Lately I have been wanting to design something, though I am suffering from a distinct lack of inspiration. I've been poring over knitting blogs, magazines, books, and websites and sitting at my desk with pencil and paper in hand, trying desperately to feel inspired.
It just isn't working. I need more.. resources, or something. I don't know what it is. I did discover, after thinking about it rather hard, that I have a thing for knitting accessories. I don't knit sweaters- I surmise, in part, because I am so large that the idea of knitting a sweater for myself is incredibly daunting. On top of this, I really don't know what would fit my body nicely. I know what would fit my ideal body nicely, but me? No idea. So here I am, making myself as many "perfect" pairs of socks as I can (none patterned though I have an itch to make patterned ones, I simply haven't found a yarn I can truly allow myself to be creative with), all the while thinking about making fair isle mittens and drooling over the sheer beauty of Eunny Jang's Blog. What is a girl to do?
Knit lace. If my book would ever get here! I blame my father wholly for this, as I had left three of my dearest knitting books in New York thinking I would be returning for the eating disorder clinic, only to discover that I would have to spend entirely too much money in order to stay there (already scared by the prospect of a summer with people I didn't know, I caved in and cancelled those plans). So now, Knitting On the Edge, Knitting Over the Edge, and A Gathering of Lace are all in New York*, taunting me. I have already asked (no, implored) my father to please send me these three books. I did get 2 packages from him last Saturday- imagine my disappointment when I opened both boxes only to discover that they were mere Christmas presents, not the fountains of inspiration contained in my three beloved books. I have an email from my aunt claiming that he will be sending them, but who knows how long this will take. And before any of you make smart remarks about me borrowing these books from the library- I have already tried! They are not contained in the Great Falls Public Library, and I certainly am not going to spend the $30 per book to purchase another copy of any of them (it gets more tempting each day, though, to buy another Gathering of Lace, every time I see the Frost Flowers & Leaves Shawl that Eunny Jang whipped up. I am simply in love).
What is a girl to do? The 8 knitting books I got for Christmas only served to intensify my desire for these three books. I got A Treasury of Knitting Patterns by Barbara G. Walker, only to discover the very lace pattern used in the shawl I want to make is plastered all over the cover, taunting me. Of course, I could design a shawl of my very own, but why bother, when there is a pattern already so beautifully laid out for me? I lust for sumptuous, shiny, silky lace.
The rainbow socks are losing their appeal. The yarn doesn't really "fade" so much as it stripes in very wide and ungainly rainbow stripes. The finished product will be nice, but not as nice as I would have hoped. They will not be the incredible rainbow masterpieces that I had envisioned. Each stripe is over 3 inches wide! I suppose I will have to break down and just knit striped socks in rainbow colors, but still. Is a rainbow sock yarn so much to ask? I don't think so.
I fell this morning while walking to work. It really really sucked. I have skinned knees and my back is bothering me even more than it was already. Knitting isn't giving me the pleasure it should. I'm lusting after something I can't have, and I am sitting at work with 22 minutes to go and I simply just want to go home, curl up in a big chair (which we don't have) with my knitting. I miss Eco House, and I miss the big chairs, and most of all, I miss my copy of A Gathering of Lace!
*You may wonder why I left some of my favorite books at home. Firstly, there was the fact that those three books would be the ones I would want with me for the summer- then there is the fact that all three are rather large books so it was easier to stomach being without them for a mere 3 weeks than it was to stomach lugging them on the train to Montana and then on the airplane back to New York.
Friday, December 29, 2006
Monday, December 25, 2006
Christmas Meme
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper
2. Real tree or artificial? Used to be real, but no tree now. Someday I want one of those sparkly disco ones- the silver ones.
3. When do you put up the tree? 2 weeks or so before xmas
4. When do you take the tree down? Weeks after christmas, lol
5. Do you like eggnog? Ew!
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Oh god.. Probably one of those knitting machine kit things. You know, the ones that aren't actually "machines" but just big looms. I loved getting craft stuff for Christmas even then.
7. Do you have a nativity scene? No.
8. Hardest person to buy for? Brothers in law
9. Easiest person to buy for? Jeremy
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail, if i send them at all
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Probably the crocheted hanging flowerpot holders from my aunt (it was one of those family gift exchanges so it wasn't for me specifically)
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I hate christmas movies, but if it counts, Hook.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Right after Christmas last year.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes. I'm careful not to let anyone know about it but I'd rather give it away to someone who will like it than to keep it and never use it.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Turkey, and when I am with my family, macaroni and cheese.
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Colors- Blue
17. Favorite Christmas song? The one with the figgy pudding
17b. Christmas Song That, When You Hear It, Makes Your Eyes Bleed And Your
Brains Start To Leak Out Your Ears, Because That Is Less Painful Than
Having To Listen To: Most christmas songs
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Depends on where you count home, but not with my family, with my fiance's family.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Dasher, dancer, prancer, vixen, comet cupid, donner, blitzen And then there's rudolph. But he doesn't count in my mind.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Usually an angel back home, when I had a tree.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Used to be Christmas Day but since we don't have a tree or anything special we did it on the 23rd this year
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Christmas Crowds, Christmas Movies, and Christmas TV
23. Favorite Christmas Tradition? Homemade macaroni and cheese.
24. Outdoor decorations? No
2. Real tree or artificial? Used to be real, but no tree now. Someday I want one of those sparkly disco ones- the silver ones.
3. When do you put up the tree? 2 weeks or so before xmas
4. When do you take the tree down? Weeks after christmas, lol
5. Do you like eggnog? Ew!
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Oh god.. Probably one of those knitting machine kit things. You know, the ones that aren't actually "machines" but just big looms. I loved getting craft stuff for Christmas even then.
7. Do you have a nativity scene? No.
8. Hardest person to buy for? Brothers in law
9. Easiest person to buy for? Jeremy
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail, if i send them at all
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Probably the crocheted hanging flowerpot holders from my aunt (it was one of those family gift exchanges so it wasn't for me specifically)
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I hate christmas movies, but if it counts, Hook.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Right after Christmas last year.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes. I'm careful not to let anyone know about it but I'd rather give it away to someone who will like it than to keep it and never use it.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Turkey, and when I am with my family, macaroni and cheese.
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Colors- Blue
17. Favorite Christmas song? The one with the figgy pudding
17b. Christmas Song That, When You Hear It, Makes Your Eyes Bleed And Your
Brains Start To Leak Out Your Ears, Because That Is Less Painful Than
Having To Listen To: Most christmas songs
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Depends on where you count home, but not with my family, with my fiance's family.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Dasher, dancer, prancer, vixen, comet cupid, donner, blitzen And then there's rudolph. But he doesn't count in my mind.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Usually an angel back home, when I had a tree.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Used to be Christmas Day but since we don't have a tree or anything special we did it on the 23rd this year
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Christmas Crowds, Christmas Movies, and Christmas TV
23. Favorite Christmas Tradition? Homemade macaroni and cheese.
24. Outdoor decorations? No
Friday, December 15, 2006
Fair Isle for Fun
So, I know I don't have pictures of my finished Koigu socks but I am waiting to block them because I want them to look absolutely perfect. I have a bit of a photo series planned ;-) Anyway, right now I'm using that amazing yarn I mentioned to knit a pair of socks X-Treme style. I've had some problems with the technique (see: crossed yarn a couple times) so I had to rip back to the toe (not that I'd gotten that far) and I don't think I'll be making socks like this again because it is kind of a pain in the butt, even if it does give me official knitting goddess status. but the yarn I bought is actually on the thinner side for socks sooo... I need to use the smaller size dpns that I have. Anyway, I decided this morning I wanted to mix it up a bit.
I don't know if I'm making a pair yet (the mitten itself may become some sort of ornament), but I'm working on the "Selbu mitten" from Folk Mittens. It's not exactly what I wanted but its turning out really nice. I can't wait till I get it washed and blocked- I bet they'll turn out great. I don't really do a lot of fair isle and I hate working on dpns to be honest but these are turning out quite good. The purple and the pink is a really good combo (it is KnitPicks Pallete, and I'm thinking about doing this same design with some modifications. I don't realy like the thumb gusset or the thumb design- i'd do the whole gusset in a solid color if it were up to me, you can't see the rest of the thumb obviously but it has a snowflake and I can think of ways to make it look better. I'm also thinking of doing some doubleknit reversible mittens with the snowflake. I need to buy more KnitPicks Pallete. Lol.
I don't know if I'm making a pair yet (the mitten itself may become some sort of ornament), but I'm working on the "Selbu mitten" from Folk Mittens. It's not exactly what I wanted but its turning out really nice. I can't wait till I get it washed and blocked- I bet they'll turn out great. I don't really do a lot of fair isle and I hate working on dpns to be honest but these are turning out quite good. The purple and the pink is a really good combo (it is KnitPicks Pallete, and I'm thinking about doing this same design with some modifications. I don't realy like the thumb gusset or the thumb design- i'd do the whole gusset in a solid color if it were up to me, you can't see the rest of the thumb obviously but it has a snowflake and I can think of ways to make it look better. I'm also thinking of doing some doubleknit reversible mittens with the snowflake. I need to buy more KnitPicks Pallete. Lol.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
PERFECT YARN 2
OK, Anyone remember the last Rainbow Yarn that I found? The perfect one? I found one last night that is even more perfect. The first one I got is a lovely handpaint, but this one is going to become the most perfect pair of socks ever!!
See, I'm already becoming a fan of the seller who makes this yarn. The yarn is a spectrum fade, so the socks will start at one color and then fade all across the spectrum to the next.. HOW FREAKING AWESOME IS THAT? I haven't even got the yarn yet but I'm confident that only the nastiest yarn can ruin the colors this person makes.
The best part? They also have a custom color listing so you can get your OWN colors made (she only charges a $5 deposit which goes on to the final cost of the yarn, which is then charged in increments of 100 yards- read the lsiting if you're interested). If that rainbow one hadn't popped up I probably would have asked for one, but I guess they saved me the work, eh?
I'll let you know how the wool is when I receieve it, because I know not everyone is going to be so enchanged with the colors that they don't care about the wool, but I'm excited.
See, I'm already becoming a fan of the seller who makes this yarn. The yarn is a spectrum fade, so the socks will start at one color and then fade all across the spectrum to the next.. HOW FREAKING AWESOME IS THAT? I haven't even got the yarn yet but I'm confident that only the nastiest yarn can ruin the colors this person makes.
The best part? They also have a custom color listing so you can get your OWN colors made (she only charges a $5 deposit which goes on to the final cost of the yarn, which is then charged in increments of 100 yards- read the lsiting if you're interested). If that rainbow one hadn't popped up I probably would have asked for one, but I guess they saved me the work, eh?
I'll let you know how the wool is when I receieve it, because I know not everyone is going to be so enchanged with the colors that they don't care about the wool, but I'm excited.
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