Bird's Nest Knits

Picovoli - c'est fini!

I'm just cranking out Finished Objects this year, and I think it has a lot to do with not allowing myself to cast on new projects until my UFOs are done.  Amazing how much progress can be made when you actually focus.  Quel surpris!   

I finished up Picovoli today and even wore it to knitting at the Whistlestop Pub which was nice.  I really enjoy meeting up with the San Diego knitbloggers because I've gotten to know them better over the last few months, and they are so much fun to hang out with.  In attendance were:  Heidi, Wendy, Hilari, Chris, Mary Kay, and I saw Kris at the Grove when we walked over for a yarn fix.  (for the record I stuck to my resolutions and did not buy any yarn - just Scarf Style which has Lady Eleanor in it.. which I am probably going to join the KAL once I get the yarn - which will be after I finish my Broadripple wrist warmers.  I'm just knitting the pattern until the cuff is about 3" long then I'm doing a stockinette palm with the thumb gusset from the BroadStreet gloves.

Yes - its true.  My middle name IS Frankenstein.

Ok back onto the subject of my Picovoli.

Pattern:    Picovoli on Magknits by Grumperina
Size: 40" bust
Yarn:  KnitPicks Shine in Orchid - lil' bit over 5 skeins
Needles:  Size 4 metal circs
Started:     Swatched on Jan 6 and knit a bit each evening and on the way to work
Finished:  Feb 5th

Some modifications to the pattern - I added about 2" to the bottom and just continued working the waist increases until it was the length that I wanted, and I only did 6 waist decrease rounds, and I probably could have used one or two more.  One thing I didnt like was how large the armholes were so if I were to knit it again I would make them smaller - they seemed to sag a bit.  I'd also go down one size because in my over estimation of what size I'd need and the underestimation of how much KnitPicks Shine would stretch - it ended up being a little looser than I wanted.   

Over all though - the pattern is very well written and while there is a lot of stockinette - the shaping is quite lovely.  I might add a lace inset next go around to keep things interesting.

I did try a couple of new techniques - the picot edging is definately something I would try again in another project, I also tried out the Russian Join, which I've decided is just not for me.  I wasnt able to get the two yarns well joined enough and I could see where the join was because the stitches were puffy.  I prefer my usual Doubling Up join where you knit with both yarns for 4-5 stitches and then you drop the old yarn and just knit with the new yarn.  It makes for a much smoother transition in all but really bulky yarns.

Here is a side by side comparison:

Sweat and gifts and knitting

... but not necessarily in that order.

I got my first gift from my Secret Pal (part 7 the revenge) and it is awesomeness.  I got a box of Luna bars - which have chocolate mmmm in them, and might even be good for me.  A great little card, some stitch markers - you can never ever have enough of these, and I think they are even hand made!  A bottle of Eucalan wool wash - PERFECT timing cause I need to set the twist on some hand spun I recently did, and last but not least - some DP needle holders.  Thank you very much!

I am very nearly done my Picovoli - probably another couple of inches to cover my round belly, and once Picovoli is done.. what to cast on next.  Since I'm doing the whole Two Steps Forward, One Step Back  dealio that Jeanie thought up - I think that the Traditional Hat and Picovoli have earned me the right to cast on guilt free... something in lace I think.

I've been on a house hunt - looking to move closer to work.  Last weekend was a bit of a downer because I found this house that was great - less than a couple of miles from work - close enough to bike.  Made an offer - and ended up being out bid by someone else.  Back to the drawing board this Saturday.

Ran tonight with the pup - its so much easier with her because she never gets tired and wusses out before I do.  I made a little mini goal of being able to run up this hill by my house without stopping and I made it!  Next goal is to make it around the block without stopping - which is roughly 600 yards ~ 1/3 of a mile by Sunday!  (yes I know I'm majorly out of shape - but I'm working on it)

Picovoli, Picovoli, let down your hair!

Or stockinette in this case :)

There has been knitting a la Chez Bird.  And I've been good in not casting on anything new OR buying any new yarn.  Its all Picovoli all the time here, and I'm finished the waist decreases and cruising along to the increases. 

I've found that I like the SSK decrease much better than the way the K2Tog looks - I wonder if there is another right leaning decrease that looks as tidy as SSK does to match.

These photos were taken with my old Canon S400 so - forgive its medicocrity:

I am quite partial to the visible bars on the SSK decrease which you dont get with the K2tog - and for some reason my K2togs come out a bit sloppy.

I also found a section of my yarn that was all futz'd out - and I'm wondering if I might be able to drop a stitch down, cut out the futz and darn it up without much trouble.  Then again - I'm a little worried about dorking the whole thing up.

This is week 2 of Couch potato to Half Marathon training.  The pace of the training has been perfect so far - challenging enough to leave me sucking wind at the end - but still able to at least complete the routine without passing out or any calling of emergency personnel.  I'm really looking forward to running my very first mile in a few weeks :)  woo hoo!

Slow and steady wins the race as they say - and I'm banking on the probability that my ass will be shrinking in proportion to my ability to run farther.  Go ass go!

Goals for this week:

Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.  (6 repeats)    Done

Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.   (6 repeats)

Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes. (6 repeat)

Holy Dyelots Batman!

So the New Year is starting off pretty well as far as knitting goes.  I've just finished Marnie's Wyvern Socks.  It was a very easy knit - the pattern was easy to memorize after a while.  My third pair of socks which I think turned out pretty well - it made for good commute knitting.  If I were to do them again there are a few things I'd change -

• Not too stripey a color of yarn - the striping of the Lorna's Laces detracted from the lovely scale design, Koigu would probably be really pretty.
• No bottom ribbing - it makes for a little too snug a fit for me, and while it does fit - when the sock is not on - the ribbing pulls the yarn in to the point where it looks extremely narrow.  It got mistaken for a willy warmer more than once.
• DOUBLE check your dye lots.  I used 1 skein of Lorna's Laces and got to about 2" from the end of the cuff on the 2nd sock when I had to break out the 2nd skein... which ended up being SIGNIFICANTLY lighter than the first skein.  *headdesk*  I was pretty sure the dye lot was the same too.  So I had two choices, frog back the first sock to a point where I could steal the yarn and even out the lengths, or suck it up and deal with a lighter cuff and knit to the same length as the first.  Guess which I chose?  The lazy way of course!  Who looks at cuffs anynow, they are usually hidden by pantleg.

• Next time - two socks on two circulars knit at the same time.  No more 2nd sock syndrome for me.
• Kitchener Bind off next time - while I like the stretchiness of the picot bind off, I hate how it rolls downward when you wear them

All in all, I love them even with the minor color issue, the pattern was well written and fun to knit up.  The color is a little blotchy cause they are slightly damp being blocked on my feet.

Pattern:    Marnie MacClean's Wyvern Socks
Yarn:  Lorna's Laces (oops threw away the band)  1.25 skeins
Needles:  Addi Turbo's Size 2
Method:  Toe up w/ Magic Loop
Toe:  Short Row
Heel: Short Row
Bind Off:  2 cast on/ 4 cast off Picot Bind Off

I've also done my swatch for the Sexy Knitters Club Picovili KAL - Knit Picks Shine in Orchid.  I really like this yarn!  Its super soft, and makes a nice tight fabric.  I got gauge with Size 4 circ's and the color is cheery and bright.

I'd not completely decided to participate until my credit card threw itself at the KnitPicks web site.  Can't beat the price either at $2.29 a ball - definately won't be finding something that nice at Michael's or Walmart. 

My contribution to JenLa's ugly avatar contest:

Would it be too gauche of me to bring knitting to Heidi's housewarming?  What if I brought booze and fried risotto balls?  (I thought of Fried Rice Balls, but I know how perverted ya'll are)