Boy, it's been a while!

SO MUCH TO TELL YOU!
I have been very busy, I just haven't had the time to post. Plus the batteries were dead in my camera. I can hardly believe it's been this long.

First, these are the socks that my awesome swap partner, Gladcat, did for me. They are made of Rowan Denim and they fit me perfectly.


Also included in her package to me was a homemade card. Cadbury hot chocholate AND eggs! Some Araucania Copihue, which she had made herself a cowl with, and then sent me the rest AND the pattern, so I could make one for myself.

Some great buttons and stitch markers. A coaster from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. AND some Mohair yarn in great colors that I love, I just don't know what I will make with it yet, as I've never used Mohair before.

Well, we officially know that Baby J is going to be a boy, so here is the first, official BOY thing I've knit for him. A hat out of Cottontots. It is New born size, but seems large, so it should fit for quite a while.

Lots of sock knitting going on. I did complete my February socks for the Personal sock club, no pictures though, yet. I made them out of Knitpicks Palette in Brindle Heather. I have been wearing them, and enjoying them.

Below is a picture of the extra February socks that I am making. I'm still working on these, but I have one sock finished and I am on to the foot.

Here are my Personal Sock Club socks. They are in Knit Picks essential Tweed, in Shiraz. I am almost done with these. I will most likely finish them today.

As I said, Baby J is a boy, and will be using Cloth diapers, at least part of the time. So I found a nice pattern for Soakers. So, as you can see I have made three pairs. I plan to pair them with a top so if they aren't used as soakers, they can still be worn as an outfit.

Warm Woolies. A continual passion. Here are two pairs of socks for the 10 for 10 challenge. Cascade, the yarn company, has donated yarn to Cozy Cabin and our group is using it to make items for the 10 for 10 challenge.

This is the Warm Woolies Mystery Sweater. Lots of firsts in this for me. One of our group members made this pattern for all of us to make a larger size sweater, also for the 10 for 10 challenge. I used Lionbrand Fisherman wool, which knit up into a nice fabric, however, I was VERY DISAPPOINTED in it, because I didn't realize til after I had purchased it, that it is made in China now, not the USA.

The firsts in this sweater for me are, bottom up, three needle bind off, and picking up stitches to do the sleeves. I really enjoyed the pattern and the constrution of this sweater and I know some child will be warm next winter while wearing it.


Below, is a picture of the top down ragaln sleeve sweater, also for WARM WOOLIES. It is made from Patons Classic wool. (Which by the way is not merino anymore, but still a nice yarn to use)

I have signed up for a TOP DOWN sock class at Cozy Cabin during the month of April, which I purchased some Trekking 6 ply to use for these socks. I can't wait. It is something I've been wanting to learn for some time now.

My father gifted to me the purchase of TWO awesome books! One of which I got yesterday in the mail. "Fishermen's Sweaters" by Alice Starmore! I can't wait. I have been drooling over this one trying to figure out which sweater to make. And what yarn to use for it. Watching Carolyn make her sweater from this book has been so fascinating that I just have to try one for myself.

I hope not to be away for so long next time. That's all for now.

Week 3

Here are my completed Hedgerow socks! I am so pleased with how they turned out. Done on magic loop, size 1, with Knit Picks Essentials Kettle Dyed in Wine. I can't wait to wear them.



I finished the socks in 14 days so now I have the rest of the month to work on a Sweater for the Warm Woolies 10 for 10. (I think that's what it's called). Anyway, after a great deal of searching my Leisure Arts Pattern book for the Top down ragalan, I found it! and I began early on the KAL. There are some of us over at Warm Woolies on Ravelry who are doing sweaters for the challenge.

And here is a SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!!!

I finally got to go to see my knitting friends. It's been so cold and the weather has been too dreadful most Thursday nights for me to venture out. Anyway, Cozy Cabin had a cabin fever event yesterday (and today, I believe), prizes, sale, food.... and sit and knit.

Anyway, I got to see my friend Carolyn and she had a birthday gift for me.

Look at it!!!

A skein of the Socks that Rock yarn! I have only seen it and touched it at Rhinebeck. (didn't buy it because the line was HUGE to say the least) Anyway, I don't know where she got it from, but it is called "rare gems" and it is just marvelous. I truly think that other knitters are the only ones who "get it" when it comes to giving a skein of yarn to a fellow knitter as a gift.

I would love to make a pair of socks, but I just can't see hiding something so pretty on my feet! So I think I have decided on a scarf pattern. This way I can enjoy it and show it off to others while I wear it, then, maybe if there is some left over, maybe I can squeeze a pair of shorties out of it too. We will see!

Thank you Carolyn.

Now, I know I've mentioned I am in a Stash Knit Down group on Ravelry. Well, I ENHANCED my stash yesterday! I had christmas money that I was saving just for this event and I was able to get - MORE SOCK YARN!! Like I need more!? But I did. A skein of Opal in Blues and a skein of Trekking XXL in Neopalitan colors, and some others, but I can't mention everything because I am in the Oddball stashbusters swap and I don't know if my downline will read my blog at all and I don't want to spoil her surprise.

I was also bad and I did order from Knit picks the beginning of the month. That order came in and soon I hope to be showing you some Selbuvotter knitted mittens.

OH! I almost forgot, but I don't have a picture. For my 52 in 52 this week, I did finish a pair of single strand worsted weight socks for Warm Woolies.

Knitting

I am knitting on my sock, desperately trying to get it done before the end of the month! But, at least I am knitting!

The yarn from the Lord and Taylor sweater is just so yummy. I am hoping to get it washed up today. I want to finish pulling apart another sweater so I can do the two at one time. I am not sure that I will get that done though, as it is raining outside and I have learned to ONLY pull a sweater apart outside so that my allergies don't rear their ugly head. However, I really NEED to get a ball winder. There is just no doubt in my mind that that would make things SO much easier to accomplish. The swift has helped to reduce my winding immensely and I am so grateful that my brother was able to get that done for me so quickly.

I have been thinking about purchasing two Dale of Norway booklets. They are on sale right now and I have seen some of their patterns before, but I do not know for sure what is included in these two booklets. It is one of the bad things about shopping online and not having a LYS to go to.

Finished Objects

Well, here are some pictures! This is my fake Noro Vest that I have been working on for a bit. Sorry that there is no picture of me wearing it. The one we took was distorted, we'll have to try again.


If I ever make this again, I would make the back a bit wider. I believe this one was only 70 stitches wide. And I probably would have made it just an inch or so longer. I seamed up the side about 9 inches to form the arm holes. I have worn this twice already and it fits wonderfully and is very warm.

Remember the Friday Harbro socks? Well, they are now Twin Rib from SKS book. I needed a simpiler pattern to work on. Having the vest and the sweater going at once, I needed an easy, quick project and I was struggling and not enjoying the chart. I guess it take a bit more learning to enjoy it.

Here is my top down raglan that I finished last month. After working on Rachels and making hers a bit longer, I decided I liked the way that one fit much better, so I ripped out the bottom ribbing and I knit 20 extra rows and I am now going to put the 25 rows of ribbing back on it. I am hoping that this will help with the "climbing up" this sweater was tending to do.

Here is Rachels sweater. I am almost done with the first arm and I can't wait to be done with it. I have gotten so many more ideas just from this sweater.

I have been very bad. I placed another order today with Yarn Country for more Cascade 220. Enough to use what I have in order to make 3 more sweaters.

Plus I ordered some Malabrigo in Lacy weight merino (I think that is what it is called) in Hummingbird. Mom will be gone a year next month and before she left, she had tried on my second pair of socks, made with Gyspy Girl Creations 100% Superwash Merino wool in Painted Desert by Stonebarnfibers. It was the first purchase I made of fancy hand dyed yarn and I completed them while mom was ill. She tried them on and I haven't been able to wear them or really haven't taken them out at all. They still sit in the bag I carried around with me, back and forth to the hospital and lived out of for weeks. Mom loved hummingbirds, and saw real ones at our house in WI. I am not sure what I will make with this yarn, but I figure, every year, I will choose a yarn and make something special to remember mom by.

I DID IT!

Sorry the above picture is a bit dark, I tried to lighten it but it didn't help. This is the side seam on my tunic. I used "Knitting in Plain English" to do this invisible seam. I know it is hard to tell from this picture, but you can't see the seam at all. It is done from the "public side" of the garment, just as the shoulder seams were done, using a little different method.

The above is a picture of the first seam that I did on the arm to the body of the sweater. This is where I was having so much difficulty. I could not understand the written instructions for doing it from the outside, as one edge was vertical and the other edge was a bound off. So I put it away for a while.

I talked with my Aunt about this and she said you seam from the inside. So the picture above is with the seam from the inside. Which was okay, but not as nice looking as I had hoped.

So I dragged out the book again and sat and read and re read. And finally, it clicked!

This is the shoulder seam, above, using the technique in the book and it produces a much smoother, invisible seam. I am sure that as I learn and practice, when I make piece items, that the seams will get much better.

And here is the completed sweater! The picture doesn't look that great, but it does fit! The length is good. I'm glad I took the three inches off the bottom. The 18 inch length sleeves are perfect for me, they come right to my wrist. And when I measured the finished item, it matches the measurements in the book, all except the length. So I am pretty pleased about that.

Then came the task of the ends. DH commented that that part was going to take me as long to do as the whole sweater. Which, it sure seemed like it, but I got it done. The whole process of learning and doing and redoing the seams, and doing the ends took the WHOLE day. Hours! Plus it was done between life happening and having to stop for this and that, but it did take hours.

Now today I will hand wash and block it.

I didn't get any knitting done yesterday on my knit top down sweater, but I did do alot of that on Sunday, so it is coming along nicely.

More Lessons Learned

I just wanted to share a sunset with you. This is looking to the west from our front porch area last night. Perhaps it's not the best picture, but I'm still learning.

Well, I completed that sleeve last night. Finally! And then I laid it out on the floor to see how it would all look once put together. The sleeves do look short, but the directions said 18 inches and depending on where the shoulders actually lay, 18 inches should be fine. We will see.

As you can see from the picture above, I have done the seam on one shoulder using the directions from "Knitting in Plain English". They were very easy to follow and I am sure that once I do more seams they will look even more finished.

The next thing I did was to do the collar, which according to the directions in the book for the pattern, I was to pick up and knit, in garter stitch, 8 rows.

Here is what I did. The pattern said I should have a total of 82 stitches, 24 were on hold for the back, 18 on hold for the front. I ended up with 9 on each side of the back, making 42 and then 13 on each side of the front, making a total of 86. I wanted the stitches to be evenly placed, so we'll see if 4 more stitches will make that much of a difference.

Then with the size #7 needles, I did 7 rows of garter stitch. For the 8th row, I was worried about my bind off for the collar, so I switched to the size #9 needles and did row 8 with those and the bind off. For the bind off, using a suggestion from "Knitting in Plain English", I did a K1, P1 bind off in the hopes that the edge will lay flat and not roll either way.

What I learned this morning was: 1) Make sure you are using the right end of the skein before you get too far with picking up stitches. 2) I also have decided that I do not like working flat in stockinette stitch. I think the purling has alot to do with the pain in my wrists.

Well, today is Friday and it is my busiest day of the week. I need to get my non-knitting part of my day started and finished before I can get back to finishing up the seams and trying on the sweater.

Until next time!

(PS for some reason the returns are not showing up in this post and I am sorry if it is hard to read)

Stop and admire your work

In "Knitting in Plain English" by Maggie Righetti (and one day I will figure out how to do links and then I can link to the book. See Amazon.com) she talks about being sure to stop and admire your work as you go. Don't be so hell bent on getting it done, but look at it to be sure that there are no mistakes, no grease spots or stains, no loose stitches, lost stitches. You get the idea.

Well, yesterday I was so proud of myself. I finished the first sleeve to my sweater. I even called my Aunt and told her "I have a sleeve." on her answering machine. Only one who knits could understand the statement and right now, she is the only person I know who knits. I called her when I completed my first sock and told her "I have a sock!".

Anyway, I finished my sleeve and began the next,,,,,, three times! I was working along on the ribbing and into the increases and stopped to look at my work, after about an hour or so, and saw that I had made a dreadful mistake at the beginning of the patterning row of ribbing... Now, this ribbing is my favorite part and I thought to myself I could live with it. This is just my learning sweater. So I knit for a while more. Stopped and looked at it again, and there staring at me is that "mistake". After a great amount of looking and sighing I decided to rip back all the work I had done because I knew it would bother me.

So, I begin again. This time, I stop and admire my work more often, to be sure there are no mistakes. I am learning the "blind stockinette stitch increase" for the purl increases. Instead of lifting the between stitch with the right needle from the back and place it on the left needle, you pick it up with the right needle from the front. THEN you don't get that little hole. So I am stopping and admiring my increases and thinking to myself that it looks good.

Then, then I take the time to look at my needles! They are the start needles. The size 7 that I was supposed to change when I got done with the ribbing! Hours! I had worked about three hours by now.

I had to rip it all back again! I wanted to cry. But I didn't. This isn't the first time I have done this or rather picked up the wrong size needle. With that pair of socks it was definitely a learning experience about measuring your bamboo size double pointed needles, BEFORE you begin to be sure you picked up the right set. sigh....

So, I went back to the ribbing, again and that is where I am starting from this morning.

I also decided last night, that for my next sweater, the raglan top down, I am going to use the Patons La Laine Superwash Merino Wool in color 6261, which is a blue/grey heather, that I picked up probably three or four years ago at "the Crabbe Reader" in Seymour, WI. Nice shop. Sure wish I had one like that here. Mrs. Crabbe is wonderful with her help choosing a yarn, knitting and with her selection of Used Books.

Anyway, I had purchased that yarn and had planned, back then, to use it for this sweater, so I will use it when I make it. I am not sure about the total ounces/yards though. I am fairly certain there will be enough to finish, but I also purchased a skein of the same brand, in color 6202, which is more of a blue, because I couldn't get anymore of the other. They were on close out. So I thought I could use the blue for the cuffs and the bottom ribbing if I need to. I imagine that is what is so wonderful about knitting from the top down. If you run out, you have options.

I looked at tons of blogs last night. It just amazes me how much information you can find when you read them. I'll learn this too, with time.

Have a great day.

"Knitting in Plain English"

This is a book written by Maggie Righetti that I picked up this week to help me with my knitting. As I mentioned, my Aunt taught me the basics a few years ago, and I do talk with her frequently while working on a project. I like to have a book handy to help me out though. This is a good reference book that I feel I will use in the future to help me with my projects.

I am working on my first sweater. It is a tunic from "25 Gorgeous Sweaters for the Brand New Knitter" by Catherine Ham. My Aunt gave this to me. I have shortened the tunic by about 3 inches, as I am short. And I have completed the back and the front, using circular needles to hold the neck stitches. I am currently working on the arm, which I am using the technique that Maggie mentions in her book that she calls "The Blind Stockinette-Stitch Increase". It is working out nicely, however, the book only mentions using this increase with the knit stitches and the pattern calls for the increase on every third row, so I have been trying it with the purl stitches as well and I am having varied success with it. But, I consider it all learning.

The yarn I am using is by Caron, called Simply Soft Shadow, in the Soft Merino colorway. It is the first time I am using this yarn, and I like it. It is an acrylic and I thought it would be good for a first project. One thing I have learned with it, is that is has a self striping to it, and so I have had to plan the back, front and sleeves, as well as the shoulders so that they match to some degree. I am happy with the result so far.

I have included a picture of the sleeve I have done this far so you could see how it looks. I especially like this ribbing. You work 4 knit rows first and the you do a knit row, followed by a knit one, purl one row for the effect. I think for a plain sweater it helps to add to the look of it. I am hoping that my finshing will be good and that I will be able to wear it and not just have it for a learning experience.

I have already decided on my next sweater. It will be a seamless raglan sleeve knit in one piece from the top down. I am looking forward to doing this one as I have heard from different people that once you make one like this you'll never make another.

Well, I think I have figured out this post for today. I had to retype it as I erased the first one accidently.