January 31, 2007

Mrs. Love turns a heel

I was reading The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, a book about discovering the past of a great elderly novelist, which is uncovered by the biographer thru memories told by a fair number of people. One of these people is a knitter, and the writer did a very good job because she really sounds like one. Just look at the chapter title and picture this: an aged woman sitting by the fire during a storm, she is knitting a grey wool sock (the second one) and just finished turning the heel when she realizes she has turned the heel two times on the same sock. Being a very meticulous knitter she remembers exactly how many times she has made that mistake (2), the yarn she was using (sturdy wool, soft wool), the color (blue, pink) and for who was she knitting the sock (her young man, her sister), remembering also that terrible things happened on those days she turned the two times the heel of one sock. Having lost all the people she cared for already she is expecting her own dead while she unravels the second turned heel, not wanting anyone to find her dead with a sock marked with such a silly mistake. I liked this detail because it really sounds like a knitter. In the end of the chapter she does not die but something life changing happens, in the good way.

Estaba leyendo The Thirteenth Tale por Diane Setterfield, el libro trata de una biógrafa tratando de descubrir el pasado de una novelista que se encuentra en los últimos días de su vida a través de entrevistas a ella y a varias otras personas. Una de estas personas es una tejedora, me encanta el trabajo que hizo la escritora porque en realidad suena como una tejedora verdadera. Vean el nombre del titulo e imagínense esto: una mujer anciana sentada al lado de la chimenea tejiendo una calceta (la segunda) de lana gris durante una tormenta. Acabando de voltear el talón se da cuenta que lo volteo dos veces en la misma calceta. Siendo una tejedora muy meticulosa se acuerda perfectamente de cuantas veces ha cometido este error (2 veces), el estambre que usaba ( lana aguantadora la primera y lana suave la segunda) el color ( azul y rosa) y para quien la estaba tejiendo ( su novio y su hermana). Al mismo tiempo recuerda que los días que cometió esos errores cosas terribles le sucedieron. Como en ese momento de su vida ya había perdido a toda la gente que le importaba esperaba que su propia muerte era lo que predecía ese segundo talón, pero mientras tanto empieza a soltar el talón que había tejido de mas pues no quería que nadie la encontrara muerta con un calceta que tuviera un error tan tonto. Este detalle me encanta porque en realidad suena como una tejedora. Al final del capitula la tejedora no muere pero le pasa algo que le cambia su vida en un buen modo.

I enjoyed so much the description of sock knitting that immediately cast on for the second sock of my toe up STR in Heavy Metal and even decided to give the magic loop a second chance. If you ever happen to come across this book read this chapter and I assure you will have a wide smile on your face and a useful need to knit a second sock by the end of it.

Me encanto la descripción de tejer de este capitulo por lo que inmediatamente empecé mi segunda calceta de STR en Heavy Metal que estoy tejiendo toe up. Hasta decidí darle una segunda oportunidad al magic loop! Si alguna vez se topan con este libro recomiendo que lean este capitulo al menos, les dejara una sonrisa en la boca y útiles ganas de tejer una segunda calceta.

January 26, 2007

A quick hat

Pattern: My own
Yarn: Noro Iro (75% wool 25% silk, 100g, 131 yds.) in 40, 1 skein.
Needles: Addi Turbo US 10 6mm
Cast On: January 25
Cast Off: January 25
Mods: -
Comments:With this damn cold I only wat to make things to keep me warm, this hat was made last night while watching TV. I wore it today, the yarn is sooo warm and the colors are beautiful but is a little scratchy.

Con este frio solo quiero hacer cosas que me mantengan calientita, este gorro lo hice anoche mientras veia la tele. Lo use hoy todo el día, el estambre esta super calientito y los colores me encantaron pero esta un poquito aspero.

January 22, 2007

Raz's Socks and a change

Pattern: Yarrow Rib Socks from Knitting Vintage Socks
Yarn: Socks that Rock lightweight (100% superwash merino, 130g, 360 yds.) in Lagoon, 1 skein.
Needles: Susan Bates DPN US 1 2.25mm
Cast On: December 6
Cast Off: January 15
Mods: Just subbed the heel for a french heel.
Sustituí el talón por un talón francés (así lo llaman en el libro de Nancy Bush).
Comments:I had some problems with pooling in the second sock, but everything turned all right in the end. I subbed the heel because I didn’t like the one suggested the first time I made this pattern. Of the yarn, I have said so many times how I like it, but this is the first time I knit with the STR lightweight and I must say that I like it best. The socks turned less bulky and the yarn is a little cheaper.

Tuve algunos problemas con pooling en la segunda calceta pero en si todo salio bien. El talón lo cambie porque ya había hecho estas calcetas una vez y no me gusta el que viene. Del estambre ya he dicho muchas veces que me encanta, pero esta es la primera vez que uso el STR lightweight y la verdad es que me gusta mas, hace calcetas mas delgaditas y esta mas barato.

As you must have noted I decided to write my blog in 2 languages from now on so I don’t leave out the growing community of Hispanic knit-bloggers.

Como se habrán podido dar cuenta decidí escribir mi blog en 2 idiomas porque cuando empecé el blog no conocía a nadie que tuviera un blog en español, pero ahora ya que se ha expandido esta comunidad creo que es tiempo de hacer el cambio. Solo una cosa como aprendí a tejer de libros en ingles me tendrán que perdonar los pochismos tejeriles.

January 20, 2007

Pretty scarf

I just started a "So called Scarf" in Manos del Uruguay #40, pretty isn't it?

January 19, 2007

Little FO

We’ve had an unusual cold weather this week here in Monterrey between 0° and 6° C (that’s 32°-42°F), which is perhaps not very could but WE ARE FREZZING down here. So I felt it was a good time to knit this that I’ve been eyeing for some time.

Pattern: Calorimetry by Kathryn Schoendorf from Knitty Winter 2006
Yarn: Paton’s SWS (70% wool, 30% soy, 80g, 110 yds.) in Natural Plum, 1 ball.
Needles: Addis US 8 5mm
Cast On: January 17
Cast Off: January 17
Mods: Cast on 108 sts and made only 10 repeats of row 5.
Comments: I’ve read a lot of good things about this pattern but a recurrent complaint that it was too big (even for the persons who bother to knit a swatch) so following some advices in the forums of Knitty I made it a little smaller and it fits like a dream. And besides looking lovely the headband really delivers and keeps your head and ears warm and comfortable, I’ve hardly taken it off. Not mentioning is a really fast FO.

The yarn, self-striping wool-soy blend, got my attention between the acrylics at Michaels and is great to knit with. It has a slight halo like a mohair blend but also a bit of sheen and the colors are so saturated I just love it. And is really self-stripping, you could knit a wide scarf and still get stripes no problem, I’ll be getting more soon.

Man I got a lot to read! I received a lot of good books this Christmas and bought a few, all of them I’m dying to read.

January 13, 2007

Cardigan progress

I’ve finished the front and back of the Urban Aran, this is it nicely folded. I'm loving the pattern so far and have a bit left of the first cone of yarn (I’ve got 2) so I might be able to do one for myself with the same yarn.

About the socks Myrth was right, I just kept knitting and the problem solved itself. My tension must have been looser at the start of the sock or it was just a patch of weird pooling. And speaking of Myrth she made a post writing about this year knitty resolutions and following her example I’m going to make 2: Learning to knit in English style and learning two-handed fair isle (scroll down on both links). Im hoping to apply both on this.

Also just before the holidays I taught a friend how to knit and I’m happy to say that she loved it, she started a swatch that turned into a scarf in garter stitch and later on she ripped it and start it again just for the fun of it. She too taught herself how to bind off. I couldn’t be more proud Mache!!! She of course got yarn from Raz and me for Christmas.

January 09, 2007

Whyyyyyy?

This is the leg of the socks i'm doing for Raz with STR in the Lagoon colorway. They have a weird pooling of stripes in spiral.

This is the second sock front and back.

Why, why is it not striping the same way if it is the same skein, same needles, same knitter? Does this make sense? Should I give up and continue knitting? I've already ripped and re-knit 2 times with the same results.

(Sorry for the blurry photos but is night and I'm frustrated)