New Knitting

I have lots of fun new knits to share!

First off, Feather and fan shrug for brother in law's wedding. It was really supposed to be a stole, but I ran out of time. I was seaming in the pew before the wedding started. I really like how it turned out, but I think I would prefer a stole. Maybe after a little break I'll hop back on that horse.

Pattern: Feather and fan three repeats
Yarn: Knit Picks main line wool and cotton in dusky lavender
Needles: US 11

Next up is a hat I made for my wonderful friend Rebecca. I absolutely love the color and hope she does too. The entire time I was making this all I could think about was how great a ribbed turtle neck in this yarn would look (on me specifically). I loved the pattern, but had a little trouble with the grafting (it was my first try).

Pattern: Coronet from Knitty
Yarn: Brown Sheep Bulky in Chianti
Needles: US 10.5


Baby hats for my cousins baby! First ever baby project. Boy are these things small! I made one a little bigger so hopefully at least one will fit. I tried grafting again, and this time I actually got it to work!

Yarn: Knit Picks Swish superwash
Needles: US 7


Last but hopefully not least, a scarf for my friend Marissa. I wanted to make her a pretty scarf to wear in sunny San Diego. It's not as soft and drapey as I would have liked but hopefully it will soften up in time. I guess this just means I will have to make Marissa another scarf sometime!

Pattern: Vogue Stitchionary 1 #172 alternating diagonals
Yarn: Sugar n Cream in Jeans
Needles: US 7

????

Most questionable cucumber/tomato pairing in history.

I finished my first foray into faire isle and loved it! All the hat needs is to be washed, blocked and worn with pride. Now the question is, what next? I really want to try this vertical stripes/cabling thing I saw on a vest. I think I'll try it in hat form first though.

My first ever swatch for my first ever sock. (sorry it's blurry) I've been putting off this project because the socks are for my husbands big feet. However, he's been walking by me recently mumbling about cold feet, so the time has come. If I ever finish these socks for me will be a breeze.

Finally, my most dreaded project. A bottom up raglan sweater. Now don't get me wrong, I like the pattern. A nice easy relaxed sweater for my first raglan attempt with cute slits on the side. What I really don't like is the yarn. I just don't think I can handle thin thick yarn. I love knitting and watching the neat little rows of v's line up into neat little columns. I just don't get that organizational high with this yarn.
Look! No neat rows or columns! I've learned my lesson. Thin thick yarn may work for other people, but I think I'll stick to nice even circumference for the time being. It doesn't help than my mom bought me wonderful misti alpaca yarn that I am forbidden to use before this sweater is done...

Wearing my sweater with pride!

Finally I finished my wrap sweater! It streched a little during the blocking process but I still love it! Maybe next time I wash it I'll try to block it smaller. All in all, first set in sleve attempt...SUCCESS! My first sweater for me and I've already worn it three times!

Two hats that I just knit up. No pattern, just started knitting. So these are sort of the first designs of my own. Though I don't think you can call them designs since I didn't put any planning into the process. I still really like them though. Cable with the bow is for me. Wavy hat matches a certain scarf for a certain sister-in-law.

Mystery project and first faire isle attempt. me likey!

My brother wearing a hat I made for him. Good luck in Kazakhstan bro!

Finished object afterglow

I've been very busy recently. I've finished THREE scarves in the last week. Here are the first two.
#1
pattern: dropped stitch bias scarf
yarn: knit picks andean silk in sangria
needles: US 6

#2
pattern: Men's cashmere scarf from last minute knit gifts
yarn: misti alpaca 100% baby alpaca 1 skein
needles: US 11

I really like the LMKG book. Lovely pictures and real ordinary people for models. Someday I'm going to make the hourglass sweater. And maybe a rabbit, they're awfully cute. Plus I've already planned out a cabled version of the gift bag. If only I could knit as fast as I could think of things to knit!

#3
pattern: madison scarf
yarn: knit picks andean silk navy
needles: US 10.5

My first ever attempt at something lacy. I really liked making it. I think I would like to make a real lace project with lace weight yarn, but can't decide what to make. the only think I can think of that I might actually use would be a scarf. I'm a little scarfed out right now though. Shawls are lovely, but I have to be honest with myself. I would never wear one. I hardly ever wear anything other than jeans and I'm not artsy or fashionable enough to pull off a shawl with those.


I'm almost done with my first ever seamed sweater. I've put one inset arm in and it looks ok...I'm almost tempted to remove the entire sleeve and redo all the seams. Almost. Maybe if I can get the other arm to look better I'll redo the first. Maybe blocking will fix it! Maybe it's my first sweater for myself and I'll love it no matter what it looks like!

zoom zoom!

Not a whole lot of knitting recently. My dad and brother were out here, and we went to the moto gp races at Laguna Seca. It was so hot (over 100 and over 140 on the track) that I turned bright red and got dizzy a couple of times, but still managed to have fun. Anyone who get on one of those bikes in those leathers looks hot, but when they go 100mph they look down right sexy!

Race winner Nicky Hayden

Blue Lump

The goal is for this:

To turn into this:


This is the other project I have going right now. Hopefully this one will end up fitting me. So far I have the back and two fronts done. I had one of the sleves almost finished before I measured it and realized that the pattern was not written for climbers. Apparently I have larger forearms than the pattern thinks a small person should have. So, I ripped out the sleeve and started over. I'm still really excited about the project and if I can get the sleeve cap to fit into the sleeve I think it will look great. I'm a little nervous having never attempted a set in sleeve before, but also excited to be tackling what I considered a big challenge.

Current Knitting

Right now I'm doing a lot of scarves becase they are good practice and make great gifts. Because my grad school (especially the kind you have to pay for) doesn't really help the ol' pocket book, everyone gets knitted gifts this year. Anyone have any suggestions for gifts for guys? (little easy ones) When I asked my dad what he wanted he said, "a sweater, like those Dale of Norway ones" He gets coal this year.

Pattern: none - bias scarf w/ dropped stitches
Yarn: knitpicks andean silk
Needles: us 6
I'm very happy with how this is turning out. I finished most of it in the airport waiting for a delayed flight. It's very satisfying to knit because I feel like I've really accomplished something when I get to drop a stitch.

Pattern: Madison Scarf
Yarn: knitpicks andean silk
Needles: US 10.5
This is my first experince with anything resembling lace knitting. Next step is a short decorative lace scarf in tiny yarn. I haven't used anything smaller than a size six needle, so it might take a while to get up my courage.

ps - feline concensus is that this yarn is tasty

In the beginning

After much debate, I have finally decided to start a blog. Why you ask? Here's why;

1. Knitting has been one of the most important factors (besides my husband) in keeping my sanity during my recent career change
2. I love reading other people's knitting blogs and thought I might add my own thoughts to the mix
3. Why not?

So how does one start a blog? An introduction seems to be in order. Hi! I'm Aimee. I live in Berkeley and have recently overthrown all career plans and decided to become a physical therapist. I have two cats and one husband. I started teaching myself to knit around December of last year. Since I have the summer off (except for my awesome job at Marmot Mountain works) I have decided to become, minimally, an advanced intermediate knitter by the time school starts!

Now on to the knitting! Here's what I've accomplished so far;

little felted bag
My first ever hat turned out hat shaped and close to the right size. I couldn't be happier!
My second hat. Husband said it was too small. I think this is due more to husband's head size than hat's size.

My first cable experience. It was suprisingly much easier than I expected. I now have the strange urge to add cables to everything.
Scarves and first ever blocking experience. I have to admit, I was quite terrified when I first put all that wooly goodness into a sinkful of water.
Right twist scarf, my pride and joy. Finished, blocked and in brilliant purple!

Knitty wavy scarf. For sister-in-law. Navy blue.
My absolute greatest accomplishment thus far. A sweater! A real full sized, arms and everything sweater. It fits my mom perfectly (ignore the fact that I was trying to make it for me) . My mom even said she would wear it out in public! Oh happy day! I am now intermediate knitter!