Inga Update

It's slow, I know. It's something, I guess. I did enjoy making the braids and went ahead with making two like Hello Yarn. Hope to finish it soon. We'll see.

Labor Day Weekend Plans

This labor day weekend Jason will be going to Gainesville to meet Dylan for the first time (wish I could go too) since it's his turn to go on vacation. I went to Barney's Joy and he goes to Gainesville -- somehow that worked out the way it did.
Since Stella was born I haven't had the time to knit anything. I've started a few projects here and there but nothing worth mentioning and really nothing I've managed to finish. Although I'd rather hold her, I do miss having needles and yarn in hand. I also miss that feeling of excitement when you're about to start and later finish a project. This weekend I'm going to try my hardest to really start and commit to something. I figure I'll start small with the little inga hat and work up the courage for the Shetland Shorty.
Wish me luck. Maybe I'll even have time to update my ravelry. Maybe it's all wishful thinking.

In other very sad news, my favorite cupcake blog - Cupcake Bakeshop - was closed and I didn't find out until this week when I thought of possibly baking over the break. It was a great inspiration while it lasted. Chockylit will be sorely missed.

So Cool

I got this pleasant little surprise in my email today:

So ask away! We invite you to email your knitting and fiber-related questions to YouAskedIt@knittingdailytv.com. We'll choose a handful of the ones submitted to be answered on our new public television show, Knitting Daily TV, which will begin airing on PBS this July. Watch for the regular show segment titled "You Asked It!" and see if one of the hosts (maybe even Eunny Jang, editor of Interweave Knits!) answers your questions.

Can't wait to see how it turns out.

Mystery Knitting

So, I've been knitting.
Thing is, it's all for other people. Although I want to write about it, I don't want them to know what it is until I'm finished and have given it to them.
Here are a few sneak peaks of what I've been working on:

1)This is an accessory I just finished making. It's the first time I attempt to make something like this and am often puzzled why so many in the knitting community love to make this. I've decided that, although it was enjoyable and would make it again, I'm not that kind of knitter.


2)This is for a baby that is due two weeks before Stella. We don't know what gender it is, thus the neutral color. What cute little baby thing will it be?

3)This is for a baby that is due two weeks after Stella. Babies, Babies every where!!! Here we know it'll be a girl who's name is yet undetermined. Her parents affectionately call her CJ (long story). It's a pretty hot item on Ravelry. Everyone seems to be making this or at least they have it on their queue. I like the pattern because of it's simplicity which in turn lends itself to personalization. The possibilities are endless.

In other knitting news, I have the yarn for Stella's picot dress thanks to a generous Christmas gift certificate to Loop. One of the best gifts ever. I decided on a color that's between peach and melon. You'll see, I'll show you once I've started. I'd like to finish another one of the projects above before I get into making it though.

What I did this winter break

Here is the vibrant green hooded kaftan (Debbie Bliss, Special Knits) minus the embroidery that I managed to start and finish while in Miami for the holidays. It was nice to be at my grandma's with no particular itinerary and most of the morning to knit in peace and quiet. Of course, not having a car down there determined the pace. Miami is,well, unforgiving to those without their own means of transportation. I was ok with staying home to start a new project for Stella but poor Jason was starting to show signs of an animal in captivity after a few days, i.e. pacing back and forth in one spot. I'm still not sure if I even want to add the embroidery seeing that my sewing skills are not up to par with my knitting ones. We'll see, I guess I'll give it a try. Next I might give a try at the picot dress but in a different color. For those of you who have Ravelry I will post details on the pattern, yarn and so on. Just give me some time since apparently my blogging/internet pace is on snail mode lately.

So, besides knitting and relaxing, need I mention the enormous amounts of delicious Cuban food we had. Especially, my grandma's cooking. Oh, I paid for it in the end by being 3 pounds over my target weight.
The funniest thing while there was that because of the heat, it was in the mid 80's + humidity the whole of our vacation, I started to show major signs of edema in my hands, ankles, and nose. Funnier yet, is that it all went away as soon as I returned to the cold here in Philly. Believe me, edema does not help when you're already so self conscious of your body image.

The little bun in my oven has recently made me aware of how precious sleep is. For some reason I've had a real hard time staying asleep at night. Besides reading I've been taking advantage of this time to do some baking. I know it sounds crazy to be stooped over the oven at four or five in the morning but I imagine this is what they mean by baker's hours. I managed to make bagels from scratch on two separate occasions. Pictured here is my first attempt and it shows. I didn't knead the dough enough causing the final product to be far from a complete ring. The second time around was much better. They came out really crispy on the outside and nice and doughy on the inside. Now I just have to get better at making them smaller like the ones we had in Montreal. That dough is a little deceiving. Just when you think you've made them nice and small they blow up while poaching.
Besides bagels I also made a batch of cinnamon rolls from Nigella's How to be a Domestic Goddess and a batch of Christmas tree cookies (Martha of course) pictured below.

These cookies look intimidating at first but are really not that hard to make. I think the hardest part was to crush the candy to pieces -- Jason had fun figuring that one out. The other hard part was finding a cookie cutter shaped like a tree in the middle of Christmas season -- Jason did not have fun figuring that one out. I never would have thought that mixing cookies with candy would have been a good idea. I'm still not sure if I agree with the whole thing. I mean, they were way too sweat for my taste but a lot of people liked them. It was funny that they were so amazed that you could get a cookie to taste like a jolly rancher when in fact that was what they were made of. I guess you get lost in the effect to associate the center with this candy. I would say that in the end they look pretty and would make great ornaments but would not recommend for ingesting unless you have an unimaginable sweet tooth.

Week Fourty-two

I'm a week behind, I know. Haven't had much impetus to post lately. It's summer, I like to be outside, been really tired, been bored with my blog, been reading, been knitting, been thinking about Montreal (two more days!). You get what I'm saying. The sad thing is that I actually have a bit to talk about, especially in the FO department. Maybe later today or when I get back. We'll see.

08.06.07

Somebody tacked this little guy to the middle of the street, straight onto the asphalt, inches away from the trolley tracks.

08.05.07

So this is what a skein of super bulky looks like! Saddly, the bumpy texture is not the best for the Twinkle hoodie.

08.04.07

I finished this weeks ago. It's the knitty coachella. I used knitpick's shine worsted in reef, about 3.5 skeins. I think I went a little too long but otherwise it came out pretty nice.

08.03.07

These were strawberry cupcakes I made for Mary's party. I changed the recipe a bit by adding thinly chopped strawberries to the cake mix.

08.02.07


08.01.07

These are the mod benches they expect you to sit on at TRL. Haven't tried them, so I guess I shouldn't judge but they really don't look comfortable.

07.31.07

Work, work, work.

Week Fourty-one

07.30.07

For Vicente, Leticia's baby due late October.
The pattern was one of the simplest to follow.
Finished them in one day.

07.29.07

One of my favorite smells from the kitchen: sofrito, the way my Grandma makes it.

07.28.07

Adios Carlos. Te vamos a extranar muchisimo. Demasiado!

07.27.07

A cloud of dry ice, it seems.

07.26.07

My camera took a picture of it's reflection. How vain.
Yeah, I was bored that day.

07.25.07

My loving husband will loose his ring one of these days.

07.24.07

Hurry, Hurry Already!

This looks AWESOME! I can't wait till it's ready for general use. Just in case I added myself to the list as a beta user. Doubt I'll get it though. This is just what I need to get me to enter in all the details I keeps putting off in my flickr FOs.



In other knit news, I'm totally obsessing over Twinkle's Big City Knits like there's no tomorrow. The patterns are really cool. Although, they seem to cater to the emaciated types). While flipping though the book, I couldn't stop starring at the chunkiness and beauty of these pieces but was also a bit alarmed by the skeletal models. Needless to say that dissuaded me from purchasing it. Now, all I can do is think about it. Ahh! I did find someone who's body type is comparable to mine (I hope, she could be lying), knit lit, who made The Best Friend Cardigan and looks pretty good in it. And don't get me started on the yarn, it's just lovely! Expensive, but lovely none the less. The colors are so bright and it's hard to decide on just one.
I've got a problem. I think I've fessed up to it before. Oh well, oh well.

It's just not meant to be

OK, so I finished this a while ago (right before memorial day) and just have no desire to start talking about it right away. I wanted it done and out of sight for a while. Can you tell I'm disappointed? It looks beautiful, pretty much what I had envisioned in my head -- especially the sleeves that took me longer than I would have liked because of the color/needle changes along the pattern. The problem is when I try it on...
In this picture I'm cheating (holding the excess with my left hand). Lengthwise it's OK, maybe a little too long but nothing too terrible. It's width wise where the problem lies. Extremely too wide! I know, I know, I have no one to blame except myself. GAUGE, GAUGE, GAUGE! I was so good too, or so I thought. Checking every once in a while but I guess not often enough. Sadly, unless I use it as layering in the winter (it's actually pretty warm even as cotton, very dense cotton) I will never be able to show this beauty off. I honestly look awful in it, with all the lumps and what not. To think I followed the instructions for the XS.
My second failed attempt with this poor yarn and I have only weeks of agony to show for it. Heart breaking.
Perhaps the third time is the charm? The summer knitty issue is up.
Perhaps a sophie or a coachella?
Perhaps I'm not that much of a masochist?
Perhaps I should just forget it and go for the wisp or the chapeau marnier in a dark chocolate?

Lets Go!

Week Twenty-eight

Here are more Spring pictures and the missing-its-sleeves-Ribena.
On Thursday's picture you can see the many faces of CC (aka Nathalie's Cool Cat).

On Saturday, after taking care of my cells, Megan and I went to MoMa. The Jeff Wall exhibit along with all the heavyweights on the 5th and 4th floor are more than worth it but the real treat was Project 85: Dan Perjovschi. It was just such a great way to start the day/museum experience. We also went to Republic for a late and amazingly great lunch. Of course I stopped at Mariebelle's. C'mon, that was a no brainer. I almost went to Purl, but I think by then I had tortured myself enough. I can't fathom leaving empty handed and I really didn't want to spend too much as it was. Let's be real here.

Sunday I made a flan to take to Christian and Amy's house for dinner. Christian's Mom, who was visiting for his birthday, made us delicious homemade Brazilian food.
So, this week was in some ways about eating good.

04.30.07


04.29.07


04.28.07


04.27.07


04.26.07


04.25.07


04.24.07

Week Twenty-six

Spring is here and you wouldn't even know it. With out April showers there will be no May flowers but must there be snow too? That is the scene this morning in front of my apartment and apparently throughout most of the eastern seaboard. I'm glad this didn't happen the first year we moved here or I might of just packed my bags and gone back to Miami. At least I know better now that it's just a fluke, or is it?
They're promising mid 60s this weekend. I really hope that's the case so we can finally enjoy the out doors. We're so sad (at the brink of tears) Josh and Alia won't be able to come. Libraries up and running of Sundays; what is this world coming to?

My Ribena is coming along. I'm working in the arm hole shaping and although I complained earlier that it's going slow I have found my new inspiration in Brooklyntweed. His latest is a true beauty and it only took him a month.

Speaking of inspiration, on Wednesday I saw the placard bellow at the TRL building. I think I might be Madame Curie next Halloween.

On Friday we were Wiid out at Megan and Nicole's. I did hold the boxing championship tittle until Jason stripped it away (or maybe I let him, we'll never know).

Finally, on Saturday, after my haircut at Jean Madeline/Aveda Institute (salon hair cut $16 and I'm super excited since a new one is about to open in University City) we went for sushi at Mizu. What we did before brown rice sushi and udon noodle soup is beyond me.

04.16.07


04.15.07


04.14.07


04.13.07


04.12.07


04.11.07


04.10.07

My Ribena

I'm pretty excited about this project, as tends to be the case in the beginning, but it's coming along slower than I first thought. Mostly since you have all these awkwardly placed needles of different sizes in order to get the most dramatic rib effect. It also doesn't help that I was on vacation. I did attempt to make one of the sleeves but I kept making mistakes (vacation mode not the best for following patterns especially when your trying to figure out gauge and so on). Long story short, I will have to redo the sleeve when I make it's pair. Although frustrating, in knitting no mistake is permanent. Oooh, EZ is rubbing off on me.

I can't make up my mind

Kyoto Kimono
Originally uploaded by imix_kib.

I can ususally get it down to two but then have the hardest time making it to one.
Will you help?
Pictured here is the Kyoto Kimono I made a couple of years ago and saddly never wear. It looks weird on me -- the common predicament of most sweaters.
So, I've decided to frog it and use the yarn for either the Anthropologie Capelet or Ribena w/o the arms. Let me know what you think.

Here are a few picture of my 1/2 Afghan blanket. I haven't blocked it yet but I just couldn't resist to take pictures.


I think the color scheme worked pretty well and the yarn -- Knit Picks, Sierra -- was really nice to work with. It had a softness to it but was bulky enough not to be flimsy.

I'm actually not really looking forward to blocking this one and I'm using my lack of enough rust-free pins as an excuse.

Here is my favorite square: the popcorn stitch with the crochet finished edge.


The size is less than perfect but good as a legwarmer type blanket. Jason already got to use it yesterday. Sadly he was really sick with food poisoning...I stayed home to take care of him. He's doing much better now.

Knit Crazy

Here are some pictures of me waring the finished product. It all started with the Knit Picks catalog. In it I noticed the most beautiful colored brushed alpaca blended yarn (these pictured don't do it justice -- it's a lot more vibrant), Suri Dream in Ocean. I first started using it, as seen in the post for 365 week seventeen on a pattern I found on Knitty -- Lacey. Although I loved the lace pattern, I was a bit apprehensive toward the poofy sleeves. I'm not sure I could have pooled that off.

Then came the knitting blog sphere where I found my new heroes: The Spiders. One of it's members posted the pattern for the Circular Shrug (fashioned after an Urban Outfitters shrug. It is a really easy pattern and I'm sure looks great with any kind of yarn. I opted for this almost mohair like yarn that gives it that extra luxe factor. Sadly, it looks so fancy I feel I can't use it as often as I'd like. Peony Knits also posted the pattern for an Anthropologie Caplet I may attempt to make in the next couple of months.


The other project of green and brown squares you've seen on various of my 365 entries is an Afghan blanket; pattern I saw on The Knitty Gritty over the holidays. The tittle clearly states that this should be a project set up by more than one knitter and I agree. I may only make it half the size intended for I'm a little exhausted/bored. It took a lot for me to get bored with this one though since It's composed of 7 different patterns done in 3 different colors. The instructions used more than three colors but I decided to simplify by using Knit Picks' Sierra in Bud, Lettuce, Cinnamon, and Natural for the border. I'll probably finish grafting it this weekend and I'll post pics then.

In between these projects I've made the Piggle for Kayla as her B-day gift in a soft pink (I'll post pics on my shutterfly "my knits" when I get a chance) as well as a scarf for Jason in a pesto + natural wool yarn (see week fifteen) that I made up off the top of my head. The pic of Jason's scarf also doesn't show the true color either but it reminds me of my favorite Indian dish: palak paneer & basmati rice.

Now I'm actually trying to make the Le Slouch that I've seen a few knit bloggers make with some left over mulberry colored yarn I had in my stash (look out for it next week on 365). But I'm already lusting after the Anemoi Mittens pattern and an Elizabeth Zimmermmann (EZ) book.

I'm short of saying I have a problem...

My New Favorite Blog

With the holidays around the corner, this is perfect.

http://slippedstitch.blogspot.com/

Check out her links, they're a knitter's dream come true.

Hoodie for Simon

It took me a while but I finished it in time for Kevin's surprise baby shower.
I can't guarantee that it will look that good once on the child.
We'll be seeing baby Simon sometime around the 29th of this month.
It's so exciting!