Interesting Observations

I got a spam comment on a post about my blog stats the other day.  The only thing in the message was “Interesting.  But I don’t agree with you.”  Which part exactly is there to not agree with?  My sweaters are not lovely?  Magknits is good about responding?  Come on spam, if you’re not going to provide links to porn or cars, what’s the point??

Also, there are no ravelry groups for yarn snobs, yet there are three groups for justifying cheap ass yarn.  (Frugal Knitters, with topics like “I found red heart soft!” and “Block or not to block” [because heat kills acrylic]; Equal Opportunity Yarn Consumers, with topics like Vanna White, Caron Simply Soft, and Red Heart SuperSaver; and finally Indiscriminate Yarn Lover; with a post about Lion Jiffy and someone commented “Mohair … that’s one of those fun fur like yarns, right”).  I think I need to go make a group for the loud and proud luxury yarn lovers (come on, a group for each type of yarn just isn’t enough).  (It will end up just like I was going to make a group for Arlington Stitch & Bitch!)

See, that was just mean.

Dear Knitpicks -

You know how I was just telling everyone that I wasn’t casting on new projects until after finals this semester?

Well, this was just mean and spiteful!

(That’s a couple of balls of Gloss; in Dusk for a completely different take on the Logan River Wrap ; and some Burgundy for the Faux Russian Stole in Gathering of Lace, … or possibly a Thermal … along with some US 4 interchangable tips).

Alas, there’s that red book in the corner.  Modeling Survival Data in Medical Research.  And woe, for I must apply it to charter schools before I can start any new scarf, or hat, or sock, or sweater.

Terribly mean, Knitpicks.  Terribly mean.  Old Navy at least sent me something useful.  Clothes are useful.  They mean I can go several more days without doing laundry.  Even if I should wash them before I wear them.  More useful than yarn, given the rule!

No love,

Amber

FO: Herringbone Hat

I should point out that I haven’t really finished a bunch of things lately, I just haven’t photographed things recently.

Pattern - My Own!

Yarn - Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk Aran (black) & Lorna’s Laces Shepard Worsted (Iris Garden)

Needles - US 7 (16″ circulars, set of double points)

Gauge - 5 stitches per inch

I started with a plain old herringbone chart - messed around with the decreases until I liked how they turned out:

Of course, you might recall that it looked a little different back in the day — so I did some minor surgery…

Put in a lifeline in the first row of color work…

Take deep breath and cut off the plain old ribbing…

Wonder if you’ve made a huge mistake…

Pick up stitches around lifeline…

Commence corrugated ribbing…

Be glad you put in all the extra effort (even if the corrugated ribbing, since knit top down on an otherwise bottom up hat) is offset by 1/2 of a stitch).

FO: My First Top Down Raglan

The weather may be frightful, but I was wearing a very warm sweater!

Pattern: A top down raglan generator

Yarn: Nashua Creative Focus Worsted (not really worsted)

Needles: Addi turbo, size 5

Gauge: 5.75 st/inch

Sure, it’s a little itchy - this was my first knit with alpaca. But it isn’t so bad with a long sleeve shirt underneath. I’ve been thinking that I was going to have to unravel the sleeves and reknit because they seemed too big and floppy, but with a shirt underneath it was pretty perfect.

Some detail shots:

(A silly dance, in celebration of all that Lorna’s right behind me…)

The neck could have benefited from some short rows or something.

I have to roll up the sleeves just a bit.

After Jess took the 4th photo of my chest, well… I started feeling a little silly.