Weekend Update: Stitches South

This weekend I went to Stitches South, a big knitting convention in Atlanta.  Given the fact that exams start this week and I haven't done nearly enough studying yet, I could only stay for one day, but it was spent productively.

First up was a class called Design Your Dream Sweater with Leslye Solomon (can I just say, I love this lady).  I learned the basic skills for designing my own sweaters.  Seemed pretty intuitive, but doing that much swatching doesn't sound like much fun.

This is a sweater chart.  It's hard to see here, but each little grid square represents a stitch.  You do calculations based on your gauge, translate that into how many stitches to cast on/cast off and then draw out what you want your sweater to look like.

Over lunch I visited the market area.

Hundreds of booths hosting all kinds of knitting related items from yarn, to bison fiber to baskets and yarn bowls, to knitting needles and patterns.

I got some silk mawata, which are squares of silk cocoons stretches out and layed in layers.  You pull the layers apart and just knit them like any other fiber or yarn.  I resisted jumping on the mawata band wagon  a la the Yarn Harlot but now it might be time to try it out. They were dyed by Fiber Charmer, a local Atlanta dyer.  The colors are a lot more interesting and complex in real life. 

This yarn bombed bike was in the Atlanta area knit shops booth.  I wonder if it works...maybe my bike needs an overhaul...

In the afternoon I took a class on entrelac, the process of knitting in a cool diamond shaped pattern. 

The practice project was a beer cozy.  I feel very proud (of the knitting, not of the heinous color choices).

The teacher, Gwen Bortner wrote the book on entrelac.  Very, very smart, if intense, lady.

Great day.  Now I am hitting the books REALLY hard.  Property exam Wednesday, followed by Crim on Friday.  Whew....

GA Statewide Knitting and Crochet Day Saturday

Yesterday, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal issued an executive proclamation naming Saturday, April 14, 2012 as statewide knitting and crochet day.

Picture from the Atlanta Knitting Guild at http://akgknits.blogspot.com/2012/04/meeting-governor.html

There is going to be a rally this Saturday, April 14th at the Georgia State Capitol.  Learn more here.  And the Facebook page is here.  The Georgia Knit and Crochet Day Rally will be from 11 am — 2 pm.

Bring your needles. Let's confuse some muggles.

Graffiti

Reminder:  Comment on this post for a VERY good chance to win a hand-knit hat.  To clarify, you all have until Monday noon to comment, then I'm picking a winner.  Deal?

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I LOVE when knitting makes it into the mainstream media.  Graffiti is apparently a mainstream issue because earlier this year the NY Times did a piece on the "more feminine side" or graffiti.  Not so pleased that they call knitting feminine (I personally feel pretty butch in my hand-knit watchman's cap_ but whatevs.  The Torontoist did an article about "99 Problems But a Stitch Ain't One" talking about yarn bombing.  NPR did an article, too, although they call crochet a grandmas' activity.

HI've talked about yarn bombing before, but here are a few more of my favorites:

In Paris, one artist has filled sidewalk cracks with bright yarn.  More pictures here.

This one is less graffiti and more awesome:

From Living Crafts

Stairs!  I also really like the links on these metal chains.

From FlickaMag

And look at these trees!

From Knit Hacker

Can you picture these in DC?  Or how about these at the bus stops?

From

There is a fun video of subway yarn bombing:



I especially appreciate the masked yarn bombers.  This would make my MARTA experiences a little less sad.  Maybe every time my bus is late, I will spend that wasted time yarn-graffiting the bus stop.

I really need to learn how to make knitting in the shape of cracks and bus stop benches and light posts.  I am considering yarn bombing the front pillars of my apartment building.  Anyone wanna help out?

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.

Miss Manners Takes on Knitting

Ali sent me this lovely piece by Miss Manners (see full post here):

DEAR MISS MANNERS:

Over the years I have noticed people knitting in public and have had no particular problem with it. However, I am a bit put off by those who knit in church or at an event such as a recital or concert.

Is it acceptable to knit at a church, synagogue or other religious service? And what about a concert or recital? I recently attended a piano and violin recital in a small venue where someone was knitting in the third row. Surely it was evident to the performers. And if such knitting is not appropriate, how should the knitters be approached, or prevented?


GENTLE READER:

Please do not -- repeat, not -- make a hostile approach to knitters. Have you not noticed that they are armed with long, pointy sticks?
Of all the multitaskers who could annoy you, Miss Manners would not have guessed that knitters would top the list. There is a centuries-long history of ladies quietly doing needlework while remaining alert to what was going on around them.

But perhaps your complaint is that they are not quiet. If the clicking of needles is what bothers you, you could appeal to the authorities at church or concert hall that as they ban texting, it is only fair to ban activities that create similar noise. And if they don’t already ban texting, you might start by asking that they do before going after those comparatively unobtrusive knitters.

Agree. We do have very long, sharp weapons.  Don't cross us.

Summery Knits

People seem really skeptical of knitting in the summer.  As if it is a one season sport that can't be done in warm weather.  Sooooo not true.

Aside from the fact that I am addicted to it and so can't exactly put the kneedles down without the withdrawl twitching and sweats starting up, there are a few good reasons to knit through the warmer months:

1.  It has taken me two months of really solid knitting to finish only most of one sweater.  If I only knit in the winter, all I would ever finish is one sweater a year.  Not only would this be boring, but you wouldn't get a Christmas present.

2.  What the heck else would I do at the movie theatre while watching a movie to get out of the DC heat?

3.  This.

Leaf Paneled Sweater by Berta Karapetyan in Runway Knits.

I think this pattern is amazing and elegant.  And knit in fluffy Blue Sky Alpaca Worsted Cotton (color Honey Dew), it will be nice and cool for even the muggiest of summers.  Of course, mine only looks like this right now.

Not likely to be finished before this season is over...

Something to do on the airplane home.

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.

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.

Weekend Update: Stitch and Pitch

My last experience with knitting at Nationals Stadium ended in me flipping off a stadium employee for taunting me for my "womanly" craft.  This weekend the employees contained themselves as scads of knitters showed up for Stitch and Pitch, an event where knitting at the game is not only allowed, but encouraged.

I knit my way through maybe the most interesting game the Nationals have ever played.  11 innings, loaded bases, pinch hitters, walked batters, you name it.  Yet, my sweater was still WAY more interesting: increasing at the side markers every three rows AT THE SAME TIME as adding the pocket linings.  Take THAT baseball!

Julie and Devon avoided knitting by just politely holding the yarn I gave them...

Julie's feet got cold ,so I let her put them in my purse....after removing the yarn and knitting needles.

And the nationals didn't suck that badly despite the eventual loss.  In other new, Lincoln won the President's Race.  It was rigged, I tell you!

The only truly awkward moment was when they honored the troops, asking them to stand for applause.  Some genius had decided to change the lyrics to the Cee Lo Green song to "Thank You" but of course none of us could hear the words and instead sat in horrified silence as CeeLo called his would be lover a gold digger.**  Awwwwwkwarrrrrd....

In other news, I pulled out the Schwinn

I love this thing so much.  I feel so regal cruising through traffic.  I am thankful for having a mother who saved all her quality vintage awesomeness.

And saw the sights

Is that one tall, ugly building or what?

Happy Monday!


** So apparently the "Thank You" version of the Cee Lo song is a real thing.   Still sounds crazy when you can't hear the lyrics.

Knitting in Advertising

Knitting/wool/sheep advertising makes me giggle.  For each of the following, put your hand over the logo and try to tell me what the ad is for:

Fabric softener, I think....  This is apparently a whole series.  See the others here and here.

Yup, strange.

Manhattan storage company via Yarny Days.  This link leads to a really inappropriate ad.  Funny, but inappropriate.

How about this one?

This one isn't actually an ad, but more propoganda encouraging people to knit items for service members during World War II (via LIFE Magazine)  If you can't tell, these are show girls.  Sexy, sexy knitting

Or this one?

Knitting is the Most. Fun. Ever.  For those of you who don't knit: I do, and I still have NO IDEA what this product is.  Via Craftzine

And finally

The Carly Fiorina Demon Sheep Attack Ad from 2010.  Watch the whole terrifying video here.  Demon sheep at minute 2:27.

Yea, no wonder my politically minded friends don't seem very into knitting....you have to get your wool from the demon sheep...

Math Problem

If I can knit a heart in twenty minutes and I have a flight to Detroit, a whole superbowl game, random driving around rural Michigan, and a flight back to Baltimore again, how many of these little guys do I have in my purse?

Oh wait, here's another: if I fly on an airplane, what is the probability of me catching a ridiculously bad cold? If you guessed 100%, you win.

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Traveling (and Knitting) This Week

Sorry to be light on posts this week. In Michigan Sunday and Monday and Atlanta Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

People in the Baltimore airport stare at me as I knit more hearts to felt for Valentine's Day....

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The Knit Knight in Woolly Armor

I FINALLY made it over to DC's Looped Yarn Works for knit night (which I keep trying to write as knit knight....as if a knight in woolly armor is going to swoop in to slay the snarling alpaca dragon with a giant knitting needle sabor....)

The crowd consisted of:

• A social group that meets either at knit night or for coffee every week.  Unclear what their common bond is other than niceness and knitting.
• Two men, both EXTREMELY talented at their craft.  It seems annoying to ask "how does it feel to be a man who knits?" when it would be weird for someone to ask me "how does it feel to be a woman who knits?"  So I didn't ask.  Maybe next time.
• Two young women brand-spanking-new to knitting who would pipe up with a "what the heck is that?!?!" every time someone said words like "felting," "long-tail cast-on," or "blocking lace."  One of the women informed us that she had learned to knit when she got snowed in with her family over Christmas.  She locked herself in the home office to get away from her family and learned to knit over YouTube from a woman who talks to her dog the whole time she is explaining stitch techniques.  I, for one, found this an ingenious and perfectly normal family-coping mechanism.
• A whole bunch of other people wearing ridiculously elaborate hand-knits.  Now I am sad that I haven't kept more of my own knitting over the last year (although I do love sharing it with appreciative recipients), because all I have to show off at knit night is my hat and whatever is on my needles at the moment.

Let me tell you, folks.  While you all make me feel loved and appreciated by allowing me to ramble on about knitting and such even when you don't really understand why anyone should love wool the way I do, there is something special about hanging out with a whole group of people who understand what the pain of accidentally sitting on a metal double-point needle or the thrill of watching blobbly lace transform into something beautiful and intricate when it is blocked is like.  And more importantly, it was a social situation where EVERYONE was knitting and NO ONE rolled their eyes at me when I brought up the subject of yarn....AGAIN...

Thank you, Looped.  I will be back!

Preparing for the Train

The train to Indiana is about a million bajillion times cheaper than flying into South Bend....and a gazillion times less annoying, because the security hassle is almost non-existent, you can stretch out in your seat...there are plugs for your computer.  It is joyful all around.  The only thing not so joyful (other than the fact they don't have a screaming-children-free car) is that it takes a good 13 hours to get there (and, you know, another 13 to get home).

That means I am packing all kinds of activities/wool to entertain myself.  I have the commissioned mittens that required me to roll up a ball of yarn....I do not have a ball winder, so I made The Boy act as a yarn swift (which I don't have either) for me.  He was proud to be of assistance at first:

 But grew bored quickly:

I'm also bringing The Sweater That Never Ends (someone told me it seemed "quite long" the other day....about 22 inches short of long enough, though):

It looks so harmless and un-boring in its bag...

Some purple yarn to make another Shroom hat for Christine.  I failed to make her a Christmas present yet, and thought I could make a hat to match the boring scarf I gave her last year.

Ah, yes, you my also recognize this yarn from the failed shrug/capelet from August.

 My hand-dyed yarn that I am making into hand warmers that are way too small for normal adult hands and will need to find a much smaller human to gift them to.

Mostly I feel like I have been working on these forever and just want them to be done!  If you look really carefully you can see the yarn for the Commissioned Mittens peaking out of the bag, too.

A TON of Cascade yarn for Julie's birthday legwarmers (I know you said you wanted them to be machine-washable, lady, but this yarn is just sooooo much nicer than something acrylic or super-wash....):

Hmm, this doesn't seem like very much, does it?

To scale?  It is almost the size of my head!

And my spinning that I don't think will work very well on the train but that I wanted to show my mom.  This should be enough for two train rides and four days in Indiana, right?

Knit Nerdiness

I ended up at a meeting at the (I assume new...it is beautiful and right next to the metro) Shaw Library, and realized it had been years (four, to be exact) since I had checked out the knitting book selection at the nearest local library.  Here is what I found:

Books for the modern lady:

My mom doesn't really knit (did many of the "bra-burning" women of the 60s and 70s knit?  I would love to see the numbers on that)  So I guess anything I knit is different than my mama's knitting.

Books for the men:

I was prepared to be non-plussed by this book.  And I was (and still take major issue with their definition of "beginner." I've been knitting a while and I found some of their ideas a little challenging), until The Boy expressed interest in a Aran sweater pattern in it.  I was so blown away by the fact that he knew what an Aran sweater was that I didn't even complain about the fact that he wanted ME to make it rather than learning how to do it himself.  P.S. That's not going to happen.

Books for Domiknitrixes????

I have zero to say about this one.

And if taking pictures of knitting books at a public library didn't demonstrate my high committment to nerdiness, I then preceeded to read a Stitchionary (a dictionary of different stitches...yup...) in public. 

Pizza, lemonade, public place, Vogue Stitchionary Volume I.

I let everyone assume I was a design major and that this was an assignment for class...it was either that or the reality that I just read a stitch dictionary from front to back.  Sigh...