auntie esq

View from the top

View from the top
Originally uploaded by wavybrains.

Auntie Broke her foot on Tuesday (read Auntie's real blog www.wavybrains.com for all the gruesome details). What did Auntie do on Wednesday? She knit a cast cover, of course. Auntie would never let even a temporary cast go undecorated. Many thanks to Knit-Knack for the basic cast cover idea.

Lo! Auntie's World Changes Forever

Yarn Cakes
Originally uploaded by wavybrains.

There is a really touching scene in Pioneer House where the mother finally gets her stove and gushes about her life is changed and revolutionized. And you just want to tell her to shut up about the darn stove already, it's JUST a stove.

Well, that is EXACTLY how Auntie has been since Saturday. Six plus Hours were spent on Friday detangling and winding 700 yards of yarn. An entire day. So, on Saturday, when Auntie went to her favorite LYS, JUST to buy #2 circs which she *really* did need, it did not take much for her to notice the SALE signs everywhere.

Labor day sale of 20% off notions? INCLUDING ball winders and swifts? Auntie held her breath, plunked down the plastic and is now a changed woman.

It's JUST a ball winder and yarn swift, but to Auntie, she of the day of never-ending winding, it's a whole new world.

Magic Bus Stop Mittens

Natural Light Mittens
Originally uploaded by wavybrains.

X-Posted at Bitchin' Mittens:

These are my first mittens! All the inspiring, truly bitchin' mittens motivated me and I hope to do even more bitchin' mittens in the future.
Click on the picture for other angles and more detailed pictures!

The details on these:
Size: Men's Large
Style: Convertible, Flip-top mits with fingerless gloves under the cap
Pattern: http://www.p2designs.com/pdfs/ptn-MittConv.pdf
Modifications: Re-sized for manly hands, longer wrists, different cable pattern chosen, no beading, slightly different cap, knit magic loop, different yarn/gauge
Yarn: Lampedusa in Granite
Needles: US #2 and #4 circ's, magic loop through-out including fingers and thumb. Magic loop rules!
Destined for: X-mas Present for Brother who waits for bus in chilly weather and needs to be able to get his fare out

Tangled Mess

Auntie's prayers for a yarn swift and ball winder to magically appear continue to go unanswered.  Instead, Auntie continues the bad behavior of spending her money on yarn that comes in hanks, thinking that it will magically wind itself once home.  Case in point, for the FSS swap, Auntie did much deliberation, then special ordered 700 yards of fine yard for a lace surprise.   700 gorgeous, beautiful, exquisite yards.  She could not wait to start knitting.  3 episodes of Smallville later, and it is maybe 1/3 wound?  Maybe? Ball is approaching fist size with no end in sight.  Her paramour gave up the use of his feet for an episode, then selfishly needed them back.  The niddy noddy just was not working--none of the long arm pieces were an exact fit.   Auntie's feet worked until they fell asleep.  And then, absolute disaster.  There are now a few crossovers and tangles from all the re-arranging which means that winding is now crawling along at an arthritic snail's pace.  Also, injustice, because the tangles means that the skien now HAS to be wound by hand, as a swift would just beg for mercy.  4 days of knitting this weekend?  More like 4 days of winding.  Can you pay people to wind and detangle for you?  Auntie really thinks that this is an untapped service industry.  One that she, most assuredly, will not be entering.   

Auntie's First Pair of Socks

One by One Again
Originally uploaded by wavybrains.

A year ago, Auntie could crochet interesting polygons and rectangle-esque objects. Now, she makes socks. SOCKS! Auntie is so very clever.

These pretties are destined for Auntie's Mother, and are designed to be slipper socks with a ribbed sole. (Auntie's motto: Why admit to major error when something can easily be claimed as a design element?).

They were worked toe up with magic cast on and the magic loop technique. Auntie is completely sold on Magic Loop now. Flying double pointed needles are a terrible faux pas, and Auntie is happy to have a more genteel solution. Also, Auntie is clumsy. Anything that makes Auntie look more graceful is a godsend.

The yarn is Lamb's Pride Superwash Wool in Lavender, and is worked on #3 needles. The pattern is "Tangled up in Blue" available from www.persistentillusion.com. The pattern is clear, but Auntie would probably (hindsight being 20/20) not recommend this as a beginning pattern--Auntie made many errors, all of which can be attributed to poor reading of the pattern and not having made socks before. Auntie slogged ahead, though, and these socks have a number of "design elements" which set them apart from the original pattern.  But, these socks also prove that there is no reason on earth to settle for boring stocking stitch just because something is your "first."  First can be fabulous.   

(A side note for pattern authors: do not say P1, K2, P1 if you really mean P1, *K2, P2*. Auntie is not nearly so clever as to figure this out anytime before 5 rounds in on the second sock. You = extremely clever designer. Auntie = Needs more help)

The lace pattern in particular was a lot of fun to work and Auntie is happy to have learned a new stitch which can be used in future endeavors.

More pictures by following the flickr link!

Guess the FO Contest

Hester Side
Originally uploaded by wavybrains.

This adorable sweater (click for more flickr photos) is bound for a top secret suprise.  A hint:  a semi-famous blogger is the recipent.  Can you guess who's the lucky girl? A prize awaits the commenter who gets it right.   

Sweater details:

Pattern:  Haiku  

Modifications: Seed stitch instead of garter, color work, button bands, top down sleeves knit 2 @ a time, slight futzing with the measurements. 

Yarn:  Lavendar (TLC cotton plus, roughly 2.5 skiens).  Green (Plymouth, Fantasy, about .5 skeins). 

Needles: #5, Susan Bates Circulars 

Buttons:  8 elephant buttons obtained at LYS, perfect color match

Model:  Hester, the elephant.  Hester is NOT the prize. 

Auntie Shares Her Wisdom

Auntie would like to share Wisdom on two subjects today:

1) LYS's.  Spiderwoman Knits has a great post up on how to get more out of your LYS.  Auntie has a few words of wisdom for ye who do not yet get the pleasures of delicious hunks of yarn randomly falling into your bag.  Spiderwoman is right, knitters have to take more initiative, but Auntie would also like to point out that it may not be you with the problem.  That's right not all LYS are created equal.  Gasp. 

When Auntie was a fledgling knitter (and, gasp, crocheter), she went to a LYS in Portland.  She ended up with a bad opinion of LYS because she was made to feel like hookers (the crochet kind) were second class citizens and that those who could not spend $10 a ball for 50 yards of wool lacked any taste.  Also, acrylic, spawn of the devil.  Not exactly positive for Auntie, who needed inexpensive, yet gorgeous yarn for a baby blanket.  She found discountyarnsale.com and swore off the local folks. 

However, the day came when she wanted to learn how to knit in the round.  Off to the LYS that everyone in her town swears by.  The oh-so-hip place seemed to wither under Auntie's enthusiasm.  Auntie felt like the country bumpkin asking questions and falling in love with the yarn in her over-top-gushing style.  These were not Auntie's people.   You learn to recognize your people.  Perfect Peg and her perfect assistants were most certainly not Auntie's people.  They might as well slap a sign on the door that says "don't touch the yarn." 

Auntie returned to online yarn and occasional forays to big boxes.  She felt limited by big box yarn though.  One day, Auntie found the decidedly un-hip LYS (yes, she is blessed with a town with two LYS).  It was love at first sight.  This was the LYS that many local knitters didn't like so much.  Auntie was in love with its informal environment, yarns free for the gushing, sale bins, and chatty owner.  Since then, Auntie has found LYS's in other towns which she would gladly move into.  LYS's that welcomed Auntie with open arms.  So these are Auntie's words of wisdom if you are not getting the most out of your LYS:  It's not you, it's them.  Find a new LYS.   

2) How not to bind off. When finishing your first-ever sweater (albeit, baby size), binding off after midnight is probably not the best idea.  Deciding to finish the sweater during the morning commute should set off alarm bells.   If, when you grab the yarn tail from the cuff to thread your Chibi to sew the arm sleeve, the cuff unzips like sorority girl on $1 beer night, this is a horrid sign.  Do not try to salvage the bind off with the chibi.  This is not a pretty sight.  Knitty blog had a similar problem with lace last week.  Be ye not so stupid.  Auntie's words of wisdom:  Always check the bind off.  Check it twice.   

Putting up for Winter

Summer Sherbet
Originally uploaded by wavybrains.

Auntie likes to think about her pioneer ancestors, putting up peaches and green beans for little tastes of summer in the dark of winter. Auntie thinks of herself as preserving little bits of summer fabulousness in her yarns. Some day in Feb. it will have been raining here for four months, it will feel like the sun will never be seen from again. Auntie will take out this yarn, grab her needles, and have a bit of color in her grey Oregon winter. She may even drink a beverage with a little umbrella, wear a sundress, and crank the heat up. All because of a yarn which contains the promise of summer.

Free Bag!

Bag Front
Originally uploaded by wavybrains.

No really. The only word Auntie loves more than "sale" is FREE! And this bag was entirely, 100%, free. The purple yarn came from a source long forgotten--some else's destashing = Auntie's gain. The fleece came from freecyle and the handles came from Auntie's mother. The handles may very well be older than Auntie. The backing is knit in garter stitch triangle pattern to mimic the quilted front and the bag has a striped fleece lining and is 100% reversible. The quilted front was hand pieced and then tie quilted. Auntie wants to know--what have you made for "free"?

Prize Yarn!

Prize Yarn!
Originally uploaded by wavybrains.

These gorgeous little yarn cakes are amusing Auntie to no end. Auntie is a firm believer in karma. Knit many pet toys, cursing the mohair the whole time, and the universe will reward you in unexpected ways.

Not only does Auntie get guilt free stash enhancement, but Auntie also has a new yarn dyeing friend, blog to stalk, and the ingredients of a perfectly auntie shawl. Auntie is itching to swatch, but with so many projects on the needles, she must resist. It is hard though. How to resist the pretties?