Interactive knitting

Hello knitters!

I have a couple of inquiries that need interaction!

- Would anyone have any idea of a good pattern for stripey yarn? I guess that it wouldn't have to be to busy to let the stripes do the talking, but on the other hand, I don't want to do only st. st. for all of them!! Any idea is welcome!

- I am pondering about knitting slippers and have been for a while. The main thing stopping me right now, besides time, is that I seriously don't know where in Montreal to find suede. I wouldn't want my slippers to wear off too quickly, so I want to make suede soles. But where does one get that in Montreal? I know that Effiloché doesn't have that (despite having sewing stuff)... :-(

- I want to learn how to knit socks using the Magic loop! Would anyone teach me? What length of needle do I need for it? At least, I can obtain it in advance...

Thank you!

Scandal!

Reading Knitting up a storm's blog made want to confess something... As many of us knitters, I share dark secrets. The one I will confess today goes like this:

I HATE sewing! I am a snobby knitter; I often avoid patterns on the basis that a part that is sewed should have been designed to be knitted as a whole and that way, there wouldn't be any need for sewing.

Sewing takes precious knitting time away from us, knitters!

Voilà. I feel much better. :-)

The Emergency Shawl story!

So much knitting occurred as well as knitting events! It won't be contained solely in this post, but that it just to make it suspenseful!

Andean Treasure Shawl
Originally uploaded by diluvienne.

All right, back in September, I woke up at some point (read too late), awoken by connecting the dots that me going to a wedding in Lake Louise at end September and there being around 5C at that time of the year, as well as me wearing a fancy dress that doesn't really cover that much the shoulders should lead to the logical answer being that I need a shawl. Basically, I ordered my yarn 3 weeks before the flight (at the epiphany moment, basically), which took 2 eternal weeks to show up at my door step and left me with 1 week to produce a shawl.

I call it the Wedding Emergency Shawl.

I wanted something easy to do and to remember, given I have no previous experience in lacing and that I have no time and interest in that, given the circumstances. I went for KnitPicks' Feather and Fan pattern. Here it is:

Row 1: Knit
Row 2: Purl
Row 3: K1, *[k2tog] 3 times, [yo, k1] 6 times, [k2tog] 3 times; repeat from * to last st, k1.
Row 4: Knit

I used a total of 10 balls of Andean Silk, colorway cranberry, because I wanted it rather long and wrapping.

View from the 2nd hole
Originally uploaded by diluvienne.

Now, this shawl has a lot to tell. It had to be knitted in a week (at the time, I was considering using only 8 balls of yarn), which lead me to have go through a ball a day. Even during working days.

I knitted and I knitted. On the bus, walking to the bus, in the metro. On the plane.

Poppy
Originally uploaded by diluvienne.

When we arrived in Lake Louise, the day before the wedding, we went to Golden (BC), for golfing. I don't golf, but I was offered to be my boyfriend's chauffeur (never drove those before and it is fun, fun, fun!!) and that gave me the opportunity to take gorgeous pictures like there is no tomorrow. But, sometimes, between two holes and after taking all that inspired me, I would knit a couple of rows in my cart (especially when there was a shower of rain). There I was, on the golf course, driving and knitting, sometimes both at the same time!

I figured that finishing it in time for the wedding was a tad utopian, but I wanted to do the most I can so I can take it off the needles, wear it at the wedding (hopefully it'll cover my shoulders!) and then I would finish it completely when I come back on, by placing it back on the needles. And so I did.

I blocked it last week. Yeah!

Unhappy? Impatient? I dunno...

It's been more than a week that my order from kyarns has been said "shipped", but still no signs of package at all.

I find this rather frustrating, especially considering that I found that being charged 20$ for the shipping to be ludicrously expensive (usually, nice stores will charge around 7$ for Canada, when coming from the USA). I just fear now that it'll be shipped by UPS (because, I didn't get the choice, despite the amount of money spent on it) and then getting my package will become a retarded exercice in trying not to lose a drop of sanity while juggling with a nuthouse (been there for a lense and it still hurts).

I wish that getting Malabrigo yarn didn't involve paying so much shipping. I wish for shipping options. I wish for delivery in a timely manner. Is that too much to ask? When you expect a package from amazon.com, it never takes forever, it is never complicated to get your order in your hands, and you never have to pay a retarded amount for it. Why yarn has to be different than books?

A question to all Malabrigo lovers

A question to all Malabrigo lovers (and they are oh so numerous!):

Where do you obtain your yarn?
Where/how have you done it so far?

All answers will be appreciated. :-)

Thank you.

I should be called "Small Foot"!

I should be called "SmallFoot", as opposed to BigFoot. I am frustrated that (almost) all sock patterns are for bigger feet than mine. I am a woman size 7 and I feel that the rest of the planet is size 8!!! Most (non-cable) patterns call for 64 sts and my personal number seems to be 56. Yes, even with fingering weight yarn and 2.5mm needles. And, even if I am a thight knitter.

So, that means that a significant part of my knitting a sock involves adapting patterns to a 56 sts, which is not always possible without altering the pattern itself (sometimes majorly) and knit/rip apart/start over again and again, which is frustrating and not as productive as I want. (sigh)

Any small feet knitters in this room with a word on this? <:-)

Happiness

Malabrigo soon to be in my hands

You know what makes a knitter happy? The promise of more yarn! Guess what there'll be on my Christmas list... :-) A few luxurious items that I so want to try but cannot afford as a regular thing. In other words, a knitter's treat! Plus, I have some Malabrigo on the way to my doorstep any day now... Yay!

On my wishlist...
Originally uploaded by LotusKnitter.

I think that every knitter realises at some point what is the correct equilibrium for them. At least, it helps. How many projects at the same time? What kind of projects? What level of difficulty/concentration for each?

Malabrigo soon to be in my hands

For me, I realised that I need to always have a sock ongoing, while knitting something more substantial. It is like having dessert. I couldn't go on only knitting socks or too many in a row, because the rapid satisfaction will lead to a lack of feeling fully satisfied, just like if we had desserts all the time. If I had dessert all the time, man, would I appreciate a substancial meal! Plus, if I were knitting only heavy projects, I'd feel heavy and stagnant. Everyone needs a little dessert to bring joy! So here goes the sock permanently casted on!

On my wishlist...
Originally uploaded by LotusKnitter.

So, I try to stay focussed and keep my attention on 2 projects only. I know very well what comes next and I have a generous queue list, but I keep myself from working a little there and there or even casting on. I want to fully enjoy what I am doing at the moment and progress at a good speed.

So, what works for you?