2007 Knit List

So, I'm a little late to the game (most people did this right after New Year's) but I've been thinking a lot about some of the projects that I want to make this year. There are so many patterns out there. The thing is, I don't have much imagination. So sometimes I don't notice a pattern until I see it done up differently on someone's blog. I love knitting blogs!!
Okay, here's my list:

*Warning: this is basically a brain dump so it may get random and wordy*

• Tatami Kimono - just recently I've really been obsessing over this!! I thought it was beautiful when I first saw it but didn't know how wearable it would be. And then I saw that Carolyn actually wore hers (aside from the model shot) at Christmastime. I do love how it looks on the model for the pattern too. So, I think I'm going to go for it. Only thing that's hanging me up is selecting a yarn. I really would love to have some of Sundara's yarn that is meant for the pattern but she's not going to dye yarn for the pattern until March and I don't think I want to wait that long. I'm sure they're are lots of suitable substitutions but I want to make sure I get the same look and the only thing I can think of is Lorna's Laces Sport. It would be a little cheaper too. I'm thinking Cranberry semi-solid. Anybody else have other sport weight yarn suggestions?


• Alexander McQueen Knock-Off - this would be a really nice classic sweater to have I think. I love the wide necklines right now. Lots of yarn possibilities here but I would definitely leave off the little flower do-dads too. I think they're really cute but I'm just not a flowery do-dads kind of gal.


• I Do - another pattern that I don't think I would've considered had I not seen someone else's vision for it. Elizabeth of A Mingled Yarn made one in black with less bell-y sleeves and I think it's really cute! I will definitely copy hers and wear it with jeans.


• Not-So-Shrunken Cardigan - I've had this on my list for a while and I've had the yarn for a while too. I still want to make this but just haven't gotten around to it yet. I want to make it more fitted and maybe full length. I love the one Lara made!


• Lots of SOCKS!!! and definitely a pair of Knee-Highs....maybe Eunny's Entrelac Socks.


• Cavern Cardigan - this is just a very simple cardigan based on the Minisweater pattern but I think I need one like this. Would be great for the office.


• There are a lot of interesting and wearable things in the new Phildar magazine. I've never knit anything from Philar....have you? I think I may order it from here.


• Marseilles Pullover from IK Summer '06 - another one I overlooked until I saw this gorgeous one. I love the Cascade 220 heathers color she used.


• City Shawl - I love the version that is in the pic on the main pattern page. I wonder what yarn was used for that bluish teal one?? I had forgotten about this pattern until Dis had mentioned that she's going to make one from reborn yarn.


• Swallowtail or Diamond Fantasy Shawl - I like both and have one skein of Sea Silk in Ivory that I want to use for one of these. Right now I'm leaning towards Swallowtail but I could change my mind when the time comes. ;-)


• I still want to make the Shawl-Collar Sweater and the Hot Lava Cardigan...it's just a matter of fitting them into the list.


• Sahara - I think I want to knit this too. I don't know...I've been going back and forth on this one. I'm not sure I could ever find the right yarn for this.


• Brea Bag - this bag is so cute! I think this is one knit bag I would actually use. Lots of finished though and I get lazy with finishing.


• Pasadena - While I was on the berroco site I also found this cute cardigan. You have to look really closely to see the detail but that's what draws me to the pattern. I would totally convert it to knit top-down all in one piece versus seaming the whole thing.

Sheesh!! that is a long list! And these are only the patterns I like that are on the web! I don' t really buy many knitting pattern books because it seems like there's usually only one pattern I end up liking and that's just not cost effective.

BTW, thanks for all the nice comments on my Wicked!!

Check out my new sock knitting bag! I was able to score one from Tangle a couple of weeks ago. It's actually a sock kit that had the Misocrafty pouch and a skein of Yarn Pirate in the Rain colorway. They sold out pretty quick so I was lucky I stumbled upon it when I did because I had been waiting to buy one for some time.

Wicked fast!

Ta-da!! Sweater in a week! I love, love, love, LOVE this sweater!!!

Pattern: Wicked by the gals at Zephyr Style
Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca in Dark Chocolate, about 3 and 1/2 skeins
Needles: #7 circulars and dpns
Notes: this is a fabulous sweater pattern!! it's very simple which makes it VERY wearable. And it was so easy and fast to make. It took me about 8 days total. I spent one Sunday knitting on it all day and then I just worked on it a little in the evenings. I'm really happy with my choice of yarn too. The Ultra Alpaca is very soft and silky smooth to knit with...it just glided off the needles! It's a little bit "tickley" because of the alpaca in it but it's fine with a little cami underneath. And you can't beat the price! $8/skein with 215 yards per skein!
I knit the smallest size and didn't make any modifications to the pattern except to add a little length to the torso and sleeves because I have long arms and waist. Oh, and I left off the front pocket too.
I never thought I would do this but I think I'm going to knit another one with short sleeves and the front pocket.

Hey, I noticed the Interweave Knits Spring 2007 preview is up. There aren't too many that are jumping out at me but I kind of like the Cable-Down Raglan. I will have to inspect it closer when I get the magazine though.

An FO comes out of hiding.

Y'all aren't going to believe this, but I finished this beret almost 3 weeks ago. When I first finished it I wasn't sure how I liked it and it got set aside. The other day when it got really cold and icy/rainy here I pulled it out and put it on and whatdya know!, I liked it. I think it's pretty cute as long as I look in a mirror to "arrange" it the right way (I have no idea how to wear a beret!!). So here it is. I think I'll be wearing it on our outing to Ikea this weekend.

Pattern: Last Minute "Purled" Beret by Knit and Tonic Wendy
Yarn: Lamb's Pride worsted, maybe half a skein in some charcoal color
Needles: #9 dpns
Notes: I haven't blocked it yet so it doesn't really look like Wendy's. I think I'll wet block it at some point but only to even out the stitches because honestly, I like the "slouchy" look of it. In fact, I went back and forth with whether I should knit Le Slouch or the Purled Beret but in the end I was afraid the Le Slouch would be too slouchy. What a fun little project!

One Jaywalker sock finished!

I think these may turn out to be my favorite socks yet! I just cannot describe to you how soft this yarn is!!! and I like how the stripes came out....we'll see if I can duplicate it on the second.

I had a really busy week so I didn't get that much knitting done. That's why I love socks so much....when I've had a long day, that's what I turn to first. Maybe because socks are such a small yet satisfying project. I'm going to swatch for Wicked today and hopefully get a good jump on it tomorrow! I know I have a lot of projects going on right now but I'm really excited about this sweater and I think it should be a pretty quick knit.

Weird MLE

I got tagged by Emily!

6 Weird Things About Me Meme


1) I love grilled cheese sandwiches....but more than that, I love making grilled cheese sandwiches. I make them with pre-shredded Colby/Monterey Jack mix you buy at the store and some of the cheese always falls into the pan and I let it fry up and then I eat it!! I guess I just love fried cheese!

2) Sleep is a priority for me. I can get up and leave in the middle of my favorite TV show if it's my bedtime (and we don't have Tivo). I'm very diciplined in this way.


3) When I was 13 I got the mumps....even though I had been vaccinated as a child. The vaccine is only like 97% effective and I just happened to be in that 3% where it was ineffective.


4) I had never heard of the Dukes of Hazzard until about 3 years ago. I'm 26. Yeah, I was a little sheltered growing up.


5) I love dipping my french fries in my Frosty at Wendy's. Maybe this isn't so weird because I'd say it's about 50/50 of the people that I know that like/hate it.


6) I love rainy days! As long as I'm not actually driving out in it, I love being inside and watching it rain. And I like cloudy days too. I guess because it doesn't rain all that much here and it's a nice change.


So there you go! I actually had to think for a little while to come up with 6 things. It was fun though! and I've been enjoying reading what other people put down as their weird things. So, if you're reading this, consider yourselft tagged!

And here is a little sneak peek of my Endpaper Mitts....I have one done so far. I'm hoping to have the second one done by the end of next weekend. The one mitt took longer than I thought it would...hopefully the second will go quicker.

Loot

What with all the holiday craziness, I hadn't had a chance to show off the loot I got from one of my favorite online sock yarn stores, The Loopy Ewe! They have an awesome selection that includes some great indie dyers like Yarn Pirate, Sweet Georgia, and All Things Heather. The goodies I got, top to bottom are: Fleece Artist sock in Cosmic, Sweet Georgia sock in Blue Fig, and Lorna's Laces Sport in Mother Lode. I bought the LL Sport with a particular person in mind to make socks for and the other two are for me :)!
I really cannot wait to knit up that Sweet Georgia yarn!! It's thin with a really tight twist and reminds me a bit of Yarn Pirate, yummy!
Oh and let me tell you, Sheri at the Loopy Ewe is the nicest person to do business with!! There was a small issue with my order and she sent me a very nice email that same day letting me know about it. The customer service was great, which can be hard to come by these days.