knitting fears

I've found myself riding in the car a lot lately, and I took the opportunity to spend some quality time with my knitting needles. The Ruffled Surplice is nearly finished. I have two more rows to knit on the bottom ruffle, then just weave in the ends and block. Sounds simple enough. In fact, it's been in this state for a couple of days and I really could be done by now. But I'm at that point in the project where you worry that you picked the wrong pattern and that the yarn is WAY too heavy and the texture is way too bulky and the color is probably a little obnoxious and so you hesitate to finish the thing because then all your fears will be realized. I do this all the time. Sometimes it all works out ok. But I have a really bad feeling about this one.

So, like the brave little knitter I am, I avoided finishing the surplice and started a new project! I've had yarn for the Summertime Tunic from Interweave Summer 2007 for quite a while, and after one trip to New York City (and back) (in one day) (don't ask) I have a good portion of it done. And speaking of obnoxious colors---watch out now! I'm using Elann Sonata in Grand Canyon and I thought I was going to get a muted terra cotta, but I am knitting with pumpkin orange. I think I need to dye it, but I'm still deciding. Has anyone ever dyed something after it's all knit up? Tell me it can be done.

a song for alice

I received the most wonderful gift in the mail the other day. I love artist's books to begin with, but this one is made by Erin, queen of all things lovely and cute and quirky. You can see the whole thing in her Flickr set, but here are my favorite parts.



My most favorite part is that it came tied up with this:


Thank you Erin! I adore it!! :)

the bunny

I finally organized all my past projects in Ravelry. (At least from the time I started taking photos of my projects.) I can't say enough about what a fantastic organizational tool this site is!! For anyone not on yet, I wish you speedy invitations! It's totally worth the wait.

To assist in the organizational process, I had to dig out my old knitting journal to remind me of what I'd done over the years. My journal seems both archaic and charming to me now with Flickr and Blogger and Ravelry, but it did provide a nice little trip down memory lane... I learned to knit in October of 2003 and started keeping track of my projects in my knitting journal in December of 2004. What I thought was SO difficult and impressive just a couple years ago seems sort of silly to me now! It's funny to look back at the pattern choices I made and the project notes I jotted down. While looking through it, the words "what was I thinking" came out of my mouth more than once. However, there is one project that has stood the test of time. One that I was as proud of then as I am today. It's the Bunny Finger Puppet. The bunny keeps on keepin' on. I think he's adorable and guess what else...I have the pattern. Alright, it's not specific and surely won't be chronicled in the knitting annals forevermore, and maybe you can knit a bunny finger puppet with your eyes closed and one hand tied behind your back, but this was very early on in my knitting and I was pretty impressed with myself for not only figuring it out, but actually writing it down. And so I'm sharing. :)

Bunny Finger Puppet

Needles: #2 straight and #6 dpn (you'll be knitting tightly to make the finger puppet sturdy!)

Yarn: worsted weight scrap yarn in white, black, and pink (or whatever color scheme your bunny prefers)

Gauge: meh.

Body:

• Using white yarn and size 6 dpn's CO 18 st.
• Join for knitting in the round and knit 18 rows.
• Cut yarn and run through all stitches. Fasten tightly.

Ears:

• Using white yarn and size 2 needles CO 6 st.
• k1, p1 for 13 rows.
• Cut yarn and run through all stitches, pull tightly to make the top of the ear appear narrower.
• Make another.

Sew both bunny ears to the top of the bunny body.

Weave in ends.

Use black yarn to make eyes and pink yarn to make a nose. I don't have a special method for this. I just wrapped the yarn around one of the stitches and tied it on the inside.

Enjoy!

ravelry

I got my Ravelry invite the other day! I haven't had time to do much, but OH! the possibilities!! Thanks, frecklegirl!

i still knit

Although I've been spending most of my craft time making jewelry, I swear I'm still knitting! But my progress makes for boring blogging since I've been working on the Ruffled Surplice, exclusively. Just more of the same. The back and both the fronts are blocking and the sleeves are almost finished. Then I just have to knit a few miles of ruffles and I'm done! I expect to have my spring knitting finished just in time for fall. :)

P.S. From what I can gather, it looks like most of my Etsy shop visitors have been knitters and knit bloggers. Thank you so much!!