needles & vectors

One of the very few instructions Matt has ever given to me regarding my knitting has been that I should learn colowork. He’s said this about once a year, anytime I complain that knitting is boring or that I’m tried of knitting lace or point out the beauty of a colorwork sweater on the Gap website. Maybe it’s about time I listen to him.

I have actually tried colorwork before, multiple times. My one success was ten little lines of stranded colorwork on a baby dress – nothing to write home about. I’ve tried knitting the Endpaper Mitts a good dozen times but have failed in color combinations or not getting gauge (boh too loose and too tight) each time. I think the pattern may actually be cursed for me, destined never to be knit. I’ve also tried a couple other patterns, often getting too aggravated at the slow pace of progress, pulling the project out after a week of work that resulted in less than an inch of progress. But, hey, I can now use both of my hands and I’ve got significantly more free time and, you know what, I’m allowed to buy other sized needles if I can’t get gauge on a 1, 1 1/2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 10 (the only needle sizes I own, mostly size 7′s).

So, I’m determined to try again. Should I stick to something small like fingerless mitts or a hat or go nuts and make a whole sweater? Whatever I choose, I’ll have to go on a shopping trip first as I have exactly three skeins of cobweb, one of fingering, one of sport, 12 of DK (6 each of two colors not different enough from one another for colorwork), some random worsted/aran in colors that don’t go together, and 3 bulky.

What do you guys think I should make? Here’s 16 ideas I came across on Ravelry. Links below.

From top left, proceeding across the row then starting the next:

1. Shelbu Modern    2. From Norway with Love     3. Peerie Flooers    4. Whale Watch Hat     5. Latvian Garden Baby Blanket     6.  Undergrowth     7. Plum Forest    8. Freyja Sweater    9. Platte River    10. Liberty    11. Ukranian Tiles    12. Ida’s Kitchen    13. Tapestry Cowl    14. Inga Hat    15. Winter Solstice    16. Staghorn Hat

Okay, not really, as I’ve never actually finished NaBloPoMo successfully until this year but who’s paying attention? I may blog more often in December than usual but don’t count on a continuation of this daily blogging thing. I will be, instead, focusing my efforts on December Daily. But I’ll tell you all about that (or not) tomorrow.

Right now, I’m going to crawl into bed and read some Agatha Christie. But, look, I did some actual knitting. Knitting I may even continue to work on after today. (A first since I finished that sweater, oh, a week ago. Heh.) Eventually I’ll share what it is.

On Saturday, I picked up two sweater quantities of Vintage DK and ever since, I’ve been trying to find a pattern to make with it. Too bad there are so very few patterns for adults in DK weight. I started the Trellis and Vine Pullover and remembered why it drove me nuts the last time I tried it: something about switching between cables and lace. Hopefully I’ll find another pattern soon. I’m really itching to knit *something* but nothing can keep my attention, WIP or new.

Just the last 20 rows of the second half of the button band/collar to go. Plan is to make the big reveal on Thanksgiving. Wish me luck that it fits.

Last week (or was it the week before that?), I promised a friend I’d make her a set of armwarmers. Great, I thought, an easy project which I could whip together in a week or two as I work on finishing up my sweater. Well, I suddenly had two issues: 1) I somehow managed to become re-enamored with my sweater and 2) I have no clue what pattern or yarn to pick.

I’d had the pattern problem before, when making arm/wrist warmers for another friend. I got it down to 22 choices from which I had her choose. There’s a whole post about it here.

So, I could just point Lora there and have her pick a pattern but that doesn’t settle the “but what yarn?” portion.I’m down to very few yarny options in my stash (and have no time to go pick anymore up for the next few weeks). Silly stash knitting I’ve been doing.

I’ve got two super bright colors of Neighborhood Fibre Co Studio Sock: Copper Circle (bright oranges) and Clintonville (bright greens). Either would produce nice, lightweight gloves that, certainly, couldn’t be missed.

I’ve got a couple of colors of Berroco Weekend, a worsted cotton/acrylic blend that’s great for texture but not great for cables or lace. (I’ve got a dark blue, light purple, and maybe a light blue hanging around.)

Then there’s that skein of dark turquoise Eco Wool that would mean rather warm and fuzzy armwarmers.

And a single thing of Berroco Vintage I’ve held onto for more than 2 years in a different shade of dark turquoise/teal.

Oh, those two skeins of light blueish-greenish Berroco Vintage DK from the first sweater I tried to make this fall. You know – the one that turned out a good 12″ too large?

Last, a skein of greens and blues that’s in a rather thin sock yarn.

But, really, that’s it.

I have no clue what to do.

So, Lora, what color would you prefer? Any patterns in my list (or on Rav) that you like?

That’s the bright orange Neighborhood Studio Sock and Eco Wool. Too lazy to take photos of the other options right now as I’m comfortably sitting in the living room, watching Matt play (and mostly fail at) Battlefield 3.

So, that sweater I’ve been working on is at the point where it’s so boring it’s driving me nuts. I finished the first sleeve and, as a reward, let myself pick up the sleeves for the collar/button bands (though there are no actual buttons). Of course, this is a huge number of stitches and my longest size 5 needle is only 32″ so I only picked up one side of them – the side with a sleeve. That part’s half done. That means one more sleeve plus 1.5 collars/button bands plus the little seaming required to attach the two button bands together at the back of the neck. But, it’s all ribbing and gets pretty repetitive.

I made the executive decision last night, while Matt was playing his latest violent video game (Battlefield 3) so start a new project: a hat for an unknown recipient. I should be working on finishing up the pair of socks or starting the pair of armwarmers I recently promised to my friend but, yeah, wasn’t feeling either (sorry, Lora!). This hat is perfect for what ails me: a small project and easily memorizable stitch pattern that’s still easy enough to do while watching TV/video games. I’ll be done with it by the weekend and ready to either go back to the sweater (doubtful), restart that second sock, or get started on the armwarmers. Or just move on to making another hat in a different yarn. We’ll see.

Pattern: Terzetto by Lisa Gutierrez (Rav link here)

Yarn: Stonehenge Fiber Mils Shepherd Worsted

Colorway: Dark blue? (never remember color names of non-variegated yarns)

Recipient: Someone amongst my friends and family who likes dark blue