Sweater Woes and Triumphs

One of my personal knitting goals this year was to knit a full-size sweater, so I recently knit a sweater for myself. I needed a success after so many failed sweaters and not-quite-right sweaters. Most of the sweaters that don't work are those I intend to keep for myself--at least I think the sweaters I've sent to other people are successful and fit well.

I tried knitting two sweaters from Knit One Crochet Two's Cozette, which creates a tissue-tee type fabric. That fabric was completely and utterly wrong for Element, which I couldn't admit to myself until I had knit the whole thing. The first sweater was a plain Custom Fit sweater that I frogged after knitting the back because I had measured myself incorrectly. It would have been okay if I'd wanted a crop top. The yarn isn't delicate, but I hesitate to rip and try again. If I do, I want to knit a pattern intended for the yarn. I think it will be a really nice sweater.

I tried to make Tiny Rocky Coast again and again. It wasn't an adult-sized sweater, but I just couldn't get it right. I messed up the increases on the yoke, then I screwed up the cable pattern. When I couldn't get the cables right a third time, I just gave up. The recipient wouldn't have fit into that size anymore anyway.

Since 2008 I have knit 48 sweaters and tops. Of those, I've frogged 9 adult sweaters, one kid's sweater, one baby sweater, and one baby dress (turned into cowl). I also gave a sweater to a 7 year old that I had made following the adult small size. Plus I've donated three sweaters and have given away two sweaters meant for me. The last sweater I made for myself that fit was finished in 2011.

So you see why I needed a success. And success it was. I love this sweater! I was nervous because I'm not very skilled at substituting yarns, and I was coming off the major fail that was Element. Using the Cestari Old Dominion Cotton for the Clarke Pullover by Jane Richmond was perfect. I wasn't getting gauge, so I did the "knit a size bigger" trick, and it worked! I probably should have used a smaller needle on the ribbing, but I'm so happy with this that I don't care if the collar looks stretched out. The pattern was well-written and worked well with the cotton. I've even gotten compliments from strangers!


I like knitting this so much I considered making another one, but I didn't have enough of the yarn. I may break down and purchase some more of that cotton. It didn't hurt my hands, and the knitting moves along quickly, even though it's listed as a DK.

So now I want more sweaters of my own. I am working on Woodstove Season by Alicia Plummer. The yarn I'm using is from a frogged sweater, so it has some weak points. It has a little bit more drape than a wool would, and the collar is somewhat floppier than I'd like, but I think it's working out. Believe me, I've learned my lesson about knitting through the end when I know it's wrong.

I have some other cotton and non-wool yarns in sweater amounts, so don't be surprised if you see more sweaters for me on my projects page. Maybe I'll even try using the Cozette again. And don't expect many knitting presents either, because I'm quickly turning into a selfish knitter!

Repurposed

A couple of weekends ago it rained, which this sun averse girl loved, but it meant we didn't spend the days walking around the city, as is our weekend habit. I had been thinking about a couple of sweaters that I had intended to adjust or reknit and decided to pull them out. I ended up discovering five sweaters and a bunch of yarn that I had never entered into my Ravelry database. So I spent the better part of a Sunday taking photos and entering specs into Ravelry. The best part of that project, however, was unraveling three of those sweaters. One sweater is still slated for alterations, since it's just tightening the (short) sleeves. The other sweater was knit in Rowan Felted Tweed, and I had terrible allergic reactions when winding it up. I think it had been sitting in a bin for too long and was full of dust and dander. I'm also allergic to wool, so having all that flying about in the air wasn't so good for my lungs and eyes.

Ready for reclamation (except the brown sweater--that was banished)

In the end, I unraveled three full sweaters, three partial sweaters, a sock, a pair of fingerless gloves, and a toy. I gained more than 5,000 yards from ripping out all those unfinished projects. I also added 1,500 yards or so from balls of yarn I found in the same box. Most of that yarn was leftover from projects I'd made before Ravelry, but not all of it. I found some lovely Blue Sky Alpacas Melange that will probably be used very soon. I also discovered a giant (approximately 2,496 yards) cone of weaving cotton that I bought way before I knew anything about yarn. We won't talk about that. All in all, it was quite the cathartic way to spend a couple of rainy days. You didn't think I could unravel all that in one sitting did you? There was so much picking! Undoing seams is a pain. The actual unraveling though? Pleasant and even a little exciting. It was like getting new yarn!

A portion of the reclaimed yarn. All that gray is from one sweater.

Here's some unraveling to mesmerize you. Just don't notice the stain on the carpet!

The Calming Effects of Yarn

I was semi-voluntarily laid off last June. I have applied to so many jobs since then, and I've even had numerous interviews. But no offers. My unemployment benefits have been exhausted. I never expected to be unemployed for more than 6 months.  Emotions are running high right now.

A Verb for Keeping Warm Pioneer

I'm angry at anyone who thinks someone who is unemployed can just "go get a job" but is too lazy because they are getting "handouts." I am frustrated that I've spent a lot of money and time getting to where I am in my career but now I can't get hired, despite that Master's degree and 15 years of experience. I'm scared about whether I can manage to extend my savings to cover more than two more months. I'm disappointed in myself for not managing my money better. I'm confused about what I can do to improve my chances of getting a job. I'm dreading the thought of going back into a minimum-wage job (especially in this very expensive city) like retail (is this what my degree was for?). The strongest emotion I feel right now, however, is thankful to have a partner who will support me during this hard time. I can't imagine having to face this alone.

November Leaves

A couple weeks ago I was struggling with my emotions after reading up on current events. The situation in Oregon at the wildlife refuge has upset me beyond reason. It has highlighted some deep philosophical differences between me and some of the people I care deeply about, and that realization has knocked me over with sadness.

Simple House Slippers (for me!)

One thing that has kept me from sinking into a dark place has been pictures of yarn. I was reeling from the news (just general news, not anything in particular) when I took a break to scroll through Instagram. The first two pictures were of handspun yarn. All my stress melted away. I'd never felt something like that--a visceral calm from looking at a picture. Since then I've tried to temper my news reading with pictures of yarn. I have been trying to stop myself from compulsively checking Facebook and Twitter, since so much of what is posted there is news about whatever terrible thing is happening (and where I see the opinions of people I care about but don't agree with, which is something that has been hurting me lately. I just haven't been able to let that roll off my back like usual).

A Verb for Keeping Warm Flock (the yarn is much bluer in real life)

I would like to follow more people who post beautiful pictures of yarn, so if you have suggestions, please let me know. Instagram is a much happier place than other social media sites. Nearly every picture is of children I care about, cats, or knitting related. Not a bad place to live right now. Find me there at everywhereknitting.

Tartara

Travels and Treats

I'm finally getting around to posting a picture of my second fabulous winnings of the year.  I won a book and yarn from Amy Herzog and Bijou Basin Ranch.  The only sad part of the whole thing is that I can't wear animal fibers, so this particular winning will have to be about learning how to flatter someone else's body.  I'll have to combine what I learn with a pattern using a plant fiber yarn to knit to flatter myself.  It's true that I don't love any sweater I've made for myself except one.  I'm excited to learn how to flatter my body and finally get to wear something I make for me!

Brian and I went to Portland last weekend.  We've decided that if we don't get any other opportunities to move out of Reno soon, then we're going to take the plunge and move to Portland, jobs or not.

I have been very good about using yarn from my stash lately.  I have even made 23 more hexipuffs for my Beekeeper's Quilt.  I would keep up with it, but I don't have any more sock yarn scraps to use.  However, I allow myself to buy yarn when I visit other cities.  So, I purchased a few things in Portland.  I have the most awesome boyfriend who willingly accompanied me to four, count 'em, four yarn stores. Brian did complain a little when I made him get out of one of the comfy chairs to help me make a decision. (The photo below is the yarn in order of purchase.)

My favorite of the four we visited this time was Dublin Bay Knitting Company.  I didn't get the fun Lorna's Laces sock yarn Brian wanted (Unicorn Dreams) because I wanted to buy a locally dyed yarn instead. Dublin Bay has an in-house yarn called Solstice that was very pretty, so I got a nice semi-solid blue for Brian.

I also liked Pearl Fiber Arts because they had a great selection of Oregon yarns and local dyers.  I got a new yarn from a dyer called Thoroughly Thwacked.  The owner there was very nice, but a customer was eating something right near the doorway, and the smell ruined my experience just a bit.

The next day we happened upon some yarn stores.  We hadn't intended to visit two more but they were on the street we were exploring so of course I had to check them out.  Yarn Garden was huge (I missed one room entirely!) but I didn't see anything local.  There were a few special yarns but nothing that grabbed me.  I bought a sock yarn, Footprints, that I'd been debating from a yarn store in Traverse City last summer.  Brian liked a self-striping sample but they didn't have the colorway he liked.  Finally, we visited Happy Knits, which was a lovely store with very nice yarns, but I couldn't find anything local there, either.  I prefer to buy local yarns when I'm visiting a place.  It helps the store and the dyer both.  I also dislike when the store's labels are so big they cover some information on the yarn. 

I've now visited at least six of the yarn stores in Portland.  I won't pick an ultimate favorite until we move there.  Then I'm sure it will be whichever one is close enough to visit on a daily basis.

The End of Sheep

I recently visited my sister in Denver, and we went to Fancy Tiger Crafts (and to Sweet Action, which is right across the street--yum!), where I bought some wool yarn and a discussion ensued.  Sarah is working on becoming a vegan.  A serious vegan, head to toe.  She is also one of the biggest fans of my knitting.  Not wanting to rock the boat, she hadn't expressed to me that she doesn't want to wear wool anymore until I flat out asked.  I will respect her wishes from here on out, but I have to admit that I'm struggling with some of them.  Sarah does not want to use wool because of two factors: animal treatment and animal death.

To the first point, we discussed how big industry wool is just as bad as factory farming for meat.  While I agree with her on this, I have not taken steps to eliminate that kind of wool from my use (I am a vegetarian, but I still wear leather shoes and use products with down filling). A vegan friend in Chicago and I once talked about a similar topic after she had purchased a down coat.  The truth for me is that I care more about how something was made (factory conditions, quality fabrics from plant and animal sources--not petroleum products) than how the animals are raised, when it comes to wool, leather, or down.When I buy wool yarn and yarn from other animal fibers, I like to buy local, from companies that are sourcing their wool from small operations and spun in family mills, or from companies that trace the origin of their yarns to the sheep that grew the wool, but I do not exclusively buy those yarns. I appreciate that more and more yarn companies and dyers are sourcing their wool in sustainable ways.

So I asked Sarah whether she would use yarn that was sheared, spun, dyed, and purchased locally, since those yarns are more likely to be gotten from sheep that were cared for and treated well.  The sticking point for Sarah, and this speaks to her second factor, is that she has no way to know how those animals die.  Are they killed for meat when they are no longer producing quality wool? Are they auctioned to inhumane businesses? If they live out their happy life, are they allowed to die naturally, euthanized, or slaughtered.

I have to admit that I never thought about the end of life of a sheep raised for wool. And it rankled me. I argued with my sister over things that we both believe in because I am bothered that I don't know the answer and I continue to purchase wool without knowing. All these "sustainable" yarn companies, and companies that put pictures of their sheep on the labels don't disclose how their animals die.  For one, it's too depressing to think about, and for two, it isn't important to most people.  For three, the way farm animals' lives are ended is fraught with political (and ethical) frustrations and problems.

I worry that Sarah is becoming extremist in her views, and I would like her to look a little closer at the human side of the story.  But I know that animals mean more to her than her own life, and I have to respect her choices, even when I think she hasn't seen all sides of the issue.  However, I need to learn more about both the treatment of sheep (and goats, and all the camelids) for my own interests. I argued with her quite vehemently about all of this, partly because my own beliefs were challenged and my ignorance exposed.  I'm glad Sarah is passionate and willing to debate with me, because I learned of holes in my own knowledge and can now explore this further.  I hope she wasn't too frustrated with me and gained some perspective, too.

We also discussed round ups and whether or not they are cruel (I tried using the vicuna as an example of an animal that is sheared in the wild), but we are not going to agree on that point.

To end, here's a picture of a work nearly finished, worked in linen and started before my recent debate.

Tytonidae Cowl, unfinished.

Presents and Poetry

So many things were completed since my last real post: 13 FOs, one frogged hat, and one cowboy poetry gathering. Sure, it's been two months, but that many projects is a lot for me these days, especially those days leading up to the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering.

I'm not sure where to start. The Gathering was great. I had been feeling about a month behind in preparations (probably because I'd lost a month's worth of work days to furlough) until two weeks before the event. Then, magically, I was ready. I'm sure a few things got overlooked, but all in all, it was a great Gathering. I heard so many compliments--people don't usually tell me those things, since I'm the invisible hand running the machine--which was really nice. I even got a present! I usually only get amazing hugs, but Doris Daley gave me chocolate straws (and hugs). I finally shared them with the staff, but I pretended they were just for me for about a week.

I didn't see much music or poetry, as is usually the case, but I did get to see my friends Andy Hedges and Andy Wilkinson perform. Andy Hedges's wife, Alissa, sang with them, too. They are all great. Video and audio from some of the shows are available on the Western Folklife Center's website. We also blogged during the event. Find that here.

Now on to knitting. Here are some things that became presents (in Blogger upload order, not chronological).

Windschief, which I will some day send to my brother.

Owl, with a magnet in the bottom, for Brian

Cat toy. It was supposed to be a sock, but I did not like the colors at all. I ripped back to the toe, seamed it up, and voila! a cat toy.

Mittens with flip-top thumbs (my pattern) so Brian can use his iPhone.

Soxies for Brian's Mom.

Men's Cashmere Scarf (not cashmere) that Brian will probably never wear (don't be surprised if you see it in my giveaway pile)

Argyle Felted Hot Pad for my kitchen. I always forget that white yarn doesn't felt at the same rate as colored yarn, so I pulled out the blue argyle pattern.

I also finished Duck for a pregnant friend. I'm not sure whether she reads this, so no pictures until I mail them off.

On impulse, Brian and I went to Portland after Christmas (which was spent with his mom in Mountain Home, ID). I visited a few yarn shops while we were there.

Malabrigo Sock

Rowan Purelife (I made the mittens above out of this)

2 skeins of Shelter. I used one skein on a hat that I ended up frogging. It was knit too tightly and I couldn't get the lace pattern (as usual).

All of the above were from Knit Purl. Very nice store.

Purple Lotus Sweet Grass hand dyed cotton from Gossamer

Cascade Eco + from Close Knit. I'd been to Close Knit the first time I was in Portland. It's a really great store. I'd probably shop there a lot if I lived in Portland.

I didn't love Portland the first time Brian took me (nearly a year ago, for our second date), but my mind was changed this time. The weather was awful, but I miss the moist air of the Midwest so much that I didn't mind. My car minded, fogging up and condensing on the inside every day, all day. We ate some amazing food. Food I dream about. We did some great sightseeing to Sauvie Island and The Grotto. We also explored some neighborhoods, and did a lot of window shopping. My favorite day was spent in Ground Kontrol, dropping quarters into classic video games. That day reminded me of the times when my dad would take me to the arcade after school. All the games were from that era, except most of the pinball, which was newer and reminded me of college when I would spend my laundry money on pinball. I love pinball.

Ever since I started knitting without an intended recipient (for the most part), I have accumulated a pile of homeless knits. I have an idea to give these away to whomever expresses interest in them. I recently gifted the Snapdragon mitts to CarrieK because she liked them. Why not give away the rest of the items to people who will use them? I think this post is too long and picture heavy to do it here, so I'll list the items next week. Stay tuned!

Conundrum

I had a high school teacher who would always say "Questions? Comments? Conundrums?" before moving on from the current topic.

I have a conundrum. I am working on the Holly Jacket. It's a fun knit so far. But I have been looking at the picture of the sweater, and at some completed Hollys on Ravelry and the Knitting Daily Galleries, and I'm not sure it's going to look good on me. I don't need more emphasis on my hips--trust me. And I'm knitting it in a color that doesn't look good on many people--yellowgreen--so I can't gift it. So what do I do? Knit it for the fun of it? That's a lot of time going into something that won't be worn. Frog it? But I'm enjoying the knitting, and I'm to the armholes on the back. I've even been staying up late-ish to work on it, which hasn't happened in so long and feels so sleepily good. Stop where I'm at and use the rest of the yarn (Ella Rae Shibu [very nice to knit with, but a little splitty]) for something else? I don't know! I don't have anything else I am desperate to knit, and the socks I'm working on are feeling too wooly for the weather. Silk is perfect.

In other news, Jacque and I are hiking the Ruby Crest Trail this weekend. Three days for 43 miles, and we're sharing a tent with her gaseous dog. I can't wait.

I Love this Hat!

This is Jacque.
I taught her to knit in January. She's made four hats. Hats are the way to go for a beginner, I think. She's accomplished so much in such a short time. She's going to make a vest of her own design next. Her latest hat is ribbed the entire way up, so Jacque had to figure out how to decrease in pattern, rather than using the standard spiral decrease I taught her. She's been knitting on straights and has had some trouble with her hats having nipples at the top, so I hope the ribbing and the different decrease pattern will solve her nipple problem.

In spite of this weirdness, every hat Jacque makes is a joy for her. She exclaims "I love this hat" while knitting them. She realized she said it for every hat and asked if I felt the same way about what I knit.

It's got me to thinking. I don't love everything I'm working on. Lately I feel like I've put down or frogged everything I attempt. I'm supposed to be working on a dog sweater for Jacque's dog (also in the pic), especially since it took much convincing of her husband that a dog sweater is still macho. But the yarn I picked is too bulky for the wording I want to incorporate. I thought I'd just make a prototype, then, since I wasn't using a pattern, but I haven't touched the sweater for weeks. I am working on other things, of course, but I don't love anything right now.

The closest I'm getting is on Patti. It feels good to make progress. I'm sure I won't finish until the sun is warming Michigan, but Jen will still appreciate it, I think (hope).

So I how do I get the love back? I still need to knit. I still want the feel of the yarn growing on the needles. I just don't love anything I'm working on. Nothing is bringing that joy.

Here's some Misti Hand Paint Sock Yarn I wound for Tympany. Tympany is fun. I'm almost onto the earflaps. I'm not going to have enough yarn, since I'm using some leftover yarn from a pair of socks, so I'll have to get creative.

Picture!

Made for Perry for his birthday.

This yarn, Polarknit, is a bit strange to work with. It's a synthetic, of course, so it has that weird feel (though not sticky like acrylic). Its construction is like a piece of fleece was cut into a very long strip. It was staticky, which I haven't experienced in a yarn before. The end result is fabulous, though, so it was worth it for a hat. It's going to be one warm, hip hat, for sure.

Still Deciding

I just sat down to work on the Endpaper Mitts pattern with the skinny dyed cotton. I wound the yarn, looked at the pattern, did some math, and I'm just not sure about it. I think I'm on the wrong track. I don't think the 100% cotton is going to work with colorwork like this. I think it's more suited for stripes. I might buy more (someday) and make the skinny cardigan or something similar. Or I may hold onto the yarn forever.


I might still make the Endpaper Mitts, though. Twistedhausfrau told me that there's real yarn available in Elko. I mean yarn made with fibers I want to work with, from brands that I trust and love. So I checked it out and sure enough, I no longer have to pine for the tactile pick-me-up that yarn shopping affords. Of course, I couldn't leave without buying something. I needed some tapestry needles, but that's not enough. I bought five balls of Panda Silk. Maybe I'll match a couple colors for the Endpaper Mitts. Or maybe I'll get crazy and do something with all five colors. I am interested in trying out some more fair isle, so maybe a more complicated pattern is in my future. The possibilities. I don't know if I can handle it.


These socks will be for my sister. I tried using this yarn for socks before, but the pattern didn't like me. This pattern came to me while in the car on the way to Boise this week. It's a simple twisted rib pattern. Four hours of knitting is inspirational, I guess. Maybe it was all the mormon crickets we were smooshing with the car. I'll spare you the picture I'd promised earlier. I still can't get over how huge they are. Horror film huge.

Inching Along

Chicago was great. It felt like being home. I got my fill of yummy Handlebar food (and then I dreamed about vegan biscuits and gravy last night, so maybe I didn't get my fill after all). I saw 13 friends. My friend Wyatt said, after telling him that I had to leave: "But, I'll miss you," and he looked at me with his three-year-old eyes. My heart broke. I would have stayed there forever.

I also reconnected with friend I had neglected. Now I owe her an email, but I'll get to it, I promise. I did miss one friend that I really wanted to see. Add another email to that list.

I didn't do much knitting. I finished the February Sweater. The person it's for reads this, but I'm going to post it anyway. This sweater was just as frustrating and just as fun as the first time I knit it.


While I was in Chicago, I stopped at Nina. I was craving a trip to the LYS as much as vegan biscuits and gravy. I needed help deciding, since I was overwhelmed by all the beautiful things. I had to ask Sam a few times for some help on color. Everything I bought was in a blue-green shade, except for the Silky Merino that just happened to match the Misti Alpaca yarn I bought.

Blue Sky Alpacas Skinny Cotton. I've wanted to try this for a while. I'm thinking colorwork mittens.

Malabrigo Lace. It was too luscious to pass up. It's going in the stash to wait for the right project.

Misti Alpaca Sock Yarn. These will have to be made into socks. But for whom?

Malabrigo Silky Merino. I love a Merino Silk blend.

So I've been catching up. I've been having a lot of fun at Frisbee. I think I'm starting to feel more confident in the game. I went camping this weekend, which was great fun. I went with two different sets of friends, so the weekend was doubly interesting. I took along BYOB and the Everlasting Bagstopper. The Bagstopper has been sitting for some time, waiting for yarn. I bought some at Nina, but when I went to knit with it this weekend, I realized I'd bought the linen, not the hemp I needed. I don't mind having more linen in my stash, but I would like to finish this bag already. At least it's living up to its name.

Euroflax Linen, purchased at Nina, sitting with the hemp bag.

Besides Chicago, the best thing to come out of the last couple weeks was teaching Perry how to knit. Let me clarify a little. His mom had taught him how to knit, but I taught him how to cast on and how to purl (though he only purled one row). Next, he's going to start a hat. Teaching knitting makes me so happy. Maybe even happier than knitting itself. Now I've got to get Perry to teach me to rappel, like he's promised.

The Adventures Continue

I've been spending a lot of time outdoors. I've been camping and hiking, and I'm learning the surprisingly fun game of Ultimate Frisbee. I have scratches and bruises and very sore shoulders. Tomorrow I'm doing more camping and trying rock climbing again.

I have been knitting, but it's definitely taken a back seat to the outdoors. It's so nice lately. I do get a little bit of knitting in each night. I made a cowl from the Curious Creek Fibers Isalo. I wanted it to be something special, but it turns out that for all the money I spent, it's just another silk yarn. To top it off, there were a lot of spots that didn't take the dye. I like the cowl, though, and it was a good way to avoid seaming the Dollar and a Half cardigan. I'm one side seam and one sleeve insert and side seam away from the button band. My sleeves don't fit into the arm hole, but I just forced the first one in anyway. I don't think it's going to be too bumpy in the end.


And that's it. I've got a sock project as a travel project (it's going camping with me tomorrow). I might need to start something new next week.

The exciting news is that I may have a chance to meet up with a friend I haven't seen in ten years. He lives in Seattle, where I'll be next week for the Northwest Folklife Festival. I can't wait to see him.

Distraction

To distract from the fact that there has been very little knitting this week, I present photos of the yarn I bought in Washington.

Arcadia by Cascade (though it doesn't say so on the label) from Diva Yarn


4 Balls of Venezia by Cascade from Diva Yarn

Isalo by Curious Creek Fibers from The Twisted Ewe (a fancier store than Diva Yarn, in spite of what the store names would suggest). This was nothing short of a splurge.

Matsuri from Weaving Works. I've never used Noro because it's so scratchy. This is mostly cotton, so I will finally have a chance to enjoy Noro's famous color changes. I also bought some Silky Wool, but I used it for a project I'll blog about later.

Jitterbug by Colinette from Weaving Works

Soxie by The Great Adirondack Yarn Company from LaDonna's Fiber Arts.

Tapestry by Rowan from Weaving Works.

Hurray!

I had a rather frustrating day at work on Friday. Luckily, I came home to my Rowan grab bag from Webs. It's perfect. I didn't give much direction, yet I got yarn that is perfect for me.

All Seasons Cotton

Handknit Cotton

Cotton Rope

Wool Cotton

Holiday

It's different than anything I'd buy for myself, but I checked out some patterns made with it and it looks like it knits up nicely.