Don't be fooled.

I know what this looks like. This looks like I am updating my blog. But don't be fooled- this is actually just me avoiding another paper for school. But while I'm procrastinating I have some photos to share.

This is most of the "minimalist cardigan" from interweave knits, fall 2007...
I have the back done as well as the two front panels and most of one sleeve. It should be done soon. Especially since this is the one I knit mostly during my looooong classes.

This is a much more accurate depiction of the color...
plus you can see how beautiful the moss stitch is coming out. It's such a simple stitch pattern, but gives such gratifying results. I'm making this out of 100% wool Chaco brand yarn that I bought at Rhinebeck. I was pretty ambivalent about the yarn when I bought it & will still admit that it was my least exciting purchase. Really I just bought it because I liked the color and it was hella cheap. But it's knitting out a lot nicer than I expected it to.

I also completed a Koolhaas hat (Interweave Knits, holiday 2007).
I made it with this cascade yarn that I've had around FOREVER. I'm pretty happy with the color. However, I did make it too short. I did one less chart repeat than the pattern called for. Right now, I want to say that I'm going to redo it. But let's be honest here- there are so many things I want to knit plus the holidays are coming up. It's low priority.
Also, while I love the results of cabling work (and this hat is no exception!), the actual process of cabling is kind of annoying to me.

Other notable things happening in the knittydigital studio:

• I casted on for the tangled yoke cardigan!
• I met with two new knitting friends from ravelry, which was awesome.
• One of said friends showed me how to knit socks on two circulars. A process that I was first hesitant about until I considered it's application in knitting two socks simultaneously.
  
• Milez has convinced me to submit work for an art show at the end of this month. I'm super intimidated by this idea, but I'm doing it anyway.
• Milez and I are also currently negotiating doing a joint art show at CDFI in march. Also intimidating and exciting.
• I am collecting lots of potential baby knit patterns to do because I'm going to be an aunt(again).
• Two more of my amazing friends from new paltz moved in downstairs. Between us we have about 5 sewing machines, 1 serger (!!) and a WHOLE lotta yarn. This winter is going to rock my socks.
  

happy halloween

Pumpkins by me & Kate.

99 problems, but a stitch ain't one.

Just in case anyone ever reads this that doesn't know me personally, I guess I should explain that I am a graduate student in my last year of a social work program. So lately, my average week generally amounts to this: 16 hours in field + 9 hours in class + 8 hours doing research for my graduate assistantship + about 10 hours of my part time job + schoolwork...well you get the point. It's easy to burn out fast. And that's precisely how I've been feeling lately. So Rhinebeck came at juuuuussst the right time for me. It's a little ridiculous how much it did for the benefit of my mental state.

This is me & ms. meg with ridiculous grins on. We are smiling that hard cuz we did TWO days of Rhinebeck. TWO GLORIOUS DAYS!!

The first day we met up with h-bomb & greely which both made for excellent knitting geeky buddies. There were also fantastic animals to ooh & awe over. Meg & I were talking about sharing custody of an angora rabbit. But really, if this social work thing gets old, I could always be an Alpaca herder.

There were tons of people spinning incredible yarns. I definitely want to learn how to spin & maybe this will be the year to learn. There is a woman in my neighborhood that has agreed to teach me & I can't wait.

There was delicious food and of course, there was tent upon tent full of amazing yarn. Meg and I made it our business to spend the first day indulging in every color and fiber we could touch. I got some fantastic colors in socks that rock yarn.And, because I am all about knitting socks these days, I also got some super soft merino sock yarn from Ancient Threads. I can't wait to knit with it.

And after much searching, I also got a sweater's worth of this beautiful green yarn from Brooks Farm in order to make this version of the wicked cardigan that I am in love with.

I got more yarn then that, but I just photographed a few of the highlights. I also got some gorgeous brown alpaca yarn that I'm going to use to make the Tangled Yoke cardigan, some more purple merino yarn, some purple wool that I've started using for the minimalist cardigan, and some Classic Al yarn that I'm not sure what I'm going to do with yet.

In short, I am in yarn heaven. And just in time too, because the weather's getting cold & I've just finished a pair of socks:
Name: I'm calling these my "Watermelon socks", because if another person asks me if I'm knitting Christmas socks, I might poke them with my DPNs.
Pattern: Charade Socks
Yarn: Cranberry Bog from ThankEwe. The yarn is super comfy to wear & her prices were very reasonable. I highly recommend it.

With all this new yarn, I should have more posts coming soon.

Street Art Kids

I am so impressed with myself that I've kept up with these "Street art Sundays" posts. Sure a month of Sundays isn't really that long to commit to posting, but it's still big considering how busy life feels for me lately. I wish I had more stuff to show from other places, but I guess your own neighborhood is always a good place to start.

I like to think of this piece as "the girl that lives next door". She's on the Free School & I really love her.

I also forgot to mention in my earlier post that I've been working on doing some pieces for an art show in Portland, OR. The work is all supposed to be on records. I don't know too much about it, but Milez encouraged me to participate. So far I've made this one...

I'm not totally happy with it & will probably try to re-spray it. I'd also like to put my knitting stencil & my frida stencils onto records too. It's exciting to be working on stuff for a show. Who knows if it'll actually get in or not, but I figure rejection feels safer from the other side of the country.

finished knits

Would you believe I actually have TWO finished knitting projects to show?

These are my finished "Monkey" socks, done in Knitpicks Essential Yarn in "Peacock Multi". I really love the way Cookie writes patterns. For some reason these are a little bit snug getting on, but I'm not exactly sure why. I also think these would have looked nice in a solid, but slightly variegated, yarn in order to show case the pattern better. Maybe I'll do them again, but probably not for a while because there are so many other things I want to knit right now.

I didn't use all of this yarn either. I still have the better part of a skein left. I have no idea what I'll do with it.

I also whipped this up last week...

It's the foliage hat from the new knitty. I used some merino yarn that I bought at Rhinebeck last year. I finished it really quickly, but then decided it was too long & ripped it back a bit. I hadn't accounted for the difference from me using slightly bigger needles.
This was a quick & fun knit & I'm really happy with the end result. Since this is actually a birthday gift for a friend, I'll probably knit another one of these up for myself too.

SAS-Take 3

much ado about WIPS

I've already got one monkey sock done & the other well on it's way. It's such an easy & fun pattern.

After a bit of help from Ms. HBK, my backyard leaves scarf is also progressing, but much much slower. The chart is not very intuitive or easy to memorize. And right now, the project doesn't even look like much. I'm hoping it turns out very nice though, as it's supposed to be a birthday gift.

I also juuust cast on for the fiery bolero last night. I'm doing it as something to throw over my shoulders for an October wedding. I've made a considerable amount of shrug-like projects in my short time as a knitter. I've decided recently that's because I'm not much for shawls- they just don't really appeal to me.

Ravelry is facilitating an out of control queue for projects to knit.

Despite having 3 projects on the needles, I've also been wanting to do other art things. There are stencil projects I'd like to clean up, sewing I'd like to do, new mediums I'd like to explore. I've also been aching for a museum visit. I'd like to go back to the Mass MOCA, but I'd also like to just go up the block to the Albany museum with some paper & colored pencils and get lost for a few hours.

Art is a huge comfort for me. I want to do it when I'm feeling lonely- it's like having company in my own head. But I also like doing it as a means for socialization. Speaking of which I made it to, not one, but TWO knitting groups this week, as well as a brief knitting breakfast with Ms. Megs. I also have a craftin' date on Sunday with my roommate. I have to get these things in now before the semester gets too busy.