014.Pattern Wish List

#.Skill Level - Item Type - Type of Pattern - URL

to see picture of all the patterns to choose that way, click the following link:
http://eknit.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?set_albumName=album07
otherwise, just click on the individual pattern links of the descriptions are enough for you =)

001.Intermediate - V Neck Long Sleeve Sweater - unknown -http://www.knitrowan.com/html/pattern_results.asp?type=&keyword=&complexity=&productCode=&category=New&StartAt=6

002.Experienced & Advanced Cable - V Neck Elf-ish/Celtic Hoodie - Chart http://www.girlfromauntie.com/patterns/shop/rogue/detail.php for the pattern and http://www.knitpixie.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=305 for the yarn kit

003.Intermediate/Advanced - V neck Lace Long Sleeve Sweater - unknown - http://www.knitpixie.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1063

004.Intermediate - One button Long Sleeve Cardigan - unknown - http://www.knitpixie.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=964

005.Intermediate - No Button Rounded Long Sleeve Cardigan - unknown http://www.knitpixie.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=986

006.Intermediate - Side Cabled Halter - unknown - http://www.knitpixie.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=722

007.Intermediate - Plain Knitted Halter - uknown - http://www.knitpixie.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=720

008.Intermediate - Plain Tank Top - unknown http://www.knitpixie.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=759

009.Intermediate - Rolled neck Sweater Tank - Unknown - http://www.knitpixie.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=760

010.Beginner/Intermediate - Wide Strapped V Neck Tank - Unknown - http://www.knitpixie.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=354

011.Unknown - Cowl-Neck Sweater - Unknown - http://www.yarnmarket.com/yarn/Karabella-Cowl-Neck_Sweater_KK150-820.html

012.Unknown - Young & Restless Tunic - Unknown - http://www.yarnmarket.com/yarn/Needful_Yarns-Needful_177_Young_Restless_Tunic-2030.html
*note - the top and bottom are made separately and then sewn together

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013.favorite online websites

company name - url - reason for likes - reason for dislike

kalidescope yarns - kyarns.com - great needle selection (lantern moon rosewood and palm only, brittany birch woods)

hello knitty - helloknitty.com - good selection of yarns but yarns only

knit pixie - knitpixie.com - great patterns, fast answers to inquiries online, good selection of yarn, great website organization - can not search by yarn categories, only by company

knit happens - knithappens.net - great selection of expensive yarns, okay single purchase patterns - pricey, store front not connected to online store

yarn market - yarnmarket.com - good for price comparision, usually cheaper prices, good alternative yarn selection

elann - elann.com - cheaper needles, good alternative yarn selection, cedar balls!!!

pattern works - patternworks.com - huge yarn selection varying from cheap to expensive, great notion section

knitting-warehouse.com - great selection for michaels/joann/acmoore type stuff but cheaper

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012.Wooden vs Metal Knitting Needles - oh and plastic too

http://www.livejournal.com/community/knitting/5258343.html

This is a great discussion, I'll probably xfer it onto hard text incase she decides to delete her blog, make it so that only livejournal users can read, etc...

but here's the long and short of it.

Wooden:
1. better grip of the yarn
1a. sometimes too grippy - so depends on the type of wood and the finish
2. because of the better grip, it's better for "loose knitters"
3. light weight - this makes a huge fucking difference when knitting if you knit a lot
4. warming
5. highly recommended for double pointed needles (so the stitches don't fall off either end)

Metal:
1. slick slick slick! you can knit fast with these puppies (think addi tubro circulars http://www.addinadeln.de/pages_english/index_en.html)
1a. sometiems too slick and your stitches can fall off easily (think double pointed needles)
2. because of the slickness, it's better for "tight knitters" (like me)
3. now this can go either way depending on preference, but that metal "clicking" noise (when you're making a stitch) and that metal "sliding/scratching" noise (when you tranfer the stitch from one needle to another. some of you may thing "oh cute sound" and others of you may think "ahhhh nails on a chaulk board"
4. cool to the touch - makes a difference in winter
5. heavy - i knitted 8 scarves with lions brand wool (the stupid -aka ultra- soft kind) with silveralume susan bates 14"... my fucking wrists hurt like hell. i was tempted to go out and get a carpal tunnel/ bowling/ roller blading wrist brace

There is plastic, but i haven't knit with those and don't think i ever will...

so think of it like this...wooden is to ergonomic keyboard as metal is to typical keyboard...

also... what needle you use really depends on
1. personal preference (duh!)
2. project (if you're on a circular doing a lot of work and are an experience knitter, you'd probably want the addi turbo circs)
3. money

i may buy some addi circs the next time i do knitting that requires them, but i don't think i will until i'm getting more advanced.

and i will buy the expensive lantern moon needles for the cause (check out that blog entry) but for those of you who like something other than bamboo... try Brittany Birch Crochet Hooks (beautiful decorative top) and Knitting Neeldes (not as fancy but still nice and elegant) - cheapest at elann.com when compared to kyarns.com and patternworks.com

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011.Knitting with a Cause: Lantern Moon Needles

http://www.lanternmoon.com/aboutus.asp

http://www.knittersreview.com/article_tool.asp?article=/review/product/050728_a.asp

I've seen these puppies all over the place - they are expensive as hell, but are of very nice quality and look (obviously).

I read the comments section on this website and stumbled across one about some lady wanting to give up her dog b/c it ate her needle and another saying "great cause." So i did some snopping and found the "about us" website.

so then i thought "how much of this shit actually goes to them?" so i called and spoke to a representative - i dont' have her name, but she was very nice and personable.

Anyway... she basically said...
1. they work with a lady in vietnam who works with the workers
2. the owners used to live in Vietnam
3. a good part of their proceeds goes to help the workers
3a. there are middle men, but the lady mentioned in #1 has a lot of integrity and the owners obviously trust her
3b. they are not for profit so 94% of their profit doesn't go to the workers like in other groups such as "dr.s without borders"
4. (and this was important to me) the workers didn't want to feel like a charity case... aka "help the helpess vietnamese" type of thing, so lantern moon doesn't go around bannering "we help the vietnamese basket weavers!" type of thing

so will i buy
yes, but i recommend going to the store first as the feel of the needles vary with the wood

will i cry when i buy
hell yeah, it's $16-35 for two sticks of polished wood! but, it goes to a good cause!

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010.Knitting with a Cause: Mac and Me Patterns

09.11.05

I discovered "Mac and Me" when I went looking for a sweater to knit Noah for Christmas... hopefully I'll finish it before March haahahaha... I'll probably end up knitting him a size 2 Yr Old.

Anyway, I'm all about things with a cause and supporting other, etc etc etc and all the proceeds go to Mac (apparently a girl)'s college tuition.

Now that's a smart mom for being so entrepreneurial!

So if you have any kiddy stuff you like to knit, then buy them!

Stitch DC carries them but it's only good for locals as they don't have an online store
KnitPixie.com
PurlSoho.com

go to google to find the rest...

to see the pattern i bought, visit the "Noah Christmas Gift" link.

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009.Noah's Christmas Gift

09.12.05
so i found a new pattern from "Mac and Me" which i love. View the album to see more pictures and links to the pattern. The great thing about the "Mac and Me" patterns is that all the proceeds go for Mac's college tuition and what not. So you know me, gotta support =) i actually didn't know that until I got home and read the back panel of the pattern.

But it made me feel better for spending $5 on one pattern when i could've spent $4.50 for 3 with the other one... although, the mac and me patterns come with actual photos of the thing... and not just picture inserts i'm talking about a 4x5 taped to the front, non glossy too... so that was really nice.

i'm having a bit of trouble understanding what the fuck some parts of her pattern means, but i figure i can go to an independent study class at stitch dc to ask for help, but i'll be damn proud of it when i'm done!

09.08?.05
Yes, yes, I know I'm supposed to be making Dan a hat, but while I'm in the middle of looking for a hat pattern that'll fit his head, here's my project for Noah ....

http://eknit.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?set_albumName=album05

I have to buy the pattern, so i can't link to it, but it'll be purchased from knit happens (the physical store) so i can get 20% off my next purchase... i can get atleast 4 stamps out of the hat and sweater yarn so i'll need 3 more before i can take advantage of that 20% thing...

and yes, i will do the ghetto thing and buy in increments of $15 hahahaa. (see "The Knit Happens Insatiable Knitter Card" http://knithappens.net/section_2.cfm)

but it's my hope that after knitting this baby sweater i can finally take a crack at the debbie bliss stuff (particularly cathay) http://debbieblissonline.com/books/cy/index.htm

so more to come...

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