Supermodel Lulu
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
The knitting machine we used in class is called a standard gauge machine, which means it knits really fine yarn. One can make very delicate garments with a standard gauge, such as the mini sweater we made during the last class of the second seminar. This sweater will fit an American Girl doll. Unfortunately, when I took this photo I didn't think to put anything in it to show the scale, but believe me, it's tiny. And it was knit in this absolutely yummy baby alpaca yarn. I love alpaca, even more than cashmere, because I can afford to buy it! Anyway, when I got home the first thing I did with the sweater was put it on Lulu. She's such a good sport. This is the best picture I got of her wearing the mini sweater. Doesn't it look like she only has two legs? If there were little hands coming out of the sleeves I swear she would look like a little j. crew model. So dapper.
The machine I bought is a Brother 260 bulky gauge machine, which gives more of a hand knit look, because you can use hand knitting yarns on it. I still haven't gotten a stand for my machine. The one I was is on back order everywhere. Rumor has it it will be available mid May. I sure hope so, and so does Kyle. Right now my machine is clamped to our tiny dining room table. We haven't had a good meal there since I got the damn thing.
posted at 6:50 PM .
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MIA
I've been MIA for a while. I spent nine Sundays dragging my ass to machine knitting classes at FIT. It progressed like this: "This is hard. This sucks. This is not for me. You mean I have to crochet all these tiny stitches off of these needles? Oh, that sweater is cool! That was made on a bulky machine? You can do cable work on these things? This sweater we're making is fugly. Is it time for lunch yet? Time to go home? Time to get up for class again? God I don't want to get up at 7 on a Sunday morning. A bulky machine costs $600? The ribber is extra? Lord I'm tired. And that girl is annoying. I'm getting the hang of this. Hey this isn't so bad. I wonder if I should take the next seminar." Then I'd sign up for the next one and the cycle would begin anew. I was actually kind of sad then they were all over. The teacher was really cool. When I finally did buy my machine (off eBay) she helped me fix the jammed fair isle button on the sly, so everyone else wouldn't expect her to repair theirs. There is one more seminar I want to take in June, it's a weekend affair, Friday night and all day Saturday and Sunday. We'll learn how to make socks, hats and mittens. I mostly want to just get more face time with the teacher. She's way cool. I'm going to bring in the felted bags I've made. I'll post pictures here soon. They weren't really planned out very well, as I just used whatever odd balls of wool I had hanging around. One is peacock blue with green and aqua stripes and a pocket on the outside and a magnetic snap closure. The other one is a small brown orange and red striped mini purse with a wooden toggle closure. The last one I made is charcoal grey with a natural stripe and large pocket on front. I haven't felted that one yet. I'm going to go to the yarn store on Wedsneday (after I go to the doctor) and get more yarn. I want to make some bright red bags with off center pockets in other shocking colors.
posted at 2:24 AM .
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