sorry to all those lovely posters that suggested i should swatch for birch and see what it would look like. i just wasn’t “feeling” it and hence it was ripped off the needles yesterday morning. i have to say that i’m happy with myself for doing it. i don’t regret it for a second. when i got it off the needles and took a good look at it, i liked it even less so i guess that just wasn’t meant to be. i’ll come back to birch though at some point. i love that shawl. i just have to have the right yarn for it. maybe some from habu like veronique or kid silk haze like jess and jess.
so i moved on, and well, i hate to say it but i cast on for another clapotis.
clapotis #2
i know, boring right? blogland is SO OVER clapotis. i’ve even made one before!
but the real fact of the matter is that i do not own a clapotis. the one i made i gave to my MIL so i’m currently clapotless. i was digging around in the stash and saw my beautiful schaefer yarn in the catherine the great colorway and just had to use it. it’s cotton so it’s the perfect yarn for knitting during the summer. i’m going to make a mini clapotis though because i only have 400yds to work with. i’m weighing it as i go so that i can figure out how much to use for each section. all in all, it should be a quick knit since i have the pattern almost completely memorized now after doing it only one other time. you probably won’t get many progress shots of this. it’s boring and you’ve all seen it before anyway.
the good news is that i’m cranking on the kyoto! after the swtaches dried, i was really happy with the US7 fabric. veronique suggested that i look for a kyoto KAL online and i found one here: http://kyotoalong.blogspot.com/. unfortunately, only two people used the recommended yarn for the project and only one of those finished and posted about it. she used US7s as well and was happy with the outcome. jody also informed me that she uses US7s to get 5spi with cotton classic, so i think that i’m in the clear.
the beginning
so i started a sleeve! huzzah! it’s easy enough knitting. lots of stockinette, so you probably won’t see many progress picts here either.
over the weekend, while enjoying all the indoor time in the air conditioning (which i rightly deserved), KP and i watched a lot of world cup soccer and he replanted most of our container plants.
a bunch of plants
KP’s green thumb is swelling. here we have some tomato plants and other assorted stuff. i’m not the plant person in this family. you would think that i had learned something from my mother who has always been an avid gardener but my thumb is black. i kill plants which is very unfortunate especially when KP has to travel for work. he calls every night not just to talk with me but to make sure i watered specific plants. i love them, they just don’t love me back.
the african violets which i don’t water
sunflowers.. should have opened the window to take this picture
and last but not least we have the happy sunflowers out on the fire escape. they are getting lots of water lately! if it ever stops raining around here i might actually be able to enjoy the summer, get a little roof time in, and hang out outside with my friends instead of building an ark to ship me to and from work everyday. all that’s missing are the animals… but i’ve got lots of plants! who needs pets when i can just talk to the bamboo in corner everyday?
Stacey
Jun 26, 2006 @ 11:47 AM
Gina
Oh of that planting looks like fun! I wish I had a green thumb!
Jun 26, 2006 @ 12:03 PM
Wanda
If the project didn’t feel right (Birch), then it definitely isn’t the right thing to do at this time. Try it again in a different yarn. Many have loved it in Silky Wool or in KSH. Whichever yarn you go with, I’m sure it will be beautiful.
I love the color you’ve chosen for Clapotis. Very beautiful.
Jun 26, 2006 @ 12:09 PM
caitlyn
Your Clapotis is lovely so far! Don’t worry about blogland being over Clapotis — if you don’t have one and you could use one, then go for it! BTW, I love your idea of crocheting a sleep mask. =)
Jun 26, 2006 @ 12:17 PM
colleen
Just do what you feel.
I’m loving the colorway for that Clapotis.
Jun 26, 2006 @ 12:56 PM
Stephanie
Gorgeous colorway for Clapotis. I’m enjoying mine, but it definitely isn’t the most exciting knit ever. Although it seems that the things I wear the most aren’t the most exciting to knit.
Jun 26, 2006 @ 1:12 PM
Veronique
You’ll love wearing your Clapotis, so clap on! It’s so much fun to drop those stitches.
Your Kyoto sleeve is looking great, and your plants… Ah, plants! I’m so jealous! Although I will soon have a mini-balcony where I can put my own plants… Perhaps I’ll ask for KP’s advice?
Jun 26, 2006 @ 1:43 PM
jody
i don’t blame you one bit for frogging. if you’re not feeling it you’ll never knit it!
as for clap, i’ve been tempted to make a mini-clap too. i love my clap #1 but it’s too bulky for certain situations. a more scarf-like width will be great! and really, is there a better pattern made for hand painted yarn?
Jun 26, 2006 @ 4:02 PM
Wanett
I still like see progress on claps around the web. I have yet to get past the first few rows so I’m still in love with the whole thing.
Jun 26, 2006 @ 5:40 PM
Jessica
I love your Clapotis colors! And I’m sure the perfect yarn for Birch will come to you–it’s a great excuse to go shopping
Jun 26, 2006 @ 5:43 PM
julsey
purty yarn for the clap! who cares what blogland is doing…be your own knitter!
plants seem to be thrivin! Go KP!
Jun 26, 2006 @ 9:48 PM
carrie m
i was late to the clapotis bandwagon, but i’m a believer now! and that colorway is gonna be lover-ly. no need to apologize! your plants look great — maybe i can get jon interested …
Jun 27, 2006 @ 1:30 AM
Sarah
Hey, I’ll look at pictures of your clappy any day! Especially in that colorway. I fell for the very similar Lorna’s Laces “Vera”, and there just might be four skeins of Shepherd Worsted lurking in my stash. I bought enough for a clapotis, but I haven’t decided whether to try to design something interesting of my own for it.
Jun 27, 2006 @ 11:08 AM
Mom
My tomatoes are looking good, too. How is the jade plant doing?
Jun 27, 2006 @ 11:21 AM
alice
just because the clapotis isn’t a new pattern doesn’t make it unknittable. you could say blog land is over birch, anyway, I think it is (a) a classic pattern and (b) ripe for a mini revival of clapoting fever
Also every knitter should have thier own, I love that you can spot a handknitter (or handknitter’s friend) by it
Jun 27, 2006 @ 6:56 PM
rosalynn
haha that’s so funny that you started a clappy… i did last week, and have yet to post it on my blog (since i’m in blogging catch-up mode). those african violets are lovely… and i’m sorry to hear that you kill all plants. i’m still working on turning my black-and-blue thumb green. it’s getting there slowly.
Jun 28, 2006 @ 5:59 PM
Carrie
I will never be over the Clapotis … it’s so freakin’ awesome! And that colorway is beautiful.
Your Kyoto (and your plants!) are looking great!
Jun 28, 2006 @ 8:23 PM
jess
love the yearn for the clapotis… gosh, I must be the only knitter never to have attempted it!
Jun 29, 2006 @ 12:14 PM
alison
Honestly, I’ve been considering knitting (my first!) clapotis. So you go, girl.
Jun 30, 2006 @ 10:45 AM