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June 26th, 2008
10:28 am - Recent knitting-related items acquired
A few months ago, I had what I considered to be a stroke of genius for ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) esmerel's birthday gift this year. One of those knitting-related things that I thought she'd really like and probably wouldn't just buy for herself, that wasn't yarn (both of which we're trying to cut back on): clear shoes to show off her hand-knitted socks.
However, after discussing it with the Purlescence gals, I was on a mission to find a very specific type of clear shoes: ones that would breathe. The biggest argument against the ones I was previously aware of, the Regia Transparent Boots, is that there was no ventilation, so your feet perspire, moisture accumulates, and soon you're walking around in soggy socks in clammy boots.
One page I found was ShoeBuy.com. Another was NexTag.com. I wound up buying a pair of clogs for her.
A week later, ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/syndicated.gif) wendyknits posted about her new Skechers Cali Surfers. *facepalm*
I'm sharing this latter one especially because that's the pair I wound up buying (and if I had to do it over again, I probably would've gotten those for Ezzy). I like the fact that they're closed toe and closed heel, and they're remarkably breathable, although I have had a little bit of condensation towards the end of the day. They're still on-sale for only $15/pair with free shipping if you're willing to sign up with their shoe club.
If you're interested. :)
(Although in looking for links, I just found Clear Converse lo-tops. They have the same drawback as the Regia shoes (unvented->hot), but there you go if you think it's your favorite option
Another clear shoe summary page: Zappos.com, which found via this post on ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif) knitting earlier this week).
The other thing I picked up was based on an idea I saw someone else implement. I thought it was such a great idea, I copied.
Marking tags with string - For labeling my gauge swatches. Because I have a gauge swatch I did a little over a month ago now, and I can't remember what needle I used to knit it in. Which makes it completely useless now that I'm almost ready to knit the yarn. Write the needle used and what the yarn is and attach it to the swatch, and it's permanently marked.
White key tags for finished items being provided as a gift. The key ring allows you to attach it securely to the item somehow (maybe through a stitch), and the metal-rimmed tag gives you a place to write down fiber content, size (if applicable) and on the back, brief care instructions.
Oh, for the cleverness of knitters.
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December 5th, 2005
12:13 pm - Random commentary for a cold December day
I finished up a rather significant chunk of work on Xmas Project #3 this weekend, thanks to UFO Night at commuKNITy, several hours of crafting time and an SVR Christmas tea I attended with shadowhwk, and another Social Knit at commuKNITy. I am so close to completing another major component of it, I can taste it. I have these wild dreams that I might finish it by this weekend, but I think that hope is only going to survive until it encounters home hockey games tomorrow and Thursday night.
Part of the reason I want XP #3 done is so I can have a hope in hell of finishing up the book!Ravenclaw PoA hat/scarf/gloves set before I depart for the wintery wastes of Illinois in just over two weeks. I got to a point in the first glove where I added in the CC 'bronze' stripes, and I think they'll do. I'm ready to do the pinkie finger, and I'm liking it very much so far.
Reason #3 that I'm glad I've learned how to knit my own gloves:
I've discovered through trial-and-error that although I was under the impression most of my adult life that I have 'big hands', I actually don't: by circumference, it seems my hands run somewhere between a women's small and medium; I just have inordinately long fingers. Knitting gloves for myself means I can custom fit the fingers. Go me!
I'm 99.9% of the way done with Xmas Project #1 now. I have about 5 minutes of work left on it, that I really should sit down and do so I can say I'm 100% of the way done. :)
jesshartley posted something on her blog this weekend referring to something called a Magic Scarf. And although I have no desire to knit it for myself, the fact that she is in love with them but refuses to learn the 'complicated process' of creating them piqued my interest and presented me with a challenge. She later posted a link to a pattern for it. I don't actually know if I want to knit one. But it currently fascinates me.
Thanks to a yarn sale at commuKNITy and djinnj's worshipfulness fannedness, I picked up five skeins of Rowan Cashmerino Aran in black to make a scarf inspired by one Remus Lupin wears in the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban movie (pattern here, along with pictures after blocking). I don't know what I'll do with the scarf once it's done, but I like it a lot.
Other acquisitions over the weekend: two sets of 5" DPNs. One set is US:4's, to do the fingers of the Ravenclaw gloves, and the other are US:0's to make HP Bookscarves, because those scarves are so small and skinny that normal 6" needles are way too much for them, too.
Although, now that we've determined the PoA/GoF scarves are ribbed, I may make up my own ribbed pattern for the latter, which would (a) negate the need for DPNs altogether and (b) allow me to sell them at lumos2006 without requiring getting permission from the person who came up with the tube scarf pattern. Things to consider.
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September 21st, 2005
09:13 am - Phlbrt
Simply a status update:
A little more work done on Xmas 2005 Project #1, and some work done on the PoA Slytherin scarf. Enough to start on the 12th color repeat at least.
And the good news is that the MacGyver job was a success. When I pulled out my US:7's to work on the scarf, the bamboo tips seemed to be firmly re-attached to the metal sockets, didn't pull out when I was knitting, and I had no trouble moving the loops along the joins. Aleene's Tacky Glue does in fact rule!
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September 20th, 2005
09:29 am - Look at me, going all MacGyver
I did work on Xmas 2005 Project #1 last night for the first time in a week. Go me.
But, primarily I'm posting to re-visit the problem I reported yesterday with the US:7 circulars I'm using to make the PoA scarf. The Elmer's glue I had at home dried up, but I found some crafting 'Tacky Glue' in my drawer at work yesterday, so I took it home with me. I twist-tied the ends of the circular cord together just below the join sockets, added a drop of glue to the non-pointy ends of each of the bamboo parts, re-inserted the butt-end of the needles into the sockets, put a circular needle point protector on the pointy ends to help stabilize it, then set it out to dry for a couple of hours. The needles seemed firm in the sockets when I packed everything up late in the evening, but for fear that the glue wasn't completely dry yet, I didn't test it out too rigorously. We'll see how I did when I test drive it later this evening.
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September 19th, 2005
07:32 am - It's Monday, isn't that enough?
I actually worked on Xmas 2004 Project #2 this weekend. Know ffear. I'm beginning to think I should rename it to Xmas 2005 Project #2 since that's my goal to have it done. :P So I sayeth, so it is.
Work continues on the PoA Slytherin scarf.
As I near the end of the 11th pattern repeat, I am suffering more and more from a problem I have never encountered before--the bamboo needles are loose in the metal join of the circulars, and keep pulling out of their socket. When this happens, I of course drop stitches everywhere. It got particularly bad last night when I was working on it, to the point where I pulled out a crochet hook and stuck it behind my ear for the next time it happened. I'm considering ways of fixing the needle: a dab of superglue at the base, regular Elmer's school glue...something. And hoping it works. :P
I realized this morning I haven't done any work on Xmas 2005 Project #1 since my vacation.
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September 1st, 2005
07:25 am - Returning to a lull
After the flurry of activity (and pictures!) yesterday, my crafting activity has once again sunk back into unexcitingness. :) I managed to squeak out another pattern row of the Peacock Feathers, leaving me with 3+the crochet bind-off, and the first 20 row quota for the PoA Slytherin scarf.
My journey to the hardware store to buy anti-static matting also failed, as they're no longer carrying it; so instead, I picked up another two sheets of DIY styrofoam insulation to go with the two sheets I already had, and a plastic tarp, all of which I'm going to be using to try to block the shawl this weekend when I get finished.
I'm waiting on another yarn order to get in for a Christmas gift I have in the pipes. I'm pretty sure it's going to get in before I'm done with PF, but it's still kind of thrilling to think I might get to start the Pacific Northwest Shawl first, if it doesn't. :)
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August 11th, 2005
05:34 am - A useful little site I found
Knitting Needle Sizes and Conversions
Because dropping down US needle sizes does not track with dropping down in needle diameter.
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July 1st, 2005
06:56 am - This little piggy went whee! whee! whee! all the way home
Payday! Which means some available funny money to buy Stuff (tm). Since I knew I was going to need at least some US:6's for the Gryffindor scarf and I'm holding out vain hope that OoPS will deliver it today, I went up to one of the LYS, Creative Hands.
( LYS visit )
I spent a couple of hours working on the unfinished 'Shades of Grey' Espirit sock, not getting nearly as far as I thought I would during that time. I barely made it to the toe decreases before I had to quit for the night, but that should, hopefully, be easy enough to finish up today.
I suppose if I do that means I should work on Xmas Project #2 over the weekend and until the Gryffindor yarn comes in, rather than starting another pair of socks. :)
( Recycling the Jaeger DK cable sweater )
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