January 26, 2006

I joined the Knitting Olympics initiated by The Yarn Harlot - promising to knit a pair of cable socks for my husband, starting at the moment the flame is lit and finishing by the time the flame is removed to make its way to the next venue. Not a big project but since I'll be travelling from Feb. 15 through 23 helping to clear out my parents' home and visiting my daughter in Baltimore my time will be limited. Can't figure out how to get the button on the blog side. Also joined the Yahoo group KAL for shawls knit from patterns in Myrna Stahman's Faroese Shaped Shawls and Seaman's Scarves. I've copied charts from the book several times for various projects and it started falling apart. Sooooo - I had the book binding changed to a spiral bound plastic thingy that is pretty sturdy and allows the pages to be turned completely flat. Not good for the knitting archives but I plan on using the patterns several times more and have to enlarge the charts to see them. Morgan's plain black sweater is 3 inches from having the second sleeve finished; then just the collar, placket with buttonholes, and fixing the bottom rib that is curling up and IT WILL BE DONE. Freeing up much guilt and allowing more time for Olympic socks.

New Year New Knitting

New on the needles is another shawl from Myrna Stahman's Faroese shawls. This one is Anka, in Maraton, a very very well aged stash item. Part of it previously was the back of a cabled pullover that was frogged, then part of it became a diagnonal knit cardigan that got left on an airplane when I broke my foot and wasn't all there. There isn't enough left for a sweater but there should be plenty for this shawl. I used Myrna's idea for upsizing the shawl by doing one extra set of increases on the back panel and also one set of additional increases on the shoulder seam. A pleasure to work both because of the yarn and the instructions.
Oops - mywhite kitty, Frosty, becomes a part of whatever I knit. He loves sitting on my lap while I knit but leaves the needles and yarn alone.

Also new for 2006 is doing some samples for Carolina Homespun. So far I've completed two Moebius scarves based on Cat Bordhi's Treasure of Magical Knitting. The first is in Mountain Colors Moghuls with a mohair border, and the second is all lovely cloudlike mohair. The mohair is hand dyed by Morgaine at Carolina Homespun and was a pleasure to work with.


Other things still on the needles:
-More socks for Jim - using hand dyed sport wt. yarn from Ellen's HalfPint Farm in Vermont

-Morgan's black Gems Merino pullover - top down, in the round, and the body is done! Now to the raglan sleeves. Frosty is particularly fond of this one, being black.

-shadow knit Kimono jacket for me, to replace the purple one being used by Morgaine for a sample.

Goals for this year: I will do a fair isle vest, at least, for me. The purple and black Sherlock will get knit up! More lace - using the lace weight alpaca from Knit Picks my Secret Pal Colette sent. More socks. Sweater for friend Sheila - this is swatched, but I'm not happy with the fabric so I'll have to do another on smaller needles. Cotton beaded sweater for Anna - from the new Rowan Classic Knits for Real Women.

AND: starting the Master Knitter program from TKGA, next month!

December 24, 2005

I finished my husband's golf club covers at 1:30 pm December 24 just in time for Chanukah tomorrow night. Actually since they weren't a surprise he has them already. Plymouth Encore, so when they get full of grass and dirt I can dump them in the machine to wash. Attached in groups so one can't get left on the links; and seven covers for the irons so they don't clank against each other in the car on the way to the course. The pattern is from Patons' Canadiana. Only one cover for a driver; the others came with covers and I'm sick of knitting these things. There is enough yarn left so I can do them at my leisure later.

Here is the 3 to 2 sweater, in alpaca/wool/elastic from Artfibers. It measures 50 inches around, 24 inches from shoulder to bottom, the sleeves are 16 inches from the underarm to the cuff. The diagnonal neckline opening is not shown cause I sewed it closed. A very square sweater that made me look well, square. and short. First response from an AK lister who wants the sweater as is, without planning to frog it, gets it. Shipping will probably be about $4, I'm guessing. Payment of actual postage to Shelda@ample-knitters.com to offset list expenses.


And lastly, my daughter Anna, home from Johns Hopkins, has finished her first project that is not-a-scarf: a hat. simple ribbed watch cap or toque; she is very proud of it. Mangaged 4 dps like a pro after about 1 minute of complaining!


Happy holidays to all - and may all your knitting be fun.

Holiday projects finished

Finally finished: Niece Rachel's afghan. 10 balls of Encore chunky in the autumn colorway. Came out well, I think, but next time (if there is a next afghan in my knitting life) I'd make it longer and narrower. But it will be cozy to curl up in, and can be machine washed and dried to take off her kitties' black hair. Also pictures of DH in the Susan Shawl - fits him well although I doubt he'll wear it. Off to the Post Office to send away the afghan and the shawl (it really belongs to my sister Lynda)

Ample Knitters' Retreat Medford, OR Nov. 2005

Some photos from the Retreat - me presuming to show Medrith something! and a couple of the inspirational trunk shows by Joan and Medrith. Included is Medrith's Fair Isle gauge swatch, longer than some scarves I've knitted.



















And Joan's "Go Ducks" shadow knit. Raises all kinds of possible political knitting with subliminal messages!

Pictures of Susan Shawl and Fiesta Mittens

Found the hiding camera charger so here are the finished photos. The first row is the Susan Shawl, from Myrna Stahman's Faroese shawl book. On the left, the unblocked item, looking as someone said, fish scales; the yardstick is for comparison with the blocked shawl in the middle. The last picture is of the details of the diamond pattern and the edging. I'm very pleased with it and it fits me nicely. The color isn't me, though, so it will be sent off to my sister for her birthday. Below that are the mittens for my daughter. The pattern is Fiesta from Lucy Neatby and it's in a solid (more or less) purple/blue and white Koigu. Fun pattern and pattern stitch and they fit her well, she says!

Susan is off the needles! Sherlock v neck gets needle time!

Finally, a larger FO. The Susan Shawl, from Myrna Stahman's book on Faroese shaped shawls, is done. Now to block it - the lace pulls up and desperately needs to be smoothed out and stretched to show off the leaf stitch. And then it will be a birthday present for my sister, in April. The yarn, a 50/50 mix of Merino and silk in a DK weight, was hand dyed by Morgaine Wilder of Carolina Homespun. Knit on size 7 (4.5mm). Off the needles it measured about 25 inches from the back of the neck to the bottom, straight down, and I'll block it to at least 28. No pictures yet, maybe later this week. Love the shawl and the yarn but fortunately for my sister it just isn't a flattering color on me!

Also done are the mittens from Lucy Neatby's Fiesta mittens pattern, using purple and white Koigu on size 2. Mailed off to Anna, they were a bit small; for the next pair I'll use a size 3. Cheryl's Tinsel socks are done and packed for gifting. Ken's shawl is done, and ready to be mailed. Jim's latest socks (lost track of how many have been finished) are still sitting, one done, one on the needles. Rachel's afghan is about 85% done and now that it's close it's just sitting. Poor little Sammy, his first Chanukah sweater was frogged; I am not fond of knitting Opal on size 2s, the stitches are just too loose. So it's back to the drawing board for him; either I'll start over with a zero needle or just use the zebra stripe and bright orange for socks and re-think the entire project.

And just started - a v-neck pullover for me, in purple/black Sherlock (silk and wool) one of my last purchases from Art Fibers. I put in a wide leaf pattern up the front that will split around the neck like the cable tee KAL from Ample Knitters. Love the color, the yarn splits a bit. And of course, Morgan's plain black placket neck, now down past the arm holes, and I keep working away at it.

Have to find a new way of financing my yarn addiction - I'll be working at Stitches West with Morgaine and Lann Wilder at Carolina Homespun which might help keep me out of trouble at the market.

On the Needle with a deadline

I'm feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the number of projects I've got going at the moment. I'm taking a short time off to try to organize. In order of when the item will be gifted:
1. Cheryl's magic garden tinsel socks. Just frogged back to the end of the old gusset after realizing that her foot is significantly narrower than her ankle and I have to adjust by making more decreases at the gusset. Still on the first sock - just starting the foot. Due to be given Dec. 8 or so.
2. Niece Rachel's afghan in Encore Chunky. I'm on the 3rd ball of yarn, have 10 to go. Must be mailed by Dec. 10 to get to her by Chanukah.
3. Morgan's black Gems Merino top down raglan placket - almost down to the bottom of the raglan decreases, but miles of plain black knitting to go plus a zipper to sew into the placket at the end. To be given 1st night of Chanukah, incidentally on Dec. 25.
4. Jim's socks - perpetually on the needles. Current pair is self-striping with contrast rib and heel. One sock halfway down the foot (11.5 in. feet.)
5. Sammy's 1'st Chanukah sweater - size 2 needles, Opal sock yarn intarsia. Sure it's cute but I had sworn off intarsia. And if I knit for Sammy I'll have to do something for his sister Alivia as well. And that's not even in the planning stages!
6. Shadow knit kimono - for me - so I can give the purple one back to Morgaine for display at Stitches in February. About 1/2 of the first sleeve is done but kilometers to go on size 3 mm. needles.
7. Susan /Stahman shawl for sister Lynda. Probably 3/4 done; keeps getting put off because it doesn't have to be done any specific time.
And not yet on the needles:
8. Still to start: scarf/hat or socks for Anna - socks with the lined leather soles for slippers or the cashmere scarf from yarn from Nova Scotia.

Doesn't make me feel any better but at least they are enumerated.

More Knitting Adventure and the finished Eris

Eris is finally finished. I did a version of Meg Swansen's "purl when you can" for the bottom borders and sleeve finished. I did a non-random pattern of K3-P1 moving the P1 over after 2 rows, and then added a 3 stitch I-cord. It lays flat and the I-cord matches the edging on the collar. Had some trouble with the zipper because the size I needed wasn't standard so I had to cut the zipper at the top and still need to finish it off. But I'm pleased with the fit and plan to wear it out to dinner tonight!








More pictures from Nova Scotia. The views of the Atlantic Ocean from the knitting deck were magnificent. More shots of the bunnies at White Point Beach Resort, some pictures of Lucy Neatby teaching, and the stash I acquired while on vacation.










This is Lucy with her udder bag, post hand fulling. Very lifelike!






The group project was to knit a bag, using a technique you learned at the workshops. I knit the bag with a steek, and cut the steek for the opening. Then picked up stitches for the flap and added handles. It's the perfect size to hold the needles I use most, ready to take with me to the Ample Knitters' retreat in Oregon.

Knitting Adventure with Lucy Neatby

We just got back from a week of Knitting Adventures with Lucy Neatby, in Nova Scotia. We stayed at White Point Beach Resort with spectacular views of the ocean. The knitting was fabulous and this was without a doubt the best vacation I've ever had. I learned I can knit happily for more than 8 hours a day. Husband Jim played golf and scouted around for good food and wine. Daughter Anna joined us for a weekend, and here is modeling her lacy one-button cardigan, an FO from September. Lucy had us select a technique we wanted to learn (I chose steeking - first time I actually cut something I knit - not nearly as scary as I thought!) and then we made a bag utilizing that technique. Picutres include Lucy with her felted udder bag and the free roaming bunnies.

New Project/Ken's scarf

Despte all resolutions to the contrary I started another project. A Hannukah present for Anna's boyfriend Ken. A scarf - the Peter Seaman's Scarf - another project from Myrna Stahman's Faroese shawl book. Looks blue, but is really green worsted weight wool, from stash, can't rememer which company but I think it's cascade. Nice to work on, fairly easy pattern. The provision cast-on using a second color yarn I learned from Joan Schrouder - you end up picking up just as many stitches as you cast on. The 2/1 cables I'm doing without a cable needle, learned from Carole Wulster's Cable Needle Freedom. The scarf is moving along smoothly.

Knitting progress

This is my "Susan" shawl from Myrna Stahlman's Faroese shaped shawls. It is in a handdyed merino/silk from Carolina Homespun, about dk weight, on a size 7 US (4.5 mm) needle. The length is now about 14 inches from the back of the neck and the wingspan measures more than 52 in. so at the anticipated length of 25 inches and adding 4 stitches every 2 rows it should be plenty wide enough. It will need serious blocking (dressing?) to get the lace pattern to show up. It is supposed to be for my non-ample sister, but we'll have to see how it looks...I may decide to keep it for me.

And here is my Eris, just below the divide for the sleeves. I put it on my extra long Denise circular to see how it fit and it looks great so far. The designer is very precise aboutthe raglan increases and right on about the fit! Because of my particular shape I am leaving out the waist shaping and the cables on the hem and will probably do an I-cord around the bottom. This is the cardigan version and may actually have a zipper inserted, or not. The cable section was lots of fun and required total concentration; from here on down it is just plain old stockinette but at 5 st/in it should take too long and might be done in time to leave on October 13 with us to the Knitting Adventure with Lucy Neatby in Nova Scotia!

September 10 2005

Here is my latest FO, my huband Jim's birthday basketweave sweater. Designed on Sweater Wizard using a stitch pattern from the 365 Stitch calendar. Machine washable wool, so he can wear it to play golf, mow the grass, and do other stuff. I put in 6 short rows on the front and used one size larger needles on the front as well. I should have done one or the other, both make it a little roomy but given his liking for his wonderful canneloni and all things delicious it will be fine. He hasn't taken it off since I finished it last night, only 2 1/2 months late.

I'm still plugging away on the Eris cardigan. I finished the collar and picked up stitches for the bodice. I started the raglan increases using the suggested cable + increase in the pattern but despite trying 3 different increases I always came up with a hole where the increases were. And, since I am working hard at aligning my tolerance for errors while knitting and my intolerance for errors in finished objects I am visitng the frog pond this afternoon, back to pick up the stithces again and do simple paired increases. Here is the before frogging picture:
The after frogging picture won't get up until later next week; I'm off to LA for a week of work tr