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.)

Snack Time!

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I don’t know about you, but sometimes I can work up an appetite with all my knitting.  After all, it’s practically exercise, right?  (Right?  Maybe?)  And, when you grab a snack to go with your knitting, you don’t want anything too gooey, or covered in cheese dust (getting Cheetos-powder out of merino is more trouble than it’s worth). OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI love a cup of tea and a plate of these amazing scones when I’m knitting (or doing just about anything else).  They’re slightly sweet, buttery, flaky and delicious.  They’re crunchy on the outside, and soft and tender on the inside.  I like to throw in a couple handfuls of raisins or blueberries.  They come together in about a half hour (from ingredients in the pantry to a plate of finished deliciousness).  And, the recipe is easy to halve if you have self-control issues (like me).  These scones are amazing right out of the oven, but they’re great warmed up in a toaster oven the next day, too.

Simple Sweet Scones

Yields: 12 or 16 small scones

2 1/2 C all purpose flower

1 Tbl baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 stick (8 Tbl) cold butter, cut up

1/4 C granulated sugar

2/3 C milk

Heat oven to 425 F.  Put flower, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl; stir to mix well.

Add butter and cut in with a pastry blender or rub in with your fingers until the mixture looks like fine granules.  Add sugar; toss to mix.

Add milk and stir with a fork until a soft dough forms.  Form dough into a ball, put onto a lightly floured board and give 10-12 kneads.

To make triangular scones, cut dough in half.  Knead each half lightly into a ball and turn smooth side up.  Pat or roll into a 6-8 inch circle.  Cut each circle into 6 or 8 wedges.  Place wedges on an ungreased cookie sheet-slightly apart for crisp sides, touching for soft sides.

Bake about 12 minutes, or until medium brown on top.  Put a linen or cotton dish towel on a wire rack, cover loosely with the cloth and cool completely before serving (if you can wait that long).

Inspiration: Knitting in Fall

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The temperature has finally settled in the low 60s, the mushrooms are sprouting on anything that stands still for more than a minute, and the fog has descended.  It is officially fall in Seattle.  I know that makes fall sound less than fun, but I absolutely love autumn in the Pacific Northwest (maybe I’m a masochist. You be the judge).  There’s something incredibly cozy and comfortable about getting up in the morning and putting on a flannel shirt or a fluffy sweater, drinking your cup of coffee and seeing nothing but gray mist outside your window.

(Interestingly, though, it’s almost impossible to take a good photo of fog.  So, instead of making you look at the crappy ones I took, I will steal one from the internet.  But, really, this is what my street has looked like every morning this week.  Except, my street has more houses.)b0a416d5ce158c4654afa438dc27868e[1]It makes me want to curl up with a mug of hot cider, Jazz music on the radio, a fire in the fireplace, and a knitting project that uses massively bulky yarn.

We could start small(ish) with a cowl so thick and cozy you could burrow into it and practically turn into a (very warm) tortoise.

The Gathering by Kalurah

DSC_2956_medium2[1]I can only imagine how quickly this gorgeous sweater would fly off the needles.  Do you think I could finish it by this evening?  It’s supposed to drop into the 50s tonight.

The Big Cable by Justyna Lorkowska

bigC3_medium2[1]Or I could just give up on any pretext of leaving the house for the next six months and hunker down under this (perfectly named) blanket.

A Blanket For Seriously Cold People by Sylvia Bo Bilvia

6443776281_f97d115886_z[1]All this talk of super-plush projects has gotten me in a very cozy mood.  There’s only one thing I can do now… I’m off to go put on as many scarves, sweaters and slippers as I can find, and bake myself a pumpkin pie.  Happy Fall, everyone!

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

Inspiration: Profssor Trelawney’s Poufs

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I’m re-reading the Harry Potter books again (because I’m a grown-up and can read what I want).  And, one of my good friends is having a Harry Potter-themed Halloween party in October (because she’s an adult and can do what she wants), and I want to study up.

I’ve just reached the part where Harry, Ron and Hermione have started taking Divination classes with Professor Trelawney.   If you haven’t read the books (and, really, you should), Prof. Trelawney is the very eccentric (and possibly prophetic) teacher of Divination classes (seeing the future).  She’s a big fan of foretelling Harry’s death, and wears more scarves than Stevie Nicks.

And, she has a very cool classroom, full of low tables and little poufs for the students to sit on and practice reading their tea leaves.

Divination[1]

I don’t put much store in reading tea leaves (except when I’m feeling especially superstitious), but I do love the idea of having a bunch of poufs laying around, willy-nilly.  They seem like they’d make a room feel especially cozy.  Perfect for propping up your feet while you sit with a blanket, a cup of tea, and your dog-eared copy of Harry Potter.

Puff Daddy by Anna & Heidi Pickles3440899265_5f42b4a163_z[1]

Le Pouffe by Julie PhilipP1090228_medium2[1]

Pouffe / Footstool / Ottoman Super Chunky Cable Knit 25″ diameter x 16.5″ high by Erin Blackil_fullxfull.385187280_5b78_medium2[1]

Freedom Sand Pouf by Theresa BoyceDSCN3382_medium2[1]

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!)