I'm referring, of course, to one of the first things I noticed through the torrential rains Tuesday as the cab lurched its way through Brooklyn. Detour sign right in the middle of Washington Avenue. Well, this post is sort of like that...ish. No knitting/sewing projects were harmed in the making of this post due to an unexpected detour, i.e. I packed project yarn and the only needles thick enough to do it justice, neglecting to realize you can't make a pair of wristwarmers on long circulars. I knew there was a reason for preferring my eccentric double-points. Eh, live and learn, and then give away Dalek washcloths as houseburning presents to quirky siblings.
But other than not having a knitting project, this trip has been just peachy. Shall I mention singing the Muppets theme on the subway? Designing wedding dresses? (Well, honestly, the likelihood of me ever getting married is up there with Hell freezing over and pigs growing wings, but it is a complex project not unlike costuming and therefore something of a mental/artistic exercise. My sister pines after a slightly Regency-inspired empire-waisted number with straps and a sweetheart neckline and enough give in the skirt to make it good for dancing without messing up the silhouette, and I'm curious about the suitableness of a large triangular panel in the back. My hypothetical dress skews more Renaissance with a front-laced bodice and flowing skirt with attachable train, but I stopped short of bell or Tudor sleeves 'cause I'm not that costumey. But anyhoo.) Or perhaps I should bubble on about finally being able to hit the loo at the Way Station (trust my sister to all unknowingly find an apartment a block away from the Doctor Who themed bar). Um...yeah, I know, hardly appropriate conversation, but you know how the outside is the TARDIS? It really is bigger on the inside. Seriously. Actually, my train of thought went more like this: this sonic screwdriver's going straight to my bladder, or maybe my head, is that writing on the door, it really is bigger on the inside signed scribble scribble the doctor, oh my turn, holy @#^! it really is bigger on the inside, is that a framed autograph over the toilet, seriously matt happily is spelled with one l not two, is it just me or has it been a surreal couple of minutes. I never said my trains of thought were amusing, or stylistically correct (capitalization? we don't need no stinkin' capitalization!), so look away if you're offended.
Also, as of Monday I will be back in St. Louis to re-addres (redress?) the issue of wristwarmers, on proper needles this time, which will put me (finally!) back on track. Detour? Derailment? We'll see in a few days/weeks/months/years/lifetimes. Meanwhile, "Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky," etc., and let's all get back to ringing in the new year...or something.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Chopstick power!
Remember back in October when I set out a certain challenge for myself involving chopsticks? Eh, that's okay, I don't remember the details either. But I think it was something along the lines of "I bet I could do an advanced-beginner washcloth on chopsticks to prove you don't need 'real' knitting needles to knit something cool." That said, since I haven't posted anything in almost a month, it's close to the holiday season, and I have something--well, not pretty, but kind of awesome--to show off...
Yes, I know it's not finished yet. Pbbt!
For the record, that is my couch cushion and the keyboard to my new laptop, and those are honest to goodness chopsticks. Actually they're kind of the nice-ish bamboo ones you get from the Chinese supermarket. Good for cooking, eating, and, apparently in a pinch, knitting.
By the way, bobbles are still a bit tricky with blunt-tipped "needles," and try not to swear a blue streak if you're going to be using Lionbrand Jiffy: the fuzz problem is part of the charm on a finished project. And, um, right-side-purl letters don't really show up so well. Drat, there is a purpose to color-work after all...
And for those of you in the know, yes, I realize this yarn is actually a rather lovely TARDIS blue. My few remaining brain cells are, in fact, plotting their next move.
In the meantime, happy knitting season--I mean holidays!--and don't forget to EXFOLIATE!
Yes, I know it's not finished yet. Pbbt!
And for those of you in the know, yes, I realize this yarn is actually a rather lovely TARDIS blue. My few remaining brain cells are, in fact, plotting their next move.
In the meantime, happy knitting season--I mean holidays!--and don't forget to EXFOLIATE!
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
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.
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'.
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.
Monday, November 21, 2011
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!
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!
Saturday, November 19, 2011
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.
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.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Scarf picture
More to come: Will I ever start those gloves? Washcloth on chopsticks! My knitting taboos. Adventures in NYC (where I serendipitously or un-serendipitously missed Comic-Con by a mere week...). Etc. Back in a bit. You know, eventually.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Killing time, part deux
Actually, I'm not sure there was a part 1, but as I'm always killing time when I blog, not always for legitimate reasons, I figure part 2 is a perfectly reasonable place to start. So what am I killing time instead of doing right now? Well, where do I start? I am "mostly" packed for a flight to New York to visit my sister and one of my friends from med school. I've finished a couple loads of laundry which mostly means clothing, but there's a pile of bedding that just ain't gonna get done before I have to leave. I have patient logs that I'm at least a week behind on. I still need to find people to cover my clinic days when I'm floor senior next month. And I still need to locate a dentist while I have vacation time to actually get my teeth cleaned. All told, perfect time to procrastinate and blog about knitting/sewing projects. Knitting ahoy!
The Amy scarf is about halfway finished and looks friggin' gorgeous. No more dropped stitches (must locate wood to knock on without getting up from couch), and the pattern does get more manageable as you repeat it to infinity. Even the knit-elevens, especially if you remember where your yarn-overs were on the previous rows. Though I have to admit I've always rather hated purling. Something to look forward to when I'm doing this in the round for the gloves: all wrong-side purl rows become knit! Glorious! Knew there was a reason I have a preponderance of hats in my finished knitting projects drawer.
My next knitting challenge, should I choose to accept it (and should I ever finish the above-mentioned scarf and gloves), will be a horse of a different color. It's a pretty boring story, but probably necessary. So I was in Milwaukee last week hanging out with my pal the Desultory Knitter, and, naturally, we got on the subject of knitting and couldn't get off it, no doubt much to the dismay of her long-suffering husband. We were ogling patterns in one of the Stitch-n-Bitch series books, and there was a comment by one of the contributors about how she got her start with some loose yarns and two dowel rods run through a pencil sharpener. Being both a slightly kooky knitter and, well, Asian, my first thought was "What if you decided on a whim you wanted to learn how to knit, and all you had was some plain worsted-weight yarn and a pair of chopsticks?" Keeping in mind that most households don't have a set of size-8 all-purpose double-points tucked away in a drawer somewhere and that at least slightly more of them will have the aforementioned chopsticks. Some adventure in takeout or delivery from the local "Chinese" place, usually, although if you have a nicer pair that splinters less your fingers might thank you. So, can one Macgyver together a project out of boring yarn and a kitchen utensil? Eh, why not?
Thus was born the next challenge of my knitterly life: the Dalek washcloth, Asian-style. Don't knock it, the concept of the washcloth as a beginner project is much-maligned but perhaps unfairly, since it's one of the most adaptable palettes to both pattern-work and color-work available to the novice knitter. I bet that I could accomplish, on standard-issue eating chopsticks, using...hmm...a skein of blue Lionbrand Jiffy, a washcloth complete with Dalek picture and "Exfoliate" logo, for your nerdly pleasure. Think I can't? Well, you might be right, but if I forfeit due to time issues that doesn't count.
In other news, anybody got a good idea for a costume theme for the residents on one floor of a children's hospital? There's a costume contest every year, and they tend to go for humor (last year's winners dressed up as the animals pictured on each floor of the parking garage). All my tired old brain cells could come up with was Famous Fictional Doctors (not MDs), but I'm having trouble coming up with female ones that are family-appropriate (somehow don't think Doctor Girlfriend, aka Mrs. Doctor the Monarch, even in the pink suit and hat, would quite cut it). Sad, 'cause the male ones are pretty obvious: Doc Brown, Dr. Evil, Dr. Horrible, Doctor Who, heck I'd even accept House because he doesn't wear a white coat and/or scrubs and that's really my only goal. Ideas? We have until the end of the month, and my pride and my seniorly duties dictate that I come up with something at least slightly awesome. Whatever that means.
The Amy scarf is about halfway finished and looks friggin' gorgeous. No more dropped stitches (must locate wood to knock on without getting up from couch), and the pattern does get more manageable as you repeat it to infinity. Even the knit-elevens, especially if you remember where your yarn-overs were on the previous rows. Though I have to admit I've always rather hated purling. Something to look forward to when I'm doing this in the round for the gloves: all wrong-side purl rows become knit! Glorious! Knew there was a reason I have a preponderance of hats in my finished knitting projects drawer.
My next knitting challenge, should I choose to accept it (and should I ever finish the above-mentioned scarf and gloves), will be a horse of a different color. It's a pretty boring story, but probably necessary. So I was in Milwaukee last week hanging out with my pal the Desultory Knitter, and, naturally, we got on the subject of knitting and couldn't get off it, no doubt much to the dismay of her long-suffering husband. We were ogling patterns in one of the Stitch-n-Bitch series books, and there was a comment by one of the contributors about how she got her start with some loose yarns and two dowel rods run through a pencil sharpener. Being both a slightly kooky knitter and, well, Asian, my first thought was "What if you decided on a whim you wanted to learn how to knit, and all you had was some plain worsted-weight yarn and a pair of chopsticks?" Keeping in mind that most households don't have a set of size-8 all-purpose double-points tucked away in a drawer somewhere and that at least slightly more of them will have the aforementioned chopsticks. Some adventure in takeout or delivery from the local "Chinese" place, usually, although if you have a nicer pair that splinters less your fingers might thank you. So, can one Macgyver together a project out of boring yarn and a kitchen utensil? Eh, why not?
Thus was born the next challenge of my knitterly life: the Dalek washcloth, Asian-style. Don't knock it, the concept of the washcloth as a beginner project is much-maligned but perhaps unfairly, since it's one of the most adaptable palettes to both pattern-work and color-work available to the novice knitter. I bet that I could accomplish, on standard-issue eating chopsticks, using...hmm...a skein of blue Lionbrand Jiffy, a washcloth complete with Dalek picture and "Exfoliate" logo, for your nerdly pleasure. Think I can't? Well, you might be right, but if I forfeit due to time issues that doesn't count.
In other news, anybody got a good idea for a costume theme for the residents on one floor of a children's hospital? There's a costume contest every year, and they tend to go for humor (last year's winners dressed up as the animals pictured on each floor of the parking garage). All my tired old brain cells could come up with was Famous Fictional Doctors (not MDs), but I'm having trouble coming up with female ones that are family-appropriate (somehow don't think Doctor Girlfriend, aka Mrs. Doctor the Monarch, even in the pink suit and hat, would quite cut it). Sad, 'cause the male ones are pretty obvious: Doc Brown, Dr. Evil, Dr. Horrible, Doctor Who, heck I'd even accept House because he doesn't wear a white coat and/or scrubs and that's really my only goal. Ideas? We have until the end of the month, and my pride and my seniorly duties dictate that I come up with something at least slightly awesome. Whatever that means.
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