#49 - OFF THE NEEDLES

'Tis the season of gift knitting. Stressful, blasted gift knitting. I always make the fatal error of planning to knit far too many holiday gifts. Then, add a few commissions onto the pile and I'm in over my head. If I was wise, I'd start in August, but no, I wait until around Thanksgiving for the insanity to begin. Nonetheless, I'm attempting to pare down this year's list - small knits, in mostly chunky yarns, with very simple patterns. So unless you're willing to spend 80 hours on a gift for me and are patient enough to wait until February to receive your Christmas present, don't expect a lace shawl this year.

Ravel it!

But of course, I'm breaking my own ground rules straightaway. I knitted another Brambles, this time for a dear friend, in Cascade Eco Duo, which is an alpaca and merino blend. This time, I modified the beret by adding additional slouch and a faux buttonband.





It turned out cute and cozy, with a slight halo from the alpaca. I'm a tight knitter, so the loose twist on this yarn caused it to be a bit splitty for me, but the yarn is incredibly soft, so I'm willing to overlook it. I'm on a bit of a jag with this pattern, as I'm planning on knitting yet another one for myself with some extra slouch for the chilly months that are upon us.

Ravel it!

Luckily, I'm back on track with my plans - knitted up an Anthropologie-inspired scarflet for a family member's xmas present. This is done in Rowan Big Wool, and seriously, can Rowan just start producing awful, scratchy yarns? Maybe then I'd have a little more money in my bank account because this stuff was just a pleasure to knit. I really like the texture in this, and it was a fairly straightforward pattern. The scarflet still needs a little blocking to loosen up the stitches, but I think you get the idea with this photo. This will be super warm for the upcoming winter season.

Do you make gifts during the holiday season or just stick to shopping? If you do, what are your favorite gift patterns? I need some more ideas asap!

Until next time, happy knitting!!
xx

#48 - FRIDAY KNITSPIRATION

I occasionally find myself poring over the interwebs late at night, going through Ravelry and knitwear designers and yarn shops and blogs to see what sorts of things are inspirational to me in my crafty process. This week, it has to be all of the gorgeous stuff going on at Quince and Company yarns. Founded by several self-proclaimed yarnophiles, Quince focuses on natural fibers and American sourced wool, in a variety of stunning colors.


On my holiday wish list this year? A few skeins of Quince Chickadee sport weight yarn in a moss green for their Kilkenny Cowl pattern. It's the perfect time of year for cozy cables and textured knits, and I love the ease of tucking a cowl into a jacket at this time of year without worrying about the extra bulk of a scarf.

As for next week on {bmore crafty}, expect to see some knitty progress on the next Brambles beret, a review of Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts 2010, and some handmade holiday ideas.

Happy knitting this weekend!
xx

I was in no way compensated for this post, and do not endorse products in exchange for money (or even copious amounts of yarn). Photos credited to the Quince and Company website.

#47 - FO: MAMA SUE'S READING MITTS

Ravel it!

Mama Sue's Reading Mitts are off the needles!

I'll keep it brief, but I have to give my praise to both this yarn and this pattern. My illustrious mum picked the yarn, Rowan Purelife British Sheep Breeds DK in brown bluefaced leicester, and she has simply impeccable taste. The undyed yarn has a great neutral shade that will go with all of her winter coats and a really wonderful feel on the skin.


As for the pattern, it's simple enough to knit up in a few days, yet looks very clean and well made for the amount of time required to make them. As well, this pattern includes two features that set it ahead of many basic fingerless mitts patterns - a thumb gusset and a sewn edge. I hate fingerless gloves that don't include a thumb gusset, and although they're easy to add to a stockinette mitt, this is excellent for beginners and much more comfortable for the wearer in the long run. Since the edges of the mitts are folded under and sewn down, it gives them a much more professional look, which is perfect for holiday gifting.

I'm not much on knitting patterns more than once, but I can definitely see myself making up a pair or two of these for some last minute holiday gifts.

Up next - I just cast on another Brambles, this time with several mods - a wider brim with a buttonband and a slouchier body. Of course, I'll be sharing my progress soon. Happy knitting!

#46 - ON THE NEEDLES

Just thought I'd share a quick post with what's on my needles at the moment, especially since I'm in a major bout of startitis. Between holiday knitting and commissions, I need to get my needles moving! In the meantime, I have a few little projects that I'm actively working on:

First off, Mama Sue's Reading Mitts, which I'm knitting for my brilliant mom. She picked the yarn, Rowan Purelife British Sheep Breeds DK in Bluefaced Leicester. And wow, that lady has good taste. I'm in love with this yarn. I'm finished with the thumb gusset increases for mitt #2, so these should be off the needles in no time.

Ravel it!

Next, the Crazy Vanilla Socks, formerly the Nutkin Socks, in Crazy Zauberball, which I frogged because the pattern was (for reasons unknown to me) boring me to death. Keeping these in my bag at all times.

Ravel it!

I recently frogged yet another WIP to cast on the Mara Shawl in LB Collection Superwash Merino. Super simple and I foresee great stitch definition on this one.

Ravel it!

And finally... I swatched for the Beatnik sweater! This is Knitpicks Wool of the Andes in Dove Heather and it's going to be so lovely in cabled goodness. I can feel it already.

I've been knitting up a storm, so I suspect there will be much more to share quite soon. What crafty shenanigans have you been up to lately?

#45 - BRAMBLES

Ravel it!

I knitted the Brambles beret from the deep fall 2010 issue of Knitty, and oh how I loved making it! First of all, I used Angel's Kiss Alpaca/Merino worsted weight yarn, which was a birthday gift from lovely A. This yarn is just incredibly. Soft and squishy and bouncy and I could go on and on. The kettle dyeing makes for some wonderful, subtle variegation in shade. And it feels wonderful in your hands while knitting away.


As for the pattern, the Knitmore Girls always refer to working cables as potato chip knitting. And they're right. I found myself wanting to turn just one more cable, or to get to the next round, or to the next chart. Before you know it, you're finished and stretching this little baby over a dinner plate.

This pattern has already been suggested, but is so perfect for all of you #stashbustarmy knitters looking to use up a single skein of worsted weight yarn. I am a bit tight on tension, and used less than my 220yd skein for the medium size. And because it's such a breeze to knit, you'll feel like an ace when it's complete and will get to watch the compliments roll in - just don't let your head get too big to fit into your new, cozy beret.


And ps, take a look at my owl-o-lantern! Hope you had some fun festivities on All Hallows Eve, too.

#44 - SOMEWHERE IN-BETWEEN

Image via Laylock

At the moment, I feel like I'm stuck somewhere in-between startitis and can't finish a thing-itis. (Yes, I'm coining it as such; my command of language being what it is.) My mind is swirling. Maybe it's the season's change or life circumstance or general frustration or whatever else plagues my brain, but I am constantly poring over patterns and looking at new yarns and sketching ideas, but little comes to fruition. I know that I'm a process knitter, and have no trouble frogging a half-finished sweater because I've decided the yarn wants to be something else entirely, but even I feel confused as to how many projects I have on the needles and how many other ideas are running about in my brain. If it weren't for the few little commissioned knits I've had to work on, I'd be completely lost! But anyway, I'll share a few WIPs with you all, and keep your fingers crossed that I develop a little knitted discipline this week. This is not the way to enter the holiday knitting season. At all.

Brambles beret in Angel's Kiss Alpaca/Merino worsted yarn


Nutkin Socks in Crazy Zauberball - psst, I am loving this colorway.


Commissioned Toque in Lamb's Pride Bulky



Aaaand... I may have bought a few buttons today, too. Just keep that one between us.

#43 - STASH BUST ARMY

I've been knitting a lot of small projects as of late, trying to bust some of my impossibly growing stash (Yes, it's taking over the living room), along with lots of lovely Twitter knitters in the StashBustArmy. You may have already heard about it from @Voolenvine on the Yarngasm podcast or the Electric Sheep podcast from @hoxtonhandmade - we simply knit from yarn we already own and share projects and inspiration for busting stash! Nonetheless, I highly recommend that you search for #stashbustarmy on Twitter to see some brilliant knitters and crocheters using up some of that languishing yarn.

First off, I have a few balls of Noro Silk Garden Sock, despite the fact that I'm not typically a sock knitter (I really can't help myself around such lovely colors), so I knitted one up into a Lacy Baktus with the intention of keeping it for myself. But as my mom began to ogle it, I set my selfish tendencies aside and realized the colors look amazing on her - so look who got to keep it!


ps, Isn't my mom just gorgeous? She hates having her photograph taken, but my silliness behind the camera brought out some real smiles.

I also knit up a pair of Toasty fingerless mitts for myself after seeing the pair done up in Malabrigo by Nitters on Ravelry. I have a few balls of Amy Butler for Rowan Belle Organic in dk weight, and oh my goodness, I cannot recommend this yarn enough.


So soft and squishy, perfect for gloves or scarves that will be right against your skin. My only complaint is that the yarn can be a bit splitty, but I have a tendency to use tight gauge, so that is a likely culprit.


I knit these extra long above the thumb gusset to keep my fingers warmer than regular gauntlets. They're so cozy that I never want to take them off.

Now, I'm working intermittently on some sweaters, a lacey scarf, my first ever pair of socks, and the Peak's Island Hood from Ysolda Teague. Startitis got me. At least I'm busting some more of my stash along the way, right? :)

#42 - MISSING IN ACTION

From Knitting, etc.

Eco Baby Booties in FibraNatural Cobblestone Superwash

Okay, so I've obviously been on a blog hiatus that lasted a bit longer than I intended. Summer was busy and crazy and hectic, but now I'm back with lots of things to share. And oh, I have a Master's degree now, which is an excellent bit of news!

Going off of the radar for a while is kind of liberating, but I've missed catching up with all of you amazingly crafty bloggers, so expect me to be poking around on your sites to see what is happening in all of your lives. And if you ever want to know what I'm up to knit-wise, you can always find me babbling on with some brilliant knitty folks on Twitter - I'm @rachellynnec.

From Knitting, etc.

Eco Baby Booties in Dream in Color Classy

I'm not going to share every single thing I've been knitting since I last blogged, especially since my memory card has also gone MIA at the moment, but to recap, Summer 2010 was the Season of the Baby. Baby knitting can make you feel like a genius - knocking out a couple tiny hats in a day is bound to leave any crafty person believing she's a rock star - but it also left me yearning to make some more substantial projects. However, the Season of the Baby helped me to determine what my go-to projects for the kiddos will be from now on.

From Knitting, etc.

Eco Baby Booties and Norwegian Sweet Baby Cap in Dream in Color Classy

To start, if you're on the hunt for the a simple, easy to memorize, and impossibly quick to knit pair of baby shoes, look no further than the Eco Baby Booties (Ravelry link) from HipKnitIzed. Garter stitch in worsted weight means you'll finish these in no time, and they're so easy to embellish or modify to your tastes. And unless you have a pile of 20-some flat baby shoes to seam up (like I did), you won't mind that part either.

From Knitting, etc.

Eco Baby Booties and Tubey in Dream in Color Classy

Also, I'm probably beating a dead horse on this, but you can never fail with Woolly Wormhead's caps. I bought the Wee Woolly Toppers booklet on a whim last year, and oh, these patterns are so well written and easy to execute. Not to mention, oohs and ahhs will come from the mouths of all who see her designs.

From Knitting, etc.

Baby Bonnet from More Last-Minute Knitted Gifts in FibraNatura Cobblestone Superwash

Now I'm onto bigger (& better?) things - a back-log of queued sweaters for myself, a few shawlettes and mitts to make with the #stashbustarmy folks on Twitter... and I'm going to celebrate this Socktoberfest with my first ever pair of socks. While in Rehoboth Beach this summer, I scored a few Crazy Zauberballs at the Kitschy Stitch without any plans in mind, but I'm thinking a simple and squishy sock for my mom is in order. I'm leaning towards the Waffle House Socks (Ravelry link), but I'd love to hear your favorite sock pattern suggestions!

#41 - SUNSHINE AND BEAUTY

After the last post's questionnaire, I thought I should catch up on the other lovely awards I've been tagged for recently! left-handed knitter navigating the world tagged me for the sunshine award! thank you so much! :) and a girl in winter tagged me for the beautiful blogger award (thank you, thank you!), for which i need to list 10 completely random things you probably don't know about me... so here it goes!

1. I usually don't change my wall calendar until the month is halfway over.

2. Every time I plan to be driving more than 30 minutes, I must have what I refer to as a "road soda" - a lemonade, coffee, slushie drink, whatever. And by the way, a road soda is never actually soda.

3. My favorite thing about my apartment is the ceiling fan in my bedroom.

4. I am obsessed with journals, paper, pens, and various other school supplies.

5. I have never done a cartwheel in my life. I possess zero upper-body strength whatsoever.

6. I love the soundtracks from all Wes Anderson and Sofia Coppola films.

7. On the topic of movies, I often watch the same one over and over again for weeks at a time.

8. I can be terribly awkward when people compliment me.

9. Aside from crafty blogs, I adore fashion bloggers who inspire me to keep on thrift shopping.

10. I love having super-short hair, but I am trying to grow it out into to a chin-length cut.

I must thank those two lovely ladies, g-girl and a girl in winter, again for tagging me! Visit their blogs - they are some of my favorites. I'm supposed to tag some bloggers for each of these awards - but I'm breaking the rules - I think all of my readers are beautiful bloggers who bring lots of sunshine, so consider yourself tagged! And if you'd like, tell me something fun about yourself in the comments because I'd love to get to know you better, too.

#40 - TAG, I'M IT!

I am not dead. I'm simply a baaad blogger who has been knitting intermittently while taking some hardcore evening classes. I have a blog post in the works, I promise, but in the meantime, I had to share this with you! Then lovely @Voolenvine tagged me in this little 8 question quiz, so I figured I had to get this one up asap! (Psst, check out K's blog, too - it's fantastic.)

1. What's your staple meal (ie. what meal do you cook most often when you can't be bothered to be adventurous) ?

My automatic fall back dinners - stir fry frozen mixed veggies and tofu/tempeh with teriyaki and toss over soba noodles; or breakfast for dinner, which includes Fakin' Bacon and a fried egg on wheat toast.

2. What do you want to be when you grow up?

I think I should say "librarian," since that's what I'm getting this little master's degree for... but really, the dream would be knitwear designer or yarn shop owner. @Voolenvine, maybe we should get in business together! ;-)

3. What book are you reading at the moment (if any)

I'm audiobooking Sarah Vowell's Assassination Vacation and am halfway through Yarn Harlot: Secret Life of a Knitter, but really I'm mostly reading for classes. As for class readings, though, I'll admit that The Great Cat Massacre by Robert Darnton is amusing for anyone interested in French history.

4. How do you relax?

Usually it involves yarn, good friends, bad television, and strong drinks.

5. What color are the interior walls of your home?

A strange yellow-beige that I'm not allow to change per my landlord. Ugh.

6. What is your guiltiest pleasure?

Real Housewives of NYC reruns and apple pie a'la mode from Paper Moon Diner in Baltimore

7. What time is bedtime and getting up time?

Sleep - somewhere between 12-1am

Wake up - for work, 7am; on days off, 9am or even later :-P

8. How long do you spend reading blogs (per day or per week)?

It depends on my schedule. If school isn't overwhelming me, I'll read/skim blogs a few hours a week. Then again, I subscribe to way too many (Thanks, Google Reader!) to keep up with. As of this moment, I haven't read any blogs in at least a week. I need to catch up with all of my bloggy friends!

And now, a few friends from Twitter and blog-land that I'd like to tag!

@Nitters96

@agirlinwinter

AC Engineered Knits

Lazy Kate Creates

#39 - THINGS ARE HAPPENING.

If you know me, you're well aware that I have all the ridiculousness, the inability to manage life, the lack of concern for my social status, and the affinity for food of one Liz Lemon. I run blindly into overwhelming situations with the outward appearance of someone without a care in the world, while inside my neuroses are usually getting the best of me. I'm pretty sure this is how I've turned summer, typically a season of relaxation and fun, into the most stressful month of my life. So bear with me as I rattle off a list of all this month's goings-on - and note that a lot of these things are of my own doing...

1. I joined the Fiona Twitalong (a little late) with some fabulous knitters - @CheekyTart @KillerLashes @knittyornice @Voolenvine. I'll be knitting up the Fiona All Grown-Up in KnitPicks Comfy Fingering in Whisker grey and Sea Foam blue... as soon as the yarn arrives on my doorstep. Oh, and this is my first KnitPicks yarn, so I'm looking forward to trying it out!

2. I'm still busy at work on my mom's Drops Jacket. Ravel it! This is fantastically relaxing knitting... swathes of stockinette in bulky weight. It's a breeze (so far).

3. I'm in the process of getting my knitty business plans off the ground. A few people in my life have urged me to start putting some of my own designs out into the ether, so I'm in the midst of designing new patterns, making up business cards, setting up an etsy shop, and applying for some craft fairs. It's incredibly exciting and scary all at once, but I'm looking forward to seeing where things go.

4. I'm joining in on the Creativity Boot Camp, a free e-course designed to get those creative juices flowing. Considering the big projects I have underway, I hope this will get me thinking in different and inspiring ways. I've never participated in a project like this, so I'm intrigued to see how it goes, but by the looks of things, this will be the kick in the pants I need to get my crafty ideas on the fast track.

5. Meanwhile, I'm auditing my last class that ends in July, my contract with my job ends in July so I'm on the hunt for something new, and my lease on my place ends in July too! Yikes.

Okay... deep breaths. Time to get some reading done on my balcony before I head to the office. And in the style of Liz Lemon, maybe a snack.

#38 - THE START OF SOMETHING

Midway through the week, I had high hopes of finishing a tiny little sweater for a tinier little baby. Then it all hit the figurative fan, when I made a sleeve that wasn't nearly wide enough, but happened to be about 6cm too long. It happens to the best of us, but I got cranky, nearly threw the needles at the wall, stomped my feet, pouted, poured some wine, and slowly frogged back about 10cm of stripey stockinette. Frogging usually leads me to heart palpitations, so I decided to hide the sweater away for a few days to regroup. First, I tried knitting a few rows here and there on my Damson, but for some reason I'm not quite making any progress despite its simplicity. My brain has simply been itching to cast on for something completely different, and I caved in to my urges.

So here it goes, my first real sweater pattern. I always thought of myself as only an accessories knitter, but the further you go into the rabbit hole, you eventually can't help yourself. I just swatched for a DROPS sweater jacket with 3/4 sleeves for my mom in DROPS Eskimo. It looks like I'm on gauge, which is a bit of a relief for now, but who knows what will happen. Wish me luck as I cast on this wooly beast! Here's hoping I make some decent progress over my long weekend.

From Knitting, etc.

#37 - THIS & THAT

Finally back! I've actually quite missed the blog over the last few weeks that were intense and sleep-deprived due to final papers and take-home exams and the like. I'm only a few credits away from my MLS, which is simultaneously exciting and relieving. Meanwhile, in the few weeks I have before the summer minimester begins, I'm packing in lots of yarny and crafty exploits!

From Knitting, etc.

First off, I finally finished knitting my Clapotis! It took much longer than I ever anticipated, thanks to my easily distracted brain, but the final product is really lovely, soft, and drapey in Art Yarns Regal Silk - one of my most self-indulgent yarn purchases. I love this colorway with neutrals, silver greys, greens, and bronze called Paris Rain. Considering that when I was last in Paris it was incredibly rainy for the first week, my Clapotis is a little bit of French nostalgia all around.

From Knitting, etc.

Although I'll probably never wear it like a shawl, I had to show off the drop stitch design. And many thanks to my fantastic mom, who photographed me quite a few times to get these shots! :)

From Knitting, etc.

Also, yesterday I came upon two yarny packages in the mail that I just have to share with you. The first one is my epic order from Nordic Mart, with 40ish skeins of Drops Eskimo for 2 sweaters (including the Sylvi!). This was my first order with Nordic Mart, and oh it was an absolute breeze. I ordered the yarn on Saturday afternoon and it arrived on Monday, zipping across country. How crazy is that? I'm a fan of all the Garn Studio yarns, but the yarn shops around here don't stock it, so I expect to be a return customer.

From Knitting, etc.

Then, my swap parcel arrived from Canada from one of my favorite Ravelers, Jenn! The parcel was MIA for a bit in the post, but landed on my doorstep and I was so eager to tear into it. She sent me a few reusable grocery bags - including one with lots of compartments, which will be a very handy project bag; lots of chocolates, including Aero Bubbles (not pictured... because I already tore into the bag and had to hide them from myself in the pantry); a sparkly beaded necklace and earrings set; an adorable notebook with a little sheep on the cover, perfect for writing down my modifications as I knit (which I too often forget to do); springtime stickers; and glorious, glorious yarn. 2 skeins of Cadenza Hand Paints, to be exact, in a beautiful springy green and yellow colorway, which I hear required her LYS owner to run off to the distributor just for me. Jenn, I can't thank you enough for being such a magnificent friend! You certainly spoiled me.

Now, I'm working on getting a few more lingering WIPs off the needles, so I'm turning on my Electric Sheep podcasts and audiobooks, and off I go!

#36 - MDSW FESTIVAL

So I skipped days 6 and 7 in Knit & Crochet Blog Week. I'm feeling a little disappointed, but I had such an amazing time blogging with everyone and getting the opportunity to meet so many new and fantastic folks. I hope you'll keep stopping by BMORE CRAFTY because I've loved getting to know you all a bit by your blogs (and have started following quite a few of you, as well)!

From Maryland Sheep & Wool 2010

Nonetheless, I think I have a good excuse for being MIA at the end of KnitCroBloWeek: Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival was this past weekend! Traffic was dreadful and the weather was heinously hot, but oh it was worth it. Angela and I frolicked around, checking out the yarn vendors and plotting ways to steal an alpaca. We left without one (unless you count the alpaca and silk roving I bought), but we did pat quite a few of them on their adorably fluffy heads.

From Maryland Sheep & Wool 2010

In the end, we spent much more time in the barns than around the vendors, checking out the myriad breeds of sheep and pitying them as they panted in the near-90 degree heat. The ones being sheared looked much relieved, I must say! And really, there is nothing more disheartening than seeing a food vendor with a sign for lamb gyro only steps away from a barn full of bleating sheep...

From Maryland Sheep & Wool 2010

Surprisingly, I only bought a few bags of roving... likely because I was ogling the spinning wheels, which is inspiring me to save my money. This was my first MDSW, and all in all, it was such a fun day. Next plan - visit the Painted Spring Alpaca Farm near York, Pennsylvania. Who's in?!

#35 - KNITCROBLOWEEK, DAY 5: WHEREVER I MAY FIND HER

busy at work on my Clapotis

Really, wherever I can get needles and yarn in my hands, I'll knit. At class, at the office, in cars, on buses (until my motion sickness kicks in), on the metro, on planes, in waiting rooms, on front porches, in bars. If I had to choose my favorite knitting location, it would be on my balcony at 7am with a cup of coffee. The sun is up, the morning is still in my tiny courtyard, and I can prepare for the day ahead... but I haven't had the chance to get knitting out there too often lately.

Where do I find myself most days with needles in hand, happily plugging away at my newest project? Actually, it's in my bed. Over the past months, my gloriously huge and fluffy bed has transformed into my knitting studio. With pillows fluffed, podcasts playing, pajamas on, and hot tea at my bedside, I can relax and wind down my busy days with some time well-spent, needles in hand.

Word of advice, though - don't ever actually fall asleep with knitting... unless you want a bamboo needle in the bum at 2am.

To read other posts by knitters and crocheters participating in 'blog week,' just google search 'knitcroblo1' for day 1, 'knitcroblo2' for day 2, etc.

#34 - KNITCROBLOWEEK, DAY 4: MORE TO LEARN

I'll probably start to sound like a broken record, but it's true: One of the things I so love about knitting is that there are seemingly endless amounts of things to learn. And for most techniques, I'm practically fearless and happily dive head-first into a project without the slightest clue what I'm doing. Knitting in the round? Sure, why not. Cables? Count me in. Lace? It's just a few yarn overs. Entrelac? Sounds good to me!

photo © hello yarn

But one technique has me (figuratively) shaking in my boots... Colorwork. Why oh why? So much of it that I love, so many knitters whose work with it that I adore, but I have yet to try, already years into my knitting life. And one poor pattern patiently awaits in my Ravelry queue: Hello Yarn's Fiddlehead Mitts. A classic mitten with scrolling detail, which I covet when I see it pop up on other's project pages. I am certain that after a bit of reading and perhaps a class or a little help from my friends, I'll be knitting away on these without a care. Until then, I'll look at them longingly, from afar, simply waiting... until I know what I'm doing.

To read other posts by knitters and crocheters participating in 'blog week,' just google search 'knitcroblo1' for day 1, 'knitcroblo2' for day 2, etc.

#33 - KNITCROBLOWEEK, DAY 3: ONE GREAT KNITTER

Ugh. I have been thinking on this for days now. How can I pick one great knitter who I look up to, who inspires me, who I aspire to be like? There are so many! First I started thinking of all my favorite designers and "celebrity" knitters (if you'll allow that term). Stephanie Pearl-McPhee is the woman who made me feel less alone as a yarn obsessive. Then there's Ysolda, Kim Hargreaves, Amy Singer, Jared Flood... I could go on. Each of them with an individual aesthetic and point of view.

photo © Marie Greene

So instead, I began to think about my blogging friends, and immediately, I thought of Marie. We met through the blog project French Picnic, and I got to know her through Permission to Unwind. She's an incredible knitter, and I think that almost goes without saying. But she's also incredibly positive, full of life, sassy, hilarious, kind-hearted, and she dyes pink streaks in her hair for fun. How couldn't you like this gal? Not to mention, she's given me a great deal of support as I've begun on this blogging journey of my own. So, go visit Marie at Permission to Unwind and tell her I sent you. :)

To read other posts by knitters and crocheters participating in 'blog week,' just google search 'knitcroblo1' for day 1, 'knitcroblo2' for day 2, etc.

#32 - KNITCROBLOWEEK, DAY 2: AN INSPIRATIONAL PATTERN

photo © Sadie Dayton

One of the incredible things about Ravelry is its role as a storehouse for information for knitters and crocheters. Before it, you could troll the internet for hours on end trying to find a blogger's errata notes on a pattern. Now, you can almost safely assume that if it isn't on Ravelry, it probably doesn't exist! Nonetheless, I find myself trolling Ravelry for hours on end, looking through patterns, designers, and yarns for things I've yet to use.

photo © Sadie Dayton

That's probably how I stumbled upon the Sylvi. At first glance, it's really not my style. A huge sweater coat. Appliqued floral details. But something about it struck me. It's quite obviously a beautiful sweater, yet there's more to it. The Sylvi would represent a dedication to time, would demonstrate my abilities as a knitter, would reinforce my love for the craft. And it would be something I wear with pride.

As of now, I'm attempting to complete a few of those projects that have been lurking on the needles far too long to make room for the Sylvi. I am so up for the challenge.

*The Sylvi pattern is available for download purchase from Twist Collective. Knitters looking for help with the pattern can join the Sylvi KAL on Ravelry, an ongoing group for knitters pursuing the project.


To read other posts by knitters and crocheters participating in 'blog week', just google search for 'knitcroblo1' for day 1, 'knitcroblo2' for day 2, etc.

#31 - KNITCROBLOWEEK, DAY 1: STARTING OUT

From Knitting, etc.

One of my early (and admittedly still unfinished) projects...

Now that I'm reflecting on things, it's almost funny that I still think of myself as a brand-new knitter... but one of the major aspects that I love about this craft is how much I still have to learn. It's sort of difficult for me to remember exactly how I began knitting - there was no inciting incident for me. Without sounding too hokey, I almost feel like I was meant to become a knitter, especially considering my favorite childhood memories.

When I was in elementary school, my neighbor Miss Vicky taught me basic crochet stitches. She gave me a beautiful granny square, in which I hand stitched a lining and turned into a crochet hook case. My mom would let me go to the craft store to get yarn and pattern books, but I don't think I ever completed one. I made little potholders for my mom when I wasn't working on rug hook kits, a lap loom, or making jewelry. Let's just say I was always a crafty kid.

But middle school came around and I quit crochet. I unfortunately don't remember much of it and haven't done it since. But my recollections of crochet in college had me thinking about starting to knit. I didn't know anyone who was an avid knitter, so I just went online looking for directions and tutorials. Being a lefty, I tried and tried to learn left-handed knitting on my own... and failed miserably!

On a whim, I decided to check out the right-handed knitting tutorials. And I got it. I made one lumpy square out of brown acrylic and finally figured out stockinette before I started work on a rugby striped scarf with that same brown and a steel blue that I gave to my boyfriend at the time for a birthday gift. The thing was pretty decent, but a little sad and misshapen, and I ill-advisedly allowed my mom to iron the thing on cool to flatten it out, since no one had informed me on the concept of wet-blocking yet. Nonetheless, he was so full of praise for me, as was my family, which really encouraged me to continue knitting away.

Even though I took a knitting hiatus for a bit - knitting just didn't seem like a summertime hobby in my mind - I still would read blogs and patterns constantly, and after getting a little involved in the knitting community, I never looked back. If you're not participating in KnitCroBloWeek, what got you interested in knitting or crochet?



To read other posts by knitters and crocheters participating in 'blog week', just google search for 'knitcroblo1' for day 1, 'knitcroblo2' for day 2, etc.