Thanks and Congratulations!

The picot is rolling like the dickens, and they need a good blocking to soften them up, but they're finished!!!



And thus ends the formal knit-a-long! Thank you all so much for participating. I've really learned the meaning of quick from all of you, and it's been so very inspiring to see what everyone has done. I'm going to leave the flickr group active and keep posting my own quick(er) projects to it... I hope you will too!

And folks, we really kicked butt in the FO department! As part of this knit-a-long, the world is richer by:

• 1 mitten


• 1 baby hat


• 1 mitre square


• 1 dishcloth


• 1 hair kerchief


• 1 knitted cupcake


• 1 set of mitts


• 1 neckwarmer


• 2 pairs of knitted shoes


• 2 scarves


• 6 bags/clutches


• 6 baby sweaters


• 7 pairs of socks


• 9 hand-made toys

We are amazing! Viva la quick-fix!!

Well, crap.

I guess I missed it. Apparently, May is here already and I have so many stupid projects on the needles that could have been done quickly. See, what happened is my friend and I put ourselves on yarn diets. All of a sudden, nothing I am knitting is appetizing anymore. I just want to cast on something new or go buy new yarn. (Like I need to do either.)
So, can we do this again so I can redeem myself? I like this idea of having quick things going on while the log cabin blanket marinates at the bottom of my basket.
It was so cool to see everyone's stuff. It's so inspirational!
Happy May Day! (Or Beltane, depending on...oh, never mind. It's too much to get into right now.)

Under the wire?

Only time will tell...



I'm still hoping to finish my last "quick" project before midnight. We'll see, I guess! I'll do a roundup post tomorrow, wish me luck!!!

in like a lion, out like a lamb

white knit shoes
Originally uploaded by atomic rose.

My last quick-fix project: knitted shoes for a customer who plans to decorate them like crazy. My other last-minute project didn't get done, thanks to my allergies, having to take Benadryl, and then spending the rest of the day asleep. (I just woke up!)

This was fun! It kinda amused me to see what my idea of a "quick fix" is, compared to what others do. I mean, for me, socks and baby sweaters are a major project, not a quick fix, as you might've guessed. ;) But it was still inspiring to see what other people can crank out in a small amount of time, and I'm definitely going to keep adding my "quick fixes" to the flickr group for as long as it exists.

This is the end...

I can't believe that April is over! Before I reveal my final project for the knitalong, I want to thank Amy for setting this whole thing up. It was so fun! And it definitely helped me to finish I could of projects in danger of languishing, not to mention finally start this baby sweater!



This is the Two Needle Baby Sweater by Elizabeth Zimmermann from her Knitter's Almanac. I've also seen this sweater referred to as the February Babby Sweater. I used a bit less than one skein of Sirdar Breeze, which is a dk weight cotton blend. The construction of this sweater is so fun! After knitting the yoke, the sleeves are done before joining the body, so when you're finished, you only have to make two small seams under the arms. The only thing I wish I had done differently is to make a selvedge stitch on the arms. Seaming that lace was kind of a pain.

well, so much for that!

The lovely pink Seduction Socks that were going to be a Mother's Day gift for my mom? Right. I got done with the cuff, tried it on, still felt like it was too big, and switched down to #1 needles. I think you know where I'm going here. That's right - now it's TOO SMALL. #2s are too big... #1s are too small... sometimes I feel like the knitting gods are against me. Sigh. So that's destined for the frog pond, and I guess Mom's getting flowers instead! (Sorry, Amy - no socks this month!)

Not surprisingly, the 1915 bag isn't getting finished either. I really started out this month with a bang and then fell flat, now didn't I? LOL

Anyway, I will have a couple more very small FOs to show off by Monday - I've almost wrapped up a pair of knitted shoes for a customer, and I have another small project (a bag remake/embellishment) up my sleeve.

On the bandwagon

I joined the Jaywalker bandwagon. I can't believe I waited so long to do it! And look at this yarn! This is J. Knits #130. (No, sadly, it doesn't have a cool city/state name.) The green doesn't show up very well in this photo, but I think it's the predominant color. I am hoping to finish this one tomorrow. (btw, the second Rainy Day Sock is headed for the frog pond. Apparently I can't knit that pattern and yak at the same time.)

Truly quick

As in, finished in about 4 days, although the picture-taking is dragging out considerably longer. :)



A sweater for Jacob in Ultra Alpaca leftovers, using the guidelines in Ann Budd's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns. Love that book!

Unfortunately, my next quick project is destined for the frog pond. The springtime Koigu that looked so good in the hank looks more like vomit on the foot. :( Hubby doesn't like the color of 4ply soft I have in the stash for another indoor cap, so I'm without something to cast on for! I need a quick infusion of knitting mojo, and welcome ideas!

Easterworks

I've been away over Easter. Two long trainrides and lots of days hanging around with friends, so I got a couple of small projects done: a pair of wristwarmers, a pair of fingerless gloves, a clutch, Easter-eggwarmers (a bunny, a sheep, a bird and an egg), a little monster and a dragon. All from the same yellow-green yarn, because I just took the one big cone with me.
Wednesday, I started a black and white scarf. I forgot to take it with me yesterday (an hour of waiting at the doctor's), but I guess I'll finish it on the trainride home today.

(Since I don't know how to add in photos, you have to check them out on flickr. I did not post pics of all the stuff yet, though.)

socks, in progress

socks, in progress
Originally uploaded by atomic rose.

Seduction Socks from Interweave
Vintage baby yarn in a rose-flecked pink
#2 needles

Yes, I succumbed to peer pressure and finally started a pair of socks!

It's hard to see the pattern, but it's alternating stripes of a cable-like twist and an openwork vine. Very stretchy and comfy, though I'm a little worried that I should have used #1's - they're kind of big. For me, they'd be fine, but Mom's a little smaller than I am. Eh, I'll see, I guess. I may switch to 1's for the foot.

My quick fix is finished!

It wasn't so quick, but I really enjoyed working on this project.

Details

Pattern: Washbag from Sarah Dallas Knitting
Yarn: Rowan 4-ply cotton in shade 130 and 131 (I think, lost the ball band)
Needle: US 3

Baby Bolero

Pattern: Baby Bolero from OneSkein
Yarn: Shine Sport in Sea Spray (about 1 skein)
Needles: Denise US 7 and US 8
Started: Apr 9
Finished: Apr 14

Like others have, I found it impossible to pick up the number of stitches specified in the pattern for the ribbed border. Okay, so I didn't even try to. After I picked up what looked like a good amount of stitches, I counted and was 12 stitches under the recommended count...works for me.

The parents decided not to find out the baby's sex in advance, so I thought that this color would be nice and gender neutral. Now I just need to actually mail it off so that it gets there before the baby.

Mama's got her Mojo back!

My LYS had a retreat this weekend. I got some things finished that had no business sitting in baggies as long as they did.

This is the Rainy Day Sock from MagKnits. I used Cashsoft.
I love it. This one was done before the retreat, but I wanted to show
you the pictures because I cast on the second one last night. Today I
got most of the way down the foot. It should be done within the next
day or two.

This is the kimono from Mason Dixon and the bonnet
from One Skein Wonders. I finished the kimono on Monday and spent
Thursday morning seaming it. I finished the bonnet on Friday. They both
received their ribbons at the retreat on Friday night. I think I will
give them to their recipient tomorrow. I am not sure when her baby girl
is due to arrive, but they are so cute, I must share them!

FO #2!

And the Jaywalkers keep coming! I realized this morning that I'm getting off of my goal of one project a week (got cocky after finishing my first project the first day), and got down to the serious business of finishing my Jaywalkers. I love these socks!



I used Austermann Step in color #3. I didn't realize when I bought the yarn that it was self striping, until I looked it up online and found a photo of it knitted. I love the Jaywalker pattern for striping yarn, because it adds some oomph, without being too busy. I made a pair of these before, and found that the leg is hard to get over my heel, but I love the snugness of the foot. So on these, I used a US2 for the leg, and switched to a US1 for the foot. Huge difference! They go on easily, but still hug my feet. I will definitely be using this modification again. Especially now that I've seen how great Amy's Jaywalkers came out using Cherry Tree Hill! I have some CTH in my stash, just itching to be used up.

Next, baby sweater! It uses DK weight yarn, so hopefully I can churn it out and stay on schedule!

My effort at last

I decided in the end that the socks just aren't doing it for me at the moment to be classed as a quick fix. So after mooching around all my knitting books I decided that a mitre square would give me the quick fix I needed. Here is my first effort, the pink is really a lot more pink!

One definite FO

The baby kimono from Mason Dixon knitting is finished, and ready for the baby shower tomorrow. It's hard to see since they're rather washed out in all the photos I took, but it has bunny buttons (securely sewn on), which I'm very fond of. The pattern calls for ribbon ties, but there are some really great buttons out there. I stuck with ribbon ties for the inside front flap.

I also kind of finished the placket neck pullover, except that I'm not very happy with it. After a brief rinse and block, the stitches look quite uneven and sloppy, not what I'd want to give anyone for a gift.

It's Pure Soysilk on size 5 needles, but now it looks like it should have been size 4. Not quite sure right now what I'll do with it. The soysilk still feels lovely, though.

"Quick" FO

The socks are finished! The socks are finished!



More detail than you could possibly want at ze blog and ze FO page, but!

Jaywalkers, CTH Supersock, color "Earth". Made the larger sized-leg and the smaller-sized foot without any Frankensock-ness.



In fact, they're so comfortable I pretty much haven't taken them off since weaving in the last end.

Next up? A V-neck for Jacob in WORSTED WEIGHT. I will catch up with you folks! Well, everyone but Casey, that is. ;-)

two more!

This is the "felted item" I mentioned. I started out making the clutch from One Skein, using a skein of Manos (doubled), but decided to skip the handles and make it a zippered clutch with a wrist strap. I didn't put the zipper on yet because I'm not 100% sold on the buttons - on the clutch in the book, I thought it was adorable, but on mine, it reminds me of the country-crafty stuff my mom had all over the house in the '80s, and that's really just not my style. I'm still thinking on this one.

While I was waiting for the clutch to dry after felting, I took the advice of someone on my blog, and whipped out a dishcloth.


It's the Mason-Dixon washcloth from Mason-Dixon Knitting. One of my biggest knitting problems is that I can never get gauge - if my stitch gauge is right, my row gauge is inevitably WAY too small. This cloth was supposed to be 11" across, and it's more like 8". But it's fine for me, I guess... I was going to make a few up for my mom, but I'll have to play with my gauge a little more first.

I think my next project will be socks. Maybe. I feel like I should pick a quick-fix that takes a little longer to knit... I feel a little strange having whipped out so many FOs by halfway through the month! LOL

apres ski 2

apres ski 2
Originally uploaded by atomic rose.

I have a broken tooth that suddenly started causing me a LOT of pain on Saturday... I've been to the dentist, I'm on a wait list to have it pulled, and in the meantime, I'm completely screwed up on pain pills, which means that knitting anything that isn't mindless is a really bad idea. So the 1915 workbag is on hold for the foreseeable future.

But! Of course that means I've just found other things to make.... knitting has seriously kept me sane the past few days.

This is the Apres Ski Kerchief from Handknit Holidays.

Random vintage (probably '70s) acrylic from my stash, about 1/2 skein
#6 needles
One small change to the pattern: instead of M1 L/R for the edge increases, I did a YO. It's hard to see here, but it makes an eyelet edge that I like much better.

Excuse my appearance... it's obviously been a really rough week.

I should have another FO to show off by the end of today - it's drying after being felted, and then it needs a few finishing touches. :)

bag in progress

bag in progress
Originally uploaded by atomic rose.

Knitted Workbag from Needlecraft, Dec. 1915 (pattern, p. 11 of this pdf)

I'm knitting it in plain old dishcloth cotton, nothin' fancy. The plan is to dye it when I'm done, line it, and substitute handles of some kind for the drawstring that the pattern calls for. I don't do drawstrings.

It's a pretty quick-and-easy pattern, despite any antique-pattern weirdness, but I just got a couple of commissioned projects, so I hope I actually manage to finish this by the end of the month! ;)

Well, then.

Now that's more like it!



A work contract has taken away most of my knitting time lately, but the Jaywalker pattern is now flying along and I'm loving it. I also love the fit of these socks--they're snug without being tight, and they really cuddle my feet. Hooray!

For my next trick, I'm hoping to knit a sweater for Jacob out of some Ultra Alpaca I have left over from my grandmother's afghan and a cardigan I knit myself. I think the colors will do okay together, but does anyone have any suggestions for how to combine them? Stripes? Raglan sleeves in one color with the body in another?

(I'm not sure I have enough yardage of either color to get a sweater in a 2-year-old size...)

Two quick fixes started

Not too impressive at the moment, but coming along.

The first is the start of the child's placket-neck pullover from Last Minute Knitted Gifts, in 6-12 mo size, with Pure Soysilk purchased last weekend in Providence, RI. Last night I finished the body up to the point where the sleeves will join in, and then found that I don't have size 5 dpns to start the sleeves.

So, I started the Mason-Dixon heartbreakingly cute baby kimono in Rowan handknit cotton, which is coming along nicely. Both are for a baby shower on the 14th.

Interesting that they both match so nicely with this wallhanging in my office.

Doomed from the start.

So, apparently I am not fated to make items quickly. The Baby Bolero? Not turning out so well in three pieces. Nothing is coming out the right length. The Opera Scarf? Boring as all hell. I can't work on it long enough to feel like I am making any progress. The Brown Bag? Ran out of yarn. Have NOTHING in my stash that is suitable.
My solution? Dunno. I hate to cast on something else, but it looks like I am going to have to. I am kind of sick of looking at the Bolero and Baby isn't arriving until September. I have plenty of time on that one. Perhaps Katia from Knitty for my cousin who will be two in August. (One half of the Twinkies. I have no idea what to make for her brother yet.)
Any ideas anyone?

Sorry I've been slacking!

Well I've have started my first effort, a pair of socks! Now as these are my first socks they may not be the best choice for something quick. I am pondering about what else to cast on for a quick fix... any suggestions? I will take some photos tomorrow in the daylight, all the ones I've taken so far haven't been so great!

cupcake

cupcake
Originally uploaded by atomic rose.

I was kind of at a loss about what to make next, so I made something silly to kill a little time. As I was about halfway through it, I realized that, in 13 or so years of yarn-crafting, this is the first item I've ever made that wasn't useful. (But it IS cute!)

Pattern from here.

And while I was fiddling around with that, I got word that a longtime penpal is expecting (whee!), so the next project may be a baby sweater... we'll see what hops on the needles.

Slowest fix on the block

STILL no finished Jaywalker to show you all. Passover has seriously cut into my knitting time. :) In fact, I'm not even finished turning the heel!



I do love the way it's turning out, though. Hopefully the fit will be good--I am knitting something of a Frankensock in that I'm using the larger size for the cuff, and the smaller for the foot. We'll see, I guess!

My project for the KAL

It's the washbag from Sarah Dallas Knitting. It's the only project I'm taking with me on my weekend trip. Let's hope it's finished by the time I get home!

Ellen's Left Footie

Ellen has already finished a footie in the greatest pink! Go check it out: http://cityknitter.typepad.com/cityknitter/2007/04/my_left_footie.html

No Pictures Yet, but.....

I officially have three quick-fix projects on the needles. Two of the fulfill Project Spectrum requirements too, so I am all too eager to get them done. They are:
1. The baby bolero from One Skein. Technically, all this needs is seaming. However, I discovered last night that I would rather put sleeves into a flat piece then sew up the sides and the sleeves all in one shot. SO, I am going to rip out the body and redo it in three pieces rather than one. I guess that makes it a cardigan instead of a bolero, but with luck, it will be done by the end of the week. I cast it on on Sunday. (It's green for PS.)
2. The Opera Scarf from Blue Sky Alpacas. I had been saving this as my mindless knitting for my therapy sessions once a week, but I want to get it done. It's also green!
3. Brown Bag from this winter's issue of Knitty. This may actually take longer than a week because I am dumb and didn't order enough yarn from Knit Picks. I am going to try and sub some stuff from my stash when I run out and see what happens! I cast this one last night.
I am so excited to be a part of this, but I have to say it's making one of my crocheting friends irritable. She insists that crochet is supposed to be faster and it makes her mad to see me finish a sleeve in an hour. I keep telling her the whole sleeve is only 5" long, but that doesn't seem to console her at all. *evil grin*

I did it!

I figured out how to knit shoes!


Adam (the boyfriend) isn't so impressed, but *I* am - this is the first non-square/rectangle thing I've ever knit of my own designing. And I recycled! Heh.

Tutorial is here.

I'm still not sure what's next... tomorrow I'm going to go through my stash, round up all the oddball skeins, and see if anything comes to me.

Yay for Quickies!

I waited so patiently until yesterday to start my first Quick-Fix project, World's Ugliest Mitt #2:


I actually didn't find it so ugly by the end. I guess the yarn grew on me. I dyed this yarn myself using Kool-Aid, and even though I dyed it years ago, it still smells like grape!

Emboldened by the quickness of this project, I casted on for my second Jaywalker right after finishing. I feel bad for my sweater lying in a heap, but boy! Some quick projects are just what I needed!

whee!

We're off! How exciting! :) Can't wait to see what everyone's working on!

It's completely ludicrous that I already have an FO, but it really is a tiny, uncomplicated one: I've been whipping out these neckwarmer things to put in my store come fall, and I've got them down to where even I (the slowest knitter in the universe, I swear) can finish one in a couple hours of watching TV.

I mentioned over on the flickr group that one of the projects I had in mind was a pair of knitted shoes. Well, I couldn't wait to get started, and Saturday, I figured out how to do it. I have one finished shoe, but I'll wait till I've got the other one done and a tutorial written before I show it off.

I'm not sure yet what else I'm going to make... I'm hoping seeing what a few of you are doing will inspire me. ;)

And, we're off!

Well, the CTH Supersock yarn (a gift from Marlena) won out. I was worried about pooling, and figured that the Jaywalker pattern was probably my best bet.



It's fun so far, though as you can tell I've only got an inch or so. What are you all working on?

Sometimes you just need a quick fix.

Know what I mean? Days when you look around at your stash, at magazines, at your works-in-progress, and all you see is the same project, stretching from here to eternity, blah blah blah. The only antidote is the rush of a quickly-finished item. Baby hats whipped out in a day, socks that fly off the needles, a one-skein wonder…

Sometimes we all need our FO fix to keep us motivated and happy. This spring is an especially good time to give into the urge: Roza’s Socks, Acorn Hats, Monica, not to mention all of the old favorites!

So join me in making April the month of the quick knitting fix. I’ve set up a knit-a-long blog and a flickr group to share experiences and photos. And if you don’t have anything in your stash that tempts your tummy, consider asking Ellen to hook you up–she has some really unique and beautiful yarns, including the yarns I’m trying to decide between:

(That’s JuJuKnits, CTH, and J. Knits sock yarn.)

Leave a comment here to join, and spread the word!

Why Another Knit-a-long?

Spring fever has hit many of us, and this is the perfect time of year to get the rush of finishing a quick project.

The rules for this knit-a-long are simple and flexible: Start any time on or after April 1, end any time before or on April 30th. Knit something (or multiple somethings) that are quick to knit--under a week. Hats, socks, lacey scarves, baby items... pattern and yarn doesn't matter, as long as it knits up quickly!