Pea Pod Sweater...COMPLETE!

Finally, the pea pod is done. It's for my college roommate (well, actually her baby, due to appear in December), who taught me to knit in the first place. My roommate is German, where everyone knows how to knit by elementary school. One dull, gray day she said to me one day, "I'm going to the knitting store, wanna come?" We hopped on the back of her scooter, buzzed down University Avenue, and twenty minutes later I was the owner of size 10 bamboo needles and some red yarn for a scarf that Ellen was going to teach me how to make. The scarf was awful, fraught with all sorts of beginner mistakes and dropped stitches, all of which Ellen found delightfully amusing. I didn't do much with the needles for the next ten years, and had to reteach myself a few years ago. That's why this sweater and hat set is like a gag gift--I think she will be very surprised when she opens it.







Comments are in ravelry, for those interested in the modifications and changes.

I'm blasting through my stash, let me tell you. Still have to stitch up the tote and felt it, but it FEELS finished.

It Fits!

I've been working on Tomato by Wendy Bernard from No Sheep for You. It's a nice easy top down sweater with a bit of waist shaping. I decided to leave out the the colorwork at the bust line because I just don't think it would be that flattering on me and the yarn I'm using has alot of variation in tone. I think it works better alone.

There's nothing too exciting about this, but I am entranced. I think it's because I have never made anything for myself bigger than socks or a scarf. Two nights ago I gathered up all my courage and transferred my live stitches to waist yarn and tried it on. IT FITS!!! I danced around the living room in my half top while Brian and kids looked at me like I'd lost my mind.

I'm almost halfway done with the waist shaping and then I'm going to make the sleeves a bit longer. I'm using my all time favorite yarn, Tess Superwash Merino . I can't wait to wear it.

I'm also ignoring the French Market Bag that's been languishing on my needles in favor of a pair of Charade socks. I'm using Lorna's Laces Multi, which is not self striping, but, none the less, is making a cool continuous spiral of the green around the leg. I love when the yarn does something unexpected like that.

"You totally need to knit me those"

Um, no I don't. Man, I am so tired of non knitters asking me to knit them stuff. My sister is in town, she is a wonderful AP mother of a 2 year old, she is also a dancer. I picked her up from the airport at 7PM and by 9PM I have already been asked if I could knit up some play food for her nephew and if I would knit her a pair of wrist warmers and leg warmers. I must have given her a funny look bc she said 'Oh, I guess your knit list if full'.

And teaching her to knit is not going to happen because she has said "I'm too active to be knitting"


Le Sigh. They really don't get it, huh?

In other knitterly news, and speaking of people not getting it, I have been doing a butt ton of swaps. I have been slightly obsessed (me, obsessed, imagine) with purging the house of crap toys so I've been doing swaps with toy makers. Many a knit sandwiches and strawberries have been flying out of my house. And that is about it. Once these are done I will be finishing up some top secret socks and starting the Tater sweater.

What have you been up too? Any 'knit me these' type stories to tell?

Superhero Red Socks

Superhero Red Socks
Originally uploaded by ~*Melissa*~

Dominic loves red socks. In fact, on most days it is the only color sock that he will wear. He had one pair of toddler socks that were red and white striped and he wore them until his foot could no longer squeeze into them.

He helped me dye the yarn (Knit Picks Superwash Merino) with Cherry Kool-Aid last month and I knit these up over the last two weeks using the Easy Children's Socks pattern by Knitting Pure and Simple. I was excited because just a hint of white striping appeared as I knit. He requested them "high like a boot" and I left a little room in the toe for his growing feet.

Even though it has been very hot and humid - his new superhero socks have remained on! He's tried on a variety of costume and cape combinations to see which ensemble looks the best. It's been fun to have him be so excited over a project!

Sickbed Knitting

Not that I would recommend this by any means, but recovering from surgery has given me an unprecedented amount of time to work on a bunch of things that have been languishing in hibernation for months now. This is, of course, when I am not watching all three seasons of The Office, which I was smart enough to buy a few months ago. I have been spending a lot of time in bed, while the kids are attended to by others. It's been great, but also necessary. I feel totally wiped out. I can't imagine taking care of the kids in this state. Luckily many have stepped up to help me out and keep the fridge stocked with dinners I wouldn't be able to prepare on my own.

So here's the progress: I have finished side two of the Wobbly Circles Tote that I started last August. All I have to do is sew it up and felt it. I liked the colors when I started, but now realize I need to take a course in color theory or something to make my knits more attractive and less "home made." I also made the two sides different, because I didn't really see the point in making them identical. While I don't hate intarsia like some, I admit this project really annoyed me at times. I wouldn't do it again, because it calls for two sides. When I finished the first one I was ready to throw it OUT, not make another and throw it in the washer. It strikes me that's probably what second sock syndrome is, that thing I will never experience because I am not loony enough to knit socks. Here it is:


Also, I am making a heck of a lot of progress on my Pea Pod baby sweater. Instead of making the sleeves and sewing them in, I picked up the stitches and knit them in the round. This is how much I hate seaming: that I would rather spend time calculating how many stitches to decrease and when to do them rather than knit a flat piece and seam it up. I don't think I save any time by doing it that way, but it sure saves me a lot of sanity. Or should I say saknity? That word still doesn't look right to me.



Favorite Office Moment (so far): when Jim throws Andy's cell phone in the ceiling and keeps calling it, driving Andy to punch a hole in the wall. OMG.

Also, I have two flickr questions: whenever I post a picture on ravelry, it only shows the left side of the photo. Do I need to resize it or something? I have been taking pictures and putting my subject on the left to make up for this but it seems inefficient. And stupid. The second question is: can I post a picture here from flickr? I can't figure out how to do it and have been posting the photos on photobucket. I am sure that is so PC of me, but sometimes I can't figure out how to do anything on my Mac.

Tater's Cotton Cardi - A TCC KAL

La Green Eyes
Originally uploaded by pezdiva.

So, Elisa has a TCC on the needles, Dani has the yarn for one, and I am waiting on yarn so I can knit it up too. Who else is in for a KAL?

I originally purchased Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in a very snazzy cool purple but after swatching I realized the yarn was way too thick, so now I am waiting on something from KnitPicks (can't seem to remember what yarn) in sport weight. I have been wanting to knit this one up for awhile, and it doesn't look too boring either.

Photo of the Momo posted because not only is she so stinkin' cute, but I just can't blog without a photo.

Stitches Midwest 2007

Girls Day + Major Yarn Shopping= Perfect Day

Above you can see our group haul. this is our 4th time to Stitches, so we've learned to show some restraint and be a little pickier. For me, I try to only buy what is hard/impossible to get locally or , barring that, an incredible deal. I'm very happy with my purchases this year.

Tess Designer Yarns Superwash Merino. My favorite yarn in the world. This is going to be a sweater for me. I have only every made myself socks and scarves. It is time for that to stop.

Tess Superwash Lace. On my monitor the color is pretty true. It's very orange. This is destined to become a shawl for me. Maybe Bee Fields. I also picked up another pair of Addi Turbo Lace Needles. I love the sharp tips!

Aren't these pretty? Leather straps to go with the blue felted bag I plan to make.

My deal of the day. A full bag of Jaeger Matchermaker 4 Ply from Webs. Part of this will be the Tater's Cotton Cardi by Marie Grace for Maggie.

It was a very good day.

Not so happy with this one...

One Skien Diotima Shell
Originally uploaded by ~*Melissa*~

So I finished my One Skien Diotima Shell. It's my first garmet for me and I'm feeling a little "eh" about it. It's shorter than I would like it to be, and I modified the top a bit. I do however like the fit on my body - it's not to baggy, and clings just right. Deva suggested an outfit that might make me feel a little better about it - so I'll give that a whirl.

Mini Vacation

Peeps, I have been knitting, and I have even finished a project but I couldn't take pictures because it is for a book. The owner of my LYS is writing a book and was in a crunch about getting everything knitted for photos. I volunteered because the project was easy, and because I wanted a sense of completion of something, anything! My house is full of half-finished projects that bore me, or no longer interest me because the colors that seemed right at the time are all wrong now (case in point: the wobbly circles tote, which you lucky ravelers can see in my project list). I need a strategy for my stash and projects. I think I am going to knit everything I have before buying more yarn because I hate having yarn sitting around. Blasphemy, I am sure, to Elisa.

In other news, I took the kids to the Berkshires (Western Mass) for a few days to visit friends. The drive was long but the peace and quiet was worth it. Here's how the kids spent their days:



I will be out for a few days and don't expect to get much knitting done in the next few weeks, but I will do my best. Sorry I haven't been contributing much, but I will have some FOs soon.

PS Does it annoy anyone else when someone adds you as a "friend" on ravelry and you have no idea who they are?

Home Sweet Home Socks

Home Sweet Home Socks
Originally uploaded by pezdiva.

There really is no place like home. And there really is nothing like a pair of hand knit socks.

Another Monica

IMG_0585
Originally uploaded by daniknits

I modifed it to knit in the round and used i-cord instead of the garter straps. I used size 5 needles and Rowan Handknit Cotton DK. It was fantastically boring, and I only finished it through sheer stubborness. I do think it's damn cute though.

This is what we live for

Knits in action, on a baby you love. Knits given to your best friend who really 'gets' and loves your knitting. This is awesome.

No Petite Feet

No Petite Feet
Originally uploaded by pezdiva.

No, in fact considering my height I would say my feet are down right huge. They used to be sort of cute and small but with each pregnancy not only did they get a full size bigger (size 9 now!) I also grew an inch (I am 5'5). So I guess it is not so bad.

I started this sock on Monday morning after a very bad night of trying to make up my own ribbed sock pattern using Tofutsie yarn. Trying to design your own sock after only knitting 1 pair of adult size socks, how can you say, um, not a good idea. So after going to bed angry at my knitting (what you don't have a relationship like this with yarn?), I decided to google 'Basic Ribbed Sock Pattern' and guess what came up - a basic ribbed sock pattern. http://www.spunmag.com/article/060421socks

This is Misty Mountain Farm yarn that Melissa gave me and I honestly think I am in love. The yarn is perfect for this pattern, and the colorway is not something I would have picked up for myself but it is so totally perfectly me that, well, I am just amazed. The colorway is Virginia Creeper, how cool is that?

So, as I blog I am sort of torn on what to do. This sock will have a mate, but that Harry Potter books is super tempting, plus there is Stampin' Up goodies to play with, and those little sprites to attend to too. Even with my cell phone missing (my link people! my left arm!), I can still say life is good, big feet, missing cell phone, and all.

PS. Baby Ari has arrived and I will be crashing at his place for an hour or so and going crazy making him wear my knits and taking tons of pics.

Be well peeps.