garterlac love… and almost, but not quite, a ball band

Ok. Finally, pictures … I like the plugin I’m using but it’s a bit clunky still. If you find photos disappearing from the gallery or are unable to open something, I’m sorry. Please be patient while I work out the little bugs.

I’m not going to discuss the book, Domino Knitting today. I have a bunch of work on my plate and just haven’t had the time to sit and knit from it.

First up, the “oopsie” garterlac … [photopress:garterlac_oops.jpg,thumb,alignright] .. This is with Lion Cotton in color Salt & Pepper #760-201. It’s a nice color, but not for garterlac, or at least not with the way I have the repeat going. It didn’t excite me, as should be obvious from the fact that I stopped paying attention and there are random squares and triangles everywhere. I think it’s too busy and it doesn’t look at all like the marble I am thinking of. Sorry Dave! Your pattern is really nice and easy. Really!

Next is version one of almost a ball band. [photopress:notquiteballband_varigated.jpg,thumb,alignleft] Wait, I still haven’t gotten the book yet (i’m still #8, though I have been sneaking in a page here and there at various bookstores) so how am I knitting this? I might be a newbie knitter, but I have been googling and looking at pictures and experimenting, this is a nice slip stitch two color pattern. [edit: please see textured slip stitch dishcloth for additional inspiration. i think that is one of the sites which helped me (thanks dave).] All credit for sparking the desire to do this goes to Mason Dixon Knitting and that I can get Peaches and Cream at a price I can afford. Anyway, this is what I came up with for version one (changes were made on version two). ;) I know it looks a bit weird. I had finished it Sunday and we were out and got caught in a sudden downpour. This little one (it’s only 25 stitches wide) dried off E and I and made massive progress on wiping the interior of the car as E hadn’t quite shut the back window. We won’t go into how it took over a half hour to get out of the parking lot at Woodbury Commons. I forgot to throw it in the washer when I did the weekly loads so it’ll look like that til next week. It doesn’t mind. It’s quite proud of how hard it worked.

Once we had dried off we headed to joanns [photopress:notquiteballband_solidtaupe.jpg,thumb,alignleft] and with a coupon I picked up some Sugar & Cream in Softy Taupe, I also picked up a ball of KeyLime Pie, we’ll see how that knits into a garterlac. I do think that the solid taupe creates a nicer effect. I know that the eventual recipient reads this site in her infinite free time (hah hah hah). I will reiterate that I do not care if you throw it immediately in the dust bin. I’m having fun and it keeps me somewhat sane. ;)

I’m trying to figure out how to “stash build” a few of these to have on hand for others when they move or just need a quick gift. What colors are good? My kitchen is waiting to be torn out so I have no idea any more. My bathroom is plain and boring as well. My mother nicknamed me Plain Jane ages ago because I am not adventerous in my choice of color or style. My husband wears pink and purple better than I do. Hmm…

I’m a bit embarrassed to show [photopress:garterlac_purplegreen.jpg,thumb,alignright] this next one. This is a gift for another S and do you see? I switched needles part way through and didn’t realize until I finished that they were a different size. Should guage really matter for what is essentially a large swatch? No, but it was a bit silly to use a different needle size. Oh well. I am torn between sending it in this trapezoidal shape and ripping and reknitting. Well, same application as above. I’m having fun and I don’t care what you do with it upon receipt.

Lastly, I show you what could theoretically get me into a good deal of trouble. Do you see? I admit it is blurry.. These [photopress:softwist_stash.jpg,thumb,alignright] are 5 skeins of Berocco Softwist, 1 in ash (color #9469, dye lot 7) and 4 in Midnight Blue (color #9463, dye lot 2). I’m thinking of attempting to adapt Pam Allen’s ribbed shrug (pdf file) to what I have on hand (size 6.5mm circs and 4 skeins of Midnight Blue). I’m not really in love with shrugs but I want to be able to wear this yummy yarn. I also want to curse berocco as I have a large stash of plush in baby lullaby which i’m almost willing to give away at this point. I’d still rather trade but no one seems to want it. I HATE the color so I can’t work with it at all.

All the other projects I’m working on? They’re still slowly being worked on. Fetching is slow going as I had much difficulty with the Softwist and Bryspun needles, I just picked up some wood ones so hopefully I can fix things, and then reknit the first one as it’s a bit weird in many places.

Have you noticed one other thing? I have not woven in the ends of any of these projects. I really should do that as I’d like to send off S’s gift before she’s been living in her new house for much longer, it’s a year this week and this is the first item I’ve come up with for a housewarming present. I’m quite the pathetic best friend aren’t I?

• Category: handmade
• Tag: knit