Did I Mention That I Finished Something?

Because I did.
I actually finished it a few months ago, but besides being my first "real" intarsia, it was also my first project with steeks, so it sat around while I screwed up the courage to actually cut through stitches that had taken me days (weeks) to make. Then there's the blocking process which, along with sewing the pieces together, is my least favorite part of knitting.
But it has to be done. I mean, if you want to be able to wear it.

On the other hand, the knitting part of this vest was so much fun. Every time I work on a different type of knitting I think, "this is the technique for me!" I like cables, sock knitting, lace, chunky-yarn knitting, fingerling-weight knitting, etc. etc. etc. However, I really think that intarsia may really be for me. I love being able to do straight, simple knitting with quick little color changes to break-up any potential monotony. Plus, it's very easy to see if you've made a mistake (I never seem to catch my cable mistakes until I've run through the whole pattern), and pretty easy to fix a mistake since the color you need is just hanging back there behind all the action on the front lines. So I guess I'm saying "yay" intarsia!





The pattern is from See Eunny Knit and I highly recommend it. Though do believe her when she says the vest is meant to fit snugly. I like the vest a lot, but I do have to do a little shimmying dance to get it off! I showed my true midwest colors and used Brown Sheep yarn—I guess the Nature Sport? (Sorry, I bought it 2 years ago...)


Here's another photo from the back...
And if you've checked in here before, you may remember this, but that was really the second intarsia project—I just managed to get the photo up first.

Hats Off!

This was supposed to be a Christmas present, but my timing was bad.
Nonetheless, we apparently have 6 more weeks of winter, so it was appreciated anyway.



It can be hard to knit for other people. I am so not a "brown" person when it comes to color (with a few exceptions) but I have definitely married one. He probably wouldn't have been happy with the seafoam blue-and-red or green-and-purple color-combos I would have knit for myself. When I bought the yarn I had to close my eyes and just hit the "buy" button, hoping it would end up OK.
He's happy. I'm happy.

The pattern is from Hello Yarn and it just has the best name ever.
Maybe I will make the mittens in crazy colors for myself...?
Arrrrrrr!!!!!!

I Have Big Feet

It often comes with being tall. Sometimes this is good--when sales roll around and all of the "little" sizes are sold out. Sometimes it is bad--when the stores only ordered one pair of size 10s.
These toasty little guys are the jaywalker socks by grumperina. They were my first socks and I learned the hard way that I need more than 2 balls of yarn to make myself a decent pair of socks to fit my big feet.

I do like my stripey solution, though. This way I get little "surprise" moment when I take my shoes off. At least for now. : )

I also learned that knitting socks is very satisfying in a (relatively) quick-knitting kind of way. (As opposed to an 8 st/inch sweater, ya know?)

I have the yarn for a new pair that I will probably start this winter and finish up about the time that knee-high wool socks seem absurd.
Oh well, I will definitely have them done in time for next winter.
Or maybe I'll surprise myself.

Sweaters...Oh, We've Got Sweaters

I thought that knitting a two children's sweaters would be easier...or at least faster than making (tall) adult clothes.

And...I was wrong.

But they turned out cute and their little twin owners live in San Francisco, so the springtime gift of sweaters is not quite the idiotic idea that it might have seemed at first. The pattern is from Knitty and the Rowan yarn colors are “Military” and “Ravish”. Not exactly the first words that pop into my head when thinking of children’s clothing, but whatever.

I also thought posting more than once a month would be easier.

ha.

I have been making stuff...I just haven't been photographing it. That should change with a new camera now in the household.

Oh, and I got my very own copy of The Spirit of the Beehive for my birthday, so I can watch it whenever I want.
Yay!