Anouk is (basically) done!

I finished the neckband on Anouk last night and sewed on the pockets, two of the side tabs, and buttons (you can't tell from the photo, but they are cute tulip-shaped buttons that match the pockets). Tonight I will make an attempt at blocking, then will try it on my daughter to see where the second side tabs should go. Now she can wear it for her first birthday party this weekend, yay!

Two other knitting-related items: Monday I went to a reading by writer and medical doctor Perri Klass. When she is not practicing medicine or writing, she is an avid knitter, and said that she has a book about knitting coming out soon.

And, Amy Singer, editor/goddess of Knitty.com will shortly start on a Wee Book Tour in support of her new book. Finally, I hear that Stitch and Bitch Nation is due out in October. Whew.

Paris Loop Take Two and Fun with Plush

OK, my film fest knitting last week allowed me to finish my second Paris Loop. It is oh so cosy and just right for my often chilly office. I have still worn the other one (see previous post) on occasion, but this is a better neutral that will match more. The photo doesn't do the color justice - it's an ice blue with some very slight darker blue variegation. Yarn: Marks and Kattens Kosmos, Needles 15, 11, 8. Pattern from Magknits.com.



As I was under the weather over the weekend I didn't get to finish Anouk - it must be done for my daughter's birthday next weekend, but I couldn't really concentrate to do the neck finishing. So instead I started on the baby sweaters for the impending twins (baby shower mid-October). I'm using Berroco Plush, and it is soooo soft. I might have to make my daughter a jacket in this later. I have one back finished and will start on the fronts soon. The pieces will all be different colors (bad idea to have the front of a baby sweater be white, don'tcha know.



And after Anouk is done and my kit arrives, I will join Alison and Jenn's Ron-along (Weasley-along) to make my son a Harry Potter sweater.

Knitting and movies

With the kids going to bed a little earlier these days, we've had the chance to watch (and, in my case, knit during) some movies. I saw three great films this week alone:

Last Orders, based on the novel by Graham Swift. Stellar cast, true to the novel, just great.
Lost in Translation - I was afraid that I wouldn't like this because there have been times that I haven't liked certain "indie" movies that others rave about (eg. Before Sunrise), but this was a delight.
American Splendor - I don't know too much about the comic, but you don't need to in order to appreciate the movie. I stayed up well past my bedtime to watch the end, even though it was already TiVoed. TiVo is great, by the way, and you need to get one.

On Saturday I stopped by the Knitting Room for yarn for a redo of Paris Loop. I couldn't decide between Marks and Kattens Kosmos and their boucle, whose name I forget. Jackie recommended the Kosmos, and it is a joy to work with. Very soft and lofty. Let's hope Paris Loop mark two is a success. I worked on it at knitting group yesterday and while watching American Splendor (it's an easy pattern). Oh, and I also got some Berroco Plush for baby sweaters for my friends' impending twins. Loverly!

Paris Loop

I finished a Paris Loop. I like the pattern a lot, but should've used a different colorway and/or a single color yarn. Oh well, an excuse to go yarn shopping for new yarn! I'll see if one of my sisters or nieces would like this one as a gift. Or perhaps you? Leave me a note and let me know. Ever try to take a photo of yourself with a camera phone? The big white blob is my arm holding the phone under the cheerless fluorescent lighting.

Paris Loop from Magknits.com; Yarn: Lion Boucle "Tutti Frutti", 4 balls. Needles: Denise 15, 11, 8.

Poncho mania

I guess I don't really understand the poncho trend. I vaguely remember hippies wearing them when I was very small - why the sudden resurgence? I do find them cute on kids though, so I crocheted one for my daughter (see below).

The pattern is from Candy Tots; the hat pattern (hard to see the hat as she was in the process of pulling it off to play peekaboo with it) is based on one from the Lion Brand site.

I also decided to try to make one for myself to see whether, as I suspect, ponchos are only flattering to children or to tall, lissome people. I like the looks of the Magknits Paris Loop poncho, so I've got one underway. Stay tuned for photos. At lunch today Kathy forgot her knitting to I made/let her work on some purl rows while I worked on Anouk. Thanks, Kathy!





Weekend Knitting

No, not the book (which I've been meaning to buy) - what I did this weekend. Saturday I came home to find a gift from my SP3 secret pal! Two yummy skeins of Lana Grossa Niki (I think it's enough to make a soft, soft t-shirt for the baby) and a cute ducky soap. My son confiscated the froggy card too - he has it on display in his room. Thank you, secret pal - you made my day!

Yesterday was the Knit Out/Crochet Boston, on the Boston Common. I brought Anouk to work on, but only managed a few rows as it was sunny and hot. I almost wished I had gone to knitting group instead just to get the three hours of knitting done - I really want Anouk done before October. But, the Knit Out was fun - kid activities (my son made three pompoms and festooned his sister's backpack with them), a vendor demo and store area (lots of coupons and a few free patterns), and many many knitters and crocheters. We then went out to eat in Boston to celebrate my son's first day of Kindergarten (today). Wow does time fly. I'd love to say he wore the sweater I made him, but it's still t-shirt weather. He did though transfer one of the pompoms to his own backpack. :)

Anouk partial photo

Lookee, a photo! A mediocre one from my phone's camera, but still. It's the front of Anouk with one of the intarsia pockets (I made a tulip instead of a poppy as the pattern called for). The back is done, but I left it at home as it was raining. Sorry for the lousy lighting - the bodice is pale pink, and the green trim is the same green as the stem of the tulip. See, I really am too working on things.

Jennifer Aniston never had this problem

Well, at least her character on Friends never did. When I arrived at the coffee shop for SnB this week, the couch area was taken up by two (rather surprisingly foul-mouthed) old men. They had long since finished their food and drink, and Kristina, Betsy and I pondered how to make them relinquish the spot. "We could talk about *tampons*," I helpfully suggested. And it worked! But I have to ask, did Rachel Green ever have to stoop to this on Friends? What, TV is not like real life?

Actual knitting content: I finished the back of Anouk and have now started on the front. I hope my daughter will be able to wear it for her birthday in October. I also worked a little on the orange keyhole scarf (and an SnBer's very cute 2-year-old daughter modelled it for us) and on the cherry pie hat. Hearing me complain about bobbles and my bamboo circulars (I am spoiled from using my Denises), Omar suggested I just knit the "filling" in garter stitch and make a lattice "crust" from the rest of the oatmeal yarn. What a great idea! And authentic - you don't usually see one-crust cherry pies. I may still do a few more bobbles so some will stick out under the lattice. My fingers will welcome the change from all the k3togs.

Hi Secret Pal! Thanks for the email. Hope you had a nice Labor Day weekend.

Secret Pal info

I just joined the Secret Pal III gift exchange. An excuse to go to yarn shops this weekend, ooh! We were requested to post the answers to the questionnaire here, so here you go SP:
1. I'm not really a yarn snob. I tend not to like variegated yarns so much, but I don't mind acrylic since I need my kids' stuff to be washable.
2/4. I crochet and knit - I'm still a relatively new knitter, less than a year but making up for lost time.
3. I'm not allergic to wool or pets although my husband is; I can't stand the smell of smoke though.
5. I do have an Amazon wish list.
6. As my husband really dislikes scented candles and my small kids don't allow me to take leisurely soaks I would say candles and bath goodies are sadly verboten at this time.
7. I love dark chocolate. I wish chocolate were one of the four food groups (Chocotastic Group).
8. I sometimes dabble in polymer clay and origami; I'm also an avid gardener and cook.
9. I mostly like indie-pop, electronica, "college" type music but always enjoy hearing new things.
10. I like blues; I've never had my colors done but someone on the street once told me I'm a "winter".
11. Husband, son (5), daughter (almost 1), no pets (see 3)
12. I'm livin' it, baby! Seriously, I'm pretty content as is, but I think I need more yarn. :)
13/14. I like the cotton fleece I'm using right now; also enjoyed the woolease. Haven't tried socks yet as the lady at my LYS said they involve a lot of counting that may be incompatible with knitting around small children. I had a love/hate relationship with homespun - soft and forgiving, but splitty. And I nearly always seem to get skeins whose center pull strands don't work right. That has nothing to do with anything but I thought I'd vent. I untangled the cherry yarn in the car this morning - don't worry, husband was driving.
15. Currently focused on projects for my kids; I did buy yarn for my first sweater for me, which I'll start on after Anouk is done.
16. I like projects that aren't too big or that are finishable within a month or two. I'm not crazy about non-winter-functional scarves - I just don't wear long ones but I do wear triangular ones on occasion.
17/18/20. "Baby Tart" and "Anouk" from Knitty; Windy City Scarf from SnB book; crocheted baby blanket from Lion Brand pattern (blanket begun in January, my oldest UFO). I made a poncho for my daughter but don't really think I would wear one. Maybe the Paris Loop from Magknits, that's kind of cool.
19/21. I primarily use the Denise interchangeable needles. Since I use a computer all day I find them kinder to my hands. Strangely enough I don't remember exactly who taught me how to knit - I knit Continental but my mom knits English. I either learned from a book or possibly a yarn shop near my college since I did my first primordial garter stitch projects then (and then gave up knitting for like 15 years).

Well, there you have it! More than you ever wanted to know.