Spinalcat's Crafty Adventures

Catriona Vest , originally uploaded by Buxtrosion . I thought the knitting was going really slow until I compared this photo to the previous one! I think I have just a couple of repeats left before something happens. You can tell I really read the whole pattern carefully before starting. :) This is the Lady's Circular Cape in Shell Pattern from Victorian Lace today. I'm using Kidsilk Haze in Pearl (the same yarn as the original). The pattern calls for a size 7 needle. The work shown on the left was done on a size 6, but I ripped it out and started over with a size 5. The stockinette rows between pattern rows (not really visible here) were looking pretty stretched out and ugly. Luckily this pattern knits up fast , and it's easy enough to add extra repeats if the finished size ends up too small. Plus I don't have to switch my size 6 needle tips back and forth between this and the Catriona vest anymore! I finally made it to the Knitting Arts going-out-o...

Catriona WIP , originally uploaded by Buxtrosion . After defeating the curse of the red project by finishing the Curved Shawl, I immediately cast on for the project (Rav link ) I finally decided to make with my Rowan Pure Wool DK. It's Catriona , a cabled v-neck vest/top thing. I think it's cuter as a top than a vest with something under it. It's a Debbie Bliss pattern from the book for the Rialto line. It was republished in a British magazine, and the pattern is on their website . I LOVE these cables! I'm such a sucker for garter stitch inside cable-y things. The pattern I'm using isn't charted (don't know if the the one in the book is or not), so I charted it. I decided not to convert it to be worked in the round. With this stitch pattern, the wrong side rows are pretty obvious (unless you forget about the garter stitch).

Curved Shawl , originally uploaded by Buxtrosion .

Mystery Cotton , originally uploaded by Buxtrosion . I picked up this cotton at the stash swap. Does anybody know what yarn it is?

Blocking the Curved Shawl , originally uploaded by Buxtrosion . Done, done, done!! (Except for weaving in ends.) From Victorian Lace Today, in Baruffa Cashwool, on size 1.5 needles. Added about 20 extra pattern repeats.

Last night we saw the Nekromantix in San Jose at the Blank club. This was our 6th show since moving to the Bay Area, but our first in San Jose. The Blank club is pretty tiny. It reminded us of the indoor stage at Emo's, but with the bar taking up less room, and no giant poles to get smashed into in front of the stage. If we feel nostalgic for giant poles, we'll go to Slim's. I didn't realize until a couple of days before the show that the Lower Class Brats (from Austin!!!) were going to be opening. I think they may have been at the first show we ever saw in Austin. We've seen both these bands about a jillion times. My verdict: totally awesome. I didn't see much of the crowd, but Bryan said they didn't seem that excited. Their loss. More room in front for me! Bones and Nekroman are both extremely entertaining front men. I had an insane amount of fun. You really haven't lived until you've seen the coffinbass. :) I forgot to take a camer...

Traveling Stitch Swatch , originally uploaded by Buxtrosion . I finally got to go to a Knitspiration guild meeting! The topic for this month was traveling stitches. This swatch will go in the big pile of collected squares (not actually square) for charity blankets. This is the stitch pattern that Mary brought in from the book Bauerliches Stricken 3. I finally worked out a method of swapping the order of stitches that worked for me. I just used the right needle tip to grab the stitch that needed to be worked next, from the front or from behind depending on which stitch was going in front, pulled the left needle tip out of that stitch and the one it's trading with (leaving 1 stitch off the needles completely), and putting those 2 stitches back on the left needle so they are ready to be worked in the new order.