Category Archives: FYI

Second Guesses, Sales, and Waiting- The Grandma’s Sweater Saga

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You guys are totally right.  I needed to get a different shade of gray for my Grandma’s Sweater.  I’ve decided to go with Knit Picks’ Dove Gray Heather:

25615[1](Ooh! Aah!)

It’s a really pretty soft gray in a similar tone as Dogwood Heather (pink).  I think it’ll turn out really prettily.

So, having made my decision, I went to the Knit Picks website yesterday, filled up my cart and hit submit.  (I even managed to constrain myself to the single skein I needed, instead of buying fifty dollars’ worth of extra yarn to get the free shipping.  Don’t judge me.  You know you’ve done it.)

To make sure the order went through (because I’m paranoid like that), I clicked over to my email to see the confirmation email.

Sure enough, there was a message from Knit Picks.  In fact, there were two emails.  The first was my order confirmation.  The second was this ad:

Sale*Insert sad trumpet sound here*

Sure it would have been less than a dollar saved, but it’s the principle of the thing!  (And now, I kind of want to go order some more yarn to take advantage of the sale.  So much for self-control.)

Now, I have to sit here and play the waiting game.  I can’t really start knitting until I have the gray yarn in my knitting basket, so I’ll just sit by the window and harass the mailman until it arrives.

A Swatch Dilemma

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I’ve been knitting away, and have swatched up my Biggo yarn for my Grandma’s Christmas Sweater.  And, well…

I am not pleased.

I give you Figure 1 (Gray Snowflakes with Pink Border):

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAEw!  No!  The contrast between the blue and gray is way to low.  All that work, and you can barely see the snowflake pattern.  (It looks even worse in real life…. ugh!)

I give you Figure 2 (Pink Snowflakes with Gray Border):

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERABetter, but not great.  I think the gray is just too low-contrast.

So, I have three options:

1.  Just deal with it.  Knit up the sweater as shown in Figure 2, and let it go.

2.  Forget about trying to use both gray and pink, and just make the sweater out of pink and blue yarn.

3.  Order more gray yarn from Knit Picks in a lighter shade.

I will sit here and sulk for a while, then, I suppose I’ll make a decision.  (At least I did the swatch first… That would have been so frustrating if I’d already started working on the sweater?  Ugh.)

Hobby Lobby

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I usually avoid writing about political stuff on the blog for a couple reasons.

1.  This is a knitting blog, and knitting is inherently a-political.  It doesn’t matter if you are a democrat or republican, we still can commiserate about frogging a half-finished sweater.

2.  I’m a little shy about putting my opinions out in such a public forum.  I like all of you guys, and I’d rather not alienate you guys.

That being said, sometimes I just can’t help myself.  So, if you disagree with me, or don’t even want to read the rest of this post, that’s fine.  I respect that.  These are just my personal beliefs, and I want to share them with you.

There is a new Hobby Lobby that just moved into my neighborhood- I could actually walk to it, if I had enough determination.  A new craft store, so close to my house!  This should be great!  But, I’ve had a less-than-glowing impression about Hobby Lobby for years, and with the recent supreme court case, I can’t in good conscience shop there.

Hobby Lobby is a for-profit corporation with strict religious beliefs (how a company can have a religion, I’m not entirely sure).  For years, they have been imposing their religious beliefs on employees to one degree or another.

Since the Affordable Care Act became law, companies are required to cover their full-time employees’ healthcare.  And, part of that healthcare requirement includes contraceptives for women.  Hobby Lobby (as well as other religious companies) refuses to pay for their employees contraceptive, saying it goes against the religious beliefs of the company.This case has gone all the way to the Supreme Court, who, last summer, decided in favor of Hobby Lobby.  The fact that a private, for-profit corporation can simply choose not to provide vital preventative care for its employees makes me very nervous.  I worry what other corporations will try to do next.

On Monday, dozens of like-minded people protested the new Hobby Lobby in Seattle.  They held signs and conducted a peaceful demonstration along Aurora, one of the biggest streets in the city.

10455061_10152791716984603_1547963420493947392_nThe protesters came from all over the city to get their message out, a message of freedom from corporate oppression, equality and personal rights.

10698650_10152791722589603_1754839863910223905_nOf course, I don’t expect every one of you to agree with me (isn’t that what’s great about America?).  But, I know I won’t be shopping at Hobby Lobby.

The Final Stretch

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This weekend, after a good night’s sleep and several calming breaths, I actually managed to (nearly) finish my Persistence is Key Sweater!

I even wove in all my ends and blocked it!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAIt fits almost perfectly (although it’s oddly long in the armpits, which is strange, but I think if I re-block it, that might fix that up.  And if it doesn’t, I’ll just have to live with long armpits.  There’s no way I’m ripping it out and re-doing this whole sweater.)  And, I absolutely love the cable on the back.  It’s gorgeous!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAAnd I’m really happy with the little touches of garnet-colored yarn that I added to the cast-off edges (collar, cuffs and hem).  I think the added color really make the sweater special.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERANow, I just have to pick out some buttons.

I’m terribly indecisive when it comes to these things, so I want your opinion!  Should I get buttons that are:

Antique silver?

12196622Garnet red?11065489Wooden/coconut/bone?1833391So many options, and only one button band.  What would you use?

OK, Maybe You Should Have Stopped Me

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The downside of my Finish-The-Project-Or-Die-Trying mania is that sometimes everything gets a little out of hand.  Point in case, last night:

9:00 – I sit down with a glass of wine, an episode of Castle, and the determination to finish one button band before I go to bed.  I cast on, and start knitting.

9:30 – I reach the button hole row, and read over my pattern (poorly, as it turns out).  I go ahead and make all my button holes.

9:35 – I make it to the end of the button hole row, and I realize that I didn’t count correctly, and as a result, I don’t have enough space for all the buttons that I wanted to add.  I tink back the row.  Not to worry.  It’s just a small setback.

9:45 – I begin the row again, this time making sure that I do the right thing.  (But, of course, I still don’t actually re-read the pattern.  Because I am stubborn and dumb.)

9:50 – I finish the row, and realize I counted my stitches wrong (again), but this time in a different way.

9:55 – I pout and pour myself another glass of wine.

10:00 – I swear under my breath, and tink back the row again.

10:10 – I knit the row one more time, being extra-special 100% sure that I do the right thing.

10:15 – I finish the row and count that I have the right number of button holes.  I do a little happy dance and keep knitting.

10:45 – I sit back, almost ready to bind off the button band, and check over my work.  The button holes are nicely spaced across the whole button band, but something looks a little off, a little wonky.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERASee that button hole?  (It’s kind of hard to see in the photo, sorry.)  See how it’s kind of halfway up the little piece of ribbing?  I think to myself, “Huh, shouldn’t the button holes be centered in the purl sections of the ribbing?  That’s a weird way to design a pattern.  Oh well.”

10:50 – I start getting ready to bind off, but the off-kilter button holes are still bugging me.  I get out my computer and start poking around on Ravelry.  The other people who’ve made this sweater don’t have weird off-kilter button holes.  I am perplexed and a little frustrated.

11:00 – I actually re-read the pattern again, and I realize that I’ve made a huge mistake.  What I thought was a typo in the pattern (that I half read two hours earlier) was actually not a mistake at all.  I realize that I am stupid and arrogant for not really reading the directions.

11:10 – I consider ripping out the button band back to the holes, swear a little bit, and have a pity party for myself.

11:20 – I cry uncle, and give up for the night.  I’ll re-do the band in the morning, when I’m less blinded by stupidity and frustration.  Ugh.

 

Don’t Stop Me Now!

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I’ve gotten to that point in my Persistence is Key Cardigan.  The point at which I start ignoring the laundry piling up, letting the lawn grow long, and forgetting to go to the grocery store (I managed to run out of milk without noticing last night.  I had to drink my tea black this morning.  Like a heathen!)

When I start a sweater (or other big project), I begin with gusto.  But soon enough, the dreary slog of making a big item with teensy tiny needles, stitch by stitch, begins to take over and I get less and less excited.  I still will put in a few rows’ work every day, but I won’t sit for hours, knitting away.

But then, suddenly, something clicks in my brain, and I see the light at the end of the tunnel.  I realize that if I can just put in the time, I’ll have a brand new, finished, cozy, wonderful sweater (or afghan).  And I want that finished sweater.  No.  I need that finished sweater.

The next thing I know, I’m up all hours of the night, missing meals, and letting my house fall apart around me.

And the ridiculous thing is, that I’m not even that close to finishing.  This time, the mania set in when I still had a half a sleeve, the collar, and two button bands to knit up, not to mention weaving in all my ends, sewing on buttons, and blocking the dang thing.

At least I’m making headway, and enjoying myself.   Soon (though not soon enough), I will be the proud owner of a brand new cabled sweater.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Grandma, Don’t Read This Post!

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I’m 99.9% sure that my grandma doesn’t have the internet any more.  I believe she got rid of it a couple months ago.

That being said, if I’m wrong: Grandma, stop reading!   Christmas spoilers are ahead!  You have been warned.

OK, it should just be us now.

Remember last January when I made a sweater for my grandfather?  Well, this summer Grandpa asked me to make a sweater for my Grandmother, too.  He asked for something similar, but blue, and well, I can’t say no to a request like that.

I’ve decided to knit up a Norwegian-inspired sweater for Grandma this year.  I’m thinking a top-down, yoked sweater (because I love making top-down, yoked sweaters).  I’ll include a Norwegian star/snowflake pattern across the shoulders.  And, because that’s basically all she wears, it’ll be a cardigan.

Something like this, but simpler, and with buttons:

IMG_3358ny_medium2[1]The next step was to pick out yarn.  I am a big fan of Knit Picks (as a naturally frugal person), so I decided to give their Biggo yarn a try.  I have worked with it before, and it is lovely, soft, super thick, warm, and washable.  (Since there’s only three months until Christmas, having a big gauge is especially important.)  Mom and I talked about colors, and we settled on Sapphire Heather (main color), Dogwood Heather, and Cobblestone Heather.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI think these colors look lovely next to each other.  Unfortunately, there isn’t as much contrast between the Cobblestone and the Sapphire as I would have liked.   But, sometimes colors look different in the skein and knitted up, so I’ll need to work up a swatch to see how the colors play together when they’re knit up, just in case I need to get a different gray color.

I’m itching to get started knitting up this sweater.  I can’t wait to see how it goes.  (But unfortunately, I have to wind up all the skeins into balls, first, or I will spend the next three months fighting with big tangles of yarn.  Woe is me.

Three Months

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(Sung to the tune of “Christmas is Coming”)

Christmas is coming

My list is getting full.

Please knit a sweater

From my bag of wool.

If you cannot knit a sweater,

A simple hat will do.

If you cannot knit a simple hat,

Then god bless you!

032ce3630d50f0a28cfbdd01681a791b[1](In case it wasn’t clear, this is my round-about way of reminding you that we have three months until Christmas.  I’ve got to get knitting!)

Yoshi at PAX

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Remember Yoshi’s Wooly World?

yoshiwoollyworld[1]The game still isn’t out yet, but that doesn’t mean that Yoshi doesn’t have fans yet.

thCADYLBZRI mean, look at him!  He’s so cozy and cute!

On Saturday at PAX (the annual game convention here in Seattle), I bumped into a new friend dressed up as Wooly Yoshi in a costume she created herself:

yoshiSuper cute!  She even had balls of yarn that followed her around (see them tied to her ankle?), and a big crocheted egg.   How amazing is it that she designed, crocheted and modeled this costume all day!  Big props to her.

If you are interested in seeing her other costumes, look her up on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SmallRiniLady), visit her crafting blog (www.craftersindisguise.com) or buy some of her costume accessories from etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/threelace).

Whoops! A Counterpane Follow-up

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Do you remember Grandma Anna’s Counterpane?  I spent hours reverse-engineering one of my great-grandmother’s bedspreads from a little snapshot my Mom sent me.  I even posted a pattern.

It turns out, I didn’t have to.  (Insert sad noise here.)

I received a package from a great-aunt a few weeks ago (one that also included a few of my great-grandmother’s crochet hooks).  In the package was also a couple of my grandmother’s old craft magazines.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThis booklet, the Learn How Book, was published in 1952 by Coats & Clark.  It has a few simple projects and extremely thorough instructions on crochet, knitting, embroidery and (very usefully) tatting.  (The projects are actually pretty and practical, especially considering the publication date.  There’s even a sweater that I would totally make for myself, if I wore a girdle.)

But, right at the end of the crochet section, something popped out at me and literally made me do a double take.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAIt’s the counterpane!  The counterpane!  I couldn’t believe it!  Not more than a month after spending all that time working out the pattern from a tiny, blurry, cell-phone picture, and the pattern lands in my lap!  I couldn’t believe it!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAIt even used the word “cluster” for the bunches of stitches, just like I did.  Weird, right?  (Sure, the big clusters were called popcorn stitches in this pattern, but hey.  Close enough.)

I scanned through the pattern, and it looks like we both did mostly the same things, which is amazing.  Although, it’s a little hard to read the pattern in the booklet… look at that block of text!

The biggest difference I saw, though, was that they used a much, much finer gauge on their bedspread than I did.  I used a size H crochet hook, which is about 5 mm in diameter.  The booklet calls for a size 7 steel crochet hook, which is super tiny!  It’s actually less than 2 mm in diameter.  That means that instead of the blocks being about 10 inches across, like mine turned out, the original counterpane squares were only 5 inches by 5 inches!  That means, if you’re following the original pattern, you’ll need 260 squares just to make a twin-bed-sized blanket.  Talk about dedication!

I’m glad I got to see the original pattern, and I love seeing my great-grandmother’s old-fashioned handwriting in the margins of some of the patterns.  But one thing is for sure, I definitely won’t be making this bedspread at the original gauge.  That’s just crazy!