novamade

novakkah 2014, day 4

You know what I did today?  No, probably not.  In addition to doing a little physical therapy for a back injury, I also had acupuncture.   If you are thinking, "Nova, you don't seem like the sort of person to subscribe to the theory of acupuncture solving your problems," I would have been inclined to agree with you last week.  I tried it for the first time last week after no pain relief, and I was magically mobile.  You know what?  I am not going to question it.  If it works, it works.  So it's a sort of gift to myself, really.  

If someone had told me prior to this go around of back pain that I would be paying someone to stick needles in my body, I would have said that someone was insane.  But well,there you are.  In any case, the back thing is bringing me down.  I have a lot of quilting that I need to get done.  I have a graduation quilt to get done as well as a quilt to finish for a farewell gift for a co-worker.  In case you were wondering, back pain is not conducive to getting any quilting done.  But that being said, since I am thinking of quilting, how about we make that theme of today's gift: could be fabric or notions, or patterns, or all of that.  I dunno.  The gift recipient will have to see. 

If you interested in being considered for this gift, please share: the best gift you have ever given someone, and why you believe this to be so... I have given a lot of gifts that I thought were pretty fabulous.  I think I got the best warm and fuzzies this past January when I gave Special K a pair of handknit socks for his birthday.  My husband is a practical man.  He doesn't really care for fancy, he cares more about  functional.  I had some old school, buy-it-from-the-craft-store sock yarn, and I knit him some socks with it.  I didn't think they were that special; but, he loved them (the handknit wool socks keep his feet warm when shoveling snow, pro tip).  I love it when other people love the gifts I give them; and,  if they don't, I love it when they lie about it.

I will take comments for this post, and all Novakkah posts, until 11:59 EST (or 2359, should you prefer that), Monday, May 12th. Please leave your responses on the appropriate post.  One entry per post/person.  Giftees will be selected on the 13th and gifts sent out shortly thereafter.

hey, it's a new year!

I think I unintentionally started a new tradition last year. Instead of my first post of the year being about goals, hopes, dreams and what-have-you, it was all about the things that I did the year before that I forgot (or was too lazy) to blog about. So without further ado, this is the cool stuff that I did in 2011 that I never talked about.

knitting

Log cabin baby blanket. I had a ton of Mission Falls Cotton so I just started knitting with it. And I produced this really tiny baby blanket…but now I don’t have anymore MF Cotton taking up space on my shelves, so win.

February Baby Sweater. I originally started this in pink yarn, which was a knitted nightmare, and then realized that is was confining the creativity of my soul (or something akin to that). I had some Dream in Color Smooshy, I think it’s Candy Apple Red (I could be making that up, is that even a colorway?). I think it’s fabulous. It’s going to give it to a friend of mine scheduled to have a baby in three days. She asked for something knitted; and you know, I like to make wishes come true.

I also made some baby socks. I had a hank of Koigu yarn that I bought when I was pregnant with Little Mister…thinking I was going to have a girl. Yeah, not so much. The fact that I bought pink yarn should have been the first clue, really. Why would I want to look at pink baby feet? I wouldn't.

Stockinette Socks of awesome. So they are just plain and simple stockinette socks; but, they are awesome. I started knitting them last May when I hung out with some knitterly friends of mine, and they make me smile whenever I wear them. Yarn is from the Barefoot Spinner. There is no colorway on it, so let’s just call it “purple” shall we?

quilting & sewing

I sewed my kids some pillowcases. It wasn't rocket science, but easily, probably the highest impact gift I've made in a long time. Every time we pull one of them out of the linen cabinet, it's like Christmas! It's a fact, kids love ridiculous pillowcases.

 

Locked Squares. So I made this baby quilt. And then thought, it might be a nice quilt to try pattern writing. So... still doing the pattern writing bit, but the blanket was a huge hit. It was really fun to make (and quite easy), actually.

 Lilly’s Quilt. A friend of mine from library school asked if I could make a full sized quilt from her daughter’s baby bedding. Her daughter was moving up to a full-sized bed and she wanted to save the baby bedding. Because I don’t really think things through sometimes, I said “sure!”. Um, I have never made a bed-sized quilt before this quilt. In case you were under the impression that a full-sized quilt is “no big deal” let me dissuade you from this notion. Cramming a full-sized quilt into the throat of a domestic home sewing machine pretty much made me want to gouge my own eyes out with a dull pencil. But, it came out really nice and I was unspeakably proud of myself after I shipped the quilt off last month. I really was. I should probably get out more.

embroidery & x-stitch

Every summer I get interested in embroidery, because, well, it doesn't involve wool and it doesn’t make my hands sweaty. I was involved in various quilting bees last year (more on that later, this post is getting long) and when Chawne’s month rolled around for one of the bees (I honestly can’t remember which one since she and I were in three bees together, no, I am not kidding), she asked for redwork, we could do anything we wanted. Since I am bookish.... Well, yeah.

 

I did a little drawing, traced it onto some Kona cottong and then stitched it up.  I ended up doing a multi-color version and framed it because I liked it so much, so now I can look at my handi-work (ha…did you see what I did there, oh, nevermind) everyday at work.

I also did some cross stitch last fall.  I needed something for my dining room wall, so I stitched an appropriate eating area command.  I am a fan.

So that’s it. That was the hidden craftiness of 2011. I also went to the International Quilt Festival, but apparently, I was so overwhelmed by it, I never blogged about it (but here is a photo set in flickr). But, I am getting my blogging house in order now, because, well, I pay for this space, so I might as well get my money’s worth. I am all about getting my money’s worth.

In my next post, I will tell you all about my hopes, dreams, and goals (or whatever) for 2012. I just need to think of something to share with you first. While I think of an unfeasible list worthy of my frustrations and energies, check out my studio shot of the Littles that I foisted upon friends and family for Christmas last month.

Next year, the Christmas shot will feature knitted sweaters, I mean, the Littles in knitted sweaters (or course that’s what I meant). Oh, that’s a goal, right there!

ugly-pretty or pretty ugly

 
Usually, when a person makes something, say a knitter making, I don't know, a sock, that person knows whether the final product  is a winner or not.  There isn't usually a grey area, it either came out great or it didn't.

  
  
But sometimes, you can knit pick things a little.  Like, "oh, well these socks look great, but the fit's a little off," or some such assessment.  These socks, I am pretty sure do not look great.  I don't think they are hideous, but they are, by no means, spectacularly aweseome, which really is my goal (most of the time).  While I do not usually aim for mediocrity, sometimes, due ot my own laziness, I am forced to accept it.  But back to these socks.

I want to love them, but I only like them, and I only like them because I knit them while K and I traveled the Mediterranean for our tenth anniversary a few short months ago.  Also, they fit really well, and they are warm.  So, sentimentally and practically speaking, a winner!  Visual aesthetics-wise, not so much, at least not for me.  Some people actually like pooling, that magical phenomenon that occurs when variegated yarn doesn't hit its happy medium of gauge and whatever else is required to make varigated yarn not look like crap.  I have no idea if this yarn is supposed to stripe or not, to be honest, but I am not enamored of whatever it's doing in this sock.  And I don't think it's just me.  I have used Shibui sock yarn before, and pooling can sometimes be an issue, but sometimes, it's not an issue at all. 

 
At the end of the day, it hardly matters, really.  I have a completed pair of socks that will keep my feet warm and two less skeins of sock yarn sitting in the stash, so that's something.

what can you do with a ball of sock yarn?

  
 
It's not a trick question, the obvious answer is, of course, make a pair of socks (and also, I was flummoxed for a title for this post); but, if you think about it, you can do so much more. You can (or at least I can, I have no idea what your ability is, but you are probably just as capable as I) really make someone's day by knitting them a pair of socks.

Handknit socks say: "you are special," "I like you" (enough to slog through hours of monotonous knitting on really tiny needles), "I am concerned about the possibilty that you might get frostbite on your toes and wanted to help prevent that", and I guess other things that could pretty much be covered by the first two statements.  Regardless, the act of making handknit socks for someone means that you consider that person worth a good amount of your time, particularly so when the person has big feet.

  
I like my husband a goodly amount (probably a good thing), and when he asked me to knit him a pair of socks 3 years ago (I know, let's not go there), I was excited that he was actually requesting something handknit.  So I found a good solid pattern without a lot of bells and whistles (while I like bells and whistles and what-have-yous, my husband is not a fan).  I opted to go with Nancy Bush's Lichen Rib socks from Knitting Vintage Socks , because it's Nancy Bush, how can you go wrong?

  
Well, let me tell you how you can go wrong.  At first I followed the pattern completely and this is what led to the hiatus on these socks.  After I finished the first sock, K asked if it was supposed ot be uncomfortable.  Um, well, no.  The pattern, as vintagely written and retranslated by Ms. Bush has you putting purl stitches in the center of the heel and the toe.  While I thought it sounded a little crazy pants when knitting the first sock, I figured, well, it's Nancy (as though I know her and we are friendly), obviously she knows what is best.  Okay, Knitters, I ask you, would you want to be walking about on a sock with a purl bump down its center (for all practical purposes)?  No, of course you wouldn't, neither would your spouse.  I should have went with my gut and just done the heel and toe as I normally do, but I didn't and because I knew K would never wear this sock (or it's mate for that matter), into the UFO pile it went.  And then, last month, I picked it up again, ripped back, re-knit the sock and its mate and now everyone is happy.  The sock has gone from being "the most uncomfortable thing ever" to being the catalyst for the requesting of more knit socks...by everyone is my household with a y-chromosome.

And there is so much yardage in a skein of Dream in Color Smooshy (which really is quite smooshy, if we are being truthful) that you (or at least "I") can knit a pair of socks for the large-footed and then quickly crank out a pair of cute Stay on Baby Booties to boot (if the baby is a girl, she is going to look fierce in these booties--so very avant garde, no?).

 
Sock yarn is really full of win.

i might love knitting socks, again

I am feeling like a sock making machine right now.  Really, I am.  I finished these socks last month; and, they are awesome. Their awesomeness makes me question my reasoning for leaving them unfinished for so long; but, that's usually the case with these sorts of things, no?

 
So a little over two years ago (actually, it was almost three, but saying "a little over two" sounds less pathetic) I participated in a single sock swap.  The premise being that if you only have to knit one sock, you wouldn't get tired of the pattern, there would be no "second sock syndrome" etcetera, etcetera.  I knit my single sock for my partner, and she, in turn, produced a mate to her sock.  Rangsiwan knit one uptown boot sock for me.  I was very excited about it.  I liked the pattern, I liked the color, loved the yarn...but (and I am not sure who is to  blame here, probably me...) the pattern somehow got separated from the sock.  And so did the notes on modifications.  I have the Favorite Sock Patterns book that houses a copy of the sock pattern, but it was immediately clear that Rangsiwan made modifications: to the cuff, the heel and even, yes, the toe. 

 
I think it's fair to say that I was not as indutrious then as I am today--I was also pretty lazy (which, that trait hasn't changed much, really); but, I wanted to finish the sock, because it was one of two sock(s) that took away my sock knitting mojo.  Well I figured out what needed to be done because when you have been knitting for long enough, you sort of understand what's going on, I guess.  I figured out Rangsiwan's modifications and knit the sock (in fairly short order, too).  The end result?  A smashing pair of red Uptown Boot Socks knit in some really great (Sundara) sock yarn--color 012, but you can call it "red" if you want.

Any plans for Easter weekend?  I will be working on my basement which got flooded (repeatedly) in the last two weeks (you know those rainstorms in the northeast? sigh.); chasing down some "bunnies", and finishing up a quilt (which is going to be fabulous!).  I might even do some knitting.  Have a great weekend!
 

finishes and starts

 
Hey there, Happy  New Year!  I hope 2010 is treating you all well, thus far.  My back went out just before Christmas (if you see it, please do send it back my way), so productivity was low; but, thanks to the power of pain management, sedation was high.  I hope the holidays had you merry.

 
I am loathe to throw all of the projects I finished at the end of the year in one post; but, that is exactly what I am going to do, because spreading them out now seems silly.  I did, indeed, finish Special K's vest (I am sure you were all wondering).

 
I am not going to lie, I hated knitting this thing.  I loved the yarn, butt he stitch pattern, I think, is completely lost.  It was not the prescribed yarn, but the one suggested was tweed too.  The pattern came from the Queensland Collection Book 9 pattern book, the designs are by Jane Ellison; and, there are, perhaps, some of the most interesting knit designs for men in this little gem of a book.  The pattern I knit is called Adam.  The book has tons of amazing sweater patterns, and that is why I bought the book...but Special K was all about the vests.  He picked out two other vests from the book.  Why do I even bother?

I also knit some socks.  Just plain and simple stockinette socks.  I made them for charity, which is a first for me.  I am not a selfish knitter by any means, I just usually have a particular recipient in mind. 

 
The Cherry Tree Hill Super Sock yarn was probably the first sock yarn I ever purchased, which means I have had it for years.  Years, people.  So I knit it.

 
And then I made some Christmas stockings. 

I actually started them in 2008 right after Christmas, I sewed the tops  on and stitched names in last year (2009!)... on Christmas Eve...while heavily medicated (the stitching leaves much to be desired, as you can probably imagine; but, I anticipate having to make new stockings for everyone when the boys start to either 1) think the fabric of the current stockings are uncool, or 2) think calling the 'rents "Mommy and Daddy" is totally gauche instead opting for "Mom or Dad" are dropping parental titles entirely and just refer to us by first names, as Little Sir is fond of doing now.  No, really.  He is.  

 

The stockings are the only things I actually made for Christmas this year, and I am okay with that .

So those were my finishes.  I have a lot of starts, but we will save my crafting starts for later.  Here is a teaser though.

 
I am pleased to report that last evening, at approximately 7:15 EST (or 1915, if you prefer), Little Mister took his first independent steps.  Four of them.  In a shocking turn of events his motivation had nothing to do with food; but instead, the boy was trying to get to his brother and a laundry basket.  Whatever works.  Jill guessed the exact day and will get to choose her prize.  Happy kick off to 2010, friends!

 

what'cha doin'?

 
There's really not a whole lot to see here; but, I was finding my blog silence a little sad, so I thought I'd drop in.  I am in the midst of various and sundry projects in progress and have nothing in the way of finished articles of brilliance to share.  And since there was a time when people who read knitting and craft blogs liked to read about what other knitters (and crafters) were working or how knits were holding up, I thought, "I could do that."

A long time ago, when he was wee, I knit Little Sir a hat to warm his noggin. 

 
This picture is 2.5 years old!!

It was a little big; but, it did its job.  When we got the first big chill in Connecticut earlier this week, we were scrambling around to find things to stay warm and we found his old hat again.  My first thought was to use it on Little Mister's head; but, Sir was having none of it.  It was his and he was going to wear it.  Surprisingly, it fits.  Actually, it fits much better now and he is super excited about it.

He is convinced that his yellow mittens work with the hat as a natty ensemble.  I don't like to argue with him, so I just agreed.

Of course, this means that Little mister is a bit on the hatless side right now.  This makes him sad. I need to do something about his hat situation; but, it would mean covering up his curls, which I am loathe to do.

 
Aside from digging through winter wear to find knits that don't exist (since it takes me forever to finish anything these days), I have been slogging away on my Babette Blanket which got stalled due to yarn shortages. 

 
I grossly underestimated the amount of yarn a crocheted blanket would require.  I think I read somewhere that a crocheted blanket takes 30% more yarn than one that is knit.  I can see why some many crocheters love acrylic, because seriously, I have had to put in two more orders for wool and you know, the natural fibers, they are not inexpensive.

 
I am a little obsessed with crochet right now.  Aside from the amount of yarn required, it's so efficient.  If you are measuring efficiency by time and not resources, I suppose.  The economy of movement required is pretty thrilling too.

 
I am still knitting too, of course.  I started a pair of socks for charity. 

 
It's a plain old stockinette sock.  I am not in love with the way it's turning out, which is probably for the best.  If I liked it too much there would be danger in not wanting to offer it up for charitable purposes.

And then I am still knitting the vest I have spent an inordinate amount of time working on.  You'd think I was knitting a man's sweater for Pete's sake.  Thank goodness for two-hour line waits for flu shots, I guess.

 
So that's what I am about right now, what about you? What'cha doin'?

end of year knits

Now that January is half done, it only seems sensible to talk about the knits that I finished last month in December, you know in 2008.  I finished two knits that I am really happy with.  The first knit was another Baby Surprise Jacket.     

I wasn't too impressed with the first one  that I knit, but the second one is great.  I think I just needed to put my kid in a bigger BSJ, as he is a big kid. 

The sleeves were the right length--they were not too short-- and the yarn was pure joy to knit and the end result is a really cute sweater for a pretty cute boy (there is obvious bias here, of course).

The other knit was a pair of socks.  For whatever reason, I don't do so great with the sock knitting, I get bored with it for some reason (second sock syndrome, anyone?).  But I managed to get a pair of Nutkins knit for myself.  The yarn was a birthday gift last year from a knitblogging birthday twin (thank you Rangsiwan!). 

 

I really like the way the socks turned out, the pattern was well written and you can't go wrong with Koigu.  I did a knit/purl cuff instead of the cuff prescribed and I mirrored the pattern for the second sock, an idea I totally stole from Maritza.  I am really happy with the socks, mostly because of the modification I made to the heels--eye of partridge heels, what is not to love?

So that is it for the 2008 crafting.  I am not going to do a summary of the year, if you want to see the past knits (and other projects), feel free to look in the gallery of 2008 projects ortake a look over in flickr.  I haven't the energy to be redundant today.  I do however have the energy to start plotting some 2009 crafts, I am pretty excited, because, as you all know, I have copious amounts of free time now.  Heh.  With some of that copious free time, I will update the gallery and include the specs for these last two projects (socks and bsj), I will also post the info in Ravelry, of course.

And there is still time to toss your name in the hat for the "it's not a resolution" contest, just leave a comment onthis post (the post below).

i know what boys like*

Well, as long as they are babies or toddlers.  I am still nervous about the whole dealing with the boy teenager thing; but, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

It just occurred to me that I never shared the gender of baby Disco.  From the title and the pictures, I am sure you have figured it out.  Baby Disco is a boy.   Elinor is advocating for the name "Little Mister," which I find all kinds of scary because I was considering this for the blog name "if the baby was a boy."

Little Sir is VERY excited about this, a brother means he will have someone to "play trains" with.  Considering that he was introduced to the great world of trains and train-obsession by his friend Caroline, his logic doesn't make any sense, but he is two.  He is excited about having someone to "roll balls" with as well.  After about 10 minutes, the parental units are no fun with the ball rolling.

 

I have to be honest, I was looking forward to the possibility of making dresses and knitting a pink wardrobe for a little mini-me (I even bought a crapload of pink yarn, because I "had a feeling").  But after finding out that Disco has boy parts, I calmed down and remembered that: 1) I don't like the color pink, it makes me want to vomit, 2) I would have no idea what to do with a girl, really (despite the fact that I am one...),  3) Little Sir was hoping for a baby brother (after he accepted that a baby was going to be part of the picture whether he wanted one or not); and, 4) logistically, we are already prepared for a boy (you know, having one in the form of Little Sir, already)--or rather, I know what boys like.

I figure you can't go wrong with things like: planes (or helicopters--"we" have a thing for aircrafts with propellers at the moment),

trains (all makes and models),

and automobiles (these little cars are Little Sir's new thing--it's kind of driving-heh- me crazy).

 

They are just a pair of booties.  But if you want the good word on them, I will put the info in the gallery and ravelry for your perusal.

*And, should you want to relive a piece of your youth...

my new favorite socks

It's a shame that I didn't finish these socks sooner.  They are fabulous (if I do say so myself)!

I figured with the big goodbye to Magknits, it was time to put the Snickets to bed.  The fact that I started them last July was also a factor.

I knit the first one fairly quickly (for me).  But the second one lagged.  I have noticed that I procrastinate finishing projects when there is something about them that I dread.  Oh, have you noticed that too?  In any case, with these socks, I was not particularly excited about the short row heel.

This is my first (and probably last, if I can help it) short row heel.  Like Opal, I am a heel flap kind of girl.  But I figured that I would at least give it a try so I could say I did a short row heel and give myself ample justification for complaining about it.  That being said, these are still my newest favorite socks. 

The pattern is great (hopefully the designer will offer it through Ravelry or elsewhere); but, the yarn....well, it's out of this world, people.  They are nice and cozy...just in time for summer.  These socks will probably see the most action after summer (the season that hasn't quite arrived in my corner of the woods yet) wraps up.

So when fall rolls around again, I well be suitably prepared.

I will post details on the Rav (Ravelraiser, are you in the know?) and in the gallery for those who are not yet Ravel-ing.