Buh-Bye

Effective today any writing I do about knitting will be happening over --> here.

Please visit!

Thanks.

Sunrise Circle

Almost done with the left front - knitting in the hem on the front edge in the hopes that the only seaming I have to do is on the sides and sleeves. Toying with the idea of using the technique for joining stripes I learned by doing the Vertical Stripe Hat from Itty Bitty Hats to do the side seams which would leave only the sleeves to actually sew. I hate seaming.

I am very pleased with how it looks so far - and I'm especially pleased with the color (Clematis Heather) and yarn (Knit Picks Swish Superwash Worsted) choice - but I have no idea how it is going to fit. The sleeve seems long but the edges are really curly so I'm having some trouble getting the piece to sit correctly on my arm when I "try it on."

Pictures soon?

Halloween Round-up

So the Yoda Hat & Yoda Toes are finished.

The lightsaber is finished.

Leia is abandoned.

Not-so-baby Yoda is about 45% done but will not be finished for tomorrow's day-care parade or Friday trick-or-treat.

Pictures soon!

Some

So I got some done last night and a few rows this morning - halfway to where I need to separate for the sleeves.

Actually I need to go look up how to do that . . .

Outlook Not So Good - Halloween Update

I don't need a knitting-Magic-8-Ball to know that I'm probably not going to finish the Not-So-Baby Yoda Jacket in time for the parade this coming Saturday. :(

The intarsia and folded hem took much more time than I expected and I am HATING the Patons SWS Soy/Wool. It is too splitty. Still wondering why I chose that yarn - especially since it is handwash only. Hello! This sweater if for a little kid who stills wears more food than he gets in his mouth.

I think I have 12 rows of the body done - I need to get to row 47 to start the armhole decreases and the whole thing will be 80 rows PLUS the sleeves. By Saturday morning. With a 10+ month old who doesn't sleep.

I will be shocked and amazed if I can pull this off.

And as to whether the Leia hat will be done, my sources say no. That is being re-thought in some kind of fleece or jersey (whatever is cheap at the fabric store and whatever cheapo hat I can find to stick some big buns onto). So that means I have two skeins of Lion Brand Thick & Quick Chenille in black. I'll put that with the khaki skeins I have from years ago when I thought I would crochet a lap blanket (AS IF). I really don't like this yarn (I'm seeing a pattern here . . .). It has no stretch so it is tough to work. I'm thinking maybe I can make little softies - like bears or dogs maybe - to use it up.

Anyway, it is more important that the Boy have his Yoda than his mom have her Leia. MUST KNIT!

HALLOWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN!!

I'm so excited to be working on some fun projects (all inspired by things I first saw on Ravelry).

For the Boy's first Halloween, Master Yoda he will be. The Felt-to-Fit Yoda hat (with a few modifications) is riotous. I saw a photo of the Yoda Toes somewhere on Ravelry and have kind-of fudged a "pattern" by cobbling together a few free patterns I've found on-line. And of course, the ubiquitous (Not-So-) Baby Yoda Sweater.

The hat & toes are almost done. I need to stiffen the ears with glue per the pattern instructions. One footie is done and the other is about 2" from complete. I ran out of yarn and was just in A.C. Moore this afternoon trying to find a matching ball to finish up.

I haven't even cast-on the Not-So-Baby Yoda but I anticipate that it will go quickly. I hope to incorporate some lettering into the hem (see annypurls version of the Baby Yoda - I so have a knitting crush on this chick!).

For me, I'm doing an improvised Leia wig. It is silly and fun. I am almost done with one of the giant buns. If I have time, I will re-do the beanie as I'm not too happy with the shaping. I found a pattern on Lion Yarns using the same weight yarn and needle size I am using so hopefully that will make a better hat than I currently have.

I am so excited about these projects but the deadline is looming large - the big parade is Saturday the 25th!

Knit + Neutrality = Knitrality

My mom taught me how to knit. Martha Stewart taught me how to purl. The internet and some books have showed me most of the rest.

Three-plus years ago, I forced my mother to show me once again how to knit. I practiced and practiced making funky scarves that became wider and narrower as stiches were picked up and dropped willy-nilly. Frog. Retry. Frog. Retry. Frog. And man-oh-schevitz, were my (cheap-ass) yarn choices horrific. Just put that ugly stuff in a storage bin and hope it gets tossed in the next big clean-out.

So I put down the knitting for a bit. But I had been bitten. I started back up again about a year later choosing more ambitious projects and better yarn. And I was hooked (ah - pun optional - I don't crochet).

Hats. I really love(d) to knit hats. I have tried to love knitting socks but for now we are like ships passing in the night - although I am not unconvinced that I can still have a steamy affair with socks at some point down the road.

And once I found out I was fortunate enought to be having a baby, all bets were off. Tiny sweaters (which have never fit the boy in the right season). Tiny hats (which have managed to stay on the boys head). Some grown-up stuff has been attempted in the midst of all the tinyness but I seem to be forever derailed by cute.

The title of this blog - Knitrality - is not meant to be super deep or meaningful. I think it came to me because I feel very even and centered when I am knitting. A good neutral.

On Ravelry, I am Knitrality as well and I will hopefully be figuring out how to link up the fun stuff on there to here so here is more fun.