Butterfly!

Pattern: Butterfly from Rowan 37, using 1 1/2 (or even less?) skeins of Kidsilk Haze in Pearl
Gauge: approx 18 sts = 4in on US6 needles

I have learned a few things from knitting this piece. First, Kidsilk Haze kicks ass. Second, Kidsilk Haze quickly annihilates your posture and the majority of your remaining eyesight. I worked this really slowly to avoid mistakes and having to frog. As we all know, there is just no frogging KSH. I would rather eat my own face than have to frog KSH. While working slowly and evenly, every muscle in my neck and shoulder region concentrated to keep my arms stable and not at all loose, so now I pretty much feel like I spent a 3 weeks lifting weights with my head instead of sitting on my butt. Thanks for the workout, KSH.

 

Actually, after I got through the first hem successfully and into the body, it was very quick and suprisingly easy. I had no problems with the instructions as a whole, and the pattern was easy to memorize. Usually when I work with lace patterns I inevitably make mistakes: a missed yarn-over here, a forgotten ssk there, that I would have to frog several rows to correct. Not this time though, for whatever reason. Butterfly just fluttered happily along. And THANK GOD. It was just very lucky, like we were meant to be Best Friends Forever.

Some notes:

• I went down from US8 to US6 needle size. Size 8 was just too big. The yarn-overs made hoops large enough for my cat to jump through, and the needles were just too thick for me to handle. I couldn't get it underneath any stitch.
  
• US7 was still too gaping and clumsy for me, so I went down to 6.
  
• I knitted the smallest size. Using size 6 in the smallest turned out to be a good decision. KSH stretches and stretches. The resulting bust size using US6 needles was still 32", with room to grow.
  
• The number of motif repeats for each hem was 11.
  
• I knitted Butterfly flat. In order to make seaming easier, I knitted two edge stitches on either side. This means if the row started with a YO on the first or second stitch, or ended with a YO on the last and second-to-last stitch, I ignored it and just knitted it regularly.
  
• At the same time, I made sure that I didn't start the pattern unless I was able to partner a YO with its corresponding decrease, and vice-versa. I kept knitting until I was able to start the pattern again "in full" - an increase with its decrease, a double increase with its double decrease, etc. This keeps the stitch count consistent, and I don't have to worry about compensating for an extra stitch on the next row.
  
• I replaced all "ktbl" with "ssk". Trying to force the dull needle point through two back loops was nearly impossible for me. ssk gets the job done.
  
• The instructions tell you to bind off at the neck edges completely, and then pick up 3 stitches for the straps. In lieu of binding off completely, I left 3 stitches live after shaping the neck on either side, and just knitted the straps from there. I made them qiute short. When satisfied with the length, I grafted it (shudder) to the live stitches on the other side.
  
• Speaking of grafting, let's not speak of it. Let's never speak of it. Well, we might have to. I seamed the sides using mattress stitch. Not a terrible process, considering the yarn. Backstitch might have been more appropriate but that would have required me to learn a new technique and there's no room in this old brain for that right now. So I seamed from the armhole down until I got to the hem...and that's when the grafting came in.
  
• To anyone who has knit Butterfly, can you tell me what those 4 rows of Stockinette stitch on either side of the hem, in the waste yarn, was all about? Like was there a good reason why you couldn't just knit one row in waste yarn? Or why you couldn't just forget about the waste yarn altogether and cast on with KSH directly? And then mattress stitch the two hems instead of grafting them? Shudder.
  
• For the picot edging around the neck and arms, I crocheted them rather than knit them. Because again, I didn't want to learn how to knit picot, especially when rounding 3rd base on the way to home plate. I'm nearly done and you want me to learn a new technique now? No thanks.
  
• I forgot about the beads. Didn't even occur to me, I was hung up on just surviving knitting with KSH. AND I HAVE!! So next time, beads all around.
  
• I think I might have 75% of the second skein left over!!

Updated: Oops! Just as I was dismounting from my high horse, saying that I hadn't made a mistake while knitting Butterfly, I just realized I had omitted the several rows of garter stitch along the neckline. You're supposed to work 3 rows before the picot. Does my version look less finished without the rows? Hmm...

I still have to find a better camisole to wear underneath this thing, but all in all, I am VERY HAPPY with Butterfly. Not only is it a fun knit, it is a fun and sexy ROWAN knit that cost under $20 to make. Rowan? Sexy and credit card-friendly? Can it be? 

Hee hee.

Comments [24]
Filed Under: Completed Projects | Rowan | Butterfly

B&B

I had all these things I wanted to talk about, and now I got nothing. Can I be boringly brief instead? OK: Vermont was lovely, good riddance to Michael Brown, and Butterfly is on the road to a glorious debut.

But first, some not-so-glorious grafting of the hems. This was so gross, people. I didn't get why we had to knit 4 rows of St. st. in waste yarn at either ends for the hem, but figured it would all make sense come grafting time. Well it didn't. All those rows of waste yarn was a pain in the ass to maneuver around, didn't help me in the grafting process, so I ended up removing them and threading one string of contrasting yarn through the loops. That made it much easier, and in the end the pattern motif aligned. F+ for technique, but A- for outcome.

Lo! That's project number 2 that I've been knitting up during weekend after weekend of mini roadtrips this past month. Why yes, it's that blasted Bolero from Debbie Bliss Simply Soft that I kept mooning about forever. I must have leafed through it in five different yarn stores before I finally sucked it up and bought it. It's still a bloody rip-off! Anyway, I'm doing this in Cashmerino Aran, rather than Chunky, and have the back and one front panel finished. The front panel ridiculously itty bitty, but half of its width is comprised of 2x2 ribbing that goes all around the circumference of the entire piece. That'll be fun when I get to it.

Comments [4]
Filed Under: Debbie Bliss | Bolero | Butterfly

Back to knitting

Couple weeks ago when I was getting slammed with spam, I set up this here blog to block referrals coming from certain poker sites, casino sites, engorgement pill sites, etc. And I just now realized this site was not only blocking those, but ALL referrals. So anyone who clicked on a link here from another knitting site, aka a legitimate site, got nowhere. :( I just fixed that.

I strapped myself in front of my laptop this past long weekend to get work done (bleh), but I also managed to squeeze in some quality time with Mme. Butterfly. At this point it is breezing by. I've memorized the pattern, I'm replacing all ktbl with ssk, I'm comfy with handling KSH, all of which combined makes for a knitting experience that is much easier and much more fun than I had imagined it would be.

Second panel, approached armhole shaping

I'm not knitting in the round. I thought about it but using KSH seemed ambitious enough. Seaming this isn't going to be too bad. I made sure to knit 2 edge stitches on both sides so I'm not attempting to seam a gaping yarn-over, or whatever.

We're off tonight to Stowe Vermont for a wedding. It's too bad I won't finish this in time to wear it.

Comments [6]
Filed Under: Butterfly

Conflicts of interests

I'm knitting when I should be working. I'm stressing about work when I should be taking it easy. I'm taking it easy when I should be driving a bus-full of refugees out of the South, bringing along with me clothes, food, water, dialysis instruments and insulin shots, and maybe even a simple book or two to read to pass the time while you sit wondering what the hell you're going to do next? What about a nice clean bathroom with working pumbling for a nice shower, can I bring a few of those down too?

Finished side of Butterfly, unblocked.

Congrats again to this Bush administration. They've shown this country that we're no more effective when it comes to responding to a disaster than we were four years ago on 9/11, and this time we even had a couple days heads up! What've you been doing these past four years?! Oh right combatting invisible WMD's in a town 6000 miles away! Thanks too for the tax cuts last year!! It's been working out brilliantly! There's no money to say, aid all those new people who have joined the growing poverty level or say, breach crumbling levees, but I sure did enjoy that extra $300 in my pocket! Now watch as I use it to fill my car with HALF a tank of gas!!! AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!

Watch Bush next declare war on the evil-doer hurricanes. Or no, he'll declare war on uh, sharks, who are just as much responsible for Katrina as Iraq was for 9/11.

Goddamn. I freakin hate that guy. I'm right now on that slippery slope of blaming him for everything. Maybe because half of America seems to let him get AWAY for everything. I have to pick up the slack.

I've got a box of beignet mix from New Orleans' Cafe du Monde in the kitchen, perhaps I'll whip up a few later today. I was missing beignets and crawfish like mad the other day, now I'm missing it even more.

Comments [5]
Filed Under: Life | Butterfly

Me + KSH = BFF

The baby jacket was a hit at the baby shower this weekend. I think. I'm not sure. What I think is obviously fabulous may be out of whack with what other people think is fabulous. Someone at the shower thought it must have took me 6 months to make the jacket. Compliment, yes?  I'm so insecure when it comes to giving other people handmade crafts (not that it stops me from doing it every Christmas), especially to people who don't craft. Anyway mine was the only handmade, not-from-registry item. Unique at least. But maybe they thought I was being cheap. If they only knew cost of time and materials that goes into a knitted piece, right?!

Here's the progress on Butterfly, in all its lacy glory:

Instead of knitting through the back loop (SO DIFFICULT for me with this wispy KSH), I'm doing ssk. Is that OK or am I committing some knitting faux pas. Whatever, both techniques lean to the left so it's all good in the neighborhood.

Since I'm feeling comfortable with Kidsilk Haze, I went ahead and bought a few more for Aimee from Rowan Vintage Style, in Liquer. Beautiful color.

So. I really have to cut back on knitting for awhile. As I say this I might as well cut out my spinal cord instead. No more coming home from the office to an evening knitting on the couch. I have tons of other (paying) work I'm procrastinating on. Tons! And I'm procrastinating right now! Shoot me, this is going to be murder on my willpower. Boo hoo why can't paying work involve knitting?

Comments [8]
Filed Under: General Knitting | Butterfly

Cable & Seed Stitch Jacket

Pattern: Cable and Seed Stitch Jacket from The Baby Knits Book by Debbie Bliss
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran (how I love this yarn), 6 skeins for size 12-18 months
Gauge: 18 sts/10cm on US8

This jacket took a lot longer than I had anticipated, mostly due to finishing details like the collar, sewing in the pockets, finding the perfect buttons, sewing the buttons on. The end result though is a super adorable, super cozy, and super plush little jacket that I hope his mommy will like. Damnit, let me be frank here: I better see the kid wear this jacket every Thanksgiving and Christmas for the next 2 years.

 

I know pockets might go unappreciated by a toddler, but I think the jacket wouldn't be quite right without them. They are so cute. I'm hoping Baby will fill his little pockets with pebbles, or sticks, or whatever interesting knick-knacks he finds. Frogs included.

This was the first time I made pockets, and a collar, and the first time I knit sleeves from the top down. Since there's no armhole shaping nor sleeve cap shaping, I figured it would be easy to just pick up stitches for the sleeves at the arms, and work down. I just reversed the directions for the sleeves, and it saved me tons of time in the seaming that I didn't have to do.

Shut up.

Well isn't this sad. I couldn't resist trying it on myself. Imagine the delight/horror to find that this jacket for a 12 month-old kind of fits across the back and front of a scrawny 29 year-old (baby things are ROOMY, aight??), and doesn't look all that strange cropped. Hello bolero with uh...one-third sleeves! If Baby doesn't like this jacket, shit give it back to me and I'll wear it.

Comments [15]
Filed Under: Completed Projects | Debbie Bliss | Baby Jacket

Bring on the KSH

LOOK!

It's the beginnings of a hem!
Rowan Butterfly in Pearl, using US6 needles.

I've finally conquered by battle with mohair. I'm so ecstatic I could cry! And I would except, after 8 repeats of the hem lace pattern, I'm totally exhausted. I'm knitting extremely, excrutiatingly slowly, counting each stitch out loud, re-counting each stitch again after a row, my arms and neck are stiff from being so careful.

KSH definitely takes getting used to. It's been my Achilles heel. Like with GGH Softkid, I'm having problems getting under the stitches for k2tog's, p2tog's, and oh god you can forget about me being able to p2tog tbl successfully in ten tries, much less one. But what I've been doing is using a small tapestry needle - something thin with a nice point - to help me get through those loops and loosen them up enough so I can then get my needle through them. It slows me down a lot, but it works great.

The stitches look so much better from a distance than up close. Up close the everything is a jumbled, indiscernable mess. But step back a few, and ah. Lace. So pretty.

Comments [8]
Filed Under: Rowan | Butterfly

Baby jacket's nearly done

Cute and cozy

One more pocket to sew in, buttons to attach and I'm done. When I started this I thought I'd be done in plenty of time, but it looks like I'll be done only just in time for the baby shower in a week. Phew.

Comments [2]
Filed Under: Debbie Bliss | Baby Jacket

The Cult of Rowan

Now that we've gotten the happy crafty anniversary celebrations out the way (thank you for all your lovely comments!!), I have a confession to make.

I didn't actually make any of those pieces. I paid someone to do it so I could have a knitting blog. It's cost me a ton of loot but totally worth all those lovely comments that I get from you.

Just kidding. No, it's a more serious confession. Are you ready? Here goes...

I do not like Rowan patterns.

(...pausing as I wait for the boulder to land on my head...)

Joy! I've said it outloud and I'm still alive.

It's been awhile since I've flipped through a Victoria*s Secret catalog, but they used to have this casual wear section in the last half of the magazine, where they'd model jeans and sweaters and high-waisted trousers. It was like a total frumpy yin to the sexy yang of the lingerie section. I remember this one photo of Stephanie See-More in a very provocative pose - one knee on the couch, shoulders back and hair half in her face. The problem was, she was fully dressed, and not even well-dressed at that.

The outfit was a baggy sweatshirt that looked like it had already taken 12 spins in the wash, and a pair of stirrup leggings circa 1988. What the hell are you doing in here? Ugly! Bleh! By now I've forgotten about the pages and pages of thongs in the beginning. After the sweatshirt/leggings spread, the whole magazine just seemed goofy.

So this is kinda sorta how I feel everytime I open a Rowan magazine. I expect one thing but get another. Whatever the expectations, we got off to a bad start. I'm a newbie knitter perusing through a knitting store for the first time, looking through books for inspiration. Nothing in Rowan strikes me the first time I flip through, so I move on. A few minutes later the yarn store owner, giving the rundown of what's what in the world of
knitting, pulls me back to them. Rowan, she says, is VERY designer and VERY popular. Everyone loves Rowan (and you will too).

With context in place, I look through them again, this time expecting Something Spectacular, but still, just not wow'd by anything. The pieces remind me of Talbots, or a 3rd grade private school teacher named Mrs. Worthington. Lots of boxy cardigans with intarsia flowers and bobbles that would make you a champion knitter, but not exactly a stylish champion knitter. I check the price tag. Yikes. Overrated and overpriced.

Bill Cosby wants his sweaters back.

A year later and I'm still trying to reset my attitude about Rowan. I mean, ten billion happy members of the Cult of Rowan can't be wrong, right? But there are still way too many Bill Cosby sweaters for my tastes (who is this Kaffe Fasset character? Keep your patchwork on the quilts and out of my sweater, you). They're like VS, trying to sex up the homely sweatshirt.

OK now that I've got my Rowan hate fest out of the way, now that you all hate me, I just want to tell you that I had a lookie through the latest No. 38 at the yarn store yesterday. And guess what, you Rowan-lovin' freaks. Guess what.

I LOVE IT.

I promise I'm not the asshole goes out of their way to hate what you like and like what you hate. I really really REALLY love it. Look I'm starting to type in all caps so it has to be true. I too could do fine without the weird Urban Outfitter stuff towards the end, but still I'd take funny Penguin Boy (or whatever that thing is) over Basket Weave designs. Everything else from beginning thereon is so different, so special, so designer, so stylish AND for once, SO WEARABLE.

Duchess

Yes that crazy intarsia cardigan in No. 35 or whatever is special, but it
ain't wearable, no. But the strange pink cardigan in No. 38, with the little
eyelet heart thingy on the left panel? So weird, yet SO WEARABLE.

Miss Maple!

And what about this one, the one that looks like a poncho, a kimono, a
cardigan, AND a kite?  So weird, yet SO WEARABLE.

And Pandora? LOVE HER.

Kooch (?!)

But the one that really makes me hot for teacher is this coat. Now that's what I'm talking about! I love that belt, I love the collar, and I love the model and I love her nose!! (The name is not so hot though.)

I don't know if I'm a total Rowan convert, but things are definitely looking up. I plan on making Butterfly from No. 37 - fingers crossed that I can deal with KSH - and after that I'm getting my hands on No. 38 to make the coat. And we'll just see where we go from there.

I (almost) heart Rowan!

PS. I hope I didn't offend anyone who shops at Talbots or is a 3rd grade private school teacher named Mrs. Worthington, or is Kaffe Fassett, or is a Rowan fan.

If so, direct hatemail to:
youandyourknittingsuckbigbumpyballs{AT}catduckperiodcom

PSS. I have always loved that name. (Rowan, not Kaffe) It's a character in one of them Anne Rice novels, and I decided way back when that my daughter will be named Rowan. Just a little factoid for you.

Comments [13]
Filed Under: General Knitting