socks!

When I worked at the yarn shop, they told me summer is a bad time for yarn stores--mostly people just want to knit dishcloths and socks. I don't knit dishcloths, usually, in part because I don't use them. I do knit socks though.

Last time I updated I was deep into trying to figure out what to knit. Made in part way more urgent by an upcoming vacation. I like to knit in the car and I like small projects for that so I don't have to pack a ton of yarn. Socks are ideal. I really wanted to work with my Harry Potter sock yarn so I'd have Harry Potter socks for the movie (geek) but after swatching I decided that perhaps a plain pattern would work best with that yarn and by golly I did not want a plain pattern. I did some more swatching, this time with the knit picks yarn I dyed. I figured I was getting about 8 stitches to the inch and took off with the book, knitting socks from the toe up, the yarn and 2 sizes of needles--(my 1s and 1.5s not the zeros which was a mistake). What happened was quite funny. The first day in the car, I started on one pattern and quickly figured out that they would be huge! 8 stitches to the inch at 8 inches around and somehow my sock was coming out way to big. In part because I've learned, my foot is only 8.25 inches around and that means I should be making about a 7.75 inch sock. Which amazed me to discover my size 9 feet are considered small. I did a ton of math attempting to get the pattern to work out and in the end decided to find a pattern that came a bit smaller.
Very few patterns in that book came in a small. If I'd only had the size zero needles, I could have had a few more options.
Instead lace and Cable socks were about my only option.

I like them though.
I finished the first sock on vacation and have been working on the second sock since.


I keep trying to find some space to work on my swatch for the dollar and a half cardigan since I think I've worked out my problem with the pattern. I ended up writing out the lace pattern in a way that I can follow easily with a row counter. Because the lace pattern is written as a seven row pattern but you don't work it in order, instead you work row 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. So why not write it that way? I have no idea I don't write patterns. It was tedious copying it out onto a sheet of notebook paper, re-numbering all the rows, but I think it will help. And I'm sure after I get working on it, I'll be able to take it places and talk while I'm doing it.
I never thought I'd be able to do that with the sock, but I not only did that, I took it with me to swimming lessons and had to set it down mid-row on a chilly day to help my daughters into their towels. Go me.

Also for my future self, I ned to find a way to keep track of the jam I make because I made WAY too much peach last year and I have no idea how much I made. I finally got he strawberry right and have no idea on that either. This year I made 3 batches of Strawberry. I'm only making one peach. I'm going to try sour cherry too--I'll try to photo essay it.
Love Farmer's market:

swatch land

I'm feeling a bit discontented.
I finished my socks that were on the needles (toe up basic pattern, knit picks Felici, k7p1 pattern on leg as suggested by Cinnamonamon)

And I was really hot (as in warm) during the photo shoot. So that kind of put me off the idea of starting new socks immediately. Then there was the idea that these were the second pair of socks I'd made almost exactly the same, I decided the next socks were going to have a pattern.


So at the library I found a copy of Socks from the Toe up By Wendy Johnson, and I love love love almost all the socks, but I'm suspecting it is because I love the colors. A lot of her patterns don't work too well with wild stripes or handpaints, which is what makes up the majority of my sock yarn collection. BUT, a quick search on ravelry shows that my Harry Potter sock yarn makes a good version of probably the one sock I didn't like in Wendy's book. (also shows that Jaywalker socks look pretty cool) But both give grave warnings about swatching (which is something I don't often do for socks--and it probably shows given about half my socks come out too big).

The other project I had wanted to start was the dollar and a half cardigan.

What ties these two together? swatching.
I'm deep in swatching land. My dollar and half swatch has showed me, that I need to pay attention to the lace pattern AND I probably need to use a size 6 needle, but I'll swatch that just to be sure--just as soon as I have the energy for the lace pattern--which really shouldn't be tricky after the swallowtail shawl, but it doesn't go row 1-7 it goes 1, 2, 3-6, then flips back to row 2, then something else then row 7. I get lost easily. My sock swatch looks like it could be a barbie minidress and I am not loving the texture. I really want to knit something up with my new handpainted yarn (the skein because I'm not up to the rainbow socks) but I have no idea what it would be.
I'm tired of swatching, I just want to knit something already. If I only knew what.

Adventures in color

So, last week I decided that perhaps the last day of school would be the PERFECT day to dye some yarn. Well, it did seem perfect with it being warm and all. I forgot to factor in the kid input, but overall it didn't go too bad.

I had a knit picks sock blank and a skein of "bare" sock yarn, also from KnitPicks. The plan was to dye the sock blank in a rainbow pattern. And I had decided I liked the roygbivroygbiv as opposed to roygbivvibgyor pattern. The skein I wanted to go from a very light blue to a very dark blue. I was using food coloring--designed particularly to use as cake frosting dye. Specifically I was using Americolors gel dye. I took a class about 18 months ago and used this process with good results. In looking through my notes, I found them to be rather vagues, so I wanted to document the process here. I also decided to document my progress via photos.

So first, you soak the yarn for a few hours in a solution of water and vinegar--this part I had spelled out in my notes--3 parts water to 1 part vinegar. So after marking out the spacing on my blank, I soaked the skein and the blank for 4 hours.



Then I set up my supplies. Outside.

I had small paintbrushes, the dye, some water to mix it up, saran wrap, paper towels and gloves.
Then I laid out the saran wrap and it blew away.
So then I decided I'd mix up the dye and then do the saran wrap. Basically my notes from the class said a squirt of dye and water added until it looks right. I have no idea what "looks right" meant at that point in time. I fudged it. I think if you wanted to be more exact some old socks would make a great place to test your color palate out. I added probably a teaspoon of dye to 1/2 cup of water. And STIR! The red I bought was not americolor, it was a paste dye and it took significantly more stirring to mix it up and I was not satisfied even then with how it mixed up.



Then I laid out the saran wrap on the table and put the sock blank on that.

Then I painted the colors on. You do have to really use a lot of liquid to get it to go through. Knit picks shows them using a squirt bottle, and this probably would work too--I liked the feeling of control that the foam brushes gave me. Even with all the liquid I used, the color didn't fully permeate the sock blank.

And as you can see--the red doesn't look RED. Man I'm still mad about that.


I mixed up the blue and indigo on the rainbow because in the containers after mixing they all looked alike. Another note to make for next time--MARK the colors too.
After you get it all painted, wrap it up in plastic wrap and microwave in two minute increments until the water runs clear.

The "water" actually pools on the bottom. I'm not sure I got this cooked enough, as later the red kinda bled a little (stupid RED). Anyway, I let it cool while I did the skein. Now, I ran out of color on the skein and I never did get my light blue to look light enough so I went with some green too. I thought it looked pretty. It will probably pool like mad.

I had to really really work at getting the skein completely saturated, it was skeined up too thick I think. I flipped it and massaged it and poured dye into it. I still have some white spots. Anyway, I wrapped that up and cooked it too.

Then after everything was cool, I cut them open--because the plastic wrap gets a little um melted I guess. Then my instructions weren't clear as to whether I should rinse everything or not. So I did, because it still smelled vinegary. Will probably have to rinse again though. The red bled a little (ha a rhyme, not funny though) when I rinsed, so perhaps a bit more is in order, then I hung everything up to dry.

Several things worked well. I would not have done this inside. It was messy messy messy and the dye stuck really well to porous objects Although it washed out of cotton really well much to the dismay of my daughters who "tie dyed" some socks at the same time.
I got really bright colors--brighter than I remembered getting in the class--although I got a better red there! I'm STILL mad about the red! And I am really looking forward to knitting on these.

The next time I do this (and yes there will be a next time) I will:

* try to arrange for the kids to be gone. Because they wanted to help. I do think I might buy them each a skein and let them go to town, then make socks from the results for them. Perhaps as a back to school project--the knit picks skeins aren't too expensive, cheaper anyway than most store bought sock yarns (and my daughters love the hand paints, so you know I'll be actually saving money even if I have to buy 12 more colors of dye).
*I will not buy any paste color--just gel. I will probably test on some old socks how the colors are going together.
*I would probably Flip a sock blank over, just to be sure it was saturated, and I think I might spread the skein out more. Also--I'll be more careful with the colors if that is an important design element.

DONE!

Usually when I've been not writing I can't think of what I must have been up to because I don't have a lot to show for it. This time, I have so much I'm saving some for the next entry.

First of all, I've been doing a little sewing, as my cousin's baby is due any time.

I've been struggling with getting the triangles to make nice hexagons, so my Mother in law has been doing that part. Makes me feel like I won't be able to claim this quilt as my own work, but she's making it look so much better than my attempts. My attempts are all bunchy in the center and don't lay flat. I have three more hexagons to do, and I'm going to lighten up on the yellow a bit I think. I love how it is turning out though. And it will end up being about 90% stash fabrics too. I need to buy some yellow for the corners (I have some dark blue also for the corners) and some border fabric. I need to go through my stash and see if I have anything appropriate for backing.



After all the fussing I did on the swallowtail shawl. Even going so far as breaking up with it. I picked it up again after finishing the hey teach and amazingly enough worked through the issue I was having. And suddenly I started liking it again. And it was a little easier. Then one night I realized I was really close to finishing, and equally close to running out of yarn. I did what any of us would do: I knit faster as it has been proven that if you knit fast enough you'll beat the end of the yarn. Of course this doesn't really work. Fortunately for me, I had used this yarn to start another lace project that hadn't worked out and I had clipped off 10 yards or so and set them aside--so a little russian join and I had a safety net. good thing too--because I hit that join in the bind off row.
Yep bind off row!


Whew, because this yarn is truly one of a kind. It is Knit picks bare, which I hand dyed oh maybe 18 months ago. In a class--so I could never recreate it. It looks even better blocking

Seriously, I love it. It should be dry soon.
Towards the end, I was so in love with this project that I knew I needed to get busy dyeing the other yarn I had. I also knew I had another lace project I wanted to cast on for.
So, Friday I finally took the plunge and dyed my knit picks sock blank and a skein of sock yarn. Details later (sneak peeks at flickr).

funny thing happened this weekend

Over the weekend I finished my version of Hey teach!, which I called on Ravelry--Hey librarian. After all my futzing with the sleeves, I did get it to actually go on my arms, but maybe in reality land (you know the one everyone actually sees) I should have made the next larger size. It buttons, but looks um, not that greta buttoned. It does look cute and hip, mostly unbuttoned though.



I like it, but I think I'm having a little hard time with it because I need a tighter t-shirt under it than I usually wear, but I understand that's all the fashion. Plus it must look cute--I've been asked to join some group with the picture (despite the fact that my husband won't stand up when he takes pictures of me).

Probably the most unexpected on the results of finishing this sweater was that I picked up my lace shawl again. Yes, I was two stitches off, but I added those stitches and did something on the order of 8 rows (and when each row is over 200 stitches that's saying something). All the rows (with the exception of the one I did this morning were all exactly right. I'm debating unknitting the current row and figuring out what I did wrong. The pros are that it would be right and wouldn't take too long, the big con is that every time I have unknit a row, I've managed to botch it up worse than the mistake I started with. I was only one stitch off which effectively means my nupps (man that word sounds dirty) are a little off on one side. We'll see how I'm feeling the next chance I have to work on it. I need to get it finished though so I can use those needles again to start the next project. They are my denise set, so I can take the points off which will come in handy for the swatch.
I think best part, is how I am actually excited about the lace again. And working with it is making me get excited for the big dye project.

Houston we have a problem...

And that problem is... fit.
I know I saw it coming, I've been afraid for a while now that my Hey Teach was going to be too small. Over the weekend I finished the button bands (and bought buttons, more on that later). and started seaming. When I had both sleeves sewn up and one side seamed, I slipped it on and it fits as long as I wear nothing under it, which is of course a big problem with a lacy bodice. For me anyway.
The biggest problem was the sleeves, they are just too tight. The rest seems to fit fine, and make me glad I didn't make the bigger size which would have been huge on me.

I figure that if you've knit something too small for you, you have 5 choices:
1) you can throw it down in disgust
2) you can rip it out and knit the larger size
3) you can diet until it fits
4) you can gift it to someone smaller than you
5) you can figure out how to make it bigger

Obviously, the first four just aren't happening here. I love my ice cream an d this sweater and I'm going to wear it this summer. So how to make it bigger? Well, my Knitting answer book suggests that you knit a gusset to fit in the sleeve. The main problem that I ran into was, that this portion is also done in the lace pattern. I stewed over whether to knit a stockinette gusset or fiddle with the lace. after a while I figured that if I fiddled with the lace I'd be happiest. So, an hour or so later I had the seam in the second sleeve ripped out and a new gusset knit. I guess this will have to be a to be continued, because I have no idea if it will work. I plan to finish the seaming on that side and see if it fits better, then rip part of the seam out on the other side, and knit a gusset for that.

But who'd want to rip out such a nice seam?!

Decisions....

Work is ongoing on my Hey teach. Both sleeves are done but need to be blocked, and I have the shoulders seamed. Am picking up stitches for the neck and will start the button band probably later today. It occurs to me that I have no buttons for this project. Suppose I should get working on that--assuming that it will button when it is done.

The weather has gotten warmer here--finally and so I have started to think more and more about the next big project--sock dying. For Christmas, I was given a knit picks sock blank. The idea is that you can dye it into a pattern and then knit from the blank. The socks then will have the striping pattern you dyed. I asked for it because I decided that what I really really want is rainbow socks. And to that end, I did a bit of sketching:



To try to decide if it should go ROYGBIVVIBGYOR or ROYGBIVROYGBIV. I think I like the latter the best. I have all the materials--now I just need to actually do it. Especially since it is warm and I could do the dying outside if I needed to.
Which do you like the one on the left or the one on the right?

hey teach... er librarian

I'm not done with Hey Teach but I thought this might be a good time to discuss some details about the project in part because I've had at least one comment about the project and because sometimes the excitement of finishing something overwhelms me and I forget details.

So ok, I decided that since my LSY doesn't carry second time cotton, the yarn called for in the project, I would search for some other yarn that might work. A worsted weight cotton blend was how I interpreted that and after much flopping around the LYS, I came away with 4 skeins of Cascade Sierra (color 42), which is a cotton and wool blend.
Then of course came the swatching and sizing issues.
I have a 36" bust and the small in this pattern measures at 35.5 which is .5 negative ease and the medium is 39 which is 3 inches positive ease. In all the ravelry pictures, the snugger the fit, the better the look, so I was really torn, then I swatched.
On size 6 (us) needles I got um not gauge. I can't remember exactly what it was. It was close. I made a math error and went up a needle size and was way off--should have gone down a size. Decided after doing some math with my gauge and the schematic that actually the gauge I was getting would make the 35.5 inch size a touch bigger--like a 36.5 so I decided that I'd stick with the size 6 (even though I wasn't completely in love with the look of the fabric) in part because my size 5's are wrapped up with some lace project that at the time I planned to actually work on. (Stitch holder being a non-issue thanks to interchangeable needles).

uh oh this is getting dull--cue pictures:


So as you can see the back is done. And I was worried about the lace shaping, charted it out for the back and everything. But by the time I started the first sleeve, I could read that lace so well that I pretty much know what to do without looking too close to the chart.
You can also see I have re-purposed some of my kids former toys as a blockign board. I must confess that I stole the idea from something I saw in knit picks. Those blocks were headed to Goodwill too!

I finished both the front sections and blocked those too. Although I ran out of pins and had to unpin the back before I did the fronts.


I decided to block differently than I normally do. Normally I soak everything then lay it out wet, but I did some reading and decided to give steam blocking a try. It seems to have worked out pretty well, but the fronts are still damp (well I only blocked them an hour a go so what do you expect).
So I have started on the first sleeve and am about half way done with it. I think I may sew the shoulder seams before I finish the sleeves, just because then I can work on the neck while the sleeves block. Or maybe not. We'll see what I feel like this weekend.
For the record, I'm still lightly worried about it fitting me. Stay tuned.

Stuff I'm working on

So, I am still working on my version of Hey teach--I have the back and the left front done. I've moved pretty steadily through my usual worries about any sweater project i've ever had 1) is this a good color? 2) OMG I'm not going to have enough yarn! and finally 3) This isn't going to fit! I go through this with every single sweater I've ever knitted. I think I have enough yarn on this one--finally being convinced of this after getting within an inch of the top of the left front. I keep reminding myself that this sweater looks best with low amounts of ease, and surge forward.

I'm also still working on a quilt, although BLECH, it isn't coming out as I envisioned it. My mother-in-law has promised to help this weekend, which I think is gracious of her. She is under the impression that if I don't follow the instructions in the book that it will come out better--see where I get this urge to not follow the rules? Although she's probably right and in six months I'll stumble on errata that says so.

I also bought my mom some sock yarn for mother's day--sock yarn that I might add, I kind of want. but I have enough sock yarn, which leads me to:


Which I just started out of the need to have a sock going at all times. I don't have a special plan for it--so maybe 2X2 ribbing at the top? I love the yarn, which is knit picks Felici that I got for Christmas. And after these are done, I'm planning a foray into dyeing my own sock yarn--I have a knit picks sock blank, a skein of bare sock yarn and eight colors of frosting tint. Stay tuned.

Socks I made Socks!

It occurs to me that I could be blogging about knitting right now or I could actually be knitting. So I'll leave you with some pictures of the bamboo lace socks. They are a little too wide for my feet. But they are so pretty.



And a closer view:


I'll also say that I'm working away on Hey Teach, but I'm at the decreasing lace part which means I have to do more thinking as I knit so it goes a bit slower. I should be nearly done with the back soon though, so I'll try to update with a picture soon.

I started new socks (or rather picked up where I left off on them) and bought some cake frosting dye for a dying adventure that I hope will happen in May.

And I have some sewing to do too.... busy times ahead, I'd best get cracking.

Hey Teach

I have a confession to make. Remember how I was going to break up with that lace shawl. Well I ripped back to the beginning of the section that was giving me fits and I counted my stitches four times and then I did a bad thing.

I knit on it.

And I ended up with too few stitches on one side of the marker and too many on the other. Which might mean that the marker is in the wrong place, or I knit something wrong. The marker looks like it is in the right place. Sigh. I'm going to give it one more row as I think I've compensated for the differences, but I don't know how much more this yarn will take in regards to ripping out. So I'm setting it aside again for a while.

I started my version of Hey Teach!.

I have the back nearly to the arm shaping, which means that the lace pattern starts to get a bit tricky. Am thinking that given my problems with that lace shawl maybe I should dig out some graph paper and graph the decreases into the lace pattern. Well actually I should say that my first thought was to print out something on the order of 50 copies of the lace chart with the pattern and cut it up and go from there. But now I think graph paper might be a better visual, well and easier on the earth.

And no, I still haven't finished the bamboo lace socks, thanks for asking.

struggling

Whenever there is a big gap in my blogging I feel like I should show lots of finished projects. Instead I guess I have lots of crafting problems.
Oh wait--I do have finished objects:

I made shrugs for my girls for their Easter outfits. Very cute and quite functional. I improvised the pattern--based loosely on the base for the Lacey-hug me tight.

I'm still struggling with the shawl, if only in my head. I need some quiet time to just look at it and try to figure out where I went wrong. then the guts to rip back as far as I need to. The former may be the hard part. Most of my quiet time happens after people are in bed, and I'm pretty tired then. But maybe Wednesday when the ladies are at school... if not it will be until the 23rd, which is sadly the next time I foresee being alone in the house AND being awake. I guess I could have worked it out this morning when I had about 90 minutes alone, but I'm still angry at it, so I sewed instead.

That was probably a mistake.
See I'm working on a quilt for my cousin (look away Britt, if you are reading) and something just isn't working. I cut some of my triangles so far so good:

But when I sewed them together--it was a mess. I think I need to check that I'm doing a 1/4 inch seam. My machine's .25 foot doesn't work (it breaks needles) and so I eyeball it probably more than I should. My machine quilting foot has a .25 gauge and so I'll hook that up and see if it goes better. Also--I'll probably trim the points on the triangles. I already checked that my ruler was cutting the same size as the template in the book, and it seems to be off by about 1/16th of an inch. It might be making a difference, but perhaps I can compensate. But I was very very very frustrated with the sewing this am.

I did go on a bit of a vacation...if you can call driving 1000 miles with two children a vacation. And since I was doing all the driving I did not get my usual large amount of car knitting done. I did however start the second bamboo lace sock. I'm working on the foot now--and unlike Some people I know I don't have small feet--so it could be a while. And we stopped by Needleworks when we were in Champaign. I thought it was a nice shop, a tad bigger than my LYS. I didn't feel as welcome as I do at my LYS--I felt like I was interrupting either a class or a SnB. I hope no one ever feels that way at the LYS I frequent, because it isn't a great feeling. They did however, have some neat things. My three favorites were:
1) They were having a knit along for Hey Teach and the sample was in the almost exact color of yarn I have purchased. I hope mine looks as good as the sample, which was knit superbly. It was nice to have validation on the color.
2) They had buttons you could buy by the scoop. My girls were in heaven--I bought them each a scoop ($1 scoop--they had three sizes) and they had fun poking through their buttons in the car. I should have bought a scoop for MIL as a souvenir.
3) They had opal sock yarn in the Harry Potter colors! Like I needed any more sock yarn. But I had to have the Ron and Harry colorway--oh who am I kidding I had to have Tonks too, but I only bought Ron and Harry.
All in all here is my review: nice shop, stop by if you find yourself in the area, but only if you don't mind that "I just walked into a party I wasn't invited to" feeling.

breakup

Dear Shawl,
This just isn't working out for me. Due to the way you have been lately, I need to say that I can't take you to the banquet. I think we should see other people. I know that in situations like these it is common to say, it isn't you it is me, but let's be real here, it isn't me--it IS you.
Now I do think we can still be friends, and I think if we go back some more and take it slow we might actually get to go out together. But you seriously need to straighten up!

Yours,
Jodie

After the last entry I ripped back my six rows, counted, got the center marker in the right place and knit. I made it up past where I had started the rip--placing lifelines every other row. Then... and I'm not even sure what happened I had to stop in he middle of a purl row, which at this point is basically purl until you get to the nupps and then nupp. When I went back to it and finished the row, the next knit row was 2 stitches off. I ripped back to the lifeline, but again I'm still two stitches off.

I also have a place where the center stitch is a little off but it was way back before the nupp section.
So now I'm seriously thinking of ripping bak ALL the way to where the nupp section starts, counting and getting the marker set and then being very very careful. Basically this is something along the lines of 8-12 rows. Of over 100 stitches.

So, I've decided to go stag to this big banquet--and leave the lace home while the girls and I travel next week.

Perhaps this is the time to cast on that second bamboo lace sock.

The good and the bad

Good: I finished my first bamboo lace sock--Yay

Bad: I have yet to cast on for the second.

good: cast on a different more travel appropriate sock to take along to an all day conference.

Bad: culture issues (and seating issues) made it stay in my purse all day. Most disappointing because I had such a neat cast on for a change.

Good: I started swatching for hey teach.

Disappointing: I didn't get gauge on the piece that has the "best fabric"

Good: I decided to finish my lace shawl in time to wear to my husband's end of the year banquet in about a month.

Agonizing: I discovered today that I need to rip back about 6 rows (roughly 2 days of work). That's where my lifeline is. I think I really only need to go back 5, but alas--no lifeline.

Frustrating: The yarn for the shawl broke when it was being wound (after I dyed it--how cool is that). So I thought i might have enough in the bigger half to finish the shawl.

bad: I do not.

More bad: It won't spit felt

Good: There is a technique called Russian join that works pretty well in situations like this.

Surprising: Googling "russian join" does not bring up p0rn.


That's the good news/bad news--I'm off to rip out those six rows.

Socks!

Funny thing happened on the way to start my version of Hey Teach (called Hey librarian). I kind of got distracted by this sock

Every time I sat down to knit I picked up this sock. Pretty. In fact, I need to kitchner the toe and then it will be done. I can't wait to wear them. At first I thought they were a little tightly knit (knit on size 1, when really i would have thought a 1.5 or a 2), but I'm liking how it makes the bamboo a little more firm.

Socks have that appeal to me, I can make lots of socks because wow, you need maybe 7 or eight pairs of socks a week. My kids need 7 or 8 pairs each a week and well who needs that many sweaters, scarves or shawls?
But then there is the terrible downside to socks.

I wrote a while back ago that I was learning to darn socks, just to make the socks last a bit longer. Well, this is the pair that made me decide to darn socks. I repaired three holes in this pair of socks. Three holes that I might add made me just LIVID, because these socks are not even two years old--were not even a year old when the first hole appeared. (for the record, SWTC Tofutsies--never ever buying it again). Well I darned these docks and then a few weeks later I pulled them out of the was and was confronted by this latest hole. I'm just so mad--so mad I've decided not to repair these socks--am debating frogging them.

Ok, back to my bamboo socks, may they not disappoint me.

decisions made!

I have made some decisions.
First, I decided that I'm starting on hey teach just as soon as I finish one of my current projects. I bought some Cascade Sierra color 42--at my LYS (plus some sock yarn because oh my do I ever have a weakness fondness for sock yarn). I decided that I have enough sock yarn and so I'm not going to be tempted by the lucius purpleness of the purple striped felici at knitpicks. Instead, when the cotlin comes back in stock, I'm going to purchase that plus some wool of the andes to make a Central Park hoodie. (Sapphire heather for the curious).
I realized that if I stick to this plan I have roughed out in my head that I have all my knitting pretty much planned through um October maybe.

Anyway, I have some projects going now. I have a shrug started for one of my girls (and so will have to make a second one). My mom got them each a pretty dress for Easter initially then summer. But here in Michigan, easter and sleeveless dress do not always go hand in hand. So I had envisioned shrugs. I attempted to make a simplified version of the lacey hug me tight--basically the shrug sans lace, and somehow my math messed up and it is too narrow. So I'm adding on to it. I debated ripping out or adding to it, and then dreamt I added on and then crocheted lacy pink flowers on the sleeves and collar. I do not crochet, much less make pretty crocheted edgings. But decided that the dream probably was giving me the answer. We'll see if it works.
I also had to start a pair of socks because socks are the ultimate in portable--although these are a bit more complicated:

The pattern is called Lacy Bamboo socks--and I'm using the yarn it calls for--On your toes Bamboo. Not getting to use my new needles, and I probably should have gone down a size even as they seem really big.

I also said I wasn't goign to tke any in progress pictures of my swallowtail shawl, but I lied.

I have 3 more lace repeats and then onto the next chart! Of course each row is taking longer and longer because it keeps adding stitches! I worked on it for an hour while the ladies were at school on Monday and I made it through 1 six row chart. ONE. yes I knit slow, but that's a lot of stitches.

she who hesitates...

So I finally decided that I want to knit my dollar and a half cardigan in Coffee--the dark brown Cotlin from knitpicks. I dare you to follow that link... because if you do you'll see that it is not currently available until APRIL 24. If you want irony here, my husband decided that a great birthday present would be to get me that yarn, but since he's a smart cookie, he got me a gift certificate instead. So I have a gift certificate to cover the entirety of a $50 order, I have plans for a $50 order and perhaps by April the purple sock yarn that rounds it out will also be gone. Moral of this story--do not dither on colors, go with your first instinct and BUY it NOW. That is all.

This kind of throws me off in another way too. I had decided that the dollar and a half cardigan was going to be my next big project. Now it is on hold until MAY. And I need something else to knit. I have a gift card to the local yarn shop (do you see where this is going? my family know me, but they don't know yarn, so they gift card me!) and the pattern for the Central Park Hoodie. But I'm afraid if I start it now, it will get finished just in time for the temp to hit 80F. I also have been thinking about Hey Teach. I may take both patterns with me and head over and see what strikes my fancy.

In the meantime, I've started in on my cousin's quilt. I spent an hour Monday and about half an hour today cutting some of the strips. I found some additional scraps of fabric that fit with the blue/yellow theme and have had a blast using them up. I've got enough cut that I can start some of the sewing, and so that might be the next step. It should also give me an idea of what else I should be cutting.

I also finished some things. My birthday socks. Done using some sort of self-striping meilenweit--the ball band having been destroyed by some little girls in my house. I used my Sox Stix on them, and whooo, they were fun to work with. Although I did a swatch the other day with my knit picks harmony needles, and I think I like them better (and they are considerably cheaper too).


I also finished the sweater for the Panda. I'm glad these were quick knits--nothing like having a child ask you every single day--Is it done yet? Stillwater is COLD!

trust and obey--the lace version

It probably won't surprise anyone that on the sliding scale of product knitter to process knitter, that I fall closer to the product side. What that means to me is that while I enjoy the actual knitting and the click click click of needles sliding together does do a lot to calm me, I knit primarily to make stuff. You won't find me making a project with a ton of stockinet stitch just so I can feel calmed by the knit and purl of it all. I would do a project like that, but only if I wanted the result.

All this big lead up just to talk about lace.

I love lacy things. I love the idea of shawls, I love lacy scarfs, lacy socks, sweaters with bits of lace. One of my favorite designs is actually the Oriel lace blouse. I even don't mind the knitting of lace, fiddly though it can be.
But while I love looking at those things, I'm not so much for the wearing. Take the Oriel Lace blouse for example. I love it. I have the skill to knit it. I would never wear it. Well I might, but honestly if it were in my closet right now, I think I'd have a hard time figuring out where I'd wear it. Maybe because it is so cold right now--maybe I'd be more apt to wear it in the spring. But take shawls, I love them I think they are beautiful, but I have a hard time wearing them. I only have one though--Cozy. And I don't look like the model wearing it either.

So it would seem that a knitter like me would not knit lace. Clearly I think it is pretty, but impractical. However, for the last few weeks, I've been ever-so slowly working on a Swallowtail shawl that appeared in Interweave knits fall 2006. I can't find a link outside of ravelry. I'm not far into it and I'm realizing that my product is not matching very well with the finished picture. Which is leading me to believe that one of two thinks is going on a) there was a correction to the pattern (nope) or b) I need to relax and knit (yes). I keep thinking that knitting lace is a little bit like the hymn--Trust and Obey (go here if you want the music too). I need to trust the pattern, obey the pattern and it will all come out right. this is as hard for me in knitting as it sometimes is in life.

I have no idea when I'll finish it, I'm only working on it when I feel I can pay attention to the pattern--although perhaps I'll try it as tv knitting this week because the section I'm working on is very repetitive.
No pictures yet because unblocked lace is not that attractive.

the state of the projects

You would think that when I take these big gaps in blogging that I'd have finished object after finished object to show you. I'm working on three concurrent projects right now, so none of them are really progressing that fast.

My children seem to think that all my knitting efforts should be for them. So, after much nagging I gave in. I'm making baby sweaters for Bone and Stillwater. Here's bone modeling hers:

Stillwater's isn't done yet. I'm almost done with Stillwater's but then I got it in my head that I'd like to have my sock finished for my birthday (in 8 days) and so I've been sock knitting at night.

I have a lace project I'm working on too, but I feel like that needs its own post.

On another note, I think I have an idea for my cousin's quilt. I broke down and bought the scrappy quilt book. (then got all excited about a project for me--later). My MIL likes the kaleidoscope quilt pattern, which is the one I'm planning, and so she bought the fancy triangle ruler to use for cutting. THEN, I went through my stash and came up with a huge pile of blues, and some yellow to set it off:

I need to see if I have some more yellow, that I just didn't pull. I think the only material I'll have to buy is a bit more yellow for some of the boarder triangles, and if I don't have any extra, maybe some for the main quilt too. I asked MIL, which ones should I use. All of them was her answer. Ok then. I'm hoping to start cutting in a week or so, after life settles down (I'm planning a party for my girls--who share a birthday with me--and birthday treats for school and about 50 other things this week).

stall

I'm going to go an a limb here and say the hardest part about knitblogging is when you hit one of those times when you just aren't knitting. And right now... well I've been a little busy with this and that and the other, and it translates to nothing I can share here. Mostly I've been working or sleeping during my regular knitting time. I have been thinking about my knitting though, sometimes you need to think things through, so perhaps this time hasn't been wasted after all.

I still haven't decided what color to do my dollar and a half cardigan. Probably the dark brown though.

I did decide what quilt pattern to use. I broke down and bought probably the only book by M'lss rae Hawley I didn't own and I'll be making a version of Magic Hour. Mine will probably be all blues. My cousin says she's having a boy. While I don't usually do "boy or girl" colors for quilts, I happen to have a lot of blues in my stash.

So that's what I've been up to.

finished objects and decisions

I have finished my drop stitch scarf. It matches mittens I made last year. And have some leftover yarn that might become a hat, but since I'm not really a hat person, I'm not in a big hurry for that. I should measure and weigh the yarn (ala Yarn harlot) and make sure I have enough.

I also finished a sock, which doesn't quite fit me.

Finishing this project though brought up the issue of what do I knit next? The problem being that I have about 50 things I'd like to knit RIGHT NOW, and choosing is the issue. My first thought was--ooh ask the blog. Then ooh ask facebook. Then I thought more about it and realized that it was really between the Central Park Hoodie and the dollar and a half cardigan. Both of which I'll have to buy yarn for. But then! I made a decision. The dollar and a half cardigan it is.

But then came a whole slew of decisions:
What size to make. My measurement is 36, there is a 36.25 size, but that doesn't leave much ease. The next size up is 41, which is a lot of ease. I think it looks better with less ease, but I don't know if I'd like it with less ease.
What color to make. I have decided to use Cotlin (I figure it will cost approx $31!)and I like the colors: coffee, nightfall, kholrabi, linen and glacier. I can see pros and cons about all of them. I'm leaning towards coffee, but I'm feeling like maybe that's just because it is brown in the pattern (and actually I have not seen one in another color on ravelry that I've especially liked--except maybe linen).

Ok maybe not a whole slew, just those two.
But then what should I start while I'm waiting for the yarn? Because I know I'll have to wait. And also, I want some other sock yarn from knit picks, and that would bring my total up to $42 and so I might as well get to $50 and get free shipping. It is a slippery slope here.

rule of thirds

I finished my sweater! And it is still sweater weather. That has to be a first for me. Also, I noted that according to ravelry, it only took me a month to knit this. Go me! However, I am a bad self-photographer, so my only picture so far is a bit blurry.

It does fit, but it was a little snug for my taste. Also, I could have made the sleeves a tad bit longer so I guess that means no dryer for that sweater. But all in all it fits well, better than the first sweater I made from that yarn.
Specs? Well I used Berrocco Touche in Easter egg--roughly 11 skeins--maybe 12, US size 6 needle and the pattern is from Knitting pure and simple, the neck down hooded tunic.

I got a bad case of starter-itis after finishing that and began these:

From left to right--swallowtail shawl, drop stitch scarf, and a sock.
If you like your yarn more artsy--I also took this picture for a photo group I belong to on flickr:

I decided that I needed to pick up my goal of doing a big lace project when the girls were in school, so I started this swallowtail shawl out of the yarn I had started and then frogged from a different lace project. It is a knitpicks bare that I dyed. So far, I got it started and then haven't had the concentration time to work on it.

The sock is for traveling, just a basic toe-up using some lana grossa melenweit. I'm excited about it because I am using my new sox stix. Also the yarn is making me unbelievably happy with the frequent color changes. Every week I get to spend at least 45 minutes on it while I wait for my daughters to do their "exercise" class. I signed them up so they could run and not worry about frostbite. So far they love it and I sit in the stands, knit and wonder if I am too old to flirt with the "coach" who runs it (he must be all of 25).

The scarf, is your basic product oriented project. I need a wider scarf for these cold winter days. Probably given that I'm working on three things, I'll have it done in time for spring. It is a briar rose Sonoma, that I made mittens out of last year. So I'll have matching stuff. Maybe I'll have enough left over for a hat too.

Of course I started those, then got all the Christmas presents from my mom and ended up with about 40 things I want to make now now now. Plus a gift certificate to Knit picks, which I have had a blast dreaming about spending. It isn't for much, but I figure I can make the Central Park hoodie OR the dollar and a half cardigan for about $25 of my own money.

I guess I'll be doing some really happy knitting.

Other plans

First of all I want to say a big wow and a big thanks to people that commented both here and to me in chat about finding ways to get that elusive Laurel Burch fabric.
I'm slowly making peace with the idea that perhaps the idea I had is not the actual quilt that will get made. There is a reason i like to know about babies well before their due dates after all. I kind of plod along at this.
I did get asked what the "plan" was and thought I'd share with you what it was. See, I'm a big fan of M'Liss Rae Hawley and her fat quarter books and my mother in law has one that I don't seem to have (although how I missed it as I have all the others and whoo looks like she's got a purse book coming out soon--well I'll never know) and in it there is a quilt that is perfect for showcasing a print in a fabric. You can see M'Liss's version on her flickr page. I was going to put those butterflies in the center block. To do that I'd need at least twice what I have and probably more if I "fussy cut." There was already debate in the house about fussy cutting, as I'm a better "fussy sewer" than cutter.
It isn't to say that that won't eventually be the quilt. Laurel Burch has a fabric line out now called the secret jungle and the animals there are really cute. I didn't want to buy a lot of fabric--instead I wanted to use up some stash--but we'll see. I seem to have used up a good deal of my really bright fabric.
I also have a huge number of Aunt grace 1930s fat quarters, and while they look more babyish than I usually like to do for a baby quilt, I do think they are sweet.
Then again, I see something like this by M'Liss and I think--hmm maybe this one. So you just never know, and at least II'll still have my butterflies to look at (or wow sell on ebay because man--they are going for twice what I paid for this.)

I'm getting close to being done knitting my hooded sweater too. I forgot just how much knitting is involved in the hood. I've used up all the yarn from the old project, so I guess my sweater will be a little stripey as I incorporate the "extra" yarn I had from that project. Or maybe after 2 or 3 washings you won't be able to tell. I guess we'll just see.
We have a big cold front moving in here in Michigan and just this morning I was saying--I think I need a wider scarf. And I started a sock to carry around. I better hurry and get that hood finished, or I'll be putting it aside until spring to work on all the other things that catch my attention.

Oooh shiny!

pickle

Well I went and did it, I found myself a plan for this next baby quilt. I love this plan. I am totally into this plan. Sadly this plan involves at least a 1/2 yard of this fabric.

I have a fat quarter, for those of you not in quilter jargon, this means I have half of a half yard. It is a Laurel Burch, from her "flying colors collection" and it is discontinued. I was thinking that if I found any of the colorways, I'd replace the turquoise.
I have been to the local quilt store. I've called the big one in the next town over. I even called one "up north." I think the store I used to go to in Port Huron might be a good lead since I've seen very discontinued fabrics there but I didn't want to call them, that seems desperate. Not that calling my mother in law who is visiting Shipshewana and demanding she scour Yoder's department store and Lolly's isn't desperate. Or hitting ebay and discovering that I can get a yard (although not turquioise) for a minimum bid of 10.95 plus shipping. If I win that is.

I think I just need a new plan. I think it might be time to let go of this idea. Which is really too bad, I did so like those butterflies.

how does one start?

Anytime I think about making a baby quilt, I'm reminded of the conundrum that I always have with sewing projects. Which comes first, the pattern or the material?
For some reason, I don't really agonize over this as much with knitting. I see a pattern I like and I look for a yarn that will work or I see a yarn I like and I search for a pattern. But with sewing, well... let's just say that getting started is often the hardest part for me.

When I made the first quilt for my cousin, I saw a pattern in a book and knew that I needed to make it. Both my cousin and her husband are artists and art teachers, and I thought they needed something that screamed ART. And this fit the bill. I went through my fabric stash and found about 1/2 of what I needed. (Let's just say that my fabric stash has some of the same problems my yarn stash does--it lacks reds). The end result was:


It was a lot more fiddly than any quilt I've made since my kids were born. In fact, I completely shut down when it came time to arrange the blocks, there were so many pieces that I turned it over to my husband.

This time, I want to do something that is artistic and colorful but I don't think I want to do something with 40 gazillion pieces.

So, I dug out my trusty fat quarter quilt books. I've done almost every quilt in the first book. And nothing is really screaming out at me to repeat.

I've made two from the second book, and there are others I'd like to make, but nothing is jumping out at me.

And I'm really feeling uninspired by the final book that I own. I can't explain why, but even the cover quilt, that I originally wanted to make so badly that I bought the book, is not interesting me.

I thought maybe that I needed to start with fabrics, and work that way. I guess I'm just feeling unmotivated because even my stash is not inspiring me. In fact, I opened one box that I know isn't full of Christmas fabrics, but that's all that was on top and I got disgusted with the idea of digging through the box, and so I gave up. I think what I need to do is get everything out and play with the fabrics, and perhaps that will lend itself to a pattern. But maybe not, because I'm being a bit picky on this because I really feel like I outdid myself on her first quilt.

More later on this I'm sure.

back to blogging

You would think that I would have a finished object to show you. Especially given I haven't updated since Dec 20th. I guess I do, but it isn't a knitted object.

I decided that I needed some new pjs back in October, but it was only over this break that I actually broke out the pattern I bought and sat down with the serger and got them done. I've had this flannel forever. If you can't see well in the picture, it has turtles, dragonflies and ducks. I have a lot of turtle fabrics, because we used to have a much beloved pet turtle (she died a few years ago) and seem to have acquired quite the turtle collection. I still have another large swath of turtle flannel, and so may end up with more turtle pjs. I think though my next pair of pjs will be a "scrappy pair as I have a bunch of flannel pieces just large enough for perhaps 1/4 of a pair of pants.

We ended up not traveling to Illinois. So I never got to start my socks. Instead I spent the entire school vacation knitting on the top down sweater. Unlike on most days, I even found a great deal of time to knit during the day. And as you can see it is almost done.


Actually, it is closer than that to be done, because I took that picture before I spent another hour on it yesterday. Unlike the first sweater I knit from this pattern, I did not try it on until I was done with the body. Even though I had checked gauge carefully and picked a size that I knew would fit me, I was still amazed to discover that it fit.

I am holding myself back from starting anything else until it is done, but man it is hard, because I got yarn for Christmas. And I had some projects I wanted to start before that. And! And! I got a gift certificate to my favorite LYS.
So, I'm not sure what will be up next. I have 2 pairs of socks I want to knit, I'd like to do another sweater soon and I have a baby quilt to make for my cousin. The baby quilt deserves its own entry, and so in order to keep myself from taking another big break, I'll stop there.

The trouble with sweaters

For some reason I am almost always starting sweaters at the end of the cold season.

It is as if I am so tired of being cold that I finally say--Oh alright already--and cast on a sweater. Then in say May, I finish it just in time to bypass spring and jump right to 80 degree weather. I suppose it balances out because inevitably in June, it gets cold enough for sweaters again.
Last year I started early--in January. But then I put it aside and finished in April. I got to wear it twice before it got really hot again. Of course it always returns to cold here in michigan, so no sweater is ever truely wasted.

This year, I'm vowing it to be different. I've started a sweater--knit in the round, using recycled yarn. In this pattern, you knit back and forth for a while, to make the collar and shoulders, then join. I've been meaning to get a pair of socks going so that at all the holiday gatherings I can knit and not drag 10 balls of yarn (they are small--Berrocco Touche which without looking, I'm remembering at 98 yrds a skein). And yet, this sweater is just plugging along so well that I'd almost like to get the sleeves divided before Christmas. And I'd LOVE to have it finished sometime when it is still cold. Although the cotton Modal blend, will make a nice spring sweater too.

But today I decided, I'd better start swatching that sock so I'm not swearing about stripes, gauge and size during say Christmas eve service. Not that *I* would knit in church (you know unless my mom is preaching--Just kidding mom) or anything, but you get what I mean. Add to it, that my extended family don't at all understand knitting and let's just say, socks are really the best project to be working on.

Was a good thing I did, because my sock yarn for this project (Meilenweit cotton fantasy) was so tangled on the inside, that I ended up rewinding the ball. Now to decide toe up, top down, heel flap or short row heel.... I guess I might be able to work a few round son the sweater while I decide....

darn it!

Back when I first took a class in how to knit socks, a very good friend of mine gave me a darning egg from her collection (she collects them because she finds them amusing). She said--You'll probably want to learn to use it.

I went along fine, and then my first pair of socks got a hole in them, which irritated me, as they were not even a year old at the time. Then my beloved Lorna's laces socks all started to get thin. Drastic measures needed to be taken.
So yes, I scoured Youtube.
I discovered that some videos are not as helpful as say others. But, if you want to learn like your grumpy grandma was teaching you, please watch the first link. (If you'd like to see how to really do it click the second). After watching both videos, I attempted it and this:

Became this:


I discovered that the hint about the matching yarn makes for a much better patch, and so now, I'm keeping all my sock yarn leftovers FOREVER. I also patched up my very first pair I ever knit, but it was tiring work, and so I haven't yet done my second pair of Lorna's laces. Am wearing one pair I mended today and I can't really feel the patch like I thought I might.

Also, I finished blocking the colinette scarf:

And I've started on a sweater. I need to do some tiny swatching on the socks (I hate to admit swatching socks, but I do. Not as much as say a sweater, but still.) My bathrooms are still dirty and the floor still needs mopping, but I'm happy.

Christmas knitting DONE

I have finished all my Christmas knitting! That sounds so impressive, that we might just forget that I only knit two things this year and they were both scarves. I still need to block the colinette scarf, so no pictures yet.

While I was knitting, I had a crisis of confidence. What if the teachers didn't appreciate my knitting? What if I should have gotten them something else? What if they preferred gift cards? In the end I decided that even if you don't wear handknits or scarves or something, you could at least appreciate the work and love that goes into something handmade. I don't knit for many people, so if I knit for you it is truly a gift to be appreciated.

Also while I was knitting, I started to get ansty about knitting things for me. I wanted more socks, I need to learn to darn my current socks (I have 3 with holes or thinning spots), I want a sweater, I want a lacey mohair scarf, and every time I turned around I saw some new project that I couldn't wait to knit. And now that I'm done, I have no idea what to do first. I should probably start both the sweater and something smaller and portable so that when the Christmas travel comes, I'll have something I can knit in the car. Not that I can't do a sweater in the round in the car, but usually we are pretty packed in and socks just work better. Of course at the rate things are going on the dishwasher front (it is on order...), I'd probably be just as well off buying some kitchen cotton and cranking out the dishcloths in the car.
So there's my conundrum, what to start first? Or you know, I could start the socks AND the sweater, then when the girls are in school next week, I could follow the tutorial on darning socks. or I could wrap presents and clean my house.

Pictures!

I have pictures!
here is the noro scarf all done and blocked

And here is the closeup view of the colinette scarf--not blocked.


There was a knot in my colinette and I was a little irritated because it is superwash wool, so no spit felting. Still I have close to three feet done on it, and I'm thinking ending size will be close to six feet--I'll have to discreetly measure the teacher's aide tomorrow at school. (don't worry I'll just stand next to her so something).

I almost took a break from the drop stitch scarf this week, but to tell you why involves a story.
See, my dishwasher broke on Sunday. And on Monday when my best fixit guy ever came out and looked at it, he was sure he could fix it with a part. One I had to order it turns out. The estimated ship time was NEXT Monday, so I figured, we need to do dishes by hand for a while. I am so totally a spoiled dishwasher gal. And when I use the dishwasher, I also use a kitchen sponge. When the thing gets dirty or I've cleaned something gross, into the dishwasher it goes.
My mother swears by dishcloths, the kind you can make with kitchen cotton. She thinks they are more sanitary. And I'm sure if you change it every day, it probably is, since my sponge makes it in perhaps once a week. So anyway, after about a day of washing with the sponge, I decided well hey, I should go find my dishcloths. Because of course I have knit some.

When I learned to knit we made two. Because I was and overachiever obsessed, I made four for me and two for my mom. Now remember, I don't use them. So why would I need four? Well, I have two daughters and I thought I'd make a set for each of them for their hope chests. They were two at the time and I guess I figured I'd never ever knit for them again (Ha!). I don't really care for making dishcloths, so maybe this is all the dishcloths they'll ever get. Anyway, I dislike making dishcloths, although I could probably crank them out much quicker now.

So this, I figured was the perfect opportunity to actually use the ones I have! I can make more when they get married (for their husbands!), it isn't like kitchen cotton is suddenly going to become rare. Well, I went looking and I came up with two and a fairly large swatch I made in prep for a baby afghan square. I also came up with enough kitchen cotton to make another one. Well, I thought I'd need another one, so I could you know WASH them. So I actually considered, for more than 5 minutes, making a third one.
I KNOW! Not only am I washing dishes which I detest, I actually considered knitting something I detest to go with it!

I don't get it either, best to stick to the scarf.