Just Waiting

* Note: please excuse repeat photos. I've been knitting a stockinette sock that looks just like the one that came before it, so I'm showing you yarn for upcoming projects. If you've seen it before, color me embarrassed. End Note*

I bought mounds of yarn to knit sweaters for winter and I can't wait to start them! Just a few small problems. First of all, I ordered needle tips but forgot to order extra needle cables. They will be coming in the mail sometime soon so I can start my knitting escapades. As some of you may know, I've owed Andrew a sweater for years. I started Bob Dobbs for him, and unfortunately I'm not picking that up again for a while.



I have enough Rowan Big Wool to knit him a certain cardigan that he picked out, but again, there are complications. For some wholly unknown reason, Rowan men's patterns are designed for the truly gigantic. The small chest measurement (not finished mind you, just flesh and bone girth) is 40" around. Andrew's chest measures in at a whopping 32" around. The finished measurement on the size small sweater he picked out is something like 46" around. That would make 14 inches of ease. I know the fat yarn eats up some of that, but seriously?
I'm debating ordering the handy book of sweater patterns so I can replicate the cardigan shape and just add the details from the Rowan Book. While I do enjoy the challenge of refiguring a pattern with ye olde calculator and graph paper, Rowan schematics also leave something to be desired. If they didn't make such awesome yarn...



I'm also going to knit a cardigan from last minute knits. While I haven't found the sleeve errata yet, I'm sure it won't take long to set my self straight on that pattern.



My winter knitting will be a fair isle cardigan from Rowan in soft tweed. Again, the Rowan sweater construction has let me down a bit. Who wants to knit a fair isle raglan flat? Seriously. I'm going to try knitting it in the round then steeking it. 6 months from now when I've completely ruined a poorly fitting, ugly sweater that would have been perfect if I would have just followed the pattern, I may consider taking back my harsh words.

1 Out of 2 Ain't Bad

I finished one of the socks yesterday and cast on or the second. This is how it looks:



I'm a big fan of the long leg. My feet are really big so my socks generally look kinda wonky when the foot is about a third longer than the leg. These are pretty fantastic though. We'll see if I have enough yarn to knit the second sock. If not, I'll just sub mint green for the rest of the foot.

In other news, I got my school I.D. today and look more than adequately dorky in the photo. I've also been touring my new fair city and scouting out the specialty stores that will both horrify my mother as well as supply me with art materials for the next two years. Oh, big city living is the life for me.

Sock!

Scarf

I've been knitting. I finished the Alpaca scarf in just a few days, and I must say, I'm a fan of the pattern.



It's misti alpaca chunky in a mistake rib pattern on size 9 needles. I really like how this turned out on in a solid color. I think I'll use it to knit my dad a scarf for christmas. This one is going out to my dear friend Joe who does many wonderful things for me like waxing my unibrow without asking first. Friends like that deserve to be protected from the cold.

I'm Back

I know it's been a few weeks, but I just got my internet connected today. I have hours of blog reading to catch up on.
Let's begin! The move was a success! Well I guess that as long as I left there and I'm here now, like most moves, I was successful. I'm freaking in love with my new digs and my surrounding area. Let's take a walking tour of my neighborhood, shall we?

Closest and possibly most important, there is yarn.



The closest yarn shop is a grueling walk across the street and 20 feet up the sidewalk. No lie. It's a small shop but it's filled with really nice yarn. More on that later.

Next up we have this:



Nice, right?

Right outside the door of the tattoo shop is some public art.



That is some genuine crocheted graffiti.

A few blocks up on the left is Boystown, home of some of the best leather shops in the country.



A long haul over to Lincoln Park and we find my bretheren.



I have a thing about giraffes. They're tall, I'm tall etc. Like I said, it's a thing. And this fella lives in a free zoo 2 miles from my house. It's kismet.

While it not exactly within walking distance, there's a botanica a short bus ride away.



Sigh. It feels like home already.

I have been knitting. When I went to the yarn shop I bought some Alpaca on mad sale.
I'm knitting a scarf for a friend.



I'm so glad to be settled and can't wait to get some intense pre-autumn knitting.