SuperiK(uh)nits

Anyone remember me?

2009-06-28T15:58:00.000-07:00

Wow! I haven't posted in over a year. It's been a busy year though. I've been wanting to get back in to blogging for a while but it has never been something I think about. I hope to change that by blogging more frequently. I won't make any promises, but it would be nice to start blogging again.
Ok, so let's catch everyone up. Over the last year a lot has happened in my life. Last September, I became a big boy and moved out of my parents house. I moved into a house with a few friends in town. Though there is always going to be some drama with room mates we tend to get along fairly well. It's nice being out on my own even with having the responsibilities of an adult. I'm not sure if I mentioned it or not, but I started a new job a little over ago. My one year anniversary was on April 21 st. I like my job though it can be boring sometimes. I basically work as data processor for out sourcing center in town. The pay is pretty decent, and in this economy I'm just happy to have a job. I am still a single boy for the time being. Though this can be depressing at times, I guess when it's my time I'll find someone.
Right now, my biggest trouble is my car. I have really old 93 mercury topaz, aka piece o' crap. There's so many things wrong with it that's it's not even funny. One good thing, it seems to refuse to die. I have no clue how it made it through the winter but it did. I'm just hoping it will hold out for another month or so. By then I should have enough for a good down payment on a new to me car.

Ok current knitting news:

Over the last week I had bit of startitis so I decide I would start the "Look sharp Socks" by Gary Skinner out of the Son of Stitch N' Bitch book. I started of the socks on my 2.5/US 1 knitpicks harmony dpn's using Paton's Kroy Sock in a dark grey and a light grey. For those who don't know these socks an argylish entrelac design, I will post pictures soon. Well I knitted all the way up to the second tier of rectangles and discover my guage was way off. The pattern states that guage should be around 13 stitches and 23 rows (on block) equqls 1 1/2 inch well I was getting closer to 2 inches. It's a good thing I wasn't too far along, so I frogged it and I'm going to start over on size 2.00 mm/US 0. The pattern calls for 2.25 mm but I knit fairly loosely any ways. We'll see what happens.

Oh ok, you know I can't be monogamous. I also have the fountain pen shawl from the last Interweave issue on my needles using knit picks shadows 100% merino lace weight, and the beginnings of what I hope to be a nice messenger bag/man bag for me using recycled sweater wool from a nice tweedish JCrew sweater I found at Goodwill. Pictures coming soon.

Ok well that's all for now, I hope to write more soon!

Ok, ok......

2008-06-07T21:20:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know. I've been gone for a fairly long time; around 3 months or so. Though that is life, I guess. Don't worry, that three month span has not been knit less. I've had several various projects going on.

Here are is one FO I finished about a month ago or so. These are a pair of 1oo% alpaca socks on size 1 needles with Frog Tree Hill sport weight alpaca (which I think is more of a lace/sock weight). They are very comfy and luxurious all though I will have to wait till fall to wear them again. They worked up fairly quick too. I must be a fairly loose knitter because on size ones I only really needed 52 stitches total.

Here is a wip progress of my own design which I will most likely write up a pattern and post it soon once I get all the kinks worked out. These are a pair of fingerless mitts with an after thought thumb that are inspired by the jay walker socks. They yarn I am using is a lace weight superfine cashmere spun up by my LYS (YarnSmiths) in the color way called "hunter's glen". I think they are very pretty and fitting for both a guy or girl. On my first one I used a size 4 needle with 56 stitches not exactly sure what my gauge was. It was fairly loose but still fit though I wasn't happy with the result. I also should have made them about an inch longer on top. I like my fingerless mitts to come up right below the middle knuckles. So on the second mitt I am using a US size 3 needle and will knit it a little longer. I will eventually frog the first one and re knit it with the size 3. I really love these mitts and am excited about sharing the patter with everyone. The cashmere is so nice too, and I love the colorway! It's gorgeous.

I also have several other wip's going as well. I am finally making myself a knitting bag out of cascade 220 which will eventually be felted. I am using a light brown/beige color and a darker chocolate brown on size US 10 needles. This project is being stranded with a diamond motif. There will eventually be pictures... I did have some but I frogged the first draft and started over. Originally I was knitting the bag on a 6 or 7 needle and that was just taking forever so I switch to 10's and I also switched motifs as well. The original bag was going to be hounds tooth, but I didn't like how it was turning out and really didn't know if the pattern would be clear after felting. So I switched to diamonds which are easy and I think will be clearer after being felted.

I am also working on two different blankets right now. One I'm going to keep secret for now because I eventually will share the pattern with you which is of my own design. The second one has a little bit of story about it. About a month ago I got huge present from a good friend. She went to a yard sale and says she has a surprise for me. So I met her after work one day, and she gives me literally a trunk load of various colored acrylic yarn. I vary graciously took it. Though now I have the problem of figuring out what I'm going to do with that much acrylic yarn. I did a ravelry search and found this basic crochet pattern for a vintage vertically striped blanket. I hoping this will cut down some of the bulk although I know it won't make too huge of dent. So are there any other suggestions out there for projects and such to where I can destash?

All right well I think I am going to end this post here. I will post soon updating on how my life is going at the moment and what's been happening with me in the last 3 months. Also I have been tagged by tycho for a meme so I will probably fill that out as well.

Vale!

Zach

Garter Stitch Hat with Square Raglan Crown

2008-03-31T19:23:00.000-07:00

Okay folks, it's finally ready so here you go! Start knitting! I'll be sure to take better pictures because this one isn't the best.

Garter Stitch Hat with Square Raglan Crown
Designed by: Superi

Gauge: 13 stitches per 4 inches in garter stitch (Row height doesn’t really matter because you’ll just knit to measurement)

Needles: One or more of the following depending on your preferred method: size US 8 (or size to obtain gauge) straight needles, 16” circulars, or DPN’s

Yarn: Bernat Naturals Alpaca (70% acrylic/30% alpaca; 100 grams =120 yards): 1 ball or you can use any other bulky yarn that gets gauge.

Size: Adult large (This is a generously large hat because I have a large head and a lot of hair. Without any stretch, the gauge says this hat will be about 20 inches in circumference.)

Directions: There are two ways to do this hat: In the round or knitted flat then sewn up the back. Knitting it flat is great for the begging knitter who isn’t as adept to circulars or dpn’s. For the more fearless knitters, this is an easy pattern to practice working in the round.

Notes:
K2tog= knit two stitches together
Ssk= slip two stitches as if to knit with yarn in back onto right hand needle. Stick the left hand needle back into the stitches and knit the two stitches together through the back loop

Brim: Cast on 64 stitches; place marker and join for working in the round. I prefer to use long tailed cast on for the extra stretch on hats. Work in knit 2, purl 2 ribbing for 2 inches.

Body: For 4 inches work in garter stitch ending with a purl round or wrong side row.

Garter Stitch on straight needles:
Knit every row

Garter stitch in the round:
Round 1: Knit
Round 2: Purl

Crown Shaping:

Round 1: * k2tog, k 12, ssk; repeat from * to end: 56 stitches

Round 2 (and all even rounds): purl (knit if working flat)

Round 3: * k2tog, k 10, ssk; repeat from * to end: 48 stitches

Round 5: * k2tog, k 8, ssk; repeat from * to end: 40 stitches

Round 7: * k2tog, k 6, ssk; repeat from * to end: 32 stitches

Round 9: * k2tog, k 4, ssk, repeat from * to end: 24 stitches

Round 11: * k2tog, k 2, ssk, repeat from * to end: 16 stitches

Round 13: * k2tog, ssk; repeat from * to end: 8 stitches

For those knitting in the round break the yarn leaving a 6 inch tail and thread through the remaining 8 stitches pulling tight. Those who are knitting flat leave at least a foot to a foot and a half tail; thread through the last 8 stitches pulling tightly. Then sew down the rest of the back with the tail. Weave in the ends and put it on your head. Enjoy!

It is time...

2008-03-29T00:43:00.000-07:00

Well, I have been gone for a while and I've missed you all. This past month or so, I've spent a considerable amount of time thinking. (I have yet to decide whether that is a good thing) Post break up I've been forced to reevaluate my life, and have been trying to get back to finding myself. Some where since high school, I've lost direction in my life. I'm not sure where along the lines that was, but it occurred none the less. I really need to work on attaining more direction. I've dilly dallied these last couple of years, and there's just no excuse anymore. The time has come to work on being a person with passion, a person with purpose, and a person with direction. I haven't been growing at all and am stuck in one place. This is not helpful nor conducive to attaining my life goals or dreams. I for see much soul searching in my future. I just can't stay stagnant like I have been doing because I know I'm not living up to my full potential. How I'm going to do this? I don't know, but I'm positive this isn't it for me.

As of right now, I made the decision to take some time off school to work on becoming more independent and to reevaluate my life. I'm not really sure I was ready for college right out of high school. I think I went because that's just what is expected of you today by society, family, and just in general. Now don't worry, I don't plan on never going back because I realize the importance of education. One can not thrive nor succeed in the modern world with out some further education. I just really need to take this time and determine what I want to do with my life. I believe, I was just waisting my time and money being in school because I wasn't succeeding at the present with out knowing these things. I've always said I wanted to be a biologist, but looking at it now I'm not sure if that's for me. I do love science and all but I'm not sure that that is what my passion is. So this is what I need to discover for myself. What am I passionate about and can I make a living for myself doing it? As of right now though, my goal is to find a better job, and hopefully move out on my own or maybe with friends. Once I am ready and have some sort of direction and more financially stable. I will continue with my schooling.

Now as for the break up and my romantic life, let's talk about that. It has been a little over a month since my relationship with Wes ended. It's been hard, but these things always are. Now, I believe I'm in a place of me. I don't really feel the desire any more to have a relationship most of the time. I think this has to do with the getting my life in order decision. I can't really be in a healthy relationship when I'm not truly the best person I can be. Really, how can I ask some one to love me when I am not sure of who that person is? I don't think it would be fair to myself nor the other person. Now this doesn't mean I am opposed to a relationship; I'm just not actively seeking one. If the a good guy came along and was good to me I would definitely infer further. For I have discovered that in life one can't force a relationship into being anyways. I have never had much luck when trying to find guys to talk to and maybe date when actively seeking them. From all the relationships I've had with any meaning, I did not meet these people by looking for them. They were either friends of friends or I had some sort of social network connection to them. Being in rural Ohio, I have resorted to finding love on the net via myspace, facebook, etc because it's hard to find gay men in my area otherwise. Though I believe this is my down fall. Let's face it, dating is hard, and there's a lot of crap out there. In the gay world it seems to be exponentially so. Not that I don't believe there's good guys out there, because I know there are. Just finding them is really hard to do. You have to wade through all the superficial, self-absorbed, and sex obsessed to find them. I just don't know if I have the energy for that right now, and what energy I do have I think is better directed towards my own growth. Maybe this is selfish, but I don't care. I think it's for my own good. Though I'm not giving up hope. I'm putting it out to the universe now. If the powers at be see it fit for me to be in a relationship then he/she/they will provide it for me. All I can do is work on myself for the moment and hopefully build some good chi.

All right onto to my first purpose of my blog: knitting! Though I have decide I'm going to start sharing more than my knitting, because I believe it will be helpful and maybe make me seem more personable. Also because it's my blog and I can do what I want.

I think my knitting slump has finally worked it's self out, or at least starting too. In the last month, I have finished the jelly bean socks for I was working on for my bff Sarah and given them to her. I also have casted on and off a pair of fingerless mitts for her birthday which was last week. Though they are sitting here waiting for the ends to woven in and maybe some embroidery, I don't know. I used the knucks pattern from knitty.com with some teal, sport-weight, 100% alpaca by frog tree hill on size US4 needles. This was a very fast pattern to work up. I would say one can very easily accomplish a pair in a weekend if he/she worked continuously. It took me a little about a week or two picking them up and down, though I did finish the second one from start to finish in one day. Also I did a twisted ribbed cuff instead of the textured one in the pattern. I might have to make me some of these in the future because I like them much better than the one's I am using now because they have no fingers what so ever. Here are a few pictures of them:

I have also been working on my giant pi shawl inspired blanket, but that is just a got to project when I don't feel like working on anything else. I did work on the collar of the smokin' jacket by Jared Flood aka Brooklyntweed last week two. I only need to do the left side button band and collar and I think I'm going to shorten the sleeves a little by cutting and knitting back the other way in garter stitch. Then I should be done. I could have had this project done sooner, but I got bored with it for a little bit when I realized it might be too big for me. Right now I'm thinking it might not be as big as I thought it would be. Either that or I'm just getting fatter, lol. I also have casted on a cable sock of my own design in the teal frog tree alpaca on size four dpn's. I'm knitting these from the cuff down which I've only done a couple times. I really want to design myself a either a top down/bottom up seamless cabled raglan cardigan in this bulky acrylic yarn I got a couple months ago. A design that will probably be inspired by Cable Guy in Son of a Stitch N' Bitch by Debbie Stoller.

In other fiber news, I've been practising with my drop spindle I won from BuduR on MWK. I'm getting better at it. I think I'm starting to achieve some sport weight singles though they are still slightly thick and thin in places. One was spinning at my knitting group last Wed. and one of the ladies said she was going to give me some green roving she had and didn't want. She said she had tried spinning, but couldn't get the hang of it. I'm excited because I love green, and who doesn't love free stuff? Yay! Hopefully I can get really good at spinning too.

I recently discovered the knitting podcast gem that is Cast On by Brenda Dane. It is so inspirational and indie. I love the music she plays. I just can't help myself now going back through all the old episodes and listening to them one by one. Rock on Miss Brenda! I want to leave you guys tonight with a quote from one of her shows which I find quite enlightening and I'm going to start trying to apply to my life.

Begin as you wish to go on!

Slump

2008-03-11T02:04:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, I know it seems like forever since I last blogged, but really it's just been over a week. I don't know, lately I have been too productive with my knitting. I think I'm in kind of a knitting slump. It may just be life right now, but I have feeling it'll turn around soon. Ever since the break up, I'm not always in the best of moods which affects my knitting. Though as everyday goes by I'm feeling better and better. So things will turn around here soon, and this slump will be over. Yay! Until then knit on my fellow knitters!

Ciao!
Zach

Presents and such.

2008-03-01T21:45:00.000-08:00

So, Yay! I got presents in the mail today from my lovely friend, Rave over at menwhoknit.com. I entered into a drawing of a few members who were giving away extra drop spindles and I won. I feel so lucky. Not only did Rave give me a drop spindle but gave me some roving to go with it. Yay I need lots of practice but that's to be expected of a newbie spinner. Just look at how awesome the spindle is and the lovely roving. Thanks again, Rave!!!!

Oh, and more detail on the briefness of my last post. I shared pics of the bday scarf I made for my friend Carlynn last weekend. It was a simple crocheted scarf where I did rows alternatively of double crochet and then single crochet back with bulky yarn and a size K crochet hook. The yarn was Bernat Naturals Alpaca in natural (which is a alpaca/acrylic blend), and Lionbrand Jiffy in Green Apple (100% acrylic). It only took me about a day to crochet and was completely last minute. Not too bad for my first real crochet project. Kyle (from Kyleknits) also asked about the hat I was wearing in the picture which is my version of swell made in the Lionbrand jiffy. I just changed the stranding design. I made that hat back in August 07 and it gets a lot of wear. I know the scarf matched perfectly with it, but I feel good giving it away to a good friend. I know she'll love it.

Now I am also making two toe-up socks on one needle using lionbrand sock yarn in the jelly bean stripes color way which were also pictured. I am about half way up the legs in 2x2 ribbing. Theses are very belated v-day pres. for my bff, Sarah. This technique is a little fidgety but once you get it down it's not bad at all. This was my first time doing magic loop and two socks on one needle. I think it came out all right, even though I think I screwed up the short row heel cause there's slight holes at the ankles.

Also last week, I finished the ugly yellow, orange, and red hat for my sisters friend.

My current knitting is: I'm working on completing those socks, and I'm also working on a pi shawl blanket in a silvery grey acrylic. I think the yarn might be caron simply soft and I'm using size 10 needles. I have laid off the smokin' jacket even though I need to get back to it. all I have to do is the button bands and the collars then I'll be done. I think knowing that it'll be too big has deterred me from working on it. But I will eventually get back to it. I may double breast it so that it fits better. We'll see. Okay well that's all for now and I know there has to be some readers out there so please leave comment cause I love them!

WIP's/FO

2008-02-25T23:06:00.000-08:00

Here's a few WIP/FO's: more detail later.

Valentine's Day Treats

2008-02-16T00:56:00.001-08:00

Well, I know this may be a little late, but I here are a few treats I made last week to share with my knitting group and everbody loved them! If you haven't guessed they're red velvet cupcakes with the real red velvet icing. Not nasty cream cheese icing... in my opinion cream cheese should not come any where near red velvet cake.

Although I used a box this time (food dye is really expensive for a college student). I usually make it from scratch which is definately better. My trick with boxes is to add a box of instant vanilla pudding to the dry ingredients which keeps the cake nice and moist.

Here is recipe that is better than a box any day that I pulled off the internet:

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 1/2 oz red food coloring
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon soda
1 tablespoons vinegar
PREPARATION:
Cream shortening; beat in sugar gradually. Add eggs, one at a time; beat well after each addition. Make paste of cocoa and food coloring; add to creamed mixture. Add salt, flour and vanilla alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Sprinkle soda over vinegar; pour vinegar over batter.

Stir until thoroughly mixed. Bake in 3 8-inch pans or 2 9-inch pans for 30 minutes at 350°. Or about 20 minutes for cupcakes. Let cool completely before frosting.

Here is the recipe for the icing:

THE REAL RED VELVET CAKE FROSTING

1 c. sugar1 tsp. vanilla3 tbsp. flour1 c. butter1 c. vitamin D whole milk (too runny if you use other)
Cook flour and milk in double boiler until thick, stirring constantly. Cool. Cream sugar, butter and vanilla until as fluffy as possible. Blend cooked mixture with creamed.
This icing must stay refrigerated, will fall apart at room temperature.

Well I hope everbody's Valentine's Day was great and full of love. Unfortunately this year mine was not nor even close. After about a year and a month my boyfriend decide he wanted to end our relationship. I am completely heartbroken and I miss him. We both still love each other and care a lot for the other person, but Wes feels as if it's time for him to leave the relationship. This break up is reall hard for me. Wes was my longest relationship to date, and I really couldn't picture my life without him. It's a long and complicated matter and I wouldn't want to bore you so I'll leave it short.

Now for current knitting news: I started a new and challening project. I'm doing two socks at once using magic loop. This my first time doing two socks at once and magic loop so this will be good learning experience. I'm already pass the toes and it's coming nicely. So look forward to hearing more about it in the future.

Long delayed, but finally...

2008-02-13T23:47:00.000-08:00

Well I finally got around to taking pictures of my almost finished Smokin' Jacket and a couple of other projects.

Here is the Smokin' Jacket by Jared Flood

Sorry that the pictures aren't too great. Once I finally get it done I will have to go on a little modeling adventure. Granted it might look like a sack on me but we'll see.

Here is a simple garter stitch hat I made over the weekend. I've been pondering the idea for a while now because I thought a garter stitch hat would look kind of cool so I made one. I used Bernat's new Alpaca naturaul's It's a bulky yarn, but I feel as if it's more on the worsted side. I used a size US 8 16" circular needle as well. For the crown I liked the look of doing raglan decreases so I did four sets which gave the crown a nice squarish shape.

At first I wasn't going to do the the ribbing on the bottom but after I made the hat in completely garter stitch I thought it needed it. So I went back and ripped out cast-on and a couple rows down and added about an inch and a half of ribbing. I might write out the pattern I made up if you guys are interested. Or maybe if you're not too. lol

Now here's a hat I'm making for my sister's friend out of sugar n' cream cotton. I really don't care for it so it's only get a brief mention.

Ok well that's about all on the knitting front... life is crazy right now... so I'll post about that when I'm ready

Smokin' Jacket Update

2008-02-07T00:54:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know I've been a very bad blogger lately. I'm sorry, and I know I've been promising pictures too. But I will get around to taking some here soon, I've just been very busy with life and such. I'm sure you all know. There is good news though... I am almost finished with the Smokin' Jacket by Jared flood. All I have left is to finish the collar and sew it on, along with buttons. Then make two pockets and attach them as well. So hurray!!! I'm about done!

On a sad note though, I've tried it on and it is considerably large on me. But hey this is my first actual sweater that I'm finishing; so I'm going to be positive about it and take it as a learning experience. This was my first time doing a sweater and I made seamles sweater on top of that. Plus I'll wear it anyways just to be stubborn. I've spent over a month working on it now and I'll be darned if I don't get to wear the thing.

Oh, also I got "Knitting Without Tears" by Elizabeth Zimmerman from the library today. I had Ohiolinked it from another library and it finally arrived. I truely believe this woman was a genius, and I'm so excited read this book. I've read about thirty pages so far and it's such knitting porn or rather 'knitting erotica'. I was hoping that the baby suprise jacket was in this book, but I don't think it is from my brief scanning through. This pattern really does intrigue me. How can it be knitted flat and then folded so that it becomes a jacket? I really want to know, but I guess I'll have to wait and find the right book it's in and then track it down through a library.

Progress

2008-01-31T03:00:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's 6AM and I just now stopped knitting. I just connected the second sleeve to my smokin jacket and man is it going to be thick. I'm still not sure if it's going to fit me, though it's all crammed on a 36" circular so it's kind of hard to tell. I can't wait till this is finally finished. I'll post pictures maybe sometime later today tomorrow, but now it's sleepy time for Zach.

Anniversary & more knitting

2008-01-29T23:38:00.000-08:00

Well, I guess it's about time for me to do an update folks. I'm going to try to at least do a weekly post. I haven't been the best blogger in times passed, but I really am excited about this one and want to do well with it.

So over the weekend (Sunday specifically) was Wes and I's one year anniversary. Yay to us!!! This is really a big event in my life, because I have never have had a relationship last this long. Granted I'm only 21 but still. Now let me talk about my dearest Wesley for a bit. I truly do think he is the love of my life. I don't think I have ever loved anyone as much as I love him. He is really dear to me. Wes makes me want to be a better person and to grow. Right now we don't get to spend too much time together, but that's just because we go to different schools and he lives on campus. We really only get to see each other once a week while school is in session, but we make it work. I miss him a lot most of the time, but I know we both need to get our educations to make a good life for ourselves. That's truly what I want to. I can see us growing up, living together, maybe rearing a child or two (who's names will either be Wyatt or Ella).

Here's a picture of us not too long after we started dating.

Wow! We certainly have change a lot since then. Well to celebrate our anniversary I took Wesley out to dinner and a movie. For dinner we went to BD's Mongolian Barbeque which was excellent and always good. We did have a little trouble at the restaurant because they were super busy. The host actually skipped over us by about half a dozen parties, but in the end it was fine because he happened to be the manger and gave us free appetizers and desert. The movie went to see was Atonement which was amazing. This was Keira Knightly's new movie and I love her. She was so beautiful in this movie. If you go see this movie just keep your eye out for the green dress she wears is absolutely gorgeous. There are several twist and turns in the movie as well, but it is also quite depressing.

Okay now for the actual knitting. Since I've last posted I've done quite a bit of work the smokin' jacket by Jared Flood. I've now finished the first 17 inches of the body and one sleeve and worked it in to the rest of the body. This is mostly a seamless garment so the sleeves are knitted in with the rest of the sweat with some raglan decreases. So tomorrow probably at my local knit n' chat I will cast on for the other sleeve and get it taken care of, so I can move on. I'm really excited about this jacket. I'm afraid it my be a little too big for me but I don't care I'm going to wear it anyways. Has anyone else notice this that most men's knitting pattern's aren't sized for those who aren't overly obese? Yeah, I know I'm not skinny by a long shot and I wear 34" waist, but from what I've seen most sweaters start at a 40" chest. Is America really that over weight where this is considered a small? Yeah, I know we have to take in some ease but 6" worth. Well maybe I'm just over exaggerating and my sweater will be fine. I didn't do a gauge swatch but I checked it after a couple inches and it was pretty close to the pattern. I think I'm at like 3 stitches per inch and the pattern calls 3.25. Anyways, once I get this second sleeve done I think it will be going much faster. I hope to at least have it done by the middle or end of February, but we'll see. We still have quite a few more cold month's here in Ohio.

Also I got another inch or so done on Wes's herringbone scarf. Oh and I've been trying to figure out how to knit a square from the center out to make it lay flat, and just can't get it. I've done it several different ways with several different increases, but still no luck. I can get the square shape but just not flatness. They always seem ruffly or too holey. So if anyone knows any info leave me a comment or what not.

Hello All!

2008-01-22T17:54:00.000-08:00

Well hello to all fellow bloggers, knitters, other fiber enthusiasts, whomever else happens to venture upon my blog!

Now let me introduce myself... "Hi, My name is Zach and I'm a knitaholic." This is my first adventure into actually having a knitting blog of my own. So I will start off by telling you a little bit about me. I'm a 21 year old college student from Springfield, Ohio. I've been knitting for roughly 5 years now. I was taught by my grandmother on one of our vacations across the country. (As children my siblings and I would go with our grandparents back and forth camping across country.) I'm going to school for biology but I'm not really sure yet what I want to do with it whether it's going into teaching or research. Also I've been dating a wonderful guy for almost a year now (it'll be a year this Sun.) and I'm pretty sure he's the love of my life. His name is Wes. I'm sure you'll be hearing a lot about him because... well just because.

Well (you'll notice that I use well a lot...) I seem to be having a big ol' brain fart on what else to say and really I am bad about talking about myself, but I'm sure as we go along you'll learn lots about me. (This may just be a ploy to keep you reading)

So let's get into my current knitting projects. There are three that I'm currently working on. My biggest project at the time is the Smokin' Jacket by Jared Flood out of Debbie Stoller's new book Son of Stitch'N Bitch. I'm using size 10 needles as the book suggest and RedHeart Super Saver in deep chocolate brown color. Not my first choice in yarn but it's what I could afford considering the pattern calls for a bulky yarn and I only had a 25 dollar gift certificate to Crafts 2000! I holding two strands together. So far I'm around 15'' into the body of the sweater and finished the cuff on one sleeve. This is my first sweater that I actually plan on finishing. The pattern is very simple being all stockinette and garter and the only sewing on the sweater is the collar and a little bit of grafting at the under arms.

Next I'm working on herringbone patterned scarf on size 4 needles with a teal Frog Tree 100% Alpaca sport weight yarn. I really love this yarn. The color is so rich and it's very warm and soft. This is going to be a birthday present for Wes if I can get it done in time. The stitch pattern is kind of tedious and on size 4 needles with 70 stitches per row it might take a while. You can get the stitch pattern here: http://www.knittingonthenet.com/stitches/wovenherringbone.htm

Here's a close-up of the stitch pattern: (sorry for the poor quality)

And finally the third project that I'm actively knitting on is going to be a felted needle case. I'm using Paton's Classic Merino and a size 8 needle. This my own design and I'm hoping it turns out well. If it does I might post the pattern or try to submit it to a magazine or knitty.com. I'm planning on adding zippers to the top two edges and having a flap with a button hole on the long side to close it. I'm thinking of lining the inside with some green fabric I have and use some elastic band to hold down the needles. We'll see how it goes.

OK, well I guess that's it for my first blog. Here's to many more and maybe getting to know all you out there on the net knit scene. Also if any of you are Ravlers so am I. Feel free to look me up I'm Superi on http://www.ravelry.com