I seem to have a big problem with choosing patterns. I don’t say this because they’re poorly written — generally they’re just fine. Nor because they don’t flatter me. I’m very happy with most of my knits. Occasionally they don’t fit, but that’s my fault. No… the problem I have is that they’re all girls.

Let me illuminate.
Recent patterns completed: Vivian. Margaret.
Patterns currently in progress: Miss BB
Patterns in my queue: Genevieve. Pearl’s Cardigan.

And now? I’m casting on Laura’s Cardigan, by Annie Modesitt. The consistency is driving me just a little bit crazy.

I also tried to vary my colors from the sample sweater. I made a few general changes, but I don’t think I did a good job of going in a different direction! I seemed to have gotten off the highway, but I’m still taking the service road. Oh well. I do really like the colors, and that’s what counts.

So. Why am I making a post just to tell you I’m casting on? Because I’m changing things. Of course. I am the master of my little world, and if I want to change things, I’m allowed. Here goes:

When making Laura’s Cardigan, you 1.) use a provisional cast on and knit some striped ribbing, and then stop, leaving stitches live. 2.) you use a provisional cast on, but make the back plaid shoulders. 3.) Then you pick up the provisional cast on of the plaid, and knit some striped ribbing. 4.) joining all the pieces knit so far, you knit the body straight through the hem. 5.) Only now do you go back and finish the plaid shoulders – this time, the front.

Are you confused? So was I. I drew a little diagram to help:

It begs the question: WHY? The answer is: I haven’t the slightest damn clue. So, this being my own little world, I’ve decided to do things the way I think they make sense. I dunno, maybe you’ll agree with me. Here’s the new order of things as I see they should be done:

That being said, the plaid is intarsia, and I don’t like to travel with intarsia. So while Miss BB is still on the needles, she’ll be my traveling partner, and Laura and I will stay at home and gossip about Miss BB behind her back…

Interrupting your regularly sporadic posting schedule to bring you AFO – A Finished Object.

A few fit issues that will have to be addressed if I ever make this again. Nothing dramatic, of course, just things I get particular about. Namely, I think the v-neck is too long. I’d rather raise it by two inches. I also think the whole top is too long, but not the armscyes. To shorten the top and maintain the armscyes, I’ll have to drop the armscyes by… oh, about a diamond repeat, and continue the knitting otherwise as planned, except eliminating some knitting at the top. Clear as mud? Yeah, figured. I just hope that when I do make another one, I’ll realize what I’m talking about! I’m thinking more alpaca — perhaps Alpaca With A Twist Baby Twist? If I shorten it I -might- get all my “dark” color out of one skein… I’d definitely play with some color too.

Many thanks to Tracey (Ravelry link) for dying up the brown of the Alpaca D’Auxvasse for me. It’s more gorgeous knitted up than when it was in hanks!

See you on Monday for more knitting updates! (Seriously, I keep myself busy!)

Last week I made a promise. I promised a few pictures, and I promised a documented steeking exploration. Those things are coming.

But… if I may… before we bring out the scissors, squeal for a moment. Because:

CASTLE’S BACK! I just finished watching the first episode of the new season, and I. LOVED. EVERY. MOMENT. Stana and Nathan have such a brilliant chemistry off each other. They are just charming to watch. The writers deserve a whole lot of praise, money, and maybe even slaves, because they handle that chemistry so well in the script. After I write this post, I think I’m going to go watch it again. I am so giddy to have Castle back on the air, it’s almost… no it -is-… incredibly pathetic. But I can’t help it. I am content for at least another 24 hours, until I start demanding next week’s episode.

Let me take a moment to get myself back together after I’ve gushed adoration all over the room.

Okay. I think I’m ready.

First things first: Before Steeking. Everything is still whole. The tools of destruction – I mean “of the trade” – are laid out with surgical precision… right in my way. Anyway. I pick up my crochet hook. It’s made of bone. I thought the primitiveness was fitting when I selected it. I take my scrap yarn, and start crocheting my center stitches as instructed.

Then I rip it out and pick a smaller crochet hook. This one is steel. A bit more sophisticated. It also creates smaller stitches that don’t look like an orangutan and a squirrel tried to crochet in a cooperative effort. I tell myself that I’ve crocheted before and it’s not that big of a deal, but when I get to somewhere around 10 stitches sliding up the shaft of my hook, I realize I’m doing it wrong. So I rip it out, look at the instructions again. “Oh, duh.”

Attempt 3 actually works. I also remember why I stopped crocheting. It’s a lot of motion for one stitch. … And before you crocheters out there say “but you have to THROW to knit!” I’m a continental knitter. I pick. And now I get to say one of my absolute favorite phrases ever: It’s an economy of motion.

I got through one half of crocheting one steek! I know, I know. haven’t done anything yet. You want to see some scissor action don’t you? You’re a sick, sick bastard.

I start crocheting the second side, and about 20 stitches in start wondering if my crochet hook is small enough. I ponder ripping it out again. I look at the instructions. Eunny wants a 3mm hook. My hook is older than I am. It doesn’t have millimeters on it. My bone one doesn’t have anything written on it at all. I shrug, pick up my vest from the floor, cause it slid off the table, and fish the crochet hook out from under my chair, and keep going.

Are you ready for this? I’ll wait a moment if you need to get yourself together. I read my instructions again, making sure there’s nothing left before cutting. NOW she tells me to work in a contrasting color! Oh well. Bright light: check. She specifies small sharp scissors. Well, damn. My purple ones are a bit unwieldy. I grab my Gingher embroidery scissors I use to cut mats from my cat’s fur. Oi! Shh. You try to brush her and see if you don’t resort to scissors.

So glad I switched to the Gingher’s. Ladies and gentlemen, we have an armhole.

Now I’ve just got to not lose that crochet hook before I crochet and cut the other three steeks. What’s that you say? I should have done all my crocheting and then done the cutting last? Shush. By the by, have I told you I’ve done this steeking business before? Yeah, I wouldn’t have believed it either.

I apologize to anyone who actually checks out my website! Alas, I have been in the midst of starting school, and when Monday rolls around, I have been collapsing at the end of the day instead of getting on here and updating. So, once again, here’s a checklist of things that you have been forced to miss.

1.) Vivian is complete.

2.) I finished a long-time WIP:

3.) My Dalek went on “vacation”, the highlight of which was meeting Daniel Boone:

4.) I was commissioned, and made, a baby onsie in a week. Such was the sheer speed of knitting, that I failed to get a picture even before I gave it to the client!

5.) I’m doing a knitalong of Miss BB — A sweater pattern by Chic Knits. I’m using Arucania Nature Wool worsted. It’s sadly discontinued, and my camera is horrid about getting the color right. I will try again with my iPhone, which takes surprisingly stunning photographs, and post them next week.

6.) I’ve started Eunny Jang’s Deep V Argyle Vest. I have finished the fair-isle knitting and will document my steeking next week. I’m using Alpacas d’Auxvasse DK weight. One of my colors was dyed for me by a local artisan. You can see an in-progress picture below. I haven’t gotten my camera out since I got done with the argyle yesterday! I decided to go ahead and block the knitting before steeking to help felt as much as I can before steeking, as alpaca is a little less willing to felt than a wool. So now I’m waiting for it to dry.

7.) I’ve started a pair of mitts from the remaining neutral colored Alpacas D’Auxvasse. No pictures yet, of course.

8.) I am part of a Firefly/Serenity swap, which due to the secrecy required, you won’t see pictures of until sendout in two weeks!

So, that’s the rough and dirty knitting history of the last month. I’ve also bought all my yarn, ready to start work on my Phoenix Jacket. I’ve been a little intimidated to get started, but I will once I wrap up my swap crafting! The Kauni yarn I bought is calling my name!