knitting slump

I have hit a bit of a knitting low. Straight after I'd finished knitting Peppermint Twist I started a new project, I missed knitting that much. Now I find that I'm not really interested in picking up the project so much.

However, I was thinking, I've been knitting for around a year now, and surely I need to by a knitting birthday present for myself?
I want to try dying yarn, so I thought I could buy some yarn of texere, and some Kool Aid or something and make myself a little bag or something.

I figure something quick will get me back in the knitting mood.

Was it just a dream?

I dreamt last night that I was looking on texere for wool to dye.
And then I discovered that all their dying wool, had a new option - stuff that was already dyed.
There was only one colour choice (they were all varigated colours though) per type of wool, and they all had names involving words like "tropical".
But I was so amazed.

This morning I couldn't remember whether it was actually a dream or not, but now I realise it was.

So, like many others, I want to make Knitty's BPT.
Two good things, a) it's gorgeous b) I can make the smallest size
One bad thing - more yarn.
Right now I can't afford more yarn, and also should probably finish the Corset Pullover I've just started, and Under the Hoodie, which I started months and months ago.
But I can still think about yarn, right?
The wonderful Yarndex gave me these two :
Rowan all seasons
I made my flower hat in this and is lovely ot work with.
and
Debbie bliss cashmerino aran
which is also amazing.
However, these are pretty expensive.
I quite like this Patons washed haze aran (I do want a varigated yarn).

I could buy some yarn from texere (mmm..texere) and dye it. Something I've never done before but want to try. Maybe I should start off with a simple bag or hat though?
Maybe the chunky wool?

I'd rather knit with the debbie bliss or the rown, because I know they are good quality, but I'm not sure I can justify it at the moment. *le sigh*
The good thing about knitty is they tell you what weight of what yarn you'll need. So I think I need 1350g of a worsted weight yarn.
At least I know that much.

Blocking

I fiiiiiiiiiiiiiinally finished Peppermint Twist on Thursday night and here it is pretending to block.

I've heard that cotton doesn't block very well, and I'm not sure I even understand how blocking works, which is why I've been using my hairdrier to speed up the process.
mmmm... focused....


mmmm.... v-neck


mmm...glamour

Before blocking, which should magically make it fit, I am led to understand, the jumper looked like a big sack. Hopefully, although it just doesn't work in my mind, it will fit after, and there will be another photo.

The end is in sight

I am so close to finishing peppermint twist. I've just hit "the wall". The sleeves are just stocking stitch in the dark red, and it's getting so boring. I've had to do 8 lines on on arm, then switch.

I want this jumper to be finished so badly.
But I also want to finish writing my dissertation, and catch up on all the reading I've missed over the last few weeks due to shows and illness.

*yawn* and go back to bed.

ETA: My portable sewing machine got delivered today - hurrah! Now I can make various costumes and a ball dress. I'm not entirely sure why I bought a sewing machine, and I'm not usually an impulse buyer.

Peppermint Twist from SnB

I finally finished the body for Peppermint Twist. This was supposed to be my knitting olympics project, but life got in the way. This first picture is the back hurrah!

And now for the front, which I have cunningly changed to a v-neck. I had a very very small amount of the white left over - had to change the colour pattern slightly because didn't want the sparkly yarn.


And an obligatory glamour shot....


This is the first jumper I've got past the back on (still have under the hoodie to finish) so I'm hoping that the sleeves will be much quicker.

chicken vikings

Someone on punk_knitters posted a link to this pattern for a viking chicken hat (here)

Sometimes I see things that look awful. Things like ponchos, or childrens clothes, or animal clothes (these are actually the worst things ever, any one who knits jumpers for animals should be shot in my opinion).
Things that give knitting a bad name.

This hat however, is awesome.

My first FO here

So here is the flore hat from knitwhits .

Yarn: Rowan all seasons cotton.. almost one skein of each colour.

This hat is actually rather easy to make.
the first four layers are exactly the same, and you join them together by doing, what is apparently, a three needle bind off, but with out the bind off. The fifth layer, green in my version, is slightly different, but still pretty easy.

Still getting the hang of this stuff

Ok, so, this is obviously my new knitting blog. For some reason at whatever time it was today, or yesterday now, I thought getting a separate blog for my knitting exploits would be a good idea. Hey, everyone else is doing it.

I thought I'd just tell you what projects I'm working on.

Firstly I will finish Peppermint Twist from Stitch and Bitch.
This was intended to be my Knitting Olympics project, but life and illness got in the way. Still, I've finished the front, which I turned into a v-neck, and started the back, so I'm making fairly good progress.

I also have Under the Hoodie from Stitch and Bitch, which has been on the needles since about September.. yeah, we've all been there haven't we?

I want to start the Corset Pullover, from some issue of Interweave Knits, which, when it is in progress I will provide a link to.

I also want to make Sesame, from a past issue, and the socks from the current issue of Magnits (Magknits?)

Oh, and I have just frogged my obligatory griffindor scarf from the atypically.net pattern, and started the diagon-ally pattern instead. I found the former pattern made the scarf much too long and bulky and unwear-able.

OK, so those are all the projects that I can remember and I find worth talking about.

Tomorrow, I may post a picture of the flore hat from Knitwhits, which is my most recent FO, so that I actually have some knits to show anyone who visits this blog.