Loose threads, part 2: at laaaaaaast!

After what might only be 2 months of very interrupted knitting and feels more like 2 years, I hereby present my finished lovelies:

 Oh, and please ignore the bathroom accoutrements.  Happened to be the best mirror and lighting to get the effects and picture quality I wanted.

 Also, ignore the cat-tail.  :)  What was the purpose of this exercise, you ask?  Why, to show off the "exquisite" detailing on the Amy scarf and gloves.  The fringe is fairly self-explanatory, of course: just pull through individual pieces of yarn and knot.  Unfortunately my few existing crochet hooks are enormous, so I made do with a tapestry needle.  Note to self: in future, make fringe shorter--like, half a foot instead of a full foot, maybe.

 Lessons learned on gloves:
1.  To do the Wheat in the Wind lace pattern in the round, use a multiple of 12 stitches rather than (multiple of 12) + 3.
2.  For all even/previously WS purl rows in the lace pattern, knit all stitches instead.  Yay!
3.  To create a cuff of some sort, try a textured stitch such as a rib or a seed stitch (1x1 seed stitch shown here).
4.  I suggest stockinette for the fingers just to avoid driving yourself crazy.  Just sayin'.

And, of course, what you're oh-so-anxiously waiting for, the Reverse Wheat in the Wind lace stitch (worked over a multiple of 12 stitches in the round):
For all even rows, knit entire round.
Rows 1+3: *p1, k11, rpt from * to end of round.
Row 5: *p1, k4, k2tog, k1, sl1 k1 psso, yo, k1, yo, k1, rpt from * to end of round.
Row 7: *p1, k3, k2tog, k1, sl1 k1 psso, yo, k1, yo, k2, rpt from * to end of round.
Row 9: *p1, k2, k2tog, k1, sl1 k1 psso, yo, k1, yo, k3, rpt from * to end of round.
Row 11: *p1, k1, k2tog, k1, sl1 k1 psso, yo, k1, yo, k4, rpt from * to end of round.

Actually, I hope that made some semblance of sense.  Clear as mud?  Great!  Oh, also, for the thumb gussets I made increases at the initial purl stitch on my 2nd of 3 pattern repeats.  Essentially, by the end of the pattern block I ended up with a purl stitch at the beginning of 1 repeat and the end of the previous, with 12 knit stitches in the middle that became the thumb (or was it 11 plus one of the purl stitches?).  And, yeah, that really makes about as much sense as a Mensa quiz.  All I can say is, don't take my word for it, try it for yourself/ves!  Horrible "Reading Rainbow" paraphrase is horrible.

More loose threads to come!  Take that how you will.

Picking up loose threads, part 1

It occurs to me I haven't posted at least half of what I promised in coming attractions, so because my brain is dead to all useful activity at the moment, I think it's time to deliver.  Well, to some extent, anyway.  In any case, without further ado, as part of the essential knitter declaration series (don't worry, I made that up), the following are my knitting heresies:

1.  Gauge square?  We don't need no stinkin' gauge square!  Need I explain this to anybody?  I have never had a project come out right with fewer trial-and-error cycles by knitting one of these stupid things.  By the way, a glove/mitten cuff or hatband in the hands of someone comfortable with double-points does not take that much time, and if you know your own yarn tension and the appropriate yarn type for a project, you're pretty much 90% there.  Plus you don't waste the yarn.  Or have a bunch of stockinette squares wasting room in your stash pantry/drawer.

2.  Always--no, never--use the recommended yarn for a pattern.  Pppbbbt!  Do I look like I'm made of money?  Poo on your luxury yarns, poo I say!  Honestly, just say on your pattern "worsted weight" or "bulky" or "fingering" or "sport" or whatever, and I can find something appropriate.  Or tailor my yarn tension/needle size accordingly.  And sometimes you can get a totally unexpected and awesome result by breaking with guidelines.  Would I lie to you?  Actually, don't answer that.

3.  What are these standard size needles of which you speak?  I own a handful of mismatched bamboo double-points that might or might not have belonged to my grandmother.  Besides, "standard US size" doesn't apply to Chinese needles, now does it?  I think I might have sizes 5 to 8.  Ish.  Does it matter?  Uh...not for the past decade or so.

4.  Speaking of which, who needs 3 different kinds of knitting needle?  Be honest, now, when's the last time you really cared about doing a flat project e.g. scarf or washcloth on long single-points versus long double-points versus circulars?  It looks the same.  Period.

5.  Finishing is for the birds.  So...be honest again, have you never left a loose tail on the inside of a hat under the assumption that NO ONE WILL SEE IT?  Yeah, thought so.  Speaking of hats and other "shaped" items, wet-blocking?  Are you freakin' kidding me?  I will not hand-wash an object, roll it out in a towel (or stretch it over a perfectly serviceable plate which now can no longer be used for its original purpose), and let it dry, only to see it (especially in the case of stockinette scarves) curl right back up into its stubborn just-knit configuration the minute I throw it down someplace and forget about it.  Not gonna happen.  I'll take my knit items au naturel, thank you very much.

6.  But not near least: Always--no, never!--take your "skill level" into account on a project.  It just makes you psych yourself out, and then you're bound to fail.  DOOOOOOM!  No needles?  No experience?  No problem!  Keep in mind this simple mantra: the end justifies the means.  That intermediate/expert-level project's gonna look awesome if you keep encouraged, and who wants a garter-stitch washcloth anyway?

Honestly, I could ramble on for a few centuries, not that I'm gonna.  Time to put my money where my mouth is, and if I can't force myself to study or write or try to become a better doctor, at least there are lace gloves.  This has been another episode of loose screws--I mean threads!

It's beginning to look a lot like Nov--argh!

Hello again and welcome to my too-busy-to-blog blog!  No, I haven't disappeared off the face of the earth, and neither has my knitting (although...2 or more weeks after finishing my awesomely awesome red lace scarf, and I have neither pictures nor matching fingerless gloves--really, what gives?).  Oh, all right, that's a slight exaggeration: 1 glove is nearly done, just missing some really quick and easy to make stockinette fingers.  For second glove, though, to do it justice, I really need to play around with reversing the "Wheat in the Wind" lace pattern.  Well, it seems easy enough, and I did just sort of play the increases for the thumb gusset completely by ear on the first glove and managed not to screw up too badly, so what's the worst that could happen?

I'll tell you the worst that could happen.  It could still remain stubbornly not made, that's what!  November, November, what will I do wi' ye?  Halloween/All Saints' Day found me captaining a group of interns on the always-unpredictable Neurology floor.  While we won the Halloween costume contest (Clue! We look adorable! Or is it adorkable?), we weren't exactly winning prizes for light workload.  Note to self: night shifts provide way more time for clandestine knitting.  Then, on top of that, let's add the threat of USMLE Step 3 looming (day after Thanksgiving--woohoo).  Additionally, I'll mention that November is National Novel Writing Month (nanowrimo, for those in the know), and I'm a glutton for a good story idea--can't resist, know I have a problem, not contemplating changing it.  And lastly, factor in a 6-year-old laptop that finally decided to do the expected thing and crap out for good (sure, it's only a ball-bearing in the fan, but is it even worth sending to the factory to replace at 6 years out?  How 'bout no?).  So...nearly 3 weeks into the month, and the score is 1 scarf, 3/4 of a glove, 8,000 words (goal is 50,000 by the end of the month), no USMLE studying, and a new laptop.  Who da man?  Um...not this chick.