Category Archive for ‘works in progress’ at adam knits!

Archive for the 'works in progress' Category

What’s Up Kemo Sabe? 12 Oct 08

Hi-yo Silver! It’s just me the Lone Ranger, riding in from a long month of rounding up equations and graphs out here in the wild west. It’s tiresome work to corral all this math, but someone has to do it!

Unfortunately, when my head is buried in the books, I don’t have much blogging time. I’m working to remedy that, starting with a fresh new theme. My rationale is that I may be more inclined to post with a fresh new theme, but we’ll see how that goes. Not to mention the old theme was looking a bit like a red light district if you ask me ;)

It seems that while I was busy studying, Fall managed to sneak up behind me. Not to worry though, I simply called in some wooly reinforcements. Nothing like a clean batch of wooly socks and a sweater to make you long for changing leaves and chilly mornings.

Another sure sign of Fall here in Albuquerque is the arrival of the Balloon Fiesta (not to mention the slow driving tourists!). There’s really nothing like a balloon glow at night, especially when there’s an awesome sunset in the background.

It also seems that I’ve picked up a new yarn related habit, which is about the last thing I need these days! For some reason, I got a very strong urge to learn crochet so I could make a retro table runner for my coffee table. The biggest shock, and don’t faint on this one, is that I’m using acrylic…gasp! You all know that I’m a bit wool addiction, but I just couldn’t resist the petroleum based yarn for a retro 50’s knit. Or maybe I’m just an 80 year old grandma on the inside ;)

It did take quite a few tries to figure out the ripple stitch pattern, but I think I have the hang of the basics now. It also may be that for the first 5 tries, I was completely ignoring the directions. Once past my basic inability to read English, I was sailing along. I will admit, there’s something satisfying about a crochet hook that I really like. I’m already planning a gigantic retro blanket to go with my runner.

Maybe I should just give up sleep altogether?

Anyway, it’s back to the books for me, so forgive me if it ends up being another month until the next post. I will be defending my thesis in November though, so it won’t be too much longer before I can banish the books to the shelves permanently. I can’t wait.

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Adam

in albuquerque, crocheting, ee, school, socks, sweaters and works in progress

Robotron 9000 09 Jul 08

12 Comments

These past few weeks have been all about finding a rhythm at the new house. I am a very habitual person, and that means getting settled into the new place also includes getting things running on a schedule. There’s a new trash day, a new watering schedule and a new cleaning system to get familiar with. It’s all the mundane things like washing sheets, vacuuming floors and scrubbing dishes that make me really feel at home. Hopefully that means I’m just an obsessive engineer and not a robotic android. Just wait until I get my meal schedule in order ;)

Other than turning into a household robot, I haven’t been up to a whole lot lately. I did finish the Fiddlehead Mittens, but they deserve a spectacular photo shoot, and let’s face it, who wants to model wool/mohair mittens when it’s 98 degrees out?

I do have a few small projects in my knitting basket, but not really much to show for them. There’s a washrag I’m making with some green hemp, to go in the bathroom with my collection of handmade soaps. It’s a slowly progressing washrag, because I can only stand to knit with the hemp for about 10 rows, and then my fingers need a break. I have another one in pewter already finished, and to the yarn’s credit, it does soften up beautifully after a wash.

I also have the beginnings of a knitted runner, which I’m making out of some of my own hand-spun. I have a lot of little skeins here and there, which should each be enough to get me a few long rows in, before switching to a new color and texture. It’ll be mostly blue and white, and knit in garter and seed stitch. I think there’s nothing better than texture to warm up a room, and this should be just the trick. This project also gives me an excuse to wind a bunch of small balls of hand-spun yarn, since it seems a shame to run such lovely yarn through the mechanical winder.

In my culinary exploits this past weekend, I thought it’d be fun to make some cherry ice cream to celebrate the 4th of July. I got some delicious cherries, and went to work pitting and halving them. It’s quite a messy job, but thanks to a tip from good old Martha, I used a piping tip from a pastry bag to poke out the pits. Definitely a time saver, and much cheaper than a $10 cherry pitter that really has no other use.

After getting all the cherries prepared, I made up the ice cream and got ready to head to my family gathering, where I planned to pop it into the ice cream maker and freeze it. Sadly, the bowl of the ice cream maker didn’t get cold enough in my freezer, so the dessert was doomed from the start. It wouldn’t set, and despite many attempts to get the bowl cold enough to set the mixture, it was a wash. I was a bit bummed, since after all that work, I ended up with a bowl of frozen cherries in crystallized milk. Ces’t la vie, right?

Thankfully, the cherries weren’t lost in the pit of despair forever, since a few astute Flickr people suggested that I make some tasty milkshakes. And let me tell you, milkshakes with home-made cherry ice cream are quite delicious. Yes, indeed.

It’s getting late, so it’s time for me to wrap this sham of a post up. Hopefully next time I’ll be a bit more enthused, and/or have some actual knitting or household projects to show off. Or maybe I’ll tell you how owning my own house has turned me into a crazy granola hippie. ;)

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Adam

in a nerd's life, cooking, holidays, home ownership, knitting, why me? and works in progress

Drill Happy 22 Jun 08

36 Comments

It’s been 2 weeks, and the honeymoon period is definitely not over yet. I never knew you could have so much fun with a cordless drill! Just take a look at my latest project. It’s like I have my own little yarn store, right in my office!

Pretty sweet eh? It turns out that the yarn hutch I bought a few months ago was way too big for the new house, so I came up with this alternate yarn storage system. Oh the things you can accomplish with graph paper, a tape measure and some screws.

I also got all the Yarn Nerd boxes unpacked into the Shedquarters, and am almost ready to get the dye pots going. I’m so psyched to have a separate dyeing workspace, especially such a snazzy one. I have lots of work surfaces, plenty of storage, and lights and electricity. There’s no water, but I think a big plastic utility sink and a big drain bucket should suffice. There’s a hose right outside the shed that I can hook up to the sink faucet, and I’ll be in business. Although, first I might inform my neighbors that I’m not running a meth lab, since they might wonder what I’m doing in the shed with gloves and a dust mask. ;)

Now that Yarn Nerd HQ is unpacked, it means that there is only one stronghold of boxes left, in the garage. It may stay that way for a bit though, since I don’t have a pressing need to park inside, especially since I’m riding my bike to work lots. Did I mention that the new house is only 3 miles from work? It takes no time at all to get to the office (about 18 minutes on the bike, versus about 15 to drive and walk in from the parking lot), which I’m really loving. There’s even a small detour through one of the local golf courses. Nothing like the possibility of getting clunked in the head with a line drive to speed up the commute.

Knitting has been a bit slow with all the house chores, but I do have a bit of something to tease you with. I just have to finish the lining thumb on my second mitten, and the Fiddleheads will be complete. These are about the most perfect mittens ever, and I get so many compliments everytime I work on them in public. Adrian really hit it out of the park with this kit, between the amazing pattern and the heavenly yarn.

I’m reluctant to finish the thumb, because then that means I’ll be done, and I’m not sure I want the experience to end just yet. Not to mention that I won’t be able to wear them for many months. Unless I want to be sent to a white padded room for wearing lined mittens in 98 degree heat.

Also, thanks to everyone on your comments about the house tour, I really appreciated all of them! Not to mention all the good paint suggestions (I think I’m going to go with the sage green if you’re curious, but it may be a bit before I actually get around to it).

That’s about all I have, but check back soon to find out what I’ve drilled a hole into next. It’s such an exciting life I lead. ;)

Published

Adam

in a nerd's life, biking, colorwork, dyeing, home ownership, knitting, mittens, stranded, works in progress and yarn nerd

Sock 911 28 May 08

24 Comments

I think lately I’ve come to the conclusion that the process of buying a house is really just a large obstacle course, designed to weed out all but the most resolute of people. Between house searches, offers, contracts, inspections, repairs, mortgage applications and moving, it really is a tiring process. And just when I thought that the end was near, another obstacle appears.

The mortgage program I applied for is swamped with refinances these days, and as a result, the standard processing time has gone way way up. It took so long, in fact, that I didn’t actually find out about final approval until just a few days ago, almost 6 weeks after my initial application! Suffice to say, that delay wasn’t anticipated, which means that we had to push back the closing to give the bank extra time to actually finish the paperwork.

I’m supposed to find out soon when the new closing date will be, and I’ve been told it won’t be more than a week away. Unfortunately for me, I was expecting to move this weekend, which means my entire house is pretty much packed up. I’m a bit OCD when it comes to organization (ok, a lot.), and let’s just say it’s a stretch for me to have my house in such chaos. So here’s hoping that I can move soon, because I might go postal and attack someone with a moving box if this lasts too long.

In an amusing note, I had a bit of awakening regarding my fiber stash when it came time to pack up the yarn hutch. I’ve always thought I’ve had a very small stash, but I think it might have become a bit bigger than I realized. See those boxes? The small one on the right is the box I thought could house the stash, and the large one on the left is the one that the stash actually fits in. I bet next time I move I’ll need more than one box. Sigh.

Due to packing, I haven’t had much quality time with my needles, but I have managed to finish one Fiddlehead Mitten. I’m pushing to finish the pair before the EARTH round of Project Spectrum is over, but my moving to-do list might dictate otherwise. I don’t think I’ll mind too much though, since the more time I have with this buttery soft alpaca the better.

In the department of having plenty to knit, Dallas decided to ensure that I have no shortage of projects on the needles. In what I’m sure he thought was a considerate gesture, he decided that he would chew out the heel on a handknit sock, so that I could have the joy of fixing it. He’s tried to work his goodwill on many handknit socks before, but I’m always one step ahead of him when it comes to putting them away. He won this time though.

Thankfully, it was only the heel that he was interested in, and since it’s a short row heel, I think I can fix it by knitting a new one and grafting it to the foot. How fortuitous that I got bored with the ribbing and quit before running out of yarn! Anyone have experience with this type of sock surgery?

I just suppose I’ll have to forgive him, because I’m sure he had the best intentions. And how can you stay mad at such a face? I certainly can’t.

I also can’t stay mad at this face for long, even after she brings a dead bird into the living room. (Note that she was not allowed to lick me for quite some time. I might be a pushover, but I do still have common sense.)

Ah, now we come to the part of the post where you realize that I have no new material, and that I’m just baiting you with cute dog pictures. Is it working?

I should mention that the Caterpillar Sock Kits are up, and there’s just a few left. Anne is nearly finished with the pattern, and the yarn is ready to go, so they’ll be shipping out soon. The yarn is a new base, called 950 MHz Merino. It’s a nice heavy fingering weight yarn, with a gauge of 7.25 - 8.5 sts / in on US #1 - #2 needles. The yarn has a nice tight twist and will knit up into a very firm fabric, meaning that your socks will last for quite a while. Each skein is 430 yards too, so you’ll have plenty for a pair of socks.

Hopefully next time I’ll have a new house to show off!

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Adam

in a nerd's life, dallas, home, knitting, mittens, moving, shop, socks, stranded, works in progress and yarn nerd

Equal Opportunity Fiber Lover 03 May 08

20 Comments

Once again it’s time for your sporadically scheduled blog update! Since we’re going on 3 weeks, this update won’t really have very much in the way of excitement. Its true purpose is to halt the incessant “OMG, why haven’t you updated your blog?” e-mails from my family. I suppose they can’t just get enough of my special blend of dry and sardonic humor. However, I’m fairly certain that all my other readers click over in hopes of getting a glimpse at my excruciatingly rugged and chiseled countenance. (Oh, I have to write that one down!)

Good looks aside, this is a knitting/spinning/dyeing blog (gotta love that demographic creep), so I suppose I should show you some of the fibery things I’ve been working on.

Last weekend was my final spinning class, but luckily, I have a wheel for a bit longer. This week I drew the Kromski Minstrel, and I am definitely smitten. It spins like a dream, and I love its old fashioned looks. I’ll sample a few more, but I’m pretty sure this is the wheel I’ll buy eventually.

My drafting skills are steadily improving, and at this point I’m able to spin a single that is fairly consistent. So far I’ve spun BFL, Corriedale, Shetland, Merino and Rambouillet. I haven’t branched out from wooly fiber yet, but I have a lovely bump of Alpaca that I’m anxious to spin up.

Right now I’m working on a 2 ply of white Rambouillet and gray Shetland (shown on the bobbin above), that will be part of a hand-knit project for the new house. Both of the rovings I’m using for this project were grown here in NM, and are minimally processed, meaning the fiber still has a decent amount of lanolin and vegetable matter. It’s really interesting to spin up roving that has been totally processed, and then switch to roving that’s a bit more raw. One thing that was cool about my spinning class was that we learned the basics of skirting and washing a fleece, which means someday I hope to make a sweater from a raw fleece. Talk about the ultimate in make your own clothing!

In addition to the NM rovings I’ve been working on, I spun up a bump of Superwash Merino roving that I dyed a while back, in my Caramel Stout colorway. It’s about 100 yards of worsted weight yarn, which I think will look smashing as a second hand-spun Zeebee to add to my collection. Don’t you just want to reach out and smoosh it?

One accessory that I’ve discovered is essential to spinning is a cozy pair of hand-knit socks. I don’t like treadling with my shoes on, and there’s been a bit of a chill lately, so I’ve been getting good use out of my sock drawer. I finished up this cozy pair just a few weeks ago.

pattern: boyfriend socks (although I refer to them as my “cables and brimstone” socks)
yarn: araucania ranco in brick (75/25 wool/nylon)
needles/gauge: 8 spi on US #1.5 needles
construction: knitted toe up, magic cast on, short row heel, regular bind off

Thanks to everyone for the warm wishes on the house! I’m super excited, and can’t wait to move in. The one thing I could without however, is packing. I’ve been putting it off for as long as possible, but I couldn’t delay any longer today. My closing date is rapidly approaching, and I certainly don’t want to be packing everything at the last minute. I packed up the garage today, no thanks to help from Emma. The minute I mentioned the word “packing”, she high tailed it to her favorite spot on the couch and pretended to sleep. What a diva.

After a hard day of dusty labor (the garage was like dust bunny headquarters), I decided to reward myself with an evening off. There’s nothing better than spending the evening with your Fiddlehead Mittens and a nice glass of beer. I’m just about done with knitting the outer mittens, and after a nice bath, they’ll be ready for their linings. For once it looks like I might actually finish a Project Spectrum knit during the featured months!

Oh, and lest I forget, there is one last thing. To lessen the amount of stuff I have to move, I’m having a 10% off Moving Sale over at Yarn Nerd! The store is stocked with a number of great base yarns (try the 1200 MHz Merino, it’s super nice stuff), and I’m expecting a shipment of 900 MHz Bambylon and 950 MHz Merino (a new sock yarn!) this week. Also, stay tuned for details on a sock kit featuring a special colorway and a new pattern from Anne herself!

Well, look at that. This post actually had some decent content after all. Maybe next time I’ll give you all a peek at my hot new summer buzzcut. Rawr!

Published

Adam

in emma, finished objects, hand spun, home, knitting, project spectrum, shop, socks, works in progress and yarn nerd