I’ve hit a roadblock on my second cable design. I’ve been working on it for 2 weeks now, and it’s time to put the idea to rest. I was trying to chart a cabled fleur-de-lis, but after 5 ripped swatches, I’m concluding that it has too much horizontal movement to work properly. (If you’re mixing cable crossings, you can only put in so many 2×3 maneuvers – like 1 or 2, actually – before the fabric crumples in a bad way.) It’s funny, I looked through my stitch dictionaries (and believe you me, I have many stitch dictionaries) and couldn’t find anything even remotely adaptable. Suspect I know why, now. I tried outlining it in a twisted stitch pattern, too. No go.

Although I hate ripping, I did unravel nearly all of my unsuccessful swatches to be frugal. I’ve already gone through ~200 g of yarn, more or less, but it’s the same 50 g skein being repeatedly knit and ripped. Heilo (from Dale – pronounced DOLL-ah, btw – of Norway) is holding up very well. You’d never know I’d abused it so much.

In other observations, I feel like there’s a certain level of fetid discontent coursing through the fiber ‘blogosphere lately. People are unhappy about stuff – the weather, their spouses, clutter, work, health, etc – and it’s coming through in the daily chat. Seems like I’m reading more grumbling about swatches, pattern mistakes, and running out of yarn than I usually do, too. Are we overwhelmed? For the northern hemisphere types, is it the winter blues?

I never would have come up with this idea:

Interesting links and explanation here.

Matt and I celebrated the incoming new year with an Italian dinner and fireworks. The temperature outside wasn’t too bad (low 30s F, no wind), and we were well bundled.

We stood on a bridge over the Mississippi River and watched fireworks exploding about 1/4 or 1/2 mile away.

It was very pretty. And loud.

In my previous post, I said I’d design new stitch patterns this year – well, here’s the first one! Several weeks ago, you saw a few vague ideas for Matt’s sweater, but most of them were knit using Lavold Silky Wool or a vintage scratchy Columbia brand wool. Last week, I started swatching with the blue Heilo yarn.

I’ve been graphing the cable using a spreadsheet and a knitting symbol font. (The photo seems to show the graph covered with curving lines, but that is an artifact of the reduction.) While this is a great font – and free for personal use! – I also ordered Stitch and Motif Maker (hint: you can get it for less here). Excel is sort of a clumsy medium for designing, and I’ve always been pleased with Carole’s software (I use Sweater Wizard extensively). Somehow, and I don’t know why this is, nor do I think this a good thing about me, but buying a tool often helps motivate me to do work.

The black-and-white motif next to the swatch is from a photograph that I took in the elevator of the lovely historic building where I work. The Plummer Building was constructed with wonderful attention to details, and everything is ornate, to say the least. Click here to see a photo of the lobby ceiling. Look at the larger photo to really get a feel of the building style.

The first time I saw the motif in the elevator (it’s part of the decorative trim near the ceiling), I knew I had to graph it out and put it on a sweater. It made me “hungry” for more architectural details that I could adapt to yarn.

Marilyn recently said:

I resolve to do stuff year-round. And then I either do it or I don’t. If I don’t, there is no self-flagellation. If I do, that’s good.

I’m pretty much right there with her. What does a calendar day have to do with anything? If you want to do something, do it! Don’t wait for another day, don’t put things off until there’s a new year!

Also wrt resolutions, Claudia said:

I am not the biggest fan of New Year’s Resolutions. About that, I refer you to Yoda, who said “Do or not do. There is no try.”

Absolutely right! I also think – and this is just my opinion – that if you don’t end up doing whatever you set out to do, it’s maybe because you didn’t really want to (barring health problems and other serious interferences, of course). Otherwise, you would have made the time, saved the money, gone to the gym, put in more effort, etc. Right? Right?

OK. </lecture>

But January 1 always reminds me to reflect on my life, what did I do right last year, what can I improve, and so on. (Never mind that I have this reflective session just about every other week. That’s because I’m an egoist.) I prefer to continually challenge myself – can I be smarter, faster, nicer? A better editor? A kinder friend? An athlete? An artist? Can I really manage to vacuum the house and do laundry every week? (Answer to that last question – no, not yet.) Matt says that by constantly raising the expectations bar, I am always left somewhat dissatisfied and unhappy about where I am. But I hate the thought of getting stagnant, comfortable, developing fear of the unknown, and letting those fears and comforts influence my decisions.

It was increasingly evident to me in 2005 that I was getting bored with knitting. I bought few books and little yarn. I spent more time thinking about spinning techniques and dissecting yarn characteristics than I did knitting or designing. Good? Bad? Do I care? I know a lot about knitting, and I feel kind of BTDT about too many techniques. Is there anything new under the sun? I looked hard to find ‘blogs of advanced knitters who spent a lot of energy designing. Among others, Janine, Nona, and Wendy talk intelligently and humorously about knit design, I eat it up! If you are looking for crochet inspiration (and I was not because I don’t crochet, but I’m still drawn, hookless, to her site), Cathy does a lot of good work. Sara mostly does weaving and knotted pile rugs, neither of which I am the slightest bit interested in learning, but her creative process is uplifting.

Y’know, if you’d like to leave the link of your favorite design-heavy knitblogger in the comments, you will have my undying gratitude!

So it’s time to turn over a new leaf. I think I’d like to focus on design this year. Not design clothing, per se – I’ll leave that to others with more style sense and more time to knit garments. I think 2006 will be the year I challenge myself to develop novel stitch patterns (didja know the DNA cable is the *only* stitch pattern I’ve ever invented?), design lace patterns, spin a novelty yarn like we’ve never seen before (I’ve got a prototype in the works, natch), explore color theory, and systematically create the perfect sock yarn; maybe, if we’re really lucky, this will also be the year I learn to sew properly.

There. I’ve said it out loud and in public and therefore am feeling mighty accountable. Wish me luck!

And lastly – thanks to all who stop by, a happy new year of blessings to you! I appreciate that you check up on me, participate in my little games, offer ideas and inspiration, and encourage me to keep trying. May every single one of you attain greater heights this year.

I knit a pair of Jaywalker socks that everyone and her sister have been knitting this fall. They are for my long-time friend from college, Annalisa, who you have seen before. She just had her second baby (a beautiful boy – congrats again!), and I know she’s going to be really tired and busy taking care of a newborn and a 2-year-old. I know Annalisa is so selfless, she has always thought of others first, and I wanted to give her a little gift (in LOUD BRIGHT COLORS! HELLO!) to treat herself. Husband Alain was all stealthy-like and conspiratorially sleuthed out her shoe size. (OK, he just asked for her size point-blank but refused to explain why he needed to know. Tee hee!)

Pattern mods – I used US0 (2.0 mm) needles and the second size (84 st circumf) in the Magknits published pattern. (I like to have relatively tight fabric for socks, it just feels better to me.) The socks were tight around my foot, but Annalisa is a tiny thing with petite feet (size 6!), I think they will fit her OK. Let’s see, other mods – I cast on over 2 needles (held together) to make sure the cuff would be nonbinding. I stopped doing the slip-stitch after decreasing all the extra stitches (after turning the heel) because I forgot to do it for a few rounds and then decided it looked fine as it was. Although I used the “regular” Kitchener stitch to graft the toe, I recently saw a novel way to close off toes that is virtually indistinguishable from Kitchener stitch. (This technique is also detailed on Lucy Neatby’s site.)

I used the Meilenweit yarn that I purchased last summer, and there was plenty leftover. Unlike other Meilenweit yarns I’ve used, this one had a tendency to split, particularly during the cast on. But the colors were glam (the hot pink matched my winter coat! People stare at my coat as I walk through the patient lobbies at Mayo!), and I found myself smiling whenever I picked them up to knit a few rounds. Thanks for the great pattern, Kathy!

I’m Snoopy-dancing because my holiday knitting is done, tra la la, it’s finished, whee dee dee, no more deadlines, skittle-ee-dee, skittle-ee-day! [Aside: Did you click the dance link? If not, you're missing out on a website entirely dedicated to identifying when and how Xander dances for 7 seasons of Buffy!]

Sorry the poor photo exposure, but I’m not waiting until the weekend for a serious shoot, this sweater is outta here!

After doing 10 bazillion other things this week (like take care of those cookbooks I auctioned last week! Jeezus that was a time suck.), I turned the finishing skills on supercharge and blazed through the last steps of this sweater. First, the neckband – my pattern said to pick up 122 stitches. My gauge was 6 spi and 8 rpi. When I was picking up the flat areas, I picked up 1 stitch for every stitch (duh), and for the curved areas, 3 st for every 4 rows. When I was finished, I counted… and voila! 122 stitches!

I chose to do a 1×1 rib because it would easily adjust to being slightly longer on the sweater edge than the cast-off edge. Casting off is usually a little tricky for me. I wanted to have a neckband stretchy enough to comfortably go over a head, obviously, but I didn’t want it to be sloppy or, worse yet, ruffly. My first try had uneven tension. Second try was even but too loose. Right in the nick of time, Nona posted about her “suspended” cast off technique (taught to her by the awesome Debbie New), and I was golden.

Something that I’m really proud of – the edges on the neck, cuffs, and waist have a near-perfect transition between the beginning and end of the round. Can you see a bump?

Didn’t think so!

I wove in a few ends while I was riding the bus. I snipped everything that night.

Turns out I just had enough yarn, there was no need for last-minute spinning.

Because all the sweater pieces were washed and blocked before seaming, it just needed a light steam and a thorough swipe with the lintroller to get the cat hair off.

Summary – fiber from Grafton Fibers, colorway designed by my mom, ordered in January. I began spinning as soon as the fiber arrived, and I started swatching in late July. Did more spinning and knitting in the autumn, seamed the bits together last month, and now we have it! With days to spare! Boo yeah!

Merry Christmas, Dad! Wear it in good health!

The Heilo for Matt’s someday sweater is here!

Day-am, but that’s a lot of yarn. (40 x 50 g balls, aka just shy of 4 1/2 lbs!) Since I am tired of being screwed by gauge, I’m going to wash and dry the yarn before I do anything.

[A word to the mail-order wise: check your receipts closely. The price I was quoted was not what I was charged, and the discount that was supposed to be applied was not on the receipt. They restored everything after a pleasant email exchange, but if I hadn't been paying attention, it would have been a $50 mistake. However, the refund still hasn't appeared on my credit card, so you'd better believe I'll be keeping an eye cocked in that direction.]

I’m also clearing off some stuff that’s been on the bobbins for a long time. I have much Shetland yarn. This is natural color, 2 ply, about sport to DK weight, a little over 1 oz. Mmm, Shetland handspun, yum yum yum. We loves Shetland.

It’s soft and yet… crispy. Great texture! (If you’re one of those Merino-or-nothing folks, I urge you to try it. It’s really different but still not scratchy at all.) I’m in the middle of plying some white Shetland, I’ll post a pic after it’s finished. If you’re interested, I bought the roving here. The roving has occasional bits of VM that are not too bad to pick out. Also, this color doesn’t have the long hairs that I saw in the white roving. The shepherd’s local to me, and while we haven’t met in person, she seems like a really nice person.

Last April, I sadly pushed my comfortable t-shirts, oversized button-down shirts, and bulky sweaters to the back of the closet and filled the remaining space with sleeker-fitting shells, suits, and pretty tops with waist and bust darts. I bought a few twinsets. Received a few buttoned blouses from my sister. Knit myself a cardigan.

Granted, I lived in entirely shapless clothing for the first 30 yrs of my life, but I have finally come to a profound realization. Has everyone except me known this forever?

Fitted cardigans require more ease than fitted pullovers.

At one point, I looked down and noted with chagrin that sometimes I am busting out all over. “Middle-button strain” is not a Good Look for the office.

I’ve been working on a new sweater design – an Aran-style pullover for Matt. I have several motifs in my head that are slowly being translated into yarn. Here are a few of them:

The red is a nameless single-ply worsted weight coarse wool. It does not show texture well. The sienna is a Lavold yarn (Silky Wool) that is supposed to show texture well. Strangely, it photographs better than it looks in real life. Those brown swatches look pretty flat by eyeball. The overly dark swatch has 4 different (but similar) cable patterns in it, it is Dale (Dal-uh) of Norway Heilo. Except for the interlocking diamonds, I’ve been concentrating on that damn 7-stitch cable. (And, after all the incarnations, I’m going to stick with the original design – lifted, as it were, from an AS fisherman sweater.)

Heilo was the best in terms of cable popping, hand, and price. Because it is a worsted-spun, multi-ply yarn, it should be able to withstand Matt’s ungentle sweater-wearing ways. I ordered FORTY skeins of it in a medium blue. I don’t expect that I will use more than 25 for the sweater. But there’ll be plenty for swatching, plenty to put off YSA, and a few balls leftover to sell to the Tuesday Knitnight ladies who expressed interest in knitting blue and white Nordic mittens.

…or because I can make a beautiful seam.

It looks this good before blocking!

The shoulders were seamed using the 3-needle bind off. The sleeves were attached to the body using mattress stitch. I’m trying very hard to sew sleeves to bodies correctly the first time! I’m paraphrasing Claudia, but the real skill in knitting is in the finishing. How’s it lookin’?

Interesting local news – we’ve been a yarnless town since the demise of our LYS over the summer. Rumor has it that a cute shop in the downtown area (ha ha, downtown… *sigh*) has begun carrying Brown Sheep yarns! There may be a Northfield Yarn Revival just yet.