Shaving sari silk... (sunburst sling bag done!)

Sunburst Sling Bag finished
Medium size
Started: April 25, 2006
Finished: July 2, 2006
Sari Silk from Yarn Place, 3 - 8 oz balls
Addi US 8 (5mm) and 10.5 for binding off bag edges

What a difference a pair of scissors makes! You know you're in trouble when it takes longer to shave a bag than to seam it. (You didn't know you could get dating advice here, did you?)

I took a pair of scissors to the bag, clipping the stray "silk" strands and vacuuming the bag and the table as I went along. I like it much better now (you can see the old hairy closeups here). I can even see the garter ridges, and the pattern itself.


You can see a bit of "before & after" action-- I hadn't taken the scissors to the bag strap yet, just the panel.

I really like the pattern from JustOneMoreRow.com -- its really smart. I'd like to knit this again in some orange banana silk, or something. I don't even like bags :) It is a quick knit (even though it took me months to complete!), and uses short rows without wraps (I just can't hang with short row wraps). I followed the pattern exactly as written without any trouble, though the strap my be a few ridges longer than written, I lost track. I did use a US 10.5 needle to pick up and bind off the bag's edges though-- trying to bind off loosely in sari silk is hard and when I did it the 1st one on the US 8's I used for the body and strap, the panel edge was way too tight and curled inward.

This sari silk, like I said... not feeling the love. It isn't super twisty like some, it didn't shed, only about one break in the yarn per ball (not in the same color sequence, but who cares for this type of yarn)... but the hairiness is just a big turnoff. I hate that I had to take a pair of scissors to it. It was a good deal though ($18 on sale), and cleaned up well. Another "brand" from another vendor would be my first choice for knitting this pattern in sari silk, though.



I took this last nite after "shaving" one side panel. As I gathered it up to throw away, I was reminded of a boyfriend... we were making out, he jumped up and shaved off his beard, and we made out again-- so I could tell the difference. His beard in his hand looked like this (just a little less mardi gras). I prefered the beard though ;)

I decided to follow all yalls sage advice and not use an iron on interfacing. I decided to not line it at all, though I may end up regretting it (I know). I don't plan on carrying anything heavy in it at all-- maybe a book, socks in progress, random toys and baby cups, so I'm not worried that much about the stretch. The design of the pattern also should help alleivate stretching out; the knitting from the nexus instead of a horizontal or vertical base will help that, I'm sure.


Previous Posts on Sunburst Sling Bag (by Just One More Row) in sari silk:
April 24, 2006
April 25, 2006
April 29, 2006
June 29, 2006

***

For those of yall who thought I was joking about starting knitting with my Dye O Rama yarn from Adrienne right away...



Cloverleaf Socks (PDF!)
Started: July 1, 2006
US 1's dpns (2.25mm)

A very fun pattern. I am knitting cuff down (obviously) so I could put on a fold over picot edge on top... loving that on top of the yarn and how there's a secret stripe on the inside of the leg where the edge was folded over.

Have a great day!

Sunburst sling bag, back in the arms of a good friend

I've not started a new pair of socks! ::gasp::

I just have been mindlessly putting in a few rows into the Opal socks (still haven't finished the cuff!), and decided to finish up an old project-- the Sunburst Sling Bag from Just One More Row in Sari Silk.



I need to finish up the center bit (pulling the "valley" taut) and make a strap for it. (Oh, and seam it up!) The pattern calls for either a 3 st knitted I-cord strap and sewing the body pieces together as is, or for a wide 7 st long ridged strap/giant loop (like the body pieces) that the body is sewn onto. I'm going to go for the long loop, just b/c the weight of this bag is already pretty heavy and I don't see my shoulder being too happy trying to support it on a 3 st i-cord... I originally thought I'd make this bag's strap long (like the rest of the bags I have around that are usually just converted into diaper/toy hauling bags) but I will keep it shortish, I think.

I also want to still use some fusible interfacing to line the bag with... but I know nothing about it. My general conception is that it is an iron-on lining that will help give the fabric some stability. I know nothing about sewing and I really think this bag will do best with some sort of lining, but am a little nervous. I don't even know if I can buy it locally (I have a Joanns and a Michaels, maybe could hunt down a fabric store?), I worry it won't "fuse" to this "sari silk" and I also worry it may distort/melt the fabric... (I do plan on testing it before going all out!) :) Any advice on fusible interfacing out there? Brands, tips? :)



The sari silk is also still super hairy. You can barely make out the garter ridges from amidst all the fluff (and it confuses the crap out of my camera, too!) I bought this from Yarn Place at the Knit and Crochet Show in Oakland this past April and have to say I can't recommend it b/c of the hairiness... I've seen other sari silks knit up but none were like this. The "silk" also feels like rayon/poly too-- though its marked "silk" I don't really know if it is or not. I'm planning on taking a pair of scissors & trim some of the bushman down on both sides (with a dustbuster in hand to clean up!); if I don't I think it will make the interfacing even hard to get to stay on.

I really do like the pattern though. I finished one side in about 2 days or so... may be a good knit for some hemp/wool I have, or some orange banana silk! Nuts, I don't even carry bags :)

Even though I haven't been knitting any new socks, it doesn't mean I haven't eyed a few new *free* patterns up and down...

° Prachi has a sweet "cloverleaf" sock pattern (PDF!!) she's shared... and I particularly like that she reworked it so that the swirls of cloverleafs mirror one another. What immortal hand or eye could frame thy fearful symmetry, I ask you!*

° Marie has an equally beauteous Daisies sock pattern, for which I apparently have scads of Anne to knit it in :)

Any new sock patterns catch your eye lately?


* I have to try and use some of the Blake sometimes! Otherwise it'd just be Barney and Gumby quotes around these parts :)

Squares, socks, sari silk... alliteration twitterpation.

(Are you looking for the sock yarn contest? Link here... Please leave couplets on *that* post's comments and *note* they are supposed to flow from the choka in progress! Read more on ChokaOnIt... and if you've already entered, thanks! I'm having a blast reading them, and think I should run contests more often!)

***

Aside from reading couplets, I finished up knitting my 5x5 squares for Warming Grace...


Clockwise from top left:
Sock/dk handpainted superwash, loop rib stitch
Henry's Attic Kona Superwash dyed with easter egg dyes, fountain stitch
Henry's Attic Kona Superwash dyed with easter egg dyes, Irish moss diamond stitch


Clockwise from top left:
Henry's Attic Kona Superwash dyed with easter egg dye-- doubled, mistake stitch I "discovered" :)
Santa Cruz Handspun "Prancer" 100% wool, fisherman's rib stitch
Rowan Calmer, openwork slip stitch


Clockwise from top left:
Santa Cruz Handspun "Prancer" 100% wool, stockinette stitch
Santa Cruz Handspun "Prancer" 100% wool, "Branching Out" pattern from Knitty
Santa Cruz Handspun "Prancer" 100% wool, "Clapotis" pattern from Knitty

Isn't Grace's yarn (from Santa Cruz Handspun) beautiful? :) It was perfect for the Warming Grace project, and it was super nice to knit it into something that will be precious to someone like the final blankets will be. I already have more yarn on order from Santa Cruz Handspun, and haven't even photographed 2 skeins that still are hanging out on my desk, waiting for inspiration to strike... (I had a pic of the Prancer skein but accidentally deleted it...)

These squares were fun, but the most fun was after they had been blocked and dried; my son had *the* best time playing with them on the tabletop as I was packaging them up for Canadia... its inspired me to be on the lookout for afghan/knitted block books to make an afghan for him. (Barbara Walker's Learn to Knit Afghan Book? I saw a couple of great squares on Jason's blog... any other recs for afghan/knitted squares in books?) It'll be one of those ongoing projects, a sqaure or two at a time-- can I sew them together at different times? Cos I know babybear will lose them if I let him play with squares for too long a time.

I think I'm going to use the Merino Worsted from Interlacements I bought at the Knit and Crochet Show for the afghan squares. I have 2 lbs of it incl. the variegated 8 oz skeins, but I think the BW Learn to Knit book calls for like, 5 lbs... I don't want to make a big afghan, but something the kid can drag around and I can put into the wash, so it may work...

I also sent in a skein of Brooks Farm Fourplay for the Warming Grace drawing... (same kind of yarn I used for my Odessa hat #2)



Aside from the squares, I've worked pretty much just on the Sunburst Sling bag...


Sunburst Sling bag, almost 10 triangles (almost complete, one side)


Up close

The sari silk is so hairy. I don't not like it, but can see myself knitting this in .. banana silk? Something else in the future. Great pattern.

I haven't worked on the "step above" entrelac socks from Knitter's Magazine, Summer 2004 since my last entry about them... It is a fun pattern, will look great when done, but... it doesn't *feel* like I'm knitting a sock! Silly I know, but true. I'll finish them, but in the meantime I cast on for another sock...



Basketcase Socks
pattern compliments of Dave
started: April 28, 2006
Henry's Attic Kona Superwash, dyed with easter egg dyes
US 2's, 7 sts/inch

I couldn't get 7 sts/inch on US 2's when I knit the Wyverns, but now do. Weird, but good...

The start date is correct, too (yesterday!). I just have powered thru them, and it felt great. As nice as knitting the squares and the sari silk purse was, I missed knitting socks. I'm already thru the gusset decreases, and just have the length of the foot to complete. The cuff is a little longer than my usual fare (7" or so to top of heel), but I'm digging my Child's Shell socks with their long cuffs, so maybe it'll be a new thing for me.

I have knit the instep with the pattern all the way across the 30 sts, where Dave only uses 18 sts in patt on the top of the foot (I meant to follow the pattern to the letter, oops)... My instep worked out like this

row 1 & 2: k2, p2, (k10, p2) twice, k2
row 3 & 4: k2, p2, (k2, p6, k2, p2) twice, k2
row 5 & 6: k2, p2, (k10, p2) twice, k2
row 7 & 8: k8, p2, k6, k4, p2, k8
row 9 & 10: (p6, k2, p2, k2) twice, p6
row 11 & 12: k8, p2, k 10, p2, k8

Otherwise, pattern is followed exactly :)

I like the color of the yarn, but I don't think I necessarily like them together like this... don't know. I *do* really like the Kona Superwash again-- what fast knit socks! Anyone else have dk weight pattern recommendations (aside from Sensational knitted socks)? I just have a ball knitting them and finishing a pair so soon.

I taught myself "combined knitting" for this pattern to help make my ribbing look better, with all of the knit/purl action going on. Combined knitting or combination knitting (how I'm using it in the round) is worked on purl stitches-- instead of wrapping the yarn counterclockwise once the needle is inserted thru the front loop as usual, the yarn is wrapped clockwise (I wrap it, Annie "scoops" it) and the resulting purl stitch uses less yarn, and makes ribbing look much neater and less wonky when the purl meets the knit stitches. It creates a twisted stitch, so on the next round you knit/purl (whichever is called for in the pattern) tbl... and if its a purl st you'll be purling tbl while wrapping the yarn clockwise again :)

It sounds weird, and took several rows to get used to, but I can totally see a difference in my ribbing. Here's an up close pic-- the 1st 5-7 rows were my regular knit/purl, afterwards is the combined knitting in action (about after the 1st orange row).



You can see near the top where the ribbing is wonky. It would clear up in blocking or in the wash, but the difference (to me) is noticeable in the lower rows, no weird knit stitches previous to purl stitches. (I admit I photog'd the worst example I could find in the ribbing.) Basketcase is a cool pattern to practice combined knitting on, since you're not always purling/knitting in a column so its more interesting than straight rib and I think it definitely looks good.


Look ma, no holes!

Compliments of C. Schurch's advice in Sensational Knitted Socks for picking up extra sts at the gusset to eliminate any holes. I dig the look of different textures here.

One more pic (I promise)...



Joann's having a knitting and crochet needle 40% sale, and they sent a 50% off coupon I used on the book... The super tiny crochet hook is to learn how to get beads on yarn without prestringing them (I can get this hook thru 8/0 and 6/0 beads, but haven't tried hooking yarn with it yet), and I gave away all of the other hooks I had to Building Futures with Women and Children before realizing how handy they come for picking up dropped stitches... The dpns pretty much complete my collection-- now I've got to find a dpn and circ needle organizing solution other than stuffing them in gallon sized ziplocs. There's great stuff over at etsy and I just can't decide what I want (or come to terms that I want all of it!) :)

Phew. Back to the sock, been away too long!

Two frogs in two days... new koigu, bearfoot.

New to me, anyway. I love swapping on knittyboard :)

I usually swap for books and mags, but since these will go into my flickr stash album, thought I'd share.


Mountain Colors Bearfoot, larkspur colorway
60% superwash wool, 25% mohair, 15% nylon
350 yd, 100 gm

and cos I can't get enough red in my life...


Koigu Premium Painter's Palette Merino
colorway p602, dyelot 66
100% merino
175 yd/50 gm

I swapped a skein of the Schaefer Anne (the darker pearl buck) and the fleece artist hercules for these, good swap imo :)

And for the bad news... 2 frogged items in 2 days! Here's hoping that all of my purchases from the Knit and Crochet Show aren't cursed...

(bad pics, taken under floros before ripping commenced...)



Yes, the sari silk bag I wrote about yesterday... nothing really wrong with it other than there is *no way* I would have enough yarn to complete it, and that it was much larger than I thought it was (would have been about 22" across, enough for my kid to curl up in!) The short row triangles weighed in at 50 gm each, and with only 750gm of silk to start with and 20 triangles + straps... not possible.

Still, I'm not that upset about this one since I've restarted the medium sized bag and have gotten further than I was here (at least in number of triangles)... it is much quicker with only a reduction of 12 co sts. It will also be a much more manageable size for me, who never carried a purse (except to job interviews) until I bought my first "diaper bag" (an eagle creek parent backpack)... I don't really know how I'll use it, as if I leave the house or anything, but I just have always dug the look of this pattern.

The sari silk also frogged easily... except its even hairier now :)



The Nautilus hat. I thought I'd frogged it, but it was just a dream. It still bugs me sooo much! I just can't get a hat to fit correctly. I am half toying with the idea of finishing it and felting it, but then, who knows if it will be big enough... This progress didn't take me more than an afternoon, so its not the time but just my frustration with hats.

Isn't it huge? What was I thinking? (Other dpns inserted so it could be tried on).