Exercise Before Knitting

And in support of public transit and the pro-science candidate for the Kansas State Board of Education.

It felt great. I hope your voting experience was as satisfying!

Knitting content to return tomorrow!

With less than a day left before the exam, I thought I’d take a quick break from practice tests to pop in to say hello. And thank you, for providing me with plenty of quick diversions by blogging and posting your lovely photos on Flickr and on Ravelry. Whenever I need a short break, I stop and read some blogs, see out what my contacts are up to on Flickr and check email.

I have so many unblogged projects (mostly things I finished in late spring or early summer) to show you that I will probably have to break them up into several posts. Let’s start with kid sewing, shall we?

Pattern: New Look 6688, size 3

Made for gimmesanity’s Monkey, a brand new big sister.

This is one of my favorite patterns ever. You may recall that I used this same pattern for Celeste’s sundress last fall. I also made Beatrix a dress with this pattern last summer; however, she outgrew the dress before I could photograph it. In any case, I thought it would be nice for the big sister to get something special (other than, of course, a new sibling!) And what kid does not love to twirl?

The only significant modification I made to the pattern was to omit the side zipper. This pattern calls for an invisible side zipper that stops short of the underarm. I’ve placed the zipper in the past but it does not add anything to the garment, in my opinion, so I skipped it.

For the new baby, I made a quick pair of booties and a stack of square flannel wipes. I made stacks and stacks of these before Beatrix was born and we still use them every day. I pulled out my stash of flannel and sewed up some more wipes for the new babe.

Finally, back in early June I made another light dress for Beatrix.

Pattern: Butterick 3782 just like the blue daisy dress I made a few months ago. I actually sewed the two dresses at the same time but this one seemed to be in the wash whenever I had a chance to photograph it. I managed to bribe Beatrix to sit still long enough to take the pictures. The bribe? A steady stream of dog kisses. Ew.

Fabric: American Jane Wee Play Ovals by Moda

While I normally use doublefold bias tape to hide my unsightly neckline and armhole seams, I decided to try using singlefold bias tape as facing. I couldn’t be happier with the result! I dislike messing with linings and facings on summer dresses for a growing toddler so tape facings effectively clean up the edges without much extra work. To cotton purists, I’ve learned, using pre-fab tape is like lining your knits with a wool/acrylic blend; however, at the rate B is growing, the fiber content of the facings will not matter much.

Speaking of Beatrix, look who is developing some attitude! And right on time too, with her second birthday only a week away.

That’s all for kid sewing. There will be some quilting, some adult sewing and sock knitting coming your way after the MCAT. Until then, wish me luck.

Babies! Swaps! No way are you going to even manage a peek at all the knitting going on here! I offer you a drive by post on the socks I just finished for my mother-in-law.

Yarn: Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock in “Violet”, a gift from Christine
Needles: US 1 1/2

This is a basic 68-stitch cuff deceased down to a 60-stitch foot. I’ve been studying like mad so I needed a project that was even more mindless than usual (why bother knit, really?). I like how these look but I admit that stockinette socks always end up being more work than I anticipate because I count rows to match the second sock to the first one. A few people from my knitting group laughed and suggested a tape measure would yield more or less the same results but I prefer to match my socks to the row!

Next up is a great stashbuster! This is the beginning of the Aspen Neck Cowl (Rav link here) with Posh Yarn Emily.

This is actually inside out. I prefer knitting this pattern inside out because I knit faster than I purl. Here is the other side (the right side) of the fabric.

Lastly, somebody has learned to knit! Or, sort of. We caught Beatrix “knitting” shoe laces last week. How old does she have to be before she gets her first pair of needles?

The more I think about the San Francisco Marathon, the more I think it’s a bad idea. Perhaps I’ll run the half marathon. I could aim for a better, faster race instead of slog my way through 26 miles. A few of you mentioned that you’re running too, which I think is fabulous! I fully support the runner’s high addiction. And let’s not forget the yarn addiction! I think we should all get together and run a nice half marathon in a city with great yarn shops. It would be the perfect marriage of two dangerous hobbies!

Progress on the knitting front has been less than perfect, however. I’m almost to the armholes on one of the fronts of the Katharine Hepburn Cardigan. I look forward to the other half of the front because all of the cables will go the other direction, which I find easier to do without a cable needle.

While knitting the other day, I found myself wondering about why the yarn cake deforms the way it does. I’m pulling yarn from the left in this picture but as I pull out the innards of the cake, it bulges to the right. Why is that? I would expect it to explode in the direction I pull. Anyone? Erin? Adam? People who know physics? You now know what absurd things I think about as the semester draws to a close. I’m studying for finals and the MCAT but hey, what’s up with my yarn cake? I am easily distracted at the beginning of May.

Lastly, once I realized that I was on track to complete one pair of socks per month, I decided that I had to cast on for a mindless stockinette pair for my May socks. I actually started these weeks ago but there has been a shocking dearth of knitting around these parts so they are only now making an appearance. I cast off the first one this afternoon and I’ll probably start the second one later this week.

While my knitting seems interminably stuck in the pinks and purples, locally grown asparagus adds a nice splash of color to my day! If only my tomato plants would GROW! It is so hard to pick out tomato plants at the nursery because each variety is supposed to be the BEST TOMATO YOU’VE EVER TASTED. I may have planted close to 20 plants. I have no willpower when it comes to the best tomato ever tasted.

Thank you for your many insightful comments and observations about my last post. I will entertain the possibility of a regular summer open house, garden permitting; however, I think Amy is right in pointing out the danger of trying to recreate something from one’s youth. Still, Wendy and Nova and Ann have found ways to make open houses work. And Zarah pointed out that Kelli frequently hosts community suppers - Kelli’s suppers were what made me think a common meal could work. Nevertheless, you all brought up interesting points and I appreciate your thoughts. Let’s continue a discussion about this in the community we share: the knitblogosphere!

Let’s move on to the knitting! I have been working on some old projects lately, adding more length to my Drunken Bee sock and finishing up the back of my Katharine Hepburn cardigan.

I started this one last fall but I set it down because the stitch pattern is both mindlessly dull and impossible to knit while reading. Nevertheless, I love how it looks! The pattern is from Lace Style (Ravelry link here) and the yarn is Brown Sheep Nature Spun Sport in “Chuck Berry”.

Taking stock of my recent projects (this sweater, my Newburyport socks) and my remaining sock yarn stash tells me that I have a color problem. Specifically, I have a problem with pinks and purples. Who knew? I always thought my favorite color was blue! Needless to say, there will be a lot of pink and purple knitting coming your way in the coming months. I will certainly return to blue and green yarn once this stash is exhausted. In the meantime, what does one do with 4 oz of Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn in BRIGHT PINK???

And speaking of that sock stash, it is down to 13 pairs worth of socks (from 21). I used up four pairs and traded away almost all the Knit Picks. This is what remains. There is hope!

Finally, in an exercise bit of news, I finished my second half marathon yesterday and cut about 22 minutes off my time (largely for lack of desperate porta-potty stops). I think I ran about a 9:30/mile pace but I had to walk mile 11 because I got bad cramps. In the end, I think my time was around 2:11. It would really be nice to break 2:00 next time around!

I’m thinking about running the San Francisco Marathon in August but I’m pretty much scared witless. Any opinions? Do any of you lovely knitters want to run a marathon this summer/fall? Tell me all about it! I need to be talked into this one.

Nova, this one is for you! Aaron loves to bake and a few years ago, he adapted his grandmother’s pecan pie recipe to make the most amazing chocolate pecan pie I’ve ever tasted. And I don’t even like pie. It’s that good.

1 heaping cup pecans (halves or coarsely chopped)
3 eggs
12 oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 stick (8 tbs) butter or margarine
1/4 cup flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp vanilla
And choose one of the two options below:

Version 1:
1/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup dark Karo corn syrup
1/3 cup honey

Version 2:
1/3 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup dark Karo corn syrup
1/3 cup honey

Beat eggs until frothy. Melt the stick of butter with about 2/3 of the package of chocolate chips and let stand to cool a bit. Mix the chocolate mixture in with the eggs, then mix all other ingredients in as well, saving the pecans and the remaining chocolate chips for last.

Pour mixture into an unbaked, 9″ pie shell. Cook at 325 for 50 minutes, checking until done. When the top is crusting over and cracks, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out gooey, but the surface is firm, the pie is ready. The pie will set when it cools off.

Be sure to let pie cool off completely to room temperature before serving, or it will be too gooey to cut.

I know I have some other projects in need of finishing but I bought this yarn (Queensland Kathmandu DK Tweed) at a WEBS clearance sale in early November. Actually, I bought a lot of it. More on that later.

Happy Thanksgiving!

That was Aaron’s nonchalant comment about the ball of Skye Tweed that I mistakenly dropped on my way into the living room to seam some of the Sunrise Circle. I’m not sure why this monotoned observation gave me fits of giggles but I hope some of you think it’s funny too.

Contest winners are as follows:

Prize #1 (Cotton-Ease + pattern): to blogless Jennifer who wrote the following:

“…I am pregnant with twins (a boy and a girl) and am knitting up blankets for them in that terracotta cotton ease and the lime green based on YOUR wear test. I would love to have the three skeins and jacket pattern to knit a jacket they could both wear that would match! As I am facing the prospect of bedrest, will have plenty of time to knit…”

What a sweet comment! Upon careful reflection, I decided it wouldn’t be fair to send yarn for only one sweater so I’m going to send her some lime Cotton-Ease for a second one. She’ll certainly have time to knit, although I think the seed stitch will get old fast!

Prize #2 (Lorna’s Laces sock yarn): to the always fabulous Liz K. over at Crossroad Knits.

Prize #3 (Rellana Flotte sock yarn): to Chris, cohabitant with the infamous duo, Chaos and Mayhem. Go wish her a speedy recovery!!

Ladies, please email me (elinor AT knitlawrence DOT org) your addresses and I’ll send your loot this week!

Thanks for playing, everyone! I’m glad some of you de-lurked to say ‘hello’! My inbox was flooded with comments so it will be a few more days before I can back to many of you. I appreciate all of your positive comments and warm welcome to my new home on teh internets. Olga’s comment, in particular, made me laugh out loud:

“Love what you’ve done to your new place! Those wood floors are fab-tas-ic! So much light - makes the place look larger! Love the landscaping too. Anyhoo- just came by to drop off cookies for the house warming…”

Now, if I could figure out a way to get blog readers to send me cookies… Hmm… must work on that…

on WordPress! I can’t move my Haloscan comments from Blogger over to WordPress but that’s a small pittance to to pay.*

I hope you’ll change your .rss feed subscriptions over to my new domain, exercisebeforeknitting.com. What can I say? It’s so much easier to type than exercisebeforeknitting.blogspot.com.

I thought I’d celebrate my new home by offering a new pattern and hosting blog contest. I’ve made the final edits on the baby jacket pattern I worked up last winter. Many thanks to blogless Lisa, Kellie and Kelly for test knitting the pattern for me! You’ll find a link to the pattern in the menu on the right.

There are three prizes up for grabs:

1. A copy of the baby jacket pattern and three skeins (207 yds/skein) of Lion Brand Cotton-Ease (50% cotton, 50% acrylic) in the gender-neutral color of Terracotta. It’s too dark to take accurate pictures of the yarn now but the link will give you an accurate representation. The version shown here was knitted in white Cotton-Ease.

2. Two skeins (215 yds/skein) of Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock (80% superwash wool, 20% nylon) in Sunshine for you solid-color knitters. The color isn’t quite so orange as the picture would indicate but it was the best I could do in low light.

3. One 100-g ball (420 m) of Rellana Jubilaumsgarn Flotte sock yarn (75% superwash wool, 25% polymide) for you variegated-color knitters. Actually, I’m not sure whether this is self-striping of variegated.

Leave me a comment telling me which prize you’d like and I’ll draw three winners on Sunday, October 7th!

Three weeks of no blogging means I have lots to show you! Stay tuned for sweater knitting, a blogger rendez-vous, stash expansion and a very special UFO.

*Blogger fucking sucks.