Eco Wool #8095 - SCORE!

A half of a hank of Eco Wool #8095 was delivered to me at home this evening making it possible to finish this fine sweater for delivery tomorrow a.m. Can you see how little of it I needed. 1 and a half sleeves worth. But it is doubled and I REALLY needed it. So NOW I'm finished. Completely. Totally.

Front:




Side:




and Back:


I also finished my skirt in my sewing class today. I'm headed to Mood (yes, the one from Project Runway) tomorrow to buy another pattern and some fabric. I can't decide what to make. I think it should have a zipper so that I can practice that crazy covered/hidden zipper technique. Maybe a simple dress?

I've also been catching up on a ton of cooking lately. This is definitely a weird thing. I have absolutely NO explanation!

I'm Finished! (almost)

Scarf #1: This is a really interesting design...This scarf can either be worn like this. With the turtleneck being worn as a sleeve and then the rest of the scarf wrapping or draping around the body




or it can be worn like this. It's kind of like a dicky. Either way it's stunning. The color of this yarn is really beautiful.




And the back:





This is the sweater from before. It's supposed to get short sleeves but I can't find any more of this yarn...ANYWHERE! So, I'm not sure what I'm going to do. It is so beautiful. It looks pretty good without sleeves. A couple of yarn stores were closed yesterday so I'll give it one more try today....




This is a 60" scarf. The first 30" are knit sideways. So I cast on a whole bunch of stitches and knit in garter stitch for not a whole lot of rows...12" worth. Then I turned and picked up along the short edge and knit in the normal direction for another 30" only in stockinette. So it's 1/2 garter going in one direction and 1/2 stockinette going in the other direction. Neat.





This is the last scarf - #3.
It's got the big reversed cables like the other pieces. It's a bit shorter than the brown scarf. It has an opening at one end. I've reknit the end ribbing because it was too wide and saggy before. I actually cast off 20 sts. for the opening and then only cast on 12 sts for the ribbing on the next row. It seemed to have worked. It looks pretty nice.










The last piece is the 1/2 garter, 1/2 stockinette sweater. I added sleeves - one garter and one stockinette. My photo didn't turn out so I can't show you right now. But it's done.

And that's it. I have no knitting projects on the needles. I have no knitting for hire deadlines. I have absolutely no unfinished projects. WOW. This is strange!! Maybe I can actually get up and go work out! (after my sewing class!)

Fashion Week Update

I have finished two scarves. They look awesome. I'm about to block them both for a final time and then takes some photos.

The brown sweater from a few posts ago is getting some short sleeves added. We decided against the long sleeves even though this is for fall '07. I'm so in love with this sweater. I have to run out and buy some more yarn to finish it and I think maybe I'll buy a little extra for a 2nd sweater! I should have this finished later today. Blocking and photos to come.

The taupe sweater needs long sleeeves. These will be slightly trickier. I have to find needles big enough to make them in the round. This may require a visit to home depot for some wood! I'll make my own! Hopefully I can get started on the sleeves later today and finish them up tomorrow.

Finally, we've added another scarf to go with the taupe sweater. It's pretty cool but I need to get a move on! I need more yarn for this too! Photos in a few days.

The models are coming tomorrow and Shiseido is coming on tuesday. The pieces HAVE to be on site on wednesday for styling!!!!! It's really exciting. The whole collection is really amazing. Tom Scott is so refreshing! I've never enjoyed knitting and designing more!

Anyway, I had to come home early from work last night (around 9!) because I thought I was going to yuke in the garbage while making martinis. Not so pretty! It felt great to come home and hop in bed. Unfortunately, I woke up at 4...5...and finally got out of bed at 6. ack!

Anyway, I made maple pecan pancakes and then whipped up a pound cake by 8:00. I made banana bread the other day. I LOVE MY NEW KITCHENAID MIXER!!!!!!

Off to the yarn store. Photos to come.

Another Sweater Missing Sleeves

Here's sweater #2. It's worked on size 19!! needles in the round. The front is garter and the back is stockinette. Crazy. The bottom 9 or so inches is with 3 ends. Then up to the middle of the armhole it's 2 ends and then finally one end at the top. 0 shaping. I'm trying to find size 19 dp's for the sleeves. I don't want any seams. I did a 3 needle bo at the shoulder. If you notice mistakes...they are on purpose.

Front:




Back:


You're never going to believe this but now my left shift key is messed up? What's up with my pinkies? I didn't realize I banged my shift keys??? or that my pinkies were so strong.

I just got my new Rebecca in the mail. I'm going to go and read it now!!!! yay....

One of the scarves

Here are two quick snap shots of one of the scarves. It's currently blocking. I'm really just trying to relax the edges so that they don't curl. Therefore, no pins. It's pretty hard to get a feel for this thing in the photos. But it's pretty cool. I'm again doing the reverse cable twisting thing at random intervals. I think there are 36 sts...20 are used for the cable and 6 are used for the edges (3 on each side).

I only have a second

Here's a sneak peak at one of the sweaters I am making. It's a little hard to see the details but I'll explain.

It's knit in the round up to the armholes then back and forth then rejoined. I've doubled the yarn. From cast on to underarm it's 16". Armhole is about 6.5" and then it's 15" to the top. There is a 20 st. cable that runs up the right front and down the left back. It twists unconventionally and it is crossed at random intervals. I Love this sweater. I think it's one of the best things I've ever designed!!!!! It's gonna kill on the runway. I hope you like it! I think if you click on the photos you can get better definition.


Front:



Back:



Side angle:

I have one of the scarves done also. But no pics just yet. I'm off to cook dinner then on to the next sweater!

YIPPEEE!!!

Bear with me...

I swear I'll post something soon.

I've got 4 things on the needles for Fashion Week - FOR THE RUNWAY!!!!! I have one week to finish!(Let's go people, just make it work!) They are all really amazing. Really fun. I can't wait to see them all finished. I'm making 2 sweaters and 2 scarves but not normal scarves...more like sweater scarves. The good news is that I'm using big needles and I'm doubling the yarn. If only I could stop twisting my join. I've cast on for one of the sweaters 3 times and twisted it each time. Huh? Ack!!!!

Don't miss 24 tomorrow night. It's going to be a good season!!!

I can't see my own blog?

What's up with that?

I'm posting this only in an attempt to trick it into letting me view it.

Don't Laugh!

Ok, this is what I have to show from my sewing class...Please don't laugh at me. I'm making an A-line skirt with waist facing (not a waistband) and a zipper. I'm using a stretch corduroy (which means it has a nap) and there are stripes but no need for matching.

This is the skirt front without the waist facing. I made 2 pleats across the front but you can't really see them with this busy fabric.

And this is the skirt with the zipper installed. I did a placket zipper which means that you can't see it. Those things to the right and left of the zipper are the facing for the waist. That's next weeks lesson! The zipper turned out pretty good. You can't really see it and I think that's the point. I've only basted the side seams so far. I did this for fitting purposes. And it fits!



I have absolutely NO KNITTING NEWS! Wow, that's hard to say. I'm working on 4 pieces for Tom Scott but our meetings keep getting pushed back so I have nothing to show. I'm knitting partial pieces until we meet just in case I have to rip back and make changes. Our next meeting is now scheduled for friday.

I delivered the cashmere sweater!

I went away for the weekend. Got back today. I was able to deliver the sweater to my s-i-l. Thank the good lord above, it fits!! It looked pretty good too. There may be an issue or two but nothing that requires any ripping, knitting needles or time! Yippee.

I'll be back later. My sewing lesson is about to begin!

No. 2

A smaller center square. Different colorway....

Awwww!

Gearing up for sewing class! How cute is this...



This is what I've learned so far.....

My mother was right. I need a new sewing machine.


However, notice a couple of things.

1. The flowers in the center. Yup, from my birthday. Aren't they beautiful?

2. The blue thing that looks like an ash tray...A magnetic pin holder thing. It's the most amazing invention ever.

3. Sewing machines come in pink. Who knew?

4. I need more light in my kitchen.

Back to Square One!

The first of maybe 20 or so squares for the B-I-L throw. I'm using Aurora 8 and size 10 needles. I wanted the throw to be a little drapey so I'm going up a needle size or 2. I'm pretty pleased so far. I'm using red, loden, gold and brown. The brown wasn't available on the patternworks sale so I have to go over to school prods. to get some. I guess we all know what that means....cashmere for cheap....anyway, I'm going to do a number of different sized inner squares. This will be the largest center block. I'm going to do a really small center one and then maybe 1 or 2 other sizes. I'm going to mix up the mc and cc too. It should be pretty fun. Plus they seem to knit up fast. I'm going to weaave in ends after each square so that I don't end up with hours of weaving in. Good idea, yeah?



Sewing lesson at 2!!

AKD Member, Professional Designer! Wooo Hooo!!

I just got an email notifying me of my official acceptance as a Professional Designer in the Association of Knitwear Designers (AKD). YEEEEHHHHAAAAA! Finally, Some good news. As you may recall, I had a do-over. I was able to resend a pattern because my original submission was crap and a work in progress. I sent this one last week and voila! I'm a professional. Now maybe I'll start acting like one!

I finishd the cashmere sweater that I was working on. I gave it a nice final blocking today. I used that newish product called SOAK. Uh, LOVE IT! This sweater smells so good. And it's so soft. I want to keep it for myself! I'm having a few unresolved issues with the collar. I'm not loving the short rows. I didn't want to see anything. But I can see the short rows a bit. I did the w & t, then picked up the wrap and knit it together with the st. but yet I can still see it. Bah. Whatever. It's finished. I'll be seeing my SIL this weekend so we'll see what she thinks. I sure hope it fits her! Arghh. Why did I just think of that? I actually think it will fit her but it will be a little more fitted than the sample that she gave me to go from.







I met with Tom Scott today. He is like a breath of fresh air. I'll be making 3 of the coolest, most refreshing items for him for his fall '07 collection. I'll show as I go. Super awesome.

I also got one of my birthday presents to myself today in the mail....Weaving as a Metaphor by Sheila Hicks. It's a beaut. Everything about this book is amazing. The design of the book to her designs in the book. Check it out. I bought mine from Amazon but I'm sure there are other places to get it. I'll be taking it on the plane with me to read this weekend. I'm going to Raleigh for my MIL's birthday. I hope there is a yarn store there. I love checking out foreign yarn stores.

I've barely started the throw for my b-i-l. I'll be seeing him this weekend too. He'll just have to wait! I can guarantee that he'll have it before next christmas. But that's all I can guarantee!

That's it for today. I have to go wind some wool.

Modern Expressionist Knitting

Mark Rothko + Knitting = LOVE....

Swatching hopefully this weekend.

Pics soon.

Super Excited!

Shazam! I've got an idea!

I have an idea for the afghan for my B-i-l....I'm going to go and study some modern artists work in cubism...or squares. See how they mixed their colors, specifically proportions. And then I'm going to knit up an afghan based on my newfound knowledge. So it's like learning and knitting. I swatched a ball of Aurora 8 last night at work and found out that one whole ball equals a 10 x 13" square. Roughly the size that I'd like to use. Maybe 20 or so. I think I have to buy more yarn. I hope patternworks is still having a sale.)

I signed up for the runagogo thing. Check it out. I think it's runagogo.com. I completed my day 2 workout. I left a little post about it over there. Ugh.

I found out last night that the nice little bar that I work at (and have worked at for 5 years) is being sold. Waaaaaa. Waaaaaaaaah...... Now I have to find another job.....crap, crap, crap and more crap....I guess I'll continue to bartend if it's at all possible. I'd really rather not work in a 9 -5 environment if I can help it..Unless of course it has something to do with knitting and maybe travelling to like Italy or something. Any ideas?

I have 2 sweaters in the latest issue of vogue knitting. I'm not 100% thrilled. But I'm happy that I had the opportunity to do some work for them. Maybe they'll call me again?!?

That's it. My sewing lesson is about to start. yay.

Super Easy Capelet

I just came across a little poncho/capelet that I made for Lion Brand. It's this one. Super easy. Kind of cute.

So close but yet...

As you can see, I'm almost finished with the cashmere sweater redux... I have the second (inside) collar to knit. Then I'm finished. Though I'm having a problem. Actually, two...

The first is that the original collar didn't have as much fabric at the front edge. Mine is a little wider - about an inch. Problem?

The second is that you can see the short rows. For some reason even after picking up the wrap it is still showing up. Well it's showing up on the side of the collar where I purled the short rows....hmmmmm. I might be able to live with it but I'm not sure. I'm going to knit the second collar and see how it goes.

Here's the front:



Here's the back:




And here's a side view. Again, the color is not exactly correct. It has a little more brown in it.



In other knitting news, I've swatched the aurora 8 for the afghan for my brother-in-law. I still haven't figured out what I'm going to do design-wise....I'm hoping that something comes to me soon!

I've also finished up swatching for Tom Scott. We're meeting tomorrow to go over final samples and then on to some sweaters...hopefully!!

And finally, I bought the Nike+ipod running kit. I knit up a little pouch for the sensor so that I can attach it to my current sneaks. I don't want the ones that nike is selling. I hope it works!!

That's it. Except that I watched the Gerald R. Ford funeral today. I cried my eyes out. I was a little shocked by my reaction. I don't know if it was a generational thing or if it was because my dad died and it reminded me of that....Henry Kissinger and Tom Brokaw were both amazing. Betty Ford looked so fragile and her family was totally supporting her. It was really beautiful to watch. I felt like I was watching an intimate family moment. But yet it was completely public. My heart goes out to the family.