needles & vectors

I’ve already written a post with the name Citron and, although WordPress won’t yell at me if I repeat a post name, I feel odd doing so. (We’ll ignore all the variations of “Update” and “News” and “I forgot I had a blog” I’ve overused.) Having gotten rather tired of my old format of FO posts, here’s a less official, more story-telling sort of summary of the two Citron shawls I’ve made this year.

I had purchased two skeins of Malabrigo Lace at the encouragement of Beth (the recipient of more of my FOs than anyone). I’d tried my hand at lace weight yarn before but things had not gone well. Between not being able to see stitches in alpaca or snapping some low-quality wool lace weight, I was a bit jaded against the stuff. I still prefer fingering weight for shawls, that’s for sure (the colors, oh the colors!) but I can now say that I do not fear the lace weight.

Citron wasn’t exactly the first pattern the yarn was going to be used for. But that’s a topic for another post. (Yes, channeling Alton Brown, thanks for noticing.)

When I first saw the Citron pattern, I knew I had to make it. It would force me to learn how to do M1′s less invisible (or so I thought) and was a really cute, yet simple design. I still don’t like the name of the pattern, as it makes zero sense when you knit it in anything but a citrus-colored yarn. Maybe my mathematical brain just likes the idea of called it Hemispherical better. Then again, I don’t even know if that is a word.

While I did have a month or so during which I put down the shawl to work on more exciting things, I went back to working on it during Ravelypmics. Like I said before, I never thought I would actually get myself to hunker down and finish it. Maybe work a few rows before time was up, only to return it to its Ziplock inside the plastic bin I keep under my desk. Or, who knows, maybe I would suddenly bind it off, deciding it was done enough for my own satisfaction.

But, I was good. I stuck with it. And, now, I’m really glad I did. Later today I’m sending it off to a friend of Matt’s who’s having her second child. I figure it’s the perfect thing to wear to a christening and I don’t exactly have any friends or family myself who “do” infant baptism.

The second Citron, this was entirely a means to use up this beautiful Neighborhood Fibre Co. Studio Sock I randomly bought the last time Matt was away on business. Although I have other fingering weight yarns that had been in my stash longer (including two skeins from Beth), I felt compelled to make this into something first. The colors, oh the colors! The blues, the purple – everything I love all at one time. And the yarn base, I’d been longing to use it since I made that Baby Surprise Jacket what feels like ages ago. This shawl went much quicker, partially because I was killing time between classes and partly because the thicker yarn weight meant easier to see stitches.

Yet again, I have no set recipient for this shawl. I tried it out and it makes my neck itch like crazy so, although I know I deserve to be selfish and keep it, it will find its final home with someone else. (This is starting to be a problem, I have two other shawls without homes that sit in a plastic bag on my desk. Already made shawls for all family members who would like one. Almost to the point of going one level deeper in the Mennonite Game.*)

* The Mennonite Game is when you meet someone who is also Mennonite and you try to figure out how you’re related. Played best if you grew up in Southern Delaware, Harrisonburg, VA, or Lancaster County, PA.

I swear I had every intention of blogging my Ravelympics projects throughout the Games. The first week, I was spending all of my time at home knitting and watching the Olympics. This last week, I was sick. So, you see, at least I was doing important things. Right? Right?

I’m proud to say that I met all of my goals this year which, to be honest, surprised me. I even knit a few things that weren’t part of my goals when I didn’t want to work on my final project. I pushed myself not to do lots of knitting, but to not get distracted by new projects (okay, I did a little but only for a few days). I even found a new favorite pattern and made a friend’s day during the process.

Jeff’s scarf was finished during the opening ceremonies. I’d guess I knit a good 20 inches on that thing during the three or so hours of coverage I was awake enough to watch (which included lots of pre-ceremony rambling). Knit in Cascade Eco Wool on giant size 10.5 needles, even this boring pattern flew off my needles. Maybe next time I make a scarf for someone, I’ll be smart enough to either do a more interesting pattern or use multiple colors. The finished scarf will be hand-delivered Saturday when we’re staying with the recipient before heading to Vermont.

At the start, it was the Minimalist Sweater for Alison I was most worried about. The knitting, that was no problem. But all that seaming?? Ack! Thankfully, an afternoon chatting with friends (and a vanilla cupcake) helped me to plow through it. I gifted her the sweater yesterday but in the haze of being sick totally forgot to get any photos of her wearing it. I may ask Matt to take a few photos when he sees her Wednesday.

The last project I had to finish was the Citron shawl I started in late January. Although I was excited at the chance to finish my first lace weight project, it was boring me out of my mind. Friday night I picked the project back up and managed to push my way through it. I will admit I coped out on the ruffle, only knitting six rows after the ruffle increases. I didn’t want to run out of yarn and thought it looked okay as is, anyway. Not sure as to the final recipient for this one, as is pretty typical with my shawls. Whoever I give it to, they’ll have to have an occasion to wear it with a fancy party dress (or out on the town with jeans and cute heels).

The only project I had intended on knitting from start to finish wasn’t anything extravagant: a hat for my father-in-law in yarn and pattern of his choosing. He wanted dark blue, so I chose to use a skein of Berroco Vintage leftover from Alison’s sweater. After looking at a bunch of photos of Ravelry projects, he chose the Irish Hiking Hat with an added brim he could fold up or roll down. In six hours of knitting time, I was done. He’ll get it when we meet up in Vermont next week. I hope he likes it. (Side note: I’ll know he likes it if he keeps mentioning it or touching it. The most positive review of anything I have ever heard out of the man was “It was good.” in a wishy-washy tone.)

Then there were the unplanned projects of two Jayne hats, a hat for me, and some hand-warmers that eventually went to the wife of a classmate.

Dan had requested a Jayne hat and bought the yarn from Webs (Lamb’s Pride Bulky) when I realized no shop in town carries bright blue, yellow, and orange in all the same fiber content. Despite having to work with yarn that makes my skin crawl (due to the presence of Mohair), the hats were a breeze. I do need to work on my pom-pom skills, however. I can’t wait to get a few photos of Dan wearing the larger of the two hats (the first was a bit too small though he still wears it as he hasn’t received the larger yet).

The hat for me and matching fingerless mitts were my first chance to try Malabrigo’s worsted weight and I’m not sure how I feel about it. Great colors and squishy texture, but the stuff is only one ply which doesn’t like to stay spun together. It’s a bit out of my price range, anyway, so I don’t think I’ll be worried about whether or not to use it anytime soon.

So, what’s next for me? First, another hat using the same pattern I used to make mine (Felicity) for Maegan then a sweater for me. I picked up six skeins of Berroco Weekend in a great grayish pink and a copy of the corresponding pattern booklet yesterday. Still not decided on a particular pattern but I am really excited that I may, at last, have another sweater that fits me properly.