knit1frog2

bleary eyed

So I remember now...how I used to get so into knitting that I'd be up until all hours of the AM, then being utterly exhausted the next day.  It's 23:30 and eek I finally had to put the knitting down b/c it's well past my regular bedtime, but I wanted to write a post...

Sometimes when you're knitting along and you have a lot of KFBs with markers slipping and more KFBs you just knit and knit along w/o issue.  This time though I wanted to make sure that I was on track, so after every row, I'd count my stitches.  There's nothing worse than knitting along to find that you've forgotten to increase ONE stitch TWELVE rows back even if you must count over 200 sts.  Anyway, I was doing well, knitting away, counting, on track, good.  Then I got confident enough to just keep knitting, I stopped, then counted...and was horrified.  I was 2 stitches short.  TWO.  TWOOOOOO!!

can you find them?  yeah, me neither.

I tried to look to see if I could find the missing area...nope, everything looked good...I kept looking...nothing.  I dreaded frogging.  Then I realized that I would just go back and calculate each row after each set of increases in the pattern.  (see that pad of paper up there?)  Long story long...I figured out where they were.  I hadn't yet KNIT them.  OMG.  In this particular part of the pattern, on the RS, you add 10 sts, but on the WS you still add 2 more.  I hadn't returned yet.  RELIEF!!  I quickly knit the return row and put it down.  HOORAY!  I can sleep tonight...phew.

ready, set, knit

Madrona has inspired me.  I cast on today for none other than the Texturized Tweed Jacket by Stefanie Japel with the yarn that I picked up from the afore mentioned MarketPlace!

so far...so good...

There was a sticky patch when I had only knitted thru part of the yarn of ONE stitch. Of course it was one of the pairs from a KFB and it went unnoticed for rows upon rows and for some reason my brain wasn't working to fix it simply.   I ended up completely frogging a bunch of rows to get back to it.  And yes, it was at the beginning of the RS b/c my name is Murphy.

It is a relaxing pattern...ommmmmmmm.

knitting zombie

Well it's Saturday and thank g0d I could sleep in instead of waking up much tooo early to drive to KnittingInMind's house so that we could carpool to Madrona 09 in um, Tacoma.  (on Friday, she even had scones and coffee waiting for me when I got to her house!!  I did a little dance.)

As mentioned before, I somehow got into JW's Tailored Knitting the Japanese Way and while sitting on the sofa this morning, my head is still kind of swirling...case in point--this is what we learned, talked and lamented about...

crazy calculations happening here.

Yes, how to completely draft a pattern that would fit our bodies from numerous measurements taken.  Luckily my hips were the same size as my chest b/c I saw that some women had to rework and rework their numbers--eek!  I had always wondered the dynamics behind the dreaded armscye...and now I know...I think.  It was a lot of info for a 2-day class and only a few hours sleep.  I felt like a zombie.  But, I was super happy when the measurement of my armhole above completely matched the curve of the armscye below!!  What an awesome feeling!

Edit:  As KnittingInMind pointed out in the comment section, all of the grids were hand drawn after calculating how many stitches and rows per measured area using a gauge ruler and our measurements.  For me, I had a 0.5 measurement which meant I had to switch between TWO different gauge rulers to mark the rows.  Triangles were my friend and I am going to get my own set.  KnittingInMind let me borrow her set as well as some French Curves.  It really saved me. 

ja doch klar.

The MarketPlace was kind of dangerous.  I wasn't exactly budgeted for enhancing my stash especially since I didn't think I was actually going to Madrona in the first place, but look what happened...

First with my 20% coupon, I bought this:

Cascade 220 Heathered

Then of course I had to stop at the super crowded Blue Moon Fiber Arts corner...

And I don't really like knitting socks...eep.

And who could leave this behind..

I've always wanted to get some of this yarn!

what's up yo?

Yes.  I have something to show you...

Cascade 200, US7, 5sts/in

This can only mean one thing.  I am knitting again.  Or at least a swatch.  It was homework for an upcoming class at Madrona so I did what I was told.  It kind of flares out on the bottom there b/c below that I had swatched with a US8 to see what gauge I'd get (4.5sts/in). 

I have enrolled in Jean Wong's Tailored Knitting the Japanese Way.  Hai, soooo desu.  I still can't quite believe that I got in...but if the snow hangs around I fear I won't be going at all.  Warmer weather, I am praying for warmer, thawing weather!!

Some things change, some things don't.  I didn't really mind the swatching for once (this is normally something I would run from screaming), but man, I still do NOT enjoy the smell of wet wool.  gack.

Fun times ahead!!