Knitting Meme! I was tagged by Shetha for this one:

What is your all time favourite yarn to knit with?
I haven't knit with a lot of nice yarns. If the 'cheaper' yarns I like Bernat Satin, and Lion Brand Woolease. Sirdar Rio (cotton/acrylic blend) was super nice to knit with, and I liked Patons Look at Me, before they discontinued it.

Your favourite needles?
Circulars, for everything. I like doing socks on two circs, and even flat knitting feels better on them. Most of my needles are Aero or Susan Bates Metal and plastic needles I've picked up at thrift stores. I have one pair of casien DPNs that are nice to knit with (but taste and smell nasty) and my Pony Pearl DPNs are comfy, too. I don't really like bamboo, they grab the yarn too much.

The worst thing you've ever knit?
I tried making Chicknit's Boatneck Shell, but I tried to do it in the round and adjust the measurements. This was as a very new knitter, and I didn't even know about guage. I used Phildar's Paper Phil yarn which is hard to knit with and impossible to rip, so this project lingered for a few years before I finally just threw it out.


Your most favourite knit pattern? (maybe you don't like wearing it...but it was the most fun to knit)
I love making these cabled hats:

Super easy to knit, but work up fairly fast. Good portable knitting that isn't straight stockingknit. The pattern was from a book called Hip Knits, I think.

Most valuable knitting technique?
I don't know the name for it, but when you need to rip many rows, and you insert your needle into the stitches, then rip-rip-rip and the stitches land back on the needle automatically at the intended point. Saves so much time and stress versus trying to get all the stitches back on the needle one by one after some frantic ripping.

Best knit book or magazine?
I don't really have one. I really like "Adorable Knits for Kids" but I haven't knit anything from it yet. I love Debbie Bliss' items, but don't like her patterns. if that makes sense.

Your favourite knit-a-long?
I haven't completed one. I joined the Soleil-along, and failed out.

Your favourite knitblogs?
Sandra at Stay at Home Knitter, Carrie at Carrioke.net, Spring at Twistedstitcher.net. Wendy at Knit&Tonic is really entertaining, too.

Your favourite knitwear designer?
Uh, don't know if I could name enough to pick a favorite! I like Debbie Bliss' stuff quite a bit, though.

The knit item you wear the most? (how about a picture of it!)
I haven't knit a lot of things for myself to wear, actually. Ironically the one handknit top I wear the most, though, is the very first one I made, one of the first things I knit. The pattern was in the first Knit It, and I used Lion Brand Homespun.

Sorry for the darkness, it's the only photo I could find.

Tagging Sandra at Stay at Home Knitter

Not making much progress on Accordion. I dropped an edge stitch and had to rip back abotu 12 rows = lame. I'm just not motivated, Woolease on Bamboo needles was a mistake. It's also just really boring knitting 4x4 rib.

I started a baby hat because I wanted something different, we'll see if the break can get me moving again.

I'm still working on Accordion. I finished the back and got a good start on the one front panel, but it's slow going. I haven't had much knitting time. The few times I've managed to flop in front of the TV in the evenings, I haven't wanted to knit, even. I've got to hurry, the cooler weather is starting and I want Teagan to be able to wear that sweater!

I'm craving quick knits, so if I can't get motivated to work on Accordion maybe I'll whip up another baby hat or a dishcloth or something. Christmas is coming, so it can't hurt to have a couple things stashed away.

Accordion

accordian
Originally uploaded by wendymc.

Here's my progress on Accordion so far. It's 8 inches, so I'm a little over halfway done the back. I thought it was going to be way too big when I first cast on, but the ribbing really pulls in.

I'm working on straights for a change. Usually I use circs, even for flat knitting. If I could have found a circular needle in the right size (4.5mm) I would have used it this time, too. Oh well, I wanted to give the bamboo ones a try anyways. They're nice and light in my hands, but a bit catchy on the woolease yarn. I can't get over how LONG the straights feel as I'm knitting. I feel like I take up more space knitting with them - hah!