So i decided to look up Valley Yarns 2/14 Alpaca Silk on Ravelry to make sure that it is something i really want to invest in. The colors are so lovely that i want to use several of them, not just the Pacific but the Olive and Copper if nothing else. Alas, but this yarn is also getting bad reviews. Splitting yarn is not ideal but the real deal breaker for me is that in a sweater it wears out quickly. I would like to knit a shawl someday but that is not what i intend for my next project. If in fact i can even manage another project. I am so busy right now with work that the only day of the week i seem to manage knitting on is Tuesdays, and that only for a couple of hours. My hands and arms are always tired from working nine hours the day before and taking Sign Language the hour before.
I want to be able to knit more...but of course i rarely get what i want.
Tuesday, November 08, 2011
Monday, November 07, 2011
Baby it's cold outside...
Well...it's not as cold as it could be, but it is getting to be that time of year. Right now i have a hoodie with a broken zipper, a wrap sweater that is starting to show its age, a green sweater that is very warm, and a brown vest with sleeves about 2/3 complete. I really feel like i need another sweater...if not two. The question is...how much money do i want to spend on yarn? How much can i afford to? Would it be more cost effective to knit my own sweater, or would it be better to buy one (/shudder perish the thought!).
For months now i have really wanted to knit up Pangea but have been daunted by the price of the recommended yarn (not to mention the fact that it's grafted in the back...what's up with that?). Fortunately i looked it up on Ravelry and have discovered that i really don't want to spend money on this pattern. Suffice it to say that only a few people have attempted to knit Pangea, and apparently everyone except the designer has frogged it.
Here's my issue. I want a wrap cardigan that looks similar to Donna's in End of Time.
I thought that Pangea looked similar enough for me as shown on the Webs site...only i intended to knit it in Pacific rather than Olive (the color which is modeled below).
I love this sort of lacy look, particularly since my own Tangy Giselle is about the right weight when i knitted it with larger needles than this pattern calls for. So i was willing to compromise thickness for this beautiful yarn rather than trying to find something in a DK or Sport weight. Then i saw the designer's version of Pangea and was more than a little surprised.
It's so thick compared to the Webs version! She claims that it's because she didn't block the sweater but i am skeptical. If i used the same size needles as she did, this would actually be very close to the weight of Donna's sweater. But i am still put off by the fact that everyone frogs this pattern without fail. I think that i am going to try to find another pattern that is similar and use this yarn, as when one looks at it objectively it isn't that expensive considering the fact that it's Alpaca/Silk. Some people have complained about variations in tension but i experienced that while knitting with the Crystal Palace Kid Merino as well.
I also want to make a longer version of the Bergen Street Cardigan (probably in Pumpkin and Oatmeal? maybe in Pumpkin and an Indigo/Navy) but am daunted by the fact that the cheapest yarn that i can find which is probably of a good quality will cost me upwards of $80. I don't know if i need to knit this with worsted and adapt it, but i definitely don't want to use Fisherman's Wool yet again (which would probably be the cheapest option, actually, but i want something nicer than what i'm seeing in my brown wrap...it's already getting fuzzies and i've not worn it much). Of course fuzzies seem to be a pretty common theme even when i pay more for yarn. I'm starting to wonder if shopping at Webs is even worth it as everything is pricy and i'm not seeing the quality that i'd like to.
For months now i have really wanted to knit up Pangea but have been daunted by the price of the recommended yarn (not to mention the fact that it's grafted in the back...what's up with that?). Fortunately i looked it up on Ravelry and have discovered that i really don't want to spend money on this pattern. Suffice it to say that only a few people have attempted to knit Pangea, and apparently everyone except the designer has frogged it.
Here's my issue. I want a wrap cardigan that looks similar to Donna's in End of Time.
I love this sort of lacy look, particularly since my own Tangy Giselle is about the right weight when i knitted it with larger needles than this pattern calls for. So i was willing to compromise thickness for this beautiful yarn rather than trying to find something in a DK or Sport weight. Then i saw the designer's version of Pangea and was more than a little surprised.
I also want to make a longer version of the Bergen Street Cardigan (probably in Pumpkin and Oatmeal? maybe in Pumpkin and an Indigo/Navy) but am daunted by the fact that the cheapest yarn that i can find which is probably of a good quality will cost me upwards of $80. I don't know if i need to knit this with worsted and adapt it, but i definitely don't want to use Fisherman's Wool yet again (which would probably be the cheapest option, actually, but i want something nicer than what i'm seeing in my brown wrap...it's already getting fuzzies and i've not worn it much). Of course fuzzies seem to be a pretty common theme even when i pay more for yarn. I'm starting to wonder if shopping at Webs is even worth it as everything is pricy and i'm not seeing the quality that i'd like to.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
the hammock project, part 2
To sum up part 1: i bought a hammock, two eye bolts, two heavy-duty carabiners, and some rope to hang my hammock with... Only to discover that i would need to build a stand.
The first thing i needed to decide was what material and schematic to use in order to build said hammock stand/frame. The most obvious option was wood: it was relatively inexpensive. But i hadn't worked with wood in a long time, and i wasn't particularly inclined to spend $10 on the U-BILD plan that seemed to be the most professional looking source of information. One big plus was that i could see a photo of the finished projects, while on the how-to and DIY sites were far less forthcoming.
This was also the case for PVC pipe projects. PVC pipes were slightly more expensive, but the glue seemed to be less daunting to me than stain/sealer, bolts/nuts/washers. I found one picture that looked promising of such a project, a GreatPlans number that cost $12 to buy the plans for. Apparently PVC pipe furniture is popular, though i saw a lot of people advise against using it for weight bearing and instead advocated ABS piping or to stay away from these sorts of pipes all together. One of the things that put me off this idea was the fact that the pipes cannot screw into one another (i think i'm right about).
My thoughts eventually turned to steel pipe. This seemed to be the most practical option. There are a lot of metal frames on the market, easy to copy from pictures. However, this turned out to be cost prohibitive, far more expensive than wood or PVC, and i had read warnings that pipe is impossible to completely clean, that it is always oily. This didn't sound practical for indoor use, and it was definitely beyond my budget. If money was no option, i'm pretty sure that this is probably where i would have ended up. Oddly, it was the craft in which i have the least experience. However, the materials are strongest.
Finally, i stumbled upon the Hammock Forums and TrailH4X' portable hammock stand. I felt as if the U-BILD option was a bit overkill, too low and not really practical for a Mayan hammock. This seemed to be a inspired-by yet reworked version of the same pattern. I'm not sure if that's true, but hey, a free schematic was definitely a plus. One thing that i should have taken into account was the size of his hammock compared to mine (i assumed that it was a couple of feet shorter, but didn't take the time to confirm by how much), but it was a starting off point. I decided to make the base 2' longer than Trail's and assumed that this would be sufficient. So i went out and followed his shopping list, planning to make some of the cuts a couple of inches shorter so i didn't have to buy more wood than he had. The wood was pleasantly inexpensive. The stain was far over budget and i ended up getting more than i needed because i trusted the estimates of the employee who helped me rather than figure out the math myself. And the bolts...i was confused about what kind to use. He recommended 1/4" in diameter and i had a feeling that would not be sufficient. But i purchased some of that diameter that were galvanized steel.
Upon getting all of the supplies home...i cut most of the would with my father's old electric saw and sawed through the remaining thickness by hand. I slept in my old bed one last time. The next morning, i put the first coat of stain on the wood. And then i started to drill holes.
Stay tuned for part 3.
The first thing i needed to decide was what material and schematic to use in order to build said hammock stand/frame. The most obvious option was wood: it was relatively inexpensive. But i hadn't worked with wood in a long time, and i wasn't particularly inclined to spend $10 on the U-BILD plan that seemed to be the most professional looking source of information. One big plus was that i could see a photo of the finished projects, while on the how-to and DIY sites were far less forthcoming.
This was also the case for PVC pipe projects. PVC pipes were slightly more expensive, but the glue seemed to be less daunting to me than stain/sealer, bolts/nuts/washers. I found one picture that looked promising of such a project, a GreatPlans number that cost $12 to buy the plans for. Apparently PVC pipe furniture is popular, though i saw a lot of people advise against using it for weight bearing and instead advocated ABS piping or to stay away from these sorts of pipes all together. One of the things that put me off this idea was the fact that the pipes cannot screw into one another (i think i'm right about).
My thoughts eventually turned to steel pipe. This seemed to be the most practical option. There are a lot of metal frames on the market, easy to copy from pictures. However, this turned out to be cost prohibitive, far more expensive than wood or PVC, and i had read warnings that pipe is impossible to completely clean, that it is always oily. This didn't sound practical for indoor use, and it was definitely beyond my budget. If money was no option, i'm pretty sure that this is probably where i would have ended up. Oddly, it was the craft in which i have the least experience. However, the materials are strongest.
Finally, i stumbled upon the Hammock Forums and TrailH4X' portable hammock stand. I felt as if the U-BILD option was a bit overkill, too low and not really practical for a Mayan hammock. This seemed to be a inspired-by yet reworked version of the same pattern. I'm not sure if that's true, but hey, a free schematic was definitely a plus. One thing that i should have taken into account was the size of his hammock compared to mine (i assumed that it was a couple of feet shorter, but didn't take the time to confirm by how much), but it was a starting off point. I decided to make the base 2' longer than Trail's and assumed that this would be sufficient. So i went out and followed his shopping list, planning to make some of the cuts a couple of inches shorter so i didn't have to buy more wood than he had. The wood was pleasantly inexpensive. The stain was far over budget and i ended up getting more than i needed because i trusted the estimates of the employee who helped me rather than figure out the math myself. And the bolts...i was confused about what kind to use. He recommended 1/4" in diameter and i had a feeling that would not be sufficient. But i purchased some of that diameter that were galvanized steel.
Upon getting all of the supplies home...i cut most of the would with my father's old electric saw and sawed through the remaining thickness by hand. I slept in my old bed one last time. The next morning, i put the first coat of stain on the wood. And then i started to drill holes.
Stay tuned for part 3.
Friday, August 05, 2011
the hammock project, part 1
When i moved back home, not only had my old room been overtaken with sewing, scrapbooking, and various craft supplies, but i didn't have a bed anymore. My old waterbed had a leak so we got rid of it...all except the headboard, which makes a lovely bookcase. When i moved home, we gradually began moving some things out of the black hole that my room had become. I was given an old full size bed with box spring that my youngest sister had been using. It was already an old bed that had been given to us used, but i was glad that it wasn't a twin, even if it was only standing on the floor and there was no frame.
But that was a couple of years ago. All that remains of the black hole is one bookshelf that is still filled with scrapbook supplies, empty boxes, file boxes, and gift wrap. I have most of my room back. But the bed...the bed is dead. Springs are starting to poke out of the mattress and there is no support left. This is disagreeable for anyone, but especially for me because i have a bad back. When i first started using this bed, my back appreciated it and felt much better; now there isn't a morning that i don't wake up with my back complaining.
Well i am between graduating from college and finding a job at the moment. Looking on CraigsList...beds seem to be going for $400 upwards. I definitely can't afford that. But no more can i afford to keep using this bed. So i started dreaming of buying a hammock again.
Way back in 2003, before i even got my GED and decided to go back to school (this time to college) i moved in with my aunt and started paying her some rent. She didn't have an extra bed, so i slept on an air mattress for a while. I didn't have a bad back yet, but my back didn't particularly care for this mattress when my job required me to be on my feet all day long. So what i really wanted to buy was a hammock, but upon some research i realized that it was beyond my budget. So we bought a couch at a thrift store that was like new because it had just been recovered. That was quite comfortable and served me well for nearly a year before i moved away.
But this time...i really wanted to make a hammock setup work. Hammocks are good for your back. Hammocks themselves are relatively inexpensive, it is the hammock frame that costs a lot (upwards of $100, which is extreme for my budget). And then i stumbled upon this video.
RayD888 apparently sleeps in a hammock that has bolted into the wall. All that you need is your hammock, two eye bolts, two carabiners, and some rope. Much more cost effective than a hammock stand! So i broached the subject with my father. My mother tells me that he cannot comprehend why i would want to sleep in a hammock. He has no back trouble whatsoever. Well he didn't object at the time. It wasn't until over a week (something like 10-14 days) after i ordered my hammock that he told me that he didn't want me drilling holes in the studs in my bedroom.
By that time i had already purchased my hammock online and received it in the mail. So what's a girl to do? Stay tuned for part two.
But that was a couple of years ago. All that remains of the black hole is one bookshelf that is still filled with scrapbook supplies, empty boxes, file boxes, and gift wrap. I have most of my room back. But the bed...the bed is dead. Springs are starting to poke out of the mattress and there is no support left. This is disagreeable for anyone, but especially for me because i have a bad back. When i first started using this bed, my back appreciated it and felt much better; now there isn't a morning that i don't wake up with my back complaining.
Well i am between graduating from college and finding a job at the moment. Looking on CraigsList...beds seem to be going for $400 upwards. I definitely can't afford that. But no more can i afford to keep using this bed. So i started dreaming of buying a hammock again.
Way back in 2003, before i even got my GED and decided to go back to school (this time to college) i moved in with my aunt and started paying her some rent. She didn't have an extra bed, so i slept on an air mattress for a while. I didn't have a bad back yet, but my back didn't particularly care for this mattress when my job required me to be on my feet all day long. So what i really wanted to buy was a hammock, but upon some research i realized that it was beyond my budget. So we bought a couch at a thrift store that was like new because it had just been recovered. That was quite comfortable and served me well for nearly a year before i moved away.
But this time...i really wanted to make a hammock setup work. Hammocks are good for your back. Hammocks themselves are relatively inexpensive, it is the hammock frame that costs a lot (upwards of $100, which is extreme for my budget). And then i stumbled upon this video.
RayD888 apparently sleeps in a hammock that has bolted into the wall. All that you need is your hammock, two eye bolts, two carabiners, and some rope. Much more cost effective than a hammock stand! So i broached the subject with my father. My mother tells me that he cannot comprehend why i would want to sleep in a hammock. He has no back trouble whatsoever. Well he didn't object at the time. It wasn't until over a week (something like 10-14 days) after i ordered my hammock that he told me that he didn't want me drilling holes in the studs in my bedroom.
By that time i had already purchased my hammock online and received it in the mail. So what's a girl to do? Stay tuned for part two.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
moving up...to the head of the class
My family has been involved in a homeschool co-op and music/arts/languages/drama conservatory for the past few years. My mother is now on the board, actually. Well, it seems that i will probably be teaching two knitting classes this fall, a beginning and an intermediate. I've showed my siblings how to knit, helped people out when they were having trouble, but i've never taught someone from start to finish how to knit. It's kind of exciting and terrifying at the same time. I'm already starting to dream of what projects we will work on, but at the same time i'm not sure how many we'll need. In the past they've had a sort of knitting circle class with no real formal direction. I think i am going to aim for two projects per student but if need be can come up with additional projects. So far...scarves with bulky yarn are the plan. I'm thinking that a hat and/or socks will be in the works for the intermediate class. Two-needle mittens may be the way to go for the beginning class. Anyways, will try to provide more info as it becomes available!
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
contemplations on knitting
There are times when i feel like a poser when it comes to my knitting (let alone my crocheting). There are all sorts of shortcuts i take that i'm sure would shock many a veteran knitter. I don't knit a complete swatch, block projects, or seam. I pick up stitches and knit in the round whenever possible. I procrastinate horribly when it comes to finishing. No matter what pattern i'm doing, what weight the yarn is, there comes a point where i am going to get bored with it and wish that i was already finished with the object. There are periods of time where i don't knit at all, because i lose interest, because it's too hot, because i can't afford yarn for the project i want to do, because i threw out what the pattern said, made it up as i went along, only to discover that my project is now in need of frogging (to a certain point, if not entirely).
Will i always feel this way? Will there ever be a point where i don't feel guilty yet completely justified in cutting corners, when i feel completely skilled as a knitter and/or pattern designer? I have been knitting for fifteen to sixteen years now, after all! And i still feel like there isn't enough knitted clothing in my wardrobe. Perhaps there never will be. It will be a sad day when i start to retire some of my more recently finished objects, however. Sadder still that some of them are never quite done.
Will i always feel this way? Will there ever be a point where i don't feel guilty yet completely justified in cutting corners, when i feel completely skilled as a knitter and/or pattern designer? I have been knitting for fifteen to sixteen years now, after all! And i still feel like there isn't enough knitted clothing in my wardrobe. Perhaps there never will be. It will be a sad day when i start to retire some of my more recently finished objects, however. Sadder still that some of them are never quite done.
Wednesday, February 09, 2011
February already?
It feels like it's been forever since i've posted here...wait, it has been! So knitting, unfortunately, has been on the back burner lately. I had Bell's Palsy this past fall and school things started requiring a lot more concentration than usual (i.e. multi-tasking was impossible for a while). I have gradually improved and think that my brain is finally pretty much back to normal. However, this semester is even more hectic than the last one! In fact, i'm going to be dropping a class tomorrow (no worries, it was an elective, i took a class in January Term so i could complete my final semester with only three classes if need be). So i've only been knitting a little bit here and there and don't really have anything substantial to tell about...other than my Christmas knitting, and even in that case i unfortunately didn't get as far as i meant to.
So, in 2010 i completed the following projects:
Dashing Evi mittens FINALLY
Ginny's Hex Vest...which somehow ended up felting in cold water
Tangy Giselle - even more FINALLY, as i had been dreaming of this project for years and had multiple issues with it
Drunken Bees Toes - my socks still have issues that i need to work out
Gentleman's Matrimony/Cozy Socks
four Monteagle bags (with various variants)
a Lacy Starfish Snood that i'm in the process of reworking the band of (it turned out to be too loose)
Mega-Sonic Screwdriver for Megan
Shy Adipose for Josh
Wisp scarf for Abby
Lacy Skull Cap for Alice with matching mini-hobo purse
Baby Totoro cap for Caleb (that turned out being huge)
And my Asymmetrical Wrap...which doesn't have finished sleeves yet, but i've worn a couple of times as a vest. The sleeves are in the works (i've finished the cuffs so far...pathetic, i know) and i'm planning to make them removable anyway. I'm also planning to add ribbing to the back waist because it rolls up so much right now.
I guess i did get a lot of knitting done in hindsight, with about 15 projects completed and a few more started. This year i hope to improve upon my finishing methods (weaving in ends, putting the zipper in my Fair Ginny cardigan, figuring out how to seam that baby sweater i knit years ago, etc.) and will probably eventually get around to working on quite a few projects. River's vest (from Firefly) being among them... yeah, i've been crocheting more, even tackling amigurumi for the first time. Yeah, i have been dreaming of a couple of projects but have no idea when i'll be able to tackle them.
So, in 2010 i completed the following projects:
a Lacy Starfish Snood that i'm in the process of reworking the band of (it turned out to be too loose)
I guess i did get a lot of knitting done in hindsight, with about 15 projects completed and a few more started. This year i hope to improve upon my finishing methods (weaving in ends, putting the zipper in my Fair Ginny cardigan, figuring out how to seam that baby sweater i knit years ago, etc.) and will probably eventually get around to working on quite a few projects. River's vest (from Firefly) being among them... yeah, i've been crocheting more, even tackling amigurumi for the first time. Yeah, i have been dreaming of a couple of projects but have no idea when i'll be able to tackle them.
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