Knitting!!

My daughter started knitting a scarf in the week leading in Halloween.  It was to be a prop in a costume.  While she didn't finish it - something called school got in the way - trolling around for patterns for her uncovered one for me!

I like basic lace work and had used this same pattern once before to make a cowl so cast on to give this one a go.  (pattern link)

The color is this yummy shade of red called Candy Apple.  I bought the yarn in my local knitting shop Warm & Fuzzy last year. (If you are a knitter, check them out - they've got an online store and carry many hand dye yarns.)

Given this is a narrow scarf, it is knitting quickly.  The yarn is louet Gems, 100% Merino Wool Sports weight.

I put one of my recently completed bags - see Elm Street Quilts for more information - to store everything away between knitting sessions.

I'll be linking here at Let's Bee Social.

Happy Stitching!

Christmas knitting

I found the pattern here on Ravelry for free.  I cast on 88 stitches which gave me the right gauge for the ribbing.  I reduced to 84 stitches in the knit part.

 I tried this cast on and it seems to give a nice stretchy edge.   I am blending two sports weight yarns.  The first is Nature Spun in Burnt Sienna (100% wool).  The second is Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino in a gray.  This one is a mix of wool and cashmere and something called 'microfibre'.  Not sure if that is sheep or rabbit.  :-)

I really like the color pattern that mixing two strands of wool gave me.

Loved this one so much, I've cast on another for me!

Happy Stitching!

Knitting dilemma

Less then a week to go....

We put our Christmas tree up last night.  It was a lot of fun - we've such the collection of ornaments - many of them are handmade from when the kids were young.  I've one that used to be at my Grandma's house that I just love to hang every year.

One more run to Target ought to close down my Christmas shopping (!!!).

I am obsessively tracking the 4 packages I mailed off on Monday.  Two of them arrived at their destination, one should be delivered today.  The final one - the one with all the handmade goodies - shows no tracking progress!!  At this point, I'd just like know where it is in its travels ... just to know it is somewhere and not stuck in the corner of the post office!

Now, the knitting dilemma.

I am making finger-less mittens for my daughter. 

I am almost but not quite done with the first - they knit up very fast.

Here is the problem.   When I weigh how much I have left - I've 1.9 oz.

and compare to how much I used so far ....

and subtract off the 3 needles at 2 oz each, I've used 1.9 oz and the first one isn't yet done.

UGH!!!

They are turning out really, really nice. So soft.  Such a pretty color.

Maybe a little big though.   Maybe big enough to fit the hand of a really big guy and certainly way too big for my 16 year old.

So off I go to rip, go down a needle size maybe even shorten the cuff to try again!

And speaking of a bit big - isn't our gingerbread cookie man cute?  My daughter went to town decorating him.  That is her petite sized hand in the photo illustrating the point that I've got to start over.

Have a great day!

Happy Stitching!

Approaching the 1st birthday

On June 21, 2013, I cast on for this shawl pattern from the Purl Bee  There are 12 rows in each pattern repeat - half of those are lace rows, half are purl rows. 

Two weeks into the pattern, I had about this much to show for my efforts. (Initial post).

By September, I started to get a hang of the pattern repeats but was still likely frogging almost as much as I was knitting.  It was a battle of continually counting and counting.

Then I (re) discovered the value of stitch markers -- even though the lace pattern is different each row so you have to keep moving the stitch markers, it is still helpful to have every 14 stitches marked.

By January, it was roughly 26 inches long.   This will be a definite wrap yourself in it shawl.

Now, 340 days later, the shawl is 3/4 of the way done and roughly 40 inches long and looks like this.

Only 4 of these left to go....



I only watch tv for a few hours each week.  But when I do watch, I need to be doing some handiwork.  If there are no quilts to be bound, knitting is what I do.

I really, really, really want to get this done soon.  Before the project turns a year old - not likely.  But before fall?  I sure do hope so.

It is really good I am enjoying the process!  (smile)


Happy Stitching!

Stitch by stitch

I started this shawl in early July and blogged about it here and again in September.   Right now, it is roughly 26 inches long.   This will be a definite wrap yourself in it shawl.

I am in love with this yarn - Sirdary Snuggly baby bamboo and the lovely silver gray color.

The pattern is from the Purl Bee  There are 12 rows in each pattern repeat - half of those are lace rows, half are purl rows.  I've just finished my millionth of a gazillion repeats of the pattern and - maybe - now have the hang of it.

Based on the volume of yarn consumed and left to go, I am slightly - just slightly - less than half way.  I tend to knit sitting in front of the tv which isn't something I do very often so the going has been slow.    It is enjoyable.

My goal remains to finish it by - or at least in - the spring!



Happy Stitching!

Knitting progress

I am in love with this yarn - Sirdary Snuggly baby bamboo and the lovely silver gray color.

The pattern is from the Purl Bee  There are 12 rows in each pattern repeat - half of those are lace rows, half are purl rows.  I've just finished my 6th of a gazillion repeats of the pattern and - maybe - now have the hang of it.

I didn't get as much knitting time this summer as I had hoped.  But I also kept messing it up and had to knit backwards - or frog.   

There are always 14 stitches in a repeating pattern of the lace - that part is easy.  I use stitch markers so I can always count.  But the number of stitches changes each time at the start of the row - sometimes the repeats are on stitch 9, sometimes 6, sometimes 8 so each time you start, you have to adjust the markers or just adjust your brain.  I had a brainstorm one day to write each row on a single index card to make it easier to see with my old eyes.  That was a good idea but ... one row not all that long ago, I ended up adding an extra YO because I copied it down wrong.  I discovered it 2 row later so backwards I go.

Clearly I didn't get the shawl done this summer - so I've reset my goal for next Spring!

Happy Stitching!

Summer Shawl

I love to knit especially in the summer.  Sitting on the back screened porch on a summer afternoon with the ceiling fan spinning and a glass of sweet tea - very relaxing.

Cast on for a new shawl in a lovely silver gray color - Sirdary Snuggly baby bamboo.

The pattern is from the Purl Bee  There are 12 rows in each pattern repeat - half of those are lace rows, half are purl rows.  Almost at the end of my first skein of yarn and I got two full repeats done plus the cast on border.

.



Happy Stitching!

A 'Bit' of a Progress Report

I finished the wool hat I made for my DD.  Not the most flattering photo but I didn't want her to try it on since it will be a gift.  I do need some bits though - some bits of white and of yellow wool - at most a yard of each.  I am going to turn the white in owl eyes and the yellow into the beak.   Is there anyone who might have bits to share of white and yellow?  Please leave me a comment.  Much of my yarn stash is cotton, not wool.  

I also made good progress on the scarf I am knitting.  The lace pattern was easy to learn so makes for good tv watching knitting.  

Finally, got my FMQ challenge from SewCalGal was completed right at the wire.  Spirals were the challenge this month.  My first attempt was a bit sloppy - scary even!

To give me a more defined line within which to swirl, I sewed together some 2 1/2 in strips.

I was happier with this result but still need to keep practicing.  I don't think either of these photos clearly shows the work - you have to look real carefully to see it. 

Happy Stitching!

Knitting progress

I've been making steady progress on my shawl.  (Link to blog post with information on pattern.)

There are essentially two more rows to do.  Each of the fans section is done as a unit and you need to pick up 50 stitches to start a new one.  I've become a pro at picking up stitches.  One thing I really like is when you make a mistake, sometimes it is easier to just rip out the fan and start again.  (Don't ask me how I know this.)

A bit of a closeup to give an idea what the lace will look like once blocked.


When I was in Seattle, in addition to the couple of quilt stores, I found a yarn store called Churchmouse Yarns & Teas on Bainbridge Island.  Being so proud of myself with the progress I am making on the shawl, I fell in love with this pattern to make a bowl - look carefully in the bottom of pattern photo.  I bought one skein which should be enough to make a middle size bowl.  It was only once I was paying and then really reading the pattern, I realized this was Crochet!!, not knitting.  It is a very simple stitch so I know I am capable but I like knitting so much better.  I decided to buy it anyway.  We'll see how it goes!

Happy Stitching!

Adventures in knitting continue

Knitting this shawl has turned out to be a fun adventure.  I love that the most you are dealing with on the needle at any time is 50 stitches.  If you mess up, easy to just rip and restart.   How do I know this?  In order to put the 4th fan 'block' on (center, top), I had to pick up 50 stitches.  I tried it 4 times before I got it right.

I'll be quite the pro at picking up stitches when this is all done.  Here is a picture after the 5th fan.  I've numbered the order I made each fan block to give a view of the construction.

It took almost a full 50g ball to make the 5 fan blocks.  I like the fact that with this project is I should be able to clearly estimate whether or not I will have enough yarn.

Now what does any quilter who likes to knit really need?  Why a quilted knitting bag of course!  I used some scraps from Fig Tree California Girl fabric and did a bit of FMQ practice.  It is lined with a shade of Bella blue - not sure what the color is called.  (Based loosely on this tutorial.)

I am linking up this finish at Such a Sew and Sew.

Happy Stitching!

Summer knitting

On nice summer evenings, I enjoy sitting on the back porch and always like to be busy making something.  This year, it is a shawl.- photo here from straw.com

The pattern looks quite fun as you make the shawl in sections and add them together as you go.  Here is the first section:

And then the second one added to it:

26 more to go!


Happy Stitching!

Road Trip! (aka as Knitting in the dark)

Am I am a quilter that loves to knit or a knitter that loves to quilt?


First, the knitting.....


We returned last night around 10pm from a Thanksgiving visit to NJ.  The drive up from NC on Tuesday took us about 11 hours (traffic, ugh!) and the drive home around 10 hours.  My husband does all the driving so it gives me time to pass out snacks to the kids as well as read or knit.  I started a sock on the way up and made reasonable progress on the cuff in daylight:

The cuff pattern (3k, 1p) was very easy so I attempted to knit in the dark.  Turned out this wasn't a good idea.  I would do one round just fine and then realize something was off on the pattern.  I would have to wait until we stopped for gas or perhaps in traffic to turn on a light and repair the damage.  I would then give it another try.... only to repeat.   Finally I put it aside and picked it up again on the drive home.  This time, we left a bit earlier so I had enough daylight to turn the heal and a bit more.

Now the quilting....

My dad has restored a VW bug and just loves the car.  He will only take it out for a drive on sunny, warm days.   I decided to make him a quilt with a VW theme.    There was no fabric to be found so I made my own using Spoonflower. and created my own custom fabric using a edited photo of his actual car.  (My daughter did the editing for me on her computer.)   

The quilt itself was quit fun to make.  I used Awesome by Sandy Gervais and tried out various ways to best highlight the car.  This is what I ended up with and my dad just loved it!   I backed it with flannel and Cathy Kirk quilted a collection of cars and loops all over the quilt.

Happy stitching!