pattern: Badcaul
Needles: 2.5mm Addis
Date Started: 3.04.06
Date Finished: 3.11.06

On Friday I finally picked up this project again and started knitting the second sock, by the time I went to sleep I had turned the heel and by Saturday afternoon I had bound off. Anna, what weird voodoo did you put in this pattern? You would think I knit these socks using a sport or dk yarn, each sock only took me two to three days, if that. The combination of knitting an easy six row repeat, toe up, magic loop style created the speed to thwart any notion of second-sock-syndrome. That only wouldn't make a great sock pattern, but the perfect fit and the impressive results do. Can you tell I love these socks?

I still don't buy all the hype surrounding this yarn. It's isn't very soft, which makes it a great wearing sock yarn (yay!), but murder on my hands (boo!). Am I willing to sacrifice super softness for some cool colors? I'm not so sure yet. The colors are pretty cool, if you go on the site Ruby Slippers looks like it's just red and purple, but when you knit with it you find all these different shades of reds, pinks, oranges, and purples. I do have one more skein of STR (in gypsum) in the stash to help me decide later. The yarn isn't rough at all on my feet, unfortunately I don't knit with my feet so there you go. The heat today did make me realize that sock knitting season may be done for me unless I find the cotton version of STR (sock candy), does anyone know where I can find that without having to form a fellowship to go on some sort of quest?

Posted by bitter purl at 04:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (30)

My original intention was to post about what I chose for project spectrum (Badcaul Socks in STR Ruby Slippers),

but then I decided to start knitting and blog about it after some progress (say after turning the heel).

Umm then somehow this happened...

When Leah told me how fast the Badcaul socks were going to go, I didn't think she meant lightening fast! Really, that one sock was knit here and there while watching my boyfriend play videogames or after dinner, but before a movie. This pattern is so quick and it helps that it's easily memorized, I can just walk around without lugging around a chart. The funny thing is that while I worked on this, one of my friends asked me how I had the patience to knit since progress was so slow. Apparently the space/time continuum is quite different between knitters and non-knitters. Dude, this was so freaking fast.

Can I be completely honest with you though? I would have finished this sock faster (and started on the second one) if it wasn't for the yarn. This blogland darling doesn't agree with my hands AT ALL! My index finger feels raw and itchy. Where's this softness everyone talks about? It's apparently missing from my hank. The colors are cool (even the boyfriend likes the yarn) and I like the way the yarn knit up (I think this is the best fitting sock yet), but I really don't think any of that is worth it if I'm going to hate the knitting experience. I'm going to wait a day or two to cast on for the second sock and once I'm done I'll make a final decision on this yarn, but I really don't see it becoming my go-to sock yarn (especially when I know what koigu, claudia's, sundara, and nature's palette feel like).

Posted by bitter purl at 03:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (38)

Pattern: Child's French Sock from Knitting Vintage Socks
Yarn: Tess Designer Yarn Super Socks
Needles: Addi Turbos 2.5mm
Date Started: 2.13.06
Date Finished: 3.2.06

If it wasn't for that amazing silk that came in the mail (and my wrist acting up), I think I could have finished this pair of socks in two or three days. But nope, I fell for the new yarn while the second sock was ignored. Sorry! The weird thing? The second sock came out a lot better, ie. it doesn't have the loose ankle problem.

This was a pretty fun pattern that you can easily memorize. This was my first Nancy Bush pattern and now I know what all the fuss is about. I followed the pattern faithfully, I didn't find anything I needed to change. Why would I? It was well thought out and easy to follow.

Another first for me was knitting with Tess Designer Yarn or even a superwash yarn. I picked this skein up when I went to Stitches East last year and the poor yarn has been waiting for me to do something with it for five months. That's just not right. I'm glad I waited though, this yarn was perfect for this pattern. I love it's stitch definition (so yummy with all this texture) and the subtle color variegation. I think this last picture is the one truest in color, a little bit of strawberry with some grape thrown in. Oh, a good reason for using this yarn comes to mind....I used almost all 450 yards in the hank for this pair of socks while the pattern requires about 400.

Project Spectrum:

For all of you that are sick of me knitting in reds or pinks, umm you can come back in April. Through no coercing of mine, Lolly made March 'red and pink' month. How lucky is that? This is just a partial selection from my stash* (if I had more than one skein of a certain yarn I only showed one) I get to choose from this month. It's almost overwhelming, almost. I think I know what I'm going to work on this month, but I first want to finish Angelica and then maybe just let the red and pink yarns duke it out for my attention.

*to see what each yarn is, you can follow this link.

Posted by bitter purl at 03:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (25)

I've been holding this in for what seems like ages. It's been so exciting. What the hell am I talking about?

go to sundarayarn.com to see!!!

trust me, it wasn't always easy, but I was sworn into secrecy and well, I don't doubt Purly would have kicked my ass :)

Posted by bitter purl at 04:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)