Comments

By the way -- does anyone know how I can reply to people who leave me comments? If nothing else, I wanted to be able to say "Thank you!" but there doesn't seem to be a way to e-mail the people who leave me comments on the blog. So a big "thank you!" to those of you who have commented so far (and anyone who comments in the future). If I can figure out how to contact you directly, I will do my best to do so, though probably not too frequently between now and the end of July when I take the bar.

The Hat was a Hit

Yeah. Garrett loved his hat. Everyone else did, too. :)

Under the Gun

Suddenly, all of my projects are time-sensitive. I decided that I think I want to wear the dress from my brother's wedding for our ball next week. The only problem with it is that the shawl for it didn't match the material of the dress. Which I don't get, because it was from the dressmaker. So I want to make myself a new shawl. I started making this pattern, but I don't know if I made it too long. Wide, that is. I always have a problem with shawls not being big enough to hang comfortably on my shoulders and wrap well.

This is what it looks like so far (I've layered it a few times around)...

Kitsch Completed

The hat is completed... It doesn't look anything like the one on the Stitchy McYarnPants website, but I still like it. I didn't think I would like it as I was doing the brim, but now I am totally in love with it.

The Definition of Kitsch

I also started a hat for Garrett's birthday, but it is entirely different. I am making him this: http://www.stitchymcyarnpants.com/tincan/beercan.html and I am so excited about it. I'm excited because he's having a party on Friday at a place in the city and he will *so* wear it there. If anyone would wear this hat, it is Garrett. My roommate was kind enough to drink the cans of beer I needed for the hat. He did make fun of the safety goggles and protective gloves that I got to be safe while cutting the aluminum cans, though. Which is understandable. I must have looked ridiculous. Cutting the cans was definitely the most difficult part. I didn't want to be crocheting and worrying about cutting myself on the cut sides of the cans, so I got this tape for the edges.
I put it around the edges (it does make it a little more difficult to punch the holes in it) and then punched holes and crocheted around the edges. I just have to find out from Garrett what size hat he wears because I don't know if six panels around will be too big. I feel like it will be. I asked him what size hat he wears, but he hasn't gotten back to me yet. As soon as he does, I can finish it. All in all, it wasn't too difficult, it was lots of fun, Matt got to drink lots of beer, and it helped me work on knitting down my stash.

This is a sample square:

And this is a sample semicircle for the brim:

A Finished Hat

I finished the hat for Jeanna, and went to her birthday party. At one point we were talking about knitting something and Jeanna said that I was a great knitter and that I made them all scarves. I was excited that she mentioned it -- I love when people appreciate the stuff that I make, and I haven't actually ever seen Jeanna wearing the scarf that I made her. This is the same color as the scarf, and she was excited that they would match.

This is Jeanna wearing the hat that I made for her:

Cabled Hat, or "I Am an Idiot."

So I started this cabled hat for Jeanna for her birthday tomorrow. I like it. I am a little enamored of cables these days, the hat goes very quickly, and I love working on double-pointed needles. I like double pointed needles for many reasons, and I will admit that part of it is how absolutely floored everyone is when they see you using dpns, despite all protestations that they are really no more difficult than straight needles once you get the hang of them.

I have sets of five dpns, so I can work around in a square. I was sitting on my couch, working around in my little square, and all of a sudden, I had FOUR needles. Not five. Just four. I cannot find the other one. I have looked under the couch, behind the couch, in my room, in the kitchen, under the cushions. I have NO idea where it went. It has truly vanished into thin air. Unbelievable. I thought I was going to have to go to the yarn store and get another set, which didn't bother me, except that I was worried that I was going to go in and buy more yarn. But then I spied another set. So I worked on four wooden and one metal size 8 dpns. It worked out.
And now the hat is done, and I just need to figure out how to block a hat.

A Little Lovin'

Melanie loves her scarf! I gave it to her yesterday and she *skipped* to get to me. I haven't seen her without it around her neck since. Score one for me. Yay.

Mother-Frogger

So I generally had a good knitting weekend, but I also had a tough knitting weekend. I had made this shawl for my mother, and it took me forever. It's lace and beads and you put the beads on with a 1 mm crochet hook. But apparently, the gauge piece that I made wasn't really as accurate as I thought it was. The shawl came out barely large enough to drape over the shoulders. It really and truly took me forever but if she isn't going to wear it, it's not worth having. So this weekend, I ripped it. If she won't wear it, it's not worth having. No matter *how* much work it was to do it.

This is the shawl, pre-pond (frog pond, that is...)


As upset as I was to have to frog it, there are places you can see that I messed up, so I'm happy to have an opportunity to fix it the second time around. No guarantee that it will be any better, but at least I'll have a second chance for the same initial price layout of yarn!

Blockhead

First, I found a new knitting store on Saturday. It's called The Skein Attraction and it's on Cedar Lane in Teaneck, NJ. Not far from my parents' house. Looks like I may be visiting home more often... The ladies there were lovely, familial, and helpful. Shaina, Adina, and Julie Friedman own the shop -- I think they were all there when I went in. Everyone was very helpful and kind, whether working in the store or sitting and knitting. I went in primarily to ask how to block. I needed to block Melanie's scarf. I had no idea it was so easy! I went in, and the ladies there helped me out, no problem. Sunday, I blocked, tonight fringe, and tomorrow, the presentment.

Here are some pictures of the blocked scarf:

(on the ironing board)

(and on Mom, in her library, her favorite room of the house)

Of course, I bought something from the Friedmans, one skein of Ritratto in a beautiful plum and orange color. I am going to try to make myself a shawl to wear with the dress from my brother's wedding. I wanted to take it to really look at it next to the dress in different lights and to ask my mother's opinion. $13 a skein is a bit much for me (I am used to using cheap acrylics, remember) but I thought I would splurge. So Tuesday when they open, I will be calling for the remaining 3 balls in the same dye lot. I don't think I can knit enough to be ready to wear it on the 29th, even if I knit, didn't go to school, and didn't sleep until then. But I may very well try. I also didn't want to just go in and ask for advice on how to block without first establishing a relationship, and well, also, I'm sort of a sucker, despite the goal of working down my stash.

In addition to my yarn, they gave me this:

How freakin' cute is he? He's a sheep, and he's smushy and he has their name and phone number on his back.

Tonight, I start the Swirled Pearl Shawlette (minus the pearls) to make for myself. I don't think I will finish it by Barrister's Ball on the 29th, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to try...

Almost finished

I am almost finished with Melanie's scarf. The only thing left to do is to block it and put fringe on it, if Melanie wants fringe. I haven't decided if either she is a fringe person or if the scarf needs it. I think I am going to have to block it first, make a decision and then, if it doesn't require fringe, ask her if she wants to have fringe. It wound up being a little more than one skein to knit, so I have the extra yarn. I'm feeling like for length purposes alone, a little fringe might be useful.

Carolyn's fiancé Andrew requested a scarf in Giant's blue, so I sent him a bunch of patterns to look at and he chose the Miranda http://smariek.blogspot.com/2007/06/miranda-scarf.html. I had told Carolyn I thought she needed a cabled scarf, and sher chose the same one. She said, "We are clearly meant to be together because we chose the same pattern." She's thinking a burgundy for her and he wants this color:

Yes. He found the color on the internet and sent it to me. I told him that he has to come to the yarn store with us because I don't think that I will be able to match it from the internet to the store. I'm happy to have the fun projects.