Margot, But Not Margot

I don't know how but last Thursday's post vanished. I'm puzzled. Anyway, I've been busy lately. I went to Port Townsend last weekend for our second annual Purlygirl knitting retreat. I wanted to bring something simple to work on. No charts. So I grabbed the Margot-inspired sweater in Noro Retro and was able to get lots done on it. It was perfect retreat knitting. Just going around and around and around.

I've changed the pattern quite a lot. My gauge is much larger, my body is longer, my edging is shorter, I am knitting it in stripes. I think it would be better to say at this point that my sweater is inspired by Margot. I have a few major quibbles with the original pattern so had to rip out the neck and rework it yesterday. My first issue is the pattern has you use the same needle for stockinette and garter stitch. Garter is wider than stockinette so I always go down several needle sizes when I'm edging stockinette in garter. The second issue is there is no back neck shaping. The front and back are the same height. You can see in one of the Knitty photos that the sweater is too high in the front and pooches out at the neckline. So I added short rows just in the collar section (I'm knitting mine in stripes so short rows were going to be really obvious in the body). Now I'm on the sleeves and I don't have a ton of yarn left. I'll be lucky if I can get these to my elbows. It's just going to be a game of "how long can I make these so I don't run out of yarn on one sleeve?" from here.

Thursdays are for What the Hell is This?

Weird. I posted this on Thursday and then it disappeared. Puzzling.

This really puts the "dread" back in "dreadlocks."

Olatz

Pattern: Olatz by Swallows Return
Yarn: Fleece Artist BFL Aran
Needles: US8 Addi Long-Tip Lace Clicks
Notes: I wanted a worsted weight shawl and this was just what I was looking for. It's a fast, fast, simple shawl and I love wrapping myself up in it.

Thursdays are for What the Hell is This?

I dare you to drink the tea that comes out of this pot.



I triple-dog-dare you.

Doubleknit #62

I got the new episode up.
I also blocked Olatz, found the yarn and the pattern for Shalder and dug into my Margot a bit more. Feeling a lot less stuck than I did 12 hours ago!

Stuck

I finished my Olatz shawl last night. It's soaking now and will probably take a few days to dry in our damp, cold spring weather. And now I feel stuck. I feel like I should turn to one of my old hibernating projects but they are all so complex. I'm craving simplicity. I cast on for a striped, top-down sweater based on Margot this afternoon but it's not really ringing my bell. Maybe Shalder instead? But then I need to find the yarn. And wind it...sigh...

Winner Announced

Oops. I forgot to tell you all that Elizabeth R. is the winner of the Lantern Moon needles from last week's Thursday post. Thank you all for your hilarious comments. You totally made my week.

Makeup Review

My first impression of YSL's new Glossy Stains.

Thursdays are for What the Hell is This?

This week on Manatee Project Runway.



Manatee Nina Garcia: The proportion is off.
Manatee Michael Kors: It's like grandma's drapes.



Guest Starlet Manatee: I would totally wear that on the red carpet.

I guess volume is in the season!

Thanks to Kim K. for sharing these with me.

Ringo

Pattern: Ringo & Elwood by Barbara Gregory
Yarn: Dale of Norway Baby Ull (aqua) and Jaeger Matchmaker 4-Ply (black)
Needles: US2 Crystal Palace DPNs
Notes: I started this pair of mittens in December 2010 right after I knit Elwood. I had big tension problems with Elwood. The floats are, in places, ridiculously long. I trapped when floats were more than six stitches. With Ringo I decided to knit them in the Armenian style, trapping every three stitches no matter what. It did even the tension out a bit but I was also hampered by using two yarns that weren't really the same gauge. The Matchmaker 4-Ply at 180 yards/50 grams is visibly thinner than the Baby Ull (180 yards/50 grams). So after sitting untouched for over a year I knocked them off in a few days. Fun!

My Hunt for Foundation

Worst. Thumbnail. Ever.

Thursdays are for What the Hell Is This?

Contest time! I have a beautiful set of 14" US8 Rosewood needles from Lantern Moon to give away. You just have to leave a comment and tell me what the hell is this?



A winner will be chosen at random and announced next Thursday.

Helix Stripe Hat

Yarn: Lamb's Pride Worsted in Blue Blood Red, Deep Charcoal and Onyx
Needles: US7 and 8 Addi Turbos
Notes: I love knitting these scrap hats. They are so good for using up small amounts of yarn and I really love the way they come out. This was 88 stitches on the smaller needle, 1x1 rib for a bit, switch to stockinette with larger needles then continue for 7-8", work decreases. Et voilà!

Another Makeup Video

I'm going to continue to post here when I put up a new video. I know it won't be of interest to everyone who reads my blog so please disregard if you're bored. There will be knitting tomorrow.

A Few Modeled Shawl Shots

Color Affection

My remote was not working on my camera so I'll get some better shots to post later.

Pattern: Color Affection by Veera Välimäki
Needles: US6 Addi Turbos
Yarn: The Periwinkle Sheep Watercolors II in Suits Him (dark gray) and Sophisticated (magenta), Alpha B BFF B in Koke (green)
Notes: Another addictive knit from Veera Välimäki! I heard that the edge can get tight on this so I did a yarn over at the beginning of each row and dropped it when I came to it on the following row. It makes the edge a little sloppy. I'd do the yarn over between the first and second stitch instead. My shawl ended up about a million feet long. I might have spaced out and done more increases on the edges than I was supposed to. No matter. It's beautiful and soft and I haven't taken it off since it dried!

My Youtube Debut

Warning: The following video is not me at my most natural. I think I need a little time to relax in front of the camera. Also a wee bit fuzzy but we're working on that!

Awkward alert! I finally made a Youtube video to introduce myself to the makeup vlogging community.



I promise this won't become a makeup blog but I will continue to post when I have new videos.

Thursdays are for What the Hell is This?

If anyone knows a Star Trek fan that has remarkably firm breasts, no pubic hair and is headed on vacation soon I have the perfect pattern for them.



Yeah, I know there's no such thing but I was really hoping.