Days of Tea and Knitting

Thursday, August 31, 2006

Last Day of August

This is the same grass that's so green and shiney in the rain on the other three seasons, here in Oregon. I love the color and the flowing patterns. Kind of like a dry beach of grass with the sea replaced with the wind, swirling round and round.

Hot Berries

The scent of these berries is so intense, it seems almost artifical in it's intensity.

Danish Blouse Progress

Today I finally put the blouse on two needles after binding of the gussets. From the last picture to now, I have been knitting like a mad woman. This project is taking a lot of time, but I'm on a roll. The stitch numbers are a little off at this point as I have fudged here and there to keep myself on track. I'll just center the square neckline and made due. This is a case where the tight gauge is a benefit. Doesn't show too much.

Saturday, August 19, 2006

Magazine Rant

Friends, I've been fairly annoyed for some time now on the limited sizing of Vogue knitwear patterns. Sometimes I don't even know why I buy the magazine and give them my money. Oh, I know i could fuss with the sizing myself, and I have. But really! So, today I bought the new fall 2006 issue and found myself reading that they are introducing a "great new feature: VK Plus, a selection of patterns especially chose by our editors, that can be made in extended sizes. The few patterns that they offered were the most bulky, shapeless styles, I nearly died! Not only would these styles make any "plus sized" woman look like the HULK, but they were clearly the patterns that they had to do very little work to re-size. I am PISSED. I am infuriated, and you can be sure that I'm going to let them know. Funny, Interweave knits seems to have no problems sizing ALL their patterns for "extended sizes." It's insulting, Vogue.

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Knitting in Sky Blue

The chart is driving me insane, but I suppose it doesn't help that I'm sick as a dog with the flu or something equally miserable. Size one needles, cashmere and 356 stitches. Goddess help me. At least it will be large and soft.

Danish Blouse

This is from Interweave Knits Winter 2004

Saturday, August 05, 2006

This yarn

Yes, the next picture is the roving from whence this yarn came. I am WILD about the results in terms of color. Even though I adjusted the color in the photo, it's still not quite right. Whatever shall become of this, I do not know, nor do I care right now. It's just fun makin' it.

From this

Pencil roving in "Rare Earth" from Crown Mountain Farms.

Summer Socks

This does not mean that I intend to wear them in the Summer! It's that I was getting tired of knitting with anything other than wool. It's hard on the hands, you know! The second sock in each pair is in the works.

The top pair is from Interweave Winter 2004 and the bottom pair is from Nancy Bush's Vintage socks. I like knitting with varigated yarns more than I like wearing them. Slow realization...

Summer Sock Detail

The top yarn is something new from Knit/Purl and I that in this Prussian blue it looks like denim, although it's superwash wool. The other pair is Koigu.

Saturday, July 29, 2006

Hand Spindle Greens

Last night I finished up some green/brown merino-silk by drop spindle. Taking a break from the new wheel and doing something I know how to do!

Friday, July 28, 2006

My New But Old Wheel

I got this wheel from my knitting buddy, Barbara in Mesa, AZ. It arrived just yesterday and now I'm oiling it and trying to get the hang of it. I think this picture shows it's unique character. And, I don't mean "oh she must have a lovely personality (because she certainly doesn't have the looks!)" Actually, I love the way this wheel looks. Now the learning begins...

Double Drive

Thursday, July 27, 2006

Okay, this is really too steep.

Do I look a little paniced? Yow! We were in the second to last row of Safeco Park for the Stitch and Pitch. Notice the hat? I can be sporty...really!

Nana and the Fab Poster

Yes, they showed us TWICE on the Jumbotron at the Mariner's/BlueJay's game because of Nana's lovely poster. Sure, we thought it was a little nutty, until of course it made us so popular!