Knitsome, purlsome

New Year, new life

2012-01-17T11:25:00.002-05:00

How strange. Things have *settled* and in a good way. There is pace and routine, not too much in the way of real significant stress (the day to day nonsense of course remains), I feel at peace and at equipoise in my world. Which is a lot to say, for me. There is some knitting, a spiral sock in a frightfully 70s colorway of orange, gold, brown and forest green, Thing Two picked out. It is inexplicably called "Lotus" which I would have expected creamy pink and magenta. I DO NOT like its K3, P3 spiralling rib, I think 42 sts worsted and an extra stitch added after the ribbing section to make it spiral. It neatly finishes by decreasing back to 42 and then dividing 50% sts on one needle, and 25% of sts eacho of two more needles, then alternating one plain round with a double decrease of K1 K2tog..............SSK K1 on the front and the back (4 sts decreased every other round). Finished up at 10 sts across and now we have to find grafting/Kitchener instructions. Off we go.

Also working a log cabin blanket in homely Red Heart Worsted, shades of blue. Pick up on the right side, bind off on the wrong. This takes way too much time, on size 8 needles. Now if I'd just get started on working activities. Sigh.

Grab bags

2011-07-01T01:09:00.002-04:00

I bought two grab bags from an online yarn store. I am rather put out. Included are some tapestry yarns (hey, we're knitters, here), and one skein at a time of some rather nondescript looking yarn. Hey, when you get a mixed bag from Cherry Tree Hill, the fibers and colors just about sing and twinkle at you! Realizing that I have better yarn in my stash... but a grab bag offers the irresistable possibility of a , a surprise, something special. Oh well.

Enjoying staying up late reading into the night, several nights in a row! Such luxury. Hugs and until next time.

Kitty blanket? Or giant dishcloth?

2011-06-28T12:28:00.002-04:00

Well, the Lion Thick and Quick Chenille blanket in scarlet, cardinal and steel gray collected enough bowl-sized holes as to be impractical to sleep with - toes get stuck in the holes and sometimes arms do, too. So it became a liner for the kitty bed, which Panther enjoys and doesn't get stuck in. But now the red is getting covered in gray! Kitty fur.

William came up with the brilliant idea of a new blanket. For the four legged in the family. We went to the store and found mill ends of a thick chenille like stuff in sherbet colors - pink, orange and lavender. I think it's Velvetspun, not Chenille because it's much finer fiber, although the caliber/thickness of the yarn is about the same. We bought $18 worth of mill ends - three bags full. I started knitting up on a 29" US11 bamboo the diagonal baby blanket pattern - K4, K4, K2 YO K to end to desired width, then alternating the decrease row of K1 K2tog YO K2tog to the desired length and then just decrease rows to the last corner. So far we're more than halfway done and only just coming to the end of the first bag. The blanket will be about 3x4 ft like the Homespun ones.

Duly admired at karate class, but everyone thinks it's for a baby. Maybe one for Camp Sunshine's nursery?

Enjoying summer weather, sunny warm and DRY!

Chemo cap

2011-03-02T20:50:00.005-05:00

This is the very pretty Shedir from Knitty, done in the original Rowan Calmer, purchased because it is soft, warm and nonirritating. I awkwardly modified it, thinking I might run out of yarn. It is very attractive, especially from the top.

I would do it again in a moment..but only for the right friend.

Finished February 2010.

Snowed in and iced over

2011-02-02T19:10:00.003-05:00

We had no snow at all through December....visions of a mild winter, but we remember Boston winters. Nothing at all through December, followed in quick succession by blizzards in January, blizzards in February, blizzards in March. The skies cleared, and daffodils pushed up out of the ground between the parallels....only to be covered in snow by one last storm in....April!

In any case, we have had seven snowstorms in quick succession, and have had already seven snow days when we only had four scheduled. Today's was the worst, not the fine, powdery fluff that is useless for making snowballs and snowmen and snow ducks, but brushes off cars easily. Instead, an ice storm, billed as "wintry mix" but instead, a wet rain that froze at ground level leaving the branches encased in ice and the cars similarly encased. There is a two inch layer of ice on the walks and asphalt surfaces. Tis rumored that delivery men are coming and going on hands and knees to avoid falling down.

In all this, we are doing regular work, and some pleasant activities as well. We finished a bias knit "dishcloth" baby blanket, made 3 ft x 4 ft to last longer, in Lion Brand Homespun "Sierra" a mix of golden brown, burgundy and moss green which does stripe, as "Regency" the green mix does, and as "Colonial" the marine blue does not. That and a nice little "Tomato" hat for Bee's newborn. We made another 100 stitch Moebius in worsted cranberry, sepia and tan tones, this time with 3 rows each knit, purl, knit, purl, knit. A wider scarf for the Mommy, who tends to be left out at this time of life. Everyone looking at the baby.

But today we have a very pretty Moebius, in an interesting yarn, called Amazing by Lion Brand. As usual, the name tells us absolutely nothing about the yarn. Remember that Incredible was their polyester ribbon yarn. Amazing caught my attention, being in skeins the shape of Noro Kureyon and similar color blends. It is, unlike other Lion Brand blends, 53% wool and 47% acrylic, with a lofty, mohair-like halo around a rather thin base. It's that halo that allows it to knit up as a "medium" #4, with a recommended needle size of 9 (5.5 mm). Well, I didn't have a 9 tip handy, so am using a 60" cable and size 8 Harmony wood tips. The join is not as smooth as the permanently attached Clover Bamboo, and it unscrewed at one point and fell apart. But eventually we regain equilibrium and are merrily knitting and purling 220 stitches which fit very nicely on the 60" needle. But it is a long way around, all those little stitches! I'm using a little rubber ring as the stitch marker as it tends not to run away when I get to it and it tries to drop off. The yarn is very soft to touch and doesn't split despite the very sharp tips on Harmony needles. I think it will be lovely and much warmer than the acrylic only Moebius scarves I've been making. Moebius really looks very beautiful with a variegated yarn.

I'm thinking of doing another as a shawl or shoulder drape in the light tan and cream textured yarn, on size 13 needles, which I have, in Zephyr.

This weekend we are invited to a Super Bowl party at the home of the woman I made the Shedir cap for. She's doing well, for which there is much to be grateful.

Muggles 2011

2011-01-14T16:47:00.003-05:00

I was at the library today and took out 1000 Knit motifs, a sweater knitting book, and two sock books. The librarian told me I could not take out four books on a topic at once. So I put back the sweater knitting book, feeling that if she were not a knitter, there was no point in telling her there were three different kinds of books there!

Knitting the second ribbed sock from a formula by the Yarn Harlot in Knitting Rocks! It is very pretty, in Cherry Tree Hill Supersock in a foresty brown and green and russet kind of colorway. I have 2x2 ribs all the way down the instep. Only the toe came out rather trapezoid and awkward, although it feels just fine on. Need to learn to make a more rounded toe.

Mobius, Moebius

2011-01-08T11:44:00.005-05:00

I have known how to make a Mobius scarf in one long strip without making a half twist and grafting the ends, for perhaps 2 or 3 years. This is how Elizabeth Zimmermann would have created a lovely scarf, or shoulder wrapping shawl. I read Cat Bordhi's book , bravely cast on with two Denise needles clicked together, and used up that baby-rainbow colored Red Heart regular yarn. It got left behind at least once, at MIL's house, and then got it back. Two summers ago, not last summer. Summer 2009. Eventually got it back, bound it off the usual way (loop over loop like a potholder), and humbly presented it to MIL. Not my favorite color or texture.

In any case, this skill of MCO (Moebius cast-on) sat in the back of my head for some time, eventually filing itself away in a place inaccessible to me. So this past summer, I took out the Book of Magical Knitting again and used its very clear illustrations to cast on again. I had the idea of making a beautiful HAT, so cast on 96 sts of soft worsted (probably Berroco) to make the Moebius brim. Okay. So you are supposed to cast off half the stitches, forming the bottom edge of the hat and pick up for the brim. Di d I tell you this was a lovely autumnal combination distinctive in having cranberry, gray, camel tones? Not a hint of orange or green. Did I tell you it has a lovely soft hand and knit smoothly, effortlessly making a clean material? Did I tell you that it was much too big for a hat? At least it wasn't a hula hoop. So I cast off the remaining 96 sts leaving....not big enough to call a scarf....we shall call it a HUG.

Very pretty, and it went promptly to friend Beth, who suddenly lost her husband and needs hugs of all kinds. It was admired for its colors and its Moebius-ness, and I resolved to make more. I used a size 10 needle, 36 inches long Clover bamboo, and having once MCO 96 sts, proceeded to knit 3 rows
purl 3 rows
knit 3 rows

It looks prettier and fuller and is more functional if you do another
purl 3 rows
knit 3 rows.

Bought another skein of different colors -magenta, tan, gold, white, which did not make such a pretty scarf. Muted tones were better.

Whilst stash-diving, found a treasure: a skein of Blue Sky Alpacas bulky alpaca, dyed in tan and gray and black. It's a roving as thick as a pencil and as soft as cashmere. I used size 15 needles, cast on 5 stitches and knit almost to the end, whence I did make a half twist and grafted. Ala EZ. One of the great advantages and disadvantages of this scarf is that it is a continuous loop. So it is difficult to lose (doesn't slither off neck or need tending), but is not appropriate for children (choking/strangulation hazard). Pediatrician would not consider it safe for kids. Kids are not supposed to have anything hanging around their necks that can't break free under strain. All neck cords are built with breakaway safeties. While L was here at Christmas time, I gave her one although she is only 10. I think she knows what to do.

Hats for the holidays

2010-01-19T09:38:00.006-05:00

No time to knit? Blasphemy! But there it is. KIPing at a knitting group is one thing, but knitting in the library, waiting at martial arts classes, well, I find myself an ambassador "What's that you're doing, embroidery?" "Is that the needlepoint kind of knitting?" This from a Wharton MBA. Go figure. I am ill disposed to hear either exaltations or exhortations, just let me knit, people. It occurs to me that I should be educating the unfibered masses, but lately, my knitting has been my me time. Reminding me that there should probably be a bit more me time. Thoughtful, present, mindful me time. The problem being that there is always time for dazing gapemouthed into the screen, be it the computer, the television, the iPod, the Palm, wandering aimlessless from site to site, no more engaged or invested than the couch potato with a remote. Hmmm. Not entirely true. Invested and engaged for the instant, but then we're off on another tangent without more than the haziest whiff of what was engrossing the moment before. Paper and pencil should really be required equipment.

So there was a pretty little hat out of Cashmerino Aran in pink and lavender, 72 stitches increased to 84 after the ribbing and some pretty forgettable two-color work. It's not quite long enough to cuff, but it will be for Adelaide. Made another, sturdier one out of Wool-Ease worsted (30% wool) in cream with gray patterns for Anderson. Whose head looks quite big enough even if he's only 8 months or so. This one came out much bigger despite the EXACT SAME size 6 aluminum circular Susan Bates. Go figure. Pictures coming.

Today I wove in the ends on an attractive gray-and-cream (you guessed it) hat from wool remaining from Anderson's cap. I'm not quite as happy about these hats for adults; havent got the proportions right. This one is 84 sts increased to 96 sts after 1-1/2 inches ribbing, 7-1/2 inches from the edge to the first decrease, alternating rounds of decrease and plain ss until 7x12 sts, then each round decreased. Fair Isle pattern in three sets of three rows separated by 3 rows background. The hat is deep, but not long enough to cuff on an adult. Cuffs nicely on a child. A little deep for a plain adult cap. pretty, yes. The top may want to taper down a bit more before flattening. Made up in Wool-Ease, it doesn't feel quite warm enough as a single layer and thus may end up being Edward's hat.

I have started a toe-up sock. More accurately, a toe-up cast-on, we'll see if it ever makes it to sock. So far it's just some "Heart and Sole" which I dislike for its Cardiology connotations. That and its odd colorway. But for practice, why not? See ya'll.

Yarn-poor post

2009-09-03T16:25:00.003-04:00

I've been reading the Yarn Harlot again and have lately felt the pain of SABLE (stash accumulation beyond life expectancy) and the sense that I have a better selection of yarns than my local yarn store. I panic at the sight of a moth. They have never gone after skeins (that I know of) but they have certainly lay eggs in sweaters in the closet which then acquire unpleasant little holes. I have sewn them up, but they don't look great. Then again there were the similar holes in the cotton-poly sweatshirt with sunflower and millet shells nearby. Ugh!

Home in a limp fog today. Would have gone to work but I'm off! We're due to head off for the Blood Drive at the church. Wonder if I have enough to give today? At least I know I will be well occupied with a book. Finished Three Musketeers and some sci-fi. In loyalty to knitting I suppose I should be reading a Tale of Two Cities.

Cheerio(s)!

More hats

2009-03-19T00:00:00.002-04:00

Hats are about all I can manage these days. There's the blue mohair-y one, the shocking coral pink bulky one, the little Red Heart variegated one. This is the first winter in several years I have not made mittens. I wore the Jo Sharp sage green scarf and was very warm.

Did I mention the crocuses started popping up on Sunday? It was the Ides of March, too. Today there are five. The daffodils are budded and making the neighbors envious. Kira and Edward want to learn to ride two wheelers. At last, there is no snow for St. Patrick's Day.

So I want to make Soleil, or some other cotton-yarn affair. Maybe I should retrench and make the eyelet cardigan Bonne Marie Burns designed. Was it called Soap Opera Star?

Still more baby-knitting

2007-09-17T00:23:00.000-04:00

Knitting, knitting, knitting. Not enough knitting, as my life as I know it is rapidly consuming my knitting time! Still knitting for the baby who is nearly five months old and who is a delightful little pumpkin. Fortunately baby blankets are not as easily outgrown. This one is the Diagonal baby blanket, bias with a yarnover edge. Soothing to knit in Homespun, very practical but soft and cuddly. Doesn't seem to shed, although it fluffs up. Knit in "Montana Sky" it seemed to be a wonderful heathered royal blue with tones of azure and violet. Delightfully and unexpectedly, it striped! about 3 inches wide striping, subtle and lovely like the "Regency" green one made first. The second, "Baroque" was a blue chosen for its "airplane" shade but I was disappointed when it remained an even variegation without the stripes. Guess I should get some pix up. Each blanket takes at least 4 skeins and is large enough for a small afghan, taking the children through naps up to school size. No skimpy little stroller covers, these.

Also WIP is a Soulful Knitting Ministries prayer shawl to comfort abused women. Pretty, easy to do. The second Horcrux sock in Patons Classic Wool Palais Royale is languishing on the needles. A skein of Trekking is afraid to be spoilt by my beginner attempts. Somewhere in the stash (behind closet door #1, #2, or #3?) is some medium blue Patons Kroy, unafraid to be a sock, but hiding all the same.

I made it back to the newest knitting group. A wider variety of talents and learners, a wider variety of personalities. The word "character" comes to mind and not in a particularly flattering context. Mostly we are a kind and thoughtful bunch. Now it is time for sleep. 'Night, all.

A local source of handspun...

2007-02-10T20:59:00.000-05:00

I was at a knitting class yesterday, where another woman "of a certain age" - oh wait, that would be my age too - and her 9 year old daughter were learning to knit. Knit, purl, rib. Having difficulty casting on. The woman said that she was learning to knit because although she could already crochet, she could knit but not crochet at work. Where do you work? said I, curiosity piqued. Well, she works at a local historical site which represents Federal and colonial life -eighteenth century - and there is no evidence of crochet in the US before 1800. So she is allowed to knit, but not crochet, since it is not historically accurate. I was quite envious, too, when she mentioned that they are always spinning yarn, but nothing is ever done with the product - she would have pounds of material to work with. They even dye these wool yarns!

Caps

2006-12-13T21:24:00.000-05:00

A bunch of baby hats I made to send to Westport and thence to be carried to Washington to demonstrate the knitting community's support of initiatives to save newborns in underserved countries. I like knitting the caps and I like the idea of keeping babies warm. I am less certain they will carry much weight on Capitol Hill.

Hello, Mr. Sock

2006-12-09T19:39:00.000-05:00

Voila, my first sock! The basic sock from Lion Brand magic stripes, it comes out fairly attractive, more comfortable than I would have thought, even though I grafted the toe in the wrong direction. Go figure. But it is lonely waiting for its mate to be made. I want to pick out the toe and re-graft it properly.

It is unshaped, and made with a heel flap. But the wool stretches to fit nicely and is warm and pleasant to wear. I made it on size 2 Clover bamboo dpns. Clumsy. I cast on the second sock using two circulars, but the rhythm isn't as good as with dpns. Some day....

Huzzah!

2006-12-09T19:29:00.000-05:00

Looks familiar, but this time, speedier!

Went to a baby shower. More a friendly acquaintance than a friend, I decided to knit a sweater at the last minute. Pulled out my friend the 5 hour baby sweater pattern with zeal and determination: can it take anywhere close to 5 hours to complete? I found baby blue Red Heart in a box downstairs. Soft acrylic yarn, soft and smooth, with a little sheen and not at all squeaky. I must say, there were sections that were fuzzy and irregular, but the yarn held together without splitting much. I think I like Caron's Simply Soft better. That was the pink sweater. Decided to avoid having to think about buttonholes (to say nothing of the sewing on of buttons) to save time - got to follow the pattern as written. I wasn't sure if it was too girly, in spite of the baby blue, lighter than it photographed. I took two rows of trim off the bottom. Knitting the sleeves flat and seaming them is neater and easier - the underarm seams look better, too.

I sat with my friend Sharon for two hours and completed the yoke. I then stayed up till 2 AM and finished both sleeves and most of the bottom. We're up to 6 hours here. Sleepy and my fingers unwilling to continue, I went to sleep. This morning, I completed the garter stitch hem and sewed up the sleeves and wove in the ends. Okay! Only 7 hours, not so shabby.

I wrapped it in tissue paper, added a card and left for the baby shower, much pleased with myself. It was duly received with much more acclaim than its quick and dirty origins deserved. The only handmade item at the shower, oohs and aahs aplenty. A handy thing to have, this 5 hour baby sweater.

In the dumps

2006-11-10T16:18:00.000-05:00

Emerging from under a rock, Sisyphus and the boulder. Dazed and confused, blinking a bit at the light. Today I feel nearly ordinary. Where have I been? Lost and afraid. Knitting mechanically, the only normal in this day.

The mittens turned out very pretty, even if I frogged them three times trying to get the length right. They are still too long in the fingers, but I like them.

Back from Camp

2006-08-10T18:39:00.000-04:00

Spent a week in Maine on Lake Sebago, where blissfully knitted away on the Spiritual Knitting Ministries Prayer Shawl. Finished it too, with its myriad colors and fluttering tail ends which thankfully are not woven in, but just pushed to one side (the "wrong" side). Then I sent it off to Sydney but not before taking a picture of it :-(

So we started another one. :-)

Abigail has a baby sister, Amelie, and thus another sweater to make! Meanwhile I'm also working on Caps to the Capital http://www.savethechildren.org/capstothecapital/index.asp in support of keeping babies in third world countries alive all for want of a hat? We made a pretty little one and gave it to Amelie. I have three or four others to send to Save the Children.

Whilst at Camp, I met a wonderful woman who is not knitting, but she is crocheting love and prayers into afghans for children with cancer. She is now blogging too at www.crochetinghearts.blogspot.com. She has made over 125 afghans herself and is still going strong. If you can help, send an email her way at rsebud@sbcglobal.net.

Hugs,
Nutrageous!

Not UFO, just FO, or photo at last!

2006-06-25T00:02:00.000-04:00

At last! I knit this sweater from the 5 hour baby sweater modified by Lorraine Major. It's been around awhile. It takes me more than 5 hours, but certainly can knock one out in a weekend if someone else is doing the cooking, cleaning and chasing in the house! Did I mention that nothing else gets done?

Then the poor FO sits around piteously waiting for buttons. I guess that makes it not-quite-an-FO.

In any case, a very satisfying knit, with the body all in one piece and the sleeves knit in the round.

Where are all the knitting stores going?

2006-03-14T21:24:00.000-05:00

I admit, I'm at fault, too. I love Ebay, I love buying endlots and seconds of Cherry Tree Hill, I am tempted into Lorna's Laces and Koigu. Such the dilettante. NOT compared to some other Ebayers who seem to buy hundreds of skeins of sock yarn each week. Did I mention I am in my "reading" phase of being in love with sock knitting?

But meanwhile, I read in the Times that Goldman's Yarns in Hartsdale was closing. I'd never made it there before, so I went - shopped their 25% off everything sale and scored some lovely merino and even more reasonable Cascade Quattro. Just last week, though, I was in Bedford and swung by Lee's Yarns to find - gasp!- an empty storefront with a poetical poster referring knitters to Flying Fingers - a "short" drive down the Saw Mill. Not exactly. Lee's WAS my source for Karabella Aurora. To say nothing of a GREAT sale bin. Flying Fingers is just too rich for my blood. They're friendly and I love the red sofa (although I dare not sit on it, not feeling enough a regular), but they feel boutique-ey and I'm not as comfortable. I could shop at Lee's salesladies notwithstanding - but let's not speak ill of the dead- much more comfortably. It was roomier and one felt free to roam and browse.

We're running out of LYS around here....

Knitting chatrooms

2005-09-28T23:33:00.000-04:00

Went online t'other night and found a chatroom for knitters! From across the country, they talk about....food of all kinds, pretend to interact with each other (X walks across the room and gives a toy to Y) and meet and greet. A little talk about the WIPs and FOs, but not much. I think I'd rather be knitting.

Got into reading blogs, like dogseatyarn and grumperina and blue blog, and the concept of secret pal - a swap program along the lines of Secret Santa, for knitting buddies in a group. It seems really nice, getting to know a perfect stranger and sending parcels of things s(he) would like. Then the recipient posts a photo on her blog and everyone oohs and aahs! Seems like a super thing to do...but wait, wouldn't it be great doing this for the everyday people in your life? A friend you havent seen in a while, or maybe even one you saw yesterday? Just for nice? Wow. Then again, your immediate friends might not be knitters, but the idea of thinking hard for unexpected things someone would like, well, it reminds me of antics I did in high school.

Still need to get some photos up.

Up too late

2005-09-11T00:29:00.000-04:00

So what am I doing, when I'm supposed to be getting up again in six hours? I finished a lovely 2x2 ribbed hat with a turnback cuff out of Karabella Bulky, pink with a magenta stripe, which I love for being soft and merino and washable. Now all the things I might have done - like use a smaller needle for the cuff ribbing, but then I wasn't sure how deep I wanted it. Like twist the colors so I didn't have to weave in all those ends from having two wide magenta stripes.

I'm still not sure how big a ribbed cap ought to be. This one was 64 stitches in the round, following the instructions for the largest manic hair hat in StitchNBitch. It's soft and comfortable and feels good. Third attempt at hat and one I would actually wear. The first one, following the instructions, is only a cap and not long enough for a cuff, which I think you need, to stay warm.

The second one was an Elizabeth Zimmermann practice cap (and my first try at Fair Isle!) and was charming but really too small for me. (and I thought I had a medium sized head!) Mom tried it and liked the color, but it was too tight on her also. Perhaps it's time to check GAUGE, as EZ says.

Now I need to take pictures of the FOs. More later.