Cursed Yarn

Have you ever had cursed yarn? That yarn that just WILL NOT be made into a project, no matter how much you try to force it into a mold? I have been struggling with one of these yarns for almost a year and I think I'm at the point where I just can't look at it anymore. I don't even want to deal with frogging back the latest attempt. I just don't want to touch or look at this yarn anymore. It may just turn me off of Cascade 220 all together.



It all started innocently enough. My husband let me get the Rogue pattern after much waiting. I downloaded the pattern, printed it out, and started plotting. My Rogue wanted to be red. A deep, rich, crimson red. We had the perfect 220 color at the store and I thought it would make a fantastic Rogue. I knew I'd have to knit it a little looser than I like to knit my sweaters, but with all that cable work, looser is better, right? With this 220, the answer is WRONG. Looser means pills. As your knitting with the yarn. The finished part of the sweater was pilling as it sat on my lap and I worked on the remainder of the sweater. Shortly before dividing for the arm holes, I decided that this would not work. I couldn't wear a sweater that pilled this much. Rogue deserved better.



So I frogged nearly a month of work. I frogged my beautiful cables that I'd agonized over. I frogged the pocket that drove me nuts, trying to get it to seamlessly attach the way the pattern asked me to. I frogged it all. And the yarn sat in my stash for the next 6 months contemplating it's indiscretions.



I thought time was all it needed. I pulled it out from time to time to see if it was ready to be recreated. It stubbornly refused to tell me what it wanted to be. It didn't want to be felted (except into cat toys for my downstream SP), it didn't want to be a knit sweater, it didn't want to be a bag, it didn't want to be a hat, scarf or mittens. It wanted to be obnoxious, beautiful, and impossible to use.



3 weeks ago I found a crocheted trench coat pattern that I knew it could become. I powered through the back and the first front. It was cooperating! It could become this jacket.

I started on the second panel knowing I was going to be close on yarn. Very close. As written, I would be about 200 yards short of the pattern's required yarn. But the next size up was 3 inches larger in the chest and called for the same number of balls. And I was doing so many mods to cut down on yarn: I shortened it by 5 inches in length, wasn't going to do the stand-up collar or the belt, and my sleeves were going to be at least 2 inches shorter. I thought I would be ok. So into the second panel I go. The increases and decreases for waist shaping are giving me a few issues on this panel, but I figure it out and soldier through.

I end my panel with one remaining ball in the existing dyelot. 1 ball and 2 sleeves. Each front panel took about 1.5 balls. The back took about 3 balls. I was in deep doo for the sleeves. So I checked the store for the same dyelot - no go (the yarn was a year old, I wasn't expecting much). I put out my plea on various message boards. Not a nibble. So I decided that I'd be resourceful and make the new dyelot work.

Split the last ball of original and the ball of new dyelot and started the first sleeve with half a ball of the new. When it was getting low I slowly faded into the old dyelot so the sleeve would match at the seam. Problem #1: the new dyelot was considerably denser than the old. The gauge was the same, but the density of the fabric was considerably different. I decided to push forward anyway, I just wanted this thing DONE!

I was still very close on yarn, but now the sleeve cap shaping was looking... Odd... Short... Just not right. I normally do my sweaters in the round, either top down or bottom up, with raglan sleeves and wasn't quite sure if it was looking normal or not, since I have little to no experience in this area. So I took my sleeve, and I took my assembled back & front (joined only at the shoulder to make seaming the sleeves easier) and I laid them out in the way I assumed they went together.

Well that looked even more odd. So I waited for my crochet-guru boss to come in. I tell her the yarn is cursed and ask if she knows what's wrong with my sleeve cap.With the way she's looking at it, I know something is majorly screwy with it! She's trying not to laugh and manipulating the sleeve and sweater, trying to see how they'll go together. At this point, it's either laugh or cry, so I start laughing.

"Think we should have a long vest for display this winter?" I ask. She laughs, says that's a great idea and pulls out some faux fur to trim it with.

So now, what do I do to punish the sleeve? It needs an appropriate funeral so that I don't have to work with this yarn again! I'll put pictures up this weekend of the "vest." The fur turned out pretty cute, not something I normally do, but cute. Very much in my boss' style.

BlogStalking, Week 2: Purse Guts!

I'm gonna start off by saying that ya'all's comments on my previous post make me all warm and fuzzy. Thanks everyone! Just to answer a few questions, my dog is a Border Collie Mix, we're not sure with what but the suspicions are corgi and lab. The "bread" was biscotti for my downstream SP, orange chocolate biscotti. It was very yum. Thanks again for all the comments. I've tried to get around to each of you, but I'm sure I missed some of you. So I'm thanking you here!

Onto this week:
I don't really carry a purse. Usually, I carry an oversize bag with at least one project in it and enough stuff to get me though a boring day at work. I work at an LYS, so I tend to carry my full arsenol of crochet hooks and notions with me at all times. So, onto the pictures!

This is the overview of my bag, this week. I have many many bags. Too many. But this cheapo walmrt bag is one of my favorites. It has lots of pockets, but is big enough to hold everything! Including a sweater WIP if needed.

So, pocket #1 contains:
Crochet Hooks
Jaywalker #1
An oatmeal cookie (mid-afternoon snack, see previous recipe. Yum)

Pocket #2 Contains:
Notions
Sunglass Clip (but I'm not even wearing glasses today)
Lots of anti-cold supplements
Lip Stuff


Pocket #3 Contains:
Jawalker #2
Measuring Tape


Pocket #4 Contains:
Lots more lip stuff
Tide To Go Stick
Mints
Dental Appointment reminder card (For APRIL!)
Bug bite stick (because if there is a bug around, I will be bit)


And the big inside pocket:
Water Bottle
Wallet
Flash light
More mints
Book
Patterns
Hand lotion
Leatherman
More lip stuff
Eye drops


There you have it. My bag guts. This is a fairly tame day. I just switched over to this bag on Sunday. I try to change bags about every other week to keep the clutter down.

And guys, I think I officially have a lip stuff problem. I have that many in my bag and I still have another one in my pocket. Is there a support group for this kind of thing?

Thank You, SP!

I got my fantastic last SP package this last week. It was extremely fiber-liscious. And the reveal: My SP was Regmo! Thank you so much, hun! Your packages were amazing!
From top to bottom, we have:
Misti Alpaca Worsted, color #2030, a really pretty plum
Mirasol's Miski, 100% BABY LLAMA!!!, color #103, a lovely light purple
Mirasol's Sulka, Merino, Alpaca, & Silk, color #203, a deep wine color

These yarns are so yummy. I love the colors. I love the textures. This package was so fantastic to open. It is all so soft! Thank you, Regmo! I loved being spoiled by you!

Brrrr...

It's so cold! We've suddenly fallen into autumn, with no more warning than we went into spring. It was 47 outside and 64 inside this morning when I woke up. Talk about not wanting to get up! We're determined not to run the heater until the end of the month, so it may be time to pull up the space heaters. We've had the AC off since about the last week or two of August, so we're really trying to leave the heater off. The energy bill will reward us. Also, we're going to need to refill the oil before running the heater too much, and we really can't afford that at the moment. Hopefully next month, we can afford to refill the oil.
The forecast for this weekend says highs in the upper 70's, so I guess it's not time to put away summer clothes all together, but it is definitely time to pull out the sweaters and hand knit socks. I realized this morning that I need more pairs of socks! The last pair of Tofutsies that I finished are on display at the shop, so I can't wear them. One Jaywalker is done and I'm a little over 2 inches into the other one, I just need to focus my energies at it. I've stalled out on the lacy airy wrap sweater from fitted knits. It was all going swimmingly until I picked up the sleeve stitches. Now I'm about 3 rows down the sleeve and I don't like the join under the arm. It's got a lot of holes surrounding tight stiches. So I have to decide whether or not that will block out or if I want to rip it back and figure out how to make it go away. So it's on hold until I can deal with it. The crocheted jacket in the last post is coming along. I'm over halfway up the second front. Only problem is that I only have one more ball of yarn and two sleeves left to go. And the dye lot is over a year old. So I have to figure out how to incorporate a new dye lot into the old without it looking like I fudged it. I have an idea. I just don't want to execute it right now.
SO what did I do? I stared a new project. I'm making a little stuffed horse for my aunt for Christmas and I've promised Michelle to make up a new "shop cat." The horse only has 2 legs left, then I'll start the cat. Hopefully those fast projects will help me pull through on these others. And I must finish the 2 pairs of socks OTN.

BlogStalk, Week 1: Who Am I?

I Am:

A Wife
A Doggie Mom

A Knitter


A Spinner


A Dyer


A Crocheter


A Native Oregonian Transplanted in E Washington


A lover of nature


A Food Enthusiast, amateur cook, amateur baker


A Gardener & Plant Lover

Attempting to learn the intricate art of photography


I'm a 23 year old who's only beginning to find herself. I love to make lists and plans, but rarely do I follow through with them. Right now, my big goals are to pay off our debt, go back to school fall of 2009 and to buy a house. My big dream is to own my own nursery specializing in regional plants and flowers and to teach people how to respect the area that they live in by working within the local eco-system.

I want to grow into the woman that I see in my mind. She is a wife, a mother, a business owner, a boss, a friend. She is confident and self-aware. She has dirt under her nails and wakes up each morning ready to go live her dream. She is well respected and loved by those around her. She has made a difference in her community. She is powerful enough to take control of her life but wise enough to guide it down the right path.

I have a long journey ahead of me. But I think I'm finally on the right path.

Oatmeal Cookies

So... I have no photos of knitting because life is crazy. I'm back to full time at work so my mornings aren't my own any more. That means no early morning time for photos and blogging. And since we're FINALLY coming into fall (though you wouldn't know it from the daytime highs), the evenings are too shady to get good pictures.

So since I have no photos or interesting knitting stories, because my life is work for the next 6-8 months, you get my cookie recipe! I make these as snacks in the afternoon. Occasionally Steven will eat them for breakfast. They are incredibly filling. A little high in sugar to be "health food," but fairly healthy outside of that.

Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups Brown Sugar (I usually use 1 cup brown and 1/2 cup white, you could also trade out that half a cup with molasses to add some iron to the cookies, or maple syrup, or honey, or... well, you get the idea!)
• 2 1/2 cups Oatmeal (not quick, just rolled)
• 4 cups Flour (I use 3 whole wheat and 1 AP white)
• 1 Tbs Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1-3 Tbs Cinnamon
  
• 1 tsp Nutmeg
• 1/4 cup Canola Oil
• 3 eggs or equivalent egg substitute
  
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1-2 cups assorted dried fruit and nuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 F.
2. Mix the dry ingredients, minus the fruit and nuts, until well blended. Stir in the wet ingredients then fold in the fruit and nuts.
3. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, measure out the cookies and flatten onto a baking sheet. These cookies won't spread much in the oven, so flatten to about 1/2 inch thick.
4. Bake 10 - 12 minutes, until set.
5. Let cool 5 minutes on the sheets then transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely before storing.
6. These cookies keep about a week on the counter, sealed tightly. But they freeze beautifully! I tend to keep them individually packaged in the freezer for when I need them. They thaw in about 2 hours on the counter.
   

Wheelin' Walla Walla Weekend!

We've had a great weekend so far, and it's set to be even busier. We did the car show yesterday and will be going to a pooch pool party today. Along with normal weekend cleaning and cooking and shopping, it's been busy! Head over to my flickr account by clicking the above photo for more car show photos. Pool party photos will come later. Not much knitting to speak of right now. I will update that info tomorrow or the next day. Off to go grocery shopping!

FO: My So Called Scarf

It's Done!

Stats:
"My So Called Scarf"
1 Skein Manos Del Urugay, color #109
2 weeks, give or take

I love this scarf! The yarn is yummy. And the colors are so perfect!