Elka Knits

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April 23, 2004

Lucy Lesson #1

Wa Hooo Binding off on the Colinette Absolutely Fabulous Throw which allows us to demonstrate lagniappe ala Lucy. Lucy feels, as many of us do, that Binding off is a non rythmic activity. It feels kinda unnatural to knit1, *k1, pass 2nd st over first* accross. May

Posted by Elka at 01:01 PM

April 21, 2004

Out of Sorts

I am feeling rather out of sorts lately. First the Colinette Throw is *still* being worked on then I had to rip my not super secret project. Big bummer. And today instead of doing knitterly stuff I spent it messenging my husband back and forth over a house. Yes dear blog readers we are house hunting. Talk about a time hog! Back to check out some more listings and then pls gawd some knitting time. Does anybody know what unincorporated means in relations to property? Does that mean not under the auspices of a city aka neighborhood aka I can paint my house chartreuse? Ya I am that dumb.

Posted by Elka at 01:20 PM | Comments (1)

April 19, 2004

Busy Busy Busy

Great weekend with many new techniques learned. Unfortunately I foolishly ripped my swatches so no pictures. I will have to reknit a large swatch to show you all the great new things I learned. Highly, highly recommend classes with Lucy Neatby.

Being sleep deprived and, unbelievable as it sounds, sans caffeine I was even more obnoxiously chatty. I hate that at workshops. You know the person that talks and talks and talks as if people had paid to hear them instead of whomever is giving the class? Yep--that was me. Since you may be in need of eye candy not on blog here is a link to an inspirational fiber artist friend. Actually we have not managed to chat for a while since Lynne Johnson is even more busy than I am. Plus I hate to impose on her time. Every once in while I do still drop her a line and she is a pure joy. Go and get happy!

Posted by Elka at 12:02 PM | Comments (1)

April 16, 2004

Gifts

Last night I went to the meet and greet Lucy Neatby extravaganza with my friend Debbie. She gifted me with a hank of Lorna's Laces 'Helen's Lace' in the Iris colorway. What a perfect gift! As everybody who knows me can tell you I am a lace fiend. Even if you don't know me all you have to do is look back over the past 3 months and see that I have finished[not knit from start to finish - I am not that fast] 3 shawls and 1 doily in addition to stuff for work. Sure theres a scarf and some socks but both have some openwork. You will not find a single garment for me at all which is to be remedied this year. And as for the colors she was right on the ball cause next to it is another hank of Lorna's Laces 'Helen's Lace' in Iris colourway I had purchased earlier in the year. Now I get to make something huge and extravagant instead of worrying about yardage. Plus working for Colinette has taught me to alternate skeins and who amongst us purchases twice the yarn needed just to alternate? Not me thats for sure. Thank you Debbie for the fabulous gift. Way on the right is a hank of 'Lamoramere' from Running Moon Farm from Angela the cake eater. Its been a great birthday haul.

In the mail I got my needles from Mielke's Farm I love Addi Naturas and am willing to swap my addi turbos//inox express 2 to 1 for naturas. How's that for a deal? Of course my skin *does* chemically react with the electronically plated nickel and cause them to chip--something that yarn shop owners tell me is impossible. I have a hard time actually getting new Addi or Inox nickel plated needles cause they look at me as if I ummm lets look at back of pkg: used improperly and by untrained persons. Yes thats me. Untrained and improper. Personally I think its cause I knit more than most people do. I am sure others knit as much as I do just well not everybody so I wear my years out in a year or two instead of a decade. Do other production knitters have this problem? I have no clue. But I take that unconditionally guaranteed bit to mean I can exchange them but other people aka yarn shop owners see it differently. Here are the needles artfully poised on my ab fab yarn:

And what of Neatby? Wonderful as usual. I heard her talk 4 years ago on the same subject -'Getting to Know Your Yarn' but did not have the chance to take classes. I am very much looking forward to those. In particular the finishing class. I am excited about the color one, obviously, but I spent some time carefully examining the insides of her Andean Inspired Vest and have high hopes of learning to [ahem in case you forgot] seam with no bulk or fabric loss

Posted by Elka at 03:30 PM | Comments (3)

April 15, 2004

Bookmark THIS

yessssss the picture is dark. Why should I put my dietary habits in the bright light of day? But bookmark it anyway. This was my breakfast. Well I actually had more than one piece of chocolate cheesecake with chocolate chips on chocolate graham crust and more than one coke. Did I mention barely funtioning on 3 hrs of sleep? The post is for Angela who wonders if she can have cake instead of banana with lunch. And all other people who need justification for eating poorly. I got you beat babe!

Posted by Elka at 02:25 PM | Comments (2)

Struggling

I feel like such a whiner lately but I am getting discouraged. This is less than half the throw and as far as I am concerned it should be done done done. The colors are lovely and the pattern is easy peasy fun as pie. Antique colorway in Scallops option which just happens to be the one I have been eyeing since the pattern came out. Doesn't it look as if it belongs on my 'Wisteria' couch? Of course it does. But still I do not understand why I am not finished yet. And I am tired and big baby about it. I stayed up til 4 am Mon knitting on it then 5 am Tues and last night. Functioning {barely} on 3 hrs of sleep a day and its not even half way finished. Wah Wah Wah. Yes I am a whiner and I don't care who knows it. Here's a closeup of the pattern to make up for the big fat whiner baby routine:

Posted by Elka at 01:48 PM | Comments (1)

April 14, 2004

The good and the bad

I am working on the Colinette throw and no real progress to show *sigh* I cut my pointer finger on left hand with steak knife and its oh so painful and slow to get my knitting done. I also decided to order shorter needles for my project I showed you the other day so that is on hold for a couple of days.

The good news is lots of fibery activities planned in the coming weeks. Neatby this weekend, the Music and Textile Festival and Danial Boone House next weekend[with Rick Reeves appearing yay!], and then MS&W the next weekend. Is it possible to overload on fibery goodness? I think not.

Posted by Elka at 12:42 PM | Comments (2)

April 13, 2004

oomph

Another package from the man in brown. Oh how I love that guy! This from K1C2--a poly fleece for a kids garment in purple, fushia, lime and white. No clue what they are calling the colors. Also my swatch and pattern for Nathania's Tank Time Tank-Along. She doesn't know she is running a Tank Time Tank- Along yet but she mentioned it and I had just finished swatching when I popped onto her blog. Join us for tank-y goodness.

Posted by Elka at 12:24 PM | Comments (2)

April 12, 2004

Easter Weekend Report

Not much knitting this past weekend but a teensy bit. I got out of the habit of doing anything *sigh* Above you see the not so secret project and a sock made out of Cherry Tree Hill colorway Tropical Storm. I am using Michelle's Basic Sock Pattern. I really wasn't planning on showing you the design but I am rather pleased. What do you think? And since I am trying to make the little bit of knitting I did last week look like a lot here's another picture of the sock which is more true to color-at least per my moniter:

Have a great day you alls.

Posted by Elka at 05:14 PM

April 09, 2004

Blessings

If you are of the Evelyn Woods blog reading school move on please. There are no pictures today. I'm gonna talk and admit I tend to look at pictures rather than words on other people's blogs. Hmmm I would be moving onward myself.

Wednesday was my birthday. I asked my husband for yarn monies. Recently there was a discussion on a list about how archaic the 'asking hubby for permission to spend money' mentality is. My husband even thinks its abnormal[not like a girl is the phrase I believe he uses] to not just go shopping. He says all his coworkers and buddies complain incessantly about their wives just charging up the cards. I tend to think that I should 'ask' just because what looks like extra $$ in the checking acct could really be a not cleared major bill. Its not like he has ever said NO. Sometimes its 'next month' but never has it been NO.

Anyway digression aside that was my official birthday gift. He *did* come home with a dozen roses and a candle. My husband brings me flowers every wednesday usually with chocolate or some such. A friend recently asked what did I get for the big day. Nothing. That was my reply. What an ingrate I am. Because I get flowers, usually roses, every week getting them on my birthday-esp one that falls on flower day anyway-seems like nothing. And getting a shopping spree, which I know I could get on request, seems like nothing.

I am an ingrate and will work on it this year. Its not a new years resolution but a birthday resolution. I like making birthday resolutions. Somehow my birthday seems a more appropriate time to make a major work on self effort than oh a new year. I did however make a New Years Resolution. To be less ranty. I think I am doing a good job so far. Only a couple of rants this year. So few I can count--two on copyright and one on horses. Both worthy subjects for expressing my opinion.

Back to the ingrate subject. Remember my friends who said I am a amateur stasher? I mentioned them yesterday. I heard back from one who said I was *still* an amateur. Well I shall inspect her stash soon enough and reserve judgement. I was in fact a teensy bit offended. The gal that dies with most stash wins yada yada yada. But since I am thinking of blessings and my general ungratitude I had to go WTF. I actually wrote about this to the Lint Support Group. Determine how much is enough for you and don't worry bout others. I personally am overwhelmed by my daily wake up call to hello knit me up already. I think all linters/yarn dieters should put ALL their yarn in plain sight instead of in attics or basements or behind closed doors. My feelings of stash inadequacies are held at bay once again.

Anyway enough ramblings for the day. I hope you find an unexpected blessing during the course of your day.

Posted by Elka at 11:51 AM | Comments (2)

April 08, 2004

Almost Forgot

Totally nonknitting content here but I forgot it when I posted the knitting stuff earlier today. You can scroll down if you want to see The Stash Overflow Zone. This month contains the lovely Nat'l TV Free week. If you would like to try surviving the trauma of boob tube withdrawal check out this site. Its a wiccan type of site so if you are mortally offended by such things I suggest you don't hit 'Home' at bottom of page. Otherwise the page I actually directed you towards is totally unoffensive. At least in my opinion. Plenty of good suggestions for activities with children for the summer too. School is letting out soon after all

Posted by Elka at 03:02 PM

Stashorama

Nece is feeling much better and I am getting back into knitting. I am working on a super secret not project. Ok Ok I am designing something and don't want to picture it in case they don't accept it as is but would prefer changes. I'm pretty sure they will accept it cause they seem phyched over the item from phone and email conversations. But I have admitted that I am not the most color confident miss and will not be offended if they go ugh change this color and that. No sense in enundating you with knitting disaster pictures. The horrors of yesterday should last you a good long time. Sooooooo stashorama. Even if you haven't been reading my blog a long time its only been in existance for a few months. You can read the archives and scope out the LINT entry. I showed pictures of my primary Lint goal--clearing off 2 shelves worth of yarn. I am making good progress btw. A friend or two wrote to tell me I am a stashing amateur. Well! I didn't exactly show you my entire stash now did I? And I'm not gonna. You can't make me. But there is the next area slated to be cleared out. I have been making progress there as well. So before I finish the 2 little bookshelves I will show you the horrors of my Stash Overflow Zone:

That my friends is the view that greats me each and every morning. Well I do not exactly sleep in jeans and birkies and my bed is nicely rumpled but thats basically the first thing I see every day. Pretty crippling. Nanette may be paralyzed[not her term mine] by definitions of perfection. I am paralyzed by "what to do next?" Upon closer inspection we have the corner:
Just think of it as the overflow from the Stash Overflow Zone. Several projects deap and high. You can't even see it all but its obscene. Please do not write and tell me my sensibilities are a mite prissy. Obscene I tell you obscene. Now check this out:
What makes the grand tower of yarn most interesting is that a while ago, not too long ago actually, my entire stash fit on ONE shelf. In fact do you spy that green milk crate thingie? That used to house my entire yarn stash. I couple of books alongside and maybe a WIP. Oh Yes I used to be good. Somewhere I lost my grip on what was enough yarn. Remember this is the Stash Overflow Zone not the actual Stash. With the stash procreating like bunnies--I swear I didn't buy one tenth of this yarn really really really it just appeared outta thin air--I had to break down and acquire a second bookshelf:
OMG what is that? No it really could not be yarn migrating onto the bookshelf. There are not bags of yarn on the for books only shelves. I refuse to see it. I also pretend not to see the yarn to the right of this bookshelf cause the bed blocks it from view. It doesn't exist. And I need helpppppppppp.

Posted by Elka at 02:17 PM

April 07, 2004

Sweater From the Past

A little history: I clearly recall knitting as a child. On a car trip with Celia teaching me after much pestering. I don't remember what I was knitting or even if I had my own or she let me knit a bit on her project. But I do recall being taught. This was before we moved from Brazil to the grand US of A in 1975 so I was under 10. I knit a bit as a young miss. Pre-teen or young teen. From one of those Mademoiselle [I think] compilations on do it yourself home decor and crafts checked out of library. Probably a tube top. I started knitting again in Boston so I was 21ish. I knit obsessively. I stashed even more obsessively. I think I only finished 2 projects but I started many projects and experiimented with different techs and styles of knitting. Over the years I turned to knitting in times of stress or boredom or what-have-you. Truth be told I didn't really start knitting until I was pregnant with Zoe. In fact my husband, having overheard me on phone saying something to the effect that he better fix my computer [so I could play DVD-Rom games] or I would take up knitting, purchased some needles and yarn and a learn to knit booklet from Michaels for my Christmas gift in '95. A mere month before Zoe was born. I dutifully knit the pink and yellow and blue baby bunting from book on circulars which I had mail ordered after returning those straits and then went on to knit this:
This sweater is the first I tried using 2 hands. Its also my first steek-3 sts as called for in pattern. The reason I am showing this to you is well my post yesterday got me to thinking I might sound like some condescending better than thou mentality knitter. Which I am not. Lotsa mistakes. Lets check em out. First the legs:
VS
Whats wrong? Well on the first leg I just started. The pattern is Norwegian and has no start here mark. The second leg[that I did- I can't recall which is which for heavens sake its been 8 years] I automatically centered the pattern. Scroll back and look closely. Yes the patterns do NOT line up the same along the 'seam' line made by knitting a few sts in background color. Well it had taken me a year to get this far. I did knit other stuff and had a baby to deal with. I figured big whoop if I even noticed. I did definitely notice when I joined the legs to body:
AND
Looking over the romper I see that I knit the legs to where the front steek is then joined them. Theres a cut in there somewhere which is sewn together or maybe I started working flat. I would have to pull out the instructions. Trust me there is a nice seam right in the crotch. Just say ouchie mama. And speaking of seams lets inspect my first steek:
I use the term steek very loosely here. Its 3 sts or maybe it was 2. Something piddly and I don't have a machine and had never heard of the crocheted steek. I just cut that baby and notice how my crosstitching looks nothing like what you see in pictures of instructions. Its a hard little ridge. Trust me-I do NOT like it at all. Since the sweater is inside out lets inspect some more.
Those little threads caused me to go WTF. No joke. Where did they come from? They used to be joined into a single thread and I was scared to cut it for fear that my knitting would desintigrate. And I challenge you to figure out what something is when it is knit in black on size 0 needles. I am actually glad to see its broken. Now I can trim them. Speaking of threads check this out:
Thank heavens I knit this in shetland and many many washes have caused it to kinda felt on inside cause those are my fingers catching the float. On the arm. Yes I have learned to not make long carries on inside of sleeves for baby items. Moving on
Because there are long floats where the arms meet the body this 'seem line' conveniently turned into a 3-D sorta I-cord effect thingamabob. Its hard to show but its there. Not so hard to show is the neckline. You may have noticed it from the first picture. I swear I followed the instructions to the letter. Really I did.
How freaking small is that? Isn't standard children's neckline guidelines 50% of circumference. Nowhere close to 50%. Yes. The sweater is dirty. Thank you for noticing.

See? I am not perfect. Nowhere near to perfect. I make blobs of mistakes. And I don't always fix them either. I weigh the factors. This was a kidlet garment and had maybe a few months of wear slated for it. A few months vs I had already been working on it 2 years by time I was done. Let's not mention tension changes over 2 yrs. Whoops just did. Fashion garments in not sturdy yarn don't get a lotta fretting either. But I assure you I didn't leave them in for fear of being too perfect

Have a great one you guys!

Posted by Elka at 12:11 PM | Comments (2)

April 06, 2004

A Rant

Two posts in one day again. I sure am talkative when I am tired. I was trolling around blog land and noticed Nanette's perfectionism post. She mentioned the galloping horse theory. I hate the galloping horse theory. Now don't get me wrong. I am not a great knitter. I do not think I am better than anybody else. I am a fussy knitter and have said so before. I see no wrong in correcting a mistake when I notice it nor in trying to improve how I do one thing or another. But this galloping horse is used as an excuse for shoddiness. Let's think about the avg day shall we. We get up, get dressed, go to work[or not] then eat dinner, go out maybe to movies or bookstore or some soiree[maybe] then come home and take a bath before going to bed. Where's the horse? Most of the time we are sitting around in our sweaters. We are not running some race or zipping by on a horse or motercycle or race car. Odds are people can carefully inspect our sweaters in our relative stillness. I have decifered the pattern on many a garment during one party or another during a simple conversation. Not that I am Miss pattern encyclopedia just hello we are standing there talking. They are not zooming past me. And I am sure that they could, if they cared to, figure out the pattern on my sweaters.

The only more offensive excuse for shoddiness is: God would be offended by perfection so the amish, moorish, whateverish, purposefully put in a mistake. This theory is offensive for two major reasons. The first is IMO God would be more offended by a person wasting their talents/skills and downright laziness than anything else. I mean really! So you have a kid that is smart as a dickens and they flunk out of school cause it would be offensive to you to work hard and do well in school? And aforementioned kid says but I didn't want to insult you by doing my best?! So your not God but we are, according to religious theory, God's children. I consider it an insult to do anything less than our best. Which Nanette mentioned as a crippling thought but best we can do at the time not better than everybody else in universe. We learn, we grow, we get better. Hopefully. The second way this theory is offensive is well its implication. By saying we have to have a mistake so as to not offend God through imitating perfection is to say our work IS perfect. Thats right. My knitting is so perfect I have to purposefully put in some barely noticable mistake. And if our work IS perfect then aren't we saying we are God-like? In fact aren't we saying we are better than God since our creations are soooooooo perfect that He would be insulted by them? I could go on and on about how this particular theory just makes my blood boil. In fact my blood is boiling right now so I better go.

Posted by Elka at 03:26 PM | Comments (3)

Cowl

As you can see apparently wearing cowls is the height of FUN FUN FUN. Here is my ab fab princess kindly modeling[several times over] the cowl. In the background we have a sickly child just falling asleep:
Doesn't look as if she is having enough fun? Why pull up that hood. I was told she felt like little miss red riding hood until I pointed out it was ahem orange. I have been instructed to create a little miss orange hood story but, quite frankly, I am not up to it at the moment. Pretend I made up some terribly clever story.
Princess Zoe takes a moment to show off her frou frou scarf worn as a skirt. Did you think the green grass skirt on summer issue of Knitty was a bit out there? You do not have a 8 year old. And its proof I have been known to fall under the sirens call of fluff.
Last shot I promise-- The Princess was very upset to discover this is not her cowl. She pointed out there was plenty of yarn left over to make another. Of course I am sending the remnants back to company but I suspect they shall make their way back to me. Guess I will be knitting another cowl-my 3rd if you paid attention last week.
Tomorrow socks. I am stretching the oh I have been knitting odds by showing what was done by time Nece got so sick I was unable to knit. Now if I get a pkg or two in the mail this week will be covered blog wise. Otherwise look for 'sweaters from the past' or 'ack my stash area' expose. Any preferences?

Posted by Elka at 11:29 AM | Comments (1)

April 05, 2004

Sick

I finished the cowl, I finished the socks, I started the throw. No pictures however cause Nece has the stomach flu and I am forcing liquids down her throat every 15 mins. Between I am cleaning up the vomit. No time for uploads--barely enough time for this. TTFN

Posted by Elka at 02:29 PM | Comments (2)

April 02, 2004

arghhhhhhhhhh

OK 2 posts in one day but argh argh argh argh. I finished the cowl and called to tell them I was gonna mail tomorrow or monday. I planned on taking a picture with the lovely Princess modeling. I pulled out the pattern to write my notes down[I am regauging for yarn change] and argh argh argh argh I didn't make it the right size. Have you ever ripped mohair? If so then you know I am gonna spend all night slowly tinking this baby and then all of the weekend knitting to get it out when I said I would. Argh argh argh argh.

Posted by Elka at 07:28 PM | Comments (1)

The Man in Brown

Don't you just love the man in brown? He always brings nifty packages. This from Unique Colours--Absolutely Fabulous Throw Kit in Antique. No due date given that I can find but gonna start winding right away. Ooooooooo can't wait to begin! The cowl needs 10 more rounds and the socks are halfway done. Grumble grumble grumble on socks. The cowl is dreamy. Pics coming soon.

Posted by Elka at 11:16 AM

April 01, 2004

yarn

The other day I mentioned a yarn widget. I am taking 3 classes with Lucy Neatby this month. The one I am most looking forward to is on working with combining colors and different weights of yarns--you know using up your oddments. I have been saving little bits and bobs of yarn for years. Above you see the result. Seperated into 'warm' vs 'cool' colors I have quite a stash of yarns to be combined into something. I figured I was hooked up for the class until I read the materials list '10gms or more sized balls of various DK, sport, and fingering yarns...the more colors the more fun' or something like that. First I pulled out the heavier than DK weight yarns:
WOWZA I didn't even realize I knit with heavy yarns. Actually I don't--every single one of those balls is left over from some work project. Sometimes companies let me keep the leftovers seeing as I have Princess and Angel Face to clothe. Now Nece too but I haven't come up with a name yet that just sticks. Then I pulled out the yarn balls that I guestimated were over 10g:
Now I am supposed to have 8 different balls and here are 7. Almost enough for class although 4 of them are Jo Sharp DK left over from a hat-obviously coordinating and thus not providing a challenge in color or weight combo-ing. And I had planned on using them together again seeing as I used only 5 yds of the contrast colors. O Well. The blue yarn in back is also a fullish ball[just a handful of yards used] . But I am willing to sacrifice something from my oddment pile for a class. I then went through my yarn stash, which you saw part of in the background of yesterdays photos, looking for anything that wasn't a full ball in fingering to DK weight:
MOST of these are shetlands. 2 are windoffs from cones that were on a shelf. The huge ball is what is left from making some socks out of an 8oz hank of yarn. I guess I don't have a yarn widget after all. However I have already sent out an SOS to KBTH-ers asking for partial balls. 3 people are generously sending me partials. If that were not enough I had mentioned to Helene Rush[theres little accent marks there I just don't know how to type them] of K1C2 for any partials her knitters sent her or discontinued colors or left on cone after winding off of cone into hank/ball or stuff she decided not to carry after all. Pretty nervy aren't I? Well I have worked for them for 7 years and I always send back my partials. Avg out 6 sweaters a year I didn't think it was too much to ask. Lookie what she sent:
I am hoping that slightly glitzy fur stuff in pink, lime, and navy is a new yarn. Its soooooooo much fun. OK you alls I should have more yarn to show soon[unless people haven't sent it yet and are disgusted by the excesses of my stash] I hope YOU have a great one rolling around in your yarn too!

Posted by Elka at 12:45 PM | Comments (1)