My Yarn Tales

Where are they now?

2011-03-31T00:20:00.000-04:00

Here it is day four of the 2nd annual knitting and crochet blog week and I'm only now managing to get a post up. Alas. It shouldn't come as a surprise that I have several knitting projects that never made it out of the embryo stage. Right now on needles I've got a shrug that's 80% done, started back when it was warm enough that I altered the pattern to be short sleeved! And soon it will be warm enough again to wear it. It's sitting near a shawl that barely got started (okay I started it about a dozen times, and am seriously considering frogging it yet again, because it's still not coming out quite right).

Beside that is a hat that a friend describes as my evil minion hat. It's black and purple lace in a bulky yarn that I knit to match a lovely, long, skinny scarf. The lace patter makes a nice scalloped edge, one that I thought would look good at the edge of a hat. And it might if it weren't a skullcap hat. If I wear it so that the lowest point of the scallops are right over my eyebrows, it resembles a pointless dunce cap. If I wear it with a scallop in the middle of my forehead, it's vaguely reminiscent of Ming the Merciless's skullcap. Or maybe one of the Ming minions, I don't know. Suffice it to say, it's not flattering. I have more of the purple and can add to it, give it a clean edge, filing in the scalloped bits. You know, if I knew how to do that kind of pick up knitting.

But the piece de resistance of my 'I'll finish it! No, really! Someday..." collection has to be the first sweater I tried to make. I barely knew how to read patterns when I started it, really shouldn't have even attempted a sweater at that stage, but I did. It's done in sections and not the typical sections. First there was a long, complicated band, only 22 stitches across (heavy worsted weight yarn).. I love the pattern in the band. If I'd chosen any other color but black, it'd look great. In black, it looks black. See what I mean about attempting such a thing too soon?

Once the band was done, it was stockingnet forever. Increases every tenth row meant I couldn't quite sleepwalk (sleep knit?) through it but it was a near thing. Unlike the ladies of my Wednesday night beer and knitting group, I couldn't knit in dark places like bars or movie theaters, being too new to knitting and with black yarn too likely to drop a stitch or seven. I plucked away at it as long as I could, right up until it got too warm out for me to be willing to carry around what amounted to a wool blanket.

Just last month I pulled that one out of its project bag and finished the section I was working on, from the band down to the bottom edge; the miles of uninteresting stockingnet are done! And now I face a dilemma.

Being very much the novice knitter when I started the black sweater, I neglected to measure myself correctly, and of course I didn't understand how important swatching could be. I picked what I thought was my size (coincidentally the largest for which they gave stitch counts) and started knitting. The problem became apparent even before I finished the band, but I figured it was about right. There's supposed to be some overlapping of sweater sides, right? It's not like the thing has buttonholes!

The sizing is so far off, It's more than double breasted. The dilemma I face is how to deal with the mis-sizing. I don't want to frog it, no way; I've come too far! Those miles of stockingnet! So I have to figure out where the armholes should go, to knit the top of the sweater. Do I make it a very deep double breasted sweater? Or do I just make it too big? Both have merits. A large, comfy sweater in black wool would be nice in the office right around now. I'm freezing every day! And will likely continue to do so once the weather changes and the AC starts really coming up.

Or maybe I should try to find that wool shawl I started in the gorgeous fall colors. It'd look pretty over the back of my chair, the colors would really pop. And I could wear it over my knees when it gets really cold, using my current office sweater to keep my upper body warm. Yeah, that sounds like a plan. If only I could find it. I know it was packed when I moved from my old place to this one. A year ago...

Cable cast on

2011-01-06T20:53:00.001-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFkYejFGwsI

I'm going to have to use this for my next scarf.

Torchwood logo scarf - Updated

2010-12-04T03:30:00.000-05:00

A lovely young lady on Ravelry.com took the time to post a Google doc of the Torchwood logo. I of course had to make my own diagram, though I referenced hers extensively (as well as, you know, the actual logo). Below is the result.

The pattern calls for two Torchwood Ts to be knit, one on either end of the scarf. The first one is upside down, with the top bar of the T toward the middle of the scarf. On the finished scarf, the two Ts should be rightside-up when worn.

Cast on 44 double knit stitches (meaning cast on 88 stitches, 44 in each of two colors).

After each cast on stitch, make sure the correct color is on top, or you're going to have the contrast color visible on the wrong side.

Row 1 – 5: Knit across

The Contrast color should be the first loop; for Row 1, knit the Contrast color and purl in the Main color

At the end of each row, remember to twist the yarn twice; if not twisted, the two sides will be separate pieces of fabric, rather than a single, two-sided piece

In the pattern below, knit the color indicated, Main or Contrast; purl the other color

BEGIN PATTERN (72 rows including 10 row border)
M13, C7, M6, C7, M13
M11, C2, M6, C2, M4, C2, M6, C2, M11
M10, C1, M9, C4, M9, C1, M10
M10, C1, M10, C2, M10, C1, M10
M10, C1, M10, C2, M10, C1, M10
M10, C1, M10, C2, M10, C1, M10
M10, C1, M10, C2, M10, C1, M10
M10, C1, M9, C4, M9, C1, M10
M11, C2, M5, C8, M5, C2, M11
M11, C22, M11
M14, C5, M6, C5, M14
M16, C2, M8, C2, M16
M16, C1, M10, C1, M16
M16, C1, M10, C1, M16
M16, C1, M10, C1, M16
M16, C2, M8, C2, M16
M13, C6, M6, C6, M13
M11, C2, M5, C8, M5, C2, M11
M10, C2, M7, C6, M7, C2, M10
M10, C1, M9, C4, M9, C1, M10
M10, C1, M9, C4, M9, C1, M10
M10, C1, M9, C4, M9, C1, M10
M10, C2, M7, C6, M7, C2, M10
M11, C2, M5, C8, M5, C2, M11
M13, C7, M4, C7, M13
M15, C4, M6, C4, M15
M17, C1, M8, C1, M17
M17, C1, M8, C1, M17
M17, C1, M8, C1, M17
M17, C2, M6, C2, M17
M16, C4, M4, C4, M16
M14, C3, M2, C6, M2, C3, M14
M13, C2, M5, C4, M5, C2, M13
M13, C1, M7, C2, M7, C1, M13
M13, C1, M7, C2, M7, C1, M13
M13, C1, M7, C2, M7, C1, M13
M13, C2, M5, C4, M5, C2, M13
M14, C3, M2, C6, M2, C3, M14
M16, C4, M4, C4, M16
M17, C2, M6, C2, M17
M18, C1, M6, C1, M18
M18, C1, M6, C1, M18
M18, C1, M6, C1, M18
M18, C1, M6, C1, M18
M17, C3, M4, C3, M17
M16, C2, M1, C6, M1, C2, M16
M15, C2, M3, C4, M3, C2, M15
M15, C1, M5, C2, M5, C1, M15
M15, C1, M5, C2, M5, C1, M15
M15, C2, M3, C4, M3, C2, M15
M6, C4, M3, C5, M1, C6, M1, C5, M3, C4, M6
M5, C2, M2, C2, M1, C2, M2, C5, M2, C5, M2, C2, M1, C2, M2, C2, M5
M4, C2, M4, C3, M4, C3, M4, C3, M4, C3, M4, C2, M4
M4, C1, M6, C1, M6, C1, M6, C1, M6, C1, M6, C1, M4
M4, C2, M4, C3, M4, C3, M4, C3, M4, C3, M4, C2, M4
M3, C4, M2, C5, M2, C5, M2, C5, M2, C5, M2, C4, M3
M2, C2, M1, C6, M1, C6, M1, C6, M1, C6, M1, C6, M1, C2, M2
M1, C2, M3, C4, M3, C4, M3, C4, M3, C4, M3, C4, M3, C2, M1
M1, C1, M5, C2, M5, C2, M5, C2, M5, C2, M5, C2, M5, C1, M1
M1, C2, M3, C4, M3, C4, M3, C4, M3, C4, M3, C4, M3, C2, M1
M2, C2, M1, C2, M2, C2, M1, C2, M2, C2, M1, C2, M2, C2, M1, C2, M2, C2, M1, C2, M2, C2, M1, C2, M2
M3, C3, M4, C3, M4, C3, M4, C3, M4, C3, M4, C3, M3
Knit across for 5 rows.

Reverse pattern image (pdf)

Continue knitting across until time to begin pattern from top down, on other end of scarf.

BEGIN PATTERN (72 rows including 10 row border)
M3, C3, M4, C3, M4, C3, M4, C3, M4, C3, M4, C3, M3
M2, C2, M1, C2, M2, C2, M1, C2, M2, C2, M1, C2, M2, C2, M1, C2, M2, C2, M1, C2, M2, C2, M1, C2, M2
M1, C2, M3, C4, M3, C4, M3, C4, M3, C4, M3, C4, M3, C2, M1
M1, C1, M5, C2, M5, C2, M5, C2, M5, C2, M5, C2, M5, C1, M1
M1, C2, M3, C4, M3, C4, M3, C4, M3, C4, M3, C4, M3, C2, M1
M2, C2, M1, C6, M1, C6, M1, C6, M1, C6, M1, C6, M1, C2, M2
M3, C4, M2, C5, M2, C5, M2, C5, M2, C5, M2, C4, M3
M4, C2, M4, C3, M4, C3, M4, C3, M4, C3, M4, C2, M4
M4, C1, M6, C1, M6, C1, M6, C1, M6, C1, M6, C1, M4
M4, C2, M4, C3, M4, C3, M4, C3, M4, C3, M4, C2, M4
M5, C2, M2, C2, M1, C2, M2, C5, M2, C5, M2, C2, M1, C2, M2, C2, M5
M6, C4, M3, C5, M1, C6, M1, C5, M3, C4, M6
M15, C2, M3, C4, M3, C2, M15
M15, C1, M5, C2, M5, C1, M15
M15, C1, M5, C2, M5, C1, M15
M15, C2, M3, C4, M3, C2, M15
M16, C2, M1, C6, M1, C2, M16
M17, C3, M4, C3, M17
M18, C1, M6, C1, M18
M18, C1, M6, C1, M18
M18, C1, M6, C1, M18
M18, C1, M6, C1, M18
M17, C2, M6, C2, M17
M16, C4, M4, C4, M16
M14, C3, M2, C6, M2, C3, M14
M13, C2, M5, C4, M5, C2, M13
M13, C1, M7, C2, M7, C1, M13
M13, C1, M7, C2, M7, C1, M13
M13, C1, M7, C2, M7, C1, M13
M13, C2, M5, C4, M5, C2, M13
M14, C3, M2, C6, M2, C3, M14
M16, C4, M4, C4, M16
M17, C2, M6, C2, M17
M17, C1, M8, C1, M17
M17, C1, M8, C1, M17
M17, C1, M8, C1, M17
M15, C4, M6, C4, M15
M13, C7, M4, C7, M13
M11, C2, M5, C8, M5, C2, M11
M10, C2, M7, C6, M7, C2, M10
M10, C1, M9, C4, M9, C1, M10
M10, C1, M9, C4, M9, C1, M10
M10, C1, M9, C4, M9, C1, M10
M10, C2, M7, C6, M7, C2, M10
M11, C2, M5, C8, M5, C2, M11
M13, C6, M6, C6, M13
M16, C2, M8, C2, M16
M16, C1, M10, C1, M16
M16, C1, M10, C1, M16
M16, C1, M10, C1, M16
M16, C2, M8, C2, M16
M14, C5, M6, C5, M14
M11, C22, M11
M11, C2, M5, C8, M5, C2, M11
M10, C1, M9, C4, M9, C1, M10
M10, C1, M10, C2, M10, C1, M10
M10, C1, M10, C2, M10, C1, M10
M10, C1, M10, C2, M10, C1, M10
M10, C1, M10, C2, M10, C1, M10
M10, C1, M9, C4, M9, C1, M10
M11, C2, M6, C2, M4, C2, M6, C2, M11
M13, C7, M6, C7, M13
Knit across for 5 rows.

Bind off

Pattern image (pdf)

Take two. Okay, take ... seven?

2010-04-17T21:52:00.000-04:00

My attempts at mitts based on the Autumn Days scarf aren't quite succeeding. I've got a working pattern but it's a little too large. I wouldn't have to increase for the widest part of my hand. See the problem? So it's frogging for me, and the starting again. Sigh.

Hat based on Aimee Alexander's Autumn Days Scarf

2010-04-05T00:45:00.006-04:00

US10 DPNs
Malbrigo Twist yarn in two colors (black and purple), about half a skein each

Pattern:
R1: (K P K K YO K K SSL K2tog PSSO K K YO K) x5

R2, R4, R6: (P K P K9) x5

R3: (K P K K K YO K SSL K2tog PSSO K YO K K) x5

R5: (K P K K K K YO SSL K2tog PSSO YO K K K) x5

CO 60 stitches on US 10 DPNs using 1st color (black).

Join in the round.
Work pattern x2, using the 1st color (black).

Switch to 2nd color (purple) and continue to work pattern in round x4.

Switch to 1st color (black) and knit around (row 25).

R26: (K2tog K10) x5

R27, 29, 31, 33: K around

R28: (K2tog K9) x5

R30: (K2tog K8) x5

R32: (K2tog K7) x5

R34: (K2tog K6) x5

R35: (K2tog K5) x5

R36: (K2tog K4) x5

R37: (K2tog K3) x5

R38: (K2tog) around

Draw yarn through remaining stitches, bind off, weave in all ends.

Notes:
The KPK, PKP at the start of each round becomes seed stitch. To alter the size of the hat, either add or subtract seed stitches - just P, K to subtract approx 2 inches, or KPKP, PKPK to add 1, etc.

I-cord, you cord, we all cord

2010-02-09T23:41:00.005-05:00

I have learned to i-cord.

I'm making the Official Kittyville Hat. It was supposed to be a Christmas gift for my sister in law but I didn't even start it until well after the holidays.

I'm working in red and black - the band, ear flaps, i-cord, and inner ears in red, the upper hat and outer ears in black. The pom poms will be in both red and black.

The yarn is gorgeous. I picked up some Cascade Cloud 9 at the Yarntopia after-the-holidays sale. As soon as I picked it up, I knew I had to buy the yarn. It's so very, very soft. Think kitten fur soft. I walked around the store petting it before I bought any. *blush* No project in mind. Then I decided it would be perfect for the planned Kittyville Hat for my beloved sis-in-law.

Of course, everything went wrong.
The gauge was slightly off despite using a similar weight and the same needle size as the pattern called for, and I ended up adding stitches to the band (the seed stitch part) to make it fit. The band went decently, only cast on three times I think before I managed to finish seed stitching. But then, the hat part didn't want to come together right. I got as far as binding off twice, and both times had to frog it somewhat, once down to the band. When I got to the bind off the third time, I decided to just fix the two slipped stitches rather than frogging it again. Fortunately the pattern calls for a very long tail. ;)

So band and dome done, I started on the ears. First one went pretty quickly, though I was pretty sure I was doing it wrong the whole time. Finished and had to hit YouTube to find a video to teach me how to i-cord, for the ties.

The first video seemed straight forward enough but when I went to do it, to knit the i-cord, it didn't quite work. I re-did the search and a different video came up first, even with the same search ("how to knit icord"). This one was by Bridget from the East Side and is available here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJ0s_2TBwCQ.

I had an ah-ha moment! After that, the i-cord went swiftly. I replayed the end of the video when it came time to do the bind off. I debated leaving it un-bound, just having the tail dangling, until I did the pom pom, but wanted to see if the bind off worked. It did!

Second ear flap took a bit more time. I found that it didn't narrow as swiftly as the first. Since I'd already done that i-cord, I decided to just do the second ear to match, rather than trying to figure out how to frog i-cord.

The second ear flap is finished now, and I'm working on that i-cord. Once that's at 12 inches, I can do the ears.

Teaching myself how to use DPNs, or Rowan Big Wool Red Hat

2010-01-07T23:46:00.000-05:00

I started the hat on April 1st, 2009, making me an April Fool I guess. It took a few tries to get the hang of DPNs. I was working with Rowan Big Wool for the first time, trying to teach myself how to use double pointed needles (DPNs). I started out using Size 17 DPNs, thinking bigger was better. I'd already learned the lesson that I can not accurately do a bottom-up hat (my gauging never quite works out somehow), so I started my hat with six cast on stitches, split them between two sticks to knit in the round, and gradually added a stick as the stitches I had on started to slip off the ends. It worked, more or less - I bound off way too tightly, so while the beanie-like hat fits, it's a little tight across the brow. When I figured out what I was doing (how many to cast on, when to increase), I redid it on a US 15 circular.

There's a little bit of a pattern here, it's not just stocking net all the way. See below. The color is a little washed out here, though.

Yarn sale!

2010-01-07T23:33:00.000-05:00

Yarntopia is having a sale this weekend.

The After The Holidays
Knit/Crochet Something For YOU
SALE
Sat - Sun Jan 9th & 10th!!!

STOREWIDE SALE!!!!
EVERYTHING (yarn, needles, notions, books) will be at least 10% OFF
Many yarns will be up to 25% OFF
Spend over $50 in yarn for a project in any book and that book will be 15% OFF

Join the mailing list to get these alerts emailed to you.

Seed stitch hat and scarf

2010-01-05T01:50:00.004-05:00

For the past couple of weeks, I've been working on the seed stitch hat and seed stitch scarf from Alison Barlow's Fashionable Projects for the New Knitter. I got the hat finished in time for Christmas but had barely cast on the scarf by the 25th. (I was working on it after I recovered from the holiday meal-induced food coma.) I won't include the pattern here, so as to not undercut the author copyright and income source. She - Alison Barlow - has some patterns on Ravelry.com, though I didn't check to see if she has any free patterns available there.

My first attempt at the hat didn’t quite work out.

The hat was short; it came to just above my eyebrows and didn’t come close to covering my ears. I knit quite tightly (I’ve been told I make yarn cry and it should be noted, I’ve made cotton creak), so that might have had something to do with it. And I admit it, the cast on edge (bottom-up hat) was a little tight. I’d used a long tail cast on and I’ve been told that can happen. The yarn was so pretty (Cascade 128, Superwash Merino Wool), it had come together so beautifully, and it was my first attempt at seed stitch. I decided I didn’t want to frog it. A friend wove in the ends and then I donated it to the Knitty City 2009 hat drive. As someone pointed out, it’ll fit someone.

Second attempt worked. I added two rows to each of the colors and sections – in the 2x2 rib and in the first color (total of 4), and in the middle color – so that they matched the final section, which was written to have 12 rows. The length of the hat became 48 rows, and that was before the decreases. It came out well, maybe slightly large for the recipient. She can pull it down to cover her ears completely, though she still has to fold up the ribbed “brim” or else walk around with the wool over her eyes, hee! The whole hat is knit more loosely. I started with a knitted cast on for the second attempt, rather than the long tail cast on I’d used before, and it really made a difference.

The scarf is nearly done. I’m following the pattern (almost) as written, rather than adding rows to match the hat. It’ll be wide enough without the added rows, and it’s taking me an average of 20 minutes to make each of 300* count rows.

I’m contemplating making mittens to match too. My first attempt at mittens I finished not too long ago. I’m making all of this for my mom; the mittens were a custom fit for her very narrow wrists. She told me twice in a recent conversation how much she likes that the mittens’ cuffs actually fit her, and she can tuck them inside the cuff of her coat. With the frigid temperatures we’ve been having, the extra warmth that affords is very welcome. A matching set of mittens would be a little larger, knit a lot looser than what I gave her already (hey, I can try!), with the goal of having her be able to pull them on over the first pair of mittens. Don’t know if it’ll work. Mom’s an experienced crafter (crochet and tatting mostly, though she also knit and did other needle work), I’ll see what she thinks.

*I miscounted and actually have 296 stitches, rather than the intended 300. I think I double counted where I put the stitch marker. This is also the first time I’ve worked with stitch markers on the needle, moving them with each row, rather than hooking them through the knitted work. I always thought it would be too annoying to have to keep moving them, but with a (nearly) 300 stitch count row, I find the markers are good milestones, letting me know I only have x number of stitches until I get to the end.

I've forgotton how to magic loop!

2010-01-05T00:19:00.001-05:00

I have bizarrely forgotten how to magic loop. I've been working on tiny things lately, mittens for small hands and slippers, and have consequently been using double pointed needles. I didn't realized I'd been so very focused on DPNs until I tried to make something a bit larger just recently (Kitty/ Devil hat from Stitch and Bitch Nation) and found I didn't remember how to do it!

After reviewing the videos I understand that I wasn't pulling the right (as in correct) needle through. I split the stitches onto the two separate needles but then I guess I didn't push the knit-from needle all the way through; I couldn't figure out how to do it. Couldn't remember how to do it, since I've done it successfully before. So, new attempts. No success yet.

Useful videos

2010-01-04T23:15:00.001-05:00

Stitches

Resource Sites

Gotham Fine Yarn

2009-12-01T16:45:00.002-05:00

Gotham Fine Yarn
148 Orchard Street Between Rivington & Stanton Sts
Tel: 646.863.3504

Knitting and wine Thursdays and Fridays, I believe. I've never made it to the store when there was still wine to be had. The yarn is lovely, chosen for texture as much as color it seems, by someone who likes to play with the yarn. Large, once long table for a work surface, dedicated on class nights for attendees. Otherwise, table and chairs available for dumping your stuff on while you prowl this small, well organized space. Recent purchase of Tosh sock yarn was priced competitively to Knitty City, as was Brown Sheep Co's Lamb's Pride Bulky.

Hours:
Mon - Sunday: 1-8 PM

Smiley's Yarns

2009-11-01T13:57:00.000-05:00

Smiley's Yarns
92-06 Jamaica Ave Between Woodhaven Blvd. and 92nd St (Queens)
(718) 849-9873

Ridiculous Hours:
Mon - Tuesday: 10:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday: Closed
Thu - Saturday: 10:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Sunday: Closed

I am allergic to acrylic. Stepping in to Smiley's, I took my life in to my hands. I was looking for two specific things: Brown Sheep's Lamb's Pride Bulky and a pair of size 8 DPNs. I asked the woman seated behind the counter (who I'd seen a week or so before at their once-annual Smiley's Hotel Sale in Manhattan; look for the link in the bottom right of the homepage). I thought I could get in and out quickly enough to avoid the worst of the acrylic-induced eye itchies and sneezies. Not so much. The woman behind the counter didn't greet me on entry; I didn't realize I'd become used to that at the Manhattan stores until the lack of greeting slapped me in the face. I wandered around for a few minutes, found nothing but acrylic and none of the needles I was looking for, I approached the counter. And was grunted at. They barely had anything without acrylic in it, meaning barely had anything in the store that I could work with. Fine. No needles, no DPNs at all, evidently. As per the grunting woman. Fine, done, I'm gone. I'd rather pay the prices as AC Moore's, Michael's, and even the Manhattan stores rather than deal with that crap. Times are tough, my money is good, show some respect or it and I will be out the damn door.

Purl SoHo

2009-10-01T16:27:00.002-04:00

Purl
137 Sullivan Street Between W. Houston and Prince Sts.
212-420-8796

Small, staffed with happy shiny Stepford people. Okay, they're universally cheerful. This is New York! It's creepy. On a recent excursion, the chick with the long hair was speaking so fast, in such a happy tone, in such a chirpy voice, I wanted to smack her.

The place is popular, so you can end up waiting a while for the staff's attention, and may have to chase them a bit for their attention.

The store is always brightly lit, making it easier for color matching. A little on the expensive side compared to Knitty City, but then, it's SoHo. Not a lot of needles/ other tools available. Haven't yet tried their sister store up Sullivan, the one with all the fabric notions.

Hours:
Mon - Friday 12-7 PM
Sat - Sunday 12-6 PM

Yarntopia

2009-09-01T17:20:00.002-04:00

Yarntopia
974 Amsterdam Ave SW Corner of W. 108th St
(212) 316-9276

This is what I always imagined a yarn shop would look like: small, not brilliantly lit, packed with lovely hued yarn, a little messy but the good, lived-in, kind of messy. It reminds me of some of my favorite cafes, the kind with the chunky, mismatches sofas, whose cups never matched the saucers (when there were saucers).

The needle and book area is small-ish and directly back from the door, perfect for the shopper who needs just that one more thing to finish a project, though they're actually open late enough for me to get there after work and do a little browsing!

There are random sales and always something on discount, usually to be found around the counter. There's a big, comfy sofa just inside the door, opposite the counter, and the owner is happy to have people come and sit and knit and chat. She's a lot of fun to talk to, too.

Not cheap, about on a par with Knitty City and then say +10%, but the discounted bits can make up for it. I've found I'll only do better than Knitty City on the internet, or if I catch a particular sale.

Hours:
Monday: CLOSED
Tuesday: 12-9 PM
Wednesday: 12-7 PM
Thursday: 12-9 PM
Fri - Sunday: 12-7 PM

Downtown Yarns

2009-08-01T16:39:00.000-04:00

Downtown Yarns
45 Avenue A between E. 3rd and 4th Sts
(212) 995-5991

Deceptively tiny little shop with a good range of choices in non-acrylic yarn.

Hours:
Mon - Saturday: 12-7 PM
Sunday: 12-6 PM

Knitty City

2009-07-01T16:36:00.000-04:00

Knitty City
208 West 79th Street Between Broadway and Amsterdam Ave
212-724-9596

The mother ship. You can always find help there, though it's hard to tell the staffers from the equally helpful and knowledgeable regulars. Can be a little spacey about calling you when orders arrive, or so I've been told. Too far out of my usual travel zone to be anything other than a destination. Fortunately on a couple of nights during the week they stay open late enough for me to actually get there. Though they will say things like the store is closing, please make your final selections and bring them to the counter they don't really shoo you out, which is nice. And the announcements come verbally (too small a store for a PA system), in advance of the actual closing time, and regularly spaced. Once the owner forgot the like 10 minute warning and just stayed open a few more minutes, basically saying "Well this is the 10 minute warning" even though it was already 8. Cheerful and helpful without the sell-sell-sell that can be anything but. The staff is never dismissive. However the place is usually full of regulars, or has been every time I've been there, and it can get a bit intimidating. On the plus side, I feel perfectly comfortable throwing down my stuff in a corner as I roam around the store, feeling the yarn. The only thing to be leary of is someone trying to make off with (read: purchase) my yarn (read: what I've already hunted and gathered and laid beside my bag with the intention of purchasing... in a minute, after I look at this next bit of yarn of there).

Hours:
Monday: 11-6 PM
Tuesday: CLOSED
Wed - Thursday: 11-8 PM
Fri - Saturday: 11-6 PM
Sunday: 12-5 PM

School Products

2009-06-01T16:24:00.000-04:00

School Products
1201 Broadway Between 28th & 29th
212-679-3516

Also known as the Karabella store.

Ridiculous hours -
Mon - Friday: 9:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Saturday: 10:00 – 3:30
Sunday: Closed

Lion Brand Yarn Studio

2009-05-01T14:29:00.000-04:00

Lion Brand Yarn Studio
34 W. 15th Street Between 5th and 6th Aves
212-243-9070

Hours:
Mon - Wednesday: 11:30 AM - 7 PM
Thursday: 11:30 AM- 8 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM - 3 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: 12 - 5 PM

Pretty, well organized and well lit store, with helpful people, willing to order anything they don't have on hand. And what they have on hand is all at least partially acrylic, which doesn't work for me. I was okay hanging out at the table in the middle of the store, far from the shelves that line either wall. The far part of the store, closest to the counter, has their higher end, acrylic-free yarns. Pretty stuff but nothing that moved me make a purchase. And I haven't been back.

The Point of everything

2009-04-10T11:01:00.012-04:00

The Point NYC (now closed)
37a Bedford Street
Bedford St at Carmine St

The point at The Point on Bedford is enjoyment. They're a bakery and yarn store, with lots of tables and not much space. I am rather picky when it comes to retail staff. They should be attentive without being intrusive, as well as helpful and knowledgeable without being pedantic or condescending. With a full room of knitters (not shoppers), The Point's staff nailed my requirements.

I went during their birthday sale (03/31 - 04/01/2009). (See their website post titled The Point is Turning 4). There was an enormous group there, meeting for the first time. Lots of chatter and laughter, and everyone wearing name tags, made for a very informal, comfortable atmosphere. The delicious looking baked goods didn't hurt either.

The yarn and tools covers the longest wall, opposite the bakery counter. On the same wall as the counter are the tools and books space and, of course, more yarn. Being a rather vertically challenged individual, I tend to dislike environments where most of the products are above my head, especially shopping. Shopping is a tactile experience, I wanna feel the goods. I patted and played with what I could reach; little if anything was acrylic in part, and nothing was 100% acrylic. I was pleased that the woman staffing the yarn side of the house was helpful. I wanted to feel some yarn that was on the top shelf (invariably when a short person shops she will want something from the top shelf) and she got it down for me. Quickly, no fuss, no dismissive comments. What she got down wasn't the color I wanted; reaching that was a bit of a hassle. But it was enough for me to feel the yarn and make a decision (of course I bought it). She then got me down the color I wanted. After I paid for it, she balled it for me. In other yarn shops I've been in, if there was a balling machine, the customer had to ball her own; the staff wouldn't help even when asked.

The crowd made getting around a little difficult; there was no darting back and forth across the shop (there was no darting anywhere; too many bodies). There were seats for most if not everyone in there, myself included. Plenty of tables. My friends and I wandered around a bit, obviously shopping. We met another friend of mine there. No one (read: none of the staff) bothered us to spend, spend, spend; my friend who was there when I arrived had comfortably sat and knit and chatted with various patrons for about an hour before I got there. She made a purchase early on. I'll have to try hanging out there one day without buying anything other than a coffee and see how the staff respond.

Yes, I'm already planning my next trip there.

Yarns Definitions (or, that comes from what?)

2009-03-25T12:56:00.011-04:00

Yarns
Yarn	From	Reference
Cashmere	wool from the Cashmere goat	Wikipedia
Alpaca	wool-like fiber or fleece of the alpaca (same family as llama)	Wikipedia

Mom’s blue hat

2009-03-08T00:50:00.003-05:00

This was knit flat using 29” circulars for two reasons: 1) I knit during my commute and on public transportation, where I’m not likely to get a seat, using circulars is just easier and 2) I was figuring out the pattern as I worked and that’s harder when knitting in the round. The first time I did this I had to add about 5 inches (40 stitches) after I completed most of the hat, because it was much too small around.

Yarn: Patons Classic Wool, 100 g/ skein, New Denim
Tools: US size 4 (3.5 mm) - circulars, standard, or double pointed needles (dpns); 1-2 stitch markers; Tapestry needle
Gauge: 8 stitches (K4, P4) X 10 rows = 1" x 1" square
Stitches: CB4 = holding cable needle in back of work pass 2 to cable needle, k2, knit stitches on cable needle

Credits:
Design was inspired by weezalana’s Lucky 7 Hat: http://knittywhipped.blogspot.com/2008/01/free-patterns-one-and-all.html.

Bind off is based on Silja’s Smart Hat: http://silja-devine.com/?p=28

Cast on 152 stitches. I knit this flat; if magic looping, join and knit in the round. Work should measure 19” flat, 9.5” folded if knit in the round.

Row 1 - 30: (K4, P4) repeat across for approx. 30 rows or until it measures 3”.
Don’t knit too tightly. You want it to have some give. To help me keep track, I set a stitch marker in the middle of the 10th row. When I hit 20 rows, I set another stitch marker.
Row 31: Cable all the knit ribs. (CB4, P4.) After you complete row 31, set the stitch marker.

Every 5th row: Cable the first 5 knit ribs. Switch off between CB4 and CF4. On row 31 you CB4, so on row 36 do a CF4.
Every 11th row: Cable every knit rib CB4.
All other rows: K4, P4.

Repeat until the work measures 10". Assuming you didn’t cable the brim (the 3" band), you'll get 7 cable twists in all but the first 5 knit sections; there you’ll have about 19 or so.

After the work measures 10”, start the decreases. I started my decreases 5 K4, P4 rows after a 11th row cable.

K4, P1, P2TOG, P1
K3, P4
K4, P1, P2TOG
K2, P4
K4, P2TOG << CB4
K1, P4
K1, K2TOG, K1, P1
K1, P3
K1, K2TOG, P1
K1, P2
K2TOG, P1
K1, P1
K2TOG
Knit across
K2TOG

Cut yarn and draw through remaining stitches; if not knitting in the round, leave enough of a tail to mattress stitch the seam, joining the hat. Block if desired. Should measure 19” flat and fit a 21” – 23” head.

Yarn Connection

2009-03-07T17:08:00.002-05:00

Yarn Connection (now closed)
Madison Avenue off of E. 37th St.
Upstairs

Tight, tiny store, dusty. Old magazines. Needles located behind the door. The staff had their favorite people and was more than willing to chat with them. I asked for help and got it, but not good help – I told the woman I am allergic to acrylic, showed her the yarns I’d picked up, at my request she located other colors for me but she never bothered to tell me that two of the balls I’d picked up contained acrylic. What part of allergic didn’t she understand? And of course the store had gone out of business, so I couldn't return it.

Knit New York

2009-03-05T23:45:00.005-05:00

Knit New York (now closed)
14th Street between 2nd Ave and 1st Ave, closer to 2nd.
Down short flight of stairs from street level

Large, white, clean shop. Never tried to the café.

First trip: helpful people, gorgeous colors in the yarns, very pricey but great sale bins. Spent $70 mostly on yarn.

Second trip: unnecessarily aggressive staff were beyond unhelpful (ended up with wrong sized needles because she wouldn’t listen), still pricey yarns in an astonishing variety of colors, uninteresting sale bins. Spent $16 only on tools.

A. C. Moore

2009-03-04T23:30:00.000-05:00

A. C. Moore in Glendale (Queens), NY
Union Turnpike between 69th Ave and Woodhaven Blvd.
In back on the left in the Stop and Shop shopping mall

Huge, fluorescent lit craft store. Yarn is straight back from entrance, against the far wall. The staff is not helpful, is frequently dismissive and downright rude. More interested in chatting with each other than in helping you. But they’re quick to ring you up, don’t have to be told to open another cash register, and answer questions accurately (surly manner not withstanding). Yarn is basic stuff – Patons Classic Wool, Peruvian wool, Alpaca, cottons; some of the better blended yarns (cashmerino, silk/wool); and “other” yarns like the Spa stuff and the ones with Soy Solids (?). Very reasonable prices. Items easily 10-15% cheaper for the exact same items in Manhattan stores. Example: clover bamboo US10.5 29” circular needles were just under $10 at AC Moore, and US11 24” circular needles were $11.50 at Knit NY. Reams of Red Heart for $2-3/ skein.

Michael's The Arts and Crafts Store

2009-03-03T23:15:00.000-05:00

Michael's in Rego Park (Queens), NY
Metropolitan Ave at Woodhaven Blvd
In the shopping mall with Trader Joe’s, Staples, Home Depot, around the corner from Panera Bread.

Huge, florescent lit craft store. Yarn is in the far left corner of the store, against the wall. Less yarn than AC Moore with comparable prices. Yarn includes the basics like wool and cotton. Lots of cotton.

Baby booties and hat

2009-03-02T12:05:00.015-05:00

BOOTIES
Scaled down version of Free Baby's Best Booties Knitting Pattern.

Size: About 3 to 6 months, or best fit. Finished foot length: 3 1/2 inches
Gauge: 24 stitches/ 48 rows=4" (10cm) in garter stitch
What You'll Need
Yarn: 57.6g (2 oz) cotton yarn
I used: Lily Cotton The Original Sugar ‘N Cream in shades of blue
Needles: US size 4 (3.5mm)
Notions: Tapestry needle; 1 yard (1m) ribbon to match (for ties)
Note: Use simple cast-on method to make increases.

Cast on 35 stitches.
Rows 1 and 2: Knit.
Row 3: Knit 16, increase 1, knit 3, increase 1, knit 16. (37 stitches)
Row 4 Knit.
Row 5: Knit 16, increase 1, knit 5, increase 1, knit 16. (39 stitches)
Row 6: Knit.
Row 7: Knit 16, increase 1, knit 7, increase 1, knit 16. (41 stitches)
Row 8: Knit.
Row 9: Knit 16, increase 1, knit 9, increase 1, knit 16. (43 stitches)
Rows 10-12: Knit.
Row 13: Knit 16, increase 1, knit 11, increase 1, knit 16. (45 stitches)
Rows 14-16: Knit.
Row 17: Knit 16, increase 1, knit 13, increase 1, knit 16. (47 stitches)
Rows 18-24: Knit.
Row 25: Knit 10, increase 1, knit 9, increase 1, knit 9, increase 1, knit 9, increase 1, knit 10. (51 stitches)
Row 26: Knit.
Row 27: Bind off 10 stitches, knit to end of row. (42 stitches)
Row 28: Bind off 10 stitches, knit to end of row. (33 stitches)
Rows 29-32: Knit.
Row 33: Knit 2, bind 2 together, [knit 4, bind 2 together] 4 times, knit 2, bind 2 together, knit 1. (27 stitches)
Row 34: Knit.
Row 35: Knit 1, bind 2 together, [knit 3, bind 2 together] 4 times, knit 1, bind 2 together, knit 1 (21 stitches)
Row 36: Knit.
Row 37: Knit 1, [knit 2, bind 2 together] 5 times, knit 2. (16 stitches)
Row 38: Knit.
Row 39: Bind 2 together to end of row. (8 stitches)

Finishing (from Free Baby's Best Booties Knitting Pattern)

Cut yarn about 18" (46cm) from end of work. Thread yarn tail on tapestry needle and insert through remaining 6 stitches. Pull yarn firmly, closing toe stitches together. With same yarn and needle, seam instep edges together from toe to beginning of bind-off. Don't seam bind-off edges.

Insert needle and thread to wrong side of work, and weave through several stitches to secure. Cut another 18" (46cm) of yarn from main ball; thread on tapestry needle. Fold bootie in half, and with right sides facing, sew back seam together using mattress stitch. Thread all yarn ends to wrong side of work, and weave through several stitches to secure.

Repeat all steps for second bootie.

Ties: Cut 1 yard (39.5cm) ribbon into 2 equal lengths. Thread 1 piece on tapestry needle; weave through stitches around ankle of bootie. Tie ends into a bow in front. Repeat for second bootie.

HAT
Basic garter stitch hat in blue camo cotton.

Gauge: 24 stitches/ 48 rows=4" (10cm) in garter stitch

What You'll Need

Yarn: 57.6g (2 oz) cotton yarn
I used: Lily Cotton The Original Sugar ‘N Cream in shades of blue
Needles: US size 4 (3.5mm)
Notions: Tapestry needle; 1 yard (1m) ribbon to match (for ties)
Note: Use simple cast-on method to make increases.
Knit flat.

Cast on 72 stitches.

Garter stitch (knit across, purl across) for 30 rows or 4". End on an even row.

Purl two together across.

Knit across.

Purl two together across.

Knit across.

Purl two together across. You now have 9 stitches. Cut long tail (10") and thread tapestry needle. Pass stitches onto tapestry needle and pull tight, being sure to wrap the first loop, so that it pulls evenly, rather than pulling through the second loop. Sew together to hem. Pass remainder of tail up through last few stitches, using the tapestry needle, to remove the trailing tail. Cut unneeded tail and cast on tail. Make pom-pom and attached on top, knotting securly and cutting off the trailing ties.

Introduction (aka way too much information)

2009-03-01T12:00:00.001-05:00

I am two months into my latest addiction, knitting. I resisted the call of the yarn for a long time, as all of my friends heeded the siren call, one by one marching to the rhythm of the status quo. I had no intention of becoming another follower of the latest trend, especial since it wasn't the "latest" anymore. Why join a fad that had been around so long? It was a winding road, one I was pretty much taken by the hand and lead to by the pied pipers of knitters, M and O.

March, 2008
After a routine visit, my doctor calls with Scary Health News. Nothing horrible or even surprising, just a fact that I need to be aware of, Something To Watch (STW). I'd rather have gotten worse news, in a way, have been given something I could deal, address immediately and aggressively. Instead I'm told the kind of news that just freaks you out and makes you regret pretty much every moment of fun and/ or stupidity in your life.

May 1, 2008
I quit smoking. There wasn't anything I could do about the STW, besides, well, watch. And wait. I am not good with the waiting and quitting smoking was an immediate action, something I could do to significantly reduce the risks (cancer, heart disease, etc.) surrounding that STW. And it gave me something to obsess about besides STW.

August, 2008
A nasty back spasm lays me up to the point that I literally could not get out of bed most of that day. On examination (when I could make it to a doctor), I am repeatedly asked if I'd been in a car wreck. The doctor eventually diagnoses stress. I add bad shoes and carrying around too large of a schlep bag to that. His remedy is physical therapy. Mine is retail therapy. The quest for a pair of sandals with arch support and a bag that won't break me begins, as I sign up for thrice-weekly PT sessions.

Early December, 2008
My new GP tells me that I've gained approximately 25 pounds since quitting smoking. Actually, I've gained about 20 pounds since I first saw the doctor about my back, three months previous. With my back still not quite "back" I can't exactly hit the gym. Low impact cardio produces, well, low impact. A friend, the wonderful O, suggests teaching me to knit, to give me something to do with my hands besides snack. And as a stress reliever. I agree in theory but am not terribly interested.

December 20, 2008
Sitting in a Barnes and Nobel in uptown Manhattan, I realized I had absolutely nothing to do besides shop for books. Usually not a problem when one is in a BN but that wasn't the reason I was there. The municipal liaisons (MLs) of the local chapter of NaNoWriMo were there to wrap books, proceeds to be contributed to the Young Writers' Program. I was there in my capacity as the ML from Queens and charity gift-wrapper. Problem: there weren't that many gifts to be wrapped. First of all, we were in a small BN. There's a bigger, better BN about three blocks away, one with a Kids section and a Music section and frankly, a lot more room for things like a gift wrapping station. Rather than blow way too much on my usual addiction, books, I asked my friends to show me what they were doing. My dear friend O tried. She did. I didn't get it. Friend M made more of an impression, and had very soft, gorgeous yarn with her for me to play with. O contributed the needles and, with M's instruction, I was knitting away in a few short minutes.

My interest in knitting might have waned as quickly as it waxed, but a few other factors contributed to keeping me on track. My friend K was expecting a baby, so I had an excuse to knit up the cute little things I saw online at Ravelry.com – booties and hats and such. My first attempt at a bootie was only vaguely recognizable as sock-like. My second was much better, but much bigger; way too big for a newborn. My first hat was way too big for an adult. My second hat I did in garter stitch (knit across, purl across). Garter stitch curls, so they could roll up the hat to make it fit the kid. And the booties were better after I significantly scaled down the pattern.

And therein lay the hook. The patterns. I love patterns. I love writing. I find the logic puzzle of constructing a pattern seductive and the task of explaining it, of providing clear, correct, concise instructions an almost irresistible challenge. Almost? Who am I kidding? I love making patterns. Of course, I barely know what I'm doing, after only two months at it, so my patterns are rather basic. And tend to be modified as I knit. Is that the usual way, you come up with a plan, and modify it to bridge the gap between what was anticipated and reality? Hm. Yeah, not sure if I'm talking knitting or life in general with that one.

Even before I discovered my love of patterns, one other factor would have kept me knitting, at least for a while. I am oddly competitive, as in, I compete in my own head in things that really shouldn't be a competition. Specifically my friend D was taught to knit by our mutual friends M and O. Not sure when it happened but she was hard at it by December. I remember sitting in D's living room laughing at the knitters, which included D, M, O, and even C, D's roommate. "That'll never be me!” I snickered. Less than a month later, it was. Because I wanted to keep up with D, I think. There's no contest, D is better at, spends more time doing (maybe), has fewer distractions (hah!) and, unlike me, doesn't have kitties who try to make of with her balls of yarn as she's knitting with them (true). I compare what I'm doing with what she's done and keep going because I want to be better. Only not really, because again the competition is only in my head.

Yes, a long and winding road lead me to where I am now. (Or do I just mean I'm twisted? Hm. Not sure.)

These are my yarn tales. Thanks for leading me your ear.