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I just got the book, Knitted Tams tonight, and let me tell you–if you’re interested in knitting tams, this is the book to get! I really wanted to learn how to make my own designs, rather than follow someone else’s. And this book gives me enough tools to send me well on my way. There’s even a basic blank chart showing various gauges, and an explanation of how to chart the wedges to achieve various shaped designs on the top. I’m going to have fun creating something fun and colorful.

Or at least I’ll be thinking about it… and dreaming. For now, I’ve got a baby sweater to knit. See ya!

(Happy Birthday, Grace!)

Yes it’s true; I’m a slow knitter. I managed a few more rounds on my sock toe at yesterday’s knitting group, but that’s about it. I could have done more today, but I do have this brown ripple afghan I’m working on. So I did a little on that, too. And I do mean a little. I don’t know what it is with me lately; I have all of these grand intentions of knitting for long stints and then I get distracted. Usually by the computer, of course, which, coincidentally, is where I am now… could blogging be eating into my knitting time? I’m sure there are thousands of knitters out there now who are with me on this conundrum.

Yesterday at knitting group, Shelley gifted me with this:

It’s Socks that Rock Lightweight in the Mystic Kelp colorway. Yum! It’s all purple-y and, and, and… I love it! Thanks, Shelley!

While at the bookstore yesterday I picked up one of these:

It’s a Moleskine Small Sketch Book, and I got it for keeping in my knitting bag, so I can make notes and quick little sketches of my knitting projects along the way. I heard Kelley Petkun talk about these little books once on her podcast, and I didn’t really think I’d need one until the other day, when I found myself needing to do some math related to the baby sweater I’m working on. The sweater is constructed using percentages, and since my gauge and stitch count are different than the original pattern, I wanted to make notes about my own numbers. I didn’t have any paper in my knitting bag (bad me!) and wound up writing in the actual book that the pattern was in. So when I saw this little thing in the store yesterday, I snapped it up. My percentage calculations will be the first thing in the book.

I’m feeling bummed tonight. I’m coming down off of a week off from work and now I have to go back tomorrow. I feel the stress creeping up on me. Ack! Make it stop!

More next time…

I just got the book, Afghans and Throws, by Luise Roberts, in the mail this week. Oh my GOSH it has been ages since I have waited for a book so impatiently! This is my kind of knitting book. It doesn’t so much give directions for specific afghans, as it does give you tons of ideas for great afghans. Anyone who can knit can knit a big rectangle, right? Well, this one gives you ideas on how to plan that rectangle, from how to create random stripes that really aren’t so random, to planning the size of your afghan, to planning the shapes and colors that will make up your finished piece.

There is a fair bit of crochet in this book, so if you’re put off by that don’t buy it. I had hoped for a little less crochet, but some of the joining methods described for joining squares or panels are genius and worth having the whole book just for that. If you’re a creative knitter who doesn’t mind knitting really big rectangles, but wants to get inspired to make your rectangles unique and fun, this book is for you. Go get one! I know I’m going to be using mine lots.

Onto another subject, tomorrow is my monthly knitting group and I am excited. I’m really looking forward to sitting and knitting with everyone. See you then!

The Opinionated Knitter — by Elizabeth Zimmermann. I would be completely dishonest if I didn’t say that I avoided buying this book for a LONG time. I figured it contained many of the designs and ideas that I’d already seen before in some of Elizabeth’s other books, even if not quite presented the same way. And, until recently, I had begun to believe that some of the ideas that EZ taught in terms of garment design were getting a bit tired. Boy, was I wrong about this book. It contains Elizabeth’s original newsletters from the 50s and 60s in their original form, yes… and for that alone this book stands as an important historical archive. But, throughout the book there are notes and modern photographs that give the time-revered designs a fresh, new feel. I especially loved seeing the schematics and the journal pages in Elizabeth’s own hand. It was as if I was allowed to be a voyeur to a time that I am a smidge to young to claim as my own. I’m sorry I waited on this book. I can’t wait to read it cover to cover.

As to when that will be? I hoping for a snow day already, with a warm cup of cocoa at my side and the Knit Garter Stitch blanket on my lap. But, I’m getting ahead of myself!

I promise that this blog won’t be a book review every day, but I was just so excited about this one that I could not contain myself. Did you know Summer of Socks starts this weekend? I’m hoping to have enough progress on my baby sweater by the to put it down for a few and start a sock, just for the occasion. Also, my local Stitch ‘n’ Pitch is this Friday. I really can’t wait, and am very excited that I actually get to go. I hope to see some of you there!

Better late than never, right? Today I just got One Skein Wonders by Judith Durant (Ed.). This book contains a likely collection of hats, scarves and little kitsch bags, but is still worth adding to your knitting library. It’s great for deciding what to do with all of those odd bits of leftover yarn from various projects. I bought it for the baby jackets inside, but also discovered an Aran-looking beret that is now on my must-make list.

I am always looking for something to do with small bits of yarn, so I am sure lots of projects will get their impetus from this book!

Not much, is it? Well… I should have been photographing along the way with my various experiments all week, but it was hot and I was lazy, and so… well… I didn’t. It wouldn’t have made for exciting reading anyway.

What you see here is the beginnings of my EZ February Baby Sweater. The pattern is from Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Knitter’s Almanac, and it gives a glimpse into Ms. Zimmermann’s infamous percentage system on a small scale. I like that! Especially since the yarn I have was way thinner than what the pattern was originally designed for, and the lace pattern used in the design just wasn’t giving me a substantially cozy looking sweater in that yarn. I’m a loose knitter, and so my yarnover holes are big, even with small needles, and so it was looking too lacy, and too girly, for this particular project need. (I don’t know the sex of the baby. Therefore, a totally feminine knit is out.) I’ve seen lots of these sweaters online, and many of them don’t look particularly girly, but with this yarn, somehow I couldn’t avoid that overall feeling.

So this morning when I couldn’t sleep and was up at 5:30 a.m. for no good reason, I sat with my stitch dictionaries and looked until I found something I like. Twin Rib. It’s a standby for me, but I like it. What can I say? I like it.

(I also used the gauge calculator at this site to help me with my math shortcomings… time will tell whether it worked!)

So, now I’m doing the sweater with teeny yarn on size 1 needles, at a different gauge with a different stitch pattern. Does that mean it’s the February Baby Sweater at all? Yes, because that’s the beauty of Elizabeth Zimmermann Knitting. It sets you free.

Tonight I decided to be brave and try to wind one of my other Lisa Souza yarn hanks into a ball. My daughter gave me that, “Mom, you’re NUTS!” look as I began to drag out the swift, knowing full well my troubles from the last week. But I knew that the hanks from this one particular colorway of yarn seemed to be more tightly wrapped than the others, so I figured my chances of success would have to be pretty good. I was right.

My kids both found my new Strauch Jumbo Ball Winder to be a wondrous machine, and enjoyed immensely taking turns at the crank. I’ll have to get pictures of them doing this next time since they seemed to enjoy it so much. I am now happily swatching for my Elizabeth Zimmermann February Baby Sweater from Knitter’s Almanac. (Note to self: I’m using the 3 mm Harmony needles for my swatch. I can’t tell yet, but I think they’re going to be too big. I’m a loose knitter. Wonder how many repeats of the stitch pattern I’ll have to add to make the sweater fit an actual baby?)

New Baby Knits Book

BabyKnits Hats & Booties–by Edie Eckman, Bonnie Franz, and Debby Ware. Well, it’s new to me, anyway. I bought it yesterday while at my knitting group at Borders. I especially love the hat and bootie set on the cover, but as a mom of people who used to be actual babies? I’m not sure what I think about the ribbon yarn in terms of safety. I’d probably substitute with icords or something. That said, there are some SERIOUSLY cute patterns in here! Definitely worth a look if you want to knit something cute, and maybe a little fun, for baby.

More evidence of my complete undoing this week:

There’s no other word for it. Yarn Barf. This is the thing I hate most about knitting. The starting. Perhaps this is why I hate finishing so much? Because finishing something means starting something else. Now, I don’t mind the excitement of a new project. But for me, the excitement only comes AFTER the winding of the yarn and the casting on and the knitting of the first row. After that, it’s all good. But the setup? It kills me, every time.

I’m thanking God that this week is our knitting meetup. One of my knitterly friends has offered to come from afar and help me dig my way out of yarn hell. Thank goodness for good friends, or I don’t know what I’d do.

On a Lighter Note…

Today I found out that Franklin has a new book coming out, featuring the adorable and hilarious Delores. It Itches: A Stash of Knitting Cartoons Looks like it’s due out in October. Honestly, I don’t think I can stand the wait. But still…. thinking about that book sure beats the yarn barf alternative that’s facing me tonight.

Today I finally received the book, 50 Baby Bootees to Knit by Zoe Mellor. I love, love, LOVE the adorable and interesting designs. There is everything from basic booties to Mary Jane shoes, to cute little baby socks. I also love Ann Budd’s Better than Booties Baby Socks and so am trying to come up with some combination of socks, hat, and sweater or jacket. The Baby Kimono from Mason-Dixon Knitting : The Curious Knitters’ Guide: Stories, Patterns, Advice, Opinions, Questions, Answers, Jokes, and Pictures is also on my short list.

Here’s the thing: I’ve managed all this time to be a decent but limited knitter, without having to do a lot of math. I’ve never knit a project that truly required a gauge swatch. Now, though, I have some specific yarns I want to use:

These are Lisa Souza Sock! Merino in the Spumoni, Pumpkin, and Peacock colorways. I don’t know the gender of the baby I’m knitting for, but he or she is due to arrive in the fall, which prompted the pumpkin colors. (The others I just liked for a baby.)

Maybe the big problem for now is that I have too many choices! I’ll give myself a week or so to narrow it down. Then I’ve got to get busy knitting!

I’m just about done with the slipper sock. The cuff has about 15 rounds in it and I’m going to go until I’m just about out of yarn and see how many more that gets me. the cuff is loose and slouchy so it will be comfortable for sleeping or lounging around the house late on a Sunday morning. (Kid’s favorite pastime of late.) Too bad she’ll have to wait a while for the second sock, as I have a brown ripple afghan to get back to, post haste. I’m pleased now that I know some basics about how socks go together, and can’t wait to make my first real socks on sock yarn.

Toward that end, I received Charlene Schurch’s More Sensational Knitted Socks, which I am going to love! Even more of the patterns in this book are offered in toe-up versions, and I think THIS is the sock book that is really going to get me on my way to being a full fledged sock knitter. I’ve been hanging on to some Knit Picks self striping sock yarn (Simple Stripes, now discontinued) for several years and the daughter has been after me to make the socks ever since she laid eyes on the yarn, which was purchased in girly colorways with her in mind. Soon, dear soon.

But this coming week I fear is going to lead to a whole new obsession. Dare I say it? Kauni. Shoot me now.