love is all you need

I love this sweater but I hate that I have to show it off using my cell phone camera, because the pictures just don't show the depth of the color or the lace pattern. You'll just have to use your imagination, folks.

My favorite part is the garter stitch yoke. For the longest time I was adamantly against garter stitch because I thought it looked too "beginner." The minute I learned to purl I longed only for smooth swaths of stockinette. But now that I'm maturing as a knitter I understand the cozy, cushy allure of garter stitch.

The garter edging sets off the lace pattern nicely. The lace seems to add an heirloom quality to this sweater; it makes me think of a time when all of baby's sweaters were lovingly hand knit. I'm glad my new nephew will get to experience the feel of being wrapped in a big cozy hug from Aunt Kimi while I'm 1500 miles away.

Pattern: February Baby Sweater on Two Needles from Knitter's Almanac by Elizabeth Zimmerman
Yarn: Arucania Nature Wool, Color 40
Started August 13, 2008
Finished August 30, 2008

(Please bear with my cell phone pictures, our camera has gone kaput. Hopefully it will be up and running again soon.)

The FBS is now full speed ahead as I've conquered the hardest parts: seaming up the sleeves and picking up stitches at the underarms.

I'm quite enamored with this little sweater; I think it is the most beautiful thing I've knitted and I'm not even done with it yet. Imagining the rosy-cheeked and undoubtedly blue-eyed baby that will be wearing it come December leaves me even more in love.

I'm still swatching away for my Master Knitter Level 1 and I've found a new favorite basic yarn: Berocco Pure Merino.  After working my first few swatches with Cascade 220 Superwash, I was looking for something with a little more bounce to it.  The Pure Merino is really nice to work with and it looks really good knit up.  Here are my two favorite swatches, Swatch 4 and 5.

Okay yall, I have a secret to tell. I'm moving to New York in June! I'm doing what any crazy-twentysomething-married-to-a-musician-and-can't-help-it-girl would do: the band is going to New York and so am I. I'm actually REALLY excited cause like most everybody else, I heart NY and have always dreamed about living there. Plus, they have some of the awesomest yarn stores... But I digress. The whole point is that I am going to be broke. Broke as a joke. You know, moving's not cheap, and New York's really not cheap. So I'm doing what any not-crazy-wanting-to-stay-afloat-girl would do and am selling anything that I can part with. Plus, it will keep the moving expenses down if I have to lug less stuff across the country. So, please feel free to peruse the following knitting books that I'm selling. Some of them aren't exactly dirt cheap cause hey, I don't want to get rid of them; I need the cash! Some of them are even gifts that were given to me. If you gave me one of these books please don't be sad that I'm selling it, just know that I have loved and enjoyed these books for a long time now but they didn't want to go to New York with me- they said so. Anyway, the first person to comment on a particular book saying they want it gets it. I will send you a paypal invoice for the sale amount plus a flat $4 shipping fee and if the invoice is not paid in 48 hours, I'll relist the book.

Knitticisms ...And Other Purls of Wisdom by Voyageur Press $6
This book was given to me by a SecretPal, Kim (www.wovenspun.com) and it is full of cute little tidbits like, "Happiness is a nice skein of a low-fat cashmere-wool blend." Which I can't agree with more.
Not Just Socks by Sandi Rosner $10
I bought this book to give to a SecretPal, but it was gifted to her by someone else before I could give it to her. I'm sure you have some extra sock yarn sitting around that you want to do something a little different with....
The Knitter's Bible Knitted Accessories by Claire Crompton $10
I was generously gifted this by SecretPal Kim (www.wovenspun.com) and I earnestly meant to knit the mittens from the cover. I've still never gotten around to it, and don't think I will in the next three months. Plus, I've convinced myself that mitten patterns are pretty easy to come by and I don't need to tote an entire book across the country in the off chance that I decide to knit them. Dang, I really want to keep this one. Hey, if you buy this book maybe you could knit me the mittens and send them to me in NYC? I'm sure I'll need them this winter!
Mason Dixon Knitting by Kay Gardiner and Ann Shayne (Autographed!) $12
What, you don't have this book yet? I would have purchased it for the ball band dishcloth pattern alone, even though it apparently comes free on the inside labels of Sugar 'n Cream cotton! Seriously, this is a really cool book with awesome patterns (as if you didn't know that.) And now you can join the bandwagon and have your own autographed copy! I was given this in a SecretPal swap from the wonderful Abby (http://barefoot-knitter.blogspot.com) and I really wish I could bring it along with me. I want a log cabin blanket but lack the stick-to-it-ness.
Singer Quilting by Machine $10
Okay, I know this is a knitting blog, but a lot of us are dabblers. I dabbled a little too and plan to dabble a little more sometime before those cold NYC winters hit.
Hollywood Knits by Suss Cousins $10
A nice destash-gift from Kim (http://handeyecrafts.wordpress.com). I would really love to have the bright orange ribbed turtleneck on the cover that was designed for the Velma character in the Scooby Doo films, but I don't think I'll ever actually do it. If you ever do... email me a pic... It's just so simply cute!
World of Knitted Toys by Kath Dalmeny $8
Oh, I had such high hopes for this one... I failed miserably at knitting the snakes that my niece and nephew begged me for. I started one and skimped on the length, and he ended up looking rather phallic. Can't give a phallic-shaped knitted snake to your niece or nephew, now can you? Heck, if you buy this one, I'll see if I can dig up the phallus in question and send him your way. Just add eyes and stuffing and you can have your own (trouser) snake!
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Big Book of Needle Arts and Crafts $8
Because sometimes knitting makes you feel like an idiot.
Crazy Aunt Purl's Drunk, Divorced and Covered in Cat Hair by Laurie Perry $6
I read this cover to cover in a day and a half and laughed my ass off. Laurie knows all about decluttering, so I know she won't mind that I'm not hanging on to something I've already read. You'll definately enjoy this one.
200 Ripple Stitch Patterns by Jan Eaton $12
This book is the holy grail over at the No End In Sight Ripple Along (http://neisripplealong.blogspot.com). It is also the book I used for my Ripple afghan.
Knitting for Dogs by Kristi Porter $5
Daisy and Henry are pretty pissed that I never knit them anything out of this book. They're probably gonna be even more pissed when they find out I sold it. Oops. I think Daisy can read.
Stitch N Bitch The Knitter's Handbook by Debbie Stoller $10
What can I say that hasn't already been said about this book? It was my first knitting book, and now I have to get rid of it! Gosh, now I'm gettin all emotional....(sob)
Stitcn N Bitch Nation by Debbie Stoller $8
Okay, (sniffle) I'm over it. Many more cute patterns abound in this one as well. Oh, and someone may have spilled a beer on the back of it resulting in a few wrinkled pages, but I'm not saying who...
Vintage Knits from Rowan $12
I was sucked in by the cover sweater, Salina. That Kim Hargreaves sure makes some beautiful sweaters! I might hunt you down after a few months and demand you give this book back. But for now, I'm selling it.

And so I can leave you with thoughts of me living a glamorous, yarny life in NYC, I leave you with one of my favorite pictures that Joey took on our trip there in 2005. I think it reflects how I'm feeling about the move: in awe, but also kind of dizzy.

Two things that have been on my mind lately; The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs and The Knitting Guild of America's Master Knitter Program.
I started reading The Friday Night Knitting Club when I was in the Burbank, California airport after having arrived early only to find that my flight would be leaving an hour and a half late. This book helped the time "fly" (pun intended) during the long wait. I'm about halfway through- so no spoilers, please.
The Knitting Guild of America's Master Knitter Program is something that has been in the back of my head for over a year now, and I only recently decided that I wanted to do it. If you don't know about it check out tkga.com for what its about, what it involves, etc. I really love knitting and I think this will be a great learning process for me. Just be prepared for lots of advice-seeking and swatch pictures in the near future...

I have no excuse for not blogging lately except for the fact that not much interesting has been going on. I have started the My So-Called Scarf from Sheep In The City in Manos Silk Blend, which is coming out very nice. Nice but slow.

I was searching for a quick knit, and Ysolda's Urchin (fall issue of Knitty) fit the bill perfectly.

I love the way the garter ridges look with Malabrigo's thick and thin Gruesa. The way the hat is formed by using short rows with wraps is pretty genius. As I knit I was constantly marvelling at how a hat shape was forming out of almost nowhere. The swirly top looks pretty great, too.

I had to modify the pattern a little bit by including part of an extra wedge, as mine was coming out a little small. (I followed the numbers for the size small- next time I'll do medium.)

I'm also glad that my mistakes seem to be hidden pretty well. I lost track of myself a few times and knit a few extra wrap and turns in there somewhere, but I can't find them now.

Obviously Joey and I had a little fun with our photoshoot- he took about 35 pictures, and we couldn't decide which ones to show. I was a little timid to put up this many pics but he won the argument when he reminded me that people like pictures on blogs. Here's one more for good measure that shows how I feel about my new hat.

Joey has recently acquired some new recording software and while he was having a session yesterday at our house, I snuck out and went to the Shabby Sheep and came back with this:

Three luscious skeins of Manos Silk Blend in Hibiscus to make myself an equally luscious scarf.

I've picked up Thermal again over the last week and finally split for the neckline. I'm a little nervous about working the neckline and armhole shaping simultaneously, but I think I'll just forge ahead and only worry when I get into trouble. I'll just knit, listen to the steady rainfall, and smell my potato soup simmering on the stove. Sounds like a good evening.

So it seems that most knit bloggers are in the midst of Holiday Knitting. I tried that my first year as a knitter and failed miserably. I bought a whole bunch of yarn and needles for each specific project and didn't complete a single one! These days, I'm a little more level-headed (and selfish.) I had only two holiday knits this year- a scarf and wristwarmer set for a friend of my mom's to give as a gift. (She's paying me for them, so I don't think that even really counts, does it?) Nonetheless, I finished my "Holiday Knitting" last Friday.
Single Cable Wristwarmers, available on my sidebar to the left. 2x2 ribbed scarf with slipped stitch edges. (no specific pattern there)
Yarn: Knit Picks Andean Treasure

As soon as I wove in the last end on the scarf, my inner-selfish-knitter came out and demanded that I knit something quick for myself. My inner-selfish-knitter also demanded that I use that lone skein of cashmere that has been lounging in my stash for a while. I decided I had enough yarn for a cabled neckwarmer, so I chose a cable pattern from my Vogue Stitchionary, did a few calculations and cast on 108 stitches. I sailed through the knitting on this thing while watching a Project Runway marathon. When it was finished, I had this.

Beautiful, right? Well, when I put it around my neck, there are about 4 inches of extra room! I guess that's what my inner-selfish-knitter gets for being so demanding. Now I have to rip it out and try again. But at least I get to knit with that cashmere again. That right there makes the whole thing worth it.

Hope your holiday knits are coming along without any snags!