Professional Princess

I've gone home to San Diego for a week and have an access to a car and much shopping. I did bring along a knitting project, but I decided that I didn't feel like working on it, so I ran over to Michael's to buy yarn and needles for a new project for the graduation gift. Honestly, I'm starting to resent this project. At this point, I have started the project at least 8 times, frogging each time. the first time, the scarf had a garter stitch border. Theoretically, it looked good. In practice, the border and the body of the scarf have different gauges and looked really funny. So I frogged it. I finally decided on this pattern, despite all the fits and starts. I have a grand inch on it this time, but I swear, with all the frogging and re-knitting that I've done over the last few days I must have at least 2 feet's worth of knitting.

I'm pretty positive this is going to be the final draft and hope to God I don't mess it up. If it was for me, I would give this project up as a lost cause and just one that doesn't want to happen. One of my friends, Kimberly, whom I have nicknamed "Princess," is graduating at the end of Fall quarter this year. She's not really sure if she wants to go to medical school or nursing school, but she's definitely trying to get somewhere. So I figure that since she's leaving college to go away into the "real world," I should knit her something for her graduation. But I can't really knit her something outrageous and crazy-looking, since she's going out into, again, the "real world." So I'm making her a scarf in girly, but not too crazy colors. I think the pattern that I've set up looks relatively professional and looks alright.

The color that I chose is a pink/white/tan variegated yarn that looks rather girlish in the color scheme, but it would match well with her taste in clothing and her hair. From what I've seen from the previous versions, the pattern doesn't really lend itself to massive pooling, which is good. Part of the problem with the scarf that I knit before for my sorority sister is that it has some problems with pooling. Granted, it has the stripes of solid color between, so it's not so bad. So if you have a variegated yarn, this may be a good pattern if you don't like pooling in your knitting. Personally, I think it looks funny, so this is a good thing. But if you do, knit on.

Materials:

Yarn: Loops and Threads, Impeccable; Color: Neopolitan Ombre
Needles: Size US 7, 4.5mm
Yarn needle

Pattern Notes:

This is a one row repeat and it is as follows:
Sl1, *k1, k1b, repeat from * until 1 st. left, p1.

Slip all stitches knitwise.
k1b: knit into the stitch below the one on the needle. When you get the pattern going, you'll see a column of slipped stitches and a little nubbin, knit into that.

Scarf Pattern:
CO 22 sts
1-2. Sl 1, knit until 1 left, p1
Work pattern from notes until length desired.
Repeat row 1-2.
BO.
Weave in ends and block.

That's it! It looks almost like ribbing or brioche stitch. I think it looks rather polished, especially with the slipped stitch edge. It definitely looks better than the 2x2 rib, and a little more interesting visually than a 1x1 rib. We'll see how long this one takes me. ^^

Mindless

My winter break is finally winding down and all that I can think about right now is what I'm going to knit next. There has been some drama with the whole boys and myself situation, and I find myself knitting, watching TV online, and eating French Truffles. Amazing therapy, I assure you.
I just finished my armwarmers in what I believe to be in record time so I'm going to start a scarf that will hopefully match with one of the jackets that I bought earlier this holiday.

Materials:
- Size 7 US straight needles
- Aslan trends Guanaco Color 37 (Looks like a natural color)
- Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran Color 200005 (Looks like a blue gray)

Scarf Pattern:
CO 27 sts
Work in 1x1 rib and 2 row stripes until length desired.
BO

THE END! Easy squeezy

Giving In

I would like to think that despite who I am and what I do, I'm a rather practical soul. I mean, it's not like I have my little, secret, in-the-closet-only joys, but there's always going to be a part of me that will demand that I be practical. It's not something that I can avoid, but it's not really something that I think that I should avoid at any rate.

Thus, leading me to my problem with arm warmers. I don't understand them, I really don't. I don't understand where they're supposed to sit on my forearm, I don't understand why they never have fingers, I don't understand how they're supposed to keep my hands and fingertips warm, et al. I just, don't get them. I understand why someone would make them. I usually wear long sleeves under the jacket in the long, cold Davis winters anyways, so the only part of me that really feels the cold isn't my arms, but my fingers. Arm warmers would warm the part of me that is already warm and leave my fingers to deal with the bitter cold. Granted, I'll admit that not having the whole mitten or a full glove gives far more finger mobility and usefulness, but fingers aren't useful if they've gone numb.

But I have given in because I found Natalya by Jody Pirrello. They're amazing. I'm overlooking the lack of full fingers, which I could add on my own, I'm overlooking the fact that getting them on when I'm wearing long sleeves will be a pain in the ass, I'm willing to overlook a lot of things. It's a quick knit and I'm doing it at a tighter gauge so that it'll fit better at the wrist. I'm enjoying it, we'll see if I can make it through two of them and not crap out half way.