drew-o-rama

BLOCK HEAD

Hey, everybody, it's Monsieur Fancy Pants blocking...

I finished the second sleeve tonight, while watching NOVA. The sleeve was started last week, and a lot of it was knitted this weekend while I was on a bus going to and from Pontiac, Michigan. The marching band that I help instruct traveled there for a BOA regional competition. (Here is a photo the kids after they performed in finals, watching another group.) At first, the kids made fun of me for knitting, but then they warmed up and now they are placing orders! Some of them have even started crocheting hats and scarves. It's pretty neat that they think it's cool enough to learn.

Speaking of cool things, here is a photo of my knitting bag. I thought everybody would get a kick out of it. My friend Jay made it for me a few years ago. Whenever I take it into public, I always get comments, good and bad. (By the way, the material isn't printed... those are different squares of fabric stitched together with blue metallic thread!)

My friend Jay, who is the most creative person I know, is going to be on a reality TV show called "Project Runway"! It airs on Bravo, Tuesday nights before Queer Eye, starting in November. It's centered around 12 fashion designers that must go through weekly "design challenges." I talked to him a few weeks ago, and he's not allowed to tell me much about it. I'm pretty excited to see it. Maybe I could start a "watch-along"!

MAYOR OF BUSYTOWN

Sorry, everybody, for not posting for a while. I have been super busy the past week. And on top of that, I was in a fender-bender and have had to deal with insurance, estimates, etc. My computer also decided to die last night, so I had to ship it off to Apple and won't have it back until next week.

Anyway, I have had time to work on the front of the Skull Vest for the MAN-ALONG. I knitted a few rows last night while watching the final Amazing Race! (By the way, I am so glad Chip and Kim won and not that jerk-face Colin and his spineless girlfriend Christy.) I was a bit nervous using such small yarn and using smaller needles, but it's not that bad. I have another three inches to go until I begin the skull pattern, which I am really excited about. My mother gave me some good tips about intarsia knitting... she used to knit argyle sweaters for my dad!

MAN-ALONG UPDATE ONE

Well, well, well. It looks like little 'ol me has a bit of a knit-along underway. I'm a big boy now!

Thanks to everybody who has signed up so far. And to anybody out there wanting to join, you can do so at anytime, you just have to follow the rules.

It is great to see knitters from all over the world join. So far we have the US, Canada and France all represented. If you know of any male knitters out there, send them my way. It would be nice to have some men knitting-along, too.

Also, it has been interesting to see what everybody is choosing to knit. We have some participants using the same pattern, such as Debbie, Kate and Niki knitting the Manly Sweater from "Stitch n' Bitch." Jena and Lisa are both knitting the Stevie Sweater from the Rowan Cork Collection. Sarah is going to knit the Skully sweater... I was going to knit that for Dan, but like I told Sarah, he's 6'4" and knitting a sweater for him would take FOREVAH. So I was excited to see DomiKNITrix's skull vest.

Anyway, good luck to everyone. I plan on posting updates, to be honest, when I feel like it, so you will have to keep checking back to the super cool, ultra wunderbar, eurotrash-esque Knit-o-Rama.

MY MODELING DEBUT

Hey everybody, look! It's Drew wearing something he finished! The photo above is the serious I'm-trying-to-be-a-model shot. Don't worry, I have a fun side.

To celebrate Labor Day (um, yeah right), Dan and I went to a 150 year-old local cemetery to shoot some photos of me wearing the Big Blue Sweater. We took our lunch and sat on the grass next to several large head stones. Afterwards, we took a stroll and came across a huge mausoleum that looked like a gothic cathedral. The thing was monstrous and fairly gaudy, although strangly cool.

About the sweater... I used Lion Brand Thick & Quick in the Denim color, and honkin' US13 needles. The pattern came from Ann Budd's The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns. By the way, I just bought The Knitter's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns which I am really excited about. I think the Skull Vest for Dan is going to come from this book. Anyway, I don't think I will use this yarn again to make a sweater. It's very thick and very heavy (it was 85 degrees today - I only had it on to pose for the photos). Also, the sleeves are very full, I wish they were not as bulky. Overall, the sweater is nice. I don't think I will wear it out much, but it will be nice to wear on cold days around the apartment.

Another finished project! Take that, Mom! Just kidding...

LET'S MAN-ALONG, BABY

Let's break that stupid Sweater Curse and all jump into the first* knit-along for men's patterns.... the MAN-ALONG.

What are you going to knit for that special guy in your life? To join the MAN-ALONG send me an email with your name (duh), your blog address (if you have one) and what you are planning on knitting.

I am going to be using Rowanspun DK in colors navy and cream to knit a sweater vest with a skull on the front for Dan the Man. I found the sweater at the über kool DomiKNITrix. Jen was nice enough to allow me to link directly to her site to show you what I am going to knit.

The person who has the best knitted garment at the end of the MAN-ALONG will receive as-yet-to-be-determined fancy yarn, a men's pattern book and some of my blank cards that I use as greeting cards. Dan and I will choose the winner.

There will also be another prize for the photo that makes Dan and I say, "the guy wearing that sweater is hot." You didn't think we would let that part go by would you?

Here are the rules...
1) You can choose any pattern you wish, as long as it is a sweater, cardigan, vest, etc. for a man. You can enter more than one garment, as long as you follow the rules.

2) It must be knit and finished between September 6, 2004 and January 1, 2005. (I know that is a long time, but these are sweaters we are talking about here people...) You can join at any time during the above period, but to be eligible for the prizes, you need to be finished by 1/1/05.

3) You must be listed on this site as a participant in the MAN-ALONG. Email me with the info listed above to let me know you are joining. I will list your first name on the column on the left and will indicate when you are finished. I will also expect you to leave some comments on future MAN-ALONG entries with updates, and possibly links, on your progress.

4) At the end of the MAN-ALONG you must email me one scanned/digital photo of your entry. Please make sure the photo is in JPG format and under 100k. The man for whom the garment was intended must be wearing it in the photo. The garment needs to be in clear view. I expect creativity people!

Here is the official button for the MAN-ALONG if you wish to put it on your blog. You can link it to the following URL: colorguardblog.blogs.com/knitblog/manalong/index.html

Good luck and let the knitting commence!

* I can't verify that this is indeed the first knit-along using men's patterns. So, if somebody out there has already hosted a MAN-ALONG let me know and I will give you credit.

BIG BLUE IS FINISHED!

Hey, everybody, it's a finished Big Blue Sweater! This sweater was started sometime last winter, say, in February. I started it on a whim one day when I said to myself, "Gee, maybe I will start knitting a sweater today. That sounds great! This one skein of yarn will start me off... I can just go buy more later." [cue light-hearted, humorous music] I started the sweater and when I ran out of that skein I went looking for more, thinking I wouldn't have any problem finding the same dye lot number.... Hey! Stop laughing!

Anyway, I had to buy it when I found it because apparently everyone in suburban Cincinnati wants Lion Brand Thick & Quick in color denim - I could only find one or two skeins at a time. I finally managed to get through the back, front and finally the sleeves by early summer. At that time it was too hot to think about working on a huge bulky sweater, so I put it down. I came across it a month or so later and felt guilty. So, out it came to be blocked and seamed. A few weeks later I added the neck. Finally, last night, I wove in the ends while watching The Amazing Race (LOVE THAT SHOW).

I will lug Dan outside sometime during the next few days to take some photos of your's truly wearing it.

*knit-along news* I am planning on starting the first (that I know of) men's sweater knit-along, tentatively named the "man-along," on labor day (September 6th). Check back then for all the info.