Scaaaaaarf!! October 31, 2008

I did it! I did it!  I finally figured out how to make this scarf! I’ve knit nearly 3 feet and I’m still happy with it!  Well, I’m at least sufficiently pleased enough to be able to ignore the voice in the back of my head saying “Are you sure this is good enough?  Wouldn’t you rather rip it out and redo the snowflake section?  It’s only half a skein of Cascade 220 brown there…”  The said snowflake section badly needs to be blocked to really bring out it’s beauty (the swatch looked great) but I figure I should wait and block the other end at the same time.  Although, I have no idea where I’m going to block something this long.  I’m aiming for about 5 feet long.  I don’t really have a good blocking solution.  I’ve been using some left over foam floor tiles from our exercise area to pin things down, but that’s not really ideal.  For one, it’s too easy to stick the pins all the way through and end up with a very spiky backed tile.  For another, I only have two tiles and I accidentally warped one when it somehow got under the iron set to “steam.”  No idea how that happened.  I’ve been looking into Knitters Block from Cocoknits, although I’m trying to wait until after Christmas to buy it.  (What hint?  There’s no hint there.  I don’t know what you’re talking about.)

 

As far as the scarf goes, I’m pretty pleased with it, voices notwithstanding.  It’s knitting up crazy fast.  I mean, I only really started knitting it on Thursday night and I’m about halfway done. I love the snowflake lace at the bottom and I think I’ll use that pattern for some lace-top socks.  The brown and blue sections are a great pattern.  The scarf lays flat, no curling, and the texture is wonderful.  It creates a very similar look to My So Called Scarf, but using yarn overs and slipped stitches instead of knitting into an almost-slipped-stitch.  Here’s a close up of the texture:

 

 

The cloth that the scarf is on is for my next sewing “project.”  Seeing as how I’m so proficient at making those shopping bags (the actually sewing only takes about half an hour now, which seems quick to me) I volunteered to make a couple for my brother-in-law for Christmas (I don’t think he reads my blog.  If you do, STOP READING!)  Seattle has started charging a nominal fee for plastic bags, which isn’t a big deal to us because we don’t really shop in Seattle, but it’s a good excuse to give everyone reusable bags as gifts.  The law might come over to the east side of the Sound at some point too, so it’s good to be prepared.  Personally, I always saved the plastic bags to use for cat litter, etc, but we have such a backlog that even having not gotten a single plastic bag in months, we’re just barely beginning to make a dent in the collection.  Oy!

 

Anyway, Lowell kindly accompanied me to the fabric store to pick out some fabric yesterday.  The one in the pictures is my favorite, it’s a pale green with just a little gold sparkle in it.  It’s really nice.  Almost hate to give it away… This fabric is going to be paired with a tan fabric with black kanji, and then there’s a red/gray wave pattern to be paired with a black/gray kanji fabric.  (Sense a trend here?)  They should be both beautiful and manly.

 

I can’t tell you how glad I am to finally have this scarf figured out.  Nothing seemed right while I was banging my head against it.  I hate not having a project to work on in the evenings; I can’t believe I just sat and watched Mythbusters without doing something with my hands!  It was actually stressful.  And I couldn’t start something new while I was wrestling with the scarf, even though I’ve thought of, like, eight sock patterns while looking through my dictionaries.  I even came up with a pretty scarf pattern- but not the scarf that I needed! (On an inspirational trip to the LYS, I may have purchased some incredibly soft un-dyed baby alpaca yarn.  I thought I might use it for my sister’s scarf, but it’s too soft.  I can’t live without it.)  I like designing, but designing for a specific person is very hard.  I’m never sure if what I’m knitting is what they had in mind.  Certain people, it’s easy, because you see them often enough or they’ve commented on your knitting, but some people it’s darn difficult.  For example, I think I’ve got a pretty good handle on Lowell.  (It’d be pretty sad if I didn’t, eh?)  But my sister?  We hardly see each other, because I’m in Seattle and she’s still in school in Virginia.  So I have really no idea what she’d like besides what she told me, “a brown scarf with cream and blue accents.”  I’m hoping that she’ll like this and I won’t have to appease her with my future alpaca scarf.  The pattern will be up as soon as I’m finished; hopefully a few days.

Better Late Than Never October 27, 2008

Um.  I’m a bit late with this post, aren’t I?

 

I did finish the Estes Vest, although I was too optimistic about finishing it all on Tuesday night.  I was still doing that i-cord trim well into Wednesday night.  I went out and took pictures on Thursday, sans buttons.

 

   

All finished! Ignore the incredibly dorky look on my face- I’m looking into the sun and aren’t sure when the shutter was going to go. (Sun in eyes + small flashing red light = no idea what the camera is doing.)  I really love the contrasting trim, even though (as Lowell can verify) I was really regretting my choice when I started.  The trim is curling pretty aggressively at the bottom/corners.  I’m hoping that another blocking will help that (in real water this time, not steam!)  I know that I can’t make the curl go away completely, but I hope I can to lessen it. 

   

I just have to find some good buttons for it now.  I know I said I’d like to make the buttons, but I tried that on Thursday and nothing I made seemed, well, any good.  Which seems to describe the whole last week, truth be told.

 

My sister asked for a scarf for the holidays.  (I have two sisters, both younger.  The other one asked for some of these shopping bags.)  Easy, I thought!  I’ve never knit a scarf; I went straight from Calorimetry to socks.  Mainly, I just don’t wear scarves, so I didn’t bother to knit one.  But it’s not like scarves are that hard to knit, right?  It seems to me, scarves are pretty much three steps:

 

Step 1: Pick yarn.

Step 2: Pick stitch pattern.

Step 3: Knit until yarn runs out.

 

So, I picked the yarn.  I picked a stitch pattern.  And I started to knit.  For about three inches.  Then I decided that the pattern wasn’t really… good.  So, pick new stitch pattern.  Knit three inches.  Look critically at pattern.  Frog.  Pick new stitch pattern.  Knit three inches.  Look critically at pattern.  Frog.  Throw yarn across room to impress upon it the importance of listening to the artist.  Take a deep breath and try again.  And again.  And again.

 

I’ve been knitting for days… and I have nothing to show for it!  I’ve frogged everything I’ve done so far.  This scarf is seriously starting to weigh me down.  I really should have taken a picture of all the various attempts at scarfage, but I was far too annoyed at having to frog again to pull out the camera and go up to the light box.  I kept saying, once I figure out this pattern, I’ll post about the scarf on my blog.  Of course, I still haven’t gotten it figured out.  But,  I think I’m finally getting closer.  I’m at least running out of stitches to try.  Stupid scarf.

Things I Learned… October 21, 2008

No, the vest isn’t done yet.  I still have to do the i-cord trims.  Hopefully I’ll finish those tonight and make the toggles for the front tomorrow.  My cat, Arwen, has developed quite the fondness for this vest.  She likes to snuggle on it, wherever it is.  My lap is irresistible when the vest is on it.  I left the vest in the middle of the couch the other night, where the cats don’t like to sleep even when we’re sitting on the couch.  She spent the whole night asleep on the vest!  I think she likes the wool smell, because she won’t sleep on that spot if we put one of my crocheted blankets in that spot. 

  

I can try the vest on, though I haven’t taken pictures of it.  It’s very warm and heavier than I thought it would be.  But considering that it’s about 900 yards of bulky yarn, I really should have expected it to be heavy.  The pockets are a little small (I can’t fit my whole hand in one) but that’s ok.  I’m excited to be able to wear it around town.  However, I made some discoveries while working on this project.

 

Things I’ve Learned from the Estes Vest

 

Never, ever slip stitches on edges that are going to be seamed. (see previous ranting.)

 

I’d rather graft than seam.

 

Picking up stitches on an unslipped edge is tortuous.

 

What the heck do you do when you pick up a stitch in each row, but don’t end up with enough?

 

Just because a project only has 1 color of yarn, that doesn’t mean you won’t spend hours weaving in ends.

 

I’d rather work a Fair Isle with 12 colors where each color is used for only 1 row than seam.

 

Steam blocking may be faster, but isn’t sufficient for a big project.

 

Did I mention the slipped stitches issue?

 

Seaming along two cast off edges- what’s up with that?

 

Knitting something that isn’t covered by shoes is pretty fun (but mittens and hats go in that category too!)

 

I’d rather knit with the worst, cheapest acrylic blindfolded with my feet than seam.

 

I haven’t done it yet, but I have a feeling I’ll learn that I don’t like applied i-cords either.

 

Pictures when everything is finally finished!  Probably Thursday.  Knitting time is limited by cat naps.

Vest Update 2 October 17, 2008

Has someone ever told you that slipping the first stitch of a row makes seaming easier? 

 

Yeah, they’re dead wrong.

 

I found this out the hard way, when I started thinking about my first seaming and how I wanted to do it.  I realized that I had slipped the first stitch of every row, more out of habit than anything else.  I mean, check out this list of patterns; I am clearly sock obsessed and the only time you knit back and forth for a sock, you’re slipping stitches left and right.  Unfortunately, you can’t really seam slipped stitches very well.  Mattress stitch could work; I’d just have to seam two stitches in instead of one, but since this is a bulky yarn project, that would eat up a good amount of space.  And there’s all the shaping next to the selvedge stitch.  I can’t use the slipped stitches for the mattress stitch because there’s only one stitch for every two rows.

 

You can imagine how annoyed and scared I was.  Had I knit the back of the vest (almost perfectly, may I add) only to fail on the sewing?! Would I have to reknit the entire back?!  The horror.  Well, it turns out that I have a few options and my panicking and pathetic post on Ravelry was likely unnecessary.  First option, the three needle bind off.  Basically, instead of grabbing a needle and yarn, I’ll pick up a stitch in each slipped stitch for both pieces.  Then I’ll do the three needle bind off on the wrong side and hopefully, voila! Or there’s this crochet hook magic which is a bit like picking up dropped stitches, only with side seams instead.  I tried that out on a swatch and it looked okay.  That one I could do on the right side or the wrong side, thus adding my own “design element,” let’s call it. 

 

Needless to say, I’ll never make this mistake again.  Slipped stitches are for sock heels, edges on scarves, and mosaic patterns, but not sewing edges!  If anyone else has some suggestions about seaming slipped stitches, I’d love to hear them.

 

After my panic and then my trip to Albuquerque, I started knitting the fronts of the vest.  Lefty knit up nicely, but Righty is giving me some trouble.  As in, I was halfway done and then had to rip it out.  Oh well.  (Notice our cat Kif in the second picture.  He was chasing the little red light that our camera projects onto the subject, presumably to alert anyone in the area that you’re taking photos thus ruining that nice candid shot or to make them think that they’re about to be assassinated.)

 

   

 

I’m really working to finish the vest up so that I can devote myself entirely to holiday knitting.  There aren’t too many handknits to do (my family is pretty small and some of those people want sewn presents) but I’m determined to start early this year.  Last year, I was weaving in ends as the plane landed.  It’s no fun juggling project, tapestry needle, yarn bits, and scissors with your tray table stowed in the upright and locked position.  And I was issued a challenge for the holidays.  My mother-in-law clearly doesn’t understand how knitters (or craftsters in general) work.  If you throw down the gauntlet, we have no choice but to pick it up, cover it in yarn, ribbons, and other fun things, and hand it back to you as a sword cozy.  This year, we’re having Christmas at my house for the first time, well, ever (we always travel down to NM to see the in-laws, this year they’re coming up here).  At one point last week, she says to me, “So, are you going to knit everyone really nice Christmas stockings?”

 

As fellow knitters, you know what has to happen next.  I’d say that sometime in December, you’ll be seeing some stocking patterns on the blog.  Excuse me, I have to go order a butt-load of yarn from Knit Picks.  (Say, can Christmas stockings count as Christmas presents?)

 

    

 

(Also, I’d like to say, for clarity, that I’m very excited about the project and had been thinking of doing it anyway before she mentioned it.  Now I just have a reason not to quit when I have to frog someone’s stocking for the eighth time.)

Harmony Needle Review October 13, 2008

Recently, I ordered some Harmony DPNs and circs from Knit Picks.  I know that many people think these needles are beautiful, but I thought they really weren’t my style.  I like the simple, classic look of bamboo or birch needles.  The multi-colored Harmony needles didn’t look as good to me.  My friend Kady had some though and when I saw them in person, I really liked them.  I’m still not over the moon about the colors, but I don’t really notice them as I knit.  And the smaller needles that I use for socks are mostly one color anyway.  I thought I’d put my thoughts about the needles into an easy to read review format for anyone else who’s still on the fence about them.

 

 

Harmony Wood Needles

At a Glance

• The Good: Smooth surface; stitches slide quickly across needles without being too slippery.  Sharp tips.  Strong, durable material.  Lightweight.  Small sizes come in 6″ length, larger sizes in 8″.  Comparably priced to other wood needles.  Flexible cable in multiple lengths for Magic Loop or circular knitting.
• The Bad: Multi-color look can be off-putting.  Can feel more like plastic than wood.  Can feel sticky when too warm.  Only available through Knit Picks.

 

The Review

The Harmony needles are made of laminated birch.  As far as I can tell, laminated birch is mostly used for flooring and furniture, meaning that it’s strong and long-lasting.  Knit Picks says that this material allows them to make the points sharper on smaller sizes without sacrificing strength.  As I said above, the colors of the Harmony needles kept me from buying them for a long time, but I don’t really notice the colors anymore.  And, really, they’re usually covered in stitches of pretty yarn.

 

Harmony DPNs are divided into two sizes, 6″ and 8″.  Sizes 0 (2mm) -3 (3.25mm) are 6″ and sizes over 3  are 8″.  The ones in the pictures are size 1 (2.25mm).  Sizes are not written on the needles as is often the case with bamboo needles, but the writing/impression usually wears off my needles anyway.  I’d love some 5″ DPNs in the smaller sizes, which are my favorite for socks and glove fingers, but the 6″ is close enough.  The small sizes cost $6.79 for 6 needles, instead of the normal 5, and the large sizes range from $6.99-$9.99 for the normal 5 needles.  Of course, you can only order Harmony needles through Knit Picks whereas other wood needles you can buy through any supplier.  The Harmonies are slightly cheaper than bamboo needles from my favorite yarn shops.

 

Wooden needles are so light that gauging the difference in weight between brands is nearly impossible without a well-calibrated scale.  The Harmony needles feel as light as my Takumis or KAs.  Knit Picks advertises these needles as “unusually durable” and I believe them.  These needles are strong and sharp.  Sometimes when executing a tricky knitting move, I worry about my bamboo needles breaking, although it’s never happened.  I haven’t worried about the Harmonies- they just feel more stable.

 

The surface of the Harmony needles is as smooth as can be.  They aren’t as slippery as metal needles, but slicker than normal wood needles.  They slide through stitches like butter, especially when I was knitting with Essential.  They still retain a nice gentle “grip,” though, so stitches don’t fall off needles.  I don’t know if it’s the material, the way the wood is cut, or the finishing technique, but these needles seem incapable of splintering.  I’ve had that happen at the tip of some of my bamboo needles, but these are incredibly smooth.  So smooth that they initially feel like plastic when I pick them up.  Once they warm up they have a more wood-like feel to them.  However, when my hands get really warm, the needles feel kind of sticky.  The stitches don’t slide very well which isn’t as much of a problem with bamboo needles (although knitting with any needles when things get too warm can be annoying).

 

   

 

The best part of these needles is the tip.  The Harmony needles, even in small sizes, are just as sharp as metal needles.  They’re great for lace and cables.  K2togs and even k3togs are a breeze.  I used my KA bamboo circs to knit my Danube socks and had trouble with the blunt points trying to do the twisted stitches.  The Harmonies knit up a swatch of twisted stitches like a dream.  I cannot stress how great the points on these needles are.  (Show in the first picture, from top to bottom: KA, Takumi, Harmony; shown in the second picture, from top to bottom: KA, Harmony, Takumi.)

A quick word about the fixed and interchangeable Harmony needles.  The interchangeable needles are pretty much the same as the DPNs, just with a smooth join to connect to a cable.  The fixed circulars use the same cable as the interchangeable needles, even for the smaller sizes.  Unlike other wooden circ manufacturers, Knit Picks offers their fixed circular Harmony needles in lengths up to 47″ for sizes under 3.  In other words, Harmony fixed circulars are long enough for the Magic Loop.  Their cable is very flexible; I’d say it’s comparable to the Addi Turbo cable.  The join is very smooth.  I’ve been knitting my socks with 2 Harmony circs and they’ve been great, although I miss the swivel join of the KAs.

Conclusion
The Harmony needles are a great value, especially for sock knitters who get 6 DPNs instead of 5.  The needles are slick, smooth and lightweight.  They still retain the slight grip of a wooden needle, but are faster than most.  The needles can feel sticky if the knitter’s hands are too warm, though, and sometimes the needles feel more like plastic than wood.  The circulars have a flexible cable available in a wide range of lengths.  The overwhelming advantage of these needles is their sharp point, which makes knitting lace and twisted stitches as easy as can be.  If metal needles are too slick for you and wooden needles are too dull, these are the right needles for you!