Clessidra

I really liked the look of this pattern as soon as the new Knitty issue went online, but I thought to myself...

"self, it's a mighty purty pattern, but you already have two other socks on the needles , what makes you think you'll knit on a third pair? Much less a pair that's for KNEE highs? Are you completely INSANE?"

to which I thought... "yes. yes I am completely insane. I want to make them. NOW."

Unfortunately, I never ever thought I would be knitting knee high socks, so I don't have enough sock yarn for a pair. I thought, "good, then it gives me a great excuse as to why I only knit ONE."

In reality, if I love the pattern and am not totally sick of it about halfway through the first one, I'll buy another ball of this yarn at Webs, which is where I bought the yarn in the first place.



Yep. I've been knitting almost non stop on this pattern since Friday night. A few hours here and there for cleaning the apartment, grocery shopping, and homework, but other than that... obsessed.

I made some changes to the pattern, to accommodate my large calves.

I cast on 16 extra stitches (for 92 sts instead of 76) and after the 1.5 inches of ribbing, I did the following increase row as follows

instead of

Next Round: K2, [p2, m1, k2, m1] 4 times, p2, [k2, m1, p2, m1] 5 times, k2, [p2, m1, k2, m1] 4 times, p2, [k2, m1, p2, m1] 4 times. 110 sts.

I did:
Next Round: K2, [p2, m1, k2, m1] 4 times, p2, k2, p2 [k2, m1, p2, m1] 5 times, k2, p2, k2 [p2, m1, k2, m1] 4 times, p2, k2, p2 [k2, m1, p2, m1] 4 times, k2, p2. 110 sts.

I ignored the directions for how to arrange my stitches on the needles, b/c I didn't have the brain energy to figure it out. I just followed the directions and arranged them as I went. Just like the pattern, says, instead of k11 on the sides of the sock, I am knitting k19.

Then, when I got to the leg decrease section instead of
Leg Decrease Round 1: K5, k2tog, k4, work in pattern to last marker on Needle 3, k4, k2tog, k5; work in pattern to end. 108 sts.

I knit:
Leg Decrease Round 1: K9, k2tog, k8, work in pattern to last marker on Needle 3, k8, k2tog, k9; work in pattern to end. 124 sts.

"patience and fortitude...

conquer all things?" Who does Ralph Waldo Emerson think he is anyway? Some great thinker or something?

I've blocked the front and back, plus one sleeve of Kolsva. Why one sleeve? Because I only knit one sleeve so far. I knit the first 20 rows about 3 times, b/c I felt like the sleeves were BIG. Then, I noticed that on the pattern picture, she's only got 3/4 sleeves. DURH. I don't want 3/4 sleeves. I want regular sleeves and a regular sweater please. So, I increased 2 stitches (one stitch at each side) every 14 rows, 3x. then every 8 rows, 2x. Then I followed directions for the sleeve cap. Well, when I finally measured the sleeve, it seemed maybe too long. So, I decided to block and seam up the front, back, and one sleeve to make sure the sleeve length was correct before I knit up sleeve #2.

This Kochoran yarn takes FOREVER to dry. It's been 24 hrs, and the pieces still aren't dry. I had hoped to have a one sleeved sweater to show for my spring break knitting.

classic elite

I got to sleep in today, and then met up with Cristina to visit Classic Elite's Warehouse and maybe a few other LYS. Well, I was way too optimistic about the driving and not getting lost. We spent a ridiculous amt of time looking for the warehouse (see her blog for pics of the warehouse door). They do not make it easy folks. Not easy at all.

Inside, I managed to do some retail therapy to make myself feel better.



Really, I should be ashamed. My knitting has slowed down considerably, and I'm sure I have enough stash to last me through the completion of this program (that's at least another 5 years), and yet, I continue to amass more yarn.
What you see is Lace Style (yes yes, I know, you're surprised I didn't have it already, me too!), some brown alpaca tweed (I bought enough to make Central Park Hoodie), and some Lush (cotton/tencel?).

EDIT: OOPS OOPS MY BAD! I didn't get lush, i got Premiere. I got the ingredients of the yarn right though, that counts for something, right?


The alpaca tweed was $4/skein, and the Lush was $3.50/skein. I mean, really. It would have been criminal to pass that up. I may have been swayed to purchase the alpaca tweed b/c of how freaking frigid it has been up here in Boston. I am currently encased in fleece pants (thanks Nachaele!), socks (which I hardly ever wear), a tank top, t-shirt, and sweatshirt. A blanket on top of me, and I'm still cold.

In any case, after our indulgence at CE, we decided to grab lunch (we found a vietnamese pho restaurant by chance) and it was just what I wanted and needed on a day like today. Cristina needed to work, so we had to part ways. I love when friends stop by and I have time to visit with them!!!

Kolsva pics. As promised.

So close. Yet SO FAR. I need to do both sleeves, which I anticipate will take me a few tries. Probably b/c I'm a stubborn cuss and will be knitting one sleeve with the remnants of a couple of balls but will end up ripping it out b/c it won't match the other sleeve. Eh.



I'm using US 10.5s. I've used about 3.5 skeins so far of the Noro Kochoron color 10. I've added 2 inches to the length (BEFORE SHAPING) on the front and back. I picked up 112 stitches instead of 110 so that I could get an even k2, p2 rib along the cowl (total stitches were 136). I knit for 6 inches on the cowl, then did a three needle bind off (instead of binding off, then joining to the inside). I'll take a more detailed pic next time, but I think that this is the very first project that involves picking up of stitches (besides felting projects) that I'm happy with my picked up stitches. Never you mind that I had to pick up, rip out, pick up, rip out, pick up, rip out, and pick up in order to be happy. OCD much?

Hmm. I think I also made a modification on the front of the sweater... Oh yes. Though I added 2 inches to the length before shaping, I started the neck shaping at 12 inches as indicated by the pattern and did the shaping at the same time (which results in a deeper neckline). I did this modification b/c when my friends made this sweater, it seemed like the neckline was a lot higher than the pic on the pattern.

(now... wasn't that more detail than you wanted?)

Tomorrow: pics of Classic Elite's warehouse (if they'll let me), Wild and Woolly in Lexington, and any stash enhancing that I reward myself with for being such a dedicated student. (cough cough)

Fat Cat

So, Danger kitty is at the vet, undergoing an ultrasound to determine whether he needs an endoscopy. He's lost a lot of weight recently, and I'm one worried mama. I made them weigh him when I dropped him off, and he's gained a bit back in the last month or so (about 1/2 lb), so I'm glad of that. I think I have a picky picky eater. I have bought, in the last couple of months, about 6 different brands of dry cat food. Out of sheer desperation, I bought some IAMS, which he used to eat (from birth til he was about 10 or so). He's been gobbling it up, so Iams it will be. (the vet just called and said nothing showed up on the ultrasound, I'm not going to do the endoscopy b/c it's an invasive procedure, and after Xrays, bloodwork, poopwork etc etc, you just start feeling like you're a Munchausen mommy). I've got one very very fat cat, and one cat who's now on the skinny side of normal. I think the twice a day wet food feedings are going to stop, but the never ending buffet is too convenient to change.

I've finished the cowl neck of Kolsva, and am going to cast on the sleeves tonight. I'm a bit dilemmafied b/c I'm not sure if I should use remnants of 2 balls of Noro Transitions (left over from the body pieces and the cowl) or to wind up the last two skeins and knit them at the same time to ATTEMPT matchy matchy sleeves.) I know I've promised pics FOR-E-VA. Tonight, I swear. The camera's charged, I'm on spring break, I've got no excuse. Maybe I should define spring break, in case you all think I'm just sitting here eating bon-bons watching my 'stories.' (aka soap operas). On 'break' means I get a chance to do schoolwork that I don't have time to do during the normal schoolweek. So far, I'm doing the assignments due for next week, then I've got lots of big projects to work on... which total about 90 pages of written work by the end of the semester (three big projects, about 30 pgs each). Oh... where did I go? So, the plan for this week was to work on schoolwork during the day, and do whatever I want at night (last night, I went to go see a MOVIE!!! at the THEATRE!!! I saw Notes on a Scandal with Dame Judi Dench! Terrific movie, acting was superb). Came home, watched American Idol and went to bed. I live a glamourous life, no?

AIEEE! I almost forgot the entire point of the post today. Cristina is coming to Bean Town, so we've got plans, baby! I want to go to breakfast then hit the shops! First up would be the Classic Elite warehouse. They had me concerned b/c the website says they don't sell to individuals, but when you call, they tell you that they have a shop with discontinued and seconds. Whew! She needs to be somewhere by early/mid afternoon, but I'm sure we'll do some damage.