tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144441382024-03-23T10:44:59.479-07:00Nocturnal KnitsRuminations on knitting at 3 a.m.iwriteplayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718728329372938247noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14444138.post-84198440957609889392009-11-11T12:29:00.000-08:002009-11-11T12:31:27.005-08:00Introducing Nocturnalknits.com!Drumroll please...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nocturnalknits.com">nocturnalknits.com!</a><br /><br />I've been planning on moving my blog to its own domain for a long while now, but other projects and the daily grind have gotten in the way. I hope you like the new design! When I’m not knitting or writing, I work as a web developer, so I wanted to make sure the design and code were up to par. Now that the new site is up, I'm rededicating myself to blogging more regularly.<br /><br />So check out <a href="http://www.nocturnalknits.com">my brand-new site</a> and check back for updates!iwriteplayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718728329372938247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14444138.post-24030065861429722462009-07-31T14:35:00.000-07:002010-11-08T17:50:22.403-08:00It's Always Sunny... Kitten Mittens<script>window.location = "http://nocturnalknits.com/2009/07/31/its-always-sunny-kitten-mittens/?ref=autoRedirectBlogger"; </script><a style="font-weight:bold" href="http://nocturnalknits.com/2009/07/31/its-always-sunny-kitten-mittens/">Hey, what are you still doing on this old site? Click here to check out this post on the new nocturnalknits.com</a><br /><br />A friend of mine just asked me if I could make her a set of these:<br /><br /><object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/47D9-U8hn5I&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/47D9-U8hn5I&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object><br /><br />As a huge "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" fan, I can't resist! <br /><br />(Though I'm going to make her sign a waiver so she won't sue me when her cat claws the crap out of her face while trying to administer the mittens.)<br /><br />Incidentally, I wrote a pattern called <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/kitten-mittens-3" target="_blank">Kitten Mittens</a> in <em>Picture Perfect Knits</em>, but they're not quite the same...iwriteplayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718728329372938247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14444138.post-81392280786759040922009-07-30T15:19:00.001-07:002010-11-08T17:53:43.773-08:00Bootie-licious<script>window.location = "http://nocturnalknits.com/2009/07/30/bootie-licious/?ref=autoRedirectBlogger"; </script><a style="font-weight:bold" href="http://nocturnalknits.com/2009/07/30/bootie-licious/">Hey, what are you still doing on this old site? Click here to check out this post on the new nocturnalknits.com</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3763063594/" title="High-top Booties by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2558/3763063594_9f013dcc6b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="High-top Booties" /></a><br /><br />I love it when my friends have babies, not only because it means another little being is coming into the world, but because it gives me an excuse to make adorable knits!<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/iwriteplays/baby-up-chucks-hi-top-all-star-sneaker-booties-slippers" target="_blank">(Ravelry link)</a><br /><br />I was inspired by <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/brooklyn-handmade" target="_blank">Brookyln Handmade's</a> Baby Chucks pattern, and even bought the pattern from her for five dollars. When I started looking over the pattern, though, I decided just to give it a go on my own. I had different yarn requirements (Koigu PPM) and needle sizes (2.75 mm, I think?), so rather than adapt her pattern to my needs, I figured I'd just take a stab at the design. I've knit so many booties in my day that I've memorized the method (based on the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/stay-on-baby-booties" target="_blank">Stay-On Baby Booties</a> pattern by Melanie Falick and Kristin Nicholas) and don't really need a pattern to look at anymore. This was especially helpful since I knit both these booties on a plane trip. Fancy that.<br /><br />Here's another shot for size reference:<br /><br /><img src="http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs196.snc1/6612_1176901817093_1064542829_30567528_5470323_n.jpg" /><br /><br />These were such a hit that I'm already knitting another pair! Here's hoping I can remember how I made them in the first place!iwriteplayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718728329372938247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14444138.post-38286814604634807822009-07-16T20:40:00.000-07:002010-11-08T18:21:15.904-08:00LYS Owners are Angry<script>window.location = "http://nocturnalknits.com/2009/07/17/lys-owners-are-angry/?ref=autoRedirectBlogger"; </script><a style="font-weight:bold" href="http://nocturnalknits.com/2009/07/17/lys-owners-are-angry/">Hey, what are you still doing on this old site? Click here to check out this post on the new nocturnalknits.com</a><br /><br />I saw this mildly amusing Office Depot ad while watching "The Daily Show" on Hulu:<br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gJQiENt61Zw&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gJQiENt61Zw&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br />Notice anything special about this fictional small business owner? Yup, she owns a yarn store. <br /><br />I have no idea what to make of it. Just thought I'd share.iwriteplayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718728329372938247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14444138.post-20512553978941571542009-06-24T23:06:00.000-07:002010-11-08T17:51:06.877-08:00Girasole - finished!<script>window.location = "http://nocturnalknits.com/2009/06/25/girasole-finished/?ref=autoRedirectBlogger"; </script><a style="font-weight:bold" href="http://nocturnalknits.com/2009/06/25/girasole-finished/">Hey, what are you still doing on this old site? Click here to check out this post on the new nocturnalknits.com</a><br /><br />Here's the problem with secret knitting projects...<br /><br />You have to keep them a secret. This means you definitely can't blog about them, especially if the intended recipient is a regular reader of your blog. This was the case with my <a href="http://brooklyntweed.blogspot.com/2008/12/girasole.html" target="">Girasole by Jared Flood</a> <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/iwriteplays/girasole" target="_blank">[Ravelry]</a>. I was knitting it as a wedding present for <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristinicole/" target="_blank">a good friend</a>, and I didn't want to ruin the surprise!<br /><br />On March 8, 2009, my Girasole was only two skeins of Fountain Hill Brushed Mohair full of potential.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3342271478/" title="Sparkly by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3394/3342271478_1a877b392b.jpg" width="500" height="338" alt="Sparkly" /></a><br /><br />Over three months later, I ended up with this final product:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3633303539/" title="Girsole finished by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2465/3633303539_13c2b969b2.jpg" width="500" height="424" alt="Girsole finished" /></a><br /><br />Well worth the effort! Look how pretty and sparkly the yarn is.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3633303637/" title="Girasole up close by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2482/3633303637_8e69b2fa84.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Girasole up close" /></a><br /><br />Now is the time to bow down in deep reverence for Mr. Jared Flood. That man knows how to write a damn good pattern. Girasole was a labor of love, for sure, but its dirty little secret is how easy the pattern is to knit! Jared's pattern breaks each section up into small, easy-to-follow charts. They're repetitive enough to keep track of, but small enough that you never get bored. <br /><br />I do have to say that I was pretty anxious to get this sucker off the needles after a while.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3634119052/" title="Girasole - in progress by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3344/3634119052_5c1c874384.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Girasole - in progress" /></a><br /><br />Lace is so lumpy and unattractive before blocking, but I kept the faith that it would turn out beautiful in the end. A few hundred pins later...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3633303331/" title="Blocking Girasole by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2443/3633303331_6e1282eb56.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Blocking Girasole" /></a><br /><br />...and you got yourself a pretty lace shawl! Shazam!<br /><br />Here's some technical stuff for the other knitters out there. I used size 8 (5mm) needles, and all of two skeins of the Fountain Hill Brushed Mohair, which comes out to 1120 yards. I skipped one repeat of chart E because I was afraid I'd run out of yarn. <br /><br />Turns out I ran out of yarn just at the end of the knit-on edging. I was really pissed off. So pissed off, in fact, that I swore I wouldn't go buy anther 600-yard skein just to use 10 yards of it. I was actually finishing the edging during the Lakers' championship game against the Magic, and my boyfriend's delight at his team winning the big prize inspired me to keep on trucking. I HAD to finish that damn shawl. <br /><br />So, in an effort to save yarn and get the damn thing done, I proceeded to fudge the edging quite a bit. Basically, I was knitting 3 stitches together instead of 2, and I kinda smushed the ends together. Guess what? It's nearly impossible to see the difference... plus, what's that whole thing about needing imperfections in your work so you don't offend the gods? Yeah, that, too.<br /><br />I gifted the shawl to my friend and now I have to say I'm kind of itching to knit another Girasole! This time, I want to make the blanket size. What do you think? Should I go for it?<br /><br />(I'll buy extra yarn this time if I do.)iwriteplayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718728329372938247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14444138.post-30800040694107462582009-03-29T20:11:00.000-07:002010-11-08T18:20:56.538-08:00In L.A.? Come see my new play!<script>window.location = "http://nocturnalknits.com/2009/03/30/in-l-a-come-see-my-new-play/?ref=autoRedirectBlogger"; </script><a style="font-weight:bold" href="http://nocturnalknits.com/2009/03/30/in-l-a-come-see-my-new-play/">Hey, what are you still doing on this old site? Click here to check out this post on the new nocturnalknits.com</a><br /><br />Do you live in Los Angeles? If so, you should come see the world premiere of my new play, "Beneath Her Feet" (co-written by Jason Matthews). It's about living and working and loving in Los Angeles, and it's sure to be a good time.<br /><br />April 3-5, 10-12, 17-19, 2009. Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 2pm. 4735 Lankershim Blvd, 91602.<br /><br />It's a 3-week run, so there are 9 -- count 'em: 9! -- chances to come see the play! <br /><br />Tickets are only $10! Make your reservations today -- don't miss out! Exclamation points!!!<br /><a href="http://www.abovethecurvetheatre.com/reservations.php">http://www.abovethecurvetheatre.com/reservations.php</a><br /><br />Can't wait to see you there!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3396754391/" title="Go see my play! by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3474/3396754391_c045e204c0.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Go see my play!" /></a>iwriteplayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718728329372938247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14444138.post-50758980356884855782009-03-03T11:46:00.001-08:002010-11-08T17:45:19.631-08:00iPhone Mittens<script>window.location = "http://nocturnalknits.com/2009/03/03/iphone-mittens/?ref=autoRedirectBlogger";</script><br /><a style="font-weight:bold" href="http://nocturnalknits.com/2009/03/03/iphone-mittens/">Hey, what are you still doing on this old site? Click here to check out this post on the new nocturnalknits.com</a><br /><br />It's cold in Chicago. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3325764311/" title="chicago weather by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3607/3325764311_9c2c795c33_o.jpg" width="452" height="245" alt="chicago weather" /></a><br /><br />I live in Los Angeles (currently 66°F), where it's easy to forget that most of the country is experiencing this thing called "winter." I also don't realize the special challenges that bundling up under countless layers of clothing presents.<br /><br />For example: my friend Danielle, a PhD student at the University of Chicago, told me she was getting frustrated with wearing gloves all the time. It's too cold in Chicago to go bare-handed, especially while walking her dog. But when she gets a call on her iPhone, the gloves get in the way of her answering the phone. The solution?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3312352589/" title="iPhone Mittens by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3657/3312352589_e1178bd1a1.jpg" width="500" height="418" alt="iPhone Mittens" /></a><br /><br />The iPhone Mittens! <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/iwriteplays/iphone-mittens" target="_blank">(Ravelry)</a> They have a flap to cover your fingers that can be quickly pulled back to answer your phone:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3313181234/" title="iPhone Mittens in action by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3338/3313181234_9fbe234c8d.jpg" width="500" height="381" alt="iPhone Mittens in action" /></a><br /><br />The pattern is my own, yarn is Debbie Bliss Rialto Aran <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/debbie-bliss-rialto-aran" target="_blank">(Ravelry)</a>. I used the majority of two skeins, and cut it REALLY close with the black. If I were to re-create this pattern, I'd use the grey on the finger-flap to make sure I wouldn't run out of yarn.<br /><br />I'll write this pattern up if there's interest -- let me know if you'd like to see this pattern online!iwriteplayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718728329372938247noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14444138.post-12693512203356790682009-03-02T15:38:00.000-08:002010-11-08T18:20:31.450-08:00Warning signs?<script>window.location = "http://nocturnalknits.com/2009/03/02/warning-signs/?ref=autoRedirectBlogger"; </script><a style="font-weight:bold" href="http://nocturnalknits.com/2009/03/02/warning-signs/">Hey, what are you still doing on this old site? Click here to check out this post on the new nocturnalknits.com</a><br /><br />I've never really considered knitting a high-risk hobby. Sure, my wrists are often sore and I even gave myself tendonitis from knitting too much. As a naturally paranoid person, I have considered the unlikely chance of getting stabbed by a needle while driving or during plane turbulence. But as I had never heard a verifiable story of such a stabbing happening to anyone, I brushed the notion aside as urban legend.<br /><br />But then I started to read <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0446580244?ie=UTF8&tag=laubir-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0446580244">The Survivors Club: The Secrets and Science that Could Save Your Life</a></em> by <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fs%3Fie%3DUTF8%26redirect%3Dtrue%26search-type%3Dss%26index%3Dbooks%26ref%3Dntt%255Fathr%255Fdp%255Fsr%255F1%26field-author%3DBen%2520Sherwood&tag=laubir-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=390957">Ben Sherwood</a>. (On my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00154JDAI?ie=UTF8&tag=laubir-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00154JDAI">Kindle</a> -- the original version, not the new spiffy <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00154JDAI?ie=UTF8&tag=laubir-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00154JDAI">Kindle 2</a>, but oh well.)<br /><br />The VERY first story of suvival was about Ellin Klor, titled "<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Story?id=6681249&page=1" target="_blank">A Knitting Needle Through the Heart</a>" (click link for excerpt). I had to do a double-take. A knitting needle where exactly? The heart you say? Egads!<br /><br />The very next day, I was knitting and watching TV, and I stumbled upon Mystery Diagnosis on the Discovery Health channel. After a story about a boy who had breathing problems, they played a piece about a woman who <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001QOCS4K?ie=UTF8&tag=laubir-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001QOCS4K">stepped on a crochet hook and impaled her own foot</a>! Yikes! And the scary thing is this injury triggered a slew of other health problems (hence the <em>mystery</em> diagnosis) and kept her essentially bedridden for weeks. <br /><br />If the universe is trying to warn me against knitting, I'm not listening. Though I'm now being a bit more careful about where I keep my needles when I'm not knitting, lest I sit down on them and pierce my behind. <br /><br />Whether it's the cosmos trying to put a damper on my knitting or just the result bad planning, I knit the ugliest bathmat in existence recently:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3303725391/" title="Ugliest bathmat ever? by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3448/3303725391_789b18cd29.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Ugliest bathmat ever?" /></a><br /><br />It was supposed to be Absorba <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/absorba-the-great-bathmat" target="_blank">(Ravelry)</a>, from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307236056?ie=UTF8&tag=laubir-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0307236056">Mason-Dixon Knitting</a>, but since I don't actually own that book, I decided to ad-lib the pattern. This was not a good idea. Once I realized the color scheme was all messed up, I gave up and just made the edge striped. The good news is that it's comfy to stand on and it absorbs a lot of water, so it's not a complete loss. Since I accidentally bought twice as much yarn as needed, I'm making a new bathmat in a different stitch pattern to atone for the ugliness of my existing one. <br /><br />Final question for my readers: <strong>have you ever injured yourself while crafting? </strong> I'm curious to find out if it's as dangerous as reported!iwriteplayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718728329372938247noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14444138.post-42706117130920539852009-02-17T18:13:00.000-08:002010-11-08T17:52:36.844-08:00Bathmat-itis?<script>window.location = "http://nocturnalknits.com/2009/02/18/bathmat-itis/?ref=autoRedirectBlogger"; </script><a style="font-weight:bold" href="http://nocturnalknits.com/2009/02/18/bathmat-itis/">Hey, what are you still doing on this old site? Click here to check out this post on the new nocturnalknits.com</a><br /><br />OH HAI!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3287498558/" title="OH HAI by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3406/3287498558_7bc84716dd.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="OH HAI" /></a><br /><br />Last night, I stumbled upon the Ravelry page for <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/absorba-the-great-bathmat" target="_blank">Absorba, The Great Bathmat</a> and something snapped in me. I just had to knit it. It didn't matter that I didn't have the yarn or the book containing the pattern. So, I jumped in the car and headed to Michaels and came back with this:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3287497100/" title="Lots of cotton by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3247/3287497100_8431ddd2ea.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Lots of cotton" /></a><br /><br />I'm knitting with 3 strands of Sugar N Cream held together on size 15 needles. Needless to say, this is a fast project. Since I don't have the actual pattern, I'm just ad-libbing the log-cabin technique. Maybe not the best idea, since my colors are coming out kinda wonky:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3286680701/" title="Bathmat in progress by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3457/3286680701_8063cde5c8.jpg" width="500" height="349" alt="Bathmat in progress" /></a><br /><br />But, meh, who cares? It's a bathmat. My current bathmat is kinda disgusting, so anything will be an improvement.iwriteplayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718728329372938247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14444138.post-31247398112758028602009-02-15T14:50:00.000-08:002010-11-08T17:51:59.139-08:00Post-Valentine's Post<script>window.location = "http://nocturnalknits.com/2009/02/15/post-valentines-post/?ref=autoRedirectBlogger"; </script><a style="font-weight:bold" href="http://nocturnalknits.com/2009/02/15/post-valentines-post/">Hey, what are you still doing on this old site? Click here to check out this post on the new nocturnalknits.com</a><br /><br />Usually I'm not one to think twice about Valentine's Day. It's never really meant much to me as a holiday, maybe because I've usually had very low-key Valentine's nights or because I like to have low expectations to hedge against disappointment.<br /><br />So imagine my pleasant surprise when yesterday turned out to be an awesome, fun, romantic day! I started off the day by blocking Piper's Jacket:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3280068872/" title="Finished Baby Jacket by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3244/3280068872_60dd2ab8a4.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Finished Baby Jacket" /></a> <br /><br />(I've gotta remember to block on neutral-colored stuff from now on, 'cause the bright pink beach towel is a little distracting.)<br /><br />I ad-libbed an i-cord flower to use as a button. I think turned out pretty cute:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3280069836/" title="Flower detail by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3529/3280069836_713aa27551.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Flower detail" /></a><br /><br />I figured the flower would work as a closure for the jacket, without it being a choking hazard for little Piper. I made the 0-3 month size, and I finished it in under a week!<br /><br />Then I got flowers from my special gentleman friend:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3279249645/" title="Flowers by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3635/3279249645_39be96ae32.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Flowers" /></a><br /><br />I made him "conversation heart" cookies as a Valentine's present:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3279247767/" title=""Conversation Heart" Cookies by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3435/3279247767_b9a5634b4a.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt=""Conversation Heart" Cookies" /></a><br /><br />We then we went out to a fancy dinner, went to see Phantom of the Opera at the Pantages (my friend Anne is a stage manager for the show and she hooked us up with FANTASTIC seats -- thanks, Anne!), and ended the night at the <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/ihveissues/268218142/in/photostream/" target="_blank">Standard</a> downtown. Now, is that a Valentine's Day or what?iwriteplayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718728329372938247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14444138.post-50694858183979279692009-02-13T13:44:00.000-08:002010-11-08T18:20:04.573-08:00Piper's Jacket - WIP<script>window.location = "http://nocturnalknits.com/2009/02/13/pipers-jacket-wip/?ref=autoRedirectBlogger"; </script><a style="font-weight:bold" href="http://nocturnalknits.com/2009/02/13/pipers-jacket-wip/">Hey, what are you still doing on this old site? Click here to check out this post on the new nocturnalknits.com</a><br /><br />A friend of mine just had a baby. He and his wife named her Piper. So I'm making Piper a jacket:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3277544992/" title="Baby Sweater by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3308/3277544992_b2a8ecd240.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Baby Sweater" /></a><br /><br />I'm using a pattern by Debbie Bliss called (appropriately) <a href="http://www.allaboutyou.com/craft/Knitting-pattern-ribbed-baby-jacket/v1" target="_blank">"Ribbed Baby Jacket"</a> and using some stash superwash wool I've had lying around for over a year. I think it's turning out very adorable, and it's super fast to knit. It's also enabled me to watch a lot of Battlestar Galactica, so I'm grateful for that. (I'm still not caught up, though, so don't tell me who the final cylon is!!!)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3276723977/" title="Buttonhole closeup by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3306/3276723977_c9c8d34fa0.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Buttonhole closeup" /></a><br /><br />I just realized, though, that I think I placed the buttonhole too far down the front. I'm planning on creating an icord flower to substitute as a button. I figure it'll be cute, and it won't be a choking hazard for little Piper.<br /><br />After this is done I'll have to finish Danielle's iPhone mittens, lest she freeze her fingers off in Chicago. Sorry, Dani—I swear I'll get those done, soon!iwriteplayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718728329372938247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14444138.post-29347827044707942042009-01-26T21:47:00.000-08:002010-11-08T18:19:29.404-08:00Whirlwind<script>window.location = "http://nocturnalknits.com/2009/01/27/whirlwind/?ref=autoRedirectBlogger"; </script><a style="font-weight:bold" href="http://nocturnalknits.com/2009/01/27/whirlwind/">Hey, what are you still doing on this old site? Click here to check out this post on the new nocturnalknits.com</a><br /><br />Whew! The past two weeks have been quite the whirlwind ride! After an idyllic, relaxing week in Mexico with the family, real life came back with a vengeance. I had a ridiculously busy week at work (both my day job and with freelance web work), and on top of that I had my first book signing at Unwind's anniversary party on January 15.<br /><br />The party was a blast, and I met some really lovely fellow knitters. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3214305621/" title="What a scene by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3437/3214305621_8277456916.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="What a scene" /></a><br /><br />My Obama-rama <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/obama-rama">(Ravelry)</a>/<a href="http://laurabirek.com/pattern-downloads.php">(Pattern)</a> and <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/armchair-revolutionary">Armchair Revolutionary</a> were on display.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.laurabirek.com/buy.php">My book</a> got its own table right in the middle of the store.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3214306039/" title="I wrote those! by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3457/3214306039_11b70febff.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="I wrote those!" /></a><br /><br />The next day, I flew off to Sundance for the weekend with my special gentleman friend.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3230107129/" title="Racquet Club by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3393/3230107129_468c8b6c77.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Racquet Club" /></a><br /><br />We had a great time, but trying to get into both 8am and midnight screenings does not lead to lots of sleep. I think it took me all week to recover from everything!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3229920295/" title="Snug by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3423/3229920295_c27cbe8dde.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Snug" /></a><br /><br />Molly's got the right idea. <br /><br />On Friday, my aforementioned gentleman friend got stuck at work late, so instead of going out for drinks as planned, I stayed in and designed some fingerless mittens for my friend Danielle:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3222949879/" title="Danielle's Mittens by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3441/3222949879_fc6b8b69d7.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Danielle's Mittens" /></a><br /><br />They're going to have a flap to cover the fingers so she can keep her hands warm in Chicago, but also have easy access to her iPhone. I'm winging this pattern, so we'll see how well they turn out!iwriteplayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718728329372938247noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14444138.post-79442515861777147592009-01-08T11:15:00.000-08:002010-11-08T18:19:11.257-08:00Meet me at Unwind!<script>window.location = "http://nocturnalknits.com/2009/01/08/meet-me-at-unwind/?ref=autoRedirectBlogger"; </script><a style="font-weight:bold" href="http://nocturnalknits.com/2009/01/08/meet-me-at-unwind/">Hey, what are you still doing on this old site? Click here to check out this post on the new nocturnalknits.com</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.unwindyarn.com/" target="_blank">Unwind</a> is having an anniversary party on January 15 and I'll be there signing books! <br /><br />Here's more info from Unwind:<br /><br />Unwind celebrates its fifth anniversary in 2009, and we're starting<br />off the year with a bang! Join us on the evening of January 15 for<br />this amazing celebration and meet:<br /> • Jess,Casey & Mary-Heather of Ravelry.com<br /> • Beth & Amanda from Lorna's Laces*<br /> • Kelly & Dawn of Namaste<br /> • Laura Birek, author of Picture Perfect Knits<br />In other words, we've got our own festival of yarn going on! We're<br />also collecting canned food donations for the SOVA Pantry.<br /><br />RAVELRY: Jess, Casey & Mary-Heather will be in tow to schmooze and<br />hand out goodies.<br /><br />LORNA'S LACES*: Beth & Amanda are traveling from Chicago to spend the<br />evening at Unwind. They'll preview their new yarns and colors;<br />showcase the organic Green Line Collection; and offer some tips on<br />working with hand-dyed, variegated yarns.<br /><br />You'll be able to special order any of their yarns, in any of their<br />colors, at 15% off!<br /><br />NAMASTE: Kelly & Dawn will showcase the entire line of project bags,<br />needle cases and accessories.<br /><br />You'll be able to purchase and/or special order from their line at 15%<br />off.<br /><br />LAURA BIREK: Laura will mingle and sign copies of her wonderful new<br />knitting book, Picture Perfect Knits,published by Chronicle Books.<br /><br />SOVA: Please bring a donation of non-perishable foods or personal<br />hygeine products as a gift to SOVA. Your donation will enter you into<br />a drawing to win some very cool yarn-related prizes!<br /><br />SOVA is a non-sectarian program of the Jewish Family Service of Los<br />Angeles. It's dedicated to alleviating hunger and poverty in our local<br />community. SOVA is from the Hebrew word "savah," which means<br />"satisfied."<br /><br />Thursday, January 15, 2009<br />Public Entry at 7:30 (Unwind will close at 5:00 p.m. and re-open for<br />the event.)<br /><br />$25 ticket -- ADVANCE RESERVATIONS REQUIRED!!<br /><br />Your entry fee will be applied to any purchases or special orders made<br />at the event.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.unwindyarn.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=products_id=7426">Click here to buy your ticket!</a>iwriteplayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718728329372938247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14444138.post-75285883346781740712008-12-30T20:50:00.000-08:002010-11-08T18:18:48.914-08:00Happy New Year!<script>window.location = "http://nocturnalknits.com/2008/12/31/happy-new-year/?ref=autoRedirectBlogger"; </script><a style="font-weight:bold" href="http://nocturnalknits.com/2008/12/31/happy-new-year/">Hey, what are you still doing on this old site? Click here to check out this post on the new nocturnalknits.com</a><br /><br />No knitting going on here...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3147657597/" title="Hard Life by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3079/3147657597_91d4082393.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Hard Life" /></a><br /><br />I purposefully left my yarn at home to give my wrists a rest and stave off my impending carpal tunnel syndrome. Plus, who can think of wool when you're on the Riviera Maya?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3151307717/" title="Rainbow over Tulum by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3091/3151307717_823999339a.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Rainbow over Tulum" /></a><br /><br />I got to see a rainbow over the Mayan ruins at Tulum today. That was pretty cool.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3141439792/" title="Light beach reading by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3288/3141439792_c230b4459c.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Light beach reading" /></a><br /><br />And that's what I'm reading on the beach, Roberto Bolano's "2666." It's supposed to be an amazing work of literature. I'm on page 60 of 893, so I've got a ways to go before I can give my own opinion.<br /><br />I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year's Eve! Here's to 2009!iwriteplayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718728329372938247noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14444138.post-41684676073233205142008-12-04T18:52:00.001-08:002010-11-08T18:18:10.339-08:00On a kick<script>window.location = "http://nocturnalknits.com/2008/12/05/on-a-kick/?ref=autoRedirectBlogger"; </script><a style="font-weight:bold" href="http://nocturnalknits.com/2008/12/05/on-a-kick/">Hey, what are you still doing on this old site? Click here to check out this post on the new nocturnalknits.com</a><br /><br />I'm on a fingerless gloves kick. Some knitters call them wristwarmers. I just like them because they're so fast to knit.<br /><br />Here are some silk garden ones:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3076255721/" title="photo.jpg by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3173/3076255721_1ca6f25877.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="photo.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And some kureyon twisted-rib ones:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3076254647/" title="photo.jpg by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3189/3076254647_1c9d1793a4.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="photo.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I even managed to sell both these pairs without trying -- the blue ones went to a coworker and <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/kristinicole/" target="_blank">K</a> is snagging the twisted-rib ones. <br /><br />Man, do I need a new camera. I destroyed my ancient digital camera at a friend's wedding in August, and I've been relying on my iPhone and computer's iSight camera for picture-taking. I do love those two pieces of technology, but they don't offer a lot of photographic power. Hopefully Santa will hear my plea...<br /><br />Oh, and Steven Colbert highlighted the dangers of needle-wielding terrorists on his show last night. Gotta love him:<br /><br /><style type='text/css'>.cc_box a:hover .cc_home{background:url('http://www.comedycentral.com/comedycentral/video/assets/syndicated-logo-over.png') !important;}.cc_links a{color:#b9b9b9;text-decoration:none;}.cc_show a{color:#707070;text-decoration:none;}.cc_title a{color:#868686;text-decoration:none;}.cc_links a:hover{color:#67bee2;text-decoration:underline;}</style><div class='cc_box' style='position:relative'><a href='http://www.comedycentral.com' target='_blank' style='display:inline; float:left; width:60px; height:31px;'><div class='cc_home' style='float:left; border:solid 1px #cfcfcf; border-width:1px 0px 0px 1px; width:60px; height:31px; background:url("http://www.comedycentral.com/comedycentral/video/assets/syndicated-logo-out.png");'></div></a><div style='font:bold 10px Arial,Helvetica,Verdana,sans-serif; float:left; width:299px; height:31px; border:solid 1px #cfcfcf; border-width:1px 1px 0px 0px; overflow:hidden; color:#707070;'><div class='cc_show' style='position:relative; background-color:#e5e5e5;padding-left:3px; height:14px; padding-top:2px; overflow:hidden;'><a href='http://www.colbertnation.com/' target='_blank'>The Colbert Report</a><span style='position:absolute; top:2px; right:3px;'>Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c</span></div><div class='cc_title' style='font-size:11px; color:#868686; background-color:#f5f5f5; padding:3px; padding-top:1px; line-height:14px; height:21px; overflow:hidden;'><a href='http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/212027/december-03-2008/nailed--em---radical-knitting' target='_blank'>Nailed 'Em - Radical Knitting</a></div></div><embed style='float:left; clear:left;' src='http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:cms:item:comedycentral.com:212027' width='360' height='301' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' wmode='window' allowFullscreen='true' flashvars='autoPlay=false' allowscriptaccess='always' allownetworking='all' bgcolor='#000000'></embed><div class='cc_links' style='float:left; clear:left; width:358px; border:solid 1px #cfcfcf; border-top:0px; font:10px Arial,Helvetica,Verdana,sans-serif; color:#b9b9b9; background-color:#f5f5f5;'><div style='width:177px; float:left; padding-left:3px;'><a target='_blank' href='http://www.colbertnation.com/video/tag/Christmas'>Colbert at Christmas</a><br /><a target='_blank' href='http://shop.comedycentral.com/detail.php?p=76445&v=comedy-central_shows_the-colbert-report&SESSID=e404c55c0698e438f4508b6b848da5eb'>Colbert Christmas DVD</a></div><div style='width:177px; float:left;'><a target='_blank' href='http://www.colbertnation.com/video?keywords=green+screen'>Green Screen</a><br /><a target='_blank' href='http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/81003/january-18-2007/bill-o-reilly'>Bill O'Reilly Interview</a></div><div style='clear:both'></div></div><div style='clear:both'></div></div>iwriteplayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718728329372938247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14444138.post-33573430183984185302008-11-26T10:52:00.000-08:002010-11-08T18:17:49.181-08:00It never rains in Southern California<script>window.location = "http://nocturnalknits.com/2008/11/26/it-never-rains-in-southern-california/?ref=autoRedirectBlogger"; </script><a style="font-weight:bold" href="http://nocturnalknits.com/2008/11/26/it-never-rains-in-southern-california/">Hey, what are you still doing on this old site? Click here to check out this post on the new nocturnalknits.com</a><br /><br />With all the fires and 90-degree weather, it seems like years since we've had rain in Los Angeles. <br /><br /><a href="http://flickr.com/photos/kristinicole/2216120520/" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2262/2216120520_50099b852b.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:10px;">Photo by <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/kristinicole/" target="_blank">kristi.nicole</a></span><br /><br />But last night the heavens opened up. I was ecstatic. I love rain. I grew up in a desert during a 7-year drought, so rain is exotic and exciting in my world. Sure, I went to college in Portland, Oregon, so you'd think I'd be sick of rain by now. But I haven't. I still love it.<br /><br />Last night, I curled up on the couch, listened to the rain, and knit my Noro scarf.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3060916638/" title="Noro into infinity by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3179/3060916638_28f36a06ea.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Noro into infinity" /></a><br /><br />I got to the end of my first two skeins and took a break. I decided to make cakes out of my stashed Noro, just for kicks:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3060032973/" title="Noro cakes by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3034/3060032973_53bd102ac6.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Noro cakes" /></a><br /><br />I have two more skeins of the silk garden chunky left for this scarf, but I think I'm going to use half of each and then make a matching hat, or else the scarf will be super long and heavy.<br /><br />And, before I forget: have a happy Thanksgiving everyone!iwriteplayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718728329372938247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14444138.post-32894140953746305342008-11-24T23:26:00.000-08:002010-11-08T18:17:30.164-08:00Hot But Also Warm<script>window.location = "http://nocturnalknits.com/2008/11/25/hot-but-also-warm/?ref=autoRedirectBlogger"; </script><a style="font-weight:bold" href="http://nocturnalknits.com/2008/11/25/hot-but-also-warm/">Hey, what are you still doing on this old site? Click here to check out this post on the new nocturnalknits.com</a><br /><br />Like <a href="http://flickr.com/search/?q=noro%20striped%20scarf&w=all&s=int" target="_blank">everyone else in the whole wide world</a>, I'm making a striped Noro scarf.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/3057575679/" title="Molly and Noro by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3072/3057575679_bf69ef6742.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Molly and Noro" /></a><br /><br />Molly's helping.<br /><br />Mine is out of a pink/purple/green and grey/brown/charcoal Noro Silk Garden Chunky. The picture doesn't do it justice: it's looking hot. Hot the way Paris Hilton uses the term, but it will also be quite warm once it's done.iwriteplayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718728329372938247noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14444138.post-51025833253250270932008-10-10T00:50:00.000-07:002010-11-08T17:42:20.827-08:00Obama-rama - Free Pattern!<script>window.location = "http://nocturnalknits.com/2008/10/10/obama-rama-free-pattern/?ref=autoRedirectBlogger";</script><br /><a style="font-weight:bold" href="http://nocturnalknits.com/2008/10/10/obama-rama-free-pattern/">Hey, what are you still doing on this old site? Click here to check out this post on the new nocturnalknits.com</a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://flickr.com/photos/kristinicole/2952860403/" title="Obama-rama! by kristi.nicole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3253/2952860403_cf68921985.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Obama-rama!" /></a><br /><br />I will blog about the process of making this sweater soon, but for now I only have the energy to post the pattern to download! <br /><br /><a href="http://www.laurabirek.com/pattern-downloads.php">Download the free Obama-rama pattern!</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/obama-rama">Check it out on Ravelry</a><br /><br />And if you want to learn more about intarsia and get more patterns, buy my book!<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/081186068X?ie=UTF8&tag=laubir-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=081186068X"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhroGlRTfEG1NcRrbs3kfCH_cGU86rBkrYDFdP6tpyRhEiAiHydTBS5lIB2Bkac7TK2QmWOUwkXyeP7sK43jgJg1At5gHRlQa72g-500bctfexnS-T-6Ha_fSr4_RBknOwYt8QbkA/s400/51KtnNqFSHL._SL160_.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263039747023710530" /></a><br /> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/081186068X?ie=UTF8&tag=laubir-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=081186068X">Picture Perfect Knits</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=laubir-20&l=as2&o=1&a=081186068X" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />iwriteplayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718728329372938247noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14444138.post-10942767459405270362008-10-02T17:22:00.001-07:002010-11-08T18:17:02.977-08:00Obama-rama<script>window.location = "http://nocturnalknits.com/2008/10/03/obama-rama/?ref=autoRedirectBlogger"; </script><a style="font-weight:bold" href="http://nocturnalknits.com/2008/10/03/obama-rama/">Hey, what are you still doing on this old site? Click here to check out this post on the new nocturnalknits.com</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/2908727256/" title="Obama Chart by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3175/2908727256_c2de8b6fff_o.jpg" width="481" height="745" alt="Obama Chart" /></a><br /><br />I am knitting the above into a sweater. See?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/2903348963/" title="Obama-rama by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3201/2903348963_3807e92af3.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Obama-rama" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/2907136357/" title="Hope is coming by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3075/2907136357_50055765a4.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Hope is coming" /></a><br /><br />I'll be knitting this tonight while watching the VP debates. Also, I'll be posting this as a free pattern once I'm done with it! And then we can all wear it on election night and (fingers crossed) inauguration day!iwriteplayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718728329372938247noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14444138.post-5432834786543230372008-09-30T22:49:00.000-07:002010-11-08T18:16:03.066-08:00Subversive Cross Stitch<script>window.location = "http://nocturnalknits.com/2008/10/01/subversive-cross-stitch/?ref=autoRedirectBlogger"; </script><a style="font-weight:bold" href="http://nocturnalknits.com/2008/10/01/subversive-cross-stitch/">Hey, what are you still doing on this old site? Click here to check out this post on the new nocturnalknits.com</a><br /><br />It may appear that I haven't been knitting a lot lately. But this is not the truth. I have been knitting. I just have nothing to show for it. Well, that's not entirely true... I do have a large orange blob to show you:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/2903347751/" title="Orange blob by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3023/2903347751_d4e1cd53e0.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Orange blob" /></a><br /><br />Don't even ask. When it's ready to be viewed, I'll let you know!<br /><br />I also have a fun election-related project to blog about soon, but first, some subversive cross stitch:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/2884850063/" title="Cross-stitch by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3049/2884850063_98524c574e.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Cross-stitch" /></a><br /><br />I made this one as a housewarming present for my good friend Sarah. I was inspired by <a href="http://www.subversivecrossstitch.com" target="_blank">the glorious pioneers</a> of this genre (<a href="http://www.subversivecrossstitch.com/thebook.htm" target="_blank">their book</a> is published by my publishers, <a href="http://www.chroniclebooks.com" target="_blank">Chronicle Books</a>), but I charted my own design.<br /><br />And that is all for tonight! Stay tuned for my special elections issue!iwriteplayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718728329372938247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14444138.post-9725366942549507262008-09-05T09:50:00.000-07:002010-11-08T18:15:42.564-08:00Girls Burning Yarn<script>window.location = "http://nocturnalknits.com/2008/09/05/girls-burning-yarn/?ref=autoRedirectBlogger"; </script><a style="font-weight:bold" href="http://nocturnalknits.com/2008/09/05/girls-burning-yarn/">Hey, what are you still doing on this old site? Click here to check out this post on the new nocturnalknits.com</a><br /><br />Excuse my absence from the blog: I've been too ashamed by my complete failure at the 2008 Ravelympics to show my face. I'm still less than half done with the Bamboo Garden scarf. <br /><br />But I learned my lesson: knitting a complicated, double-knit, DK-weight scarf in two weeks is not possible when you have six relatives from Hungary visiting for the duration of the Ravelympics. The good news is that I had a great visit with my foreign family, and I see them so rarely that it was worth not crossing the finish line. <br /><br />And now I present to you girls burning yarn:<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="300" data="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=59154" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"> <param name="flashvars" value="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=3a7ca5f906&photo_id=2801875235"></param> <param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=59154"></param> <param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"></param> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=59154" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=3a7ca5f906&photo_id=2801875235" height="300" width="400"></embed></object><br /><br />This is what happens when you mix three crafty ladies and a bottle of champagne. Yes, it's so very scandalous. We were celebrating my roommate's birthday, and we got to talking about whether bamboo yarn was appropriate for baby knits because it's supposedly very flammable. This led to our very unscientific burn test. (We had a fire extinguisher next to us, 'cause we're careful like that.)Then we went out to a bar in Hollywood. Then we had a pillow fight in our underwear. Okay, that last one was a lie for the menfolk...iwriteplayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718728329372938247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14444138.post-6852821233442787202008-08-14T22:13:00.000-07:002010-11-08T18:15:23.448-08:00And she's off!<script>window.location = "http://nocturnalknits.com/2008/08/15/and-shes-off/?ref=autoRedirectBlogger"; </script><a style="font-weight:bold" href="http://nocturnalknits.com/2008/08/15/and-shes-off/">Hey, what are you still doing on this old site? Click here to check out this post on the new nocturnalknits.com</a><br /><br />My Ravelympics project is off to a slow start, but I think I'm starting to hit my stride. I'm really going to have to pick up the pace if I want to finish it in time.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/2764861980/" title="Chart and Fabric by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3026/2764861980_3f4fcc0a40.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Chart and Fabric" /></a><br /><br />I designed a bamboo motif for the double-knit scarf—appropriate, since the yarn is made of 100% bamboo. I have seven pages of charts altogether (all 460 rows), which means I have to pay attention to each row. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/2764859982/" title="Bamboo Forest Scarf by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3232/2764859982_62ef91beca.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Bamboo Forest Scarf" /></a><br /><br />With the double-knitting, it can get a smidge confusing which color to use, but it looks like I haven't messed up yet! Knock on wood for me! I'm going for the gold!iwriteplayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718728329372938247noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14444138.post-13926104688316395932008-08-07T23:38:00.000-07:002010-11-08T18:15:05.203-08:00Ravelympics, here I come!<script>window.location = "http://nocturnalknits.com/2008/08/08/ravelympics-here-i-come/?ref=autoRedirectBlogger"; </script><a style="font-weight:bold" href="http://nocturnalknits.com/2008/08/08/ravelympics-here-i-come/">Hey, what are you still doing on this old site? Click here to check out this post on the new nocturnalknits.com</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/2721231943/" title="Ravelympics, here I come! by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3271/2721231943_c165f0a3bb.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Ravelympics, here I come!" /></a><br /><br />Don't you just love those clever folks over at <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/" target="_blank">Ravelry</a>? They've come up with the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/groups/ravelympics-2008" target="_blank">2008 Ravelympics</a>, a sort of knitting olympics, where the goal is to cast on and finish a project during the 17 days of the Summer Olympics. <br /><br />As a <a href="http://pico-andtheman.blogspot.com" target="_blank">proud Angeleno</a>, I am playing for Team LaLa Land in the event "Designers Discus." My plan is to make a double-knit scarf out of some stash Rowan Bamboo Soft yarn I've had lying around for about a year. I'm not allowed to cast on until the opening ceremonies, but swatching is considered "training," so here are my swatches:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/2721233299/" title="Swatch side 2 by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2162/2721233299_be5e32c8a7_m.jpg" width="180" height="240" alt="Swatch side 2" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/2722058704/" title="Swatch side 1 by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3053/2722058704_c343265064_m.jpg" width="180" height="240" alt="Swatch side 1" /></a><br /><br />I created the charts for the colorwork tonight and I'm starting to wonder if I'm biting off more than I can chew. The chart is 34 stitches wide and 460 rows long, and each row has a colorwork pattern to follow. Gulp.<br /><br />Check back soon to see if I survive, or if I drop out with a pulled hamstring. (Or, more likely, tendonitis in my wrist!)iwriteplayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718728329372938247noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14444138.post-75617646852235722122008-07-24T23:36:00.000-07:002010-11-08T18:13:34.450-08:00Miracle Mitts<script>window.location = "http://nocturnalknits.com/2008/07/25/miracle-mitts/?ref=autoRedirectBlogger"; </script><a style="font-weight:bold" href="http://nocturnalknits.com/2008/07/25/miracle-mitts/">Hey, what are you still doing on this old site? Click here to check out this post on the new nocturnalknits.com</a><br /><br />After whipping out my <a href="http://nocturnalknits.blogspot.com/2008/06/kaleigh-kap-free-pattern.html">Kaleigh Kap</a>, I was quickly looking for another project to knit on my brand new set of DPNs from <a href="http://www.knitpicks.com" target="_blank">Knit Picks</a>. I remembered <a href="http://www.eunnyjang.com/knit/2006/11/endpaper_mitts.html" target="_blank">Eunny Jang's Endpaper Mitts</a> and was immediately inspired to make a pair for myself. I work in a cubicle at my day job, and, like in many offices, the air conditioner apparently pipes air in straight from the Bering Sea. Mitts were the answer. I immediately scoured my stash to find the right yarn.<br /><br />I remembered I had some self-striping <a href="http://www.knitpicks.com/Felici+Self+Striping+Sock+Yarn_YD5420165.html" target="_blank">Felici</a> in the now-retired Arugula colorway and it occurred to me that it might be the same weight as the massive amounts of Koigu KPM I have lying around. I knit a swatch and, though I had to knit the mitts with a needle one size larger, the Felici and Koigu worked beautifully together!<br /><br />So I got started:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/2609373809/" title="Endpaper in progress by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3130/2609373809_574fefdc8c.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Endpaper in progress" /></a><br /><br />I think I watched three episodes of <a href="http://www.hbo.com/conchords/" target="_blank">Flight of the Conchords</a> while finishing this part:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/2612949612/" title="Progress by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3276/2612949612_ca42eb3b34.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Progress" /></a><br /><br />And soon enough, I had one mitt done!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/2614247252/" title="No pictures, please! by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3174/2614247252_255a450a44.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="No pictures, please!" /></a><br /><br />I had completely failed to plan out the striping pattern with the Felici, so I resigned myself to having the stripes not match on the mitts. Imagine my surprise, then, when the second mitt started matching perfectly! Without any planning by me, the stripes match up nearly to the stitch, and definitely to the row! The knitting gods must have been smiling at me, and thus, the mitts have been deemed <strong>MIRACLE MITTS</strong>.<br /><br />However, with each miracle comes challenges. Do you see something wrong with this picture?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/2700003657/" title="Whoops by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3181/2700003657_2f70f676ac.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Whoops" /></a><br /><br />It wasn't until I bound off, finished the thumb ribbing, and even wove in all the ends before I realized that I accidentally added an extra repeat of the chart in the base of the second mitt.<br /><br />Cursing ensued.<br /><br />And then I frogged:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/2700820302/" title="Miracle Mitts, half-frogged by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3168/2700820302_c2bcb315f0.jpg" width="500" height="300" alt="Miracle Mitts, half-frogged" /></a><br /><br />If the stripes hadn't matched up perfectly, I might have just resigned myself to two mitts of different length. But with the miracle of the matching stripes, I just couldn't leave it be. So I frogged and re-knit, and now they're perfect!<br /><br />They're good for texting:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/2700819050/" title="Miracle Mitts by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3129/2700819050_9e6c92fd08.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Miracle Mitts" /></a><br /><br />They're good for editing screenplays:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/2700002657/" title="Miracle Mitts by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3253/2700002657_1f1a55b02a.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Miracle Mitts" /></a><br /><br />And they're iPhone compatible!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/2700002167/" title="Miracle Mitts by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3278/2700002167_ef4ebd5b4b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Miracle Mitts" /></a><br /><br />One final note: I used the "traditional" <a href="http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEfall05/FEATfall05TT.html" target="_blank">tubular cast on as described in Knitty</a> instead of the one suggested by Eunny Jang. I just couldn't get the hang of casting on over the tail, so I opted for the method using waste yarn. It still made a fabulous edge, and now the tubular method is my favorite cast-on for 1x1 ribbing.<br /><br />Next up: hot pink leg warmers for <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/kristinicole/2215328535" target="_blank">my favorite neurotic dog</a>.iwriteplayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718728329372938247noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14444138.post-83296815487118419742008-06-24T17:37:00.000-07:002010-11-08T18:13:18.772-08:00Kaleigh Kap - Free Pattern!<script>window.location = "http://nocturnalknits.com/2008/06/25/kaleigh-kap-free-pattern/?ref=autoRedirectBlogger"; </script><a style="font-weight:bold" href="http://nocturnalknits.com/2008/06/25/kaleigh-kap-free-pattern/">Hey, what are you still doing on this old site? Click here to check out this post on the new nocturnalknits.com</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/2597195246/" title="Kaleigh Kap by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3082/2597195246_446c5e0573.jpg" width="500" height="412" alt="Kaleigh Kap" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.laurabirek.com/pattern-downloads.php">This pattern is available free on laurabirek.com!</a> Also, you can <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/kaleigh-kap" target="_blank">check it out on Ravelry</a>.<br /><br />One of my coworkers recently became a dad for the first time, and I had been wanting to knit something for his new arrival but couldn't figure out what to make. The inspiration came when two things happened on the same day: 1) he told me his daughter's full name, and 2) my <a href="http://knitpicks.com/6+Nickel+Plated+Double+Pointed+Knitting+Needle+Set_ND90298.html" target="_blank">new set of DPNs</a> arrived from Knit Picks. (Special shout out to my awesome roommate, HG, who got me those needles for my birthday!) I wanted to use those shiny new needles and I thought of all the Koigu KPM I had left in my stash. So I got cracking on this pattern, which turned in to the Kaleigh Kap:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iwriteplays/2597195758/" title="Kaleigh Kap by iwriteplays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3080/2597195758_2456e601a8.jpg" width="500" height="382" alt="Kaleigh Kap" /></a><br /><br />In case it's not clear, the recipient has the initials K.M.B. The size seen here is for the 16" baby/toddler size. I've also written patterns for 14" (newborn) and 18" (child) head circumferences. It was very quick to knit—it only took me 3 days or so—and I've charted out the whole English alphabet in the pattern so it can be personalized with any three initials. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.laurabirek.com/pattern-downloads.php">Download the patten!</a><br /><br />Next in my queue: <a href="http://www.eunnyjang.com/knit/2006/11/endpaper_mitts.html" target="_blank">Endpaper Mitts</a>!iwriteplayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05718728329372938247noreply@blogger.com0