meme (with photos!)
Felicia from sweetgeorgia just tagged me with a meme. I can always use a short mid-day break.
I must start with a confessional. Although I've been knitting on and off for about a decade, it's only been a year since I've really delved beyond the world of Wool Ease rectangles. Now, I knit some very fancy-schmancy Wool Ease rectangles back in the day. But still, that sort of knitting doesn't give a person a lot of perspective on the variety of fibers, yarns, and patterns out there. I've knit a ton in the past year, and learned a lot of stuff, but I still feel that I have a lot to still experience in terms of yarns and pattern preferences.
In other words, if you're reading this a year from now, don't count on the answers to still be the same.
What's your all time favorite yarn to knit with?
If forced to choose, I think I'd have to pick the butter soft Malabrigo worsted weight merino yarn. The stuff is so soft that you can barely feel it. This would also be my favorite yarn to wind by hand.
In terms of sock yarn (because that's a different category, right?), my favorite to work with so far has been Lorna's Laces. I have a feeling that may change once I cast on for my Cherry Tree Hill socks.
Your favorite needles?
This one is easy. I'm all about S R Kertzer "The Collection" bamboo circs. They're a little smoother and pointier than Clovers, and have a better join and cord. (And since I've had multiple different sets of Crystal Palace needles self destruct in my presence, I'm not even going to bother with a comparison with them.) I only have a few pairs of these, but when I'm rich, I'm going to collect the whole set.
The worst thing you've ever knit?
Does it count if I had the sense to not finish it? If so, I'd have to say my first project ever - the way too wide garter stitch scarf I learned to knit on. The yarn was hideous green and white variegated Red Heart acrylic, and I believe I was using size 4 (i.e. way too small) aluminum straights. It was way too wide, full of mistakes, and just disgusting. Thankfully, this was a decade ago, and I didn't own a camera. No photographic evidence! bwahaha!
Your most favourite knit pattern? (maybe you don't like wearing it...but it was the most fun to knit
I might have to go with Retro Rib socks. Now that I'm on my third pair, they're not as exciting anymore, but I really do love the pattern. It's simple enough to remember without being boring, and it's impossible to lose your spot once you can read your knitting. I don't have to use a row counter to keep track of pattern repeats, and it's one of those patterns where you find yourself saying "just one more repeat...".
But since I've already established that there can be both sock and non-sock answers to one question, my other answer is the Northwest Sunset Fair Isle vest. Once I got comfortable with the whole fair isle thing, I loved knitting it.
(And for those of you keeping track of stuff, no, I still haven't acquired the extra yarn I'll need. I submitted a bunch of photos to the KBTH photo contest. One of the prizes is a $25 gift certificate to Schoolhouse Press. Maybe I'll win! If I do, 2 skeins of J&S, to finish the vest, are definitely on my $25 shopping list.)
Most valuable knitting technique?
My Wendy-esque fair isle technique of knitting continental for both colors, and dropping the one not in use. It took me a while to figure out that that's what works best for me (at the moment). Finding a technique that allows me to knit fair isle with a semblance of skill and confidence has opened up to me a world of knitting I've been wanting to delve into for a long time.
Best knit book or magazine?
There are too many books to choose from, so I'll just say my favorite magazine is Interweave Knits. I like that they publish designs that are simultaneously interesting and wearable.
Your favorite knit-a-long
Definitely Sockapal-2-za, if that counts as a knitalong. Alison's weekly updates provided me with tons of eye candy and sock inspiration. Plus, I got awesome Koigu socks out of the deal. No contest.
Your favorite knitblogs?
I'm destined to leave some greats out of this list, so apologies in advance. But looking through my Bloglines list, I get most excited when I see that the following blogs have new posts:
Your favorite knitwear designer?
My favorite designer of gorgeous knitted fabric is Alice Starmore. Since so many of her designs are boxes with sleeves, I don't know if it's fair for me to say she's my favorite knitwear designer. (Though she did design the decidedly un-boxy Elizabeth I sweater.) I don't personally mind boxy most of the time, but the wearability factor is not why I love her designs.
That's the best I can do. I haven't knit enough sweaters to have a really good answer, yet.
The item you wear the most?
Besides various socks, I think my BPT Cardigan wins. It was the first sweater I knit for myself, so it has a time advantage in terms of number of wearings. Plus, it's soft as sin, comfortable, and hooded. It may stay in the lead for a while.
Tag time!
Hmm. I don't have a ton of readers, and don't have a very good idea of what other bloggers are reading, so this is tough. I'll just tag Jessica for now. But anybody who wants to be tagged can consider themselves tagged. (Schizospider, a little while ago you mentioned that you were thinking of starting a blog. If you're up for the challenge, consider yourself tagged to start that blog and then do the meme!)
I must start with a confessional. Although I've been knitting on and off for about a decade, it's only been a year since I've really delved beyond the world of Wool Ease rectangles. Now, I knit some very fancy-schmancy Wool Ease rectangles back in the day. But still, that sort of knitting doesn't give a person a lot of perspective on the variety of fibers, yarns, and patterns out there. I've knit a ton in the past year, and learned a lot of stuff, but I still feel that I have a lot to still experience in terms of yarns and pattern preferences.
In other words, if you're reading this a year from now, don't count on the answers to still be the same.
What's your all time favorite yarn to knit with?
If forced to choose, I think I'd have to pick the butter soft Malabrigo worsted weight merino yarn. The stuff is so soft that you can barely feel it. This would also be my favorite yarn to wind by hand.
In terms of sock yarn (because that's a different category, right?), my favorite to work with so far has been Lorna's Laces. I have a feeling that may change once I cast on for my Cherry Tree Hill socks.
Your favorite needles?
This one is easy. I'm all about S R Kertzer "The Collection" bamboo circs. They're a little smoother and pointier than Clovers, and have a better join and cord. (And since I've had multiple different sets of Crystal Palace needles self destruct in my presence, I'm not even going to bother with a comparison with them.) I only have a few pairs of these, but when I'm rich, I'm going to collect the whole set.
The worst thing you've ever knit?
Does it count if I had the sense to not finish it? If so, I'd have to say my first project ever - the way too wide garter stitch scarf I learned to knit on. The yarn was hideous green and white variegated Red Heart acrylic, and I believe I was using size 4 (i.e. way too small) aluminum straights. It was way too wide, full of mistakes, and just disgusting. Thankfully, this was a decade ago, and I didn't own a camera. No photographic evidence! bwahaha!
Your most favourite knit pattern? (maybe you don't like wearing it...but it was the most fun to knit
I might have to go with Retro Rib socks. Now that I'm on my third pair, they're not as exciting anymore, but I really do love the pattern. It's simple enough to remember without being boring, and it's impossible to lose your spot once you can read your knitting. I don't have to use a row counter to keep track of pattern repeats, and it's one of those patterns where you find yourself saying "just one more repeat...".
But since I've already established that there can be both sock and non-sock answers to one question, my other answer is the Northwest Sunset Fair Isle vest. Once I got comfortable with the whole fair isle thing, I loved knitting it.
(And for those of you keeping track of stuff, no, I still haven't acquired the extra yarn I'll need. I submitted a bunch of photos to the KBTH photo contest. One of the prizes is a $25 gift certificate to Schoolhouse Press. Maybe I'll win! If I do, 2 skeins of J&S, to finish the vest, are definitely on my $25 shopping list.)
Most valuable knitting technique?
My Wendy-esque fair isle technique of knitting continental for both colors, and dropping the one not in use. It took me a while to figure out that that's what works best for me (at the moment). Finding a technique that allows me to knit fair isle with a semblance of skill and confidence has opened up to me a world of knitting I've been wanting to delve into for a long time.
Best knit book or magazine?
There are too many books to choose from, so I'll just say my favorite magazine is Interweave Knits. I like that they publish designs that are simultaneously interesting and wearable.
Your favorite knit-a-long
Definitely Sockapal-2-za, if that counts as a knitalong. Alison's weekly updates provided me with tons of eye candy and sock inspiration. Plus, I got awesome Koigu socks out of the deal. No contest.
Your favorite knitblogs?
I'm destined to leave some greats out of this list, so apologies in advance. But looking through my Bloglines list, I get most excited when I see that the following blogs have new posts:
- Ariel's Craft Journal. She's the awesome gal who is responsible for Leaves in Relief. Only good things can happen when math geeks design, I tell ya!
- The Blue Blog. Great knitalongs, precocious twin boys, and the best hand knit Halloween costumes, ever.
- Boogaj
- Cosmicpluto
- The Feral Knitter
- Jon's knitblog - This is a brand new one for me. He's knitting Zauberflote!
- Knitting in Color
- Knitting Maniac - Our taste in patterns are eerily similar. I think we may be the same person. Except my hair is a lot longer. :-)
- Marnie Talks - beside the great stuff she knits, I would kill for her posture. (I notice the weirdest things.)
- The Panopticon - This is another relatively new find for me. Like Harlot's blog, I'd read his even if it didn't have knitting content. That's a sign of a great blog.
- Queerjoe
- sweetgeorgia
- The Yarn Harlot
Your favorite knitwear designer?
My favorite designer of gorgeous knitted fabric is Alice Starmore. Since so many of her designs are boxes with sleeves, I don't know if it's fair for me to say she's my favorite knitwear designer. (Though she did design the decidedly un-boxy Elizabeth I sweater.) I don't personally mind boxy most of the time, but the wearability factor is not why I love her designs.
That's the best I can do. I haven't knit enough sweaters to have a really good answer, yet.
The item you wear the most?
Besides various socks, I think my BPT Cardigan wins. It was the first sweater I knit for myself, so it has a time advantage in terms of number of wearings. Plus, it's soft as sin, comfortable, and hooded. It may stay in the lead for a while.
Tag time!
Hmm. I don't have a ton of readers, and don't have a very good idea of what other bloggers are reading, so this is tough. I'll just tag Jessica for now. But anybody who wants to be tagged can consider themselves tagged. (Schizospider, a little while ago you mentioned that you were thinking of starting a blog. If you're up for the challenge, consider yourself tagged to start that blog and then do the meme!)
posted by Rebekkah at 1:09 PM
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