Fall falls

I can't believe that Halloween is nearly here. I also can't believe it has been an entire week since I posted and I didn't even post much. I also haven't knit much. I have done some sewing and some quilting (I am appliqueing blocks with these adorable cats on them.)

I did start the back of my Hogwarts House sweater. I am not happy with the yarn colors. This is what happens when you buy yarn online. No matter how good the computer screen the colors are a 'best guess'.

I found some vitamins I'm taking them for a month to see how they work - so far I am not impressed. I might have to go back to buying the expensive online ones I was using two years ago. Thanks to everybody for the recommendations. I appreciate it.

Mischief Managed

I finally found three minutes to rub together and finished the little knitting back for Amy. It is PURPLE and a really nice purple orange, blue and pink flowers. I should have taken a picture but I forgot until I had it in the envelope. I also embroidered her name on it. It's a little hard to see because the print is a little loud but that makes it stealthy (or something)

I also sewed up a couple of other things I had laying around the house. Great fun. After I get done I'm going to do a little applique. I should be knitting and finishing a sweater. But I'm not sure which sweater to work on AND it will only take me a couple hours to do the applique.

I'm also starting a search for a good multi-vitamin. I'm taking all recommendations. So if you have one - share!

Some knitting

I finished my Hogwarts Sock Swap socks and the sleeves for the House Sweater. But little other knitting has occurred this week. There was a lot of napping but not a lot of knitting.

Sweaters!

I made the cutest little Tulip baby cardigan. I enjoyed knitting it and I will probably have to knit at least a couple more.


Everyone should buy a copy of The Knitting Answer Book by Margaret Radcliffe. I looked in several of my technique books for the sewn bind off - and this was the only one that had it, and the illustrations were great. It also had the I-cord bind of I used for the neck (although not the secret that Meg shared about how to avoid the contrast color showing through and I can't find in my notes how to do it. Alas.

Touch Me

I got up this morning and decided I should take knitting to my Dr. appointment this afternoon. In case there is waiting room time (there wasn't much on Tuesday). I finished the toe on my HP Sock swap sock last night so I decided to Kitchner it and then I can start the second one. I could not find my instructions so I - Just - Did - It!

How cool is that! The only mistake was from a twisted stitch, which was done while knitting the last row and thus not the fault of the Kitchnering! I un-kitchnered it, turned it and re-kitchnered it. I was so pleased! YEE HAW!

This is the fourth pattern I have done for the HP Sock Swap. It is fairly simple, as compared to many others but I like it. The very pretty one that was done in colored pattern work was puckery and had no stretch (always bad in a sock). This sock looks REALLY big, but measures right and fights my foot, if not snuggly at least not baggy. (in other words its the size it is suppose to be) I might be having trouble judging things to size this month. Re: my Aunt's Sweater - even if my friend did agree that it looks BIG.

Disaster?

So I was working, dutifully, on the pink cabled lopi wonder and talking to my mother when I decided that it was time to lay it out and get a good look at the cables on the 2 inches I had. Can you say mobius strip! Damn it. I haven't done that in several years. I ripped it out, balled the yarn and put it in a bag. It was such a pain to get the pattern rows for that sweater set up I just can't face starting it again right now.

I'm back to the Mary Tudor. I am about 20 rows from putting in the steeks for the sleeves.

Aunt Bernie's Sweater

It's done! Sleeves are sewn in, ends are darned, only washing and blocking remain.

Now I have to decide what's next!

Dear Friends

I am greatly a-feared that my beautiful red and white cardigan (the LaCrosse sweater) is too big. Not too big as in my gauge was off (because it is the size it's suppose to be - I checked just now to be certain), but too big as in I swim in it. This is very sad. I thought to wear it to work today but it looks like I'm 12 trying to wear my mother's clothes.

It isn't the body of the sweater so much as the sleeves are just too long. In fact if I roll them up they are better. But the sleeves have a nice crochet edging and they are lovely. I suppose I could put small cuffs on it. But I'm not sure how to do that without losing the pretty edging. That would make me sad.

This is very depressing.

Maybe I'll sell it on Ebay.

In other news I have one sleeve sewn onto my aunt's sweater and I knit two rows on my Mary Tudor. So much for finishing the pink cabled lopi wonder.

Number 6 in sight!

Work on Aunt Bernie’s Sweater continues. I finished the back and did the I-cord bind off. I had use the three stitch I-cord the first time and didn’t like it so I removed it and used the two stitch. It is nice. I wimped out and used the natural colored yarn.

I crocheted the steeks on one sleeve and decided that I will still need to sew them. So I will try to do that tonight. Then I can sew in the sleeves, knit up the neckband and start weaving in yarn ends.

I made my spouse try it on and it isn’t so big on him. I’m going to quit worrying about it being too big. I’ll make him try it on again after I get the sleeves sewn in and make my final judgment call, drop it in the mail and hope for the best.

A second post in seconds!

Here is the update on Aunt Bernie's Sweater.

After I got home I discovered I had made a mistake on the second front. I ripped it back and reknit it. I have 6 rows left on the back and then I can join the shoulders. I'm going to use an I-cord bind off I learned at camp. I might be able to finish it tonight.

So Excited!

I'm really really concerned about the size. It seems HUGE. I know that I am not the best at judging the size of people so I don't know whether or not to do anything about it. This is why I shouldn't knit for people who live far away. If she lived anywhere near I'd have her try it on and then seam the sides if it needed to be smaller.

I will be depressed if it doesn't fit.

Pictures!

Images from camp! Some cool knitting

A sample sweater - child size. I love the design on this.

My favorite Meg quote of the weekend - "Baby Surprise jackets just drip off my needles."

She also said that she rips a lot. At least I'm not the only one.








A cute hat. The technique is called Armenian knitting. Meg and Joyce Williams have a new book coming out that shows this technique and contains patterns.

Here is a hat I made for Liz using the technique.












Here is the stranding on the inside. This technique strands the entire piece with the second color. You can pick up the color at any point and add a design. I used the unspun Iceland wool for this. It was hard to strand because the unspun came apart to easily.

But the hat is cute and Liz likes it. I hope it is warm. I would make matching mittens if the yarn wasn't so hard to knit. I could spin the remainder and then knit it up.



This was a cute little hat. I have left over yarn from the Red and White cardigan. I could make one like it. If you look close at the hat you can see the little I-cord loop on top. It is too sweet.

Home - finally

I'm finally home and errands are done. We got Liz her new phone. I ordered mine online (this was a really good idea and saved me about $200. Which is good, all things considered.)

I spent more money then I planned at the Schoolhouse. I got duplicate books, I already had two of the ones I bought and apparently I already bought Mom the one I bought for her. I'll give her the one I thought I had, but bought anyway, just in case. (now there is a run-on thought)

Camp was such great fun. I met LOTS a great people, saw lots of fantastic knitting and learned new things. I should have stayed up later knitting in the meeting room. I missed some terribly fun times. But I wouldn't have had two brain cells to use the next day if I had. That is the problem with being a morning person.

I'm so fired up! I have plans for several sweater designs floating around in my head. I bought some yarn to start knitting swatches. I'm going to order 1 skein of each color from J&S so I have design stash.

As if I have time to knit up the stuff I have and want AND to design and knit up all the ideas in my head. :)

I have a good start on Liz' new hat. It fits and she likes it. The yarn I choose it unspun Icelandic in fuchsia and black. It is pretty and I'm glad she likes it. Pictures when it's done.

I also have pictures from camp, but they will have to wait - I want to knit some more before bedtime.

Letters from Camp

In spite of a headache that I had nearly all day I had a good day.

We started with breakfast at the Kitchen Table, which is owned by one of Elizabeth Zimmerman's daughters. The food is home made, including the bread and the granola. I had granola and yogurt with fruit for breakfast. It was very good.

There is a group of men who are regulars there that refer to themselves as Romeos (Retired Old Men Eating Out). I think that every small town every where has a group of them.

The class was very good. We talked about many different kinds of cast ons, increases, decreases and 'hems' for sweaters. We also talked about shaping the body of sweaters in the round to drop the front by raising the back and lots of other stuff. Makes me want to go home and fix a few sweaters.

It is nice to see all the students sitting there knitting while the teacher teaches and knits. There are so many beautiful projects.

I didn't stay for evening knitting though. I wanted to talk to Liz and my mom - but neither one returned my calls. (sad) EDIT - Mom finally called me back!

Tomorrow we get to go to the Schoolhouse. I'm going to see about buying a couple skeins of J&S to fill in a couple of sweater kits I have been putting together. Maybe a gift or two. We will see what I can find.

Deep in the woods of Wisconsin

Well, here I am.

I spent an hour knitting and chatting with people I don't know.

I am suppose to have a roommate but I don't and since there is only one bed I'm going to assume I'm not getting one. That would be TOOOOO creeepy.

My new Knitpicks Harmony needles were in the mail today before I left. They are really pretty. I put my Hogwarts socks on them and I'm going to work with them for a while but for the time I have used them so far they seem really nice.

And while I was packing to leave I found the camera! I'm so happy about that (and relieved too).

Z-Day

I should be packing, but what should I pack? Uhm?! I just don't know what should go.

I still desperately wish my mother was coming along. How sad is that? It just seems wrong to take 'our' trip alone.

Still haven't found the f*ing camera.

I have the fronts of my aunt's sweater done. Just the back to knit up and then it's done except for the sewing. Seems silly to take that along. It's only two hours of knitting.

I suppose I'll take the pink cabled wonder and my HP swap socks. And my knitpicks needle set (the harmony ones are arriving today or tomorrow - I'm going to guess tomorrow, since then I won't get to see them until Sunday) and my little bag of tools.

And just like that - a packing list.

You all be good and don't do anything interesting while I'm gone!

Ta dah!

I finished the baby sweater for my friends. It's the EZ baby surprise. I found some stash that would work and finished it this afternoon while doing laundry.

I'm going to wait for buttons until we know if it's a girl or a boy.

Well then

I have been having a great time playing on Ravelry. But now it is time to get back to knitting.

I am back to my Aunt's sweater. I am finishing the middle pattern on the body. I think that makes it 75% complete! I hope to get it done by the end of next week. Then I am going to (Finally) get back to the pink Lopi sweater.

And I can't find the camera again! How do I lose it so often? I have two really cute pairs of baby socks.

OH MY GOODNESS

Knitting Camp is next week ALREADY. I'm not ready. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ravelry - Stash Recognition tool

I have been spending too much time playing on Ravelry. This is not conducive to actually finishing my aunt's sweater. On the other hand it has given impetus to the reorganization of stash. I planned to do it as part of the sorting out the room situtation that has been occuring this week, but doing it on Ravelry has been interesting. I can put in the yarn I don't have a project for and then look and see what other people are doing with their yarn that is the same. This has been very enlightening.

I have fewer sock yarn/pattern sets than I thought I did. I do have lots of sock yarn, but I don't have as much that is designated for a design as I thought. Play Time!

I have more lace yarn kitted up than I thought but nothing I don't have a pattern for. I'm not sure if this is good or bad. Although it does show more restraint that I had imagined I possessed.

I have enough sweaters kitted up to knit FOREVER. Okay, so not forever - but for the remainder of this decade. The good news is I still like all the patterns, colors and yarns.

I don't have any large amounts of yarn that isn't set aside for an intended project. This is a complete contrast to my fabric stash which is many 5 yard chunks of fabric I liked.

I have lots of odds and ends left over from other projects. I think I should spend a month making baby socks. Maybe I should designate November as Baby Sock Month - anyone want to join me?

New eater of time

Playing on Ravelry is addictive. But I don't have my pictures on Flicker (they are on Photobucket) I don't want to open a new account so I'm going to have to wait until they add Photobucket or do without pictures. Which is sad as I have many nice ones I could add.

Fun fun.