Next Tank Top

Equals my next tank top project! Isn't it cute!? The pattern is from the April 2004 Knit N Style magazine and the yarn is Schachenmayr Micro.  The pattern calls for size 5 needles, but I like the fabric better on a size four. After doing the math it will work out perfectly with the size 4 needles using the instructions for the medium size. Janette told me how to use math to alter the pattern, and I'm really excited to see how it will turn out. I'm not going to do the little stringy things because I really think it looks a lot better without them. I am in love with this yarn. It is soooooooooo soft, and I wish that I had bought more of it. It reminds me of Lionbrand Microspun, but I think that it is a bit softer. I know I'm going to have to be careful with it as I knit because it splits easily. I should be getting my circular in the mail soon along with another yummy yarn purchase. Oh yeah I forgot to mention it is knit in the round up to the armholes. Woohoo less finishing!

Image Hosting

I don't know when my image hosting will be back up so I'm uploading as many pictures as I can to a different host.

Image Hosting Down Again

I was planning on posting pictures of the next tank I am making but as you can see my image hosting is down. I'll try again later when I get home from work.

Monday

It is Monday and I wish I had some progress to report on my Fair Isle Bag but I don't. My poor kitty Zoe had a seizure at a 3:50 am yesterday morning. It was so strange. I was asleep in my bed upstairs, and she was downstairs when she had it. I actually heard her seizing all the way downstairs. I shot up out of the bed and flew down the stairs in the dark. I guess I have developed "momma ears". This was her mildest seizure ever, but it still meant the end of sleep for me. I got her calmed down, cleaned her up, and then had to go to work. Needless to say I was not up for knitting when I got home. The vet says that as long as she doesn't have more than one in 30 days or developes a pattern she won't have to go on medication. We have run tons of tests and she is perfectly healthy except for this problem. I got good sleep last night so after some errands I'm gonna get back to my bag.

Thanks

I just wanted to say thank you for all the sweet compliments on my tank top. I love hearing from you, so feel free to post comments or ask questions any time.

I met with my knitting group today. I have such a wonderful time chatting and knitting with my new friends. I have never had friends that knit before, so I get excited about every single get together. Today I think I did more talking than knitting, but I did pick my Fair Isle Bag back up. I hope to have enough progress after this evening that merits taking a picture :)

Tadah!

Beginning to Finish

I started sewing up my side seams tonight. I will now fess up to never using the mattress stich until now. Prior to this project, I have always whipstitched my seams together. Now I feel like I am at the point where I should be putting more effort in my knitting projects. I have taken on more difficult patterns, and I honestly feel I have matured as a knitter. The mattress stitch was a lot easier than I thought it would be. My friend Janette sent me a link to Lucy Neatby's explanation of it, and it really helped me a lot.  I really can't get over how good this works! The seam really is invisible! Yay!

Scary Movie!

I didn't get any knitting done tonight. My husband and I rented Texas Chainsaw Massacre! I couldn't concentrate on knitting while watching that! Holy Patooties it was scary and goooorrrrrrrrryyyy! I don't know if you like watching scary movies or not. But if you do, you need to see this one! I never saw the original one, but now I think that I am going to go and rent it. I love scary movies especially the ones that make you jump and squeal! Maybe it's the adrenaline rush??!!

Finishing

I grafted the shoulders of my tank top and now I am getting ready to sew up the side seams. I doubt that I will finish this tonight but hopefully I will have it done tomorrow. My goal is to be able to wear it to my next knitting group meeting :) The shoulder graft turn out pretty good actually. Here is a close up of one of the shoulder grafts. Hopefully I'll have a picture of a finished tank top really soon! 

Surprise

That mess up there is what I came home to today! That is the yarn from Just Peachy, and this is just a small portion of the mess. It was strung all the way upstairs, and a small table was knocked over. These crazy cats of mine had knocked my bag out of the chair, spilled yarn and contents everywhere, and just went nuts! To make matters worse the tank is knit with two strands of yarn held together so that's two different balls all mixed up there! I was laughing way too hard to get upset.

I'm also not angry because I have already finished both the front and back of my tank. Now all I have to do is graft the shoulders together and then sew up the sides. I am dreading that part. I have some good online references for finishing, so I hope that I'll do a good job. Here is a link to an article about the Mattress Stitch from Knitty.

I don't let my cats play with yarn, and I keep it in my bag. I take the safety and health of my animals very seriously. They are my babies :)

Wednesday

I decided to keep working on the tank top. I would really like to wear it soon, so I'm going to finish it before I allow myself to work on my Fair Isle bag. That is my incentive for completing the project soon. Here you can see where I just started the straps. The part of the straps that criss cross are now on stitch holders and will be knit once the main straps are finished.  Just in case you have forgotten what it will look like completed click here.

Tuesday

My husband and I rented a movie tonight, so I decided to work on something easy while watching. I started the neckline and armhole shaping for the front of Just (not) Peachy. I haven't made major progress on it, but here is what I have done so far.

A Change

I made another change to the blog. I don't know if you noticed it or not. I took a photograph of myself and then played around with it in Paint Shop. What do you think? I think I like it better than the drawing I did of Zoe and I.

I am still working on my Fair Isle Bag. I have finally made it to the main chart of the design. Is it weird to be so excited about knitting?? Haha! I can barely make myself put down the needles long enough to go to bed or clean my house! Thank God my husband is the one that does all the cooking or we would probably starve to death!

Progress

Here is my progress so far. You can click on the image to view it at a larger size.

So what do you think? Does it look good so far? I have been using the Philosopher Wool method of weaving in the ends as I go so that I don't have any floats. They didn't show how to weave in the Purl stitches, but I played around with it until I figured it out. Here is the back of the bag.




I would love any input on my progress good or bad. I take constructive criticism very well :) In my opinion I think it is pretty good for a first attempt at Fair Isle.

Obsessed Much

It is 2am and I am still up knitting. Do you think I might be a little obsessed? Haha! I am really enjoying Fair Isle knitting! I can hardly make myself put it down. I love the challenge of learning something new. I got a little burned out with all the darn Stockinette on Just (not) Peachy, and I am totally welcoming this non-mindless knitting. I'm already on the hunt for my next Fair Isle project. My husband is still tripping out over my new endeavor. You would think that I was knitting up golden fiber. It makes me feel good that he has taken such an interest in my knitting, and it makes me wish that I had taken up Fair Isle sooner! He told me that he would love to have a sweater, so we have been looking for a pattern he likes. Well folks, I'm going to carry my tired hind parts to bed now! I'll posts pictures of my progress when I get up. Night!

Good Ole Days

I know this has nothing to do with crafts, but who cares! This is me and my sister. I'm the one on the left. Don't you wish you could just go back in time to the age when you were oblivious to all the bull crap of the world. Yes my friend ignorance truley was bliss!

Bag Update

I got an email from the Assistant Editor of Interweave Knits answering my questions about the Fair Isle Bag. I am really impressed with the fast response. She said that the pattern is right and the color change lines are supposed to be there. If I wanted to get rid of the lines I could change it to a knitted garter stitch instead of a purl garter stitch. I have decided to go ahead and stick to the pattern. I actually think that it is looking pretty good so far. I took a close up shot of it so that you can see the lines better. Also, after further inspection of the pattern I realized that the top edges of the bag are going to get folded to the inside to form a casing for the strap. You won't really see this part anyways. Go figure.

Knit Along

I have decided that the knitalong isn't just going to be for the Fair Isle Bag anymore. It is simply going to be a Fair Isle Knitalong. It doesn't matter what project we are doing as long as it is a Fair Isle project. For example, I am going to knit the Fair Isle Bag, and Janette is knitting the Fair Isle Pillow from the Spring Interweave. Her pillow is really looking awesome! I will probably post a picture of it on here, if she'll let me. Anyone at all can join this knitalong, and if you want me to post pictures of your progress just let me know.

I started my bag today. I misinterpreted the pattern at first and I had to rip it out after only few rows. I'm glad I caught it quick. Now it seems that I have ran across another issue. I don't know if it is something I'm doing, a design flaw, or just supposed to be that way. The pattern starts out with a purl garter stitch. Ok no problem I can handle that. What I don't understand is why the pattern calls for a color change while purling on a RS row. This makes that ugly color change line instead of a clean transition from one stripe to the next. For example the chart might look like this...OOOOXXXX. Rows 1, 3, and 5 are all RS rows, and the color change happens on a RS row. I looked online for corrections, and there aren't any. Is it possilbe she wants the ugly line? Am I reading this wrong? I give up for now. I need to go to bed.

The Yarn

Pictured above is the yarn I am going to be using on my Fair Isle Bag. Unfortunately, it doesn't really show the true color of the yarn, but you get the idea. I think that they work well with each other, and my total cost for all of the yarn was around ten dollars. You can't beat that!

I am getting really excited about starting the bag, but I'm not comfortable enough with my 2 color knitting ability to start it just yet. I am still practicing with the Sampler Purse, and I'm doing A LOT of reading. I am going to make a list of all the sites that I have been learning from and post them here later.

I have decided that I am going to hold one strand of yarn in each hand instead of both in my right. I came to this decision because of the Philosopher's Wool technique of weaving in the floats. I'm not really sure how to weave in the floats when they are both held in my right hand. Knitting continental is very awkward for me and I am worried that I will have a hard time purling with my left hand. My other concern is how to weave in the floats on the wrong side when you are purling. The Philosopher's Wool video only covers knitting not purling. I'm going to keep reading and practicing and eventually I'll start my bag. I'll keep you posted

Pictures

Robyn requested a picture of my Just Peachy progress. So far I have finished the back and I am about eleven inches into the front. I haven't made it to the really neat criss cross part of the pattern so my picture isn't going to be very exciting. I guess it isn't really Just Peachy since I am knitting it with white yarn, but I think calling it Just Whitey sounds ridiculous! Hahahaha! Anyways, here is the picture. Please try to contain your enthusiasm and awe...

Would you like to see what I was doing when I should have been finishing Just Not Peachy? I think it is far more exciting! Check it out!




That is the first few rows of the Sampler Purse from Philosopher's wool. What do you think? If it looks bad, please tell me! This is my practice before I start the Fair Isle bag. My husband saw it and really got excited. He said, "Dang babe, that is really awesome! I'm really proud of you." He has never gotten this excited over my knitting before. Well I take that back. He was that excited when he got his first pair of socks. He is so proud of them. Well that is my show and tell for the day. Happy knitting everybody! I'm going to knit a little more and go to bed.

The Colors

I finally figured out what colors of Woolease I want to use for my bag. I'm going to buy the rest when I go to work today. I am starting to get excited about this project now. I am going to go ahead and knit it flat instead of attempting to knit it in the round, but I am not going to make the front side and back side different colors. I think it will look better with both sides the same colors. I am going to finish Just Peachy before I start it. I figure I should scratch off at least one of my bazillion projects before I start a new one. I will post pictures of my color choices as soon as I have all of them.

Knit Along

I'm not sure how many people will be doing the knitalong now. I know that I am still going to go ahead with it even though the bag isn't knit in the round. I have been practicing and I think that I like holding both strands of yarn in my right hand. I think I will get better tension that way. I borrowed a Strickfingerhut (knitting thimble) from a friend in my group and it works well. I'm actually fine without it, but I like having little gadgets :) I ordered one, and I should get it pretty soon. I haven't bought all of the yarn for the project yet. Since I'm too poor for the yarn the pattern calls for, I am going to use Woolease. Actually I really like Woolease. It feels great, knits up really nice, and with my discount it is pretty darn cheap.