OhSewCrafty

Ravelympics 2008 + I Tri'd & I Succeeded!

Though I did not originally intend to participate in the knitting ravelympics this year, there was enough chatter on the boards that I eventually succumbed to peer pressure, joined Team 51 (go DC and environs!) and embraced my competitive nature (even if I'm only competing with myself, I do enjoy a challenge!)  Maybe I'm too ambitious, but I entered Indigo Ripples in the Synchronized Flirty Skirts event, as well as the Central Park Hoodie in WIPS Wrangling.  As of today, CPH is 1 front + hood + buttonbands away from finishing.  Indigo Ripples is 10 balls of Elann den-m-it.  I do have some time off work, and a road trip that will allow for plenty of mindless stockinette, so I plan to work on it then.

In other news I did my first triathlon.  My primary goal was finishing, and there I am at left crossing the line.  I had a secondary time goal, which I did not quite meet, but it was close.  More importantly, I got a feel for the sport.  The day got off to a rather inauspicious start, when the bike rack where I was setting up my transition area collapsed, twice.  During the first collapse, I sustained 2 bee stings on the back of my right calf muscle.  I haven't been stung by a bee since I was a kid, and this hurt, like hell.

 The swim was slow, as there were so many people in the pool (see the pic below!), lots of body-to-body contact, and I got kicked in the face at one point.  The bike ride was better, except when failed to properly replace my water bottle in its cage after my first drink and it went flying.  I decided to dismount and run back to get it.  I was psyched for the run, and felt like I was good for it, as I hadn't pushed myself hard at any point, nor had I gotten out of breath at all.  But my legs felt like concrete, and it was all I could do to maintain a slow jog; I did pick up the pace by the end.  The only possible issues I can identify are dehydration (I had planned to drink my entire water bottle on the bike, but I left it alone after the initial accident), or maybe lack of caloric resources.  I did not get a chance to carbo load the night before, and before the race I had only 22 oz water, a yogurt, and a luna bar.  Perhaps I should have risen earlier and I had a bowl of cereal or something.  Oh well, something to think about for next time.  

And yes there will a next time!  Many next times, God willing.  I would like to complete a full (international) distance race at some point, maybe next year.  My race today was a short sprint: 1/4 mi swim, 8 mi bike, 2 mi run.  I already signed up for a 5k running race in September, I can't wait!   

Special thanks to my parents, sister, and DH for cheering me on, it was so great to have that motivation.  Awesome photos credited to my dad.

More pics from the Race, left to right: swimming, crowded lap lane (I'm the pale one near the center!), Biking, Running

   

FO: Yosemite

• Pattern: Yosemite, Spring 08 Knitty
• Yarn: Knitpicks Comfy (75 cotton/25 acrylic) in Honeydew, 8.5 skeins
• Gauge: 8 spi in cable rib (unstretched), on US 6
• Size: 26" bust, for 8" negative ease
• Time to knit: 3 weeks in July 08  

 

I love so many elements of this design... the cables, the shawl collar, the cap sleeves... seemed the perfect summer top for work, where I'm always freezing under the AC.  Comfy worked out great, spot-on stitch and row gauge on US 6 needles.  The pattern is very detailed.  My only mod was doing a few less rows (and decreases) above the armholes... the 26" size as written involves enough rows to surpass the schematic armhole depth.  I frogged about 4 rows on each shoulder piece and now it's fine.  I probably could have gone a size down, but at least this way it's very comfortable.  One thing to note: if the collar is bound off too tight, it won't lie properly.

Thoughts on the yarn... I love it!  It's so soft and squishy.  Occasionally while knitting, I found little extra tufts of fiber that pulled off easily.  At a looser gauge, I might be concerned about Comfy's durability, but on size 6 needles, it should be fine.

There are LOT of stitches on the needles when you're working the body, and it got tedious at times, but I'm glad I persevered and finished this... it's cute! 

Twilight Obsession and Sewing

On Friday I went out to dinner and to a midnight release party at a local bookstore for "Breaking Dawn"  (Thank you, C, for indulging my twilight obsession... my DH rocks!)  I got home around 12:45 am, and spent the next 12 hours reading, with a 5 hr nap in the middle.  My succinct assessment of BD:  Weird but good in the end.   Anyway, the theme of the release party was "prom", so I figured I'd dress up in something fancy, sparkly, and blue (in reference to Edward's favorite color on Bella); I am certainly pale enough to be vamp anyway!  This is a dress I sewed maybe 5 years ago, pattern is Vogue 2475.  I used a sequined royal blue poly chiffon for the overdress and an ice blue satin for the inner slip, both of which I obtained for a song at fabric.com.  There weren't any issues with the pattern, as I recall, and vogue designs fit my body without much alteration.  Sewing with chiffon is always a pain, and for this particular fabric, I spent a lot of time carefully cutting sequins out of the seam lines.  Also, due to the all over pattern on the fabric, it's hard to see the pretty seam lines.

My favorite details are the handkerchief hem, and low back.  The pictures make the chiffon seem more reflective than it actually is... IRL the fabric is matte, I swear!  I love wearing this dress, it's quite vampy but comfortable at the same time.  

New WIP: Silk Corset

Okay, so my corset isn't silk, it's cotton/viscose.  I am too cheap to knit with 100% silk, at least for something I'll be wearing in the DC summer (read: hot, sticky, disgusting). 

Seems like I do a lot of preknitting math when I knit top down.  I did my swatch, got gauge and then looked at the stitch counts in the pattern.... there is a LOT of negative ease calculated in and the schematic is just plain weird.  I'm knitting the 35.75" size, but it still barely fits my 34" chest.  Going up a size isn't an option; don't have enough yarn.  Gripe #2 is the armholes, which are essentially slits.  I hate this method, I did the cast off/cast on as loose as I could without it getting all sloppy, and the armholes are TIGHT.  Issue #3: the pattern directs you to start bust decreases at a point that is still about 2" above the widest part of my chest.... not happening.

Despite the angst, I am enjoying this knit.  The yarn is so pretty, a perfect icy pale blue-purple.  Plus, when I tried it on, C said the spiky lace looks "vampiric".  That is a plus in my book!   I'm hoping blocking will relax the fabric and I'll make mods to the shaping as necessary.

FO: Drawstring Chemise

• Pattern: Drawstring Chemise, Interweave Knits Spring 08
• Yarn: Reynolds Saucy (100% cotton) in Jungle Teal, 5 balls
• Gauge: 6 spi on US size 3, size 2 for the edging 
• Size: 33" for approx. 1" negative ease
• Time to knit: Just shy of 2 weeks in June/July 08

I love this top!  My only mods were adding about 1.5" of additional length above the bust increases, and I didn't do the garter stitch selvedges on the stockinette portion (did not see the point of this, as the selvedges are hidden in the seam anyway).  The lace was lots of fun to knit, and the stockinette parts went quickly.    The princess-line shaping is a nice change of pace from the usual side shaping.  The only part I didn't like was the 75" of 3 stitch icord, but even that didn't take too long in the end.  Seaming was a breeze- just two pretty short straight seams.  

The yarn substitution was a definite success, though my row gauge was a tiny bit too big.  (In stockinette, I was getting about 36 rows/4 inches, vs. the 38 rows/4 inches specified in the pattern).  This didn't really make a difference in the end.  Saucy is a matte mercerized cotton with a something like 6 plies and a tight twist.  It's a good substitute to rowan cotton glace, at about half the price.  Splittiness was not an issue, and it knit up nicely; I only encountered a few knots.  I wound up using much less yarn that the pattern specified- I have 2 balls left over!  For blocking, I merely ironed with steam. I find cotton doesn't require a thorough blocking, most times.   

This little top isn't exactly work appropriate, and it requires particular undergarments.  Nevertheless, I adore it and I'm sure it will get lots of play in the wardrobe!  

WIP update: Yosemite

Yosemite is getting too big to carry around easily (just split the body around the armholes) and again I'm reminded of why I don't necessarily like knitting garments in the round.  Maybe it's just my sewing background, but I like seams!  Seams provide stability, and limit stretching.  Each piece is easy to manage, and acquires less wear while knitting, since not so much wrangling is required...  I'm usually a 1-project-at-a-time kind of crafter, but I'm thinking of starting something new for on-the-go knitting. I will be a good girl and knit from stash.  Hmm... debardeur #3, or corset tank top?  Note: color is way off in the photo below.

Revisiting Wallis... After wearing it for a day, the hooks and eyes kept coming undone and gaping (though the sweater isn't tight).  The fabric simply does not have enough stability to support the closure... so I faced the bottom 6" of each front with grosgrain ribbon, and sewed the hooks and eyes to the facing.  It's much better now, and I'll get pics soon.  This sweater deserves a few nice photos, anyway. 

FO: Wallis

Pattern: Wallis, Interweave Knits, Summer 2008

Yarn: Elann Luna (cotton viscose), 7.5 balls, gauge 5.25 spi on US 5

Size: 35ish  (see below for sizing mods)

Time to knit: About 3 weeks in June 2008

First off, sorry for the photobooth pics; didn't have time for the camera before work this morning, and it's raining, anyway... so, I debated over sizing.  The drapey sophistication is what attracted me to the design, but sloppy/baggy isn't my thing.  The galleries at knitting daily were quite useful, and I liked the cardi best with a bit of negative ease.  The schematic for the design was weird- how could the double knit hem pattern be exactly the same width as the stockinette above it, when the double knit had twice as many stitches?  Mine flared out a bit.  This was ok; I have hips after all.  I decided to start with the 37" size and do 2 less increase rows (9 increases total) to obtain a 35" bust.  I shaped the armholes according to the 33" size directions.  As for the sleeves, I took a hint from So Knitpicky's cardigan.  I measured my arms and decided I wanted sleeves with a few inches of positive ease.   I started with 78 stitches- did a long tail cast with size 3 needles, 2 rows stockinette (beginning with a WS row), then switched to the larger needles, did a row of reverse stockinette and then continued in stockinette without decreasing for 4 inches.  I followed the sleeve cap shaping instructions for the 33" size.

My feeling on the yarn is neutral... it's drapey, shiny, and SO splitty.  My stockinette looked somewhat uneven, but that resolved with a full immersion blocking (IMHO, a must with this yarn!).   I'm not sure how much play this will get in my wardrobe, since I have to wear something under it, but it is nice enough for work, so we'll see.  

WIP: Yosemite

After one horrific day without anything on the needles (what was I thinking?!?), I started Yosemite from Spring 08 Knitty on Tuesday, and despite the fact there's over 200 stitches on the needles, it's going pretty quickly- I set a goal of an inch per day (7 rounds), but so far I seem to be knitting at a faster pace.  The yarn is Knitpicks comfy, in honeydew, the most perfect shade of light green.  It's not too yellow, not too neon... just right, a light green, almost with a grey undertone.  The yarn is ridiculously soft, and when knit into this ribbed cable pattern, so squishy, it almost feels like merino.  Though Comfy is 25% acrylic/75% cotton, I don't notice the synthetic content, which is a good thing for this natural fiber fan!  

I'm knitting the 26" inch size, which will be 8" of negative ease for me (7" inch negative ease recommended in the pattern).  I had a mini heart attack when I tried on the bottom 4" and it seemed too big.  But I decided it was just stretched out on the circs, as I am getting gauge, and the garment, lying flat, measures correctly.  I hope I don't regret this decision...

In other news, I am over halfway (since I began working out) to my mini triathlon in August, and training is going well!  I have gained plenty of endurance and muscle definition, and lost some weight and inches.  I am pretty much addicted to the endorphin high I get from running, and I certainly enjoy the positive changes in my body.  Onward!  

Stash enhancement round 1 billion 73

Do I have enough yarn?  Yes.  Can I resist a deal?  No.

I wanted a pointy knitpicks circ in size 3.  Words cannot express how much I love these needles; IMHO KP options are the only option!  Then I learned about the 40% summer books sale, and I decided after many a flip through at the bookstore, I needed the Knitter's Book of Yarn.  Such a great reference!  And, then of course, I needed some yarn to get free shipping.  Comfy in Honeydew, this is earmarked for Yosemite, which is possibly my favorite Knitty design, ever.  The color is gorgeous, a light green, not too yellow.

Webs had Queensland Kathmandu dk on closeout for ridiculously cheap.  I loved this yarn (in the aran weight, anyway) when I knit up my veste evereste.  This is for demi, from rowan vintage style.  Demi was written at aran gauge, but I know I'll get more wear out of a dk weight sweater, especially something with all that cabling (heavy!).  The color is 401, a bluey-purple with a tinge of gray.

In other news, I had myself a little seaming party this weekend.  Wallis, the Drawstring Chemise, and the ruched cardi are all virtually done.  FO posts soon!  

A sewing FO... at long last!

It's been ages since I did any real sewing, so I decided to start with something easy that I've been needing for awhile- a case for my knitpicks options needles, cords, ends, etc. 

 

All this stuff was loose on a shelf in my crafting cabinet and that was not a good solution; I kept misplacing things.  I used this tutorial, and adapted it for my own needs, using some quilting cotton from Joann that only cost a few bucks.  My case isn't perfect, I was a bit haphazard with the cutting and I didn't stress too much about the seams.  The whole thing was done in under 2 hours, and it works!  It's basically a trifold wallet with a double snap closure.  The first third holds my needle tips, sizes 4-9 (I'm not planning to buy any larger sizes, as I rarely use large needles, and besides, I have my denise set).  The second third has a pocket for the ends, keys, etc.  The last third holds all the cables.  The pockets close with velco tabs.  It's quite handy!   I may make another one of these for my dpns, I have plenty of leftover fabric.