Oops

So on my last post, when I said "Bramcoast books" I was wrong. I meant "Bramcost Publications". Please google appropriately.  Might actually find it if you know the right name.

Update

So I'm still knitting and crocheting. I just recently finished crocheting the cutest monkey you've ever seen. It's for my friend's baby. I have a picture but it's on my other device. I did post it on my twitter feed, but I don't know if there's any way to get it off of that. I'll get around to posting it. Probably. Maybe. Also working on a platypus for my son that's taking forever because I hate crochet. And a blanket for my dad for his birthday. In June. Crap, better work on it. Plus stacks of stuff I've been working on for... well years in some cases. I'm slow and easilly distracted.

Also got the Vogue Knitting book for my birthday. That new one that just came out with some of the best patterns of the last 30 years. It's a gorgeous coffee table book style with lovely pictures (because it is vogue). Great patterns, although most of the 80s ones I think would need altering for a more tailored look. What I really want is a vogue knitting book with highlights from the earlier incarnation. I should look that up.

Also if you like vintage patterns you should check out Bramcoast books. Gorgeous stuff, all vintage patterns, hair and makeup and everything.

Knit Fast

Check out the details here:  http://myfairisle.blogspot.com/2011/07/cheongju-avenue-of-trees.html

I believe it has to be in New York by September 3, all the details are in the link above.  But short answer is a 20 inch by 20 inch square knit on 6mm needles or something like that.  Too busy knitting to notice details... :)

Gronks and such

I've been busy lately.  I have THOUGHT of blogging... Anyway, I've been working on some lace knitting projects which is fun as hell!  I love lace.  I still can't read those goddamned charts.  I know it's probably not all that hard, but I like it written out the long way, I fucking hate charts.  And so much lace is charts. There is a bunch that isn't, or it has both.  Either of those are perfectly fine by me.  But the ones I like most are usually just charts, which means I won't use them.  I hope and pray charts are just a trend that die a slow and painful death.  Actually, fast and painful.  I mean I know people who LOVE them.  I really, really don't.  I also downloaded the google phone app for blogger on my android phone.  I love the android phone, first of all.  I think it's awesome.  I wasn't too happy with the blogger app though. The stupid thing would NOT stay off.  Every time I checked what was running in the background, the damned thing would be turned on again.  I couldn't find a single setting anywhere on the stupid thing that would make it stop doing that.  So I had to get rid of it. When I turn something off I fully expect it to stay that was until I turn it back on again.  Maybe I'll try again once google has a chance to fix it.  Otherwise it seemed good, just the stupid thing wouldn't stay off.

Anyway, so I've got my socks on the go... still.  I haven't been going very fast on those. Getting a bit bored.  But I need to get to the heel.  I've almost got the purse for my friend done. But I have to rip a bit out and redo it because I buggered it up. That's what happens when you make shit up as you go along.  It also happens when you follow the pattern, but get a little distracted...  I'm also working on a lace shawl which has been a lot of fun so far.  I have to pay attention which is great.  There is this lace doily pattern I'm working on, with the thought of turning it into a sun umbrella, but I'm not too happy with the pattern. It's too boring. To much straight knitting, not enough lace stuff.  I also have a couple of babies that are in progress, and soon to be, you know, completed.  By which there are a couple of babies going to be born soon.  I'm not knitting babies.  I am planning on knitting baby toys.  I have to decide what toys though. I had thought a turtle, but I've done turtles. Maybe a bunny. but those are too pedestrian.

Which leads me to my next thought and the title.  Gronks. When I was a little kid (say 30 or so year ago) my Granny and her sister used to make this crocheted monsters that they called Gronks.  I had one when I was little. It was round and pudgy, with little arms and legs, a curly long tail, a big long beakish nose and I think it had horns. I'm a little fuzzy on the details, I haven't seen my gronk in a very long time. I don't know what happened to it.  But I thought that would be cool to make.  The problem being I don't know if it was a pattern or something they made up on their own along with the kitties they used to sew.  Actually I think Granny crocheted the gronks and her sister Nen sewed the kitties.  Although they could both sew and crochet, it was expected that a young woman would learn all of these things.  The "womanly arts" I believe they were called.  Which I have to say, the ability to sew, embroider, knit, crochet, cook and all those other "womanly" things are WILDLY useful for EVERYONE to learn.  I know many adults who can't sew a freaking button back on a shirt.  It's sad. I don't expect them to like it, or to even be particularly good at it, but I think everyone should know how to fix what they own, whether it is clothes, cars, electronics or breakfast.  One of my proudest moments was when, as a teenager, I found out how to fix my own walkman.  It was belt driven, and the belt had slipped off.  And when I look at what I just wrote I feel a little bit old.  That sucks.  Anyway, I think a woman should know how to sew a seem, make toast, change a tire, and hook up her own stereo equipment.  It's not that hard.  And it's perfectly ok to use to use it or not (whichever works best) to meet that cute neighbour next door.  Either pretend you need help and get him to give you a hand, or help him hook up his stereo.  But I digress, men and women should know these things.  Even if they don't use them, they should know how, just in case.  I had a professor in art school who handed us these xeroxed pages explaining how to make your own paper, brushes, charcoal and pigments for paint. Even if we never, ever used it, we would at least know how to.  I still have those xeroxed pages.  So even if I buy brushes, I can make my own if I ever need to.  it's a great thing.

Anyway, I need to go back to researching gronks.  So far it hasn't turned up the stuffed creature of my childhood, but I can always hope.

Because I'm like that...

SO I am sitting here very uncomfortably with my feet up off the floor because we have another mouse.  It's a super tiny little thing - well they all are. The mice we get here are all really tiny.  I guess the small ones fit through those tiny cracks in the wall better. I don't know where it came in from. I think I'm going to have to get even more anal with sealing holes.  But this little sucker has scared the living crap out of me twice today.  And as far as we know it only arrived yesterday.  But I am trying not to think about it. Maybe a good stiff drink will help...

Anyway. I'm doing it again - I have a new project.  Although I am getting better. I have 3 new projects waiting for me to start. I was going to make a sweater for my niece and nephew (I should make one for my son one of these days too) and I am going to knit a hat.  Well in theory.  I have the yarn and I ordered a couple of needles that I required. I still have to source millinery wire, but first I have to figure out what that is and what sort I need.  But the hat is a 1930s style "chapeaux", knitted lace with a wide brim.  I found it at interweave knits and you can see a picture of it here: http://www.interweavestore.com/Knitting/Patterns/Garden-Party-Chapeaux.html?SessionThemeID=15  It's pretty cool. But I have been having a hard time finding the right yarn.  My LYS had something similar - it's slightly heavier then the lace weight linen called for, but it's a more sturdy cotton/viscose blend.  The other yarns were too soft for this sort of application.  I've also ordered one from my favourite online store elann, it's the right weight yarn, but it's a wool blend and I'm worried it'll be too soft.  But what can you do?  Of course Micheal's doesn't have any lace weight yarn.  I find they don't have anything even barely unusual.  It's strictly the most popular stuff.  I can only hope lace knitting becomes popular so I can get a variety of lace weight yarns.  Anyway, whatever. I also have a set of DPNs coming so I can finish off another project of mine. I'm knitting a toque for my husband for next winter, but I am one dpn short, so of course I have to order a whole new set because you can't buy just one replacement. And I have to order it online because I can't find 4.5mm wood or bamboo dpns in any store.  Oh well.  That's what birthday presents are for!

I maybe haven't fully finished any of my old projects, but I am working on some again and getting near the end.  We'll see how it goes. I've finished all the pieces for a baby toy, I just have to find the fibre fill, stuff them and sew it together. And I am over halfway done the strap on the purse I'm knitting for a friend. Then I just have to figure out how to sew in the lining and zipper.  I'm not entirely sure.  And I've been going through some of my old projects.  I have to finish my shawl, there were a couple of toys I was experimenting with techniques on that I'd like to wrap up.  There was the knit dress I started a couple of years ago, the socks I started in march, the afghans I work on off and on. That cowl I was making.  Those leg warmers I started during the first really cold snap here last winter.  The cabled pillow covers I started over a year ago... and then there's the stuff I have on the wait list... Let's see - it was more then those 3 projects I said before - those were just my most recent additions.  The projects on the wait list include his and hers Dr. Who TARDIS socks, a hooded pullover, a cowl, gloves, baby stuffies, a stuffed animal for my son, my niece and nephew's sweaters, the hat... and I know I'm forgetting something.  But I don't know what.  I'd have to go through my bins again to find out.  Oh! There was that zip-front sweater I wanted to make.  These are all the projects that I have the pattern and materials for - I just have to make it.  But I feel guilty starting something new because I have so many still on the needles.  But I really want to start the new ones. But I need to knit more, but I don't knit very much day-to-day. I have to knit more I guess.  Just get off my butt and do it.  Or I guess get on my butt and do it is more likely. But I also want to paint.  And then there is all the crap I have to do like dishes, laundry, make food, work in my garden ad the co-op garden. And the other stuff that I enjoy doing but takes up time like doing stuff with my son, spending time with my husband, seeing friends and family, doing stuff, readign and that sort of thing.

Oh well. I am trying one thing though. I have a bunch of PDF patterns and I'm going to try them out on my kobo. See how they work out.  I'll have to wait until she's charged. I had used them on the sony ereader, but I found them awkward. I'll see how the kobo handles them. I'd tell you know but it's charging and won't let me.

Finish what you've started

So we've just had our elections and I don't want to talk or think about the results.  Let's just sum it up with me saying that I have very serious concerns.

Instead I want to talk about finishing what yous tart. I have a real problem with finishing projects.  I start many. I have probably at least 10 or 20 projects on the needles.  I've tried to go through and I've scrapped some but most are still there waiting.  I don't know.  I feel bad because there are projects I start for other people but for the most part I get bored or distracted with something new and shiny.  I'm a magpie or something. Always looking out for the new yarn to want.  The new project to start.  I really need to finish.  But how do you do it? I mean once you get bored it's hard to get refocused.  I don't know. I wish I knew how, but my personality in general is like that, not just with knitting or crochet, but life.  I like the new thing, the yarn I haven't worked with, the fascinating new project, the new technique and I can start them so quickly, but the day to day of getting through it gets to me.  I get bored.  It's why I'm such a lousy housewife.  I get bored of the laundry and the dishes and the cleaning. I get bored of gardening and weeding.  I like something new and interesting to pique my interest.

I'd like to know how other's deal with this. How do you finish anything?  Like ever?  I know some people just naturally see aproject through to the end, it's just in your personality to finish it.  But can you train yourself to finish or do you just have to accept who you are and realize it will take me 5 years to finish that sweater?

Knitting math

I need to learn how to do knitting math. Or, most likely, I need to get my husband to learn how to do knitting math and have him teach it to me since he is one of the few people in this world who can actually explain math and have it make sense to me.  Which is weird, because I used to be very good at math, but on the other hand I never understood it, I could just remember the formulas, and memorization and understanding are two entirely different things.  But today is a classic example, I found a pattern I like for a toque, the pattern is for a child and I am making it for an adult, with a thicker yarn and on larger needles.  Sure, I could knit a swatch, but where would be the fun in that?  So here is your word problem...

the original pattern is knit on 6 mm needles (size 10) with a bulky (size 5) weight yarn. The gauge in st sts on 6mm needles is 16 sts and 20 rows to 10 cm (or 4 inches) square.  To start the hat I would have to cast on 60 sts and it will have a finished circumference of 38 cm (15 inches).

the changes I want to make are: first of all I want to increase the finished circumference to 61 cm (24 inches), I will be using 7 mm (10 3/4) needles and the yarn I am using is thicker, it's a size 6 and according to it's packaging it's gauge knit on 9 mm (13) needles and is 9 sts by 12 rows  for 10 cm (4 inches) square.

So given all of those changes, how many stitches would I need to cast on to get the proper size?  I know the steps I would have to take to figure this all out, but I don't yet know the formulas for knitting and right now I don't know where to get them.

For the record, my completely blind guess is 70 sts.  This is based on absolutely nothing except 7 years of knitting experience which amounts to about nothing. Given the pattern I would need to increase to 72 (it's a 12 st pattern repeat, unless I alter that too, but I can do that without the maths)

TO THE INTERNETS!