It’s been busy here in NYC

It’s been busy here in NYC, and with the weather more or less like this for a good few days now, one gets stuff done! Due to some major schedule changes at work last week, (not good for the bank account, but…) I got lots of paperwork done (hooray till the next batch). What I have not made is a firm short list and long list, yet. I keep finding more things I want to make.

I had a play/knit date with Barbara, and we had great fun. I meant to cast on for the Mermaid, with Barbara holding my hand… but did not get to it. Barbara is doing a lot of crochet.

I finished my bubble wrap socks. I made the second sock a bit narrower on top, and it is interesting how 6 stitches can change the color repeats. (or the skeins varied a lot. I love the way they came out, and now I know, Koigu=64 stitches with US1.

In the "how much damage can you do in a rainy weekend" department I excelled!
I joined Sundara’s petal collection (every month for 6 month you get 2 skeins for socks inspired by the flower of the month- right up my ally…)
The Trekking XXL KAL (knit with Trekking on a hike) here are the Trekking troops who will join me... The first one to be knit will be the deep red.

I submitted to Whiplash, the theme was yarn, I chose metalic yarn
And Mary lead me to this:
the yarnographers forum a place for yarn pr0n fans to share their shots of yummy yarns and fabulous fibers.
I found this little handy guide: Knitters', Crocheters', Weavers', & Spinners' Travel Guide 2006 (Paperback)
and this little lady who is knitting herself.
Now quick, back to my knitting!

Life got in the way of knitting

Thanks everybody for your kind and encouraging words! I Love comments, don’t you??
Life got in the way of knitting and blogging, too much to do in a short day, but I have been knitting along. I am in shock because I frogged half my sock. You guys are a bad influence on me… I don’t frog, I improvise… I had knit the sock to the toe decrease and realized that I will not want the patterned part in my shoe, it was too bulky, and made the foot part too wide. So I froggerd back to the gusset pu and decreased a few stitches. And yes, its pooling a bit at the top, that’s cause I ran out of yarn from this skein, and had to use a bit of leftover from another color (even if a close match). And no, I am not frogging it again. (I am totally humbled by Diana who swatches her projects extensively) I have started the second sock and it is going very fast. (next pair I will attempt 2 socks at once on only 2 circs). I can watch a movie with it now... I LOVE the way the heel turned out, with the staggering slipstitch heel flap. Like a field of flowers. they are also very comfy.I am already thinking next project. Mary thinks I should do this Lace/sock, since I have been threatening to make a lacy project. I have downloaded it a few weeks ago Mary, and it is on the long list. They are very cute, and can you see the theme- socks as the flowers of the field... but I am not sure this will be The one. I ‘d like to make Diana’s lacy socks if I do a lacy sock. I collect patterns, don't you...???
I received the chart from Amy for the mermaid, and also realized that it will be knit on size us2 needles, and one casts on like 500 stitches!
And speaking of flowers, the colors of the tulips are wild this year and this little patch reminded me of this little pillow I made a few years ago in Koigu, using triangle pick-ups. It was going to be a girl's cardi. The pattern was very tedious, and it ended up as a pillow...







Just to amuse myself I followed the hat instructions that came in the mermaid kit, using leftover Noro. I call it the nipple. Washing and drying it over as bowl (as directed) resulted in over stretching. it will be perfect for some bigheaded people...
So, I've been busy... but not too busy to stumble upon this lovely (LOVELY!!) Clapotis knit by Jane in what appears to be wonderfully soft, hand-painted cashmere. did I need to see this? ahhhhhhh. A must see (please be sure to sit, and have a napkin to collect your drool when you visit the website, and be sure to scroll through ALL the gorgeous colorways) Thanks for the tip Jane! One of those should be the yarn for my Clapotis, don't you think?

More knitting, less blog hopping.

There is only so much time to go around, so have to make tough choices… today was too gorgeous in NYC to be inside, but I did get 45 minutes of pure knitting while my son was in swim class. We also went to the river, at Mary’s suggestion (I am so glad the folks in Texas keep us posted…Thanks Mary!) to check out the new installation called "Puzzlejuice" by Orly Genger. A giant crochet project draped on the rocks, made of nylon rope. It is softer than it looks, its heavy and the kids just LOVE to jump on it. It will be there most of the summer. Why she calls it Puzzlejuice is a puzzle to me. Anyone?



It is part of 7 or 8 installations, called Studio in the Park in various parts of the Riverside Park complex.


So here is the Bubble Warp. It is a pattern that makes you pay attention a little more, I can’t watch a movie with it, but its fun. Bubble wrap is knit with Koigu from a few years ago. I do not have the color and lot info band anymore, sorry. I love the jewel tones- like precious stones. I tired to take dramatic shots of it, to match Puzzlejuice... The Sopranos are next……….I can knit to that......

Stress Reduction

Knitting is supposed to calm us, and relax us and make us FEEL GOOD! But I read so many knitters out there who are stressed out by the amount of knitting to be done and the yarn to be purchased! we have to balance it.
I hear ya’ people, and I am also super inspired myself, but I sill find it fun and stimulating. So much so, that I am on a roll. Socks everywhere, mermaid in the wings and pillows all over, lace (there, I said it)and much much more coming soon, but I have to make a list- a short list and a long list… My problems are time (life gets in the way of knitting...) and budget ('nogh said...)
Socks for May- bubble wrap, n Koigu from stash.
Socks for June- Dave’s Basketcase maybe in another Koigu from stash, (see also here) or Gentleman’s Fancy socks from Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush, which I just received today! Fantastic book, with all the different heels, toes, the in-between, etc. It is hard to decide what socks to make, I relate to yarn bug about getting books and downloading patterns. You think I have enough materials?....... so much to choose from.
So, sock of the month club is on!! Mary called it SOTMCWR, but I have no idea how to set the multi users blog, and Annie said- there is one in cyber space already. so check it out. The site also has a great selection of socks patterns. It will be nice to have our own SOTMCWR (sock of the month club without rules)- but need someone to set and admin it.
But socks or no socks, please visit Mary for a virtual hug (big storm) and DancesWithWool for some inspiration, how the bumps, (purl) difficult as they are, really enhances the smooth ride, stockinet, and much more..

Sock of the Month Club Without Rules, and more.

So the “Sock of the Month Club Without Rules” is on. Annie, Alice, Mary and I, are already in. How about you? Since many of us seem to have been bitten/ infected by the highly addictive sock-bug, we are looking for ways to regulate the habit! So the no rules are- whatever other WIP you got going, we are ok with it. Try to limit your sock knitting to one pair a month. Here is the fun part- you can do any sock you want, with any one or combo of yarns, from stash, or buy new yarn for it, or from stash, but buy one to replace it, or, your sister in law gave it to you to make for your niece- everything goes baby!!! The trouble is- too many sock pattern choices, right? I am almost ready to “declare” my May socks. The runners up are the bubble wrap socks from the sock bug (just checkout her circle of 75 pairs of socks in all the rainbow colors!) or Dave’s basketcase. Both pairs will look nice in Koigu, don’t you think? But I also have a lovely Lorna’s lace, (soft, ever so soft!) which I am itching to try.
I have finished two pairs last month, but only knit 3 socks. I have started the one pair 3 years ago, and did the second sock last month…
In case you are looking for the perfect pattern, here, and here are free sock patterns. also some places for technique- 2 Socks on 2 Circulars, toe-up, and short row heels. (thank you Franklyn for the short row heel tip)
I also finished the reversible hat and than I had two days without any “real” knitting- oh no!! I have been playing a bit with my idea to make patchwork socks (I love patchwork which some people call modular knitting or mitered squares.) and looked at the mermaid, who is waiting some pattern clarification from Amy.

The New York Project Knitaway was a great success. You can see the photo album here, and my piece here. The next meeting is about receiving a skein of yarn from the person sitting next to you, yarn that they don’t like- and you have to make something with it, as a solo or in combo with others. This is what I got- I can definitely work with this!
I forgot to take a photo of what I gave Annie; I’ll have to ask her to post it.






I have also started on Monday May 1st my Everyday Project. I will take a picture of this pond everyday on my way to work. Yes, I am one of the lucky people who can walk to work, through the lovely Central Park.

The truth will set you free.

Or so they say. Mary’s got my number. The truth is out. Does everybody know? Why was I the last to find out? Its true. I have been contemplating lace, and not just of late.
I have been wanting to make this (yes, its lace!) lovely scarf/shawl. I have cut it out of a magazine about a year ago. I bought some alpaca for it, a while back, although I think it is too thin for the project. But Mary has an alarming truth on her post today. We do blog hopping, we see delicious yarn, and we want it! Just what happened to me now, on her blog. How could you do this to me Mary? She sends me to this place that sells the most fabulous alpaca I have seen in years. I am in REAL trouble now!! But really, who can resist an alpaca yarn named “chocolate covered kisses”?
As if I need more yarn now.
Look what came in yesterday! From TheKnitter.com. I know what you might be thinking, but really (and if you have knit with Trekking XXL, you KNOW what I am talking about…) Trekking XXL has a taste of more. It just does.
I have been seeing out there in blog land a cute idea. Sock of the Month. This will help regulate the SoxBug. Every month you knit a pair of socks, regardless of what else you got going. The idea is that everybody does his or her own sock design, not limited to a specific one. Who’s in? I am not one to start a KAL, but feel free to do so, and let me know. I’ll join.
AND- the Mermaid has arrived!!! It was really fast, and I am very pleased, although I am not even allowed to take out the instructions until next week (I did squeeze the yarn and I am pleased to say it is softer than I thought.) No, I did not get the purple/pink colorway, sorry. In NYC the dark colors work better... It is the first time I bought anything on eBay. And now that I joined the Hanne Falkenberg KAL, I see that a number of members bought from this seller, Cucumberpatch UK successfully before!
I also found a very thought provoking question on someone’s blog, “what does knitting mean to you” and I was going to share it, but- I lost the blog! Has it ever happen to you? You find a blog you like, by your favorite way of blog hopping (I love to read other people’s comments, and visit their blog) and can’t find your way back, no matter how far back in the history you search? That will teach me to BOOKMARK!!
My reversible hat is coming along nicely. unraveling the crochet chain cast on was easy ( I did it slowly)
Now I have to get off the computer and on to my paperwork and my New York project for Project Knitaway. No I can’t show it yet, it is to be revealed only tomorrow at the Project Knitaway get together. As a matter of fact, tomorrow I’ll have 2 knitting events and I am thrilled. So- no more blog hopping for me for the next 24 hours, cause you know how you can get lost in blogland!!
So leave a comment and say hello. I'll be back in no time and I'll visit with ya' again!

Confession of a closet sockie

Ok, so I have to confess, I do have my share of sock yarn, even though I did not really consider myself a sockie. I guess now I have been bitten by the bug. And I do have plans for much of it. Some for socks and some for hats and scarves and gloves. There is lots of inspiration out there. Here is a page of socks to give ya’ some. I found it on Anna’s blog, and even though I do not read Swedish (a great handicap in blogland), I know a hot link when I see one, and I follow!
I really want to make these socks. There is a Koigu in my stash just begging to be Diana's socks! who reads German and can send a translation? Thanks! Danke!

But some yarn is just too wonderful to knit. Don’t you have yarn like that? Yesterday I received my first order of Sundara Yarn. It came so quickly!! I read about it, and drooled, all over blog land. And its true! It is too gorgeous to knit! You be the judge:
You want me to get a bit closer? ok, but go wash your hands first!












Closer still? well, all right.

And I am just going to let it sit by my computer and smile at it when the going gets tough...

I am making progress on my second Florida colors sock AND, true to my new philosophy of no more one project monogamy, I have started the reversible hat. The outside is Sock It to Me Collection-puzzle from ellan. The inside will be alpaca and silk. Yummm!!!
You cast on from a crochet chain and later take out the chain, PU stitches and knit the hat again from same cast on stitches. I am a bit nervous about pulling the chain, but I think it will be nice and warm!!

Trekking XXL 101

I am so excited to have finished my first Trekking XXL 101 pair of socks for 2006. The yarn knits like a dream, and knitting on 2 circs, Addi, is better! Barbara, as usual, was right. :-) She has encouraged me to knit socks on 2 circs. I used a very basic sock pattern, since the yarn does all the work here- and it feels wonderful. And no, I don't mind that they are not symmetrical. To my eyes they are balanced. I learnt in Japan that the perfect design does not have to be symmetrical. Asymmetry can be harmonious and balanced, if done properly.

I have knit socks before, but only 2 pairs, a long time ago. I know, they are nothing fancy, but hey, I was proud for just turning the heels.....

And there is the lonely only here, that I will have to knit up a match for. ( I found it, the yarn for the second one, and the pattern when I was in the midst of my stashtography)

Now I have been infected with the sock bug!! I keep collecting all these great sock ideas like the Basketcase socks from Dave, and the toe-up Turkish cast on from Ava, and that's just 2 out of a zillion. So many projects, so little time.

I decided to get the amazing jacket Mermaid kit by Hanne Falkenberg from eBay. I love my LYS, but we are talking double $. I also found a Hanne Falkenberg KAL, and I think I'll join when I get the kit. I'll need the support...

Wow, there are not enough hours in the day!!

The trip to Niagara Falls was great. The area is VERY touristy, its true, but the Falls are absolutely spectacular. Here, my brother got a picture of me on the boat, with a rainbow and a bird!

And long car rides are good for knitting small projects, (yes, socks are good for that!) I finished the fingerless gloves, and the one sock. It turns out my cousins’ daughter’s hands are way too small for this, so I’ll have to make her another pair, much smaller. I gave this one to my son’s babysitter, they fit her beautifully, don’t you think?

What else is in the program? I have to get on with my New York project. I have the plan and the yarn, but have not started. Getting back from vacation- there is a price to pay! Laundry and paperwork and work and emails and phone calls etc. And yesterday, since I was back, one of my coworkers decides to get sick, so I had to work for her, (it was only fair) and had to miss my knitting group get together! I was sooooo looking forward to that! oh well- I'll make up for it on april 30th with a double. two knitting events!

So, the NY project.
A reversible hat with two kinds of sock yarn.
And this amazing jacket from Hanne Falkenberg. The problem is they only sell it as a kit. You can’t just get the pattern, and you have to find a store to order it for you. I think Yarn Connection can do it. They’ll call me back with a quote. [*Later edit- apparently, (Thank you Anonymous !) one can get the kits on eBay for half the price!! (I could get two kits on eBay for the price of one from my LYS. What do you think?)] How did I find out about the jacket? its those blogs you see! there is so much inspiration out there in cyber space- it is scary!!
I have to say, since I found my local knitting group, and knitting blogs, I have been so inspired!
Before, I belonged to the Big Apple Knitters Guild, for years. But in recent years, when knitting got so much more dazzling and inspiring- at BAKG things got very stale and uninspiring, due to a very narrow minded leader. So thanks for all my knitting buddies out there.

Do I need it? When will I have time to make it? What about the rest of my projects? Although, now that I know I don’t have to be monogamous to one project (...) I think it is more doable.
And speaking of "Do I need it?" garngamen has a very interesting quiz- "How do you buy your yarn?"

First sock of 2006

I am so excited to have finished my first Trekking XXL 101, that I could not wait till tomorrow to post!! it feels so soft and tingly...
It is so great to knit with this yarn and Addi circs.
Here is why it is fun to knit socks-
Portability, GREAT sock yarn around these days, they are fun to wear once you made them, and make great personal gifts. Also, besides the heel and toe parts, it is as mindless as you can get, especially if you do it on 2 circs. Just what you need at times!!
Did I mention the cool sock yarn??? Oh, I did...
And I just ordered some Sundara Yarn Can't wait to get it. I read so many blogs drooling over this yarn...............
It also helped that I was in a car for almost 8 hours, coming back from Niagara Falls today. But more about that soon.
Here is my sock:
I used just a simple basic sock pattern, since the yarn does all the work. It is so much fun to knit, you keep wanting to see what colors will appear next.

Diakeito yarn

Diakeito is gorgeous yarn from japan. hard to get here, and Mary had a hard time finding it in Japan as well. in our area, Seaport Yarn carries some of it.
the hat is an old Noro booklet Design, although some lady at kitty city told me "a woman in our store wrote the pattern"
sure. yap. and I am Horst Schultz........

the sock yarn i have is Trekking XXL 101.
I just love it. I also want to make a reversible hat with it. on skein is 459 yards..
the colors keep you wanting to knit "just one more row..."

Sox Pressure

Had a half an hour today, so I ran to the park to sit and knit. I now carry 2 projects with me at all times. Yes, it happened, I am knitting two things at once. I am still in shock over this. I have not finished the gloves yet, but I have started these socks. I was not going to do it, but the yarn made me. Honest! Last week I went to my new LYS knitty city on west 79 street for the Mason Dixon book signing. It was a pleasant event, although I was disappointed with the actual book. I heard about it in podcasts, I read about it in their blog, but the book itself had nothing new or exciting. It was nicely presented, and the authors are lovely and amusing women, but…
any way, while I was there, minding my own business, I heard “pssst, pssst” I looked around, no one was looking at me or calling me. It kept going, “pssst, pssst, you in the Noro hat knit out of Diakeito” it had to be me!
It was a sock yarn calling me from the shelf!! Honest! A few fondlings and sqeezes later, I had to take it home!
It is Trekking XXL .
I started knitting with it today and I can’t stop! It is smooth to knit with and the yarn pattern is fun yet subtle. Now I want more colors and more patterns and more and more..... (So much for knitting from stash... I am with you Yarn Bug) well, I had to start some socks. it was all over the web- the pressure to sox it!


I mean- just look at some people's sock yarn stash!!
Disclaimer- you must sit down to view this. I'm not responsible for oooing and ahhhing! (by the way- they are not mine)

Knitting is the Best!

None of you knew that right?
Its amazing how my knitting is tight and pulls if I pick it up when stressed or angry, and how smooth and flowing it gets after a little while!
I love that.
I also love finding out about new and interesting stuff from other people's blogs,
Like these knitted vessels.

no time to blog much. got to knit, since family coming over Sunday, and who knows when I'll have time for the whole week!
oh, and speaking of knitting, sorry Clover bamboo, Addi is just sooooooo much smoother!. I have cast on for the second glovelet with 2 #1 addi circ and it is smooth sailing!

April Musing

We had a bit of snow today, but it did not last. Spring is here, and that’s that!
So there is a discussion of fashion, and I for one never was one for fashion, I am much too practical to be trendy. Comfort is my guru. My fashionable and trendy friends always scold me for it, but hey- it’s my life! Especially since I have a 4-year-old son. So ok, I started late, (I am 48) but this is where we are today! I love colors when I knit, but I can be found wearing lots of grey and black. Hey grey is a color!! I love all shades of grey, don’t you? I applaud garngamen
for her sense of herself. it is all about how we feel about ourselves!

I found myself thinking about knitting today at work, and it was kind of distracting, but it was not unpleasant. I know- I’d rather be knitting!

I have been working on my glove- and I went with an old Regia yarn I had. I thought the pattern was very feminine, so I used a fatigues like yarn to make it more appropriate for the soon to be college girl this is going to. think i need to cast on for the second one before i finish this one...

To the topic of organizing a stash- some people wanted to know about the plastic bags to store the yarn- you can get it at the container store. It is a fabulous place. They opened a store near my job, but I am not allowed there without a chaperone! Last time I went in, “just to look” when they opened, I had to take a taxi home with all the great stuff I got, so now I can’t go in there alone…

I got ambitious and decided I want to make 2 clapotis, (I have some lovely Australian yarn for it)2 pairs of gloves, 3 scarves (for men). All gifts for the 2006 holiday season. I have a few months… but there are all the OTHER projects I want to make. I seriously think I’ll have to break my own rule and work on more that one thing at a time!!
Oh no! Will I be able to handle it?

Monday morning in NYC

So here we are, Monday morning in NY. Another glorious day of spring, and I must say, I do love early spring. It has the feeling of a promise. of something good, something great, going to happen. I mean, how can you not feel that with all those daffodils smiling at you?
And yes, I will, I'll go out and take a picture.
I have a terrible yarnover this morning from all the blog hopping I did over the weekend. The Flash your Stash idea was so cool. I loved visiting other people’s stash, and there are many more I have to visit. Hi to all my new friends and I hope you will continue to visit. My bookmarks have gotten very long!!!
I am just loving the whole global knitting/knitting blogs community! Don't you?


I have finished the border on my sudoku pillow, and by overwhelming majority, it will have a velvet back. It’ll be great; it will match my Kaffe Fassett pillow, which I made years ago when Glorious Knits came out.
Originally, it was to be the back of a sweater for my x-husband, but it was too big, so it became a pillow. I did make the sweater for him, but took it back when we got divorced! I’ll get to a picture of that L8R. I also have a picture of the back of the pillow- here you go, all the folks who wonder what it looks like with all those colors. I weave in the ends as I knit. I learnt that from Kaffe Fassett. it is such a time saver! (click on it to see a close up)