Sunday, September 20, 2009

FO: The Nantucket Purse

My friend recently sent me a picture of a FO I gifted her in action, and I realized I had never shared it on the blog.

FO: Nantucket Purse
Pattern: DROPS Cable Bag (free pattern!)
Yarn: Peru Naturtex Partners Pakucho Organic Cotton (mine was cheap on elann.com)
Needles: US 10.5 Bamboo Circulars

I named this purse the Nantucket Purse for my friend Amelia who spends some time every summer in Nantucket. Here she is on her way from Nantucket to Boston, with the purse in action.

I love this pattern and this bag! My friend Jess added the handles and the sewn in lining. I did not like this yarn, it had almost no twist, and was splitty like crazy. I prefer cottons with a strong twist like Rowan cotton rope. The cotton was not fun, but I did love the outcome. Very slouchy and cool.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Night at the Museum

Assumptions. When I was a kid we said assumptions make an a$$ out of you and me.

When I started the Ring of Fire socks, I assumed the pattern was written for 3 DPNs because that is what I use. I cast on as instructed, without thinking much, 34 stitches per needle. I joined, then knit a row, again, not thinking at all. I looked down at a massive beast of a knitted circle. I looked at the directions, confirming I cast on correctly. Yup, 34 on each needle. Yet, I seemed to have a third more stitches than I needed! I reread the pattern again, finally actually reading the beginning instructions. The pattern was written for 2 circulars, not the 3 DPNs I was using. I frogged my giant, 112 stitch sock, and adapted for 3 needles
, scaling back to the more normal 68 stitches :)

I saw King Tut at the De Young last night. It was a lovely exhibit, really well put together. Much improved from the version I saw 5 years ago in LA. The sky was crazy last night, unusual high clouds (we usually only get low fog) made for a dramatic sky behind the modern towers of the De Young.





Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Sock in Progress

Kristina visited San Francisco this past weekend. We had an awesome time scoping out cool places to live in the Bay Area, playing cards excessively, knitting, eating delicious Burmese food and sushi, and walking about.

Kristina slumbers peacefully with a cake of DIC Smooshy Yarn in Pansy Go Lightly
Kristina brought me the most amazing gift ever. She knitted me an amazing wedding shawl, using Knitty's newish Aeolian Shawl in a gorgeous chocolatey brown, and with beads! It is both perfect and totally awesome. She is such an amazing knitter, and friend. I am so grateful to have her :) Thanks, friend.


Some sock in progress shots! The pattern is a freebie, Ring of Fire, by Kristin Kapur. This will be a Christmas gift for N's mom. Her foot is a bit larger than mine (about 4 sizes!) so I lengthened the heel flap quite a bit and am making a longer foot.