2009-07-04T01:35:49Z Always up to something. tag:www.grumperina.com,2009:/knitblog/1 Movable Type Copyright (c) 2009, Kathy 2009-07-04T01:35:49Z 2009-07-04T01:34:15Z tag:www.grumperina.com,2009:/knitblog/1.721 2009-07-04T01:34:15Z

Let me tell you, my friends: casting on 409 stitches is nothing compared to binding them off! Oh. my. God! It took me hours! But the border (or, more accurately, half of the total border) is done! I wound the long, thin strip of fabric into a little rosette. So pretty! Now, the question on everyone's mind... well, at least mine :). Will my seemingly-endless ball of yarn, though certainly dwindling as of late, last me the entire shawl? Or will I need to dip into the second skein, untouched at the moment? First, let's weigh the border: Eighteen grams,...

Kathy grumperina@gmail.com Let me tell you, my friends: casting on 409 stitches is nothing compared to binding them off! Oh. my. God! It took me hours! But the border (or, more accurately, half of the total border) is done! I wound the long, thin strip of fabric into a little rosette. So pretty! Now, the question on everyone's mind... well, at least mine :). Will my seemingly-endless ball of yarn, though certainly dwindling as of late, last me the entire shawl? Or will I need to dip into the second skein, untouched at the moment? First, let's weigh the border: Eighteen grams,... 2009-06-28T19:34:30Z 2009-06-28T19:32:08Z tag:www.grumperina.com,2009:/knitblog/1.720 2009-06-28T19:32:08Z

I know the perspective is a little bit wonky, but can we please address this important question: is there, or is there not, a working needle in that piece of fabric? Booya! The center square of the Crown Prince Square Shawl is done! A little hard to believe, actually, because the whole thing seemed so daunting and huge at the onset! But, there it is, so close to being completely and totally done. Only the border remains. That's not a very scary thought unless we stop and consider the following facts: The border is made from two identical strips of...

Kathy grumperina@gmail.com I know the perspective is a little bit wonky, but can we please address this important question: is there, or is there not, a working needle in that piece of fabric? Booya! The center square of the Crown Prince Square Shawl is done! A little hard to believe, actually, because the whole thing seemed so daunting and huge at the onset! But, there it is, so close to being completely and totally done. Only the border remains. That's not a very scary thought unless we stop and consider the following facts: The border is made from two identical strips of... 2009-06-23T00:55:52Z 2009-06-23T00:52:34Z tag:www.grumperina.com,2009:/knitblog/1.719 2009-06-23T00:52:34Z

So, how long do you think I survived with only CPSS on the needles? Answer: about 24 hours. As soon as the Child's French socks were done, and my super secret project blocked and photographed, I had to restock the WIP line-up. Had to! I spend a good amount of time on buses and trains, and as a passenger in the car: CPSS, with its multitude of charts and sizeable dimensions, just doesn't cut it when elbow space is at a premium. The yarn came first: This is Panda Superwash from Crystal Palace Yarns in the cocoa mint colorway (51%...

Kathy grumperina@gmail.com So, how long do you think I survived with only CPSS on the needles? Answer: about 24 hours. As soon as the Child's French socks were done, and my super secret project blocked and photographed, I had to restock the WIP line-up. Had to! I spend a good amount of time on buses and trains, and as a passenger in the car: CPSS, with its multitude of charts and sizeable dimensions, just doesn't cut it when elbow space is at a premium. The yarn came first: This is Panda Superwash from Crystal Palace Yarns in the cocoa mint colorway (51%... 2009-06-17T01:48:06Z 2009-06-17T01:40:28Z tag:www.grumperina.com,2009:/knitblog/1.718 2009-06-17T01:40:28Z

I was fortunate to receive my swap potholders shortly after the organizers divvied them up, and I'm beyond thrilled with the beauties I got in exchange for the potholders I made! Of course I immediately had to note the creators of these little nuggets of art. I am actually a little surprised at myself - I didn't think I would care as much about who made the potholders, and instead would spend all my time looking at the stitches, patterns, colors, etc. But, no, I was genuinely interested and curious about the crocheters! From Maritza, a vibrant roqua square!...

Kathy grumperina@gmail.com I was fortunate to receive my swap potholders shortly after the organizers divvied them up, and I'm beyond thrilled with the beauties I got in exchange for the potholders I made! Of course I immediately had to note the creators of these little nuggets of art. I am actually a little surprised at myself - I didn't think I would care as much about who made the potholders, and instead would spend all my time looking at the stitches, patterns, colors, etc. But, no, I was genuinely interested and curious about the crocheters! From Maritza, a vibrant roqua square!... 2009-06-16T02:06:52Z 2009-06-16T02:03:38Z tag:www.grumperina.com,2009:/knitblog/1.717 2009-06-16T02:03:38Z

Pattern: Child's French socks from Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush. I'm really glad I took the time to knit this pattern. I was very inspired and motivated by all the Child's French socks that have been completed over the past few years. Just to name a few, Siow Chin, Yahaira, Terhi, and Chawne all made gorgeous ones. Call it jealousy if you will, but I had to knit a pair, too! Yarn: Ellen's 1/2 Pint Farm sock yarn, 80% wool, 20% nylon, 500 yards (no colorway specified). I started these socks back in February, but the originally-chosen Koigu...

Kathy grumperina@gmail.com Pattern: Child's French socks from Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush. I'm really glad I took the time to knit this pattern. I was very inspired and motivated by all the Child's French socks that have been completed over the past few years. Just to name a few, Siow Chin, Yahaira, Terhi, and Chawne all made gorgeous ones. Call it jealousy if you will, but I had to knit a pair, too! Yarn: Ellen's 1/2 Pint Farm sock yarn, 80% wool, 20% nylon, 500 yards (no colorway specified). I started these socks back in February, but the originally-chosen Koigu... 2009-06-10T00:26:26Z 2009-06-10T00:21:22Z tag:www.grumperina.com,2009:/knitblog/1.716 2009-06-10T00:21:22Z

When it comes to knitting, my timing is perpetually off. I finish heavy wool cardigans in June, summery cotton blankets in January, and Christmas stockings around the end of February. Some projects take me years to complete, and many, many, many deadlines are pushed to the last possible second. Eek! So, it should come as no great surprise that I did not finish grandma's Crown Prince Shawl in time for her 80th birthday. And, oh, what a birthday it was! Friends and family gathered, happy stories and touching toasts exchanged, and, of course, delicious food. Allow me to share some...

Kathy grumperina@gmail.com When it comes to knitting, my timing is perpetually off. I finish heavy wool cardigans in June, summery cotton blankets in January, and Christmas stockings around the end of February. Some projects take me years to complete, and many, many, many deadlines are pushed to the last possible second. Eek! So, it should come as no great surprise that I did not finish grandma's Crown Prince Shawl in time for her 80th birthday. And, oh, what a birthday it was! Friends and family gathered, happy stories and touching toasts exchanged, and, of course, delicious food. Allow me to share some... 2009-06-23T00:27:00Z 2009-05-30T21:46:14Z tag:www.grumperina.com,2009:/knitblog/1.715 2009-05-30T21:46:14Z

True story: I finished crocheting my potholders for the hot pads and potholders swap on Memorial Day. It was a bittersweet moment: after my late start, I was happy that they were finished on time, but I was so sad to say good-bye to this phenomenally-rewarding project. My husband commented on my apparent drop in mood, and we held a moment of silence for the completed potholders. Pattern: from 200 Crochet Blocks, Willow (#189) for the front, and Solid Square (#149) for the back. Both were modified to be denser (and, by extension, to contain more rounds) than the original...

Kathy grumperina@gmail.com True story: I finished crocheting my potholders for the hot pads and potholders swap on Memorial Day. It was a bittersweet moment: after my late start, I was happy that they were finished on time, but I was so sad to say good-bye to this phenomenally-rewarding project. My husband commented on my apparent drop in mood, and we held a moment of silence for the completed potholders. Pattern: from 200 Crochet Blocks, Willow (#189) for the front, and Solid Square (#149) for the back. Both were modified to be denser (and, by extension, to contain more rounds) than the original... 2009-06-16T01:24:40Z 2009-05-26T01:27:46Z tag:www.grumperina.com,2009:/knitblog/1.714 2009-05-26T01:27:46Z

When I first learned to knit a little less than five years ago, successfully knitting lace - in the form of scarves, shawls, stoles, etc. - was one of my personal goals. In my mind, once I knew how to knit lace, I would be on my way to becoming a true knitter. With that thought in mind I tried out many different types of lace projects: simple, complicated, little, big, and everything in between. Certainly not as numerous or as diverse as many other knitters, but my fair share for five years, I'd say. It all boils down to...

Kathy grumperina@gmail.com When I first learned to knit a little less than five years ago, successfully knitting lace - in the form of scarves, shawls, stoles, etc. - was one of my personal goals. In my mind, once I knew how to knit lace, I would be on my way to becoming a true knitter. With that thought in mind I tried out many different types of lace projects: simple, complicated, little, big, and everything in between. Certainly not as numerous or as diverse as many other knitters, but my fair share for five years, I'd say. It all boils down to... 2009-05-20T03:51:41Z 2009-05-20T03:42:58Z tag:www.grumperina.com,2009:/knitblog/1.713 2009-05-20T03:42:58Z

As many of you know, every year Claudia hosts a pledge drive to raise money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. She has been incredibly prolific, raising more than $32,000 last year! To encourage contributions from fellow knitters, and to thank them for participating, Claudia enters the donors into a raffle chock full of fabulous crafty prizes - books, yarn, fiber... you name it! This year I have decided to contribute a prize to her raffle: a custom handknit pair of socks! I will knit the winner a pair of socks, just like we used to do in the old-fashioned...

Kathy grumperina@gmail.com As many of you know, every year Claudia hosts a pledge drive to raise money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. She has been incredibly prolific, raising more than $32,000 last year! To encourage contributions from fellow knitters, and to thank them for participating, Claudia enters the donors into a raffle chock full of fabulous crafty prizes - books, yarn, fiber... you name it! This year I have decided to contribute a prize to her raffle: a custom handknit pair of socks! I will knit the winner a pair of socks, just like we used to do in the old-fashioned... 2009-05-15T04:12:05Z 2009-05-15T03:58:31Z tag:www.grumperina.com,2009:/knitblog/1.712 2009-05-15T03:58:31Z

Though I'm not a mom, I had a fabulous Mother's Day this year. After chatting with my mom and grandma on the phone, I headed to Porter Square Books, a fabulous local bookstore, for the signing of Vintage Baby Knits. This fabulous new book was recently released by STC Craft, with Thayer Allyson Gowdy doing the photography (that name is familiar because she also photographed the designs in Knitting Nature and Knitting Lingerie Style, among others). When I found out author Kristen Rengren was making a stop in my 'hood, a trunk full of cute baby clothes from the book...

Kathy grumperina@gmail.com Though I'm not a mom, I had a fabulous Mother's Day this year. After chatting with my mom and grandma on the phone, I headed to Porter Square Books, a fabulous local bookstore, for the signing of Vintage Baby Knits. This fabulous new book was recently released by STC Craft, with Thayer Allyson Gowdy doing the photography (that name is familiar because she also photographed the designs in Knitting Nature and Knitting Lingerie Style, among others). When I found out author Kristen Rengren was making a stop in my 'hood, a trunk full of cute baby clothes from the book... 2009-05-11T02:22:45Z 2009-05-11T02:14:55Z tag:www.grumperina.com,2009:/knitblog/1.711 2009-05-11T02:14:55Z

Kathy grumperina@gmail.com 2009-05-06T02:58:03Z 2009-05-06T02:41:27Z tag:www.grumperina.com,2009:/knitblog/1.710 2009-05-06T02:41:27Z

Being a crochet novice, I often feel torn when I'm trying to troubleshoot a particular problem. I collect advice from many different sources, but can't decide which suggestions will be fruitful! I don't have time to try them all, unfortunately. So, it was incredibly fortuitous that, at the very moment I was on the verge of making some decisions regarding my potholders and the swap, I learned I'd be seeing Maryse. Now, when one knows that she is about to have audience with Maryse, one does not whine about having to drag all her crochet paraphernalia. Instead, one packs up...

Kathy grumperina@gmail.com Being a crochet novice, I often feel torn when I'm trying to troubleshoot a particular problem. I collect advice from many different sources, but can't decide which suggestions will be fruitful! I don't have time to try them all, unfortunately. So, it was incredibly fortuitous that, at the very moment I was on the verge of making some decisions regarding my potholders and the swap, I learned I'd be seeing Maryse. Now, when one knows that she is about to have audience with Maryse, one does not whine about having to drag all her crochet paraphernalia. Instead, one packs up... 2009-05-01T03:02:22Z 2009-05-01T02:48:21Z tag:www.grumperina.com,2009:/knitblog/1.709 2009-05-01T02:48:21Z

Kathy grumperina@gmail.com 2009-04-25T20:52:32Z 2009-04-25T16:06:33Z tag:www.grumperina.com,2009:/knitblog/1.708 2009-04-25T16:06:33Z

Let me be honest: at first I was not particularly excited about knitting the Path of Flowers stole. The yarn, Mountain Colors Winter Lace in Mountain Twilight, is a magical combination of dark blue and purple. However, I find knitting with nearly-black yarn very difficult. On top of that, the finished dimensions of the stole are 25" x 66", which is freakin' huge. If my body was collapsed into two dimensions, I'd be 20-something inches wide, and 65 inches tall - the stole is the size of a human! And the pattern is pretty complicated: two charts to follow...

Kathy grumperina@gmail.com Let me be honest: at first I was not particularly excited about knitting the Path of Flowers stole. The yarn, Mountain Colors Winter Lace in Mountain Twilight, is a magical combination of dark blue and purple. However, I find knitting with nearly-black yarn very difficult. On top of that, the finished dimensions of the stole are 25" x 66", which is freakin' huge. If my body was collapsed into two dimensions, I'd be 20-something inches wide, and 65 inches tall - the stole is the size of a human! And the pattern is pretty complicated: two charts to follow... 2009-04-21T17:04:58Z 2009-04-21T16:52:50Z tag:www.grumperina.com,2009:/knitblog/1.707 2009-04-21T16:52:50Z

I think you'll agree that the photo of the Miele socks (the golden ones) on the knit.1 website are just a little bit flat: Especially when compared to the textured loveliness I actually designed ;). No worries - I took a few photos before I mailed them off! Ah, that's much better! This design evolved from a very interesting concept: several sock designers, myself included, were asked to interpret a painting by Komi Chen called Fresh into the knit form. As expected, I did a lot of hemming and hawing, charting and swatching. At the end I focused on the...

Kathy grumperina@gmail.com I think you'll agree that the photo of the Miele socks (the golden ones) on the knit.1 website are just a little bit flat: Especially when compared to the textured loveliness I actually designed ;). No worries - I took a few photos before I mailed them off! Ah, that's much better! This design evolved from a very interesting concept: several sock designers, myself included, were asked to interpret a painting by Komi Chen called Fresh into the knit form. As expected, I did a lot of hemming and hawing, charting and swatching. At the end I focused on the...