Girl Who Knits - venezia_pullover

Venezia Pullover takes Tea

noreply@blogspirit.com (Erin) — Wed, 3 Jan 2007 00:05:00 -0700

What better way to launch the Venezia Pullover into society than high tea at the famous Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong.

(and yes, I know--the head turned to the side is my go-to model shot--I can't help myself)

I got home from my trip tonight (which was so amazing although that seems like an insufficient word to describe it) and since this post was long overdue, here I am staying up past my bed time to bring it to you. That's just the kind of girl I am.

It has been quite a journey since I had the bulk of the sweater finished in November. A crazy December and a trip half-way around the world stalled the completion of Venezia but in a way I am glad I didn't finish before my trip because now I get to have this great memory of high tea at this unforgettable hotel tied with such an unique knit.

The night before I was up late finishing and blocking so I could wear the sweater to the Peninsula. It just seemed like the perfect place to show off all my hard work. Not that anyone other than my party knew I made it but I knew and that is enough for me.

This pattern is truly amazing. It was clear to follow and while following the chart and managing the color changes can be difficult--I really do believe it is a sweater knitters should not be afraid of tackling...if you want to. Really the difficulty lies in patience and commitment. If you are the type that gets distracted or bored easily than maybe this is not the sweater for you. It is not boring to knit, only it is fair isle on size 2 needles with 10 colors and if you are not relentless and a tad obsessive then it might get taxing.

One of the things I LOVE about this design is how the pattern on the sleeve matches up with the body of the sweater. A perfect detail to a impeccably designed sweater. Although, the sleeves are the only thing about the sweater that I am not perfectly happy with. I think my row gauge ended up being off a bit and so the armholes are a little bigger than I normally like. But I think the sweater still works well regardless. Just as a heads up, if you attempt the sweater, remember to pay attention to row gauge as well as stitch. Also, check your gauge as you are knitting, I was on gauge when I swatched but it changed a little as I got into the knitting.

All in all, I love the sweater. Starting it was spontaneous and impulsive, knitting was fun and intense, and now that I am done I am left feeling a little sad and lost. What will be my next big project? What will I take on next? I am kind of excited to find out...and a little scared.

Project stats:

Pattern: Venezia Pullover by Eunny Jang

Source: Interweave Knits, Winter 2006

Yarn: Jamieson's and Jamieson & Smith 2-ply Spindrift (see this post for colors)

Needles: 32 inch addi turbo circs--size 2, 1, 0

Mods: none

Notes: I started knitting the first sleeve using double pointed needles in the round but switched to using 2 circs for the second sleeve. For fair isle, I found knitting with 2 circs to be MUCH easier, more slick, and better for tension purposes.

A tragedy, a meme, and some travel pics

noreply@blogspirit.com (Erin) — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 11:10:00 -0700

Twas the night before Christmas and I accidentally deleted all the pictures on my camera. All the pictures I had taken in the week I had been in Hong Kong.

Ugh.

I am sick. This puts a serious cramp in the pictorial tour I was going to give you of this city that I am loving. Seriously, I think I love it. But instead I am working hard to take lots and lots of pictures in the last few days I have left so hopefully I will have more to show you when I get home. I am in Hong Kong for two more days and then leave for Thailand on Thursday. 5 days in Thailand and then I am home and back to real life.

So despite the picture mishap, I do have a couple to share from my Mom's camera. But first, I was tagged by Tienne and Lark for the "6 weird things about me" meme. This really wasn't hard for me. Perhaps I should be worried about that. So here goes:

I make wishes--every chance I can get. For example, when a clock reads 1:11 or 11:11 I always make a wish. That is not really the weird part. I take the wishes very seriously. I think about what I am going to wish and word it in a way that I won't regret (Sleeping Beauty really made an impression on me.)
I love falling asleep when other people are around me. Not any people, but trusted friends or family. I used to ask my roommate to do her homework in my room while I was falling asleep because there was just something about it that was so comforting and pleasing.
I love meat but I have issues with it. Nothing processed--cold cuts in general are out. I have a hard time with ham--it seems dirty and slimy. I like clean meat and really I am the only one who can determine what that means. I won't eat anything that comes to me looking like its live self. Cornish Game Hens...out. I really should be a vegetarian but man I love a good steak.
I have a naive faith in and a romantic idealistic take on celebrity romances. For instance, I really believed JLo and Ben were going to go the distance. I really did.
I can't ride a bike. Never learned. I have tried to a few times but I have a problem with being out of control and balance. I don't like falling.
When I was little my imaginary friends were slugs. There was a town called Slugville of which I was the only human visitor. My interest in slugs stemmed from two things--one, my brother would kill slugs in our front yard by pouring salt on them and I thought that was mean and two, even as a kid I thought it unfair and mean that people only seemed to care about the cute and cuddly animals. The mayor of Slugville agreed with me.

So there you go. Weird, eh?

I will leave you with only few pictures from my so wonderful trip.

We rode the Star Ferry boat on Christmas day...

to see this amazing skyline complete with fireworks and a laser show.

Today we saw the biggest Buddha I have ever seen...

And just in case you are worried, I am knitting.

Yes, that is the second sleeve of Venezia. It is finished now, most of the sweater is seemed--it all goes well, I will have a finished post before Thailand. Happy Boxing Day everyone!

I heart John Tesh

noreply@blogspirit.com (Erin) — Mon, 4 Dec 2006 18:25:00 -0700

I have many guilty pleasures. Things you would shake your head at in dismay if you heard. Like how no one, I mean absolutely NO ONE should ever know about the *NSYNC concert I attended. You see how if this got out people might look at me differently. Like I wasn't cool or something. And wouldn't that be a tragedy.

Well, I am going to admit to another gulity pleasure. I love me some John Tesh. Not his music or anything (you know from my above admission that my tastes run a bit more elegant) and not his hair (because it it BAD) but his radio show. Intelligence for your life. Have you heard it? I have a couple easy listening stations programmed on my radio. They are my go-to stations for when I get tired of NPR or more current radio and feel in the mood for something to chees-ily sing along to. Like Kokomo or any Peter Cetera song.

So by chance one day, I stumbled upon John Tesh's show. He is AWESOME. The music he plays is pretty average but he imparts to his listeners nuggets of wisdom about life and love and health and work--interesting facts about our world to educate us and to make our lives better. You know what? I think he really means it. He seems sincere--like he really wants to help people. That John Tesh is a good man.

About a month ago I was driving home and was listening to a few minutes of his radio show. He was talking about how when we are kids the years seem to stretch and be so full and when adults the years just fly by. Haven't you felt this? Anyway, Tesh tells us that the reason for this is that children have a lot of variety in their day-to-day activities. As adults, we settle into routines. Like we always drive to work the same way, eat the same breakfast, order the same meals, go home at the same time, etc. Repetition and routine makes the day go faster. John encouraged us to make small changes in our daily routine to shake things up if you will. I thought this was interesting so I am passing it all along to you.

My routine has been shaken up recently but not in ways I am really happy about. Some good friends quit at work which is sad on two levels. One, I will miss them, and two, there is a TON of work to do. The added stress of it all has affected my knitting output. Where I expected to show you a finished Venezia soon, it will now probably be another week. But it is coming along and I am really excited for it to be done. Not only will I have a beautiful sweater but then I can pick projects for my upcoming trip...did I mention I will be in Hong Kong in two weeks?!!! Because I will. Talk about shaking things up--I can't wait.

I guess change is not all bad. So here's to changed routines and here's to John Tesh.