Got Gauge?

This is the second ripping. I cannot get gauge. I was trying to knit "looser". Not a good idea for me. I just knit along with my normal muscle memory and then realize that I haven't been knitting looser. So it looked like C R A P. It looked so bad there wasn't any blocking in the world that would have cleaned it up. I'm going to swatch again on yet a larger needle but the problem is that I'm knitting this cardi in one piece. So I end up with about 145 sts on the needle and I just get caught up in the mindlessness of the stockinette. I really don't want to seam pieces together because about in inch up from this photo I was going to start the fair isle and I can't deal with the figuring out the seaming and the patterns. So one piece it is. I might have to give this a break for today. I don't want to have bad feelings about this project!

Amy Butler Rocks!

I bought this pattern today at Purl Patchwork! I opened it up on the subway and the directions are sooooooo well thought out. Wow! I don't know when I'll make it but I'm thinking some of that Phat Phabric at Purl! The Japanese stuff. Oh yeah!

Not to worry!

I finished the pieces. They are all happily drying.

I'm off to work with a little fair isle in my bag.

Wooo - hoooo!

I'm in total crunch mode...

I've dilly dallied for two days and now I'm under the gun. I have to block the three pieces for T.S. because I have to deliver them tomorrow morning. Sooooooo I have to get knitting. and blocking. Crap. The good news is that I only have to add 2 short (very) sleeves and a turtleneck, throw them in the wash and lay them out to dry.

While I was out yesterday, I went to Daytona Trimmings. I was

1. looking for some thread (just because I was there) for my new comforter.

2. Looking at the patterns in the back (A total and complete nightmare. I think the patterns have been there since 1982). and

3. Looking for some groovey piping for my new comforter.

I didn't find anything but some aggravation.

So I headed down to P&S. I'm looking for Simplicity pattern 4072. It's a kimono style dress. I want to make it and it doesn't exist in NYC. NYC stinks for pattern hunting. There isn't ONE store that has all of the draws full of all the new patterns. The drawers don't exitst! Come on. Where's JoAnn's when you need it?

Anyway, since I was there I thought I'd look through some of the books and guess what? I found a super cute dress pattern. I'm going to make it without my sewing teacher and see if I can do it. I bought some fabric for it. White with blue dots. Cotton. pretty. We'll see what happens.

I also found out that P&S is in fact moving. Finally. They are moving across the street, so they told me. Convenient! They are really starting to clear the place out. I can't even imagine the amount of time it's going to take. He told me the space is a little smaller. However, the current space is so huge and poorly laid out. I hope it's nice. I hope they fill their drawers with current patterns!

Back to the knitting then off to work.

Sewing Class

There's not a whole lot to show. Everything happened on the inside today. I finished both front facings and the back facing. I had a fitting. Then I changed the armhole shape. I made it um less hole - y. I cut 2" off the sleeves and 1 1/2 off the bottom. The arms have to be 3/4 length because when I cut them out I ran into the selvedge and now it's a problem. oops. No biggie. 3/4 it is. The length will be dramatically shorter. I will be hemming next week (arms and body). My frogs are a little uh bright. I couldn't for the life of me find frogs in this fine city that were the right color. I bought the closest ones I could find at Pearl River, of all places. My sewing teacher suggested tea staining them. She's so smart. I made some tea. Gave the frogs a bath and now poof their the right color. Amazing. So crafty!

Here's a totally lame photo... there are pins in the hem areas. The side boobs look weird. Whatever. It's my jacket and I'm beginning to like it...

I Needed a Break!

I just couldn't get up the mojo to work with the taupe yarn again today. I've been slightly bothered by my lame attempt(s) at my green market bag. Yes, I threw the yarn away but I have a ton of balls left of the Safari. So I got up today and knit this up. It's a different stitch pattern - though I don't think it makes any difference. It's bigger than I wanted it but I was being encouraged to keep making it longer. Now when it gets stuffed it gets l o n g. But I love it anyway. I'll be making a few others.


Side view




front (ish) view



With my last knitted object in it



When I was out yesterday, I happened to walk past Beckenstein's fabrics on 2oth st. They were having a sale on some of their fabrics....$5.00 a yard. Woo hoo. I bought a few...




These go for somewhere between $60 and $100/yd. Crazy, right? The black is a custom order for Diane Von Furstenberg. It was mistakenly mixed in with the sale fabrics. SCORE!!!



I also went up to Mike's Fabric on 181st st at the very upper tip of Manhattan. It's basically an upholstery fabric store. However, you can sometimes find cottons. But it's mainly for upholsterers. I found these two fabrics to make a new comforter. It's hard to get a true picture of it. It's kind of pale blue with a green undertone. Mostly blue. The flies are cream. The taffeta matches the flies.







My sewing class is today. I have lots of hand sewing to do. I didn't do my homework so I gotta run.

Balthazar Turns 10!

Keith McNally's famed Balthazar turns 10 today! They are serving champagne all day - for free!

It's one of my favorite restaurants in New York (it might be my favorite)

Guess where I'm having lunch?!??!!!!!!!

Finished Object #2

I finished the second piece. I still have to add the turtleneck but for now it's finished and I'm on to the last piece.



Once the next scarf is finished, I can start on the fair isle. I can't wait. I've already worked out the pattern and done all of the number crunching. So all that's left to do is knit.

It's absolutely gorgeous outside. I think I'll be knitting outside today.

What's Taking So Long?

First, I hate production knitting. It b.o.r.e.s. me to tears. It makes me want to poke my eyes out with my knitting needles.

This is piece #2. I finished the sweater in a day. This thing is 4 sts less than half of the sweater yet it's taking me twice as long. WHY? I was using bamboo needles until 1 row ago. I've switched to my addis. Maybe that will move this along. It's a turtleneck scarf (super cute, functional, creative). It was in the TS (Tom Scott) fall show. The only difference from the original is that this is in taupe. The original was in espresso.

Yawn, yawn....



I find that whenever I'm knitting something that I don't want to knit but have to, I think about other projects. All I can think about right now is buying yarn. I've had to stop myself like 3 times in the last week from cruising yarn stores. I don't need any yarn. But I want the fix. To be even more specific, all I can think about is a color that is somewhere between flesh and ballet pink. I'm obsessed. I'm not buying anything until MDSW. Unfortunately I thought it was next sunday but it's in TWO sundays. grrrrrr.

Back to the scarf.

Next Up

Fair Isle!




9 shades of Cascade 220.

At least

I have something to show for my lazy day...






I have about 5 0r 6" left until I get to the bo at the top. 2 sleeves and then it's finished!!

Here Comes The Sun!

Alright! The sun is shining!!!!!!!

I didn't do anything today. Laundry. and Knitting.

I'm about 16" into the Tom Scott Cowl. This one is in taupe. I'm making notes in my notebook this time around. The good news is that this one in fact looks exactly like the sample. Phwew!




I also took a little break from the knitting and worked out the fair isle for the vk cardigan. This is the first pass. I'll swatch and then get a move on. I love it though. It's going to be super fun to work on. I think there are like 7 colors that get incorporated into the design.



That's really all that I've done today. No work tonight (yippee). So I guess I'll just keep knitting!

Happy sunshine :-)

O brother!

Isn't it funny how life doesn't allow you to get too big for your britches????

So, like I said, I was going to make a green market bag. SUPER SIMPLE. I mean, come on, I could make this in my sleep, right?

Here's what it looked like after a few rows. I started with the Safari (which I now know that I HATE!!) and a ridiculously EASY 4 row lace pattern. Nothing to it. I assumed I would be finished with this by dinnertime. EASY. Size 15's! It should take about an hour, right?




If you notice in the close up there is a problem. Maybe more than one. (Where's Waldo?) I can't live with lace mess ups so I ripped it out and started over. Just what any normal person would do.


If you repeat the last 4 sentences about 5 times, you'll be understand why I don't have a finished photo. WTF? I just ripped it out for the last time. The yarn is in the garbage, no kidding. Tossed it all out.

Next time, I will not be using size 15's. I will not be using Safari. And I will not be using that stitch pattern. There are a million others to choose from. That one can go to H E double hockey sticks.

For a little more humility...This is just a work in progress photo. I wasn't going to show it but I don't have a green market bag show. So here it is. It's not even hanging on the dress form properly but anyway... The collar is finished...graded and not (too) bumpy. There hasn't been any ironing done yet. I'm next going to blind stitch the front facing to the seam that joins the front and side front pieces. Then I think it will be time for a fitting. Fix anything that needs to be fixed. Some hemming and Voila!



I dropped off the jumper to Soho. I picked up a fantastic cardigan. I also picked up my samples from Tom Scott. I have to whip out 3 pieces for him by next week. I CAN'T FIND MY NOTES. Double WTF! eh, no biggie, I have the actual pieces. I have to be able to figure out what I did, right? I mean I can figure out what other people do, I should be able to figure out my own stuff, right?

Odds & Ends

Instead of writing up the pattern for the Mini Jumper with Cables. I decided to pull this out and add a collar. Obviously it's not blocked but I like it. Now I have to decide on sleeves and closure. It's taken it's place back on the dress form and now I'm thinking about it all over again.







I went to get the correct circs for the collar and this is what I found.....



Dear Lord, what happened in here? I have such a great system for my needles. This is clearly the result of non-stop knitting on the go. O to have an office just for me and my habit.

Well, I eventually got around to writing the pattern. I sent off an email saying I would drop everything off tomorrow. I thought it was going to rain again today and I didn't want to go out! Plus I have my sewing lesson today and later I have a Stitch & Pitch meeting at Seaport Yarns. I'm not bringing any money because I'm totally jonesing for some new yarn. (For no reason or project in particular)

I'm going to whip up a greenmarket bag today. I'm either going to use Safari of which I have a billion balls (in red) or Euroflax. I'm going to start it on the Safari just because I've already cast that on but if I like the bag I'm going to get a start on.....that's right, Christmas!!! I'm making it up as I go. Photos tomorrow, maybe.

Speaking of tormorrow, I'm picking up yarn from Tom Scott to do up some samples for a Japanese co. and I'm picking up a little VK project!! Yay for tomorrow.

BONUS: I'm not working tomorrow because it's a very good friends birthday and I could not miss the party. What an awesome week!!!

At least it's not snowing!

It started raining last night before I came home from work and it's still raining. It doesn't feel or look like it's going to stop anytime soon. The problem is that I have to go out in it....

I took a few photos last night. It's impossible to photograph where I work because of the lighting. It's REALLY dark so if a flash is used it flares everything and if it's not then you can't see anything.

Here's a lovely pic of some of the limes that have made my finger feel like ceviche. I cut about 50 limes before we open each night. Each lime is cut into about 6 or 8 pieces. I use all of the limes throughout the night and then the barbacks have to cut more. Every lime touches the HOLE in my finger. It really hurts!! hahaha.




This is the entrance to where I work. I took this during the daylight yesterday. It looks nothing like this at night. People have a really hard time finding this place. It's kind of funny.




You know that you've found it when you see Chief Wyanoka on the wall next to the stairs. There is a ton of history surrounding this painting. How it got there. What it means. It's all a bunch of bunk. I met the guy that had it painted about 40 years ago.





Facing north toward Broome St. That's a fish store on the corner.





This is what the street outside looks like as you face south on Mott st. in Chinatown.




The back in progress before it got busy.



The back in progress on the back bar.


I've finished the back. I'm about to make the two straps. Then toss the pieces in the washer. Let them dry, seam them together and the kabam I'm done! Yee ha.

Ouch!

It would be one thing to just repeatedly use my finger as a needle cushion. Totally understandable. But it is entirely something else when I have to serve alcohol and citrus fruits with said finger. OUCH.



The finger thing is slowing down the Mini Jumper with Cables process. I'm only up to the waist. 20 rows even. Increase over next 16 rows. Work even. Armhole bo. Bodice shaping. THE FINISH LINE! It doesn't seem like so much when I write it out. But looking at it from my current p.o.v. it seems kind of far off. It is Saturday and that means I can knit for a few hours early on at work but still. I want this baby off the needles by Monday. I want the pattern written. Photos taken. And handed off to Soho. BECAUSE...I want to pick up the next project. The yarn is just sitting down there waiting for me!!!!! I think it's going to be a slight charting challenge but I'm totally ready for it!!!!! It's a beaut.

Bringin' up the rear

As I mentioned, the front of the Cabled Mini Jumper (or was it Mini Jumper with Cables?) is finished.



Here's a lovely side view. (My dress form looks a little bulgy!) Dig the waist shaping! hahaha.



I can't show too much because well, I don't want to get fired! So this, I think, is sufficiently obscure.

I started the back yesterday on the train on my way to work. I realized about 20 minutes ago that I made a mistake on the FIRST ROW of one of the 6 st cable panels. Hello. So, I've spent the last little while laddering down and re-cabling back up. Voila! Works every time! I'm back on track. I have a hole starting in my index finger. I must keep poking it in the exact same place. I've been knitting so much lately that maybe it's just from overuse! Thank goodness for band aids because I can't stop knitting!!

I made a ton of $ last night. It's so weird. I do this thing (knitting) that I totally love to do and I make nothing compared to bartending. Why is that? If I could knit everyday until the end of my time here on earth I would be totally happy. I'm not complaining about the knitting money that I make. Lordy no. But it just seems odd when compared to bartending - a relatively useless job. I know, I know, someone has to do it. It may as well be me. And I am very good at it. Probably better than most, but come on....the money sometimes just seems wrong. I know that not every bartender is as lucky as I am. They work long hours with not a huge payout at the end of the night. They have to put up with all kinds of shenanigans from management to customers. I don't have any of that for the most part. I just happen to work in a place where I'm able to totally cash in. (until of course they sell the place, insert tears!) Sometimes I just feel a little....weird about it. That's all.

And speaking of money, I can't take it one second longer. After I post this I'm googling a blocking board - yes, the big one - and ordering it. I want one. And I want it now. No more blocking on towels in my living room. Enough. I want order to my blocking!

Double Hahaha

This time I filled in the correct boxes.

You Are 52% Girly

You're a little girly, a little boyish, and probably a whole lot indie. You have your own unique style, and it pretty much defies gender lines.

How Girly Are You?

Hi

Why would anyone want to go out on a Wednesday night and get completely wasted? Knowing that you have to get up and go to work in the morning....only a few hours away? I don't understand it. Ok, maybe an extra glass of wine or one too many drinks. Fine. But really at 36 do you need to go out and get completely hammered? 1. It's super unattractive. 2. It's not very professional 3. It is definitely a warning sign 4. I don't want to deal with you.

I worked on the front of my newly renamed "Mini Jumper with Cables" at work last night. I probably got to about an inch below the armhole bind off. Not bad for a moderately busy weds. night. Cabling in the dark. It's always fun! I'm almost finished with the front!! Maybe another 6 or 8 inches. Actually probably about 5 or 6". I'm still figuring out if I want the back to be exactly the same or if I'd like it to fall a little higher. I Can't seem to get it. I guess I'll wait until I get there. Because once I'm there. I'm pretty much done! oh yeah!! I can do it both ways and decide which way I prefer! Snap!

As I look around my apartment with healthy eyes this morning, I'm wondering what happened in here. I can almost visibly see the path that I've taken everyday for almost 2 weeks. Yarn, charts, knitting magazines and books, tv clicker, empty glasses (not too many!), clothes...Yikes. Some major cleaning is in order. I might have to call in The Maids!

I'm about to watch the final episode of Top Design. I find Interior Design fascinating. Particularly good interior design. I'm amazed at how interior designer brains work. Really. I want to be better at it. I'm not totally up on all of the furniture periods. I think it's going to be a new challenge for me. I'm going to do some studying. A great interior is priceless.

I'm King of the World!!

Ahhhhh. I feel better. Ok, my throat started hurting again but I'm convinced it's only allergies. It warmed up a little and now the allergies are coming back. I can handle it. I CANNOT handle a stomach flu. At. All. Fever. No energy. In the bathroom all of the time. It's just gross. A sore throat is easy.

I'm redoing my green cabled top. FOR THE THIRD TIME. I can only chalk it up to the flu. But I've got it this time. I'm on track. It's in Knit Visualizer. I'm one complete repeat into it. It's coming to work with me tonight and hopefully I'll make some progress. The really GREAT news is that I get to turn around and make another one EXACTLY the same as this one. Ahhhh. I'm feeling better. All's well. I've got nothing to complain about. Life is good.

In my sewing class yesterday I did a lot of ironing of seams. That was super fun! And then I installed the collar. Yes it is definitely an installation. I don't have a picture of it yet BECAUSE IT'S NOT FINISHED! Who knew a collar was kind of an advanced move? I can turn a heel, work short rows, kill (or seriously hurt) someone with my hands and/or feet, make multiple drinks while carrying on an in depth conversation but install a collar. Whew. It's a stand up curved collar. I don't know if that means it's easier or harder but god that curve fitting it to the jacket thing. oy. Anyway, I've left it for next week. I'm not thinking about it again until then. The bag is tucked away so that it's completely out of sight. Out of sight/out of mind. amen.

There has been a conversation happening around here that goes something like this....If you could live anywhere else on this planet, where would you live. Anywhere? Simple. I'd live here. I love New York City. Period. I think it's one of the most amazing places on the planet for so many reasons. It's an excellent place for old and young alike. Excellent for animals. Excellent for singles and married. Straight or gay. Foreign or american. Rich or poor. Culturally, historically, artistically, all amazing. Entertainment constant. Socially, politically, racially, spiritually covered. Of course there are times when it is not a total love affair with this fine city. But really, I love the folks that reside here. What I don't love so much is the daily commuters that rush in and rush out and treat this beautiful city with such disrespect. They hurry up and make their money only to rush back home to Cranford or Syosset or Nutley or some other suburb. Leaving a trail of filth and disrespect. I Hate it. It is an example of everything that is bad with the human race. Selfish, all about me attitudes. But other than that, this is the place for me.

I saw a movie last night on IFC called The Story of the Weeping Camel. Oh My God. You MUST SEE THIS MOVIE. That's all I have to say. It is a special movie that must not be missed. It is so incredibly beautiful.

Where did my sea legs go?

I'm feeling about 20% better today. I'll take it. I have felt so bad that I'll take any kind of feeling better. In any small amount. Period.

I managed to drag my butt down to Soho publishing yesterday to drop off a sample for Knit.1 and get clarification on another project. The second project has to be redone : ( It was too short. I thought it was supposed to be normal top length but it's to be a little longer. Oh well. I knit the front of the sample in a haze of stomach flu. I wanted to change one row of the chart but had done the whole front and didn't want to go back at the time. Well, now I get to change the chart and redo the front. No biggie. It's actually fun to knit. The chart that I came up with is fun and pretty straight forward. Nothing twisted, just cables. While I was there I got a glimpse of another project coming my way!!!!! It's awesome. I can't wait. When I drop off this project I'll be picking that one up. yay. (Just thinking about the project makes me feel better!)

My sewing class is today. I love my sewing class! However, It means that I have to clean up around here. That's the good thing about having people come to your home and take a class. You must make it presentable....once a week. I haven't really done anything in a week but it's still a mess. I'm not exactly in the cleaning mood but it's sewing day. I'll have to suck it up. Kristen might be cutting out a new pattern today so my kitchen floor definitely needs to be washed. It's a great cutting surface. I don't want her cutting out crumbs along with her pattern pieces!

I'm uptight about going to work tomorrow. I have to work 4 nights in a row and I'm hoping I'll be feeling up to it. It is totally stressing me out. I'm feeling pretty rested today (it's only 8:30). Maybe I'm feeling better because the sun is streaming into my apartment like it's the middle of summer. It is so sunny in here! It's tough to feel totally crappy when the sun is shining! I just heard that it's going to be raining/sleating tomorrow night and it's gonna be cold. waaaaaa.

Could Don Imus be anymore inappropriate?

Wow, I just can't shake it

I NEVER get sick. I mean sick, sick. I'll get a passing glimpse of not feeling well but never full blown, down for the count, crappy sick. Well, I'm definitely crappy sick. First I thought it was allergies (which I still think it WAS). Then a stomach flu maybe? I've lost almost 10 pounds in two days. Yes, I'm feeling weak. grrrrr. waaaaaaaaa. : (

I'm off to Soho pub. to drop off a sample for the fall? issue of Knit.1. I think I might be picking up something for the Holiday? issue of VK? Not sure. It's all a bit of a blurrrrrrrr. The very, very, very last thing that I want to do right now is leave my cozy apartment. But I need to deliver this so off I go.

In better news I'm just waiting to hear if the back of the cabled top is to be cabled or not. So the front is finished and it looks pretty g o o d. I guess I'll find out as soon as I get my sorry rear end down there.

Off I go....

Feeling Green

I had to leave work early last night because I was sick. I was sooooo sick to my stomach. My cab driver had to help me into my apt. building....

Anyway,

A little weekend knitting and a sneak preview.




Another sneak preview:



That's it.
Happy Easter/Passover.

I'm a believer!

The jackigan is finished. Really. Finished. Toggles and all! I cannot believe that it is exactly as I figured it. Math, blocking, human failure, etc. it all lined up and the thing actually turned out...There were a few setbacks along the way. I - as always - tried very hard to totally and completely mess it up. But the gods were looking out for me! ok it's a little small but I assume the model will be tall and thin so it should be absolutely perfect...

I played around with a little fair isle while the jackigan was drying...



There wasn't any specific reason for the fair isle. I just needed something to do while the cotton was drying....

I still feel like crap. I thought I was better but my throat is still killing me. Not like strep throat or anything. Just a pain swallowing. And this insane cough. ugh, ugh, ugh.

I went out looking for some frogs today. Not living frogs but closure frogs. Do you know that it's almost impossible to find colored frogs other than black or white and maybe a gaudy gold? I'm not kidding. I went to M&J, Tinsel Trading, and every other store on 38th st. You know where I had to go? Pearl River. I can't believe I had to go to that cheesey store to buy my frogs. They aren't even a perfect match. But they are in the shape of a lotus blossom : ) There are so many tourist in NYC this week. Everywhere is crowded with them. Pearl River was just plain gross. Thankfully I knew they had frogs. I knew where they were. So I could get in and get out.

I have to write up the pattern for the jackigan and then I'm going to start on the cabled top. I wrote out the chart on the way back from the airport last night. I completely changed what I had in mind. I even input it into Knit Visualizer. So I'm totally ready to go on it. Again, no photos. : ( Hopefully I'll knock it out in a few days. It's pretty simple. I just have to figure out how much the cables pull in. I've done my gauge swatch without the cables. I think I'm just going to take a stab at my cable swatch and hopefully make it the right size for the actual sample. If it's not right, no biggie. I need a pretty big swatch. Hopefully I'll get lucky! I'm looking forward to knitting this one. I haven't done cables since the VK fall issue. Well that's not true. I did a bunch for Tom Scott but those were pretty unconventional. I'm talking about straight ahead cables.

It's snowing in NYC right now.

1 month to MDS&W!!!

Since we last met...

I've been sick as a dog! I have allergies. Last Wednesday is when it all started. I've never had allergies so I didn't know what was going on. I just hour by hour started feeling worse and worse. I couldn't do anything. I had to work w, th, f and sat. By Saturday night I had no voice, a horrible headache, sinus pain and a super duper sore throat. The most horrible thing was that I couldn't even knit. My schedule is completely thrown off. I wanted to deliver the cotton jack-igan yesterday or today. But instead, I've ripped out the sleeve cap of one sleeve and reknit that. I've knit the hood and I finished the other sleeve. I'm now waiting for the washer to clear so that I can toss everything in to re-block. There will be NO shrinking with this upcoming blockage. I'm using pins. I'm not messing around. The only thing left after that will be to add the front bands. And seam the whole thing up. However, this takes about 24 hours to dry! Whatever. I'm feeling better. I'm feeling at about 75% today. So I can't complain.

I had my sewing class today!! As always it was humbling. However, all the darts are in. And the jacket is sewn together. I have to finish off all of the seams. Put the collar on. Face the front (I think.) I'm sure there is a whole lot more that I don't even know about. Today was the lying day. The one where you put the thing together and think it's almost finished and then you are stalled for the next 2 lessons. It's kind of like being on the sleeves of a sweater. The wind completely dies down and your stranded for hours!!! But it looks like it's supposes to. Yay.

I'm not working tomorrow night so I'm off for 5 days and then go back on Friday. AWESOME. The reason I'm off is because I have to make a super duper special delivery to Kennedy Airport tomorrow evening. The packages are supplied with cameras, phones, books and lists of places to visit. I'll be getting a return package on Sunday....

That's about it for now. I have a stack of movies that an Academy screener loaned me. So I've got some good company until Sunday!

p.s. no photos cuz I can't find my silly camera!