A BSJ for the Shop

August 29, 2010 – 7:55 pm

BSJ 1

BSJ 2

BSJ 3

BSJ 4

BSJ 5

BSJ 6

BSJ 7

I think this is the fourth surprise jacket I’ve knitted.   What I’ve really enjoyed most about knitting these classics is seeing how the yarn works up.  This one is particularly pretty with the gentle changes in color.

The title of this post is a bit misleading since all the previous ones knitted have been for the shop as well.  However, the shoulder seaming was intentionally left unfinished on this sample so one can see how it folds into a jacket.

Pattern: Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann
Yarn: Jojoland Rhythm Worsted

By Knitty Couture | Posted in August 2010 | Comments (1)

In non-knitting news….

August 26, 2010 – 10:41 am

My garden this summer hasn’t been as prolific as the previous summers in which I’ve enjoyed bounties of tomatoes, carrots, peas, greens, beets, cucumbers, and more.  Rather, any fruit my tomato plants seem to have produced this season have been snatched by those squirrelly squirrels who find it a joy to leave bits and pieces and half eaten sections on my patio.

This summer, I’ve subscribed to Fukuoka’s philosophy of gardening - just let it be (no weeding, no fertilizing, no cultivating).   Well, that, in addition to just simply having no time to weed, fertilize and cultivate.

garden east

Despite bearing little fruit, my garden beds look like green blobs overtaking my yard.  The other bed is even worse since I have cantaloupe vines crawling out over into the yard.  Try to ignore the terrible lawn; the benefits of being a dog owner.

bed west

I’ll enjoy these beauties later.

cant 1

cant 2

My cucumbers and zucchini plants have produced very little, if any.   There were too few bees around to pollinate my plants, and I’ve resigned to the fact that there just won’t be any of these veggies this year.

Or so I thought.

Late Friday night, we received torrential rain which had parted and flattened my plants so I could see inside this atrocious mess.  We found several cucumbers that had grown to the point of overripened and were very spotty and golden in color yet very unappetizing.  Ick!

cucumbers 1

But the best is this ginormous zucchini, larger than the size of my calf.  Eric later found another hidden under the brush that was about the same size.  Unfortunately, zucchini is best eaten when small and young - these obviously were not small and young, but old, big and much too watery for any consumption.  Into the compost they will have to go.

king zuc

Here is at least one cucumber I’ll use for a wonderful cucumber salad.

zuc 2

By Knitty Couture | Posted in August 2010 | Comments (0)

Sweaters, Sweaters, Sweaters

August 23, 2010 – 3:01 pm

I think I have a problem.

I’m not sure if it’s because

a) it’s so hot and I’m dying for cooler weather or
b) I’m overzealous in wanting to clothe hubby, Gram, and myself in all knitted garb for our upcoming trip to Yellowstone National Park (so unrealistic!) or
c) I’m prepping by getting my knitting groove on for our Fall Knit Along: Sweaters or
d) I’m rewarding (and overcompensating) myself for completing the afghan

because, folks, I’ve casted on for FIVE sweaters in just the last two weeks.  It doesn’t sound too bad, but it doesn’t stop there.  I have two I’ve pulled yarn aside for (which, I must add, are not small sweaters), the Knit Along sweater which has yet to begin, and socks I’ll start for the roadtrip to Wyoming.  As my sister would say, “GAH!”

I stared at all my knitting and yarn last night and knew full well how ridiculous it was all becoming and even more ridiculous that I was not deterred. Oh, yes, I press on, with knitting in hand.

Sweaters simply have a hold on me.  What about you?  What with the Fall season soon on the rise, do you have a knitting bug for something in particular?  If it’s sweaters, like me, join us for our Sweater Knit Along on Sunday, September 12th, 1pm-6pm.  

BL1

BL 2

Hubby has, for several years, been asking for this sweater which will be my sweater for the Knit Along.

We’re both big fans of Jeff Bridges and The Big Lebowski, in particular. If you have a great sense of humor, watch this film.  It’s fantastic!! The sweater that Eric wants is the famous sweater that the Dude (played by Bridges) wears throughout the movie.

I’ve always admired it, but felt a bit reluctant to sit down and knock out the design of the sweater - it can be very time-consuming (e.g., the charting, the swatching, making sure the design on the sleeves matched up to the body’s, etc., etc., etc.,)!  So I was thrilled when a pattern for the sweater popped up on Ravelry.

Despite having so many sweaters on the needles, I am still looking forward to knitting this one!

By Knitty Couture | Posted in August 2010, Designs | Comments (4)

Always New Projects

August 15, 2010 – 8:49 pm

Do you too have the urge to constantly cast on for more projects?  Here are a few pieces I’ve begun:

cowl

A cable cowl, the Tuesday Night Cowl, worked in Rowan Cocoon.

BSJ

Another Baby Surprise Jacket, worked in Jojoland Rhythm.   I really like the way the color changes - such classic baby colors.

Raglan

A sweater (a raglan, I’ve decided) on its fourth attempt toward completion.  The last three attempts were nearly finished, but were frogged because, well, I just wasn’t satisfied with it. Abalone

Another cute sweater (Abalone) knitted with yarn (Cascade 220) from another frogged sweater.

gram and yarn 0Gram and yarn

gram and yarn 2

Gram, on occasion, likes to offer his assistant with the yarn and knitting.  At eight months old, he’s begun crawling and exploring all sorts of interesting things around the house.  For instance, he particularly likes to dig his little fingers into the potted tree and plants or play with the doorstop or pull down books from the shelves.

The other day I caught him chewing on a magazine sleeve, saw a corner of it missing and attempted to pry the masticated pulp from his mouth while avoid being bitten by his sharp two bottom teeth.   He managed to move the wad to the other side of his mouth each time my finger reached it.  Needless to say, I didn’t get it, and soon after, he swallowed it with a smile.  Oh, the little boy!

By Knitty Couture | Posted in August 2010, Designs | Comments (3)

For Lori and Deb

August 12, 2010 – 5:35 pm

Lori’s afghan

This afghan was completed for my friend, Lori and her daughter, Deb.

Lori  Lori 2 Deb

As I began to write about how I came to knit this beautiful piece, I realized that it was better articulated in Deb’s words:

“This afghan project belonged to my mom, 87 yr old lovely Lori Carlin. Mom and I adored Thi and, together, we visited frequently at her wonderful shop. Mom was a great knitter and generous soul. She knitted afghans for all her kids, grandkids, greatgrandchild, neices, nephews, cousins, friends, and even some of her physicians. Alas, she had an unfinished project which was her own afghan — for 20 years she had been trying to finish it; knitter interrupted.

We brought it to Thi to help us because mom had lost the instructions and was overwhelmed. Thi took on the task of finding a knitter — but could not. Mom was ill….very ill and had been for the past couple years. When she passed away, our dear Thi told me she would personally finish this project. The tears poured from my heart then much as they are now here today as I read her blog and see the photos. This is the last gift of mom’s I will ever receive….”

The pattern is called the Snug Harbor afghan by Bernat (”an authentic fisherman knit afghan”), and during our search for the pattern, we found out, unfortunately, that it no longer existed.  Fortunately, Lori still had most of the instructions and I was able to decipher the remaining patterns as needed.  The afghan consists of 8 strips of various designs (e.g., seed stitch, cables, mock honeycombs), an edging of crocheted rows, and knotted tassles.  Really, the picture doesn’t do justice to the beauty of the piece.  I very much enjoyed working on it and am very happy that it is now home.

By Knitty Couture | Posted in August 2010 | Comments (5)
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