Sunday, January 20, 2013

Knitwise Podcast Episode One: Diving in


I recorded my first podcast video! Please watch and give me advice. 




Show notes:


Knitwise:

Finished Objects:
1) Snuggly Sweater using Blue Alvarez's Nutmeg sweater with Laines du Nord Prancer in color 77 on size US 9, 5.5 mm needles
2) Spiral Cowl using Amanda Berka's Lator Gator pattern with Yarns of Italy's Inammorata DK in Bright Blue on size US 6, 4 mm needles
3) Groovy Socks using Wendy D. Johnson's Sport Weight Toe Up Socks with a Gusset Heel with Knit Pick's Felici Sport in the Groovy colorway on US 2, 2.75 mm needles
4) Basic Poems Shawl using Janina Wikholm's Pretty Basic pattern with Wisdom Yarn's Poems in color 172 on US 8, 5 mm needles

Yarnwise:

1) 2 skeins of Knit Picks Felici Sport (75% superwash merino, 25% nylon) in the Stream Bed colorway
2) 2 hanks of Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud (100% baby alpaca) in the Iris Heather color
3) 4 skeins of elann.com Peruvian Baby Silk (80% baby alpaca, 20% silk) in Parchment and Aubergine

Plans (wise?)

1) Laura Ayler's Faberge pattern with (possibly) Knit Picks Gloss Fingering
2) Boyfriend socks with Knit Picks Felici sport
3) Stacey Trock's Otto the monster with Hobby Lobby I Love This Yarn in Peacock

Otherwise:

1) I organized my yarn! 
2) I am watching Eureka and reading Carl Sagan's Contact


Thursday, January 17, 2013

Coming soon!

Hi folks!

I hope that you have had a great week!

I am planning on making a video that I will be posting some time this weekend. I was going to tape tonight, but I am having some technical difficulties with my camera, so I will have to figure that out first. 
I am excited! See you soon (or rather, you will see me soon)

-Nicole

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

New Year's Resolutions

Happy belated New Year!

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I got hit with the flu, and I don't think I've been that sick in a very long time. But I'm finally feeling better, and I have a lot of knitting to share with you.

Unfortunately I did not have an amazing New Year- I was sick and Brandon worked late, so we didn't get to do much. But we had a nice glass of wine and watched a show on Netflix and just relaxed, which was fine for me. 

I got a ton of knitting done while I was sick, so I'll share that with you, and then I'll get to the Resolutions.

Works in Progress

I have a few WIPs this week, which is unusual for me, since I usually only work on one or two things at a time

1) My sweater grew a couple more inches this week, now that I finally got my replacement needles. 



















I just have about an inch more waist shaping to go, then an inch for the waist, and I will start increasing for the hips. This is my Nutmeg sweater, which I am knitting with Laines du Nord Prancer in color 77. So far it fits me perfectly, but I won't know for sure until I get all the waist shaping done. 

2) I am about halfway done with my spiral cowl




















I am knitting this on US size 6, 4 mm, needles with Yarns of Italy Innamorata DK  in bright blue. I really like this yarn a lot- it's very soft and smooth, and it has a tight S twist, so the stitches look great. I am using Amanda Berka's Later Gator  pattern, which is almost the same as the pattern I used for my hat. 

3) I am 3/4 of the way done with my second Groovy sock.




















I am knitting these with Knit Picks Felici Sport in the Groovy color, on size 2 (2.75 mm) needles. I am doing a semi-random ribbing pattern on the cuff- adding increasing numbers of purl stitches every few rounds until I have a knit 2, purl 1, knit 2, purl 2 pattern. 


Finished Objects

1) Before Christmas my friend Emma's sister sent me some of her scraps of Noro Kureyon. I tied them all together, and decided to knit a couple hats.




I knit both of these on size 10.5 needles (6.5 mm), with 60 stitches around. For the first hat I just bound off, threaded yarn through the ribbing at the top and cinched it tight. I gave this hat to my mom, since it's a little too small for me.
The second hat I actually decreased at the top before I cinched it closed, and it fits my giant head perfectly. It's really warm and snuggly.

2) I finished my first Groovy sock this week, too!



























I love these socks! They fit me perfectly and they are super warm. I used Jeny's surprisingly stretchy bind-off, so they fit my fat calves too. 

3) I dyed some more fiber. I dyed some Corriedale wool with grape Kool-Aid and blue food coloring. 
















Stash Enhancement 

I bought myself some Christmas goodies






















I got seven more skeins of Knit Outta the Box's Machine Washable Lamb's Wool in Purple.

I also bought some deliciously soft merino, silk, bamboo fiber from Winderwood Farm on Etsy



 



 



















New Year's Resolutions

1) I want to do more selfish knitting this year. I have always done a lot of knitting for other people, and this year I want to make more things for myself.

2) I want to try more knitting and crafting techniques. I want to do lace knitting with actual lace weight yarn, and start doing more cable knitting. I want to learn how to needle felt, and practice sewing more. I also want to practice my spinning more, and maybe (if I can save up enough money) buy an inexpensive spinning wheel by the end of the year.

3) I want to use more stash yarn and try to only buy yarn when I have a plan for it.

4) I want to start my video blog soon! I want to make my first video soon, but I am nervous that I will have nothing to say, or that it will be boring and no one will watch it. Eek.

5) I want to start reading more. I used to read a book or two a week, and now I barely read at all. I want to change that. 

6) I want to save up money for school.



That's it! Hopefully I will be able to achieve my goals this year, since they are more of guidelines than strict plans. 

I hope you all had a great New Year. 

-Nicole