Tag Archives: handmade

UFOs (close encounters of the knitting kind)

I had to take a little vacation from knitting. Consequently, I have an abnormally large number of unfinished objects (UFOs) hanging around. Now that I’m off my feet with an injured foot maybe I’ll get caught up. The painkillers make knitting a little more, um, freeform, than some of the patterns require, so the lace project and the cabled sweaters may have to wait a little longer. I don’t usually have this many WIPs (more knitting-nerd speak. translation: works in progress) at a time – you know unfinished projects drive me almost as crazy as clutter.

There’s a GreenGable Hoodie from the Fall 2008 Vogue that I’m making with the gold Debbie Bliss Donegal Chunky Tweed I scooped up at a Knit Happens. I don’t much like working with tweed, but it’s a really pretty color and the fiber lets the cables really pop.

Last time I was at Fibre Space I impulse-bought 5 skeins of Crystal Palace Mochi Plus (colorway: feldspar). The color is very similar to the Noro Silk Garden Clapotis I made last year, but I’ve altered the pattern and am using very large needles so it’s completely different. Sort of.

Plus, the Mochi is a more polished looking yarn than the more elegantly rustic looking Noro. Elegantly rustic? That seems like a ridiculous description, but maybe Noro knitters know what I mean. That’s my rationalization for making another clapotis, anyway. I’ve also been working on a delicate and slinky looking one in pure silk, but that one keeps running into trouble, so let’s not discuss it now. Let me also say for the record that I think most Noro, and most Mochi for that matter, looks like the aftermath of a clown explosion. There are a couple of colorways I like, but not that many.

There are always a couple of unfinished socks hanging around in little project bags. Those don’t count, I always have a simple stockinette sock or two around for traveling or conferences or other down time where I want something to do but don’t want to have to pay attention to it very closely.

I’m also still finishing the Marilyn (Miss Babs Yowza), a top-down raglan for Husband (Paton’s Classic Wool), and the 2nd sock for a pair of lace socks (Spud and Chloe).

Speaking of Miss Babs – she’ll be at Fibre Space Saturday for a trunk show. I may coax Husband into taking me over there for a bit. Maybe I should finish his sweater first so as to bribe him…

This post serves no real purpose other than to give you, my loyal readers, a chance to snicker at the fact that I have these projects all over the house, taunting me with their unfinishedness. I know you like to believe that I’m a vision of earthly perfection and would never have such untidyness in my life and all, but your worship of my fabulousness really isn’t healthy. Your complete and utter devotion, on the other hand, is perfectly acceptable.

I can’t even mention the gift projects I have planned or started for a couple of friends who won’t be surprised if I spill the beans here. The fact that I keep stealing their clothes to measure them so I know what size to make might also be tipping them off. They may also think I’m just making some sort of nest, which may also be true. I’ll never tell.

recent sweaters

alexandra ballet sweater, originally uploaded by meanlouise.

Pattern from Stefanie Japel’s Fitted Knits – a very curvy boatneck sweater for very curvy girls. Sleeves are slightly longer than 3/4 and flare just slightly. A series of decreases in the back create a slightly unforgiving fit, this is the small – sorta wish I’d made the medium ;-)

capelet, originally uploaded by meanlouise.

It started out as the Anthropologie-inspired capelet, but then I decided to put sleeves on it and then I decided to make it a couple inches longer. I always forget how hard it is to photograph black clothing – the edges look really fuzzy, but they aren’t.

Friday Five: fabric edition (mostly)

Thanks to JenInMaine, I’ve been coveting some fabrics by Amy Butler. Which ones? All of them, I think.

If you love quilting-weight cotton you can always have your own designs printed on-demand by spoonflower. I’m lazy so I haven’t ordered any, but it’s a very nice idea.

I’ve been coveting Jenae Michelle’s amazing purses, hand-crafted with gorgeous vintage wool. She had her summer line of super-cute quilted bags marked way down last I saw her at the Downtown Holiday Market, but I’m holding out for one of this winter’s bags. You really need to see them in person to appreciate the depth of the textures and the luxuriousness of the fabrics. Plus, you get the added bonus of a surprise each time you open a bag, because the linings are as beautiful as the exteriors. She’s also at the Torpedo Factory and Eastern Market.

As I was writing this post I clicked over to panda head, a local fashion blog, to find a post from last week I wanted to link to in the fabric round-up. I immediately got derailed by this post about local artist Johanna Mueller, who is not a fabric designer. I was just introduced to her at the Sackler Museum by Michele while we were checking out the Garden and Cosmos: the Royal Paintings of Jodphur at the Sackler Gallery. Small strange world.

Now I’ve been derailed from my original subject, and more specifically from the last link that I picked for today’s post, ecostilleto’s list of Things that Suck. Cotton’s on the list, so maybe I didn’t end up as far afield as I thought.