Another FO!

This week I finished my Clapotis (known as the Clap by those of us who don't parlez francais and find referring to our knitting as a term commonly reserved for an STD amusing). It's a gift for my sorority sister Shelley, I'll be seeing her this weekend :)

Project specs:
Clapotis from Fall 2004 issue of Knitty
Yarn: 5 hanks of Atacama 100% Hand Dyed Alpaca, I bought it at the Labor Day clearance at Knit-A-Round for $2.40/hank (Oh how I love clearances at Knit-A-Round.)
Needles: Size 5 straight (aluminum)
Finished measurments: approx 14"w x 59" l
Started around 9/5, cast off 9/27, blocking finished on 9/28

If I were to do this project again, I'd probably use circulars, yarn that is not wool (the alpaca stuck together and made dropping columns a pain), and make it a tad longer.

Because what I really need right now is yet another WIP....

But whatever. Seceret project (now finished) was on the home stretch when I cast the new project on, Clapotis is 3/4 of the way done...and dammit, I was sick all week, and tip money from serving beer at the NFL game on Sunday (for my figure skating club) and JoAnns 40% off coupons were burning a hole in my pocket. So before going home and spending the rest of the evening in bed with a box of Kleenex, some DayQuil, and the season premier of Desperate Housewives (which was soooo good!), I stopped by JoAnn. They had nothing of interest to me, so I went across the stree to Michael's. Sometimes one can be pleasatntly surprised at the yarn they can find at such craft chains, and there is nothing more exciting for a knitter on a budget than finding much cheaper, but equally wonderful yarn to substitute for a project. Or in this case, a substitution for a substitution. I've had my eye on the Lady Eleanor stole from Scarf Style ever since Amy cast hers on several weeks ago (using Noro Silk Garden). Then Jenna had to go and start hers. Noro is a little out of my budget at the moment, but the project was definately on my "for when I am working again and yave yarn money" list...but now, thanks to this wonderful find at Michael's, it's on my needles :) Let's think of the economic genius of this: The LaLana Wools yarn suggested for the pattern: $22 for a 118 yd skein (!) at 15 skeins suggested for this project. Right. That's a car payment and a tank of gas. Noro Silk Garden? More reasonable at $10-11/ball (x 10-15), but still out of reach. Patons Soy Wool Stripes? $5.99/ball? 4 balls so far purchased for about $3.60/ball thanks to coupons? I'll take it!!

The details: Patons Soy Wool Stripes (70% wool, 30% soy), in "Natural Earth" (110 yds/ball)
Size 9 needles from my interchangable set

So far I am through just over a ball and a half. The yarn is nice to work with, I really like how the colors are turning out. When I bought my first few balls, all that was visible from the outside was the purple/blue/peachish...so I was pleasantly surprised to pull out the center of my first ball (also blue), begin knitting, and find all these greens, reds and golds hidden inside. The pattern is easy and still at the fun point (it has potential to get boring, but right now, the way the colors are turning out is making it exciting).

Yay.

Clapotis also needs to be finished and blocked by Friday since it's a gift. I plan on working on it tonight at knitting group (not too much more to go) and blocking tomorrow.

Sex and WIPs and All That Stuff

Yeah...that's Stash Enhancement Xpedition and Works in Progress, all you perverts out there.

But this type of sex can be equally as fulfilling as, well, the other kind. Sometimes. Today I went to the fall Sheep and Wool Festival at Mt. Bruce Station, which is about 40 minutes away from where I live. Adorable little farm on probably one of the crappiest roads I've ever driven on, but the whole area was very nostalgic, reminding me of the rural southwestern Ohio area (surrounding where I went to college) that is so close to my heart and volunteering at various festivals through APhiO on fall days like today. Anyway, while there, I ran into my knitting friends Marj, Amanda, Dana and her adorable daughter Christina (who, at age 11, is a very talented knitter and spinner. Seriously, she's incredible).Anyway, the sex. I bought six balls of this yummy 60% llama/40% wool blend in a purplish color with hints of greens and oranges (at $7.50/ball and buy one get one 50% off!). Photos don't really do the color justice. Not quite sure what I will end up making from it at this point. I don't have a long sleeve shrug yet...maybe some fingerless gloves if I have some left over...the lady from this particular farm informed me that they have plenty of the stuff, gave me her card, and said that if I need more to just call and she can send it to me (at the festival sale price). Sweet. I also picked up a small ball of roving so that I can make some fleece lined mittens, and use the rest to see if the wheel at my parents' house (which has been sitting in the living room as a decoration for about as long as I remember) actually works. I'm pretty sure it does, it's actually never been used. It was literally bought as a decoration, along with its matching chair, and it just sits there and looks pretty. It's the Sleeping Beauty big kind...like this one here. I'm not sure if I'll really get into spinning, but if I've got access to the equipment (at least I do if I'm at my parents' house), I might as well try it, right?

As for the WIPs...lots of them right now. Seven? Plus a swatch for a sweater that I need more yarn for? My secret project will likely be finished tonight or Monday. As for the other three that I'm working on now:Clapotis is through the straight rows and ready for the decrease rows! It should be finished in time to give to someone as a gift next weekend :) So far I've only used four of those lovely hand dyed hanks I bought at Knit-A-Round Labor Day weekend, I'll probably need one more. For the record, if I ever do another one of these, it will be some type of silk/cotton/soy non-animal blend. While the alpaca is lovely, I have to pick the dropped columns apart. And that's a pain in the butt. Others who have used yarn that just falls right apart on the dropped columns claim the pattern is fun. Pulling alpaca fibers apart is neither fun nor exciting.

The circular shrug needs about seven more inches of mock ribbing before I can start the 2x2 ribbing for the other half of the collar. While this project is easy and mindless, it's also kind of boring.

Annnnnnnd my purse project (a sock)...not much progress since last time I posted it, probably because I've been so busy with other projects and haven't really done much waiting/riding on public transportation, etc. The one time over the past few weeks that I had to stand in line for a long period of time (a women's career fair), I did NOT have a knitting project with me! I was pretty mad. Oh well.

My Sincere Apology

Dearest Loyal Blog,
I am sorry I have neglected you for the past few weeks. Even though we have only been together a short time, you've been a very loyal blog, proudly displaying my knitting like a grandparent showing off their newest grandchild. But you see, I've been busy trying to find a job--because although work cuts into knitting and blogging time, unemployment cuts into the yarn fund and therefore projects to blog about. (Ok, I know, I've got like 5 WIP's right now so ther is certainly no shortage of things to post about...but time are tough, ya know?) I promise once my seceret project is finished (which it almost is), we will spend more time together. I will decorate you with pictures of beautiful yarn and witty commentary about knitting, Project Runway and creepy men who bug me. Just be patient with me for a little while longer. I truly appreciate all you do for me.

Love,
Rachel

Help...

Could someone please explain to me what about a young gal, alone, knitting in a coffee shop, screams "weirdos!!! Please come talk to me!!!!!!!! Come sit next to me and bug me!!!!!!!!!! I love middle-aged creepy men!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Clapotis and I just want to hang out together in peace. Is that really too much to ask?

Perhaps it's simply the fact that I'm in a coffee shop...and not my usual place (where the weirdos tend to leave me alone). I'm trying to get him to lose interest and go away by looking busy on my laptop. Thank god I brought it along. And that this place has free wireless internet.

Clapotis is on the 3rd repeat of section 2. Pics to come later when I'm home.

Jackpot!

This weekend, while in Ann Arbor for the football game (GO BLUE!) I dropped by Knit A Round to scope our their Labor Day sale. And hit the freakin jackpot. All the sale yarn was at least 70% off, and I found this gorgeous Atacama hand dyed 100% Alpaca. Pretty, soft, lightweight...perfect for a Clapotis. Being the good samaratin I am, I took all 12 hanks off of the store's hands (at a whopping $2.40/hank, how could I resist!?)...that's 1400 yards of the stuff. Enough for one clapotis for me, another for a Christmas gift for someone...maybe even a pair of fingerless gloves???? Love this stuff. Even though I've got a few other projects going on, and another little project I need to start/finish by a certain date, I have the urge to cast this baby on today.....

At the sale, I also raided the $1 bin, and picked up 3 balls of this cool red Paillette yarn, which has sequins in it. Not sure what I'll end up doing with it...it would make a nice scarf for a Christmas gift...I also got 4 balls of this blackish/purplish Modal eyelash yarn. Now I know I've cursed Fun Fur's existence many times, but eyelash yarn is a little different since it doesn't scream "look, I killed a muppet" nearly as much, knit together with black could make a nice scarf for mom/aunt/grandma/someone on my Christmas list who would be into this sort of garment. The color is really pretty. And it was like $1.

My Urban Outfitters knockoff circular shrug is slowly progressing. It's a nice pattern to do after my Vogue sweater, since it doesn't require much thought and finishing is minimal...but at the same time, it's just kinda boring. I'm doing it in some Plymouth Encore in a light gray that I had hanging out in the stash (although I just had to buy some more 'cause I ran out. Funny how Plymouth Encore was the most expensive thing I bought @ Knit A Round this weekend!) My sock, done in some Knitpicks Dancing is also growing...I started it last week when I was early for my job interview with Google, and it served as a nice conversation piece (at which point I confessed to being a huge nerd and having a knitting blog...but if all goes well, my nerdiness will land me a job. Hey, Google!!! Please!!! Hire me!!!!).

BEST OF ALL....

Here is the FINISHED Vogue Crochet Edged Sweater, complete with its button. I have yet to wear it, as the top I thought would look nice under it actually doesn't, but it fits, it looks great, I am IN LOVE with it!!!! I found a really pretty shell button at Cityknits, and it's the perfect touch. Not bad for my first sweater, eh? Or my first crochet project?

Project specs:
Pattern: Vogue Crochet Edge Jacket from Spring/Summer 06
Needles: size 5 circs
Crochet hook: 6.5 mm
Yarn: KnitPicks Main Line, 8 balls ivory and one each of dusty rose and lavendar
Pattern modifications: Changed guage of knit part from 4 sts/inch to 5, left off row 8 of crochet on the whole thing.

Go me.