Magazine Review: Knit Wear

I was waiting for the pharmacy to fill a Rx today so I hopped over to JoAnn Fabrics to kill time. I saw this on the stands. It is a little expensive at $14.99. Its published annually by Interweave.


There are 25 patterns. The magazine is broken down into sections: The Perfect Sweater (different variations of a sweater pattern), On the Edge (patterns with different elements to enhance the edges), The Knitting Elements (combinations of knit and purl), Ruffle, Drape and Pleat (fabric manipulations and directional shaping), Assembly Required (most of these sweaters are knit in pieces and seamed, buttons added). One pattern is given as a book excerpt.


In addition there are features on ribbing techniques, grafting and a yarn company. There are quite a few ads, but I don't feel like its any more than any other magazine and they are all related to knitting.


Mostly sweaters, but there is also patterns for a capelet, mobius and scarf.


There are several patterns in this magazine that I would make. Typically if I see more than three I think I would make, I consider it reasonable to purchase the magazine. Because it said Premiere Issue on it, I was intrigued.

FO: Nugatory Socks

Pattern: Nugatory
Yarn: Knit Picks Bare Dyed by Me
Needles: Knit Picks US 1 32" Circlar
Cast On: 6/13/2011
Finished: 10/28/11

Friday Feature Film

My favorite movie ... and my FAVORITE SONG ever!

War of WIPs Call to Arms #15

Want to join the war?? Check out the 2011 War of WIPs page.

In addition to finishing WIPs, there will be optional side quests to organize your knitting life! Check out the War of WIPs page for more information!

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I finished knitting the second Nugatory sock, it just has to be seamed at the toe! Photos of finished objects to follow when I have photo taking light available.


Next Battles on the Horizon:

Bat Shawl Vanquished 8/27/11
Celeano Shawl Vanquished 10/16/11
Niantic Rose Shawl 10/31/11
Ribband 10/31/11
Coriolis Socks Vanquished 9/8/11
Nugatory Socks 11/15/11
February Lady Sweater
Derek's Scarf 11/30/11
Reversible Cable Scarf 11/30/11
Saroyan 12/15/11
Icarus Shawl
Stenciling storage boxes
Hummingbird Cross Stitch

October 16-30
Organize your Knitting Library

Do you know what books and magazines you have? Have you ever purchased a magazine twice?? I have!! I've almost purchased the same book twice too! Have you actually knit anything from the books you have? If you are a member of Ravelry you can update your library with the books on your shelves!


We still have time for 4 more side quests, if you have an idea for a side quest, please mail me at delusionalknitter AT gmail DOT com.

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Want to join the war?

October TUSAL

Here's my October TUSAL update. A few more ends in there from Halloween socks!

Weekend Update 10-23-11

T'was a good weekend. Usually after a weekend I don't feel like I accomplished anything. This weekend was different.

Saturday morning we helped my mom move her stuff from storage back into her apartment ... long story.

Sunday D's parents brought down some wood for the wood stove. They own a lot of land in NH. He went up last weekend to help chop so that was our reward. They stayed for early dinner, was a nice visit.

Fishy got a heater for his tank. He seems very happy. A tropical fish is not so happy with October New England temperatures. We did break down and turn on the heat this weekend, but his tank was still too cold. Now I'm confident he can survive the winter.



I blocked Celaeno. This was a difficult one to block.


I am hoping it dries well. It doesn't seem to be opening up enough at the edges.


I found a sock I started a long time ago in my stash. I reclaimed the yarn. Washed it after Celeano. I think this yarn is better suited for a shawl.

Friday Feature Film

War of WIPs Call to Arms #14

Want to join the war?? Check out the 2011 War of WIPs page.

In addition to finishing WIPs, there will be optional side quests to organize your knitting life! Check out the War of WIPs page for more information!

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Celaeno is so done! It still needs blocking before its totally complete, I hope to get that done this weekend.


Next Battles on the Horizon:

Bat Shawl Vanquished 8/27/11
Celeano Shawl Vanquished 10/16/11
Niantic Rose Shawl 10/31/11
Ribband 10/31/11
Coriolis Socks Vanquished 9/8/11
Nugatory Socks 11/15/11
February Lady Sweater
Derek's Scarf 11/30/11
Reversible Cable Scarf 11/30/11
Saroyan 12/15/11
Icarus Shawl
Stenciling storage boxes
Hummingbird Cross Stitch

October 16-30
Organize your Knitting Library

Do you know what books and magazines you have? Have you ever purchased a magazine twice?? I have!! I've almost purchased the same book twice too! Have you actually knit anything from the books you have? If you are a member of Ravelry you can update your library with the books on your shelves!


I've updated my library in Ravelry with the books I have.

We still have time for 4 more side quests, if you have an idea for a side quest, please mail me at delusionalknitter AT gmail DOT com.

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Want to join the war?

Weekend Update 10-16-11

Celaeno is done!!! It has to be blocked, but it is finally cast off. This hasn't been on the needles really long (like years), but with all the beads it seemed to take FOREVER. Even the cast off row has beads, 153 to be exact. Doesn't seem like a lot, but it takes much more time to place a bead than just knit or purl.


Here's a close up of the beading on the edge. I was much more comfortable with charted beads than the garter stitch sections, which said to place beads randomly ... random and I just don't get along. I really prefer symmetry.


I have a new addition to my computer/yarn room. Say hello to Jack Skellington.


He sits at the adjacent wall to Capt. Jack Sparrow. Now all I need is a poster of Capt. Jack Harkness from Torchwood and it'll be a Trifecta of Awesomeness.


And the best part ... he glows in the dark.

Friday Feature Film

War of WIPs Call to Arms #13

Want to join the war?? Check out the 2011 War of WIPs page.

In addition to finishing WIPs, there will be optional side quests to organize your knitting life! Check out the War of WIPs page for more information!

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Celaeono is done and I'm working on the cast off row!!!

Next Battles on the Horizon:

Bat Shawl Vanquished 8/27/11
Celeano Shawl 9/30/11
Niantic Rose Shawl 10/31/11
Ribband 10/31/11
Coriolis Socks Vanquished 9/8/11
Nugatory Socks 11/15/11
February Lady Sweater
Derek's Scarf 11/30/11
Reversible Cable Scarf 11/30/11
Saroyan 12/15/11
Icarus Shawl
Stenciling storage boxes
Hummingbird Cross Stitch

October 16-30
Organize your Knitting Library

Do you know what books and magazines you have? Have you ever purchased a magazine twice?? I have!! I've almost purchased the same book twice too! Have you actually knit anything from the books you have? If you are a member of Ravelry you can update your library with the books on your shelves!

We still have time for 4 more side quests, if you have an idea for a side quest, please mail me at delusionalknitter AT gmail DOT com.

---

Want to join the war?

WIP Wednesday 10-12-11

Check out other WIP Wednesday Blogs by clicking the link above!


Log cabin blanket for a co-worker who is expecting .... not due until Feb, so plenty of time!


Halloween socks!! Sleepy Hollow by Wandering Cat Yarns.

Weekend Update 10-9-11

Discount code for Revelations of a Delusional Knitter Yarns! I have some Halloween colorways, but this discount is good for any colorway. 25% off until October 31st. Enter code TRICKORTREAT.

I've been wanting to try dyeing self striping yarn for a while now. Even moreso after getting this awesome colorway from Wandering Cat Yarns! Sleepy Hollow, the perfect Halloween sock yarn. I have cast on socks, since Laura of the Knit Girllls declared Sunday Knit whatever the heck you want day.


Today I skeined up a 24 foot skein, I planned on doing 3 different colors for a three stripe repeat. I tried skeining the yarn by flipping two bar stools from the kitchen upsidedown to use the legs to wrap the yarn around. A little voice in the back of my head said, "You do know the stools are going to move, right?" And the other voice said, "Oh, I'll be careful, it'll be fine." Well it wasn't, LOL!! It went OK, but 1) the stool legs are not straight, they are angled slightly, and 2) they did in fact move. So the beginning of the skein was much looser and longer than the end. I think it worked out OK ... until I dyed it incorrectly.

It should have been dyed in a loop, so that the color repeats were each 1/3 of the skein. Well for some reason I thought it OK to fold the skein in half and then dye it, so I have one long repeat of 2 colors and 2 short repeats of one of the colors. This was the test skein anyway and I will keep it myself to see how it knits up, and I did learn some things in the process, which was the intent of this exercise.


My grandmother passed away recently and my aunt saved this for me (afghan and pillow). How cool are these colors!!!

Friday Feature Film

Why I really watch football, LOL!!

War of WIPs Call to Arms #12

Want to join the war?? Check out the 2011 War of WIPs page.

In addition to finishing WIPs, there will be optional side quests to organize your knitting life! Check out the War of WIPs page for more information!

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I dug Saroyan out of the WIP bin and completed another leaf.


I have 8 more rows on Celeano!



Next Battles on the Horizon:

Bat Shawl Vanquished 8/27/11
Celeano Shawl 9/30/11
Niantic Rose Shawl
Ribband
Coriolis Socks Vanquished 9/8/11
Nugatory Socks
February Lady Sweater
Derek's Scarf
Reversible Cable Scarf
Saroyan
Icarus Shawl
Stenciling storage boxes
Hummingbird Cross Stitch


**Next Quest**
September 24 - October 9
Pair Knitting Queue with Yarn Stash

This one is quite a task! I haven't even attempted anything yet. No time on the weekends right now to play with stash.

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Want to join the war?

Weekend Update 10-2-11

Friday night I finished the class kits for this coming Wednesday. I am so relieved! It was coming down to the wire and I was afraid I would be up until 1am that day making up kits. We rented a dumpster that was dropped off on Friday. Which meant, this weekend would be spent primarily filling the dumpster because we wouldn't have time during the week with working to do much.


Saturday ... was spent filling the dumpster, LOL! We actually got a lot done in only 3 hours. We had a lot of construction debris piled outside the shed. We also had my old mattress in the basement from when we got a new bed. Lots of stuff that can't go in the regular trash. Next time we do construction though, we'll rent a smaller dumpster right away ... picking up carpets and wood that's been sitting outside for two years, disgusting doesn't even cover it ... oh and it was raining too, so extra yucky and slimy and buggy. Yick! I'll spare you photos of trash, LOL!

I am taking a writing class from the local community college on descriptive writing. Its a short class, 6 weeks or so. There are several different writing courses on different topics available online, I think I may sign up for another when this one ends.



I am still actively battling Startitis! I so want to start new projects, but I still have nine knitting projects on my list of WIPs and two that I just started recently. Eleven projects and for some reason I feel the need to start more ...


I posted my Jadis Earrings pattern on Ravelry. Special thanks to Valerie for test knitting and finding an entire row missing, LOL!

I received my Socks that Rock shipment, I won't be posting a photo in case other members haven't received their shipment yet. Its awesome, perfect for October. Its called Drop Dead Sexy.

Oh ... I forgot I told the woman who sends out the newsletter for the knitter's guild that I would make up extra kits for sale during the class ... so this is what I did Sunday night after the reminder email for the meeting this month arrived in my inbox ...