Trish Knits.com

Tag: book

  • Hat Math

    I’m always finding myself explaining to my daughter why she really needs all that math they teach her at school. Well, kid, here’s an example! It seems I have a problem making hats that fit me just right. I’m all about the guessing, and usually they wind up too big or too small. Well, duh. There’s math that can fix this problem. Really.

    hat progress
    hat progress

    My friend Lola came over for lunch today and measured my head while she was here. I’m 22 inches, just like I thought. Now, just so you don’t think I’m all remembering my math from Jr. High and stuff, I had to go look it up. Luckily it was pretty quick work finding a website that talked all about circles. Turns out that to figure out how wide to make my hat circles, it’s a simple division problem:

    22 in. ÷ π = 7

    So if I make the top of my hat have a diameter of 7 inches, that is the size that will fit my head exactly. Not bad, eh? I thought so too. Please let me bask in the glow of my brilliance for a while, eh? Don’t let me down for a day or so at least, by telling me that any 8th grader could do this. K?

    Baby Yours

    When the Yarn Harlot recently made a pair of baby sweaters for the owner of her favorite local yarn store, I must say I fell in love with the “boy” version. Just look at those cables!

    baby yours sweater pattern and yarn
    baby yours sweater pattern and yarn

    And the yarn is such a lovely shade of blue! It’s Nyame, in Socks that Rock mediumweight by Blue Moon Fiber Arts. Love it! I might have to make this one up and dress a doll with it. The yarn is soooooo pretty! Sigh. I definitely am not on the market for another baby. I will queue this one up on Ravelry very soon.

    Gotta run; it’s getting late and Kelley Petkun has the Mason Dixon Knitting ladies on her podcast this week. I am dying to listen to them talk about their new book!

    Ciao for now, knit friends!

    Ciao for now!

  • Wow… I LOVE This Book!

    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!)

  • Sock Toe Update (for a good laugh!)

    Sock Toe in progress

    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:

    socks that rock mystic kelp

    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:

    moleskine sketchbook

    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…

  • Book Review: Afghans and Throws

    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!

  • Not Just Another Book. A Historical Record.

    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!

  • Book Review: One Skein Wonders


    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!