Knitting Inspiration: Home Decor

I wrote about decorating my law school apartment here.  Now that I am out of law school and living in a new place, I am back to looking at knitting-related home decor.  And it's gotten easier to find, as knitting has wheedled its way into the mainstream and into more than just afghan throws.

For example, Crate and Barrel has it in all sorts of things.

Sweater Knit Planter

Knitted Pouf

I'm kind of into giant knit rugs and blankets the most, though.  Look at this rug:

You can see it being knit here.

Or this one, made from t-shirt yarn!

From Inspiration & Realisation

I also like the idea of huge, fluffy blankets all over the house.

This website has info about the giant yarn used to knit this blanket, as well as baskets, rugs, pillows, etc.

OK, now ish gets real.  This is a chair.  With a BUILT IN BLANKET!

My only question about this chair is: how do you wash it?

This is my favorite.

Technically, I think that's crochet, but we will let it slide this time.

Finally, how about some outdoor knitting?

How does the dirt not fall out of this basket?

Hmm, lots of options....

Merit Badge

I found this little pattern on Ravelry called Merit Badge.  Essentially, you knit little octagons,

take old buttons you have

Cover the button with the fabric and sew it tight around the back

And then decorate the front with anything you like.

I sent this one to my mom for Mother's Day (in addition to other things, don't worry).  It's kinda awkward-looking, but she was kind and said she liked it anyway as is the tradition of the day (I think she was just pleased it wasn't a macaroni necklace).

I am in the process of making about a million of them because they are a quick and easy way to use up yarn odds and ends.  I am not very artistic, though, and don't really know what to decorate them with.  Here is one I found online that I like:

Designed by AMANDA OCHOCKI, www.chalklegs.com & www.chalklegs.etsy.com

Taking suggestions.  A cow, maybe?  Hmm...

Government-Free VJJ

You know that female anatomy features prominently on this blog, so you won't be surprised when I tell you that I support the Government-Free VJJ Project:

Knitted Womb by MK Carroll. Pattern on Knitty.com

Some awesome folks got sick of politicians trying to butt into their reproductive rights and so are knitting bits of the reproductive system to send to these men-in-power.  You can find patterns here.  I kind of enjoy the "Snatchel" by the Anti-Craft.

Hat Competition

I've been on a hat-making jag lately.  I've made about 10 of them this fall.  There was a blue one, a red one, a turquoise one, a green one, two gray ones, a black one, a brown one, a purple one in progress and this stripey one.

Hats are like crack with the much more pleasing side affects of warmth and fuzziness.

In honor of my hat-making obsession, I would like to offer one to you!  Leave a comment on this post saying why knitting is awesome (or why law school is lame) and I will choose one of the commentors at random to get a hand-knit hat.  If the winning entry is in poetry form (the worse the poetry, the better), they will have input on what kind of hat it is (otherwise, I get to choose, and you KNOW it will include a pom-pom).

Ok?  Go!

Truly Ambitious

I over-packed for winter break.*  And by over-packed, I mean that I put, like, five random, unmatching outfits and a sweater into my giant suitcase that was supposed to hold three weeks worth of clothing and Christmas presents. 

And then I filled the rest with yarn (can you imagine what TSA is thinking right now?  Actually, I brought two frogs on the airplane with me once when I was a kid.  And a sewing machine.  And I know for a fact that my friend Michele carries her entire Passion Party consulting kit and a collapsible pole on the airplane with her, so maybe 35 pounds of yarn isn't that big of a deal to our loyal administrators of transportation security).

Because I am a good planner.  And there are only four yarn stores in the immediate vicinity, so where would I find any yarn if there was a wool emergency?

In any case, one of the things I brought with me was the pattern and yarn for a Twenty Ten Cardigan by Veera Välimäki 

It is supposed to look like this when it is done.  Currently it looks like this:

Basically, a bunch of nothing.

I did make a swatch, but hated the fabric that the particular gauge made (first world problems....), so am trying to figure out how to make the math work with a tighter gauge.  That sounds like a disaster waiting to happen but what is holiday season without a little disaster?

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*In DC for three weeks.  I can't tell you how happy that makes me...

Prison Knitting

A couple of people sent me this article about Knitting Behind Bars, a program that teaches knitting to prison inmates.  Pretty interesting....the program attributes huge changes in behavior to knitting. 

My friend's aunt works with a group of crocheters at a Tennessee women's prison.  I just packaged up a box of yarn to send them.  Would be cool to learn about the people using my yarn (and also write a paper on the connections between knitting and the law).

V-Day (the organizers of The Vagina Monologues) did a writing project with women inmates to allow people to hear these women's stories.  They created a collection of monologue of the women's stories called "Anyone of Us."  They also created a documentary about the writing workshop called "What I Want My Word To Do To You."  Here's the trailer:



All of this is to say, I guess, that interesting things going on in prisons.

The View From My Room

This is what my world looks like at the moment:

Four parts knitting : Nine parts Civil Procedure


And of course, one big part neon rainbow.

Spring in the Fall

Yesterday's post (or my room, for that matter) probably gave you an indication that every day is a struggle not to be kidnapped by 1980's neon (at least until I see the accompanying shoulder pads and power suits).  A significant portion of my wardrobe features hot pink and spandex, thankfully not usually in the same article of clothing.

So, predictably, I was super excited when this came in the mail.

Don't judge.  There was a sale.  LB Superwash Merino

I immediately cast on one of these:

A swatch.  Or in this case, two swatches in one because I was lazy.  Had to go one size up for gauge as usual (that only make sense to you knitters.  For the rest of you, just know that it means I am high-strung/a tight knitter)

And then started on this:

A sleeve!  I am starting with the sleeve because swatches are lying liars and I wanted to see if the knitting would resemble a normal-sized sweater in any meaningful way before dedicating myself to the body.

My latest project is, predictably, a lime green sweater.  In this case, the green is less "acid/nuclear reaction" green and more "first spring buds."  Actually, the colorway is literally called "Spring Leaf," which I chose because I refuse to have a sweater in the color "Dijon."

It's supposed to look like this when it's done:

Lion Brand Sketchbook Cardigan  In, coincidentally, Dijon.

Only, in neon.

What a Mess

I haven't posted in a while.  Mostly because my knitting looks like this:

I keep starting projects, getting bored and then starting something new.  Start-itis has struck, and I don't know how to make it stop.

Birth and Knitting

The Yarn Harlot, once again, said everything I wanted to say in a much more eloquent way:  http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/archives/2011/09/14/a_welcome_with_thanks.html

And managed to talk about knitting and birth at the same time.

And the Knit Goes On

I've been asked a couple of times if I am going to continue the knitting and the blogging now that I am in law school.  The answer:

Yes.

I can't promise that I will be as diligent with the posting as when I was working my cushy don't-have-to-take-any-work-home-with-me-job but I am going to try.

As for the knitting, I promise you that it is happening despite the work load.

Please don't tell the Dean, but I totally knit through orientation.  It was a little boring.  Other highlights from orientation: they spent 72 hours trying to convince us that you cannot, in fact, die of law school overdose.  Also, my team won the scavenger hunt.  I hear that there is a direct correlation between how well you do on scavenger hunts and your grades in law school.  Just saying.

This is what I ended up with after orientation.  It is the first half of the Leaf Paneled Sweater I started earlier this summer.  I have to make another identical half and then knit the two together via the collar.  And you were worried I wouldn't have a boring beige carpet to take pictures on in my new place.  Proved you wrong!

I really like the stitch pattern.  And another positive: I think the sweater looks like it will actually fit me...something I really shouldn't say yet since I didn't actually swatch before starting this project...the swatch gods are looking for me...

It keeps me sane.

July BISIO Update

July is almost over and I haven't done a "Because I Said It Out Loud" Update in about a million years.  The thing is, I just looked at my first post on this blog and realized that I set myself a one year time frame on August 8th of last year to finish up all three of my goals: to get into grad school, get my doula certification, and knit a sweater from scratch.  That means I have a two weeks to get that stuff DONE!

Law School:  Obviously, I'm in.  I have an apartment (that I have never seen before).  I am moving down August 14th, moving into my apartment August 15th, orientation starts August 17th (although there are some unofficial activities the 15th/16th).  I don't get my class schedule or book list until I get there.  This would be scary except that not having my books or classes keeps me from panicking about all the other kids being more prepared than me.  I think they do this on purpose.  I did get one of the "if you MUST read something law related this summer, read this" books they mentioned but haven't read beyond the chapter on "Managing Stress in Law School."  I've decided to "manage stress" by going into denial about becoming a 1L in less than a month.  It is working well for me at the moment.

Also, after the Great Computer Fiasco of March 2011, I have another computer.  I have had it longer than 16 hours without being mugged.  I am trying not to tempt the fates by gloating about this too much.

Doula Certification:  I am sooooo close to doula certification!  I attended my last birth.  I am waiting on evaluations.  Assuming they are positive, all I have to do is write some essays and finish up a client resource guide.  I am very much NOT going to be done by August 8th.  My certifcation packet runs out in October (not August like I had feared), so I have a little extra time.  Still hope to get it done before school starts.

Sheep to Sweater:  My sweater is almost done.

I have finished the vast majority of the knitting, sewed a couple of bits on the hood and armpits together have blocked it out, and it is currently drying on the floor next to the air conditioner, pretending like it totally makes sense to try to dry a sweater on the most humid day of the year. 

Reminder of knitting terminology: blocking is laying your wet sweater out the way it is supposed to look.  You flatten out any rolled edges, lay the pockets flat, and pin it out to the right dimensions.  If it isn't the right dimensions, this is the point at which you start cussing and either find someone who is the size of the sweater to get a really nice Christmas present (my mom has volunteered if this particular adventure doesn't work out) or start ripping back your nicely made up sweater.

It grew a little during blocking as I hoped it would, so I think it is even going to fit me like it should.  I won't really know for sure until it is dry and I can put it on.  Then I pick up a button band on the front (right after figuring out just how exactly I am supposed to do that), sew on some buttons, and then rejoice in a new sweater at the hotest time of the year.  I think I can finish this in the next two weeks.  Easily.  Sure...

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Now I am at the point where I have pretty much acheived all my goals for hte year.  Sure, I didn't ever actually shear a sheep, my sweater is knit from yarn that is distinctly not something I spun myself, and my doula cert is going to take three weeks to two months longer than I had hoped, but I'm pretty satisfied.

The real question is, do I continue this blog and if so, what new goals should I write about?  Are you all going to get sick of listening to me rant about law school?  Veer more towards a life blog?  More towards all-knitting/crafts, all the time?

Thoughts?

The Never-Ending Sweater...Ended

I feel like a friggin' genius.  This is a ridiculous feeling because the basic skills needed to knit forty-four inches of straight stockinette stitch are less difficult than to, say, ride a bike.  But then again, I fell off my bike the other day...three times in ten minutes, actually...

You've been hearing me complain about my Never-Ending Sweater (also known as the Lion Brand Speckled Shrug) here and here and here and here.

In fact, Ravelry tells me that I started this project in September, meaning that I worked on this thing for nine months before I was finally able to weave in the ends.  Holy crap.  It's been to two births, four concerts, to Atlanta, Indiana, DC, Marland, Virgina, and New York, to I-don't-know-how-many movies and get-togethers and countless bars and restaurants.  Basically, this sweater had a long and interesting life before it even became a sweater.

So now, please appreciate the following gratuitous chest shots (middle picture is closer to what the real colors are like):

It is a little baggy in the back (a shawl pin will fix that right up), but I really like the way I took a big rectangle and just sewed two edges together to make the sleeves.

Like this.  Schematic borrowed from lionbrand.com

REALLY warm wool, and it is, you know, 92 degrees out.  So, I am going to go take it off and drink a bottle of water now.

What Does it Take to Make a Sweater: Knitting Edition

 Here is the sweater I have been working on.  

This is my "sweater from scratch" even though I didn't actually shear/spin/dye the yarn I am knitting this out of.  The pattern is "Grown Up Hoodie" by Kira Dulaney (Rav Link here)

I should have been showing my sweater progress in stages.  I showed you the swatches here and one sleeve here.

But then I knit the waist band, the body, the other sleeve, the shoulders and now I am on the hood.  And this is what it looks like.

Still a lot of strings attached.  And the hood is only partially done so it looks like I have a pin head.

Here it is from the back

See the cool pattern on the back?  If you can't, that's because I was supposed to knit the whole thing purl-side-out so you could see the cabling better.  But I didn't.  Oops.

If you think it looks a little small, you are, regrettably, partially correct.  It still needs the rest of the hood and the button band down the length of the whole front on both sides.  But yes, it is still about a half inch too tight and an inch and a half shorter than I would really like.  

I am going to wash and block in before picking up stitches for the button band to see if that does anything helpful (I think I remember from swatching that it will grow a little bit), but may still unpick the cast on edge to add a couple of inches.  And never, ever wear a bra with this sweater so that it will fit across my chest.  Because I am damn well going to wear this first-knit sweater.

I Only Sort of Knit My Way Through Europe

I have been doing a poor job of blogging lately (I would blame my crappy internet connection, but it is mostly just pure laziness on my part).  I promise to get back on the bandwagon starting with a couple posts on my travels in Europe and a recap of my various summer knitting projects (all of which are WAY too hot to be knitting in this 90 degree weather).

I did a pretty good job of knitting my way through Europe.  I got the vast majority of my sweater done on the airplane (helped along by the fact that we circled around for an extra hour on the way home....)

I also knit my way through a ridiculously long line outside the Musee d'Orsay in Paris.  We had skipped the Louvre because there was a FOUR HOUR LONG line just to get in there and opted for the one hour line to see the Impressionists instead.  Worth it.

Porpoise took me to a yarn store in London which was quaint and lovely. 

But I scored in Dublin at This is Knit.

Acquired some British wool that was promptly wound into a ball to become a shawl.

 Again in Dublin was the findings at the Museum of Ireland. 

They apparently keep finding perfectly preserved things in the bog like this hat from the late 16th century (also saw some creepy looking bog bodies in the British Museum that I avoided taking pictures of).  It is old and yet perfect.

And these mud-avoiding shoes that Johanna says must have been the inspiration for much of Lady Gaga's footwear choices.

Successful fiber-related travel, I would say.

Europe! Here I come!

I am headed off for nine lovely days in Europe.  I will be starting in London for a little:

And then to Paris for a couple of days of:

And finally to Dublin for a bit of:

Prolly will be having too much fun to post ;-)  See you in a bit!