It's a Saturday

And I've got nothing to knit.

Let me explain a little. I've really got a lot to knit. I've got plenty of knitting, it's all over the place, I've got about three projects within arms reach. (The knitting basket is right next to my desk, how convenient.)

But the problem is that, aside from the entrelac, I don't have anything I WANT to knit. The entrelac will probably be finished this weekend, and I haven't got a clue about what to do to replace it. For the first time in forever, I don't know what I want to knit next.

I wonder into the place where I keep most of my yarn and I look at say, the sock yarn. I look at it, and I just see yarn. I don't see potential, I don't see miles of fun and infinite possibilities, I just see yarn. That's spooky.

I think about starting another sweater, even though I've got two close by, but they're not fun. I think maybe a cabled sweater. I start to imagine what it has, what it looks like, even what yarn I should use. Then I think cables? Is that really what I'm about right now, do I really want to knit cables? Colorwork? Can I really take a PLAIN sweater now? Don't I already have a bunch of those started?

In response to this . . . despondent feeling (really, I can take HUGE amounts of indirection in my personal life, but not in my knitting) I've decided something. I'm going to go around the house and do a few rows on every unfinished thing that I've got laying around, (not really that many, not more than ten) and see if anything takes. Good plan?

Yes? No? Is this thing on? I'm seriously considering moving to Typepad, or some other place where people who don't have a google account can comment. Is that a good idea too? What does that reader from India think?

I finished Something!

And it's not Entrelac. I took a brief break from knitting those little squares to finish up the Baby Surprise Jacket. Last night I took it too Knit Nite to deal with the seams there. All it took was an hour and a crochet hook and I was done with it. (Aside from the part where I have to sew buttons on it, which will wait for a baby)

Another Baby Surprise Jacket, knit out of my leftovers. My gauge was a little off, so it's larger. We'll call it the toddler surprise Jacket.

Wow, these pictures aren't half bad. I may be getting better at this.

I know that I'm the one who asked for a spinning wheel, but it's really starting to cut into my knitting time. It's highly additive, and I really am beginning that I like spinning more than knitting. Or at least what I'm knitting, really, the Entrelac is really the only fun thing that I'm working on. The boring sweater which probably will be abandoned soon, the boring socks which still need to get off the ground. I'm looking forward to starting something new and exciting. Which I won't be able to do if I don't back away from the wheel slowly.

A confession and a new project in that order

First, the confession --

Knitted slipcovers is indeed a bad idea. While I do love me some crazy and/or highly obsessive projects, I think that this one might truly be the one that breaks the camels back. This might be too much even for me. First off, there was the thing about how I wasn't able to cast on 350 stitches in a 45minute episode of Buffy. Then there was the issue of what edging to do. I fixed that, and then when I started the body, I realized that there was a twist in the cast on. I knew I would have to rip back a little. Fine, I can live with that.

Then, while it was off the needles, I tried it on the chair. Let's just say, the size of the start, resembled the size of my chair the same way that my house resembles the Sarah Winchester Mansion. (Though, they both have few straight lines, her's was intentional though.)

Sigh, it was a dumb idea anyway. I'll let Debbie New figure this one out.

A new Project --

Yesterday I took a class over at Cornerstone Yarns* on Entrelac. Yes, Entrelac, my nemesis. And I'm sorry to say.

I've defected and gone to the other side. My new name is Alexander Beaverhousien. This site is now named Alex Knits Communist Style.

Really a lot easier than I thought it would be. I'm a little ashamed to admit how silly it was to be afraid of this. I love how medative the little squares are, the neat way that they interlock (I'm sensing the origin of the name) together.

Love, simply, totally love it.

*What I have to say about this yarn shop is that they've got beautiful yarns, pleasant and knowledgeable staff. It's well lit, well staffed, and perfectly welcoming. However, it's got the price to match. I'll stick to my Jo Ann's, and save this LYS stuff for when I'm a rich and famous author.

Knitted Slipcovers

Saying that makes people look at you a little funny. I've learned to ignore it, but I suggest you practice shrugging when you plan a project this big, because believe me, you'll get some pretty odd looks. I personally like to keep in mind the fact that no project is too ambitious if you crave the result enough. I think there was something about that over at Mason-Dixon Knitting (link on side bar, and I strongly urdge you to take a look) a few days ago, which is probably the only reason that it's in my head.

I've got about half of an inch of my slipcover. That's a lot better than yesterday. Maybe tomorrow I'll break one inch, but don't hold your breath. I personally kind of like having this big of a project. It's like baking bread (which I did today) you just feel better for doing it. Depending on how sick of this thing by the time I'm done (probably about ready to choke myself with it.) I may even add a cushion to the cover. This ain't exactly the most comfortable chair, and could use a little padding.

But my plan of action is to simply cast on at the bottom of the chair, and knit till I get to the seat. I'll put that on a holder and wait till I'm ready for it. Then, I'll knit a strip that's as wide as the top of the back, pick up stitches all around it, and then knit till I get the to the seat. Then I'll graft the back of the back to the back of the legs (follow that?). Then I'll work on the front of the seat to the front of the back, and then graft there. The sides of the legs will be bound off, and sewn to the sides of the seat.

This would be a lot easier to understand if you could see the hand gestures that I make while I do it.