Trish Knits.com

Tag: book

Unfaithful

Time to ‘fess up! You know how I’ve been going on and on about my rainbow baby blanket for months and months? Well, I’ve been cheating. You see, the blanket is so big now that it’s not really a carry-along project anymore. So I’ve been carrying along the beginnings of a wide lace scarf done in the Flame Chevron stitch pattern by Barbara Walker. I did carry this very same ball of yarn around in Disney in August, and I did start to knit this project then, but I had many false starts before finally getting the hang of it. It’s going well now, except that I am finding knitting on this project to be something of a guilty pleasure. I know I should be finishing the baby blanket, and to be honest I don’t know why it’s not finished yet! I have completely lost my mojo with that blanket and I only have about three rows left. (Oh yeah, it’s the finishing. I almost forgot.)

The scarf/stole is knit with Lisa Souza’s Sock! Merino in the Emerald City colorway. Have I ever mentioned how much I l-o-o-o-o-v-e this yarn? Berry Pwetty!

Twisted Sisters

This week I have received the book, The Twisted Sisters Knit Sweaters: A Knit-to-Fit Workshop, by Lynne Vogel. What a concept! The concept is that with a little figuring and knowing your gauge, you can plan and knit your sweaters so that they always fit. There is a a lengthy section on gauge and measurements, and a worksheet is included where you can copy it, then write down all of the needed measurements and calculations. Then there is a schematic for every design so you really can see how the project comes together as it is knit. It explains various neckline options and sleeve options. It looks like a really cool workshop that can really help one go to the next level of knitting an idea instead of a pattern.

The only drawback? I find that I don’t really like the designs in this book. But, it is chock full of enough information that I should be able to take the info they give and run with it. Someday, that is, if I ever knit a sweater. I’m still chicken. Wish me luck.

October 12, 2007
Folk Style

A quick trip to Barnes and Noble today to get a birthday gift for a sister-in-law found me in short order in the knitting aisle. (Of course!) I snatched a copy of Folk Style without even cracking it open to peek first. Have I EVER knit anything from a knitting book that I own? (Hanging head…) No. Why then, do I have more than 60 knitting books in my library, and why do I have a horrid desire to own more?

I’m just crazy, I guess. But there are some pretty, pretty things in here and maybe I will knit something someday. I especially love the Modern Quilt Wrap by Mags Kandis, which of course can be found for free online. (Follow my link… easy! ) But also the colorful Algonquin Socks spoke to me. Have I ever even knit a sock? Nope, not yet! But I want to… really. Also the Tribal Baby Carrier and the Bogolanfini Pullover and the Indian Silk Pillow. All look so pretty! And yet, here I am, still dying to cast on for some hats. I am still working on the rainbow stripey baby blanket. Stitching a little each day, painfully little. It’s just four stinkin’ rows left. I was hoping to have it done today but now I am setting a new goal to be done with the main knitting before the end of this weekend.

Wish me luck!

Oh and hey, I found the new episode of Cast On was available today. Makes for good knitting, it does. Thanks, Brenda!

October 6, 2007
I’m In with the In Crowd!

Wow! At about this time yesterday, after more than two months of waiting, I finally received my Ravelry invitation! I’ve only begun to scratch the surface of all that this wonderful tool can do. It has a way to help you catalog and track your projects, track your stash, catalog your books, needles and other tools, and share in projects with others who might be working on the same thing.

A quick search showed me that there are about 5 other people so far who are from my town that are Ravelry members. I don’t know any of them, except one girl who I know I went to college with, but I don’t think she remembers me. Maybe I will contact them and suggest a knit-in at our local Borders. There is actually a Borders group that meets on Wednesday nights but I can’t go, so I’m looking for some Saturday people.

Adorable Hats!

I just got the book Itty Bitty Hats this week. This book is adorable! I definitely will be making a few things from the book. Did I mention that ANOTHER co-worker is expecting? There’s no way I can do another baby blanket. But, I do hope that a few cute baby hats will do the trick. Wish me luck! I might even get to reuse some of my yarn from the baby blanket, but instead, I think I sense some balls of KnitPicks Shine coming my way. (Yes, they are calling me!)

I had an absolutely great time knitting with Rhoda this weekend. Guess what she brought for show and tell? The new KnitPicks Harmony Needles! Ooooooh my! They certainly are pretty! I hope I can restrain myself all the way until Christmas! Kelley, what have you done to me now?? We enjoyed a pizza for lunch and then knitted while listening to some of my favorite podcasts. Then the power went out. For no reason at all, I might add. Go figure.

September 24, 2007
Down to the Last Stripe

Yay! I’m starting the last stripe of my baby blanket. Finally! My daughter decided that she needed to snap this photo of me the other day, and is insisting that I put it on my blog. So here it is, with full photo credit to Diana. But, boy… I sure am tired at seeing that fat person in those photos! Who is she, anyway? Someone who wants to be done knitting a baby blanket, that’s who!

What was I thinking, anyway, doing such a large project? I think this confirms for me that I am a small project kind of gal. I’m fine with that.

I am still trying to decide whether the blanket needs an edging. I probably will, to increase the amount of blue in the pattern, since the baby is a boy. Now another co-worker is pregnant so I think next time I will do a pile of baby hats and socks. The baby is due at Christmas and is a girl. Yay, one of each to knit for this year. How fun!

Cable-y Goodness

Yesterday I received the book, Cables Volume 1: The Basics by Janet Szabo. I love this book! Ok, I think I’m a book ho. But seriously. Still. This is a good one. If you love cables like I do, or a shameless fan of Janet’s work, as I am, Go. Now.

The book is chock full of photos and very clear instructions. The photos are black and white, which I think is a good thing, because sometimes color can be distracting in cables. So it’s really easy to see the work. She also discusses cabling without a cable needle right up front, which is how I do it, and I think that’s a very useful thing. Makes cables go a lot faster! Each chapter talks about different types of cables with photos and instructions in charts and words, and also gives you challenges to try other cabling experiments. There’s even a chapter on designing your own cables. How cool!

So look what I found when I opened the book:

Wow. I wasn’t expecting a SIGNED copy! It says, “Patricia, may all your cables cross the right way!” But hey, even if they don’t, there’s a section in the book on fixing cables.

If Volume 1 is this good, I already can’t wait for Volume 2!

September 14, 2007
New Pathways for Sock Knitters (and Why You MUST Buy This Book!)

I recently added this book to my collection: New Pathways for Sock Knitters: Book One by Cat Bordhi. To say that I LOVE this book is putting it mildly. I don’t own the “Socks Soar” book because many of the reviews at the time said that it sort of assumes you know a thing or two about making socks, which I don’t. So I was a bit scared of making that investment.

I’ve never knit a sock in my life. But I’m about to. As soon as the stripey baby blanket is done. And this book couldn’t be any clearer. It shows step by step, very clearly, how socks are constructed. Not only that, it shows, with clear diagrams, how to set up the stitches on DPNs or circs, so that you can dive right in with your favorite knitting method. This is just the book I’ve been waiting for. It is not prejudiced about what method of knitting you choose and even embraces the Magic Loop. This means, for me, socks are finally do-able. Yay!

The book starts out with some very simple baby socks, so you can get the idea of making them without having to put lots of time or effort into them. And it builds from there. There are a series of sock “architectures” that show you how to build a sock in different ways, and each one contains lots of variations, aiming at showing you that the possibilities are endless. Wow. If you have never knit socks before, this book is like taking a very detailed sock class. If you have knit socks before, this book still has lots to offer. Check it out!

I’ve been doing lots of knitting at the pool this weekend. Our swim club closes for the season after today. I’ll be sad to say goodbye to summer, but I am stocked up with lots of yarn and many new projects to lessen the blow. I just started a 10-row orange stripe, which I think will be my second to last stripe. I’ll end with a pink stripe, just like I started, and then, all those ends! I’ll be busy with a pair of scissors and a darning needle for a while. Then I’ll have to decide whether the blankie needs a border. I am leaning toward a crocheted edge, despite the fact that I avoid crochet as much as possible (aggravates my carpal tunnel), but we shall see. Attached I-cord might also work but I can’t decide! Whatever I choose it will have to be fairly inconspicuous as a border so it doesn’t compete with the bright stripes. Wish me luck with deciding. Got any suggestions? Drop me a note in the comments. Thanks!

September 3, 2007
Wrapped in Comfort

This week I received my copy of Wrapped in Comfort: Knitted Lace Shawls by Alison Hyde. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to “know” Alison over the last several years, thanks to the Internet, and the various mailing lists we’ve been on over time. I always love hearing her stories of her knit scarves and shawls, and how they somehow find their way to just the right person at the right time. She has a knack for that.

I’m so glad Alison wrote this book! Ok, I’m so NOT a lace knitter, but this book makes me want to try. The patterns are clearly presented in written form as well as in charts, which is great for me since I don’t do charts very well. But the cool thing about this book is that it’s not just a great collection of beautiful patterns from the heart. It’s not just a knitting book. It’s also ABOUT the knitting. Each pattern has a story, and Alison included the story of the pattern, and the person it was for, or the situation in which it was created. Not only do the shawls and scarves presented in the book wrap the recipient of the objects in comfort, but the book does this as well. It is, indeed, a “comfort read” for knitters.

Way to go, Alison! And thanks for sharing so much of yourself and your talent with the rest of us.

June 29, 2007