Kyoto-ing

I haven't updated in a little while so I figured I'd do it today even if I don't have much to report.

I still only have one WIP, oddly enough. But the good thing about that is that the project goes by faster (way to state the obvious!). The back of Kyoto is done and I've began working on the left front. The back was pretty boring, all stockinette for 12.5". But it's now DONE.

My sister loved my poncho and she would like to have one. I don't think I could make it in time for her birthday though (April 2nd). So I may end up buying one for her. I loved knitting it though so who knows?

I'm hesitating between many things for a new project. I want to make Clapotis but I have trouble choosing the yarn. I have no idea what I want. I'm poor so I can't buy expensive yarn. Cheap and nice. That's what I need. I'd also like to make Madli's Shawl from last summer's IK. I'd like to use my alpaca for it but I'd have to go and buy more. I know they sell it at my LYS but I'm scared of dyelots after the poncho incident. I also want to make poster boy from SNBN, but I'd need new yarn for it. I'd love to get the Lamb's pride but you can't find it here. I'd order it but I only need two skeins (1 of each colour) and it wouldn't be worth it to order that little yarn with shipping rates and all. Meh meh meh. Maybe socks then, I have the yarn for it. We'll see.

I've been depressed lately. I always am this time of the year. Thank God for knitting and its therapeutic effects.

Two firsts

I finally finished To Dye For, with a different colour for the sleeves and the collar since I couldn't find more of the blue yarn:



It is quite flawed and pretty unflattering but I still love it because, well, it's my first sweater! I may redo the crocheted collar because it looks weird.



And this is the lacey poncho, that I finished after putting it on hold for a few months (well almost finished, I still need to weave in the ends). You can see the dyelot problem. It's even more noticeable in person. It's too bad because I really like it. So should I try dyeing it? The yarn is something like 70% acrylic, 30% wool. So I don't think I can Kool-Aid dye it. But fabric dye maybe? Will it work or will it totally kill it?

(the pattern is from Chicknits by the way)

So now I only have ONE project on the needles: Kyoto. I'll probably cast on for one or two more things since I like to have three projects going at the same time. I'm leaning more and more towards Phoebe from the new IK. Maybe a pair of socks too. Oh and there's always that Chinese Charm bag that I've frogged twice now. See, for some reason, the yarn keeps on twisting. I've used circulars plenty of times before and I've NEVER had a problem with twisting yarn before. But with this particular yarn (and these particular cheap needles), it twists as soon as I put my guards down. Maybe it's just not meant to be.

Pretty yarn, why do I love thee so?

Earlier this week, I received a package from my lovely Secret Pal and on top of three candy necklaces, a book that looks very interesting (Zen and the art of knitting), a hot stone massage kit (!!!!! how original, I can't wait to try it) and a cute postcard with French words on it (yay!), I had four skeins of the yarn pictured above. Actually, the colour is all wrong (despite attempts to make it more accurate with Photoshop) and it really looks more like this. The name is Alpaca Peru Luxury Collection and it's so soft and pretty! And of course it's alpaca so it looks very warm. Now I must decide what to do with it and that's where YOU come in, dear reader(s). I have 200g/400m/(I think that would be 440 yd). It says "22 STS/27 Rows to 4". Any idea? I'd love to make a shawl but I don't think I'd have enough, unless I make a capelet or something. Would it look good as a shawl? I went to the LYS earlier today (more on that later) and they carry the yarn so I could get more but then I may have a dyelot problem. Hmmmm.

Any ideas? I know I don't want to make a scarf. Or a hat. Or mittens. Hmmm.

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Did I mention that Andrea sent me three very cute baby blanket patterns?

***

So as I said above, I went to a LYS earlier today. I love to go there but as you all probably know, it's quite an exercise in discipline. I managed to find some nice yarn for my Secret Pal. I won't say more about it in case she stumbles upon this blog. I just hope she'll like it. I was very careful to go with what she likes according to her website so I think it'll be ok.

For me, I got a skein of Phildar Laureate in baby pink. I wanted a dark blue (this is to finish the sleeves of the To Dye For sweater) but I didn't find one that I liked. So I went with pink. I think it'll look cute with the pale blue. I think. We'll see.

I also got some cotton for Kyoto. Now keep in mind that I'm still a pretty new knitter and I'm not always too good at substituting yarns. It's only when I got home that I realize that the yarn I chose was way too thin. But I had looked at plenty of cotton while in the store and it was the only one that I really liked (it's Katia Mississippi). So I doubled it and swatched and it should be fine. Except I now have to go and buy more and the sweater that I thought would cost me 36$ will end up being 72$. Oh well. Hobbies are expensive aren't they? I casted on and I was very surprised to see that I actually really like to work with cotton. Who would have thought?

I didn't buy it, but I think I found a yarn I'd like to use for Clapotis (I found MANY yarns I'd like to use, but this one I can actually afford). It's simply Patons Decor in... I can't remember the name of the colour but it has "Spring" in it. Or "Springtime". It's cute. I think (hope) it would look cute as Clapotis. But I don't want to buy it until To Dye for is finished. Which could happen very soon or in a long time, depending on how I feel.

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I finished the lacey poncho! At least the knitted part. It's currently "blocking". I'm using quotes because since it's an acrylic/wool blend, I don't know how well it will block. But it's worth a try. This project taught me something: the importance of dye lots. The yarn I used is white. Sort of. I mean, some balls were white. Others were what I could describe as yellowy-white. Now I have absolutely no sense of observation. Therefore, I didn't notice the differences in colours until I was wayyyy into the pattern. Ok, I only noticed when I was halfway done with the second pannel. I then looked at the first pannel and noticed that it was two different colours and I hadn't even noticed. How stupid of me! I still kept on knitting because there was just no way I was ripping it all out. I'm thinking of dying it. Can I do that? I don't think kool-aid dying will work well since the wool content is minimal, but would fabric dye do? I'm ready to try anything. I'll keep you all updated.

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Wow, this entry is LONG. Are you still reading? I got Interweave Knits earlier this week so I'm now doing what I hope will become a tradition:

Caroline's IK review

Just keep in mind that I tend to change my mind a lot and what first catches my eyes isn't necessarilly something that I'll still like in a few months. And I may end up liking something that I dislike now. So this is today's opinions.

1. Phoebe (this is the pattern for the Yarn Spotlight on p. 7): I think it's very cute and guess what? I just realized that it would be a nice project for my new Alpaca Peru yarn! Hehe.

2. Wear-everywhere Pullover: I love this. But I'd rather not do it in hemp and I'm not sure how it would look in wool. What do you think? Cotton maybe?

3. Fitted Dolman: It's absolutely not my style. Or maybe it's the green, since I don't wear green? No, it's really just not my style.

4. Galway Guy: I have no boyfriend/husband/dad/brother so men patterns don't interest me at all. The shirt is nice though.

5. A Good Bias: Very cute. I think I'd like something like that for summer, since the weather can go up and down sometimes.

6. Flowered Waistcoat: I don't like it.

7. Vintage Pink Cardigan: Très cute, very girly. I'm a sucker for pink girly stuff.

8. Bear Claw Blanket: Véronik Avery is probably my favourite designer and I think the blanket is pretty. But 19 skeins of Koigu Premium Merino? I wish I could, but I can't.

9. Ballet Wrap: I love this (pink again!). But I'd like to see more pictures of it (made by other people). I think I don't like the dress she has on underneath and I want to see it worn with something else.

10. Border on the Extravagant: Woo more pink! I like it but I'd do it without the upper pockets.

11. Skye Tweed Vest: See #4 (the model made me smile though)

12. Parfait Play: I like baby stuff because many of my friends are having them, but I'm not into kids stuff right now. Maybe when my friends' kids will be older...

13. Grand Plan Capelets: Of the three, my favourite would be the burgundy one but I don't care for them much.

14. Cable-Eight Top: I don't like it much.

15. Bi-Color Brioche: Probably my favourite thing in the magazine. It's SO pretty! It looks complicated though.

16. Wave Skirt: Very pretty but I think if I were to make a knitted skirt, I'd do the eyelet skirt from Knitty.

17. Cable Rib Socks: Oooooh pretty. I <3 socks. I just love the pic of the model knitting in her pajamas. Something I do often.

18. Paisley Lace Shawl: I like it, but there are so many shawl patterns that I like more that I'll most likely pass on this one.

19. Heads-up Hats: I think they have a weird shape.

20. Amish Oval Rug: It's nice but I don't think I'd want to knit a rug right now.

That's it for the spring issue. I love IK and I already can't wait for the Summer issue! :p

I sock

So my first pair of socks is done!



They're not perfect. They're too big (my fault for not swatching). But I still <3 them and I want to make more. And everyone is SO getting socks for Christmas next year (well this year... it just seems like next year).

***

In other news, my job is interfering in my knitting. :p Lately I've been working odd hours (not to mention long hours) and my schedule just doesn't agree with my LYS' schedule. And I need to buy yarn! Yarn to finish my sweater, yarn to begin Kyoto and yarn for my Secret Pal (though I don't know what to get her at all). Oh well. The good thing is that I'll be spending next weekend in Montreal (the first one since my mom got sick at the beginning of January. She's much better now so I feel ok spending a weekend here) so I should be able to buy then.

Oh and since I mentionned Secret Pals... it looks like I'll be getting something in my mailbox soon. Yay, I'm so excited! Thank you Secret Pal!

Days like this

I've had a bad bad bad day. So I decided to shop at KnitPicks to make me feel better. I added a lovely handpainted yarn called "Happy Dance" for Clapotis to my Shopping cart. Then I decided to get some Wool of the Andes in coal and in mulled wine. It came up to a little over 17$ (I had 2 skeins of each colour). Fantastic! Even with the exchange rate it's a pretty good price.

Then they added almost 10$ for shipping. POO! And Canadians are not elligible for the free shipping for orders over 30$ thing or I would have happily ordered more.

So I did the only thing that was left to do. I deleted everything from the shopping cart and did some virtual shopping instead. My wish list now goes up to 232.53 (I didn't even try to convert to Canadian dollars). Oh to be rich :p Of course, since it was only virtual shopping, I added a pair of Addi turbos in every size available :p

Knitting Envy

I am at a point in my knitting life where I want to start so many new projects, I'm going nuts. I have many almost-finished objects, which is very exciting because it means I'll be able to start new ones soon! :p

I'm almost done with sock #2 of my first pair. I *may* finish it this week. Or I may keep it for next weekend when I'm coming back here (I'm at my mom's right now).

The lacey poncho is also going well. I think I have 8 pattern repeats and then I'm done. Leave it to me to finish my first poncho just as no one is wearing them anymore. Haha.

To dye for: I've been meaning to go to a LYS to get more yarn to finish it for a few weeks now but I can never find the time. Since I can't find the exact same colour I've used, I think the sleeves are going to be a darker blue, and the crocheted collar too. I'm not sure how it will look, but it's worth a try. I can always frog it all if I don't like it.

Oh and remember the blue yarn from La Bobineuse that was turned into a shawl which I decided to frog a week or so ago? I'm using it to practice crochet and I'm making a scarf. Very simple but it's soft and warm. It's not exactly the look I was hoping for though so I may start it over. We'll see. It's cute the way it is too.

As for the wish list, here are a few things I want to make next:

-Clapotis. Yes, the clapper. Everyone keeps talking about it, about how much fun it is and posting pictures and well, I want to be a part of the fun too. I just need to find the perfect yarn for it.

-Kyoto. It's on Knitty and in Knit Wit. It's very cute. I want it black and pink. And I want it now.

-Arm warmers. I don't know why, I suddenly decided I needed a pair. And when I say need, I mean need. I love the ones in Stitch N' Bitch nation so I may make them. I rhink I'd want to use the purple yarn I got at La Bobineuse but I'll have to swatch to make sure I can get gauge first.

-Socks. Because I bought cute sock yarn that I want to use. But I think I'll do arm warmers before I make more socks. But I need to make lots of socks because I've already decided that it's going to be everyone's gifts next Christmas.

-A shawl. I really need one for the office, even though it's getting warmer out. The office is often colder during the summer anyways. I love Madli's Shawl from issue #something of Interweave Knits. But I'd love to use the yarn I got in the last Secret Pal thing and I don't have enough of one colour (I have 4 balls of red and 4 of green but I don't want to mix the colours) and I don't know where to buy more. So I'd need a smaller shawl pattern if I wanted to use the yarn. The Flower Basket shawl maybe. Or the capelet from Stitch N' Bitch Nation.

*sigh*

Oh and I'm not even going to mention the Poster boy bag and the yoga mat bag from Stitch N' Bitch Nation, a cute summer top from last summer's IK and the eyelet skirt from Knitty. Not to mention that my mom said she'd love to have a scarf to match the Chinese Charm bag I made her for her birthday. That made me very happy because it means that she loves the bag :) That also mean that I should buy some more Silk Garden in #84 (and make sure I have enough to make another hat like the one I lost at the hospital. I loved it so much!)

See my dilemma? What to make, what to make... I wish I could become a multi-milionnaire and quit my job and knit all day. With luscious super expensive yarn. Yum.

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Knit.1 or Caroline is getting old

The second issue of Knit.1 just came out. Now I remember when I saw the first issue. I picked it up at Indigo and sat in a chair there to browse through it. I ended up not buying it. I didn't like the layout of the mag at all. And I didn't like the patterns. Too much froufrou (and I love froufrou) and fun furs and funky stuff. And I usually love funky. Damn it, what's wrong with me?

And then I went online and saw the teenagers and the women in their early 20s raving about it. They loved the patterns. And I hated them.

So when I saw issue #2, I did like with the first one. I sat and looked at it. I must admit that I liked a few patterns. But I disliked most of them. And this is when it hit me:

"Caroline, this is targeted to young people. You hate it. Therefore, you're really getting old".

Oh well.