Smit pix

Here are the finished Garter Gloves. I'm not sure people are as crazy about the colorway as I am, but it is just so pretty to knit, moving from palest pink/white to deepest burgundy with all sorts of rosy colors in between. And soft? You'd better believe it!

And here is the Lala Scarf for your viewing pleasure, and you can see all the yarn "left over". Now, if I can just figure out how to gracefully finish the top, we'll be in business. I tried picking up and knitting then binding off today at lunch, and about halfway across I'm at 12", but it should be more like 16.5". Sigh. Guess I'm going to have to learn how to be a loose crocheter. Hehe. A loose hooker.

Oh, I think the color balance may be a little off on the new Nikon. Something to futz around with at some point. The body of the Lala Scarf is Candy Girl, which is a blazing hot pink, not red. I will fix at some point.

Anneland22 was impressed with my mohair frogging. I tell you, I'm just an obsessive kind of girl! Hey, be sure to check out her new podcast, Moonlight Stitches. Congratulations on Episode 2! I've got it on the 'pod and will listen to it tomorrow (helps to plug the darned thing in and download the latest episode when you tell someone you've subscribed to their 'cast at iTunes!).

The best little LYS

Have I mentioned that I love my LYS? Yarns in the Farms ("yahns in tha fahms" for the locals) is such a wonderful place. I thought it was a fantastic shop when Carolyn owned it by herself, and it's only more delightful now that she has a partner in Jill.

When Isobel and I visited last Saturday, I forgot her sippy cup when we left. It's one of two "big girl" sippies, so being without it has been a minor hassle. And I forgot to grab it when I went to Knit Nite on Tuesday. So, we picked it up last night, which allowed Peter and Jill to meet and Isobel to play with Jill's pooch, Chaco. I love how comfortable Isobel is in the world these days. She just popped right into the shop and started playing, grabbing a pencil from the coffee table and "writing" on a scrap of paper, talking to Chaco, grabbing yarn from the community scarf basket.

Anyway, Jill and Carolyn have been reading the blog (hi, babes!), and Jill offered the use of her microphone if I ever want to start podcasting. I had completely forgotten about that, though I have been thinking about LibriVox lately, listening to CraftLit, since I really enjoy Heather but am not in love with Henry James. I know he was brilliant, but I find his sentence structure overwrought. Then, this morning I listened to some of It's a Purl, Man. I'm only on episode two, but while Brenda recovers, I have to find other podcasts to fill the void. I mean, Lime n Violet only 'cast once a week!

So, what would I say on a podcast? When would I find the time to do it? I'm already crazy with work, commute, Isobel, Peter, the animals, etc. I haven't even found the time to exercise, though we just joined the Y, and they have some yoga classes, so hopefully I can get back on that horse. More pondering...

But back to Yarns in the Farms for a moment: I just love how supportive everyone is there. Yes, it is a store, but, as Jill and I discussed yesterday, it's also a community. And I hope it stays that way for a long time.

In the meantime, check out Ysolda. I heart her. She is just adorable. And I need that Snow White pattern! What a scrummy looking sweater.

Home stretch

I started the decrease portion on Clapotis last night! Thank goodness, since I was getting a little bored. The decreases make things go faster, especially since you drop two stitches in each repeat. Big fun. Someone on the Clapotis KAL group forgot to do the second drop stitch and had to frog back. I'm sorry that happened but am glad to have read the cautionary tale before embarking upon the decrease myself. It's looking really lovely.

While listening to CraftLit and Cast-On this morning on the drive in, I started to imagine all sorts of future sweaters, as well as learning to spin. Heather recorded her podcast at SOAR, and Brenda spoke with her sister, Pam, for the Today's Sweater segment. I think I'd like to knit a bulky sweater like the Green Leaves on in Loop-d-Loop, especially since I just received something like 13 skeins of Lopi wool. I might try my hand at dying, too, since the Lopi is "natural".

Other project ideas include some sort of shrug, and those Kidsilk Haze arm warmers from One Skein, though I don't think I'd actually wear them.

If I were to try spinning, I think I'd go with a drop spindle first, to see if I like it at all. Wheels are a huge investment, but one would certainly fit in our house. The previous owner (who gave me the Lopi) had a wheel.

[Added] I'm not sure I'm up for the Leaf Lace Pullover (also in Interweave Knits Summer 2005), having googled it a bit. You Kitchener up the sides, and then you Kitchener the sleeves to the body. Gah. Plus, I'm not crazy about the ribbed hemline. Being an Apple, I am generally against anything that squeezes in the hemline of something around my middle, which is why I prefer turned hems or just letting them roll in stockinette.

She's baaack!

Brenda Dayne has returned to the podwaves! I hadn't realized how much I missed hearing her voice until I started up the new episode of Cast-On during yesterday's drive home. My only gripe is that there was no Today's Sweater. Next week, I hope.

Lime 'n' Violet did a Kill Bill Halloween special, which they obviously had fun doing, but I wanted Yarn P***! I'm sure I would have found it more enjoyable if I'd seen the movie, though I'm starting to think if you've seen one or two Tarantino projects, you have a good handle on how the rest go.

Still have to listen to Heather Ordover's latest 'cast, but she recorded a Happy Podiversary message for Brenda.

Did you know about Knit the Classics? I may have to join that one, though I'm not sure I could keep up with the reading and knitting. They've read some really good books. I may just have to join and keep up as best I can.

In other news no one at Knit Night has Tudor Roses, but one woman works at the library and said they can get anything via Inter-Library loan, so I may have to investigate that further. I'd really just like to see all the patterns in one place out of curiosity, especially now that I've started reading The Constant Princess. Philippa Gregory's other Tudor era books have been great fun, so I'm sure I'll enjoy this one.

Did another repeat on Clapotis for a grand total of eight dropped stitches. I'm trying to do one repeat a night. Then, I have no idea how long the "closing" section will take. Hopefully, I'll be done by the middle of the month.

Which is good since I bought some yummy blue Sheep Shop #1 to make a cute pair of garter stitch gloves (pattern free with yarn purchase at my LYS). DH was shocked (haha) to see the color of my yarn purchase. I don't want to start them until Clapotis is finished. But it's supposed to be cold this weekend!

Yarn P***

Darn those crazy b's at Lime 'n' Violet! I listened to their podcast on the way to work this morning and am now (again) obsessed with the idea of hand-dyed sock yarn. I have yet to knit a pair of socks, but the stuff out there is so yummy. Be sure to check out sKnitches to see what I mean.

Sounds to Knit By

Unfortunately, I don't have enough time in the day to knit and listen to podcasts. I don't have much time to knit at all. But I do spend close to two hours in the car a day, so I've started listening to podcasts while driving.

Lime 'n' Violet - I've mentioned them before; they're fab! Unfortunately, family circumstances have them on a short (I hope) hiatus.

Cast-On - Many online knitters consider Brenda Dayne the grande dame of knit podcasting. Darnit, she's on hiatus, as well, working on her next season of the show.

CraftLit - Heather Ordover is so someone I'd be friends with: knitter, spinner, mom of two, former English teacher. I've really enjoyed her craft and literature discussions and am looking forward to the next book (her first choice was Pride and Prejudice - how could I not like it?!)

Math4Knitters - I just started listening to this, and it's very interesting, though brief, which is a pain in the car, since I haven't figured out how to tell the nano to play all podcasts in order from the beginning. There ought to be a way.

I know there are more knitting podcasts out there, so I have lots of listening to do...

Fetching and other wristlets and podcasts

I just realized as I started to google Fetching that I might want to do some Mrs. Beetons since Brenda Dayne came up with the pattern, and she is fabulous. Have you listened to her podcast? She really does a great job, and who doesn't want to hear about life in Wales.

I'm a huge Lime 'n' Violet fan, also. During the first podcast or two (I started from the beginning) I thought they might be nuts. Now, I know they are. And they are fantastic! How can you not love these crazy women and their yarn p*rn? So much fun.

The latest for me is CraftLit. I love that we started with Pride and Prejudice for the audio book. Annie Colman does an OK job of reading, though at first I wasn't wild about her voice. She *is* from St. Louis, though (where I went to school). Makes me want to give audio book recording a try...

I tried listening to Insubordiknit, but it didn't do it for me. Lots of spinning talk, and I haven't gotten into spinning/spindling yet.

Marie Irshad has a lovely voice, but I haven't taken to her 'cast. That may be because I started at the beginning, and there were a number of segments on the London wool show that were irrelevant to my life.

There are more knitting podcasts out there to explore, especially while Brenda is on hiatus.