The body of my Delsbo

Finally, the body of this sweater jacket is done. One sleeve is cut and picked up. The gauge is different for the solid color sleeves which I am not stranding so I figured out how many stitches I needed, picked up every round on the body side of the sleeve and adjusted the number on the first round. It goes quickly, especially after the 2 years the body took.

Louet Victoria Traveling Spinning Wheel for sale

For Sale: an almost new OAK Louet Victoria Traveling Spinning wheel that was lightly used at SOAR 2010. The wheel folds up into its own black travel bag with room for the 3 bobbins and Kate as well as an extra high-speed lace flyer with 3 additional bobbins, included. The whole thing, packed up, weighs about 6.75 pounds. Comes with .5 lb Corriedale from New Zealand and orifice hook. I just don't need 3 wheels! $700, shipping to US included.
ninaelsohn@gmail.com

Knitting while retired is very productive

Recently finished items proliferate when there's lost of time to knit. Top picture is of a lacy rib cardigan I designed using Joan Schrouder's top-down-picked-up sleeves. The yarn is Cash Vero by Cascade and nice to knit with. It doesn't knit plain in stockinette as smoothly as I would have liked resulting in the rib pattern.

The second idem is another cardigan I designed myself, knit out of a silk/wool dk weight from Blackberry Ridge in Wisconsin. It stretches considerably when worn, and I'm going to try to get it back to it's original size and shape by washing.

Third picture down is one of a pair of footlets from a Curious Creek kit, knit as a sample for Carolina Homespun. The last two are a pair of "Thumb Only Work Mitts" also a kit, from Kathryn Alexander, and also a sample.

On the needles:
1. top down cable v-neck for Jim, Dream in Color Classy color Nightwatch
2. socks for Ken, Koigu
3. mittens with hidden fingers, in Malabrigo silk/wool for a rapidly approaching birthday gift
4. Shetland Garden Shawl (design by Sivia Harding), for me, in golden lace weight merino

Well, it's been over a year since my last post. I now have the leisure time to start keeping track of my knitting once again. First, some photos of recent completed projects. Daughter Anna, in the Swing Jacket from Vermont Fiber, Debbie Bliss Cashmerino in black. She's pleased with it, but doesn't have much of an opportunity to wear it now that she's moved to New Orleans for law school at Loyola.

Mariposa Shawl

The Mariposa Shawl is done, in plenty of time to wear to the wedding as planned on June 10. The pattern is by Merrily Parker for South West Trading Co., designed to be knit in their Bamboo yarn. I was just browsing (note: not shopping) at Yarns on First in Napa, CA when a sample of this shawl, in bright red, previously draped over the counter found itself on my shoulders. The sample was done in SWTC OPTIM wool. Since I couldn't have the sample and liked the purple color better the yarn and (free-with-yarn-purchase) pattern came home with me. Size 6 needles, a chart and magnetic board, 5 and a little bit of the 6th ball and 8 weeks later I had the shawl done.



Here it is on the needles - looking more blue than it really is. The pattern is a combination of frosted flowers and pebble stitch. It is my first attempt at lace knitting -patterning on both sides. The P 2 tog. through the back loop was a bit awkward at first but became easier and easier. The rhythm of the pattern was easy to learn.



I blocked it out before adding the crochet border called for in the pattern. It doesn't seem to curl and I don't think it needs the additional length. The back is knit in a parallelogram shape and finished at the top with ribbing. Then you pickup and knit sideways on both of the sides, one of which has a tube for the other side to fit through, which keeps the whole thing on your shoulders.


I am very pleased with the yarn which was lovely to work with, the pattern which was a bit skimpy on directions but understandable after a moment of panic resolved with a phone call to the shop, and the finished object. I might even consider doing this again, in black.

Knitting with Meg Swansen

Knitting Camp with Meg Swansen was a transformative experience. Not only was I knitting with true masters - Meg, Joyce Williams and Amy Detjen - but there were 19 other obsessed knitters there as well. As for the location being "in the middle of nowhere" to quote Meg, it made absolutely no difference. The only time we left the building was to visit Schoolhouse Press to try on garments knitted by Meg and Elizabeth Zimmermann and to shop. Food was brought in for most meals. Some knitters also had breakfast at Meg's sister's restaurant with residents of Msarshfield. At the hotel there was great lighting and seating, lots of help before and after class from Amy and Joyce, and inspiration from the samples brought in for demonstration. The other knitters provided inspiration as well - show and tell was scattered throughout the four days and ranged from beginners projects all the way through intricate lace and color work. I wish I had been quicker with the camera - but picking up the camera meant having to put down my needles, something I was loathe to do. We saw demonstrations of 3 ways of working 2 colors in a row. We practiced Kitchner grafting on samples knitted by EZ. We crocheted and cut steeks. We floated a pattern around a spiral yoke. We practiced knitting back backwards and purling back backwards (something I have not mastered.) We compared unspun Icelandic wool and Shetland 2-ply and wool spun for Ganseys. We talked about I-cord in numerous applications and practiced several. I can't wait to go back for more.


Joyce, Meg, and me


Amy and me


Kate in the Sweater Room at Schoolhouse Press


Trying on EZ's Pi R Squared shawl in the Sweater Room. Which led, of course, to the purchase of Jameson & Smith 2-ply Shetland jumper weight to make my own with insertions of lace patterns from Hazel Carter's booklet.

Other purchases included Satakieli to make my own color way of Amy's Faux Argyle in Sweaters from Camp. And a video of knitting information with both Elizabeth and Meg. And books by Meg , Joyce (Latvian Dreams), Hazel Carter and Wendy Keele (Poems of Color) about the Bohus knitting.

I learned to have confidence in my ability as a knitter to do whatever I wanted with my knitting. After all it's just yarn and needles and I can manage them.

Shopping with Carol in Wisconsin

Shopping with Carol in Wisconsin - what an experience! Dinner that first night was with some folks from the Midwest Masters at a truly Wisonsin restaurant. Fried cheese curds, anyone? Then Carol and I sat and knitted while getting to meet Carol and Denny's daughter Kelley and SIL Dan and their two lovely girls and exuberant puppy. The next day it was on to shopping. Between the four shops we saw on our way from Appleton to Madison and the four shops and Blackberry Ridge Mill in and around Madison we hit 9 yarn-acquisition stops in 32 hours. No, we didn't buy something at each stop. No pictures at Iris in Appleton - but we both bought yarn for the lacy shawl collared sweater in the current Knitters. Both had to be ordered, so no pictures. I also got 6 balls of Rowan Linen Drape - couldn't resist the sale corner - but it's not enough to do anything with. I'll have to do a search for more but since it's been discontinued this might be a challenge. Then out to Yarns by Design in Neenah. They were almost cleaned out by the Midwest Masters shoppers but I managed two buys - Lorna's Laces sport in Mindshaft, a color way I've not seen and 900 yds. of Dream in Color sock wt. in Beach Fog (even if I didn't love the color given where I live that was a must buy). A shawl? A baby blanket?

Then off to The Knitting Room in Fond du Lac - we both bought the new Filatura Di Crosa book for summer. And I scored another batch of yarn with insufficient yardage - a mystery blend that looks like a Monet painting.


Then off to Prairie Junction in Sun Prairie, where we were told we missed the sale by one day (why tell us that?) where Carol found more of the mystery Monet and now I have enough to do a long sleeve something. Carol got caught up in some Silk Garden for a shawl pattern.

Then on to New Glarus where we met up with Ruth and some cows:



While Ruth drove, Carol and I got to browse through the pattern books Ruth had stacked up for us. I got Vermont Fiber's twin set http://www.vermontfiberdesigns.com/patterns/women/107.php

Off to shop some more - first at Sow's Ear in Verona where I me Amy (not Detjen), also going to Meg's. Had a nice sit down in rocking chairs to knit a while.


Then off to a shop in a house (the name escapes me) where Carol and I had a tussle over a skein of merino lace weight Cherry Tree Hill in "Green Mountain Meadows".


I promptly ripped out the shawl I had just started, to cast on with this beauty. 2400 yards - enough to share if Carol's still interested!

Lakeside Fibers in Madison was the nicest place to sit and visit - with a large coffee shop in the back, lots of natural light, and a deck. Carol scored a lovely basket (furniture, not yarn) and I resisted more Dream in Color.



Our final stop was Blackberry Ridge. I resisted the Hazel Carter patterns - how could I explain a christening gown?- but didn't resist some wool/silk sport wt for the Lady of the Forrest in English Garden and some all wool sport wt. for a Vermont Fiber pattern from among the books Ruth stocked in her car for us to check out, while she drove us all over southern Wisconsin.

Finally, dinner at The Dining Room in Monticello was scrumptious and Ruth's treat. We ordered a lovely 2003 Merlot from Duckhorn which paired nicely with the quail stuffed with chorizo. We got to say a brief hello and thank you to Ruth's daughter Jane. After a farewell to Ruth I had to reorganize my luggage to fit all the yarn. And I still hadn't been to SchoolHouse Press!

Here is some of my new stash: starting at the top and working clockwise:
lace weight Cherry Tree Hill, Rowan Linen Drape, sock weight Dream in Color, Blackberry Ridge English Garden silk/wool, and Blackberry Ridge sport wt. Burgundy.



Then on Thursday morning I left Carol and Denny for Marshfield and Meg at my next adventure.

March 2007 knitting

The Alberta shawl from Stahman's Shawls and Scarves is finished and I'm extremely pleased. So please that I begged the intended recipient to let me wear it just once. The hand dyed mohair is from a trip we took together; she bought the yarn fully intending to do a sweater but somehow it didn't happen. Top left is the blocked and finished shawl, to the right is the unblocked version. I was quite surprised at how nicely it bloomed. A closeup of the pattern is to the right.




I leave for a workshop with Meg Swansen in 4 weeks. The homework for the class is partly done - the Norwegian sweater body is finished; 1 sleeve is almost done, and I'm thinking I'll only do one in advance and pick up the stitches for the second after the body is cut. Breathe in and breathe out. There'll be lots of knitters there to pass the smelling salts. I've done the name tag although this may need to be redone, larger.



I hope to have the Mariposa shawl finished for show and tell. It's in a heavenly "optima" wool by Southwest Trading Co. and the pattern (photocopied) was supplied by the LYS with the yarn. I questioned SWTC about the copyright situation on this pattern but have not had a response so I'm assuming what the shop did was fine. This is patterned on both sides, a first for me, but it's not hard to memorize so it's going along okay. Picture here: www.soysilk.com/patterns.html and scroll down to women's patterns and find Mariposa. The picture is terrible - it was apparently worn inside out by the model but the actual shawl is wonderful and fastens with one end fitting into a tube of the other end.

Another sweater that will not be done by May 1 is the Cable Cardigan designed by Kim Barnette for Classic Elite in their "Luxe" booklet. The yarn is some hand dyed merino twist, dyed in turquoise/teal and blue by Morgaine of Carolina Homespun. My gauge is right on and the sizing seems okay for this month at least. The pattern has the reverse stockinette side as the public side with the cables in stockinette; I just can't get used to what I've always considered the wrong side to be the primary fabric of a sweater. I may have to change it around but that would mess up how nicely the cables stand out. This is just in the pre-planning stages. Also in pre-planning is another Faroese shaped shawl this time in some wonderful yarn that I'll keep. Several choices are available -and I'm going to swatch no so much for gauge but for fabric consistency.

The Diamond Patch has been terminally frogged. I had too much trouble getting the size I wanted. Now I have umpteen little balls of lovely cotton knit tape and no idea what to do with it. It might have to continue being little balls of yarn until I give in and make a modular baby blanket.

Finished Projects in January 2007

January was a good month for finishing things.



Here are Jim's socks in Regia 4 stretch which took more than the two balls so the heels and ribbings are in a mottled blue. Dave's hat was a present for his 70th birthday on Ground Hog's Day. The yarn is Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride. Cozy and warm, and it matches his Mini Cooper S in British racing green, of course.

This is the swing jacket from Vermont Fiber. I made very few modifications - the sleeves were way too long so I snipped a stitch, took off the cuff and about 3 inches of sleeve, then reknit the cuff. the shoulder fit well, I love the pleat in the back which makes it comfy, and I did the chevron pattern on the yoke with needles one size smaller than the body. Fits well, it's comfortable, and I have worn it almost every day since finishing it! The yarn is from Elann, Sierra Aran in color Mallard.
http://www.vermontfiberdesigns.com/patterns/women/150.php


This is a little sweater for a newborn granddaughter of some friends from school; I knit for her father and now for his baby. The yarn is Louet Gems Merino, machine wash and dry, a pattern I did on Sweater Wizard. I love the little pockets. It's ready to ship out to Texas and I have to get it in the mail before it gets too hot for wool sweaters.

And what else have we been doing in January? Jim had his rotator cuff surgery and although we were prepared for the loss of the use of one arm for a while, neither of us realized it meant he would not be shaving for six weeks! Here he is, four weeks into recovery:
The new "fiber furniture" arrived. I have a new desk and hutch for my day job, and two new bookcases 84 inches tall, for yarn and knitting books and magazines. The plan was to stack the yarn directly on the shelves, like a shop, but I found all these neat baskets and 3 glass vases so the yarn is actually all contained. Sock yarn is in a cubby hole cube meant to hold shoes; each of the 25 little boxes has enough yarn for 2 pairs of socks, and I still have a drawer under the captain's bed in the guest room full of sock yarn. If I knit a pair of socks every month it would take me about 5 years to get through all the sock yarn I've already accumulated! The old bookcase, which was going to be relegated to the garage, is now in the upstairs hallway, against a curved wall so it doesn't exactly fit, but it holds more yarn now, which leaves some room for new acquisitions. And in the guest room closet is a tower of shelves, filled with bags. Mostly empty waiting their turn for a new project.

New home for my needles

Here is the new home I knit for my Holz and Stein needle collection. They are all considered "children's needles" because they are less than 12 inches long - mostly 10.5 and some 9 in. I used about two and one-half balls of the purple, and just bits of the teal, all Cascade 220. The purple case itself is fulled; the teal cable is knit separately and sewn on. The buttons were a gift from a knitting friend and fit the case and colors perfectly. Pattern source: www.berocco.com/exclusives.kable/kable.html

What else is on my needles?
1. Swing Jacket from Vermont Fiber Arts
2. Baby surprise jacket pattern by Elizabeth Zimmermann
3. Top-down Malabrigo set-in sleeve, made up as I go
4. Ginny Cardigan, pattern by Medrith Glover and of course
5. more socks
and soon to start:
1. Norwegian snowflake child's sweater, for Meg Swansen's workshop in May
2. watch cap for friend's birthday February 4 (better get clicking on this one)
3. Fair Isle hat for my daughter and of course
4. more socks

General Musings

After several months of computer woes, I am again able to keep track of my knitting. I've been to Medrith's Knitting Camp - great knitting, not great accomodations, learned to darn socks from Emily Ocker and saw some of her original lace work, picked Medrith's brain about short rows, Fair Isle evenness of gauge, the need to eliminate mistakes as soon as they are found, and a new kind of sweater construction - the Ginny cardigan. I've also been to the Ashland retreat with the Ample Knitters at the Ashland Springs Hotel - great accomodations and people, lots of fun but costly. Not only did we spend lots of time and money at Web*sters but I got a speeding ticket driving up with Sheila.

The new desk/drawer/shelf combo was designed today for both work and stash and knitting books; final decisions still need to be made (can we afford doors? Can we stand to have the work station not covered up?) but I should be able to fit all my stash in one room and closet. Pictures of the before to come soon; installation will probably be at least a month away.

Something finished, something started

Here is Jim's SF Giants sweater - finished just as the season was finished. Jo Sharp DK wool with black borders of Gems Merino. The diamond pattern is the same as on myLaurel sweater.
I added 3 pairs of short rows across the back shoulders and two 1 inch. gussets at the sides. I'm pleased with how it hangs straight across in front and back. The short rows are nearly invisible, as is the gusset as long as he keeps his arms down! Jim seems to like it too, and maybe next year it will bring the team a better season than this was.

And, just so my needles don't get cold - I swatched and started a new sweater for me. The yarns are 1 strand of Lacey Lamb (from Article Pract, in Oakland) a lace weight merino in my favorite color of teal, and 1 strand of hand dyed silk/merino fingering weight, from Ellen at her 1/2 Pint Farm in Vermont, which we visited a couple of years ago. The hand dyed is nicely aged and pairs well with the brand new Lacey Lamb. The chevron pattern is from "Latte" in Knitters' Summer 2006 page 57. I had to change the shape somewhat, to make it a-line, and redid the shoulders so they actually sit on my shoulders, and I'm going to think about doing the sleeves top down, and full length, but otherwise it's the same sweater. I will use the crochet edging by the designer, Robyn Diliberto.


I'm getting ready to head up to the Sierra's for five days of knitting with Medrith Glover, from October 8 through 12. The biggest question, of course, is how many projects to take, and whether to take a full selection of needles. The needles don't take up much room, so they'll all go. Maybe 5 projects - 2 mindless knitting (Anna's Ameilie sweater, Jim's current black silk Regia socks) one total concentration (Medrith's Seaweed vest - I need to decide if the cast on is acceptable. Can it be reined in enough to be a decent looking bottom edge? I hope so - I've got about 4 inches done and it is - v e r y s l o w knitting) and a couple of projects I can work on if there is something going on but I am not actively involved - an "in between concentration level" - my Malabrigo which will have the tavelling cables down the front to create an illusion of a waist, and maybe this new chevron sweater, and Sheila's Alberta Shawl. That should be enough - and if not, we visit Medrith's Woolroom on Tuesday. Just in case I get bored with what I bring. The spinning wheel might come too, if it fits in the car with all the yarn I'm bringing to give away, a small suitcase of clothes for each of us, and Jim's golf clubs. Jim will head out to Reno, for some wine and food, cars and visiting his sister Janet. For me, it'll be five days with no internet access, possibly without phone access, and knitting all day every day.

The other question is whether to go on the horseback ride. Not having been on a horse since I was about 18, I don't know if my back/bottom/legs can take it, and just think about the poor horse who'll have to carry me. I'll see what the other knitters are doing, and whether Jim wants to go that way.

A permanent UFO and a new project

This is going to be a pemanent UFO. It is about 2/3 of the back of a sweater designed by Kaffe Fassett on size 2 needles - Rowan wool and cotton and a variety of other Rowan yarns. Intarsia. You can see some of the strings that would have to be woven in on the back side if it were ever to be finished. I started this a very long time ago, never could get the gauge even, hate all the ends, and finally decided I would not start it. I'm not going to frog it, but maybe, as was suggested by Sandy, a knitting buddy, make it into a pillow. Or a bag. Just not something that requires more knitting. I don't mind size 2 needles, and now have gotten to the point where I can control my tension better, but I am DONE WITH INTARSIA. On yarn this fine, weaveing in the ends shows; and it would take longer to weave them in when it is finished than knitting the thing. I have enough of the yarn left to make at least a short sleeve sweater - maybe even a long-sleeved one, in stripes perhaps knit cuff to cuff. Sort of the same shape as Vivian Hoxbro's Kimono? Oh, maybe someday.

I did just start a new shawl for my friend Sheila - it's Alberta from Stahman's Shawls and Seaman's Scarves. Sheila bought the yarn on our trip with Jean Moss to England and Scotland in 2004; dyed mohair, from a women's collective in the very north of England. The yarn is sort of scratchy and stiff but softens up considerably when washed. Here's the start: the yarn is about fingering weight and I would normally knit it on a size 3 but for the shawl I'm using size 6 circulars from Knitpicks Options set.

Hoxbro shawl is finished! Anna turns 21

Here is a picture of the Laurel sweater on - I think it fits weel but is a bit more see-through than anticipated - worsted weight cotton and it will need a camisole of something underneath.






And - another FO - the Wing Shawl I knit as a sample for Carolina Homespun. The pattern is from Vivian Hoxbro and the yarn is Harrisville New England Highand. I used a size 7 needle. The pattern calls for fingering weight shetland but we wanted a larger shawl. Hard to see in the pictures, but it is shadow knit - both sides are the same colors but one has garnet ridges and yellow valleys and the other side has the colors reversed. Have to be careful that the back stripe hangs straight - very odd looking if it curves!

While in Baltimore the weekend of September 9 we celebrated Anna's 21st birthday. Here she is, all grown up, with her boyfriend Ken Levin, and a couple of photos of her with Jim and me: