grey yarn!

just got the yarn for the grey blanket. 3 packages of 10 of cashsoft dk in thunder. but one of them is from a different dye lot! one number different. do i complain for $5.00 a skein? maybe this is why it was on sale? i don't think i can see a difference but it sometimes shows up in the knitting. at least it is not a difficult color to match like red or something. i'll spend a day thinking about it.

Greetings from the Big Apple

Okay, so I"m new to this blog thing, but I'll give it a shot. Maybe we should explain the title of the blog, Bi-coastal Knitting. One of us clicks our sticks in the Pacific Northwest, while the other (that's me), in the middle of NYC. I know, I know, it's not nearly as intriguing as bi-girls knitting, but then we don't want to be known for any false advertising on this blog, Kevin! I like Knaughty Knitting . . . maybe Knotty Knitting?

I have a stash that is out of control and has begun to take over my small Manhattan apartment. I just can't pass up a good yarn, especially when it's on sale. I also purchase yarn for projects I intend to knit and then become enamored with a new project, which I then purchase more yarn for . . . it's a vicious cycle, and I must have at least 25 unfinished projects dangling over my head like miniature Swords of Damocles. What can I say, at least I'm never bored and these hands are not idle. Most of my projects are small. I have yet to tackle an adult-sized sweater or an afghan, although baby sweaters and baby blankets have become my specialties. I have a nephew and two nieces, so most of my projects revolve around them. Don't know what I'll do when they grow out of toddler sizes! I also love knitting hats, socks, scarves and small toys.

So if I can figure out how to upload a photo, I will attach a picture of the latest project to come off my needles, a jumper for my oldest niece. It's so cute that I don't know if I can wait until Christmas to see her in it! The pattern, Anouk, is from knitty.com, of course.

Until next post, knit on!

New project!

I loved working with Ethan's sleeping kings yarn so much I wanted to make something else with it, but word on the web is that Rowan is changing the fiber content of that yarn (although i think it will still be a blend of merino wool and cashmere), so it is being discontinued. Maybe. I'm not sure if this is true. it generally sells for $8.50 a skein but I found it at $5.00 a skein at jimmy beans wool: http://www.jimmybeanswool.com/secure-html/onlinegen/currgen/Rowan/CashsoftDKRYC.asp. The colors on their site aren't very true at all, so look elsewhere for that. They still have tons of it!

I ordered 24 skeins and then realized that this would not be enough, so ordered 30 more. according to our yarn chart, this should give me 4500 square inches to work with, less depending on the pattern. that comes to 60x75, which is huge, butI like to be safe.

Now the hunt for a pattern! Nicky Epstein (of the knitting on the edge books) is coming out with an afghan book this fall. might wait for that. Any pattern ideas for me?

bi-girl knitting

Kevin says that if we want to build a readership we should call this blog bi-girl knitting! how very knaughty! hmm. we could call it knaughty knitting! But I think our only readers will be you and me.

Ethan's sleeping kings blanket

A closer photo:

Ethan's Sleeping Kings Blanket

Here's a couple of

pictures of Ethan's Sleeping Kings blanket. The pattern is from Lucinda Guy's And so to Bed but I changed it a bit. She knits squares and sews them together, but I hate sewing! plus I didn't have enough yarn to make garter stitch squares, so I did it all in one piece and used pattern three "purl ridges" from vogue knitting's Stictionary, vol. 1. This served two purposes, it created blocks between the kings faces that took up the same number of rows, and look a bit like chain mail which I think works, and secondly, it justified my purchase of the Vogue knitting Stictionary! I used 12 skeins of Rowan RYC cashsoft dk in Ballad Blue, and I think I had to buy two more skeins in a different dye lot to make the border, which turned out fine. I invented the edge by increasing every row and then binding off half the stitches, repeat. This yarn is so soft and washable! It has really held up well so far too! It was my first crack at intarsa knitting, which was fun and easier than I thought it would be.

First post!

Welcome to Bi-coastal knitting! Kandra, do you like the name? We can change it. I thought this would be a good place to post knitting projects, ideas, and pictures of things we've made and are making. The look of it will evolve, but so far this is a basic start!