The End is Near

Another year is coming to an end and I have completely failed at sticking to my plans. Maybe I am just not meant to set goals. Maybe I need to just go where the wind takes me. Who knows, all I know is that I did not complete all the projects I set myself for this year and I sure as heck did not stick to the no buying yarn thing.

Shameful really. I have managed to only complete nine projects this year. Out of those nine finished projects only three where from my project list that I posted about here and here. I have three projects that are work in progress, one of those is a long term project as it is a patchwork blanket made from left over yarn. Here is the link for the pattern page for the blanket, it is perfect for all the left over yarn and you do not want to do the Beekeeper's Quilt. 

Now, I must say that even if I did not make my Knitting goals, I did complete project plan # 3. This project consisted of me finally finishing, putting together and learning how to use my Ashford Kiwi 2. While I will not call myself a master at using my wheel. I am proud to say that after getting a 2 hour crash course on how to spin on a wheel, I am well on my way to becoming a spinner.

Another goal that I accomplished was to dye yarn. I did a bit of it this year and all the yarns I dyed were a success. I failed to photograph most of the yarn that I dyed, but I am so much more confident in my dying skills and cannot wait to get better.

I do not think I am going to set myself project goals for 2014. I think I am going to work on getting better at my craft and getting better at documenting my journey. In order to do that I have armed myself with tools to help me because it is not just about needles and yarn.

Tools for a better Fiber Artist and Blogger

Shown above Simplified Planner for planning projects and posts, my personalized May Designs Notebook for notes, My Olympus to take photos and of course my trusty Mac Book.

So here is to a more productive 2014!

Until next time, Happy Knitting!

~Knitting Chica

You Cannot Call Me Al

My first project for 2013 was supposed to be You can Call Me Al sock pattern from Knitty Fall 2012. But while working on the pattern I found some issues that I did not like. So I decided that I would scratch that pattern and just make it up as I went along and thus the "You Cannot Call Me Al" socks were born. I did not know what else to call them since I made up the socks on the fly. I thought that I would write out the pattern and upload it to Ravelry, but after searching on Ravelry I found similar sock patterns so I decided to not do it. If I ever design my own pattern I want it to be as different as possible to other patterns.

I really love the yarns from Cephalopod. They are always so bright and the yarn always feels amazing! So far this year I have made two projects with their yarn and there are more in my future.

Until next time, Happy Knitting!

~Knitting Chica

Pink Monkey

Pattern: Monkey
Designer: Cookie A.
Pattern Book/Site: Knitty Winter 2006
Yarn: Cascade Yarns, Cascade 220 Fingering
Needle: US 2 - 2.75 mm
Pattern Rating: 5 out of 5

You can kiss my 2013 Project Plans good-bye. I started out with good intentions but I have totally failed at keeping them. I have made some of the projects on my list but for the most part I have cheated and worked on other things.

Today I bring you one of the patterns I cheated with and it is the all famous Monkey Socks by Cookie A.

My Monkey Sock Mascot. Found somewhere online

 I can totally see why this pattern is so popular. It had me addicted from the start. It was easy enough that I could work on them while watching TV but interesting enough to keep me going. The first sock took me a little while to make because real life kept getting in the way, but the second sock I was able to finish in 3 days. If you have not made these socks I highly recommend them. I am already plotting my next pair.

As for the yarn that I used, I loved the color, bright and totally girlie but I do not know if I will work with it again for socks. It was always splitting, it is very annoying when you are working on small needles. If you do not mind the splitting then I recommend it, the price value is very good, colors are fun and it does not feel bad in your hands.

Photos of my Pink Monkey Socks:

You can read more on the project and view more photos on my Ravelry project page here.

Until next time, Happy Knitting!

~Knitting Chica

Things I have learned while Dyeing Yarn

I have gotten pretty addicted to this yarn dyeing thing. I do not know yet if this is a good thing or a bad thing. I mean, do I really need one more thing to be obsessed with?

In this very short time of me working with Acid Dyes, I have compiled a list of things I have learned. Some of the things I have learned are common sense things, but we all know that common sense escapes me sometimes, other things are things that are in almost all literature that you find on dyeing yarn, but still failed to follow and some things I never knew and I learned on the job.

Here are the things that I have learned so far in my yarn dyeing adventures:

1. Do not dye yarn in a dark pot. You will not be able to tell when the color has been exhausted.
2. There is a reason why they tell you to make sure you are in a ventilated area when dyeing yarn. Please follow that rule.
3. Write down the color recipe so you can recreate it. Yes I know, this is a "DUH" kind of thing but I just created this very pretty color and I forgot to write it down how much of each color I used to make it.
4. No plastic spoons!
5. Before you start, make sure you have all your tools on hand.
6. Please wear shoes. *ahem*

I am sure this list will grow as I dye more yarn and experiment with different dyeing techniques. I will be sure to document them so you wont have to make the same mistakes as me.

Right now this is what I have brewing in my very dark pot:


See what I mean? Dark pot and Dark Dye do not mix.

I think I will take a trip to the store while the yarn is cooling off to correct some of the wrongs on my list above. In the meantime, why don't you tell me some of the things you have learned while dyeing yarn?

Until next time, Happy Knitting Dyeing!

~Knitting Chica


PS: I have much to blog about, like I have finally finished my spinning wheel and the Blue Peony is almost done and I do have some projects that are completed but just failed to post finished photos. I promise to post all about these things VERY SOON.

Hand Dyed Yarn: Emerald Isle

Meet Emerald Isle, 440 yards of very yummy Worsted weight Superwash Merino Wool. It was a lot of fun dyeing this yarn but man is Emerald a hard color to get. It was worth it, I think it came out beautiful.

What do you think?

Until next time, Happy Knitting!

~Knitting Chica

I have been on a role lately, so far this week I have blocked three projects. Now I am just down to one more completed project to block and I am done.

You have seen the hat before here. I wore it for a long time with out blocking but I did not like the ripples and the point at the top of the hat so I finally decided to do something about it.

 The red top is my vacation top. This was a great and quick project to work on.

Now all I have to do is keep up this momentum.

Until next time, Happy Knitting!

~Knitting Chica

For the Love of Shawls

I LOVE making Shawls. They are easy to carry around, you do not have to worry about the fit and they make amazing gifts. I am always on the lookout for the newest design to pop up on Ravelry. I recently showed you some of my favorite from my Malabrigio post last week. So far this month these beauties have popped up on my radar:

I think is the stripes that got me with this one. I gravitate to almost everything with stripes.

Trilinear

Dreambird was found by one of my G+ buddies, what would I do without them?

Dreambird

This designer does some amazing work. I learned about her from one of my G+ buddies.

Fire-Drake

Are these shawls not to die for? I just love them all and really, really want to make them NOW. If only I could just sit around and knit all day. *sigh*

While looking for these months goods I ran into this pretty little number:

Fianna

Is that not just the prettiest shawl? The designer made this Shawl in Malabrigo Arroyo.


Do you like making Shawls? What Patterns are you currently coveting? Please post links, I would love to see your Shawl picks.

Until next time, Happy Knitting!
~Knitting Chica

Emerald - 2013 Color of the Year

Rejoice Green lovers, Pantone has voted the color Emerald as the 2013 color of the Year.  

Emerald is one of my favorite shades of green but as much as I like it I do not own very much in the color. The dominating color in my closet consists of mostly black and grey, which fits the stereotypical uniform of a New Yorker. Without much success I have tried to introduce color to my pallet. Is not that I do not like color, my favorite color is red, the brighter the red the happier I am and I also love jeweled toned colors which Emerald would fall into the mix is just black is so much easier.

When I was planning out this year's projects I had already decided that I was going to add more color. I have projects that will be made in lime green, yellow, hot pink and other anti-me colors. I think it will be the beginning of a beautiful relationship with color or a total train wreck. 

In order to continue my trip outside of my color zone and in honor of the color Emerald, I will make one of my "2013 Projects" in Emerald Green. Being that I am still in one of my two yarn shopping months of the year, I am still keeping with my yarn diet.

The project that I will be making in the color of the year is Sotherton:

The designer sweater is already in a beautiful green color which sealed the deal for me to make it in the color. I have a few ideas for the yarn to use for this project:

Blue Sky Alpacas Sport Weight in Emerald

Louisa Harding Orielle in Emerald

Patons Fairytale Soft DK in Emerald

Rowan Baby Merino Silk Dk in Emerald

It is amazing the difference in the shades of Emerald from one yarn company to another. My favorite from the 4 above has to be the Louisa Harding Yarn. Not only is it a beautiful color green the gold metallic gives it a pretty sparkle. Not to mention it is 100% Baby Alpaca so you know it is super soft on the skin. 

What do you think of this year's color? Will you be embracing the 2013 Color of the year?

Until next time, Happy Knitting!

~Knitting Chica

Work in Progress Wednesday: Himbeerwellen

This months on the Google+ Crochet Along group we are working on the Himbeerwellen mitts. As you can see from the project page picture below they are absolutely gorgeous.

Not my photo. This is the photo from the Designer's project page.

I officially started this project on October 6th after I was done with my Rainbow Brite Socks . It has been a real challenge working on this project. The project is done completely in back loop slip stitch, which I have never done before and as an added bonus you have to crochet very loose and that is like a foreign concept with me as I crochet very tightly.

I finished one of the mitts today and as much as I appreciate learning a new technique and as much as I like the look of this pattern I will not be completing this project. Why you ask? Well let me show you....

How bad is that stitching? :(

After all the trouble I went through to get to the end of the pattern. I get to the seam and it is like entering the seventh circle of hell. Really, I am not kidding, I was chilling with Alexander the Great in the Phlegethon (I read the Inferno many times, can you tell?). That is how bad this part was. I started this over so many times that the stitches started to separate from each other. So I decided instead of frustrating myself and destroying my beautiful Bugga, I am going to make Mary Margaret's Lace Tam.

Mary Margaret from Once Upon a Time

Who knows maybe at some point in the future I will give the mitts another try.

Until next time, Happy Knitting or Crocheting!!

~Knitting Chica

Knit Wear Fall 2012

Last night I picked up the latest Knit Wear magazine and I have to say I am not disappointed by the patterns, but then again I have yet to be disappointed on the patterns offered by this publication.

My favorite patterns from this issue are:

Boxed Pullover

Trapezoid Tee

Tucked-Buttonband Cardigan

Turned Cable Cardigan

You can see the rest of the patterns on Ravelry here. Have you seen this issue? What are your favorite patterns?

Until next time, Happy knitting!

~Knitting Chica

Work in Progress Thursday?

I do not know what happened to Wednesday. It slipped right by me and I did not write up a blog post. So today will be my Wednesday and Thursday rolled into one.

First let us start with what I am working on:

One down, one more to go

The Rainbow Brite Socks. I am still going at it. I should have been done with this project ages ago but it has turned into the after thought project. The project that I would work on for a little while when my main project is giving me heart burn. Well, since I already finished the first sock I decided to knock this one out and finish it this week.

Now on to the latest project. On the Crochet Along on Google+ group we are  working on the Himbeerwellen Mitts as our CAL for the month of October.

Not my photo. This is the photo from the project page.

I have yet to start this project, actually I did start it but frogged it so that I can practice on thicker yarn so I can get a hang of the stitches. I am pretty excited about this project. The mitts are very pretty, I am learning a new technique and I get to use this beautiful yarn:


Cephalopod Skinny Bugga in the color Spanish Dancer

What projects are you working on or about to cast on?

Until next time, Happy Knitting!

~Knitting Chica

Future Project Plans

Today we will not have a work in progress post as I am still working on the same two projects from last week and I did not want to repeat myself. So instead today is going to be "Future Project Plans" day. Aside from the projects that I have in progress I have three projects that I want to get done before the end of the year. One of them is the Pair-a-normal socks I spoke of here.

The other two projects that I want to work on are as follows.

Jeweled Cowl by knitimo

Not my photo. This is the photo from the project page.

 The yarn I have planned for this is this pretty yellow lace yarn:

Space Cadet Creations Luna Lace Weight Yarn in the color Honey

The only thing I am missing is the beads. I was looking in my bead stash but I do not have what I am looking for. I want to add multi-colored beads to my cowl similar to what the designer did with her cowl above.

The other project I have in my sights, which I know just about everyone is familiar with is Citron by Hilary Smith Callis

Not my photo. This is the photo from the project page

I love how this shawl looks in green so I bought this pretty green lace weight yarn for the project:

MissBabs Yasmin Lace Weight Yarn Merino & Silk in the color Ghoulish

I think with the random projects that I have in different levels of completion, plus the three projects I mentioned above will keep me busy through the end of the year if not into the New Year. If only I can add some more hours in the day for knitting.

Pretty Lace

What future projects do you have lined up?

Until next time, happy Knitting!

~Knitting Chica

**Note: Photos of the yarn taken by Pedro of Pedro Alicea Photography. You can see  more of his work here.**

I really cannot have anything nice...

Pattern: Color Affection
Designer: Veera Valimaki
Pattern book: N/A
Yarn: Yummy Superwash Sock & Baby Yarn - 2 ply
Needles: Size 6 Knit Picks Interchangeable Needles
Pattern Rating: 5 out of 5

My Color Affection Shawl is finally blocked and I got home early enough to take some outside photos of my shawl. I am very happy with the way it turned out and eventually plan on making a second one.

Front

Back

Now that the weather is getting cooler I decided to wear my beautiful shawl today. Not even a full day with it on and already messed it up. I did not notice that one of the ends got caught on my purse and when I went to put it down it pulled one of the stitches.

Sorry for the crappy cell phone photo.

I am sure it can be fixed but it is just the principle of it! Why can't I have something really pretty that I do not mess up on the first day.

Oh well, I love it anyway and I know it will get lots of use. As usual you can get all the details on this project on my Ravelry project page.

Until next time, Happy Knitting!

~Knitting Chica

Weekend Review

I do not have much to report from this weekend as I have spent it sick on my couch. I did get myself out of the house for a little while on Saturday to get some fresh air and Sunshine by attending the Hyattsville Arts Festival and The Plucky Knitter Trunk show at Fibre Space.

I wanted so many of her yarn, but at the end I got just two skeins of her fingering yarn. As beautiful as her yarn is my wallet was kicking and screaming in protest.

I plan on making the Pair-a-normal socks that came out with the most recent issue of Knitty.

Are these not the coolest socks you ever seen?

I will be using the Gray yarn as the main color and the Pink yarn for the Skulls. I plan to make the toes and top bands in solid pink. That way I can get a lot more use of the pink yarn and not have too much left over.

Aside, from buying yarn and planning what to make with it. I worked on my Stole and I am happy to report that I am almost done with it. I want to have it done by Thursday so I can block it over the weekend and have something to show next week. As much fun as this project has been, I am ready to move on and finish some of the other projects I have on the needles.

Finally, I blocked my Color Affection Shawl. I will be taking photos of it tonight and have photos up tomorrow.

Until next time, Happy knitting!

~Knitting Chica

New Yarn: Miss Babs yarn all day every day

Last Saturday I went to the MissBabs trunk show at Fibre Space and after acting like a totally nuts fan girl, I proceeded to add more yarn to my stash. Her yarn is just so beautiful and I had such a hard time picking what I wanted, but I think I came out with some great stuff and I did not make that big of a dent on my wallet.

First up is Miss Babs "Yowza - Whatta a Skein!" in the color "Oyster". It is her Worsted weight, superwash, super yummy yarn. Which I plan to make the short sleeved version of the Space Girl pattern. 

 

Next up is Miss Babs "Yummy - Monochrome Sock & Baby Yarn" in the color "French Marigold". It is her 2 ply, squishy, superwash, wash yarn. I plan to make the Kiertoradalla sock pattern in this yummy orange color yarn. I have wanted a pair of Orange socks for a year now. When I saw this yarn I snatched it so quickly off the rack. Glad I did as other people were admiring the skein and it was the last one!

And lastly is Miss Babs "Leftie Yarn Set" in colors Peweter, Coos Bay, French Marigold, Frog Belly, Naples and Ruby Spinel. This will make the Leftie Shawlette pattern.

These patterns should keep me pretty busy for the next few months, I am not even counting the others I have planned so there should be no more yarn buying for me for a while.

Until next time, Happy Knitting!

~Knitting Chica