Sunday, April 30, 2006

Progress! And learning! And fun stuff like that!

I almost thought I wouldn't have anything to say this week because I have been getting to bed really late -- thus no time for knitting. But then I discovered that knitting is a good way to keep my hands busy while I study for midterms. So I've added probably four inches to my swatch this week. :)

The first thing I've started working on is just knitting more loosely. My swatch is kind of ugly now because the width increases dramatically (when I feel like taking and uploading pictures I'll upload a piccie -- probably I'll do it when the swatch is done). But I finished the k1p1 and k2p2 ribbing, and they both look pretty good. Now am practicing increases and decreases. My bar increases keep making little holes in the fabric, which I don't think they're supposed to do... that's not what it looks like in the picture in my book, anyway. I think I'm confused about how to knit into the back loop of a stitch. Even the video I watched at knittinghelp.com didn't fully clarify for me. Oh well. k2tog, which is the decrease I've been practicing, also looks like it's creating holes. Maybe I need to knit more tightly when I do increases/decreases...? Probably when I've finished the swatch and have accumulated all of my "what am I doing wrong" kinds of questions, I'll make a big introductory post on the knitting LJ community and see if I can get some good advice.

In other news, the stockinette at the bottom of my swatch is really curling, and it's irritating me.

Sunday, April 23, 2006

Some background

Hi.

So... me. Or, at least, me in relation to knitting, which is after all the subject of this blog.

I've gone through many crafty periods in my life (watercolors, embroidery, braiding, ...) but I wasn't even really interested in knitting until probably eight months ago, when someone whose blog I read started posting about her knitting. I decided I wanted to try. And a couple of months ago, on a fencing-team trip in Colorado Springs, I picked up a pair of kneedles and some yarn and an instruction book, and started to learn.

Currently there isn't really much to say. I finished a garter-stitch swatch to practice knitting and purling, and am now working on another swatch to practice stockinette, ribbing, and perhaps increases/decreases. But I only do a row or two every few nights when I have the time before bed, and given how much work I have and the fact that it's midterm season I don't have a lot of time, so things are going slowly at the moment. I did an inch of stockinette (that is the one where you alternate knit and purl rows, right?), and now I'm working on an inch of k1p1 ribbing. Then k2p2 ribbing, and maybe I'll try k3p3 just to see what it looks like... or maybe not. And then probably increases and decreases. Oh, and I have to practice changing yarn too, and weaving in loose ends. Once all that's done, I'll start in on a scarf with the yarn that I have left.

...so expect to hear about my spiffy new scarf sometime next November.

;)

I plan to post every Sunday. If there hasn't been much progress, it'll probably be short and sweet.

Sunday, April 16, 2006

How it all began...

This blog, I mean, not my knitting. Given all of the time and effort that went into the creation (specifically the titling) of this, I thought that it'd be fitting to start out with a record of the conversation that my friend and I had when trying to think up a good name for this thing.


fleurdiabolique (5:04:23 PM): hey, what's a good name for a knitting blog?

fleurdiabolique (5:04:30 PM): sticks and string is taken. :(

[friend] (5:04:36 PM): hmmm

[friend] (5:04:38 PM): *ponders*

[friend] (5:05:19 PM): Ah, she says. A challenge.

fleurdiabolique (5:05:30 PM): lol

fleurdiabolique (5:05:37 PM): wait, is that a title?

[friend] (5:05:41 PM): no. lol

[friend] (5:05:43 PM): ^_^

fleurdiabolique (5:05:49 PM): lol

fleurdiabolique (5:05:50 PM): jj

fleurdiabolique (5:05:52 PM): *kk

[friend] (5:05:56 PM): I guess it could be, but it wasn't intended as one. :-P

[friend] (5:06:07 PM): hmmmmm....*ponder ponder*

fleurdiabolique (5:06:15 PM): lol

[friend] (5:06:37 PM): Knitting Knews. :-P That would be stupid.

[friend] (5:06:37 PM): lol

[friend] (5:06:43 PM): Unless you want something REALLY straightforward.

fleurdiabolique (5:06:48 PM): lol

fleurdiabolique (5:06:51 PM): i'll take any suggestions

[friend] (5:06:55 PM): hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[friend] (5:07:17 PM): Knitting Gnus! :-P

[friend] (5:07:22 PM): I have NO idea where that came from.

[friend] (5:07:23 PM): lol

[friend] (5:07:26 PM): Please disregard it.

fleurdiabolique (5:07:29 PM): lmao

[friend] (5:07:42 PM): lol

fleurdiabolique (5:07:42 PM): I have to say I'm tempted...

fleurdiabolique (5:07:43 PM): lol

[friend] (5:07:43 PM): *is odd*

[friend] (5:07:46 PM): hahahaha

fleurdiabolique (5:07:46 PM): but no one will get it

[...]

[friend] (5:08:19 PM): yeaaah...that would be odd. lol

[friend] (5:08:27 PM): I really wasn't serious

[friend] (5:08:44 PM): I mean, unless you found a picture of a knitted stuff gnu. ^_^

[friend] (5:08:48 PM): which would be freaking bizaree.

fleurdiabolique (5:08:57 PM): lol

[...]

[friend] (5:16:48 PM): Knitting Knook / Knit Wit(s) / Knit a non [anon?] (not sure of the point of that one, it just sounds okay) / Knit Pick (Knit Picking / Knit Picks) /

[friend] (5:16:55 PM): no GOOD ideas yet. Just those. Lol

[friend] (5:17:03 PM): I kinda like the Knit Wit(s) one

[friend] (5:17:04 PM): lol

[friend] (5:17:29 PM): depends on the point of blog, I guess. Is it to say what your'e working on/what's finished, just knitting themed/other?

[...]

fleurdiabolique (5:17:55 PM): It's more kind of a "this is what I'm up to with knitting right now" thing

fleurdiabolique (5:18:00 PM): because I am addicted to blogging

fleurdiabolique (5:18:01 PM): lol

[friend] (5:18:03 PM): ah, okay

[friend] (5:18:03 PM): lol

[friend] (5:18:09 PM): hehee. cute

[friend] (5:18:22 PM): "Knit Wit" still sounds funky. :-P

fleurdiabolique (5:18:26 PM): knitwit.blogspot.com is taken :(

[friend] (5:18:31 PM): awww. phooey!

[friend] (5:18:36 PM): knitwitting!

[friend] (5:18:36 PM): lol

[...]

[friend] (5:20:28 PM): "Knitting Knomes"! Or "Gnitting Gnomes"!

[friend] (5:20:35 PM): link

[friend] (5:20:53 PM): Knit Kit!

[friend] (5:20:55 PM): *is on a role*

[friend] (5:20:57 PM): *roll

[friend] (5:21:07 PM): Not a very clever one, but a punny/stupid one! Lol

[friend] (5:21:14 PM): it's a roll nontheless.

[friend] (5:21:15 PM): :-P

fleurdiabolique (5:21:15 PM): Gnitting Gnus!

fleurdiabolique (5:21:16 PM): lol

[friend] (5:21:20 PM): hahahaha! I still love that one!

[friend] (5:21:21 PM): ^)^

[friend] (5:21:22 PM): * ^_^

[friend] (5:21:27 PM): Even though it doesn't make much sense

fleurdiabolique (5:21:33 PM): lmao

fleurdiabolique (5:21:36 PM): and it's available

fleurdiabolique (5:21:40 PM): ...because it is nonsensical

fleurdiabolique (5:21:41 PM): lol

[friend] (5:21:45 PM): HAHAHA, really?! That's awesome!

[friend] (5:21:48 PM): It totally makes sense.

[friend] (5:21:53 PM): Anyone can figure out that Gnus is news.

[friend] (5:21:54 PM): lol

fleurdiabolique (5:22:05 PM): lol

[friend] (5:22:26 PM): ...you should knit a gnu JUST to post a pic so it makes sense. ^_^

[friend] (5:22:32 PM): *is half kidding.* :-P

[friend] (5:22:52 PM): Knit Wit Gnus!

fleurdiabolique (5:22:53 PM): lmao

[friend] (5:22:54 PM): Lol

[friend] (5:22:58 PM): I'm having too much fun, aren't I?

fleurdiabolique (5:23:08 PM): you're amusing me, so it's all good ;)

[friend] (5:23:12 PM): heehee.

[friend] (5:23:17 PM): Knit Wit News, maybe. Or something.

[friend] (5:23:38 PM): I like the wit because it's like you're crazy over your knitting, and it means wit too, like clever or something. :-P

[friend] (5:23:39 PM): It's cute

[friend] (5:23:49 PM): ...not that you can't tell that yourself, obviously. lol

fleurdiabolique (5:23:59 PM): lol

fleurdiabolique (5:24:04 PM): knitting knewbie

fleurdiabolique (5:24:05 PM): lol

[...]

fleurdiabolique (5:25:20 PM): Yarn Yarns!

[...]

[friend] (5:25:28 PM): heehee!

[friend] (5:25:30 PM): I bet that's taken

fleurdiabolique (5:25:34 PM): dammit, not available

[friend] (5:25:39 PM): I figured

[...]

fleurdiabolique (5:26:11 PM): DAMMIT

fleurdiabolique (5:26:17 PM): and it's like, a week old!

[friend] (5:26:17 PM): Knitting on the Brain

[...]

fleurdiabolique (5:28:50 PM): knice knitting?

[friend] (5:28:55 PM): heehee

fleurdiabolique (5:28:58 PM): i still think i prefer gnitting gnus to anything

fleurdiabolique (5:28:59 PM): lol

[friend] (5:29:03 PM): eeeeeeh...something's weird about the nice spelling that way

[friend] (5:29:06 PM): otherwise I'd like it

[friend] (5:29:07 PM): heehee.

fleurdiabolique (5:29:07 PM): i mena, out of the stuff that hasn't been taken

[friend] (5:29:13 PM): Knit Witting Gnus!!!!!!

[friend] (5:29:14 PM): Lol

fleurdiabolique (5:29:18 PM): or knitting knewbie

fleurdiabolique (5:29:19 PM): oooh!

[friend] (5:29:21 PM): Yeah, Knitting Gnus is cool

fleurdiabolique (5:29:26 PM): knitwit knewbie!

fleurdiabolique (5:29:27 PM): lol

[friend] (5:29:28 PM): eh...you won't be a newbie forever, though

[friend] (5:29:30 PM): heehee

fleurdiabolique (5:29:31 PM): yeah i know

fleurdiabolique (5:29:48 PM): knitster

[friend] (5:29:53 PM): heehee

fleurdiabolique (5:29:55 PM): taken

[friend] (5:29:59 PM): Go with Knitting Gnus! Do it! Lol

fleurdiabolique (5:30:12 PM): naw, but it has to be spelled the same

[friend] (5:30:13 PM): and find a picture of a gnu and a picture of knitting stuff and make a funky image!

[friend] (5:30:26 PM): oh, sorry, Knitting Knus! Or Gnitting Gnus!

[friend] (5:30:29 PM): or soemthing.....that just sucked. lol

[friend] (5:30:34 PM): Knitting Gnus works....

fleurdiabolique (5:30:42 PM): lol

[friend] (5:30:43 PM): Knit Witting Gnus still sounds neat to me. Or Knit Wit Gnus

[friend] (5:30:45 PM): ^_^

[friend] (5:30:50 PM): Knit Wit Gnus

fleurdiabolique (5:30:53 PM): i think that that's a bit too much

[friend] (5:30:58 PM): lol

[friend] (5:31:03 PM): I like that last one. Knit Wit Gnus

[friend] (5:31:08 PM): EVERYONE has a two word name

fleurdiabolique (5:31:12 PM): I Like To Knit!

[friend] (5:31:19 PM): lol

[friend] (5:31:22 PM): SOOOOOOOO taken

fleurdiabolique (5:31:23 PM): it's not taken

fleurdiabolique (5:31:24 PM): lol

[friend] (5:31:30 PM): really? Meh. It's kinda boring, though

[friend] (5:31:30 PM): lol

fleurdiabolique (5:31:33 PM): yeah, i know

fleurdiabolique (5:31:40 PM): knitpicking?

fleurdiabolique (5:31:47 PM): taken

fleurdiabolique (5:31:49 PM): *sigh*

[friend] (5:31:55 PM): HAHA. I don't know . It just popped out of my fingers.

[friend] (7:52:15 PM): Lol

fleurdiabolique (7:52:18 PM): lol

[friend] (7:52:20 PM): I swear I didn't even think it. O.o

[friend] (7:52:49 PM): heehee...I like it though. *giggle* Knittles...eh-heh-heh

fleurdiabolique (7:52:52 PM): lol

fleurdiabolique (7:52:54 PM): yes dear

[friend] (7:53:01 PM): *is tired and more easily amused*



...so, three hours of conversation and probably twenty or thirty name suggestions later, the title of this blog was henceforth decided to be...

Knitting. Yay!

...yeah. I got kinda tired. ;)

I promise to create a post with actual substance soon.