the Akamai Knitter

It all started with the hedgehog. Since the hedgehog didn’t turn out as planned, I decided I needed a corrective experience. Hence my foray to Isle Knits on Saturday where I bought a pattern and some yarn.

With the help of big needles and well written instructions, I knitted not only one fish, but two fish in two days. After all the She-Fish needed a He-Fish! And talk about instant gratification. Wowzah.

Pattern: Fiberspace Felted Fish

Needles: 10.5US

Yarn: Noro Kureyon in Color No. 154 (She-Fish) and I think Color No. 40 (He-Fish)

Started: 8/15/07

Finished: 8/16/07

No modifications.

The sample that I saw at Isle Knits had a more rounded mouth, but I couldn’t figure out how to sew the mouth shut and keep the shape. So I ended up with kissing fish. I don’t mind, I think they’re kind of cute that way.

I also didn’t felt them all the way down because I didn’t want them to shrink down any further. Plus, I like the faint stitch definition of the half-felted fabric.

The reason I’m not sure about the color for the He-Fish is because the yarn was just lying around the house without the ball band. If I had more suitable wool lying around, I might be tempted to make even more fish. That’s how much I love this pattern. :)

I think it’s safe to say that there are more soft toys are in my future. They make great weekend projects and they’re immensely satisfying.

I’m not sure what I’ll do with all of them as I’m not ready to start giving them away just yet. I’ve become really attached to all of them. Even the hedgehog or especially the hedgehog has a special place in my heart.

I guess I’m just a big kid at heart.

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I had another whirlwind weekend, where I watched two great movies and two great football games. I just love football season and Netflix. I also squeezed in a visit to Isle Knits.
I went into Isle Knits with a firm resolution to resist the sock yarn. Unfortunately, Sue had just received a shipment of Schaeffer Anne and one of the skeins jumped right into my hands. Honestly, I tried putting it down several times but after some discussion with Barb and blogfree Dana, I knew it had to be mine. After all, who knows when I’ll run across this colorway again!

After all that, I’ve been left with a case of Monday Malaise. I woke up feeling heavy headed and though I had planned to work on the Bee Fields Shawl, but I found my brain too fuzzy for lace. So I’ve jumped the gun and started the Rock Lobster Lock Bag.

I’ve become totally seduced by the big needles. Results are nearly instantaneous and the yarn? The Ella Rae Classic is so soft and squishy between my fingers. It’s heavenly. I’m eager to start using the Boku. The colors are so deep and saturated, I just want to drown in them.

Really this is the perfect project to cure my malaise and soothe my soul. I’m sure I’ll be back on my game tomorrow and get back to the lace. For now, big needles is just what I need.

There is one problem though. I might not have enough yarn for the project. I only have 2 balls of the Classic, which adds up to 438 yards. I need 500 yards. I have 3 balls of the Boku, which adds up to 297 yards. I need 400 yards. It looks like I’ll need to make another trip to the LYS.

What a travesty.

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I’ve been making steady progress on the Bee Fields Shawl. Right now I’m nearly done with the Bee In Fields Section 2 and I’m so in love with this particular bit of knitting.

At first, I was a little bit nervous about how the dropped stitches would work out. I thought the holes would gape too much, but after I completed the first repeat I was in love.

I particularly enjoy the knitting acrobatics employed to create the butterfly effect. And even though I’m no fan of the backwards loop cast on (scroll down for video), I think it’s well worth the trouble.

After this section is completed, I move on to the edging. I may just have this shawl finished before the weekend is through and I’m just a little sad to see that happen.

To prevent this post-project depression, I’ve been planning on other projects to start and I think I might try something a little different. Sticking with Anne’s designs, but instead of a shawl or a stole, I might cast on for a felted bag. I already have the yarn, so I’m prepped for surgery ready to start. (Someone has been watching too much Grey’s Anatomy. The premiere is on the 27th! Whee!)

I think the bag will keep me occupied until the 23rd, which is the start of the Clapotis Second Wave. If not, there’s always the Lotus Blossom Shawl to start for my mother or maybe the Sampler Stole from a Gathering of Lace.

Let’s not even mention the many projects already on the needles. Let’s not even go there.

No, I don’t think I’ll be lacking in projects to keep me busy.

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I had big plans to unveil my first every knitted toy today. Unfortunately the Hedgehog had other plans.

The knitting went fine. Actually, the knitting was spectacular. It only took me a couple of days to get it done. I started on Saturday and I was done on Sunday night.

Well, I have to admit there was a small misstep when I realized I didn’t have a contrasting yarn for his little paws. I managed to dig out some Noro Kureyon in a decent enough shade to rectify the matter. I’m not completely happy with the results, but this is just a minor detail.

The felting was a little nerve-wracking. I hadn’t felted anything in a few years, so it was like my felting cherry grew back and I was a felting virgin all over again.

At one point, the back wasn’t felting at the same rate as the front so I had to agitate by hand. That was not fun. Shelly, who was on the phone with me offering up support, can attest to that fact. A true friend appreciates colorful cussing in times of distress.

Still, it turned out all right in the end. Here’s Mr. Hedgehog in all his felted glory.

He looks pretty good right? Except for the fact that he’s a faceless hedgehog and all, everything looks like kosher. Until you turn him around that is.

When I turned him around, I found this.

I have a balding hedgehog. There are big swathes of scalp showing here, there, and everywhere. Believe me, it looks even worse in person.

It’s all my fault really. Instead of using the eyelash yarn Sue offered up, I insisted on another. I should have known that when you blatantly ignored the wisdom of your LYSO, you anger the knitting goddesses and end up with crap.

There is a remedy. I have some eyelash yarn left and I’ve been sewing it in. I cannot describe what a painful and tedious process this is though. I worked on it for hours yesterday and what do I have to show for it?

That’s only the top of his furry head. I haven’t even reached the halfway point. I figure this is my punishment for being a cocky-assed knitter with an attitude problem.

I’m afraid that I’ll also run out of yarn. This is a problem because I’m using two different eyelash yarns and I have no idea where to get more of the one with the snazzy copper glints. I bought it years ago from who knows where and the ball bands are missing. I see this as more punishment from the knitting goddesses. I can take it though.

No pain, no gain!

Never give up! Never surrender!

Some might question my sanity at this point. My reply is, “What sanity?” That went out the door after the first two hours of sewing in the eyelash yarn from hell.

I will have a fuzzy hedgehog. Even if it kills me.*

Bald is beautiful? I think not.

*You know, this might not just be my crazy talking. This might also be the after effects of watching “300” this past weekend. Boy, did that movie rock.

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This weekend went by in a blink of an eye. On Saturday I went shopping at the Waikele Outlet Stores and bought myself a new handbag at Nine West. You know how some women are with shoes? That’s how I am with bags. That’s right, I’m a Bag Ho. The nifty silver buttons on this one is what finally sealed the deal.

I also bought a shirt at Bass, but really it’s just clothes. The highlight of the shopping trip was The Bag. It’s roomy enough to fit in my daily purse needs, like my wallet, and I can stuff a couple of knitting projects in there too.

After traipsing about in the exhausting heat of the day, we headed off for an early dinner at Stuart Anderson’s Cattle Company in Pearl City. This was a belated birthday celebration for my mother since they closed their Honolulu location and it takes about 45 minutes to get to this one. Her birthday was on August 24th, so this was quite a late celebration.

With all the driving around we did, I managed to squeeze in some knitting. (Yes! This is a knitting blog!) I took along my Retro Rib Socks. Even though I had finished the first sock during last week’s Aloha Knitters meeting, I managed to make some progress on the second sock.

As for the rest of the weekend I watched two football games (we won!), a fantastic movie, along with a not so fantastic movie. During all this I managed to start a new project. (Yes! A new project!) I’m almost finished with it and I should have some pictures to show you on or around Wednesday. In the meantime, here’s a sneak peek.

Finally, I want to thank you all for the wonderful well wishes for Onyx. She’s been doing really well since I last wrote. On Saturday she actually went after a gecko. Luckily for the gecko it was on the other side of the window.

Here she is resting up after the frenzied activity with Quincy keeping an eye on her.

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