Nicole's Books of '09

Just in case you're thinking of giving the gift of reading this season, here is my list of five star books I've read in 2009. This is based on my opinion and I've omitted those which I prefer solely based on entertainment value (the vampire ones and the smut ones). I rarely give those my elusive five star rating anyway with the exception of the first Sookie Stackhouse. Ok ok, no more vampire romance novels, I promise. Unless you really want them?

For me to give a book four or five stars it has to grab me from the beginning until it becomes an obsession and I need to finish reading it and nothing can come between me and it. What pushes it over the edge is when I finish, I either still want to see what happens to the characters or I close it with a sigh, upset that the adventure is over already. It's a personal thing not a sophisticated literary thing. I am neither sophisticated nor literary. I'm a reader.

Here they are in the order of preference, one being the highest.

1. Book - Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Plot Summary - Sexy new husband, gorgeous old estate, mysterious murder ::eyebrow raise::
Recommended to - Jane Austin, Agatha Christie and Hitchcock fans
2. Book - The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams
Plot Summary - Young girl on a polygamist compound gets 'chosen' to be the next wife of her uncle
Recommended to - Nieces in middle school everywhere, just make sure she lives nearby so you can borrow it
3. Book - The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Plot Summary - 1962 a look at the lives of Black women in Mississippi and their relationships with the white children they raised
Recommended to - Fans of Rebecca Wells who feel cheated that she doesn't develop her Black characters as much as her White ones (which really is not a whole lot when you think about it). Not that that I'm criticizing ::ahem::
4. Book - Genesis by Bernard Beckett
Plot Summary - Post-apocalyptic look at the human race
Recommended to - Philosopher wannabes (be prepared to read this one twice)
5. Book - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Plot Summary - Teenagers fight to the death to the entertainment of the public and the tyrannical government
Recommended to - High schoolers everywhere, and/or Twilight fans who really need more substance in their reading (I'm including myself in this description if it makes you feel any better).

Out of the 72 books I've read this year, these are the stand-outs. That sounds like an impressive number, but really, it didn't feel like a lot. Here's how I break it down: 22 were smutty, 9 were young adult novels, 37 were adult fiction and 4 I abandoned. I'm actually surprised that the number of smutty ones does not exceed the adult fiction ones. Interesting.

Into the Mind of A Chef Pt. 2

Our neighbors stopped by to 'borrow' a can of tomatoes.

"This is so great! I always dreamed that we'd have neighbors to borrow food from! I wanna dump out a whole bag of sugar just so we can go next door and borrow some!"

Holidays

Hello dear blog. It's been a while. Holidays are around the corner and I should have a good start on handmade gifts for everyone I know!

::snort::

Sorry people, not this year. I've been doing a pile of selfish crafting and it's been delicious. It's not that I don't love you and want to wrap you up in woolen-y goodness, it's just that... I'm effing cold. If I don't make myself the patterns that have been burning a hole in my queue I'm going to die a cold cold shivery death. And then who will bring you your gifts? Hmm? That's what I thought.

My favorite project for me so far is definitely my Rose Red. I knitted it using Sublime, a merino wool angora blend chosen because I needed my hat to be fuzzy. NEEDED. This thing shed all over my pants while I made it, but now it seems to have settled. It keeps my head and ears warm so effectively that sometimes I have issues hearing people. Actually, that might just be me and not the hat so much.

Curious....

I've also been diving into socks. These are pretty satisfying projects. My brother Ross requested some so I made him some Masonic Lodge socks in a whopping size 12 with Cascade Heritage. Mmmmmmmmcascadeheritaaaaage. This yarn is gorgeous, comes in a bajillion colors (yes, a bajillion, I counted) and feels like butta. In fact, in blind yarn tests, 9 out of 10 people preferred Cascade Heritage to butter. It's true.

Joe let me take pictures of his feet for a full 5 minutes before cracking.

Ross just started college clear across the country and when I asked him for his address he responded with, "1223 something apartment something." I'd like to point out that he told me this in writing. Joe's feeling pretty sure that these socks are going to wind up his. I don't know why.

BONUS KITTY PIC!
Portrait of a Mew - He's a very serious Mew cat and he cannot be bothered with your nonsense... oh... oh.. you say you want to scratch the side of my chin? Very well. But directly afterwards I will need to get down to serious Mew cat business. Something about a gnat in the bedroom.

k2tog Revisited

In the battle of me vs. k2tog, there will only be one victor. And that victor shall be ME!

MWAHAHAHHA!

k2tog

Really briefly:

I started a Lavalette, because they're fabulous and it's a good cause, plus I get to use some Malabrigo lace that I've had in my stash forever. And it's been in a ::GASP:: yarn cake! I know BAD KNITTER BAD! for quite some time.

Although I love patterns that start with only 2 stitches to cast on, I have come to a revelation: k2tog. is. The. Devil.

Maybe you disagree? Maybe k2tog is your favorite stitch, you love grappling to get those two stupid stitches to stay together as your other needle attempts to grab your yarn. Maybe that's fun for you. If so, I hate to be the one to have to tell you, but you. are. insane. There is something wrong with you, my friend. And that something is in your BRAAAAAAAAIN.

You must be one of those people who takes joy in removing all wire hangers from their closet, throwing them on the ground, mixing them up a bit and then trying to separate them again. You! Yes YOU! Put all of your necklaces in a lump in a bowl just so one morning you can take extra time getting ready.

Well, I may also keep all of my jewelry in a lump right where I know to find it out of sheer laziness, but I will not stand for this k2tog nonsense. I will do some internet searching; I seem to remember some back loopy higgily piggily or something I dunno. But k2tog must go. Suggestions are welcome.

UPDATE: So I tried the lace Addis, and I even tried Signature needles, and I've come to the conclusion that the problem lies with me. Sucking it up...

New Favorite?

The project I was guilted into making

Everyone at knit night was making Ishbels. I was really not sure if this was a project that I would like or use or was my style. But everyone was making one... and everyone was gushing about them... and Malabrigo sock yarn is just. so. preeeeeeetty.

I caved. I caved like a fat kid in front of delicious delicious cupcakes. Not just delicious. Delicious delicious. And that's just what my Ishbel is.

Lacey goodness.

I still haven't exactly figured out what it goes well with, but I wear it anyway. I give the pattern a 5 out 5 on clarity. I'd say it's a great beginner's lace project. And it's just enough purling that I don't get sick of purling. I might make another one with the same yarn because I think I have enough leftover. For this project I bought blocking wires. I'm kind of excited about them.

Next month is the month of the Apres Surf Hoodie. I'm all geared. It's going to happen. I'm going to finish this thing. Or I'll just do as much as I can until the end of June when I call it quits. Sounds like a plan.

Smitten with Squirrel Mittens

Pattern Review: Squirrel Mittens using modifications by Hello Yarn

Look! Our armpits are stripey and fun! Don't you wish yours were like this?

After a frustrating few weeks of starting a sweater, deciding it was too bulky, finishing a hat, that turned out too big, I decided to go back to the squirrel mittens. Ah wee mittens. I started you back in April of '08. I put them down for a short hiatus back then and when I picked them up, oops my gauge was noticeably smaller. This made for a really wonky mitten. It was sad.

I put them away in frustration. Finally, I got the courage to rip them back down to the second braid and start over. Then I didn't like which hand I was holding the pink in, so I ripped them again. My mittens look different depending on which color is held in which hand. Fourth time's the charm??

SMOOCHES

The verdict? The final result is snuggable squirrel adorableness. The mechanics of the pattern I'm not such a big fan of. I don't like doing fair isle where there are more than four stitches between colors. It makes it harder to control the gauge, and things tend to get wonky. This wasn't such an issue on the snowflakes, but down at the squirrels, on each side by the trees, which were also by the ends of my needles, it was too easy for my yarn to get pulled too tight on one color versus the other. This results in a lot of pulling, and a smaller mitten in that area! Not good. I would recommend, if you use DPNs or magic loop, to put those trees in the middle of your needles, or at least a few stitches off the ends, to help prevent this from happening.

I also recommend not putting your thumb hole stitches on waste yarn and instead, at the time where you're about to take those stitches off the needle, knit them with some waste yarn. Then, put the waste yarn stitches back on your left-hand needle and continue knitting the pattern with your regular yarn. It really kept the fair isle under control and helped my side stitches from stretching out. When you're ready to do the thumb, just pick up your mitten stitches on either side and carefully remove the waste yarn stitches. Ta daa! Also, Definitely use smaller needles for the ribbing. I totally forgot to for the second mitten, but decided I couldn't handle any more ripping out.

These cuties are going to be going to be a birthday gift. They were a gift that was planned to be given last year, but let's not get too hung up in the logistics shall we? Life is too good.

And I pat my cheekses with lub

BONUS KITTY PICS!

Bear and Mew decided to make themselves disaster suits in case of... disaster... so that they wouldn't be neurotic about every sudden noise. Unfortunately, the material they chose for their plan ultimately backfired.

Who's laughing now vacuum?!

Berrrrrrrrrret!

I get a lot of satisfaction over finishing these small projects with soft, squashy yarn. I made a Chunky Slouch Cap for Lauren for her bday. I used Rowan Big Wool with size 17 double pointed needles and although some women may disagree, I'm going to tell you, it IS the size that matters. And baby, this wool is BIG.

Squashinessssss

I got a super chunky, really fun hat. Although, if I did make it again, I'd do half as much ribbing. Also, I really hate size 17 dpns. They're big, hard to manage and stitches constantly fall off of them if I'm not paying attention.

Next time, less ribbing, more lace

Dear Misti Alpaca

Kate first asked for a beret for Christmas. But I kind of slacked off and it never happened. Then she said I could make her whatever I wanted. WHATEVER I WANTED. That meant I could get whatever YARN I wanted. I could list many reasons why you are so fantastic and why this pattern (Chickadee Cowl) is in my top 10 of best all around pattern/yarn combination in the categories of easy-ness, high satisfaction rate, fast completion time, and efficient use of one fabulous skein of yarn. Instead:

Enough said

Oh. My. Lord. It's Beautiful

oxox,
nicoleballet

Notes on the February Lady Sweater

Heyyyyyy

Check out my first ever knitted adult-sized sweater! Yea!

Things I liked about this pattern: It was super easy. There's virtually no shaping. The lace pattern is easily memorized. There's no seaming. I got to use Malabrigo.

Things I disliked about this pattern: Sizing was vague between the small and medium. I felt the sleeves were too large and modified them to fit me. Although other people said the button hole directions were easy, I didn't find them so straight forward, so I did my own thing (I figured huge buttons are going to cover them up anyway).

All ladies need large sunglasses

Details on the sleeve reductions:

My arms are about 12" around the bicep. I decreased every row, if you don't want such an immediate decrease (and it may cut down on any sort of bulk around the yolk/sleeve transition), decrease every other row.

Yours will look like this, except you'll be good enough not to get ladders

After completing round 1 of the sleeve decrease, continue the lace pattern on round 2, until the underarm stitches, then ssk, k1, k2tog. Next round is the same except s1 k2tog psso. Round 4, continue lace until last 2 stitches and ssk. Round 5, continue the lace pattern but don't yo in the first half of the first repeat and don't yo in the second half of the last lace pattern repeat (effectively reducing stitches by 2). Round 6, ssk, knit to last 2 stitches, k2tog. Round 7, ssk, knit second half of lace repeat for first 4 stitches, continue lace pattern until last 2 stitches, k2tog. Continue lace pattern so that first 4 stitches are the second half of the lace pattern, and the last 4 stitches are only the first half of the lace pattern.

I give this pattern a B+. The yarn choice was perfect and I love the finished product.

BONUS KITTY PIC!
Seductive Mew says "Nuzzle me! You know you cannot resist!"

Notes on the Aleita Shell

I had this draft saved for a while now. I was going to take a picture of the final washed garment, because it was a sad mess, but I'm not going to because it's a bit too depressing. And a little hilarious. Anyway, read the following knowing I wrote it back in September.

I finally finished my very first adult-sized knitted garment! Yipee!!! The Aleita Shell. It is done! Overall, I am happy with the work that I did, but I have loads of notes, because the perfectionist in me is telling me I could be happier if I knit it again with some things in mind. Let's begin:

Hazzah! I am finished!

Overall pattern rating: 2/5 stars

My personal issues that may or may not apply to you:

1. The yarn I chose, Baby Snuggly Bamboo is fantastic to knit with, but has a lot of ease. By the end, my arm holes have stretched out just from twisting the garment back and forth while knitting it. I must find a better, more careful way of knitting these.

2. Although my stockinette stitch was seriously right on gauge and the overall dimensions of the waist were right on, my stitch where the neck breaks is loads tighter! That part wound up being a full two four inches less wide than what the pattern said it would be. This actually worked to my advantage because the finished product is really too big.

3. I definitely chose the wrong size to make. Without taking into account that my yarn is stretchier, I went up a size when I think I should have stayed with the minimal ease choice. I chose a size that was 1" positive ease instead of the one that would have been 3.75" negative ease. Knowing what I know now, I think it would have been more flattering. At least, the fit would be closer to how I wear my clothes which is with a bit of stretch. I don't like things to hang off me because my perception is that they're too big then. Personally, I feel they're more flattering if they hug my figure more. Obviously, this isn't true in all cases, but in knit sweaters I think it is within reason.

4. I think I made the armholes too soon, but my top part stretched out when I was knitting the front part so the finished product doesn't look too short.

Those are my personal oopsies. Onto pattern modifications and details:

I do not recommend this pattern to beginners, I felt it lacked details in many parts. All in all, I like the design and the concept of knitting it in the round, I just think it needs some more wordage in parts. It's definitely not wrong, but I think it's misleading.

1. I added an inch to the bottom after the hip ribbing because I like things longer, and I think I made a good decision there. I measured my body from under my chest to where I'd like the vest to hit and went from there.

2. You're only going to do two waist increases after the divide in M1 purl. (This is a clarification more for me than for anybody else)

3. When you knit the left and right fronts and it says to do the neck decreases as established, only decrease on the neck side. Technically the neck decrease pattern decreases on both sides and obviously this isn't needed when making the armholes. (I need a freaking blueprint so this detail is important to me!)

4. For the finishing part you're going to be knitting a long cord that you'll then sex around the neck [sex around the neck? what the hell was I doing back in September?? umm STITCH around the neck!] to make the neck hole look nicer. I was totally confused as to why she was giving these directions when I read this.

Those are my perceptions of the pattern. Again, this is my first garment so some of these may be totally learned to most people by now, but for a first-timer, I totally didn't get them. I thought the increases and decreases in the front directions were totally confusing and I had to write out the decreases by row number for the r/l fronts so that I wouldn't screw up.

Finished product was a bit loose, but I wore it to work anyways and I thought it looked pretty cute, but still a little on the big side. After a day of wear it definitely stretched out even more. After I washed it the first time it turned into a huge baggy mess, there really was no way to fix it. I thought about steeking the sides, but it would be too short. Sigh. You live you learn.

Year in Review '08

2008 was definitely a year of knitting and 2009 is looking to continue that trend. I think my favorite project was definitely my Endpaper Mits

You know you want a pair...

I put these in the category of most definitely would make again. But if I did make them for you, you'd have to give me something big in return. Like your first-born, covered in solid gold, or a pass to not have to get you any other presents for Christmas or your birthday for the next five years (which might be how long it takes me to finish them). I tried picking up another color-work project a couple weeks ago and found myself totally uninterested in putting in the effort. I need motivation to make another pair of these, even though these definitely turned out fabulously.

Knitting Aspirations for 2009:

- Finish my Apres Surf Hoodie (HA!)
- Finish my first adult-size sweater, WITH sleeves (February Lady Sweater)
- Try and improvise a pattern for the knit hat I have that people always ask me if I knit and when I say I didn't I feel like total hat-knitting failure
- Knit personal sweater pattern!

That last one is a lofty goal, but I have some ideas... we'll see... I picked up the book Custom Knits by Wendy Bernard (ever notice how on Amazon the writer's name is super super teeny? I always think that's so obnoxious. Anyway...) the other day and it really inspired me to try and do my own thing. Or at the very least customize for myself. I'm thinking in this area I'm going to need huuuuuge amounts of patience. And scissors. And lifelines. And more YARN! Yes! I totally think if I customize a sweater pattern that counts as knitting my personal sweater pattern; just to get that out there so you don't think I cheated.

Possible projects for 2009 (a.k.a. Patterns I've had in my queue for ages that I drool over):

Big Projects:
- Bleeding Hearts Stole (I even already have some fabulous lace weight Mmmmmmmalabrigo to make this in my stash already. I think I just got burnt out on tiny yarn because of the Apres Surf Hoodie. ::sigh:: I really do want a lacey shawl. I do I DO!)
- Lush and Lacey Cardigan (So Anthropolgie-esque. Things that hold me back about this project would be that cardigans do not tend to be the most flattering thing on me, and I hate seaming, I may just hold off on this one until I get some more projects under my belt)
- Nutkin (I already have the yarn, plus my MIL bought me my first pair of cashmere-blend socks for Christmas and just FYI, they DO live up to the hype)
- Skinny Empire or Ingenue (I have no idea how to pronounce that last one. Sorry, no pics of these last two if you're not a raveler. I'm going to have to change these patterns a bit to accomodate my womanly figure, so that'll be a challenge)
- Simple scoop neck or v-neck stockinette sweater. (I need the experience.)

Accessories, Quick Knits:
- Odessa (It's swirly!)
- Gretel (Because you can't have too many berets)
- Fetching (Seems like everyone has made a pair of these, why should I be any different?)
- Debbie Bliss Baby Teeny Hoodie (It's a teeny hoodie! 'Nuf said. And no, it wouldn't be for me, obvs.)

If 2008 was a graph with happiness on the y-axis and time on the x-axis it would start out medium, dipping low due to the work effect through late Spring, making some watery flooded bumps throughout late Summer and finally getting back into the positive quadrant when Joe switched to the day shift. Definitely the best thing that happened in 2008.

For 2009, I'm starting out the year in a new project at work, with a new team, and new floors in our home and I'm trying to keep an optimistic attitude. No pre-conceived expectations for me please. So far I've been lucky enough that the economy hasn't effected my job status, but who knows what'll happen this year? I'm just going to take it as it comes. In the mean time, I'm enjoying the fact that I can come home to a living being who talks back to me without saying 'mew!'... well, most of the time anyway.