March 07, 2005

A Triumphant Sleeve Cometh.

Expand: Sleeve one and sleeve two.
And they're both the same size!
(Yeah. She showed that naughty sleeve who's boss.)

NEWSFLASH! This just in: Our sources reveal that Skinny Rabbit had two straight late-night knitting sessions in a row - one session consisting of a torturous 2+ hours in front of Eyes Wide Shut starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman's bubs - which resulted in a second Salina sleeve knit using the correct needle size of 3.75mm. The sleeve got pulled off the needle before the credits of aforesaid too-bizarre-to-be-artsy film appeared on the television screen and a Kacha Kacha measuring tape confirmed that said sleeve measures the same as the first sleeve. To celebrate her victory Skinny Rabbit ran triumphantly around the block with hands in the air, theme music from Rocky I blaring in the background. "Flying high now..."

Upon successfully finishing the second sleeve, Skinny Rabbit immediately started backstitching the shoulders of the front and back pieces even though she has yet to knit the blasted sleeve cuffs in moss stitch. The correct needle size (3.25mm) has already been tagged in order to ensure that she doesn't flub AGAIN by knitting the cuffs in the wrong needle size. Evidence of Skinny Rabbit backstitching the shoulders has been documented in the form of yet another slideshow, of course.

[Footnote: Skinny Rabbit learned how to backstitch in 2001 using Monste Stanley's Knitter's Handbook as a reference. Skinny Rabbit hearts this book and would probably lug it with her to the North Pole if she had to move there. Which, thankfully, she doesn't plan on doing any time in the near future.]

This also in: Skinny Rabbit stashes again! Sources reveal that Skinny Rabbit became an auntie again [congrats to her little bro on becoming a father to another little girl last week!] so an emergency weekend yarn run was in order. Of course, this means that she didn't break her lenten no-stash rule as the yarn obtained is for gifts and not for her own greedy self.

In the batch: Phildar layette pattern book, Phil Eponge for the new niece's flowery cardigan and some gray flannel Quietude for a vest for Skinny Rabbit's dad. The vest is going to be a Father's Day present, and as Skinny Rabbit's dad is built like a linebacker she felt that she better get an early start on it in order to ensure that it be, in effect, a Father's Day gift and not an early Christmas gift. And doesn't her new yarn look all lovely bathing in its own ray of sunlight on the table? We think so, too.

Still reading? Good. Skinny Rabbit's unforeseen stash run and project reorganization for spring means that there's yarn up on the stash-o-mat page. Take a look!

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41 comments to this entry:

Matching sleeves! Hurray! Take another victory lap!

[Wendy on 07 mar 05 @ 05:06 pm]

Glad to see your trimuphed over adversity! You deserve a chocolate egg! I love that shade of gray yarn you bought. And congrats on your new niece! Viva la knitting for babies!

[Marlena on 07 mar 05 @ 05:14 pm]

I still can't get over your kid mohair wrap cardigan. Gorgeous!

[Leslie on 07 mar 05 @ 05:14 pm]

Congratulations Auntie! there is nothing better than a niece or nephew to spoil rotten!! Great sleeves! Beyoootiful color too. How is the Captain?

[marie on 07 mar 05 @ 05:15 pm]

That, my dear, is a WHOLE LOTTA YARN. I do indeed appreciate the lawyerly parsing of the rules....

[claudia on 07 mar 05 @ 05:21 pm]

Salina looks fabulous! And you made it through Eyes Wide Shut.....that's pretty impressive. I can't wait to try the fabled "short rows" on my next project ("Timeless" from Rowan 34) - thanks for the inspiration! And congrats to you and your family. I just got a new nephew on the 3rd. Nothing like a new baby!

[juliefish on 07 mar 05 @ 05:40 pm]

Thanks for the backstitching lession! One more technique that I no longer have to scour the internet for when it mysteriously appears in a pattern.

[Nikki on 07 mar 05 @ 06:09 pm]

Rabbit wins again! Hooray for matching sleeves! And congrats on your auntiehood -- love love love baby faces and knitting for kiddies!

[beverlee on 07 mar 05 @ 06:16 pm]

Contrats on being an auntie again! Have fun with her and all the knitting goodness you can look forward to in baby clothes! How fun is that? Yeah!

[Leah on 07 mar 05 @ 06:39 pm]

Congratulations on your new niece. I just finished a sweet poncho for mine (Debbie Bliss Cashm. Chunky and Fizz for the fringe) so she will look like a pale blue Easter Egg in a few weeks! I am also making a dress from Rowan Denim (Miss Bea's Seaside Book) for my 4 year old daughter. I love knitting for the wee ones!

[Linda on 07 mar 05 @ 06:54 pm]

Isn't that Felted Tweed lovely stuff?!! After knitting my Ron sweater in it and wearing that *all the time*; I think I need more. Hmmm... what to do, what to do?

[Jenn on 07 mar 05 @ 07:04 pm]

Good work!! I like the back stitch tips!! And I'm so happy to see I'm not the only one in the world that buys LOTS of yarn ... I cannot visit a yarn store and not buy!!!! Can't wait to see Salina in on the Fluffa :)

[Ilse on 07 mar 05 @ 08:08 pm]

I am eagerly anticipation the debut of Salina, as I am interested in making one for myself and will love to see how it turns out for you. Good luck with the cuffs and all of the finishing! I am heading to the US later today (from NZ) to meet my own new niece (the only one on my side of the family), so I have lots of baby knitting on the needles for the planes and a bit of a baby craze on the brain. Those little patterns work so rapidly that the satisfaction is amplified! Your girly yarn looks so tempting! :) Happy knitting, and congratulations again, Auntie!

[Heathre on 07 mar 05 @ 08:23 pm]

I loved the way the Rabbit wrote this entery. Highly entertaining! Good job making the sleeves the same size. It's always a good thing to have matching sleeves.

[Ellie on 07 mar 05 @ 08:54 pm]

babies everywhere! i just purchased some lovely blue sky cotton and started a baby blanket this weekend...new yarn is quite fun, especially for gifts for wee ones. :) your stash is admirable!

[melissa j on 07 mar 05 @ 09:10 pm]

Congrats on becoming an Aunt! ^__^ I absolutely love your stash, heh, just looking at it makes me want to sprint to the yarn store to stock up. You're such an inspiration to me though. Since I'm a new knitter. And your finished projects are gorgeous. Now I'm going to stop rambling...

[Andrea on 07 mar 05 @ 09:26 pm]

Congrats x 2 - for the sleeves AND the new addition!

[Leisl on 07 mar 05 @ 09:41 pm]

way to whip that sleeve into shape. and gotta try that backstitch seam.

[froggy on 07 mar 05 @ 09:57 pm]

Oh, I can't wait to see what you knit for the baby! I haven't yet gotten that issue and there is a slew of babies being born around here. I have to get off my *&%$ and start stitching! Congrats on becoming an auntie (again?) and I look forward to seeing a seamed Salina. Caroline

[Caroline on 07 mar 05 @ 09:58 pm]

Congrats on the niece!!! Way to be master of that sleeve. The Rocky ref was too funny. ;-)

[Jenny on 07 mar 05 @ 10:38 pm]

YAY! another excuse for baby knitting! can't wait to see the finished product, and the vest!!! congrats on another munchkin in the family!

[manda on 07 mar 05 @ 11:46 pm]

Yeeha! Don't know how you managed to get right through Eye's Wide Shut though, both times I've tried to watch it my eyes have closed - perhaps with knitting in hand though...

[sally on 08 mar 05 @ 12:01 am]

woot two times for conquering that sleeve! wow, i didn't realize just how new your new niece was! CONGRATULATIONS! a flowery cardigan in phil eponge is just the thing. OK, a vest for your dad -- *i'm* supposed to be doing that! but i don't think i'll be able to do it before he gets here (around Easter). so i will knit it vicariously through you. :-)

[mrspilkington on 08 mar 05 @ 12:32 am]

Oh, it is only with UTMOST willpower that I am resisting that Phil Ruban. Tell me it's already taken, please, and put me out of my misery. Babies everywhere! I've got three already to knit for this year and it's only March. That's the problem with doing a few baby knits and presenting them at public places like baby showers. They kind of become expected by all friends and relations. Well, it's good to be loved. (For my knitting at least.) A review of the Phil Eponge, please? I've got my eyes on a couple of patterns featuring that yarn...(I am fully prepared to lose any points I may have gained for resisting the Phil Ruban!)

[Chicago Evelyn on 08 mar 05 @ 02:50 am]

Congrats on ur new niece. She's going to be another lucky kid with hand knitted stuff..:) Love your stash. U always have the lovliest stuff that we don't get to see at my part of the world. Wish I weren't so far so I can join in the stash fun...:)

[Laura Y on 08 mar 05 @ 07:56 am]

That's the way to go! What a lesson about life - ripping, reknitting and triumphing instead of shoving away the whole project in the closet... Had a look at your stash page - and though I'm not bidding, I was glad to learn about the Plassard Tahiti - ten minutes before I was wondering about where to find fine cotton yarn at a reasonable price! I'll run off to the Singer store in Strasbourg where they sell Plassard yarns (displayed in their plastic wrapping, blech...) One more thing: Is "your" Phildar store in Lyon the one close to "les Cordeliers"? I was there not so long ago...

[Annette on 08 mar 05 @ 08:29 am]

Evelyn's will power amazes me! You should have seen me when I picked up this batch of Phil Ruban. I had piled it (with a bunch of other colors) in a little mountain in the middle of the store and clung on for dear life. No willpower, whatsoever. Phil Eponge review, coming up soon. I want to swatch it during the weekend so I can knit the outfit soon. So far, Phil Eponge looks like an interesting yarn and I've been wanting to try it since it came out last year. Fine, towel-like, very light. Plus, it's got cotton in it. We like cotton for warmer climes.

[Becky at fluffa! on 08 mar 05 @ 09:15 am]

Congratulations on becoming an auntie again! I love knitting baby stuff too - it's always so cute (and quick!). Looking forward to a finished Salina. I've bought the pattern book (blaming you!) so plan to make myself one in late summer. How tragic is that, having projects lined up for the next 6 months!

[Sarah W. on 08 mar 05 @ 10:07 am]

This british knitting correspondant congratulates Skinny Rabbit on her new neice, and on finishing matching sleeves. :) Ace new yarn, too.

[jen on 08 mar 05 @ 02:22 pm]

hey becky - just wanted to answer your question on the baby blanket on my blog - i bought 5 hanks of blue sky cotton for the blanket. the information in the erika knight book simply must be wrong. it says you only need 6 50yd balls of Rowan All Seasons cotton for a 36x29 blanket (on size 7s!) I think the book is nuts, therefore I bought 5 100 yd hanks of the blue sky, so it was a bit of a splurge. I am hoping since I shrank the pattern a bit that I won't need a sixth hank to finish up. but we'll see. thanks for the sweet comment, by the way!

[melissa j on 08 mar 05 @ 02:33 pm]

The Salina looks great, and baby patterns from Phildar are so cute! Can't wait to see what you whip up for that brand new little niece of yours. Also, thanks so much for the tips on backstitching.

[Brenda on 08 mar 05 @ 02:36 pm]

I sooo wanted to enjoy Eyes Wide Shut, but I couldn't make myslef do it. Maybe a lot of really motivated knitting would have done the trick. Good work on the sleeves.

[else on 08 mar 05 @ 03:41 pm]

Congratulations on both the new niece, and the sleeves. And the fluffy cardigan is looking even more tempting for every piece you finish. No, I am not, repeat, I am not going to knit it. I have projects for so many months already, and so much yarn stashed. I am not going to knit it.

[Maud on 08 mar 05 @ 05:00 pm]

I've got enough Phil Ruban for a tank and a cardigan in my stash but the Horizon colorway is gorgeous! I don't know how you got any knitting done while you were watching Eyes Wide Shut! I shut my eyes during that movie! ;-) I can't wait to see your FO!!! Congrats to your bro on a new baby. It is so exciting, fun & fast to knit for a baby! Are ya gonna show us the outfit you're going to knit with the lovely Eponge?

[Evelyn on 08 mar 05 @ 05:29 pm]

I love the color of your felted tweed. Mmmmm.

[LauraA on 08 mar 05 @ 06:53 pm]

Woohoo lets celebrate for matching sleeves!!! My DH wants me to knit him a vest in Burgundy. I'd like to do one with cables. I'm looking for patterns now. One book that has a handsome vest is in The Best of Knitters...Arans & Celtics. It's called Wall Street. Which pattern are you using?

[Eilene on 08 mar 05 @ 07:35 pm]

The vest I'm knitting is going to be a very simple ribbed vest in a solid color. I've never seen my dad wearing knits other than the hats I've made for him, so I figured I'd get him started by doing something simple. I'd like the next vest (if he likes this one) to be something more interesting, like the zig zag cabled vest in the latest Interweave Knits. I also liked the man's brioche buttoned vest in IK Winter 2003.

[Becky at fluffa! on 08 mar 05 @ 08:01 pm]

talkin about a straight seam. lookin good! I love seeing "wee knits" they knit up quick and sure are cute! Congrats to you Auntie and Co!

[heather on 09 mar 05 @ 01:33 am]

Oooh, congratulations on the new niece! :)

[claudine on 10 mar 05 @ 05:25 am]

Congrats Auntie Becky!

[Jackie on 11 mar 05 @ 07:01 am]

Congrats on the new member of the family! Knitting stuff for newborns is so much fun! I have a confession to make... I'm making Salina... in the same color! I did buy the yarn before I saw what color you were doing it in. I finally posted an entry to my blog about it. I've been enjoying seeing your progress on it.

[marichan on 11 mar 05 @ 05:38 pm]

March 07, 2005

A Triumphant Sleeve Cometh.

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