Man Knitting

I made this right before I began graduate school. Let's see, that would have been the summer of 2002 (?). K picked the pattern and the yarn for his sweater. The pattern is from Jean Moss' "Sculpted Knits" book from XRX. I would have chosen a lighter color of yarn to show off the cables, but he really liked the charcoal. The yarn is Rowan's Felted Tweed. I think the color is discontinued. Since I was using a yarn that was not in the book, I carefully calculated how much I would need for his project, and then ordered about 8 balls too many! Ahhh, the stuff was expensive. Oh how I wish Knit Picks had existed in 2002. I had so much left over, I knitted a vest for myself from one of Cheryl Oberle's patterns. I knitted it in about 3 days. It was perfect, except that I installed the pocket upside down! I still have not brought myself to fix it. I guess part of the problem is that I really think it's disgusting when couples wear matching stuff, and I worry this may happen. I guess I'm lazy too.
I can't say I enjoyed making this sweater. It was the MOST tedious thing I have ever made. Thankfully, I undertook this project before I had a closet full of other things I'd rather work on, or I would not have finished it. It was one of the first big knitting projects I took on, and it took me months. If I had to do it over again, I would have knitted the collar right on to the darn thing. I vaguely recall the directions indicating that one should knit the collar, then sew it on. Just knit the fricken' thing on! The three needle bind off would have been more humane than sewing the thing together. I learned that from Cheryl Oberle's vest pattern. Why hand sew this stuff when you can do that WHILE binding off? Oh the humanity!

some tatting

I started a side tatting project back in December. I got on the plane to Jordan, and by the time we arrived a zillion hours later, I desperately wanted to brush my teeth, but I had about a foot of lace. On the leg from Paris to Amman I sat next to two Iraqi guys who stared for a long time. Finally the fellow right next to me told me that his mother does stuff like this. He said I should come an meet her, but I'd "...have problems in his country right now." We ended up gabbing for the few hours on the plane and he taught me the words for knitting and knitting related crafts in Arabic. He wrote them down on a magazine page, and I still have them. It's funny what can bring people together. He shared his life history, and he told me about his time in Texas. Turns out he had traveled from the States too where he'd learned English (really well). In Amman we stood in line together to fill out the "Air-France-Lost-My-Luggage-Form". He and his friends were trying to find a way to Iraq.

Hanne Falkenberg

Ok, so I started on of those damn things. Thank God my exam is on the second, I might just have this thing done by then.

things I made last century (before there was knitting)

This is bobbin lace. I made this circa 1998 from a pattern in a wonderful little book of lace purse patterns. I lined it with emerald silk. I made it just to hold my drivers license so I could go drinking without otherwise carrying a purse.


This is a cotton hankie that I embroidered and edged. I made it out of gaudy colors to go with a cool taffeta dress K made me from an 1874 pattern. It's really loud plad. It's cool



This is a hankie I made for K to match an 1880s shirt and vest I made him. I embroidered the initials (I know, they kinda suck) and I tatted the edging, and spent a billion hours sewing it on.



This is another hankie I made K. I did a bobbin lace edging and sewed it onto linen, and embroidered his initials. I think they suck less.

Amelie

I knitted this almost a year ago in a marathon knitting bent that lasted two and a half days, including the finishing processes. This is the Amelie jacket from White Lies Designs. She has wonderful vintage knitting patterns of which I own several. This is the only one I have made thus far, and I did like knitting it, but I've never worn the jacket because I can't stand the fit. It's the small. It is too big in the waist, and too small in the boobs. It's also way too short. The crocheted edging comes to my waist line in the back, and a bit below the waist in the front.
I did not use the yarn called for in the project, but I did swatch for the one and only time in my life, and I got the correct gauge, so I don't think I'm entirely at fault. I used that wool/alpaca/silk yarn from knit picks. K picked the colors, and I think he did a smashing job.
I still need to sew fasteners on it so it will stay shut on the size 0 person who should inherit this jacket.

spring

Spring is almost as pretty as fall.

Socks

So, I knitted these socks last summer once I found out that Miss Carousel's birthday was rapidly approaching. Though I've knitted many socks, few have been matching pairs. I used some color of Lorna's Laces that she picked out, though I can't remember what the color is called. I knitted them from cuff to toe. Once I knitted a sock from toe to cuff, and I couldn't remember the good stretchy bind off, so I knitted these up. I used about a skein and a half. I used the left over to knit the heel and toe of one other sock I made. Someday, I'll knit the mate for that one. Maybe.