Last night I sat here and spent almost an hour typing a very long, detailed post. Then my computer threw up and I lost the entire thing.

So I’ll try again.

First of all I thanked Jody from the FiberRAOK list for sending me 2 books. She’d posted some to give away, and I got 2 by Mary Higgins Clark. I was so excited to receive the package yesterday! These books and the rock crystal I received are the only RAOKs I’ve gotten, not counting well wishes and stuff. I know it’s mostly my own fault, other than 2 magazines I sent out and 2 elann.com gift certificates, I haven’t sent anything else out in the 4 months or so I’ve been a member. I guess I was kinda holding back to see if anyone would send me anything. Maybe it’s ‘cus I don’t leave comments on other people’s blogs, so they don’t get to know me unless they come here to my blog. I keep wondering if I should leave the RAOK group to make room for another blogger. This is not a plea for people to send me stuff. I just can’t help but wonder sometimes, am I only going to receive something after people see other people thanking me for sending them stuff a bunch of times? Is there some kind of protocol no one says publicly, that you have to gift, I dunno, 5 times before you’re gifted yourself? I’m just kidding here, I know it doesn’t work that way. I guess the people who are more vocal in the group emails are the ones who get noticed more, and then people start following their blogs and they all end up exchanging RAOKs. But with 300+ members, it’s hard to follow everyone. That’s why I’m looking forwards to the Secret Pal 5 to start. I’ll only have to worry about 1 person, lol. Anyways, I debated posting these thoughts ‘cus I know RAOKers read my blog, and I’m really not trying to solicit people to send me stuff. I’m just wondering…how many other members of the list feel the same way?

Ok, now that I’ve probably pissed off a bunch of people, back to knitting! I did a lot on the tester sweater I’m making to explore machine knitting. I’m calling it my Kosher sweater ‘cus it’s MK (machine knit). 🙂 (MK is also one of the symbols they put on food products to mark it as kosher.)

I won’t finish the “diary of a sweater” analogy ‘cus I’m too annoyed at having to retype, but (yay!) the knitting is all done! I won’t say that I enjoyed the process of knitting the thing, but I do like the results. Check this out:
Monday: finished the front (except 1/2 the v-neck)
Tuesday: finished the front and back
Wednesday: finished the sleeves
Thursday: blocked the sucker

I was so proud to have it blocking before work yesterday. I know I’ve knit sweaters before, both dog and human, but this was the first one for me. And it’s bigger than the others. Over 700 rows of knitting done in 4 nights. It’s amazing to me, but I still don’t enjoy the process. It’s not so bad when I push the carriage to the right, but when I need to go left it fights me and the knitting actually becomes a workout. Plus, it’s stressful. I’ve dropped a few stitches without realizing it. Luckily I know how to fix it, and did so, but still, it’s not “fun” yet. I did figure out increases and decreases like a pro though. :]

Last night I seamed the shoulders and inserted the set-in sleeves. Today I hope to finish the side and underarm seams so I can spend Sunday doing some kind of border treatment, and wear it to my class on Monday.
“What did you do this week Jennifer?”
“Well, see this shirt I’m wearing…”

One week, one sweater. Amazing.

To Jewel from the comments: Other than the Wool Shop out here, these are the other LYSs I’ve heard about. I’ve never been to any, but would like to visit them sometime. Have you been to any of these? Know of any others?
Boutique Jenni-Mar 142 Saint-Charles Avenue, Vaudreuil-Dorion, QC J7V2K8 (450) 424-4110
Brick Point Needlework Shop 318 Victoria Avenue, Westmount, QC H3Z2M8 (514) 489-0993
Knitwits 6900 Décarie Boulevard, Côte-Saint-Luc, QC H3X2T8 (514) 342-9332
Lainerie Lépine (A la) 3884 Jean-Talon Rue East, Montréal, QC H2A1Y7 (514) 721-2440
Magasin Fibres LB 2270 Du Mont-Royal Avenue East, Montréal, QC H2H1K6 (514) 521-9000
Tricoteuse (A La) 779 Rachel Rue East, Montréal, QC H2J2H4 (514) 527-2451

I’ve also heard there’s a place where the guy spins your yarn for you, even custom colors and blends, and it’s sold by the pound so for sweaters it’s super cheap. I forget which store he is though. I need to do a road trip. I don’t work Mondays, I should really plan to leave the West Island one of these weeks.

To Carrie from Southern-Fried Knitting from the comments: Thanks for coming by! I really hope you enjoy the FiberRAOK ring. I know I grumbled up there, but it’s morning, I’m cranky, and my auto-censors haven’t kicked in yet. The people are super friendly, and always there to lend a hand if you need it. P.S. Fiona and Bubbles are adorable!

To Jenanne from the comments: Taking a class sounds like such a great idea. I think I’ve managed to convince my knitting teacher (who lent me the machine) to come over one night and give me a crash course. True, I’ll already have made something before then, but it won’t hurt to learn the proper basics first.

To Jewel from the comments: Do you live in Montreal? I do my class in the West Island at The Wool Shop (Les Lainages du Petit Mouton) in the Pointe Claire Shopping Center. I know there are other LYSs in Montreal, but I don’t usually drive downtown or really out of the West Island, so haven’t braved out there yet. Supposedly some good stuff though, but I’m waiting to convince someone (anyone?) to come with me first. I’m also a member of the Montreal Knitting Guild that meets the second Tuesday of each month in Beaconsfield http://www.montrealknittinguild.com
and I also attend the Montreal Knitting Meetup (the one on Monkland, not the one in Pointe Claire) because it’s right near my work. The only yarn I’ve bought online was from RedBirdKnits, so far. I hear great things about elann and smily’s though, and plan to shop once I’ve got some spare cash 🙂

Monday night:
12:30am: Finally stop working on the machine. I’m hot, sweaty, and just a skoch cranky, but have most of a sweater front to show for it. I had intended on doing the back first, but realized 97 rows in that I had 4 sts too many, and decided that due to my boobs I’d rather have the extra width in the front, rather than the back. I say “most” of a sweater front ‘cus I made a v-neck, and had to put 37 sts on a holder while I worked on one side of the neck. I was too tried to finish both sides. At least I know that I accomplished something! No way could I have knit 171 rows by hand in one night!

Tuesday (today):

12:30pm – 6:00pm: Spend time at work contemplating sweater while working. Figuring out how best to tame the beast. Laugh at the weakness I showed yesterday and know that I have now conquored the knitting machine. Ignore forboding music playing softly in my mind.

6:48pm: Get home from work and make supper, trying hard to ignore the knitting machine still set up on the kitchen table. Eat standing up at the island, eyeing the km from time to time. Smile and think how easy it all is, once you know how to do it.

8:00pm: Place leftover sts from yesterday’s front on machine. Take a few moments to decide how best to do this, as the sts are so tiny. Finally decide to use the transfer tools.

8:45pm: Front is finished! I still couldn’t figure out how to bind off, if it is the same thing as when I bind off a bunch of sts for the armpit, or if there is another trick when you’re binding off the last sts, ‘cus you’d still end up with one st at the end. I resorted to the same thing as for the other side of the front: drop the rem 6 sts and BO with needles. (I did this for the front ‘cus I accidentally passed the carriage without any yarn in it, and it dropped everything off the needles.)

9:15pm: After some guacamole and low-carb tortilla chips, I sit down at the machine. I confidently cast on with waste yarn, do a few rows, then switch to my main yarn. I get 17 rows in when the carriage jams. I take it off but can’t figure out how to start knitting again in the middle of a row. I decide that I’m so few rows in, it would be better to start over. I drop everything and frog. I start again. After 23 rows I glance at the knitting I’ve created and see that I’ve somehow managed to knit in a knot in the yarn. It’s on the wrong side, but it’s still a clump of yarn the size of a nickel that will either pop out on the right side, or hit my back really uncomfortably. I decide again to start over.

10:07pm: I come upstairs to get a screwdriver to pop the lock on the downstairs bathroom ‘cus I must have accidentally locked it and shut the door. I decide to update my blog while here. Downstairs I have 45 rows OTN. I’ve decided not to be cocky with this machine. After all, I still have the sleeves too.

To “B” from bknits from the comments: I figured out the whole money thing. Turns out that yes, I bought 11 sk at 6.99 ea, yes I returned 11 sk, but of the 11, 8 were 7.49 and then a 20% disco ‘cus they were on sale (that I forgot about) and 3 were 7.49 with a 10% disco (that I get on all purchases). So they were right after all.

To Lucia from the comments: You have a fantastic site! I’d actually looked at the pattern when googling “machine knit raglan sweater generator” but I really wanted something knit in pieces and your other ones are knit in the round, plus I wanted something knit bottom up. I’m using an old bulky HK 100, Singer I think, and I can’t do in the round on it. I’m not really a machine knitter yet lol, just practicing to see if I like it before I buy one. My bf was ready to drop big money on ebay to buy me a machine, but I felt so afraid it would just sit there if I didn’t enjoy it! Luckily my knitting teacher lent me one of hers to try out. It’s….well, I don’t know how to describe it yet. I wouldn’t call it fun. It’s not peaceful or exhilirating or destressing like hand knitting. So far it’s stress-inducing. 🙂

To Jenanne from the comments: Oh my God is there so much prep work! Geez with my hand needles you just sit down and go. With this OY VEY! Not to mention the space it takes up and the time commitment. I can’t sit down and do a few rows while waiting to leave, I need to plan, prepare. Hopefully it will be worth it. I had to lose the ruffle though, dropped the sts yesterday and wasn’t about to reknit it for another hour before getting on to the machine. Plus I HATED transfering the sts to the machine. I don’t know what the proper way is to do it, but it was obnoxious and took forever. Since I CO with waste yarn, I’ll have live sts so I can do a border on the needles at the end. I’m not sure if I’ll keep the ruffle. I think a nice cable that winds around might look better. I’ll see once everything is blocked and I can try it on.

…so to finish Sunday, Yannick took me to his friend Mike’s mom’s store in Chateauguay that sells the Charmilia beads so that I could spend my gift certificate. I was having a really hard time picking something out! There were a lot of cute things, but they can get expensive so I don’t want to get something just ‘cus it’s cute. I want it to have meaning. And I found the perfect beads!

But you’ll have to wait until I pick up the bracelet (they ordered in my size) to see a pic…

I’m such a tease.

After the store we stopped by Mike and Laura’s, then headed back home for our reservation at a really fantastic Italian place. Frank, my computer guy, recommended it so we tried it out, and it was delicious! If anyone is ever in the West Island, it’s called Mundo and is off of Saint-Charles blvd. After dinner we went to Laurentian Lanes so Yannick could bowl with my cousin while I knitted.

After my little tire rendez-vous this morning I went to my knitting class. So easily enabled, I bought yarn for 2!!! more projects.

1) 3 skeins of Watercolors mohair in black to make a shrug- really practical for both home and out. Uh huh.

2) 10! skeins of Decor to attempt a machine-knit sweater. Which leads to….

A Sweater: From Concept to Completion

12:30 pm: I arrive home with my 10 spanking-new skeins and place them lovingly on the kitchen table.

12:45pm: I go up to my office and fetch 2 knitting books: Ann Budd’s Handy Book of Sweater Patterns, and Nicky Epstein’s Knitting on the Edge. My theory is that since I already have a machine knit swatch, I can choose the gauge I like and make up a sweater following Ann Budd’s patterns, and use Nicky Epstein’s for the finishing touches.

1:00pm: I realize that my gauge doesn’t work out evenly to “4” or 5″ sts/inch like the book uses, but rather 4.25 sts/inch. This is a foreboding sign of things to come.

1:15pm: After searching I discover the book has a section on how to use alternate gauges, and I make notes accordingly and proceed with optimism to write out a pattern. I decide I will be smart and write everything out so if it says to knit 11 inches, I’ll already have calculated how many rows that translates to based on the gauge (since machine knitting must be done by rows, I have discovered.)

1:22pm: I discover that Mrs. Budd has decided to write the raglan pattern for knitting in the round, which is impossible for me to do on the bulky machine. I proceed nonetheless, fearlessly converting the “body” directions to “front” and “back” directions.

3:31pm: I finish writing out the front, back and sleeve directions so far and discover that Ann has chosen to join the body and sleeves into a seamless yoke for her raglan pattern. Much swearing ensues as I try to figure out how to fiddle/subtract/analyze the breakdown of this.

4:04pm: I head upstairs to try on shirts I already own to see if I really *need* raglan sleeves, even though I’d wanted them. Luckily I find a shirt that fits great with semi-dropped sleeves, a pattern for which dear Ann Budd has conveniently written in pieces, not in the round. Much rejoicing takes place.

6:18pm: I finish hand writting the entire front and back directions including an adaptation for a v-neck. I then decide to go through the borders book to see what I’ll do. I choose a basic ruffle, which requires casting on double the sts I need for the front/back pieces, working in st st then decreasing to create the ruffle, then I can put that on the machine and continue.

7:46pm: I take a break after row 10 of the 18 planned rows of 208 stupid stitches for the silly ruffle. I’m sure I’ll love this later. Right now all I’m thinking is that this is my only day off alone and I haven’t even touched the machine yet, and I only started knitting an hour ago!

At least there is nothing on tonight so I can hopefully do something on the machine, although my thoughts of having a sweater blocking by sundown are completely dashed.

Saturday night was kinda a bust. After work Yannick made me watch Saw with him while we had supper. I agreed only ‘cus we were supposed to go out to Bingo after, so I figured watching a creepy thriller during daylight hours while eating with the lights on wouldn’t be so bad. It wasn’t, and talking about stupid plot tricks that make no sense helped too. But then we had one of our usual fights about how things aren’t always perfect, and instead of trying to make them so we both get pretty stubborn, so instead of going to Bingo I read knitting books while he did laundry and then went to bed. Ok the night didn’t complelely suck- I did get inspired to do some knitware designs from Nicky Epstein’s Knitting on the Edge. I made some sketches…we’ll see what happens.

Sunday was somewhat more fun. We went over to my LYS and I changed my 11 skeins of Alafoss Lopi for 11 of Patons’ Classic Merino so I could start my felted bag. I have to figure out something though, ‘cus I returned 11 sk at 7.49$/ea minus my disco, and bought 11 sk at 6.99$/ea minus my disco, but still somehow owed $1.22 at the end. It wasn’t much so I’m not complaining….but the math doesn’t work in my head.

I have a lot more to write but have to leave ‘cus I need to get a flat tire patched before my 9am class *groan* so I’m off!

Saturday night was kinda a bust. After work Yannick made me watch Saw with him while we had supper. I agreed only ‘cus we were supposed to go out to Bingo after, so I figured watching a creepy thriller during daylight hours while eating with the lights on wouldn’t be so bad. It wasn’t, and talking about stupid plot tricks that make no sense helped too. But then we had one of our usual fights about how things aren’t always perfect, and instead of trying to make them so we both get pretty stubborn, so instead of going to Bingo I read knitting books while he did laundry and then went to bed. Ok the night didn’t complelely suck- I did get inspired to do some knitware designs from Nicky Epstein’s Knitting on the Edge. I made some sketches…we’ll see what happens.

Sunday was somewhat more fun. We went over to my LYS and I changed my 11 skeins of Alafoss Lopi for 11 of Patons’ Classic Merino so I could start my felted bag. I have to figure out something though, ‘cus I returned 11 sk at 7.49$/ea minus my disco, and bought 11 sk at 6.99$/ea minus my disco, but still somehow owed $1.22 at the end. It wasn’t much so I’m not complaining….but the math doesn’t work in my head.

I have a lot more to write but have to leave ‘cus I need to get a flat tire patched before my 9am class *groan* so I’m off!

Saturday night was kinda a bust. After work Yannick made me watch Saw with him while we had supper. I agreed only ‘cus we were supposed to go out to Bingo after, so I figured watching a creepy thriller during daylight hours while eating with the lights on wouldn’t be so bad. It wasn’t, and talking about stupid plot tricks that make no sense helped too. But then we had one of our usual fights about how things aren’t always perfect, and instead of trying to make them so we both get pretty stubborn, so instead of going to Bingo I read knitting books while he did laundry and then went to bed. Ok the night didn’t complelely suck- I did get inspired to do some knitware designs from Nicky Epstein’s Knitting on the Edge. I made some sketches…we’ll see what happens.

Sunday was somewhat more fun. We went over to my LYS and I changed my 11 skeins of Alafoss Lopi for 11 of Patons’ Classic Merino so I could start my felted bag. I have to figure out something though, ‘cus I returned 11 sk at 7.49$/ea minus my disco, and bought 11 sk at 6.99$/ea minus my disco, but still somehow owed $1.22 at the end. It wasn’t much so I’m not complaining….but the math doesn’t work in my head.

I have a lot more to write but have to leave ‘cus I need to get a flat tire patched before my 9am class *groan* so I’m off!

I think I’m going through a bout of food poisoning. Either that, or I ate waaaaay too many foods with oil in them yesterday, ‘cus I’ve been sick since the minute I got home. Or it was the leftover Greek salad I ate a day late. Or the stale cheese croissant. Or the movie-theater popcorn. Or- ok, I see it could be many things that I did to myself. Why does everything I like have to be fried or oily or greasy? If only I liked chocolate…… lol

Wednesday night Yannick came home to have supper with me, so while there were nice steaks in my evening, there was no knitting. I made up for it Thursday night for an hour or so, and yesterday morning too.

Last night we went to Montana’s for dinner then to see Be Cool. I don’t know why it didn’t get great reviews, ‘cus it was a lot of fun. Well, except for the 5 obnoxious teens who wouldn’t shut up one row over. I don’t know what it is with the Collisee, but every time we go there people won’t stop talking. And I try to be nice, I really do. I’m 27, not sitting there talking about “young whippersnappers”. But please. I won’t shush you if you talk during the previews even though they’re my favorite part. And I’ll even ask you nicely the first 4 times or so, to “please stop talking” or “do you mind not talking, I can’t hear the movie”. My previous worst time was when X-Men had just come out. The man behind me was explaining every scene to his 3 year old. “Now Wolverine just burst through the door. Ooh look, he’s got his claws out! Isn’t this scary……etc…” But last night…whew. I asked nicely. I was polite. About 14 times. Then I started shushing them. Then I had to resort to saying out loud “Please stop talking!” After the 30th or so request I finally looked over and said that if they wouldn’t stop talking I would get the manager. They didn’t. So I got up and walked out. You know the part in the commercial when John Travolta and Uma Thurman are dancing to the Black Eyed Peas? That’s the scene I missed. I figured I was safe, I’ve seen them dance already in Pulp Fiction. 🙂 I didn’t find the manager, but I did find 2 “customer service” teens. Very scary. *snort* They followed me in and spoke to the kids. I felt like a narc, but seriously, it was now over an hour into the movie and I’d asked them to be quiet many, many times. Of course, they didn’t. By the time I actually disturbed other movie goers by almost yelling “shut up!” they were turning on their cell phones for light and giggling. Thankfully, about a half hour before the end of the movie, they got up and left, one by one. I don’t know why, for all I know the “customer service” guys told them that if they were good and left they’d get movie passes. I was just really thankful for the silence! I was a little nervous though when we left the movie and they were all outside. After the mob-type movie I’d just seen you know that I was certain they were all packing weapons and would follow us to the car…and I won’t fill in the details my morbid brain created next. When one young guy started walking towards us from the far end of the parking lot, one hand reaching into his waistband under his coat for like 3 minutes, I was positive he was reaching for a gun. I know. Like we’d get blown away over a movie ruckus. I know. *sheepish grin* What can I say? I’m creative…my brain is always working up these stories.

On a more positive note about last night Yannick surprised me with a very generous present! When we’d gone to Fourquette Fourchette a few weeks ago Laura, the birthday boy’s wife, was wearing a very interesting bracelet, and her mom had a similar necklace. It was kinda like the Zoppini charm bracelets, but instead of interlocking squares, these were 3D beads that went on a rope-like chain. There were “locking” beads that meant the beads between them could move freely, but not past the locks, so even if the clasp undid you wouldn’t lose anything. Plus the beads were gorgeous. And adorable. A cat, for example, wasn’t just a picture of a cat, it was an actual 3D cat sculpture with a hole through the side to pass the chain. But, due to the quantity of the beads available, it could be like the Zoppini charms in that you choose beads with special meanings, or for special occassions. I fell in love with it right away. It’s more “grown up” than the Zoppini ones that are now available even at dollar stores. Plus most are real gold and/or silver, and are more expensive, which is the only downside. They’re called Chamilia, and have a website: http://www.chamilia.com How do I know what they’re called? :] Because my lovely boyfriend surprised me with a gift certificate to Laura’s mom’s store where she sells them! Yesterday was “kinda” an anniversary (Dec 1 was 6 years, so April 1 was six years, 4 months), plus he’d never gotten me a Valentine’s Day gift. He wanted to pick out actual beads for me, but wasn’t sure which chain I’d prefer, gold, silver or stainless steel, so we’re going to go back together. I can’t wait!

Now back to the knitting!

I have to say that I’m SO GLAD I started working on this cardi! It is such a pleasure to knit, and I love watching each row bring the picture out more. And it’s pretty fast too, since I only started it this week and I think by Monday night I’ll have at least finished the left front piece…which doesn’t sound like much until you remember that I have to follow a pattern with no repeats at all for every single row.

Here’s LC now:

And, since I wasn’t planning on making such a long post, I also took a pic of the chart I’m using for this piece, to show how I color-coded each chart symbol. I laughed at myself for doing this in a previous post, but omigod does it make it go so fast! I don’t even have to count, nothing! Just looking at the chart shows me instantly where I am and what to do next. I love it!

Hi! I’m glad to remind you of the sweater lol. I loved it when I first saw it, then returned the book to the library. When I spent 3 days thinking of it I knew I had to go back for a photocopy. I’m so glad to be making it, it’s such a pleasure to knit, plus it’s fun seeing the picture appear. You’re not the only one to like it, since I posted the pic I’ve had a few emails from people asking where it’s from, so I’ll clarify: I think the book is called Vogue Knitting, it is the big (12″ x 16″?) hardcover book that tells you how to cast on, inc, dec, etc… In the back are about 6 patterns by famous designers like Calvin Klein. This one is by DKNY but I think it is only referred to as “oversize cardigan”. Someone else told me they found it under the name Enchanted Forest, but I can’t confirm that.

For the first time in 3 months I don’t have any knitting commissions outstanding. This means I can knit *gasp* whatever I want! I’m in heaven!

Yesterday my dad wasn’t feeling well in the morning, so we went in to work a bit late. Wanna see what I did in the morning? I took out my bead and started to make some stitch markers! Yay! I want to make a whole bunch then send out some RAOKs ‘cus I haven’t sent that many yet. Here’s what I did so far:

They’re a bit hard to see, but I made an assorted bunch of knit-related terms. Since they’re all similar, this whole lot will go to one lucky FiberRAOK member! 🙂 I had so much fun making them! I wish I actually owned some myself, of any kind, since my current project is using 12 stitch markers and I’d love to put “jewlery” on instead of my little plastic rings. This Sunday I’ve asked Yannick to make some with me, since his brain works differently and I want to see what he’ll come up with to do with the beads. I think I’ll keep some of our efforts, and send out all the rest.

Wanna see what I did last night? A SELFISH project! Yay! It’s the DKNY-designed one-size-fits-all cardigan in the back of the big Vogue Knitting reference book, and it uses cables to make trees, flowers, a fence, etc…

Here is a (horrible) pic of the pictures from the book:

This shows the front (in my handly little plastic document holder).

This is a close-up of the little pic up there showing the back. You can’t see it well, but trust me, it’s cute.

This is what I’ve done so far. It’s the Left Front piece of the cardigan. After the ribbing you see some grass and a little meadow with flowers. 🙂 I’m right at the point to start the different trees, which is why I decided stitch markers would help. There are no repeats, but I marked off my chart with similar divisions to break down the long row into more manageble sections. I also spent 3 hours coloring in each different key in the chart a different color with 24 colored pencils but that’s not something we need to talk about. 🙂

Now let’s see if I can squeeze some knitting time into this morning before my dad calls to say “leave now!”.