Fighting Start-itis

Must

not

start

new

project.

It's a Snap!

OK, confession. Normally all I have available to edit photos is Paint. IT can crop, and resize and rotate, but that is pretty much it.

So recently I discovered Piknik.

So a before shot:

And after:

The color correction is subtle, since the original photo pretty close. It did a good job of sharpening the shot.

Iknow, this isn't exactly knitting technique, but without photos the blog is dullsville.

February Socks Done!

I have been doing the Self Imposed Sock Club on Ravelry this year. The idea is you bag up sock yarn and patterns at the beginning of the year, and each month you grab one and go. It has been great fun so far. My main problem is now I have a much longer list of have-to socks I want to make.

The yarn is Lorna's Laces in Unicorn Parade. I got it last month at the Knitting Sisters in Williamsburg. My favorite yarn store. Local (ish ). Great selection. Friendly.

Lorna's Laces Unicorn Parade

So I had planned on these becoming Jaywalkers. No offense to the pattern, but this yarn turned out to be much busier than I originally thought so they weren't a good match. When I bought it the blues and purples were more on top and the orange was not as visible, I have a backup yarn for that pattern, so I will get a pair of Jaywalkers.

So I frogged, and frogged again after trying basic toe up vanilla socks. I'm a math person and the random stripy-ness was bugging me. I know, I know, really it makes no difference. The socks are for big-sis, not me. And she's in shoes most of the time, and...anyway, it bugged me.

 So I came up with this pattern. It alternates regular stockinette with bands of slipped stitch patterns. Just enough to a) not be boring and b) break up the stripes.

Plus it required counting, so it made me happy.

Afterthought heel. Not the best picture but big-sis was getting tired of posing.

I plan on playing with the pattern again. It seems to work well with all the crazy variegated yarn I pick up but can't ever seem to find a use for.

Suck in that Gut!

This handy calculator takes your measurements and gauge and figures out your waist shaping:

http://www.interweave.com/Waist-Shaping-Calculator/

(I love math)

Be Mine

From 7 Deadly Sinners: Enjoy!

I wish...

This was my local yarn store.


n the spirit of true confessions I am a yarn store stalker. In my dreams I am brave enough to go in and plop down and the table, whip out my latest knit and chat away.



Reality is I am a total chicken about these things. Like I lose the ability to speak.



But Loop-I think I could eventually settle in there. Maybe not the chat part at first, but they were so nice and not scary.



Plus they had yarn with lots of color. I love the idea of my local store- but it is dreary. Fifteen shades if olive brown and puce. And all rather expensive. Loop had some Berroco wool- I could have done a sweater for under $40. I'd so much rather shop local than do the big box stores.



Buy I wanted to get stuff out of my usually shopping range. Madeline Tosh for a Citron and some Berroco Ultra Alpaca.

Say Cheese!

My theme this year is "do it right" when it comes to my knitting, so I am working on technical details. Last few days I have been working on photography.

Well, working = reading about and wishing I had a better camera.

So basically pretending to take snappy pics.

In my reasearch I came accross this how to: http://www.conradhoffman.com/photographing_your_knitting.pdf 

Funny how when you Google something the answer is right there. Seriously worth the read. I need new lightbulbs.

Tropical Granola

This was supposed to be breakfast for the husband and I this week. It didn't quite make it that long, so I figured I'd better write it down.

Tropical Granola

• 4 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup unsweatened coconut 
• 1/2 cup ground flax seed
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 cup diced dried pineapple
• 1 cup diced crystalized ginger
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup dried banana 

1.  Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Mix the oats, coconut, flax, oil and honey.
3. Cook the mix in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes. Stir the mix every 10 minutes - seriously, don't skip this. Burned granola is yucky.
4. Let the granola cool. Mix in the dried fruit.

 

The ladies like granola

Technique Tuesday: SSK

So my knitting resolution this year is to expand my technique. I've gotten into a bit of a rut - I do things the same way everytime.

Brandywine by Romi Hill

So while working on the Brandywine shawl my SSK's were bugging me - they slant the right way, but end up all crooked.

Enter the Tech Knitter. This is my new favorite site. The illustrations alone are amazing. 

Here is her post on a fixed SSK. This rings some bells - I probably read it int he past and thought "why bother". Except my old ones made wonky stitches, so there.