Studio Marlowe

My latest knitting is a quick project from Stitch’n'Bitch Nation:

Later Gator Mittens. So cute, no? These ones are child sized but I am going to have a load of yarn leftover so…yeah, I think I might need some for myself. So then I can run around and make my mittens talk to people.

I also could not resist some ridiculous uses of the mitten as a cupcake photo prop:

S’mores cupcakes, which are quite delicious, although I was somewhat chagrined to realize that the only chocolate in this recipe is the topping. Crazy! I made up for the lack of chocolate-in-cupcake with liberal applications of ganache on top:

I’ve been pretty busy lately with classes, so knitting has been taking a bit of a back seat. I have managed to crank out a few more inches on the halter top, though:

I’ve actually done a little more since that photo was taken, so I’m getting pretty close to binding off the back (just a couple more inches!). So far this one seems like it might actually fit, which would be an awesome improvement over the previous two efforts with this yarn. I also pulled out a halter I have now that fits well and compared dimensions the other day–they’re pretty much about the same size, another positive indicator.

Oh, hmm, what’s that?  I made more cupcakes?  Could have done:

Cookies’n'cream, also from VCTOTW.  Make chocolate cupcakes, but fold in a cup of chopped chocolate sandwich cookies.   Also mix some crushed cookies into the frosting, and top with half a cookie.  I think these may be the most decadent and delicious cupcakes yet.

So the halter top is progressing a bit:

I am really loving knitting this–the yarn is some Rowan Calmer from my stash and it is so soft and pleasant to feel. I originally purchased the yarn in (I think) 2006 to make the “Cabled Bandeau” that appeared in an issue of Interweave Knits a year or so back (Veronik Avery was the designer). It’s a really cute pattern, but there were a variety of problems for me, namely that a) I knit it twice and both times it came out way too big, even though try two had 6″ negative ease, b) the waist decreases were REALLY sharp relative to my waist/hip ratio, which resulted in an extra bulge of fabric sitting right over my hips. Also, the whole thick cabled fabric on what is supposed to be a relatively skimpy piece of clothing thing was just not the greatest mix, at least to me. I’m sure that top will be perfect for someone (who is not the magazine model), but I realized that for myself, it was probably time to take a new approach. Like unraveling the whole thing and letting it sit untouched for a year or two while I considered what to do with the yarn. And now starting to reknit it in a much simpler (and hopefully better fitting and more flattering) halter top design.

I’m going to a picnic this afternoon, so of course you know what I whipped up to bring along:

These are the classic chocolate cupcakes, some with plain frosting and some with chocolate.  I found a set of mini-cupcake pans at the thrift store last weekend (in really good condition to boot!), so I thought this would be a good chance to try them out.  I was thinking that a mini-cupcake would be equivalent to half a regular cupcake, and that my 24-mini-cupcake capacity would be sufficient for a recipe that makes a dozen cupcakes.  Not so.  I made 24 minis and still had plenty of batter for 5 large.  And, quite a few cupcake liners turned out to really have been a tad overfilled, so I think I technically could have gotten even more cakes out of the recipe (certainly at least a sixth regular cupcake).  So, in conclusion, a mini-cupcake is really somewhere between a third and a fourth of its full-sized counterparts.  I’ll have to keep an eye out for more mini pans!

More cupcakes!

These are the Earl of Grey cupcakes (a variation on Chai Latte).  They are a little on the moist side but the flavor is really good–a nice blend of earl grey tea and citrus.  The recipe suggests an agave nectar icing but I did not have any agave nectar on hand, so I made a honey based variation.  I know honey is not technically acceptable to level 5 vegans but since I am currently floating around at level -2, it’s fine for me.  For decoration I sprinkled some finely ground early grey tea leaves on top.

I think I posted a week or so ago about starting a new project, right? At any rate, I am. Starting. This is what’s happened with it so far:

First we have swatch A on the left. Swatch A was a neat little stst square, blocked and pinned, all done according to form. And I actually cast on after A. But then I decided the fabric really was too tight. And that also, I wanted to do a little something to break up the miles of stockinette. Enter swatch B (right), which is really how I tend to swatch–as one long stitch sampler. A little stst to start things off, some random stitch patterns and experimenting with decreases, some more stitch patterns, until I find that balance point between something I like and impatience to start. I feel these two variables must plot out something like the classic supply and demand curves from high school econ classes.

Anyway, I think I’ve hit that intersection for this project and I’ve started the actual top:

Mmm, more tubular cast-on. My favorite. If you don’t know how to do this cast-on, my advice is to LEARN. Now. Seriously–it’s more time consuming, but gives the piece a much more finished looking edge. Also, it’s nice and stretchy, so you might find it handy if you have problems with too-tight cast-ons.

A while back, I snagged a load of this Rowan Calmer yarn on clearance (like, um, under $4 a ball…jealous?)

Pretty, no?  In one of my favorite colors, pink.  Of course, since it was cheap, and the color was being discontinued, I of course bought a lot of it.  Maybe…oh….15 balls.  Originally I was thinking of some kind of crazy cabled cardigan with long sleeves, etc. so it was not TOTALLY inconceivable that I might use all of it in a single garment (Okay, it was.  I don’t know what my deal is but I always think that a sweater for me is going to use at least 2000 yards of yarn and this is pretty much NEVER the case.  So 2,625 yards is extra nutty).

Fast forward to now, a year or so later.  While the cardigan idea still has some charm, I’m thinking this would be better in a short or 3/4 sleeve variation, and probably with just a simple lace pattern, not a load of yarn munching cables.  Which means a lot of yarn left over.  Soooo….

1) Would it be horrible of me to make myself TWO spring/summery garments in the exact same yarn?  I do love the color.

2) If not, should I

a) try to dye it?

b) make a second garment, but give it to someone else (who will love and appreciate it as much as I will)?

c) sell/trade yarn for money/yarn/other items?

As I haven’t even cast on for the first garment these questions are all somewhat academic at the moment but I like to think things over in advance.