March Madness

Remember how I promised pictures of the finished crocheted alpaca top? Well, it's a ball of yarn, now. I frogged the entire thing. I had to admit to myself that no matter what I did to it, it would be a waste of yarn because it was highly likely that I would never, ever wear it. Like that ten-ton boxy acrylic dress, or the summery brightly-colored lacy bolero that I made entirely out of wool. Granted, those were newbie mistakes, mostly due to total inexperience with different types of fibers, and this top would have been quite nice if I hadn't simply run out of yarn. Still, I read somewhere that if you know at any point during the process that you're going to hate it, you simply have to suck it up and frog it, right then and there.

So that's what I did. I also applied that philosophy to the summer hat I'm making with Mirasol T'ikka. It was in hibernation because I loathed doing the linen stitch part. When I picked it back up again, I realized that hating those tightly bound little slip stitches was not the first of my problems. Somehow, I had managed to use a 5 mm needle instead of a size 5 needle like I was supposed to, and the hat (which was only a brim at the time) was HUGE. How did I not notice this? I mean, I know I'm lazy when it comes to gauge swatching and I honestly can't recall if I did one for this hat, but a needle choice mistake of three whole sizes? I held up the circulars to my head and without any stretching at all, that thing went around my noggin with about four inches to spare. All sorts of pleas went through my head, foremost among them being: just switch to the right size needle now! This is only the brim! So it'll be a little floppy! It's a summer hat, who cares? I actually got a few rows in with the size 5 before I realized that not only was this not shrinking the hat quickly enough, but it was going to look stupid when all was said and done.

So, with a heavy heart, but at least some measure of the thrill of yanking those ripply little stitches free, I went all the way back to the slip knot, and started over.

By the time I got back up to where the linen stitch band should be, the hat was already a wee bit on the tight side, but I'm not worried, because it'll stretch a bit. I decided to try and tackle the linen stitch again. So brave. But, to my relief, I could tell after only a couple rows that no amount of stretching and blocking would cram that around my skull, so I happily yanked it back out and started in with the much more hand-friendly moss stitch. It'll give me the same textural effect without the shrinkage, although of course, it won't have the same stiffness that it's supposed to for shaping and all. Oh well!

Oh, by the way, I finished that Cabled Boatneck Pullover. The sleeves are a teensy bit too short and they tend to get baggy kind of easily, but overall it's lovely, fits me well, and got lots of compliments!

Alpaca Snag

I picked up the charcoal grey crocheted alpaca sweater I'd been working on, which I had lazily titled "Another Alpaca Top," since I made it with the leftovers from the top I made for my mom a couple Christmases ago. I had bought ten skeins for her sweater, but somehow drastically miscalculated, and I wound up only needing five. I had assumed I would have plenty to work with, since I was making a top of basically the same size, with the same tiny sleeves, a much lower neckline (hers was a mock turtleneck, mine is a scoop), and even mostly in the same dc-blo used for hers as well. Perfect, right?

I ran out of yarn (almost) with about ten rows left to go on the back of the sweater - the front was done ages ago. I have a partial skein left, probably enough to do the cap sleeves. So, decision time: the design of the pattern makes it very stretchy. I could seam it up as is, missing those couple inches, and it would probably fit. However, this means that, once it's sitting even, the seams will be rotated just a little towards the back, which means the sleeves will also be attached a bit further in along my shoulder blades. I have no idea how noticeable it will be, but I feel like I have little choice! I can't even rip out a few rows from the bottom hem to shorten it and add it to the back width, because the rows are vertical! Well. It's either seam it and see how it sits, or frog the entire thing and stash the yarn for some future use, which I am really loathe to do.

On the plus side, if it comes out well, it really is such a lovely color and texture. It would probably be nice enough to pair it with a pretty, floaty skirt and wear it to my brother's wedding next month. Heck knows I'm having trouble finding a dress that's either weather-appropriate or affordable.

I promise pix when it's done, no matter what the final verdict!

Blocking the Lavender Leaves

All done! Hope to get a picture of Audrey wearing it when I give it to her on Tuesday. :D

New Year's Resolution

I spent some time working on the Lavender Leaves Scarf this morning, a belated Christmas present for a coworker, and I was feeling guilty that I hadn't yet started on the blanket for my mom, or the fingerless gloves for my friend, or the vest and cap for my fiance's grammy. I resolved to get started on all those things right away.

A few minutes later, I realized that was insane, and I revised my resolution. I hereby promise (and I apologize to those who will have to wait longer for their handcrafted goodies) that I will not start one single new project OF ANY KIND until every single one of my WIPs becomes an FO.

I will not include things that are hibernating or that I hate and may wind up frogging anyway, which includes the Phedre's Vow top, the Ducky socks, and the Fruity Pebbles socks.

I will, however, have to finish the Cabled Boatneck Sweater, Another Alpaca Top, the Bella Scarf, the Lavender Leaves Scarf, and the Brick Alley Blanket. OK, well, the blanket might be an exception because if I wait until I finish that, I won't start anything new until next year!

So tie me to the WIPping post, and 50 lashes if I even think about starting anything new until I get out from under the heaps of unfinished work.

Crochet - Yer Doin' It Wrong

You know, I like being a member of the Crochet Guild of America. Even if it's true that I knit now far more than I crochet, still, I like that sense of belonging. Especially since having been featured in Interweave Crochet's reader's gallery.

But, I cannot help but cringe at what the crocheting ladies of the guild consider to be fashion-forward examples of their illustrious craft. Each Crochet! Magazine (the guild's own publication) that finds its way into my mailbox every other month has me gasping in horror. Why they continue to insist on publishing (and naming as Editor's Choice, no less) the spectacularly tacky works of Tammy Hildebrand is beyond me:

And that photo doesn't even SHOW the "edgy, asymmetrical hem." Seriously, people, it doesn't matter how many times you try to convince us that asymmetrical buttoning is trendy or daring; you will always look like Seymour Krelborn.

Of course, Crochet! Magazine wasn't satisfied with merely one eye-searing masterpiece from Ms. Hildebrand. Oh no. Take a gander at this beauty:

I get good laughs out of my Crochet! Magazine subscription (which, after all, is free with guild dues), but if I actually want to crochet anything out of a magazine and not open myself up to public ridicule and personal mortification, I think I'll wait for my Interweave to show up.

Spiriting 2009 - The Lavender Leaves Scarf

At our school, we have a holiday ritual of "spiriting" - like Secret Santa, except with three gifts over three days, which must include clues to the giver's identity, and ruthless interrogations on the part of the "spiritees" to ferret out the name of their "spiritors" - all based on the clues, of course. The questioner is not allowed to ask directly, "Are you my spiritor?" and in return, the responder is not allowed to lie, although clever circumlocutions are encouraged if necessary.

At an after-school staff party on the fourth day, everyone brings a thank-you gift for their spiritor, whoever that person may be, and we take turns announcing who we believe our spiritor to be, and amusement ensues, especially if someone guesses wrong.

My spiritor turned out to be Audrey, one of the kindergarten teachers, and someone I actually know better than a lot of them, since she has one of my ESL students in her class. My gift to her was more a promise than a gift - a promise to knit her a scarf in any color and texture she desired. She said she loved purple, especially lavender, and would rather have something girly and lacy over something thick and fuzzy. So, after a quick hunt for something pretty and free to download, I cast on! I'm using the same Cascade Heritage sock yarn that I used for my "Plum Fizz" crocheted top, since I had plenty left over. The main color is "lilac" and there is a brief border in the much darker "plum."

It's the perfect portable project to bring with me on the plane as I fly back to Pennsylvania for the holidays, and with luck, I'll be able to work on it quite a bit while I'm there, and present her with it sometime in early or mid January.

Blocking the Shawl

IT'S DONE!!! Had to learn the "Russian Lace Bind Off." I don't know if I am ever knitting a lace shawl ever again. That's all I have to say about that right now.