You would think

 You would think that with a coronavirus pandemic going, that there would be LOTS and LOTS of knitting going on.  But no.  The last great burst of knitting was for Christmas 2019 or maybe 2020 when I knit 17 neck warmers in jewel tone and mid pastel extrabulky yarn  US13 and oh, I can't remember how many stitches were good....54?  64?  in 2 x 2 rib.  Everyone loved them!  and put them on and looked decorative.  In spite of the aunt asking if I had another one in jewel tone...well, not.

So excited to find that Google doesn't delete blogs.  It's been 4 years and the lack of knitting didn't help.  Sorry, blog.  I'll be better.

August 20, 2018

Quite by accident, met my favorite hipknitta at a jewelry workshop making earrings for women in shelters.  It is run by a woman of electrifying energy, enthusiasm and plain chutzpah.

We sat and talked and earringed and met others there to make earrings too.  OTN:  a prayer shawl for victims of sex abuse.  Lovely shades of purple.  But I wasn't thinking prayers.  I was thinking, Nancy would like this.

In the end, made about six pairs.  The deal is, make two, keep one.  Since I don't need any more earrings, I put all on the little earring tree to give away.  

It was so nice to bump into my friend!  Her kids are collegians and girlfriending and jobs and such.   I am used to making earrings by myself in clinic.  

Need to get knitting again.  Christmas is coming!

Happy New Year!

Twas a very satisfying holiday knitting season (January 2018)

A fluffy, furry lime green scarf on a medium green Red Heart Soft background, with random rows of eyelets for S.

An exuberantly large Moebius scarf in shades of teal for A, and a hat to match.

Little knitted wristlets in an all -wool yarn called Boreal, by Premier Yarns and made in Turkey.  It is unplyed, a worsted weight roving in very pretty variegated colorways - for coworkers, sister, neighbors.  50g doesn't quite make a pair, but sometimes does.  50 stitches in 3x2 ribbing or easier, 48 stitches in 2x2 ribbing, 5 inches of ribbing, 1.75 inches of back-and-forth to leave a vertical slot, and then another 2 or 2.5 inches.
I like them over my knuckles, others have liked "bare knuckle" ones.


Knitted a navy cap with letters in white - about six rows high - which made the soccer child very happy but at 84 sts, came out HUGE!  She folded up the brim and wore it anyway.  Will make another, only 72 sts which will have to decrease by sixes.


Finished a fine acrylic boucle ombre shaped scarf.

But then someone gave me an ENORMOUS fleece ruana!  with polyester lounging socks!  Very warm.  Unknitterly.  But such a nice gift.

Another baby born in December.  Here's cranberry Vanna's Choice acrylic.  Gorgeous. (Rosaline's)

Socks, shawls, swaddling blankets

(aka afghans or Large baby blankets)

Having a bit of knitting in my purse is marvelous.  I can sit patiently through meetings, waiting for a concert to begin, and oh, yes, the DMV office.  I have made several pairs of socks that way.  The first pair, I think it took two years of on-again off-again knitting.  It went to Washington where there were MANY meetings.  Used Paton's sock yarn, in shades of blue or sherbet, greenish and flecks, and my favorite, Cherry Tree Hill low micron, tight twist, super wash merino.  In woodsy shades of brown, forest green and russet they are soft, warm, and with ribbing down the instep, very comfortable.  So much so that two pairs got "adopted" by dad and then mom.  Very good, if startling.  MY socks!  I always think I will wear them around the house to stay warm, but 1.  House is warm, and 2.  I'm not ready to be slippers and socks yet.

Making the E-Z Pi shawl, a great lacy circle in purple mohair and a bit of sparkle, is lovely and warm and wonderful, whether it's resting draped over your lap or wrapped around your shoulders, working end dropped into a shoulder bag.  Warm.

And we are still making baby blankets out of Lion Brand Homespun, variegated shades that sometimes make stripes, diagonally when using the dishcloth pattern.

K4
K4
K2, YO, K to end.  Making an eyelet and an increase at the beginning of each row.

then decrease along one side and increase along the opposite side on alternating rows, this lengthens the rectangle, or you could go right to decreases and make a square.

Decrease row
K1, K2tog, YO, K2tog, K to end

Increase row is the same as before (K2, YO, K to end)

Alternate these two rows until the length of one side is long enough.

Start decreases
Decrease tow is the same as before, K1, K2tog, YO, K2tog, K to end.

Square, this makes a potholder..
Rectangle, this makes a baby blanket 3 feet by 4 feet which will be useful for many years.

5 skeins of Homespun:  2 to increase, 1 to extend the length, and 2 to decrease and finish off.

!  Eyelets all around !




Knitted on garter stitch border:  At least 8 stitches deep.

Cast on (cable or provisional), turn, knit back knitting the last stitch together with the body of the shawl.  Turn, knit out, turn, knit back and knit the last stitch together with the body of the shawl.

Hem of a Rowan Cotton Tape summer sleeveless top.  Pretty.  Hard to coax to lie flat.  Hope it blocks well!  When I finish it some year.

Baby sweaters aplenty!

Dashed off a 5 h baby sweater for one of my helpers who's having a third child.  It's a little boy and the sweater came out charming in medium gray with multicolored flecks, thanks to Vanna's Choice variegated.   Needed two skeins to finish the sweater.  Yarn is 4 or 5 dollars a skein, discounts to as low as 2.50.

As I'm finishing that one, one of DH's staff is having a baby grandchild and thus another one in the same gray.  Whew!  Done in time for Thanksgiving.  Just in time for....friends from karate are having an unexpected third baby!  At least this one's a girl.  Maybe it's time for another pattern, but making these sweaters without buttonholes is the neatest traveling project going.  Everyone wants to know what it is, even with the sleeves sitting right there attached. I guess it is not a scarf.

I finished the spiral socks in Lotus - despite the yellow orange brown 70s vibe, and a prettier pair in Palais, jewel tones from Patons Classic Merino.  Then realized that the little girl's mother was quite likely to throw them in the washer and hastily made a pair in gentle blue shades of acrylic, in the "fibre inconnu" section of my AC Moore.

Making some nice sturdy cotton potholders (garter stitch, 25 stitches, 3 strands held together of Lily Sugar & Cream or WalMart Peaches n Creme) and a chain stitch loop.

Also playing with some purple metallic eyelash yarn (!) to make a scarf/shawl/shrug for the little girl next door.  There's one on either side.

Need to get knitting something of a more challenging nature again.

New Year, new life

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

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.