I thought I'd like to write a little bit about podcasts I listen to. I've really got into podcasts lately. I only got my ipod at christmas, and it took a while till I was savvy enough about the whole thing to even realise you could get podcasts, but when I did, I became a little addicted :) I've got a nano, which at 4gb you would think would be enough space for my music and podcasts, but I have to rearrange it every week without fail. And if I'm going on a long bus journey, I can be on itunes for hours the day before, trying to figure out what music and podcasts I want to listen to. I listen to a lot of music anyway, but trying to squeeze all the podcasts I listen to on there too . . . I think I need another ipod just for podcasts and audiobooks. Oh, yeah, I forgot about the audiobooks. Or I need the 160gb ipod classic that I keep drooling over in the argos catalogue!
Anyway, I'm catching up on podcasts just now. I like to listen to a series right from the beginning and catch up before I listen to new ones, and I listen to one series at a time. But if a new episode comes up from a series I've caught up on, that gets priority.
As far as knitting podcasts go, I've listened to and caught up on (in the order I listened to them in) Cast On, Lime and Violet, Stash and Burn, and Yarncraft. Today I'm going to start catching up on Knit Picks podcasts.
I like them all for different reasons. I really got into the two host podcast thing for a while there (see Lime and Violet, Stash and Burn, and Yarncraft). I like the way a two person podcast can ramble off topic (especially Lime and Violet! I love their digressions), and it seems more friendly, like a real conversation. Some people like knitting podcasts to stay on the topic of knitting, but I think it helps to get a more overall picture of what the podcaster is like, and how knitting influences their own lives, not just abstract thoughts on a topic.
I find that podcasts influence my own knitting. Lime and Violet makes me want to buy yarn. Lots of yarn. Stash and Burn makes me want to knit all that yarn up right now! All podcasts make me think about different patterns than I would normally think about, when the podcasters talk about what they're making. Kind of like when I see a WIP or FO on someone's blog, and start thinking, oh I might want to make that too. Cast On makes me want to write stuff, because the articles etc on that show are really well written and spoken. Yarncraft is interesting because there's a lot of talk about behind-the-scenes stuff at a yarn company (lion brand), and each episode is structured around a specific theme (as is Stash and Burn), and I find that makes me think about different parts of knitting in different ways.
I also listen to Shimmy Cast, a podcast about belly dance. This is the only talking belly dance podcast I could find out there, please if there are more, let me know! I subscribe to a few music ones, but I like talky ones too. I love this show! It's so nice to hear discussions on belly dance topics, and there are reviews on dvds, cds, books, etc. which is really useful. I've even ordered a dvd based on a review from this podcast. It should be coming through this week hopefully.
I never really listened to radio before, but podcasts seem like the best kind of radio. I like being able to download shows on a specific topic that interests me, and there are so many great ones out there. And they're free! It's really mindblowing, how all these great resources are out there for free on the internet. But I think that's a whole other post topic. :) I really admire anyone brave enough to create one, sometimes I would like to, but my voice is not one that is good to listen to. So to everyone out there who has made a podcast, no matter what it is about, thank you for taking the time and effort to make them. I know it must be a ton of hard work, and I'm really grateful for the end product. Now, back to actually listening to them! :D
Sunday, 25 May 2008
Saturday, 24 May 2008
Some More FOs
OK, so here's the rest of the fo's I promised like, three weeks ago. I'm having real problems keeping up with my blog. I think I'm using Ravelry for what I intended the blog to be - a place to keep track of my knitting, what I made and everything entailed in that. And having two places to do that isn't really working. I think I'll have to rethink what I want the blog to be. Maybe add some other topics of discussion. I could even, gosh, talk about dancing once in a while? :)
Anyway, for today, here's some of the small projects I finished:
Jules, from The Inside Loop, issue 1. (BTW have you seen issue 2 yet? Some lovely patterns there again). I love these socks, they're so comfy and wearable. They're made from some of a huge cone of Rennie 4 ply wool I got off ebay a while.
These are crocheted ears, that I test-crocheted for Kitty-bob on Ravelry. I don't think she has a website, the pattern is just available on Ravelry right now. But if you're a member there, then the pattern is free! These were really fast, and fun. The big one is made of two strands of DK yarn held together and is the same size as my bf's ear, and the small one is made with the same instructions from just one strand and is the same size as my ear. I knew I had small ears, but I really developed quite a complex for a couple of days after seeing the difference! Anway, they took a small amount of yarn, so good for leftovers, and it really didn't take long to make them at all.
That's it for FOs that I have pictures of. I have two other FOs that I'll have to photograph soon, and a secret project which I have high hopes for, but I can't put it here yet.
And, I'm working on Stargazer again! My bf nagged me last night to go back to it, cos it was just sitting in a bag, and if all it needed was a band round the middle and sewed, then why wasn't I getting on with it?! So I flounced a little and took it out the bag. I'm in the middle of the band, and I think it's going to work out fine. I had irrational fear of it being too big, or too small, or whatever else entered into my head that day. I figure I'll just knit the damn band and if it needs fixed after that, I can fix it. Soon, it will be finished. Then I can get onto another sweater.
Anyway, for today, here's some of the small projects I finished:
Jules, from The Inside Loop, issue 1. (BTW have you seen issue 2 yet? Some lovely patterns there again). I love these socks, they're so comfy and wearable. They're made from some of a huge cone of Rennie 4 ply wool I got off ebay a while.
These are crocheted ears, that I test-crocheted for Kitty-bob on Ravelry. I don't think she has a website, the pattern is just available on Ravelry right now. But if you're a member there, then the pattern is free! These were really fast, and fun. The big one is made of two strands of DK yarn held together and is the same size as my bf's ear, and the small one is made with the same instructions from just one strand and is the same size as my ear. I knew I had small ears, but I really developed quite a complex for a couple of days after seeing the difference! Anway, they took a small amount of yarn, so good for leftovers, and it really didn't take long to make them at all.
That's it for FOs that I have pictures of. I have two other FOs that I'll have to photograph soon, and a secret project which I have high hopes for, but I can't put it here yet.
And, I'm working on Stargazer again! My bf nagged me last night to go back to it, cos it was just sitting in a bag, and if all it needed was a band round the middle and sewed, then why wasn't I getting on with it?! So I flounced a little and took it out the bag. I'm in the middle of the band, and I think it's going to work out fine. I had irrational fear of it being too big, or too small, or whatever else entered into my head that day. I figure I'll just knit the damn band and if it needs fixed after that, I can fix it. Soon, it will be finished. Then I can get onto another sweater.
Sunday, 4 May 2008
Many, many FOs!
I've been busy since my last post! I seem to have lost all concentration ability for large projects (must be something to do with spring coming), so I've been making a lot of small things. It's been good, cos I feel much more productive when I finish many small things. I'm sure I'll get back to Stargazer at some point (all it needs is a band round the middle, and sewed up, but I just can't do it!), but till then I guess I'll be trying to get some of the little projects out of my queue (778 items in my ravelry queue now, and it seems to grow every day!)
I'm going to try something new here, and link to my flickr pictures. Blogger takes forever to upload, and since I already have to upload them to flickr for ravelry, there doesn't seem much point in uploading twice. So here goes:
The 3am Cable Hat, by SmarieK. A really fast, fun knit made from some blue wool that I found in the stash.
These are zill mufflers, the pattern came from www.shira.net My dog, and no doubt my neighbours too, get annoyed if I try to practice playing my zills in the house uncovered. Tupac still doesn't like the muffled zills, but it's more of an annoyed not liking, than a terrified running away, which is much better. I made the purple ones first, then realised they are a fantastic project for using up little balls of leftovers. One tiny ball made 3 sets of the green zill mufflers, so I gave some to my friends in my dance class. We're learning zills in both egyptian belly dance and tribal. I also made a bag to keep my zills in:
This is the Jamaica pouch from 101 one skein wonders. I made mine a little smaller by omitting one repeat, as it only needed to be that size to fit my zills in.
This is the Cabled Baglet from 101 designer one skein wonders. I actually used a couple of the books I have! This turned out really well, but the patten in the book is wrong, so if you're going to make it, go to the errata page first. (link takes you to a pdf) I have a whole rant about books and errata, but I'll save it for another day :) You can already see some of it on the project page for this on ravelry. But the bag is nice, and I use it as a project bag for my portable projects.
Lastly, some monkey socks:
This is the pattern I use when I want to try out a new yarn for socks. This yarn is one I got off ebay, Rennie pure wool, a huge 900g cone of it. It's really good for socks, nice and cosy, and washes up soft.
I'm still making some small projects, but I'll put them in another post tomorrow. Linking the pics from flickr is much faster, but this has still been a long post. C u again soon with more FOs!
I'm going to try something new here, and link to my flickr pictures. Blogger takes forever to upload, and since I already have to upload them to flickr for ravelry, there doesn't seem much point in uploading twice. So here goes:
The 3am Cable Hat, by SmarieK. A really fast, fun knit made from some blue wool that I found in the stash.
These are zill mufflers, the pattern came from www.shira.net My dog, and no doubt my neighbours too, get annoyed if I try to practice playing my zills in the house uncovered. Tupac still doesn't like the muffled zills, but it's more of an annoyed not liking, than a terrified running away, which is much better. I made the purple ones first, then realised they are a fantastic project for using up little balls of leftovers. One tiny ball made 3 sets of the green zill mufflers, so I gave some to my friends in my dance class. We're learning zills in both egyptian belly dance and tribal. I also made a bag to keep my zills in:
This is the Jamaica pouch from 101 one skein wonders. I made mine a little smaller by omitting one repeat, as it only needed to be that size to fit my zills in.
This is the Cabled Baglet from 101 designer one skein wonders. I actually used a couple of the books I have! This turned out really well, but the patten in the book is wrong, so if you're going to make it, go to the errata page first. (link takes you to a pdf) I have a whole rant about books and errata, but I'll save it for another day :) You can already see some of it on the project page for this on ravelry. But the bag is nice, and I use it as a project bag for my portable projects.
Lastly, some monkey socks:
This is the pattern I use when I want to try out a new yarn for socks. This yarn is one I got off ebay, Rennie pure wool, a huge 900g cone of it. It's really good for socks, nice and cosy, and washes up soft.
I'm still making some small projects, but I'll put them in another post tomorrow. Linking the pics from flickr is much faster, but this has still been a long post. C u again soon with more FOs!
Tuesday, 22 April 2008
The Adventures of Treenah (complete)
Treenah is finished! And what a journey it was. Before I get into the long saga, let me just say that I love this scarf, and the pattern! Thank you to Megan Marshall for creating such a great pattern!
First, the pictures.
This is the yarn I tried to do it in at first. I've spoken a little about it already in this post, and my difficulties with crochet in this post. Once I got over my initial difficulties with crochet (although I'm still having trouble with gauge in general), the actual making of the scarf went by really fast. However, this happened:
That's supposed to be the same dyelot. Yup. So as those were the only two balls I had of that yarn, I gave up totally sick of it, ripped it out, and started again with another yarn. I was not going to let this scarf beat me! After that, it took only a few days to finish.
And here's me wearing it (indoors with a t-shirt on :)
And here's my wig head wearing it:
The yarn I used was a random acrylic from my stash, but it opened and flattened out nicely after washing it and laying it out flat. I made the middle part a bit longer, because of the way I like to wear scarves, and only 'cast on' (however you say that in crochet-speak) 33 (stitches) because of my gauge. This was again what I would call a DK weight yarn, but I'm learning that there are apparantly two different types of DK, and this would probably be called worsted in America.
It's really warm and lovely to wear, and I'm very happy with this scarf. I would definitely make it again, and may well do :)
First, the pictures.
This is the yarn I tried to do it in at first. I've spoken a little about it already in this post, and my difficulties with crochet in this post. Once I got over my initial difficulties with crochet (although I'm still having trouble with gauge in general), the actual making of the scarf went by really fast. However, this happened:
That's supposed to be the same dyelot. Yup. So as those were the only two balls I had of that yarn, I gave up totally sick of it, ripped it out, and started again with another yarn. I was not going to let this scarf beat me! After that, it took only a few days to finish.
And here's me wearing it (indoors with a t-shirt on :)
And here's my wig head wearing it:
The yarn I used was a random acrylic from my stash, but it opened and flattened out nicely after washing it and laying it out flat. I made the middle part a bit longer, because of the way I like to wear scarves, and only 'cast on' (however you say that in crochet-speak) 33 (stitches) because of my gauge. This was again what I would call a DK weight yarn, but I'm learning that there are apparantly two different types of DK, and this would probably be called worsted in America.
It's really warm and lovely to wear, and I'm very happy with this scarf. I would definitely make it again, and may well do :)
Monday, 14 April 2008
Still working on the WIPs
I'm getting further along in my 3 projects. Stargazer just needs to be blocked and sewed, but I'm procrastinating. I don't know why. But I'm NOT letting myself cast on another sweater till its finished. Otherwise it'll sit there for ages till the next one needs sewed too. I know what I'm like :)
My garter stitch shawl is now 42" along the top. It still needs more though. I'm not even counting how many stitches I have cos it'll depress me. One row now takes AGES, but it's good for watching subtitled Japanese series with. I've been watching Egao no Hosuko and At Home Dad - I have to admit, I have a somewhat serious crush on Abe Hiroshi - swoon!
And I'm halfway through Treenah! It's actually really fast once you get going, and the lace pattern is quite easy to remember. I went up a hook size at the lace part, to make it more drapey, and also to widen it, cos the lace pulls in more than the treble crochet. It's still a little thinner, so when I make this again (which I think I will, defintely, it's such a great pattern!), I might make the middle part thinner then increase the stitch count at the lace part. This picture is of the first half blocking out, cos I wanted to see how it blocked. I'm using a 80% acrylic, 20% wool yarn, cos I didn't read the pattern properly before I bought it, and didn't realise it would need blocked. It blocks out fine with just wet blocking though, although maybe one day I'll iron it out or something. It doesn't really need it though. The only thing was that it was hard to stretch out and I'm not sure if it'll stay stretched. A wool yarn would probably be easier to stretch and stay blocked.
My garter stitch shawl is now 42" along the top. It still needs more though. I'm not even counting how many stitches I have cos it'll depress me. One row now takes AGES, but it's good for watching subtitled Japanese series with. I've been watching Egao no Hosuko and At Home Dad - I have to admit, I have a somewhat serious crush on Abe Hiroshi - swoon!
And I'm halfway through Treenah! It's actually really fast once you get going, and the lace pattern is quite easy to remember. I went up a hook size at the lace part, to make it more drapey, and also to widen it, cos the lace pulls in more than the treble crochet. It's still a little thinner, so when I make this again (which I think I will, defintely, it's such a great pattern!), I might make the middle part thinner then increase the stitch count at the lace part. This picture is of the first half blocking out, cos I wanted to see how it blocked. I'm using a 80% acrylic, 20% wool yarn, cos I didn't read the pattern properly before I bought it, and didn't realise it would need blocked. It blocks out fine with just wet blocking though, although maybe one day I'll iron it out or something. It doesn't really need it though. The only thing was that it was hard to stretch out and I'm not sure if it'll stay stretched. A wool yarn would probably be easier to stretch and stay blocked.
Tuesday, 8 April 2008
Crochet is hard :(
So, I've done all the main knitting for Stargazer, all I need to do is make the band round the middle and sew it all up. But after all that stocking stitch, I just couldn't face sewing as well, so I did some more on Treenah. The new way of crocheting seems to be coming a little easier now, it actually feels weird when I pick up the yarn my old way, like it feels missing from around my little finger. So that's a good sign. But my gauge is way off. And not in a normal way either (really, if I have to have a problem, it has to be a weird problem!) My stitch count is less than the pattern, so for that I should use a smaller hook, but my row gauge is more than the pattern, so for that I should be using a bigger hook to compensate. Sigh. I think I'll try with a bigger hook, and maybe omit a pattern repeat.
Just a thought - is my yarn too big maybe? I'm using what is a normal DK weight yarn for here (Scotland in general) but maybe DK is slightly different for American yarns (cos you know, nothing could possibly be the same in both countries!) Hee, can you tell I'm a bit annoyed?
I really want to make this scarf. I'm going to try use the other ball of this yarn that I have with a bigger hook and see what it's like. If I decide it looks better then this will be the fourth time I retry this, but I don't care. I want my Treenah! It's getting to be a bit of a vendetta now, me against crochet. But I will win. And Treenah shall be my prize! (mad cackle) :)
Just a thought - is my yarn too big maybe? I'm using what is a normal DK weight yarn for here (Scotland in general) but maybe DK is slightly different for American yarns (cos you know, nothing could possibly be the same in both countries!) Hee, can you tell I'm a bit annoyed?
I really want to make this scarf. I'm going to try use the other ball of this yarn that I have with a bigger hook and see what it's like. If I decide it looks better then this will be the fourth time I retry this, but I don't care. I want my Treenah! It's getting to be a bit of a vendetta now, me against crochet. But I will win. And Treenah shall be my prize! (mad cackle) :)
Saturday, 5 April 2008
Catching Up
Arg, again it's been ages since I updated this page. I think Ravelry's killing my blog :( I've been surfing that site obsessedly, gathering patterns for my queue (over 600!), and generally just hanging out there. I've got a total case of startitis as well, so maybe that's got something to do with my overall mood, where I don't have the concentration to do any more than sit and look at billions of pattern.
So first of all, an FO!
Pattern: Wabenschal
Yarn: Rennie pure wool in purple. I got this off of ebay as part of a test order to see what a shop was like, and this was my test project for the yarn (but don't tell my mum that, cos I gave it to her). It turned out really good, and blocked really well. The difference after blocking was amazing.
And, that's the only FO. All the other things I've been working on are still WIPs.
This is a garter stitch shawl I cast on cos I wanted something really brainless. It's not even normal shawl construction, it's just casting on 3 sts, then increasing at each end every other row. It's good for working on when I'm watching something. I'm about 2/3 of the way done, and I think I'm going to add embriodery afterwards to make it more interesting, maybe some flowers so it'll be all springlike. This project is good cos it's using up a thin yellow yarn that I got from a charity shop, and would probably not use for anything else cos of the colour.
I'm learning how to crochet properly at last! I taught myself off of some obscure instructions on the web a while ago, and recently bought Stitch and Bitch: The Happy Hooker, which is brilliant! Even though it showed me that I was doing it wrong :( I was going under only one loop of the row below, where I should have been going under both, so mine was more like ribbing. Also, I was throwing the yarn round like I do when I'm knitting. Probably not a big thing, and it probably doesn't matter to the finished product, but I wanted to be doing it right, so I'm changing. My 'beginning' project for this new crochet is Treenah, from the 1st edition of the Inside Loop. This pattern is good for me cos it starts off with a lot of treble crochet, so I get time to practice before the lace. And that tiny little bit in the picture? That took me 3 rippings and 2 hours of solid work just on that little bit (ie not including the time spent on the bits that got ripped) Crochet is harder than it looks!
And finally, I'm making Stargazer, from Magknits. I'm using some random red 100% wool I got off ebay ages ago. I was kind of saving it up for some imaginary intricate cabled sweater that I could never find a decent pattern for. I just couldn't find what was in my head, and couldn't be bothered spending the time to design it. Then I looked on ravelry and saw other people's versions of Stargazer, and one of them had a black border. I saw that, and thought that a black border would go well with red, and started making it :) I've modified the width of the top rectangles, so that it would meet the body rectangles under my bust, instead of in the middle of it. I'm in the middle of the last rectangle now, then I just need to join them all together. Making such big rectangles is hard going, but I'm so excited at the thought of having this top, it's not too hard to force myself to keep going.
So, I should be kept busy with all of that, but I still find myself wanting to cast on more projects. Ravelry is just tempting me far too much!
So first of all, an FO!
Pattern: Wabenschal
Yarn: Rennie pure wool in purple. I got this off of ebay as part of a test order to see what a shop was like, and this was my test project for the yarn (but don't tell my mum that, cos I gave it to her). It turned out really good, and blocked really well. The difference after blocking was amazing.
And, that's the only FO. All the other things I've been working on are still WIPs.
This is a garter stitch shawl I cast on cos I wanted something really brainless. It's not even normal shawl construction, it's just casting on 3 sts, then increasing at each end every other row. It's good for working on when I'm watching something. I'm about 2/3 of the way done, and I think I'm going to add embriodery afterwards to make it more interesting, maybe some flowers so it'll be all springlike. This project is good cos it's using up a thin yellow yarn that I got from a charity shop, and would probably not use for anything else cos of the colour.
I'm learning how to crochet properly at last! I taught myself off of some obscure instructions on the web a while ago, and recently bought Stitch and Bitch: The Happy Hooker, which is brilliant! Even though it showed me that I was doing it wrong :( I was going under only one loop of the row below, where I should have been going under both, so mine was more like ribbing. Also, I was throwing the yarn round like I do when I'm knitting. Probably not a big thing, and it probably doesn't matter to the finished product, but I wanted to be doing it right, so I'm changing. My 'beginning' project for this new crochet is Treenah, from the 1st edition of the Inside Loop. This pattern is good for me cos it starts off with a lot of treble crochet, so I get time to practice before the lace. And that tiny little bit in the picture? That took me 3 rippings and 2 hours of solid work just on that little bit (ie not including the time spent on the bits that got ripped) Crochet is harder than it looks!
And finally, I'm making Stargazer, from Magknits. I'm using some random red 100% wool I got off ebay ages ago. I was kind of saving it up for some imaginary intricate cabled sweater that I could never find a decent pattern for. I just couldn't find what was in my head, and couldn't be bothered spending the time to design it. Then I looked on ravelry and saw other people's versions of Stargazer, and one of them had a black border. I saw that, and thought that a black border would go well with red, and started making it :) I've modified the width of the top rectangles, so that it would meet the body rectangles under my bust, instead of in the middle of it. I'm in the middle of the last rectangle now, then I just need to join them all together. Making such big rectangles is hard going, but I'm so excited at the thought of having this top, it's not too hard to force myself to keep going.
So, I should be kept busy with all of that, but I still find myself wanting to cast on more projects. Ravelry is just tempting me far too much!
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