Kate's Perspective | |
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Sunday, January 29, 2006
Olympian in Training
As the cast-on date approaches for the 2006 knitting olympics I am busy working out my strategy. I tried out the German twisted cast on (for stretchiness) and the two circular needle method (for speed). I'm testing yarn and needles for gauge. I am reworking the numbers in my chosen sock pattern to eliminate guesswork during the race. I can't wait to start! I chose the Conwy socks from Knitting on the Road-- it's a design inspired by Nancy Bush's visit to Wales. Perfect! Saturday, January 28, 2006
Oh yeah, Mavis is moving along. I've got the sleeves in the armholes and one side seam complete. I'm just reeeeeaaaaallly slow, because I like to seam in front of TV and my attentions are divided. But it'll get there! And I'm making the backing for my Oriental Rug quilt, which has to be done before the Opening Ceremonies as well. Phew! Back to work! Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Blocking
I used to think blocking was for perfectionists, and unnecessary, and a lot of work. And now I recognize that I am a perfectionist. No! Just kidding, now I recognize that blocking takes a pile of crap and turns into a flat plain of awesome. Regular old knitting becomes divine. I love this step now, and I no longer feel guilty owning this awesome blocking board and wires that John got me for Christmas a couple of years ago. When I'm not blocking something on it, I'm using it as a mini-design wall in my sewing room. I got a fantastic package in the mail today, from Brit! She sent me some reds she claims she'll never use, and a pattern we were talking about, and some chocolate-- what? You don't see any chocolate in the picture? Hmm. There was some. I'm sure of it. And a cute note holder with a sewing machine on it. Thank you so much! I'm tempted to make her something red with this stuff, but perhaps that would not be the best thanks :)  So I'm clearing the decks and preparing to focus my full attention on the Olympic socks. I've got two weeks to seam this sweater, quilt my Oriental Rug project, and bind it, so I'm feeling pretty good. Once that's over I think I'm going to avoid deadlines for a little bit. Gotta remember my resolution to do whatever I want whenever I want! Sunday, January 22, 2006
Another knitter in the family?
We can only hope! Saturday, January 21, 2006
Noro Mavis
from Naturally Noro. (Noro Kureyon yarn, color 170 A) 
There's a reason I have two backs. See, I tried to overcome my analytical side and ignore the sometimes random striping of Noro yarn. Which means I knit the back first, according to the directions, and liked it, and then started the front, but got a different, less pleasing set of stripes. So I made it a back too. Now I just have to undo a few rows and make one a front. Then BLOCKING (boy, could this use blocking) and a turtleneck. I still have about three weeks until the Olympic knitting challenge begins. I hope that's enough time to back and quilt my Oriental Rug top and finish a turtleneck sweater. If there's any time left over, maybe I can put the binding on my Irish Chain quilt (which came back from the quilter's last Friday!). But who am I kidding, there won't be enough time, and if there is I'll probably be finishing my denim swatches. Because it's almost time to knit DENIM. Yippee! Friday, January 20, 2006
It is done.
Thanks for your sympathy and advice regarding that wretched block. I think Jinny Beyer's Quiltmaking by Hand book has the information I need if I attempt this again. My local library has it, but I've already checked it out twice, so I think it makes the cut and I'll buy it for my personal library. After the amazon.jp purchase clears, that is... Happy quilting and knitting this weekend! Thursday, January 19, 2006
Looks easy....
The link takes you to directions to make an 8" block by foundation piecing. These directions are probably great! The directions I got from the guild were for regular piecing and making a 10" block. And they were not great. I figure that staying up until midnight trying to piece together triangles of different sizes to make a 10" square is even better than crossword puzzles for keeping the mind sharp. But I didn't quite figure it out... Anyone have any good reference book suggestions for me? I need reminders on how to line triangles up with squares so that the triangles still have points and then how to line up different kinds of triangles with each other, and oh WHY is this so HARD! PS: Did I mention they wanted me to make this with four shades of brown? Wednesday, January 18, 2006
New Territory
There are.    Here's a link to my wishlist, not because I want you all to buy things for me, but just so you can see the cool things that caught my eye. And maybe you'll be inspired to dig around too.    Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Annual Sewing Room Review
Click here to take the full tour. It's very difficult to get anything done. I mean, I do get stuff done, but I could get so much MORE done, if this were clean. I have new shelves, and I drew a floor plan, but I haven't actually reorganized. We have a little painting problem, and a big furniture moving problem. Well, I hope 2006 is the year of sewing room organization. Meanwhile, here is the completed top for the Oriental Rug quilt. I have a lot of ideas for the quilting, but I'm going to let them simmer for a bit. First, I have to piece the backing. Without further ado: 
Now you see why I had to annex the nursery floor? Friday, January 13, 2006
Artist? Or makeup artist...
and then I turned my back for an instant...  Sunday, January 08, 2006
I Don't Trust Mirrors*
 So I removed most of the light fabrics and tested more combinations in natural light. And then I overflowed my sewing room and had to take over Lydia's room, with the nice big floor. 
I guess I better rush to pick it up before she goes to bed-- she loves to play with fabric, and when she saw this earlier today she rushed over to examine it and told me "Gweat, Mama! I wuv it!" in her best Elmer Fudd voice. But her kind of design assistance is not what I need right now.... *Remember in Clueless, when Cher takes Polaroids of every outfit before deciding what to wear to school? Friday, January 06, 2006
Ah yes...focus
That's right, in a salt water taffy box getting all rumpled. I have all the star quarters sewn, but I still have to make almost all the green and white four patches. Green is a hard color for me, but red is easy. Original New Year's resolution in effect: do whatever I want, whenever I want! Secondary New Year's resolution: focus + limits = progress...maybe tomorrow! I got all distracted by this current project: Kaffe Fassett's Gypsy Throw from Museum Quilts, in colors taken from the rug in my sewing room. It is intended to be a gift, but I can't say for whom! 
The blocks are nice and big on this one, making it a quick sew, but I'm trying to pull only from my stash and find myself kind of low on large-scale prints in apricot and rose for the backgrounds. After seeing this picture, I realize that I have too much contrast and need to keep it red, blue, rose, and apricot with a little less white. Hmmm. The stash is really going to have to dig deep for me! I'm sure it will all come together in time for my deadline. So, you caught me. I'm one of those people who loves to design quilts in her head. I've got piles of fabric for specific quilts and piles of fabric just for having, but not a whole lot of finished quilts. I'll start working on that UFO list and try to get a current picture of each project. I think I might surprise myself... Thursday, January 05, 2006
Smelling the Roses
But as I prepare for 2006, which already has many exciting projects scheduled, like potty-training, travel to the four corners of the USA, and knitting and quilting galore, I find myself looking back to see how far I've come. This time last year I was just settling into our new (old and busted) house. The minimal renovation work was finally over and I had adjusted to a very restricted diet enough to take on all the cooking myself again. John still was gone for 14 hours a day and I was in charge of getting the baby up and putting her to bed again all while he was at work. Things were getting easier, but they were still hard. I was absolutely convinced we would never have another child, because it was just too hard. I was trying to keep my creative self alive, but my concentration was so bad it took me all year to knit one sock and half a scarf. Now one year later, I am SO GLAD to report things are better. We like our house enough that we had friends over many times and even let strangers in during a holiday house tour. John gets home an hour earlier and puts Lydia to bed himself after we *gasp* eat dinner together like a family! Lydia is much more flexible and sleeps a lot better during the day and at night (although she still doesn't sleep through the night, but whatever...). We haven't decided to go ahead and have more babies, but we're no longer giving away every toy, outfit, and accessory the moment she grows out of it. Thanks in no small part to my awesome knitting friends, I finished the second sock, the rest of the scarf, my first grown-up sweater and a prize-winning quilt! I'm looking forward to 2006 and all its new projects. We're expecting almost 500 bulbs to bloom in March and April, I've got quilting and knitting projects coming out my ears, and every time I pee on the potty Lydia says "good girl!" So things are headed in the right direction.  Even though my images are still mostly broken, John updated all my blogging software, and I hope to fix the remaining 90 images soon. And then I might put up a list of WIPs and FOs, both to inspire myself and to limit myself. I think I'm learning that without limits, nothing gets accomplished. Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Vanity...thy name is Kate
Backups, folks, not just a good idea.... Sunday, January 01, 2006
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! And thanks for all the kind comments on my sweater. You'll never guess what I'm wearing RIGHT NOW! |
WORKS IN PROGRESS
QUILTS Big Girl Quilt Oriental Rug Christmas Scrappy Star Gridlock KNITS Cashmere Aran Afghan Lydia sweater |
