Leif Slipover | PDXKnitterati

Tag Archives: Leif Slipover

Back in the saddle, again…

Posted on March 17, 2012 | 35 comments

It’s taken a while for me to feel like I’m back in my own world. Part of me is still here…

I’m finally knitting again. My knitting mojo went awol while I was in Nicaragua. I think I knit six stitches on String Theory while I was away.

I wasn’t really happy with it, and I think I’ve figured out why. I’ve been knitting away at this since I got home.

See all those needles? I’ve been knitting on what I thought were US size 5, but apparently they’re size 3. (A case of “need to start something mindless to take to knit nite. Haste makes waste!) I’m about to rip it all out and start over on a 5. Grrrrr. Completely my fault. At least I didn’t spend a lot of time on it in Nicaragua!

I also found some knitting mojo in my knitting basket this week.

Just in time! I’d like to finish this Leif slipover soon so I can wear it before it gets too warm. I wish I’d looked at Ravelry before starting this project, but I was rushing to take something to take to Crafty Mom weekend last month. Ravelry’s reviews of the patterns haven’t been stellar. Yes, they’re very confusing, but at least the charts are good. I’ve finished the waist and am on to the upper body charts…if I can figure out what happens next in the pattern. If these two projects aren’t cases of look before you leap, I don’t know what is.

I taught Thrill of the Thrum Thursday night at Twisted, and we have six new thrummers in Knit-land! They all opted for Thrumbelina as their project (the other option was Thrumster), and they are looking good. I’m teaching this class next Saturday at Stash in Corvallis (still a couple spots open) and at Wool ‘N Wares in West Linn on the 31st. Come get your thrum on! I’ve started a Thrumbelina as a sample for trunk shows; I don’t have enough yarn to make a pair, but it will be easier on the eyes than my original screaming orange and blue prototype (which has its own charms, for sure. Let’s Go Mets!).

And! Today is the fourth anniversary of my blog, so I’m having a little giveaway. Leave a comment below to play! The winner will receive this Vogue Knitting Socks book, and a skein of merino sock yarn, hand dyed by Larissa Brown, colorway Jules Verne.

Larissa dyed it for Abundant Yarn back in the day, and it’s waited long enough to meet its destiny! (Still not a sock knitter…but maybe you are.) Contest closes on Tuesday night at midnight.

And happy St. Patrick’s Day. This science geeky video will have you celebrating!

35 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged anniversary, contest, Leif Slipover, string theory, thrums

Out of my comfort zone

Posted on February 19, 2012 | 10 comments

The key to my current project.

Yes, size 15. But at least they’re ebony. I’m not enjoying this as much as I thought I would; something about P2tog tbl is really not very comfortable with giant needles and super bulky yarn. But this pattern was so cute, I had to try. It’s the Leif Slipover by Adrienne Larsen from the winter Interweave Knits. The pattern actually calls for size 17 (12 mm) needles, but gauge is everything, right?

I thought I’d get most of it knit this weekend while I’m away, because the yarn is so bulky, but working with charts and multiple P2tog tbl is slowing me down. When your needles are size 15, certain accomodations are required. Stitch markers? How about some yarn ties?

It’s Crafty Moms Weekend, so I’m at the Oregon Coast with 10 of my favorite people, and one of my favorite views outside the window.

It’s been really stormy this weekend, but it cleared enough for a walk today.

I love these little jellyfish dots; they’re about the size of a nickel.

A very different view from last week’s!

Oh! One other sighting from last week. We went to Morimoto Waikiki for dinner on a whim, since it was only a block from our hotel. We’d been there in December at CollegeKiddo’s request, but Chef Morimoto wasn’t there. (He was there a week later for the Obamas.) There weren’t any tables available, but there was room at the sushi bar. DH wasn’t wild about sitting at the sushi bar. I thought it would be fun to watch the sushi chef.

It was Masaharu Morimoto himself! Way cool. Do you watch Iron Chef? CollegeKiddo introduced me to it; it’s a fun show.

Beautiful, silky sashimi stacks. Oh, pro tip: Don’t finish your dinner at high end Hawaiian restaurants. The takeaway bags are lovely. Heavyweight paper, lovely chopsticks.

Our favorite meal was at Alan Wong’s. The bag isn’t as lovely, but we had the five course tasting menu, and each dish was exquisite. I couldn’t finish!