Most Likely to Knit a House

Post 2

2008-05-03T22:27:00.002-04:00

Wow, so I am newly in love with making baby sweaters. No, I'm not having one, I'm making one for Berroco, but still, its going along quicker than I could have imagined. I started last night and so far have the back done, and 1 sleeve. I've casted on the 2nd sleeve and I'm pretty sure I could get it done tonight.
My day was fairly relaxing. I worked one of my last long desk shifts. Usually Saturdays I work 9-4 at the Pierce Hall Security desk, and I think I may only have 1 or 2 left. It's kinda sad. As much as others seem appalled that I work that long at the desk, I like it. I have 7 hours to get homework done and watch movies and shows almost completely uninterrupted.
After work Sam asked me to pick her up from work so I did that and we headed back to Horace Mann to get our things to go home (I was taking her home too). We stopped at the grocery store and I picked up some cake fixings for my Dad's birthday. We didn't end up having the dessert tonight but its going to be angle food cake, strawberries and whipp cream. Yum!

Ok, off to knit some more!

Ohhhh I'm SUCH a slacker

2008-05-02T19:39:00.003-04:00

Wow. I am a slacker when it comes to blogging. I've decided to take part in A Post A Day In May. I've been super busy this semester, but I'm loving every minute of it. I'm one full week of classes and a final away from graduation (well, technically I still have 2 math classes, but I get to walk at graduation). I've got lots and lots of projects going on right now, I need to finished some applique, trapunto, batik, quilting, and a 6-10 hour project for Fabric Structure class and I've got a few projects going on for Berroco.
Berroco has been such an awesome experience this semester. I've seen and learned more there than I had hoped for and Norah and Margery have been great mentors. I'll save some Berroco stories for another day, so as to have a bit more blog content for Post-a-Day.
Meanwhile, I should make today's post sorta short because I have waaay too many projects to get done.

Make up (one long post)

2008-01-22T23:31:00.000-05:00

Well..okay, I could make excuses for not posting for so long...like how my camera has been out of batteries and I can't find my charger...but I won't because that's just not a good enough excuse. BUT in the time that I haven't blogged I have not one, but three FOs. Yes, three. I finished the multi-directional scarf, a new case for my camera and I made a pair of Fetching for my sister.

First up are some pictures of multi-directional:

Pattern: Multidirectional Diagonal Scarf by Karen Baumer

Yarn: Patons Classic Merino Wool in Harvest, 1.5 skeins

Needles: Clover Bamboo 24" circular (used straight), US 7

Comments: It was really a lot of fun to make, I thought the short-row shaping of the triangles was clever..something I definitely wouldn't have ever thought of!

Now, I don't have pictures of the camera case because while I was taking the pictures, I totally forgot...but I will try and include it in the next update.

Lastly, here are some photos of the pair of Fetching for Kelly:

Pattern: Fetching by Cheryl Niamath

Yarn: KnitPicks Wool of the Andes in Amethyst Heather, 1 skein

Needles: Clover Bamboo DPNs, US 5 and an F crochet hook for weaving in ends

Comments: I love this pattern. It took literally two days to make these gloves, they fit perfectly and they are warm. I hope my sister likes them as much as I do...I'll be casting on for a red pair for myself tonight!

2008-01-13T17:09:00.000-05:00

Today has been a semi-productive day! I woke up insanely late but made up for it by collecting alllll of my clothing that I don't wear anymore and won't ever wear again (it wasn't as much as I thought, but still filled a large trashbag) and I brought that down to Salvation Army and I collected all my empties and redeemed them. Pretty successful cleanup right there...now to get to the rest of the house the next two days. I bought another large tupperware container to organize my yarn..it's kind of a problem..but what knitter doesn't have some sort of stash problem?

Dad has gone down to see Kelly and Kevin in Maryland for a few days (oh, and go to traffic court for the accident he was in in September) so I'm takin' care of the house for a few days.

I've been progressively working on the multi-directional scarf and also have started the multi-directional camera cozy. My old one has stretched out a bit and so I decided to try and make a new one with this short-row technique.

I'll post pictures later on tonight maybe.

Oops

2008-01-12T13:21:00.000-05:00

I totally didn't mean to take a 5-day break. I haven't had a whole lot of progress knitting-wise...just some extra length on the multi-directional scarf. I don't even know where my time has gone...hm...I got to see my school friends a couple times this week, so that was pretty awesome. We went out to TGIFridays and then to Irish Times for some drinks on Wednesday..and Thursday we made our way out to Mendon for a "poker" game at Goldie's cousin's house...but when we got there we found that it was outside in an unheated barn...um...in January? We left after about an hour bc we were just too cold and headed to Lisa's where it was much warmer.

Here's some pictures of Sam and Lisa to keep things interesting:

More on knitting later...

Multi-tasking

2008-01-07T23:46:00.000-05:00

It's been a busy day, but nothing terrible exciting. I was called into Eddie Bauer this morning to work 1-7, but I had a dentist appointment so I had some time after to sneak in a visit with the boyfriend before being a bit late to work. Shh! I got some errands done before hand too, which made be feel pretty accomplished. Work was fine, nothing exciting to report. Lots of returns, but 'tis the season, and we have short sleeves coming in and in the up coming weeks we will be starting to sell shorts. Yes. Shorts. It's funny how that works...

This evening has been very low key. Here's a shot of what my night has been like:

reading through new issues of Seventeen and Glamour (and cutting out the best stuff, of course), knitting away on my multi-directional scarf, drinking a Sam Adams Winter (best stuff around, and they're stopping selling it, like, now...devastating), watching Gilmore Girls and texting.. and what's not in the picture: a soothing lavender & Vanilla candle and catching up on some blog reading.

Hope your evening's going well too, night!

on a roll!

2008-01-06T18:00:00.000-05:00

I've been wracking my brain the last day or so. See..I was supposed to go on a trip to see a friend and come to find out her dad is very sick. So as to not be a burden on her and her family I am trying to see about refunding my ticket...but since I can't be there I'm trying to find the best way to show her I'm still here for her...that idea was brownies. I made the chocolatiest brownies I could and I'm going to mail the out to her tomorrow. I just wish there was more to be done, but I don't really think there is besides letting her know I'm always there for her and her family...

On a bit brighter note, I'm much further along on my scarf now. Although...my wrist sprain is really acting up so I probably shouldn't be working on it. I've been watching episodes of Gilmore Girls season 7 a lot today and now am watching the second episode of Xena. Check out my progress:

More tomorrow!

Multi-directional

2008-01-05T15:19:00.000-05:00

Sooo...yesterday I did kinda miss out on blogging...but I just didn't have anything. For some reason my multi-directional scarf was coming out really badly and it was all wavy where it shouldn't have been wavy..well, I frogged it twice and now finally it looks like this:

The colors are slightly off...but what do you want for candle light and an overhead light? And the fact that it's soooo gloomy out. So the colors are a bit darker, and the yellow color mixed in there? It's actually and olive-y green in real life.

So, off to work on that some more!

2008-01-04T02:55:00.000-05:00

So even though it's technically a new day, I'm going to count this as my January 3rd post because I haven't gone to bed yet! lol. I didn't get much in the way of knitting done today, but I did start something new...yes yes I know..what happened to the skirt? The skirt is being worked into my own design now, I'm stopping work on Violet Beauregard in favor of my own working of a pleated skirt. I hope it will be as cute as I imagine it to be. :o)

But for now I've decided I need a new scarf for my upcoming trip to Chicago. It's been bitterly cold here in Boston and as much as I love my current scarves, they just don't match my coat. I have 3 scarves in the red color family and nothing in a cooler color. So, to match my green coat I'm making the multi-directional scarf out of some variegated Patons Classic Merino in a purple/green/orange colorway. It'll be a new learning technique for me too seeing as the only short-row work I've ever done is the couple of Calorimetry s I've made.

I also have some fun news. I'll be working with Berroco again real soon! I'm really excited to be able to work at Berroco as an intern and get course credit for it! It'll be the best class ever. Want to see the awesome stuff they're up to? Check out Norah Gaughan's blog here.

thanks for stopping by, pictures tomorrow!

I did it!

2008-01-02T23:03:00.000-05:00

I blogged two days in a row! Granted, right now I'm at Luis' house and had thankfully had my camera with me and was able to upload it to his computer, but I'm blogging!

[So yes, I'm blogging at Luis' house..we got back together November 18 after a long 5 months apart. But things are good and I was able to have a great time spending time with him and his family over the holidays.

This evening while watching Gilmore Girls season 7 I made this God's Eye after seeing one on a wall and getting the urge to make one. I ran outside to the front yard (without a jacket..it was freezing!) and grabbed a nice long stick to snap in half and then got some Berroco Suede from my room that I could never quite find the right project for...Turns out that the Suede is perfect for the God's Eye since it is a flat yarn and it wraps so well. So I used three colors (Roy Rodgers[cream], Wild Bill Hickcock [brown], and Miss Kitty [red]) and it took me just about an hour I think. Maybe a little longer.

So long, 2007!

2008-01-01T18:11:00.000-05:00

Welcome, 2008.

I've set a goal: blog something everyday this year. Something. I'd love to share some more of my life besides knitting and crafting. But for now, this is just that little something until I have some pictures to post and a little more energy (I worked Eddie Bauer 9-5:30 today and wow, does doing constant returns really take it out of ya.)

For now I'll just update that I am currently working on the Violet Beauregard skirt from Stitch & Bitch Happy Hooker using some dark gray Lion Brand Wool-Ease and hopefully some purple Telemark from Knitpicks.

So I'm gonna go get some dinner, watch some Stargate or Gilmore Girls and veg out :o)

Happy New Year!

Finally

2007-08-30T15:46:00.000-04:00

Once again blogging has slipped my mind. I'm trying to find an easier way of going about posts than to do it through the website and uploading each picture one at at time. I'm trying this post through Google's Picasa and although I highlighted like 10 pictures, only 4 seem to be showing up in the initial post. I'll have to play around with it some more.

So I've been working on a granny square blanket out of some Lily Sugar'n Cream cotton. The colors are awesome together. I thought at first that I wouldn't have enough colors to make enough squares, and now I'm afraid I may have too many! I'm using red, hot orange, yellow, hot green (for the second round only, so there are leaves), hot pink, rose pink, hot blue, purple (the purple is actually Lion Cotton), hot purple, and brown. I may eliminate the Orange and make a chair slip cover with it instead.

I've moved into my new dorm room. I am in love with it. Its just spacious enough. I haven't done too much decorating yet...I tried to put some posters up but the Espresso poster I have keeps falling down no matter what I use.
Earlier this summer I helped out at Berroco for a couple of hours for 2 weeks. Norah was awesome enough to let me help knit up the sleeves for the Paddy sweater, as I've previously mentioned. Here's a preview of the pattern on their website, check out those sleeves! I still can't believe that's my knitting in that picture!

So hopefully more posting will be done. I promise that to myself all the time, but really, I should. I might not make this a knitting/crochet only blog. I miss the days of livejournal when I could just post how I was feeling or anything else that seemed significant.

Thanks for reading :o)

2007-06-21T12:03:00.000-04:00

I'm so excited. Right now I'm @ Berroco and casting on for a Norah Gaughn sweater. Their knitter for the sweater is afraid she won't finish on time, so I get to knit the sleeves for the sample. (!!) It's a brand new yarn that hasn't even been announced yet, and its sooo nice to work with (similar to another yarn I've worked with from another yarn company actually, but a little springier...is that a word?). I casted on for the swatch and hit it stitch gauge spot on on my first try. I only have to worry a little about row gauge, but as long as it comes out to the correct measurements then I'm all set. Sweet!

This week has been fun and different. Monday and Wednesday I got to babysit for Drew-bie and this is my second day in @ Berroco. The inbox was surprisingly un-full this morning, so I've had lots of time to work on the swatch and do a little blog reading and style.com viewing. It's so interesting to see Margery and Norah work and hear about what they're working on. I so would love their jobs.

But anyways I have to get back to the sweater, I have lots of seed stitch a head of me!

2007-06-20T00:01:00.000-04:00

It's been way way too long since I've posted, and since I was thinking about it, I figured I might as well.

School's been out for about a month now. I got an A, 2 A-, and a B+. Not bad! I've been mostly working at Eddie Bauer, which has been kinda slow and boring and most of the time I feel like there are more employees on than customers in the store. This past week or so I've babysat for Drew a few times. Drew is my Godmother's son's son. Haha, isn' t that nice and complicated sounding? Drew's about 2 years old now and he's just so cute. He loves to play ball, play-doh, dancing and his Doggy and "D" (or his binky). I get to babysit for him tomorrow too.
The next two weeks I'll be helping out at Berroco, while Deana's away I'll be answering emails and such (and periodically bringing home some yarn maybe).

Here's a recent stash enhancement I got at EJ Yarns. They're closing so everything is 50-70% off!

What it all is I'm not sure of right now, I'll edit this later and add that.

I should be getting to bed though, it's late!

2007-03-09T09:27:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited. Luis and I are leaving for Italy and Greece tomorrow. It's spring break and we'll be there until the 19th.

It's so surreal. I'm still here at school and I still need to finish some work for my Tailoring class (procrastination, I know, I know). But come 4:30, my dad will be here to pick me up and by 6pm it will be exactly 24 hours until we're on the plane getting ready to take off! I've never been on a plane for more than an hour's long flight! Italy! I can't believe this is happening! And I'm so excited to have the cliched "romantic getaway to Italy" with my boyfriend. Gah :o)

Here's a funny picture to leave you with:

3 days!

2007-03-07T10:21:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited!!!

Snow Covered Campus

2007-02-26T12:53:00.000-05:00

It's been lightly snowing all day and its made the campus look gorgeous. I had the desire to take pictures, but my batteries are all dead, so I went over to the bookstore just for batteries, haha.

Irish Hiking Scarf

2007-01-16T12:29:00.000-05:00

Next up for my holiday knitting: The Irish Hiking Scarf

This scarf was made for Luis' mom. I was about a week late with making it though, so she officially received it on New Year's Eve. I think she really liked it, and any knitter knows that that is the best feelings: when your hard work is really well received.

Pattern: The Irish Hiking Scarf by HelloYarn
Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes 3-110 yd skeins
Color: Hush
Needles: Size 8, 16" bamboo circulars
Started: Sometime in October or November, 2006
Finished: December 31, 2006
Knit for: Luis' Mom
Notes: Fantastic, easy to follow pattern. I didn't add fringe to the scarf like I usually do because I thought it looked more classy without it. Plus the ends are sewn down and fringe didn't seem logical. I backed the scarf with some matching purple fleece which I think made it feel much much nicer against the neck than the wool.

Model: my wonderful new dress for from Luis

2007-01-15T22:28:00.000-05:00

Over the holidays I made a couple gifts. Firstly I made 2 Calorimetrys, one for Luis' sister Claudia (blue and white striped) and another for Luis' sister Scarlet in green:

They are headbands that are like hats but instead of going over your entire head, they button on so that you can wear a ponytail. I thought that this was such an ingenious idea that I almost wished I had long enough hair for a ponytail - almost.

In attempt to make more posts I will be posting tomorrow about my other holiday knit :o).

Enjoy!

Blue Lagoon dress

2006-11-29T23:41:00.000-05:00

So amidst my knitting projects I have something involving crochet and sewing going on. I'm taking a Draping class and for the final project I have to create...something. I chose to make a dress with crocheted flowers around the neckline and hip. Check it out:

These are pictures of the prototype, just made out of muslin:

A close-up:

These are the crocheted flowers that will be around the neck and hips. They're made with a G hook and LionBrand Incredible in Blue Shades.
Here's the top of the dress pinned together with the flowers. I'm not 100% sure I love the flowers how they are, the light blue seems weird in combination with the dark flowers...but I'm hoping that once the flowers around the hip is added, that it will bring it all together.
(see the little girl standing in the corner? She's my dress form for my functional project, I'm making a size 5 girls swim suit)

Side view of the dress, see the gradation of the blues? and I really like the princess line, it's very flattering.

It's my hopes that this dress will be my entry into the Boston Globe My Prom competition. I think if I like how the dress comes out (and I do already!) then I'm going to submit the design. I'll have to draw up three sketches of it and submit it, but if I get chosen I'll get a $500 budget and a high-schooler to make it for! That'll be fun, and look awesome in my portfolio. They're going to chose 4 designs and there aren't too too many schools who will be participating. I hope I get chosen, but truthfully, there are so many talented girls in my class alone that I'd be happy for them if they got picked too (although I really wanna win!). I'm definately going to have to get my Professor's help with the sketches. It's been so long since I took her illustration class that I'm worried I've forgotten how to draw(ok, ok, last semester, but that was like 6 months ago, and that's a long time to not draw).

So tomorrow I'll have more of an update. Hopefully I'll be able to get the skirt cut out and most, if not all of it sewn. I still have about 30 more flowers to make, not to mention sewing them all on afterwards.

2006-11-07T12:51:00.000-05:00

I haven't updated in sooo long, I can't believe it. How disappointing :o( Knitting this semester has been a challenge. I've gotten the chance to get some in, but there have been weeks when I haven't had to oppotunity to play pick up sticks.
Currently I'm working on 2 main projects, with the log cabin blanket alway in the background. I started making the Irish Hiking Scarf in KnitPicks Wool of the Andes in Hush for Luis' mom for christmas, and I'm making Luis a pair of socks in KnitPicks Essential in Ash. The socks have proven interesting because I haven't been using just one pattern. I couldn't find a men's pattern that had the number of stitches I had cast on (80) and the heel shaping I wanted, so I've been taking from 2 different books and a website.

I've had to do a lot of sewing this semester, but nothing really fun. I made a pair of pants in Functional Clothing class, but in Draping it's mostly been muslin drafts. My draping project will be really fun though (hopefully..) because I am incorporating some crocheted flowered into the neckline and waist/hips.

But unfortunately my next couple of days is going to be consumed with Consumer Economics (Major Purchase research paper and an exam). Next post will be soon and include pictures!

2006-08-07T13:37:00.000-04:00

Some new Yarn Porn!:
I got my order from KnitPicks just mere minutes ago. I came home from getting my car inspected (it passed, can you believe it? I guess a check engine and check oil light don't mean much inspection-wise...) and there was waiting for me as I went to check the mail. I bought what is hopefully enough yarn for a blanket (1545 yards? hopefully!) and 5 skeins of sock yarn. The colors in the picture above are pretty true to form...all were a bit darker than my computer screen made them look on the website.

Here's a closeup of the blanket yarn:
I've made a lot of progress with the Razor Cami. I'm actually very surprised that I've stuck with it, I'm very a.d.d. with my projects, and this one is all I wanna work on. I'm at 14 1/2 inches now, I need to get to 16" before I can separate for the front and back.

It looks super small right now, so I'm praying that it really will stretch. If not I suppose I can find someone smaller than me to give it to...

That's all for now, I'm off to procrastinate working on my macro-econ homework/project.

2006-08-01T13:37:00.000-04:00

Oh wow, it's been way too long since I last posted! June 6?!

I suppose every year I must teach myself something new: last year I taught myself DPNs/circulars and this summer, thanks to the Monthly Dishcloth Along I've learned lace.

Here's the dishcloth that started my new like of YOs and K2tog:

The color is pretty spot on in the full shot photo, but the closeup definately shows the stitching better.

So after completing the dishcloth I had much more confidence to start OhMyStar's Razor Cami in Knitpicks Shine Worsted in color Grass:

I'm about 6 inches into it, and any problems I had before have definately subsided. It looks really small, but the pattern says that it will get a little bigger, and her version was in acrylic, so my hope is that with blocking, I can make it even bigger if needed.

So, as for my log cabin afghan I was working on in my last post...I guess that's taken a hiatus because I haven't touched it in ages...although it is bigger than it was now. I was sick of working with all that acrylic (maybe I'm becoming somewhat of a yarn snob? I just don't like working with acrylic as much as I used to, I never used to mind it)

I just placed an order with knitpicks for some Telemark, their new Peruvian Wool yarn (colors Aubergine, Tengelo, Cobalt, Snow Leopard and Black) for a new log cabin blanket, a la January One's idea for a randomized one. I plan on working on that blanket during my 78 hours of Security Desk I get to start a few weeks before school begins. I ordered some sock yarn from knitpicks as well, in Essential, as a set of size 2 clover DPNs

Right now it's about 91 degrees, but it supposedly feels 101 degrees ( I can believe it...). Despite this, I'm going to go back to the Razor cami now, because its my day off, what better is there to do but knit?

2006-06-06T18:37:00.000-04:00

So it's been waaay too long since my last post. I got caught up in finishing the SchmeBeckyMaBob being done and finals happening and packing up my room to move home, that I just haven't picked up the needles for any significant amount of time in, oh, about a month. I think that's the longest I've gone without knitting/crochet since I first started. But I was working on a cross-stitch sampler of hearts, of which I've yet to take a picture...so crafty-ness wasn't completly missing.

I started a log-cabin afghan, a la Mason-Dixson Knitting. I'm trying to use up all my yarn in it. I'm making it a rainbow motif, basically.

It's not the prettiest thing I've ever seen so far, but we'll see.

So that's all for now. I'm going to do some more work on it a bit later tonight. Hopefully I can add more blue, the purple and a black/white, before the night's through.

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

2006-05-10T16:07:00.000-04:00

I found this link on one of the blogs I read. Its kinda fun to make your own news paper article, lol.
Make yo ur own here

2006-05-02T00:55:00.000-04:00

Luis' birthday has just passed and he recieved the SchmeBeckyMaBob! It's finally done and in the hands of its rightful owner.

It's Huge. That's my dad, standing on the couch with his arms stretch above his head...and it still pools on the floor.

Done in Red Heart Super Saver in Delft Blue, Soft Navy, White, (and what I think is called) Shaded Dusk, Hunter Green, and Light Thyme

Luis likes it :o)

The SchmeBeckyMaBob is finished!

2006-05-01T02:21:00.000-04:00

...and here's a little preview.

2006-05-01T02:05:00.000-04:00

Dad's birthday was today. I came home and we went to the Cape. I got some nice shots in. Here are a few from the Mass Maritime Academy:

A Black and White of Dad. It's a little dark, I should learn to use this setting better.

A scenic spot off the highway on the Cape Cod Canal

2006-04-24T01:43:00.003-04:00

I finished the socks! I'm so excited! They don't match, but that's fine with me because it's not like you can't tell that they're a match.

Basic Sock
by Eddie Eckman, Learn to Knit Socks
KnitPicks, Parade, Tropical
4 Bamboo DPNs, Clover Size 3 (3.25 mm)
Started:Tuesday April 18, 2006
Finished: Sunday April 23, 2006

T-minus 7 days until the unveiling of the SchmaBeckyMaBob!

More pix

2006-04-21T19:56:00.000-04:00

I think I'm going to post things here that are not only knitting, but everything I make

So, I went fabric shopping for Flat Pattern class. I got some wicked cute fabrics for my dress:

The dress is a halter top dress, so the top is going to be bright blue, and the skirt part is the pink with bright hearts. It also says Barbie between the hearts, but we can over look that, lol.

I'm also going to make the same dress but in this fabric:

because i liked the fabric. Not for class or anything.

I'm going to use the blue and pink one for fashion illustration, I think. I think it's fun but punk at the same time, so it can go in my line.

Oh! and here's the update on my socks:

One finished:

and the finished one with the next one on the needles:

So now it's off to work on Luis' birthday present, which will still only be referred to as the SchmeBeckyMaBob...because he's not supposed to know what it is...lol.

first post

2006-04-21T10:54:00.000-04:00

First post in my new knitting blog!

I wanted a place to post my knitting stuff that wasn't my livejournal. So here it is. The title comes from my RA superlative: Most Likely to Knit a House. Lol...

I learned how to make socks on Wednesday! That's so exciting, I thought I wouldn't ever figure it out! Check it out:

I realized I forgot to upload the picture of the finished so, but I'll post that later along with the in-progress second sock.