Procrastination...

So, I'm FINALLY getting around to blogging again.




I haven't been blogging for two reasons:



a) I've been working on a stealth knitting project that I couldn't publicly write about, so as a result, I got sort of blocked when it came to writing about anything else.

b) I’ve been putting off finishing the pillows for my Granny Square Afghan and Pillows project, which I’ve been feeling massively guilty about; so again, I wasn’t inspired to write anything else.



Lame excuses, I know!



I finished my stealth project (I still can’t write about it or post pictures), which is a relief. I’m also plugging along now with the Granny Square pillows. I was stuck on the bolster pillow—I couldn’t get the correct size, but decided the only possible way out of my predicament with the pattern was to just change it up a bit and add another column of granny squares. So far, it’s looking good! I’m hoping to be done soon and post some pictures. Actually, this project is sort of stealth, too, as this set is going to a friend for Christmas.



It’s amazing how we tend to put things off that we think are going to be a chore, horrible, or just plain impossible; and then they turn out to be nothing at all! Here I was letting a little mismatched bolster pillow jettison my blogging schedule.

Sweet Tomato Heel Socks Finally Done!

I'm happy to report that my Sweet Tomato Heel Socks from my class are done!  This is Cat Bordhi's Sweet Tomato Heel technique.  I liked the technique so much that I decided to start another plain pair using the same heel.  What I really like about Cat's heel is that there's no picking up stitches and endlessly decreasing to get back to your original sock width.  When you're done, you're done!  Also, the heel can be worked on either toe-up or toe-down socks.

Ravelry link

Pullover Done...Just In Time for Spring...

It’s been ages since I posted. Life, as it has a way of doing, threw me for a loop last month, and I’m still trying to process the situation, and to do the next right thing.

But, getting back to more cheerful knitting matters…In time-honored tradition, I’ve managed to get a big, bulky, ludicrously warm pullover completed—just in time for the warm weather! I’m going to have to put it away for the season, as we are having a freakishly early spring.

The details are out on my Ravelry page:

http://ravel.me/PBELKNAP/9bndpfw

I used a Pure and Simple pattern, which was just that—Pure and Simple! It was a lot of fun to knit, and so easy that I was able to bring it anywhere as a KIP project. I used Misti Alpaca Chunky yarn. Normally, if I’m making a garment for just myself, I tend to go cheap. In fact, with the amount of scraps and stray balls in my stash, it’s almost time for another “Stash Sweater.” Come to think of it, if I modified the Pure and Simple pattern I just used for worsted weight yarn, I could probably use it for the next Stash Sweater. But, I digress. As you saw in a previous post, the day our LYS was having a major sale, friends talked me into taking the rubber band off the money and splurging on Misti Alpaca instead of my usual mainstays Plymouth Encore or Cascade 220 (or if I’m feeling really cheap, Patons Classic Wool, but only if it’s on sale at Michaels that week).

Misti Alpaca was great to work with! I found I got a firmer knit with a 10½ needle, so I slightly modified the pattern, adding on a few more extra stitches to make it roomy enough. The wonderful thing about a top-down sweater pattern is that you can continuously try on the sweater as you go, adjusting for size/length.

Note to self: It DOES freak out members of the household when you try on a sweater with the double-pointed needles still attached to the sleeves…

In Praise of the Lowly Garter Stitch!

I found myself today at the doctor's office. We won't dwell on the utter pain in the nether regions it is to drive down to Hartford, find a spot in the hospital ramp garage, and then sit around for ages, waiting for my doctor. He's an absolutely wonderful neurologist, but today he was running woefully behind schedule...

Anyway, I had brought (yet another) Special Olympics scarf to work on (thank heavens, as I definitely had the TIME). I decided to use up the last remaining yarn by doubling it and making my infamous "Scarf from He**" which can be found at:

http://wildknitter.blogspot.com/2011/04/scarf-from-he-finally-done-pattern.html

I have to say, it looks really nice in red and blue--I figure I'm going to trim it in the red.

ANYWAY, I was happily knitting away when a woman came into the doctor's office and remarked favorably on my scarf. Immediately, instead of simply thanking her, I had to launch into a lengthy dissertation to defend my choice of garter stitch. "Really," I declared, "I'm really capable of much more complicated work! I can cable and everything! I make socks, too! I'm just doing this because I knew it would be a quick knit..." I went on and on.

Afterwards, I had to stop and consider. WHY am I defending my great love of garter stitch??? I know it's the stitch of grade-school children, but it's also the basis for Sally Melville's The Knitting Experience Book 1: The Knit Stitch, Inspiration & Instruction. I think we can all agree that she turns out a mean pattern. I just love the soft, bouncy, squishiness of garter stitch. Blankets, scarves, and casual sweaters made from it are just so cozy. I love to make scarves where I stripe garter stitch vertically, which makes a nice effect. I'd love to try a log cabin afghan someday, as that's more garter stitching!

So, what is your favorite knitting stitch, and why?

P.S. I was mortified to find that if you Google "Scarf from he**" and "WildKnitter" my pattern comes right up...


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Peer Pressure...not just for teenagers

I confess there was a yarn transgression last night...

Our LYS, Creative Fibers in Windsor, CT, was having a "Booth in a Store" party last night, as they are not going to be a Stitches East this year. It was a fun time! There was food, raffles, knitting and crocheting, community, and yes...much yarn purchasing.

My original idea was to spend around $100 (probably a lot less) on some yarn for a baby blanket for yet another pregnant coworker--I'm convinced there is SOMETHING in the water at my workplace. Anyway, I didn't see the Encore colors I was looking for, but just then one of my friends saw a sweater displayed. I confess, I've been looking at the same sweater for months. It's make out of Misti Alpaca Chunky Yarn - very simple, but elegant. 

Before I could say "I'm on a budget!" my friend was summoning someone over to find us the pattern, which turned out to be the Bulky Neckdown Pullover for Women by Knitting Pure and Simple. I kept protesting that I really shouldn't spend this kind of money on a sweater for myself, but one of my friends suggested I try on the display sweater. I looked in the mirror and had to admit it looked good on me. Also, bulky alpaca will probably be just the ticket for surviving yet another winter in ill-heated spaces.

So...I ended up buying the yarn and the pattern. I don't really regret it, as I DID need another easy project as a take-along project, and it WILL make a nice sweater...

Who says peer pressure is only for teens???

Helpful Hint #19: Lifelines...not just for lace

I discovered the "life" saving value of a lifeline the time I was knitting the Estonian Lullaby Baby Blanket (pattern here:  http://www.fibertrends.com/product/149447/CH41/_/CH41_Estonian_Lullaby_Baby_Blanket). It's a beautiful pattern, but I was fairly new to knitting, so I was just mortified when I had to rip back several rows because I had made a major mistake further down the blanket. It was even MORE mortifying when I had to then put all those stitches back onto the needle. It wasn't very long after this that my yearly eye exam revealed that I needed reading glasses. Coincidence?

Anyway, a friend suggested that I use a lifeline for the rest of the project. For those who do not know, a lifeline in knitting is a long piece of yarn that you thread through the live stitches on your needle for a row. It doesn't affect the gauge (I usually use a much thinner piece of yarn than the working yarn). The beautiful thing is that if you make a mistake, you can just rip out the knitting down to that row, and then easily thread those stitches off the lifeline back onto your needle. After you've completed your project, you can then gently pull the lifeline out. No more picking through the knitting, using a crochet hook to pick up all the stitches that you're trying to get back onto the needle, because of course they've dropped--cursing and swearing the entire time.

People usually associate a lifeline with lace, but you can use it for any complicated knitting pattern. In choosing a row for your lifeline, it's best to pick one from which it's easy to start over, say Row 1 of an 18-row repeating pattern. For instance, if you have to rip back any cable pattern, it's almost impossible to figure out how far down "Row 1" is, I don't care how easy the repeat. Ditto for any "holey" pattern or any complicated repeating pattern.

Happy Knitting!

Helpful Hint #11: When knitting two—just knit two!

This is by no means a new concept, and certainly not a new problem. For socks, I’ve seen it called “SSS” (Second Sock Syndrome). I’m talking about that issue of…the OTHER one—the other sock, the other sleeve, the other cardigan front panel, etc. For some, the issue is the daunting task of doing what you’ve just done…AGAIN. For others (myself included), the issue is trying to make item #2 look like item #1. Theoretically, it could be months between the time when you finish item #1 and when you cast on for the next. In that time, your gauge could be wildly different. Months ago, you could have been knitting during a family crisis, which caused your knitting to be tight to the point where item #1 is now bulletproof; whereas when you cast on for item #2, you could be on a vacation with out a care in the world—or visa versa.

So, I’ve hit upon a solution. Whether it is two socks, two sleeves, two sides to an article of clothing—I just knit both at the same time. I have not yet learned the art of knitting two at a time with the magic loop or even 2 circulars, so what I do this: I have two separate sets of needles going with an item on each set. I either go back and forth, doing an inch or so apiece, or I alternate which days I work each item (Monday—item #1, Tuesday—item #2, etc.).

This sounds insane, but in the end I end up with 2 items fully knitted, instead of 1 item fully knitted and 1 item still in an old knitting bag stuffed under my bed for all eternity. But, of course, this brings us into UFOs (Unfinished Objects), a subject best left for another day…

Easy Striped Summer Tee Done!

At long last, I finally have completed a "Summer" WIP in time to wear it during the Summer!

This is from the Plymouth Yarns pattern #1601. It was very easy and all in garter stitch. I used Plymouth Kudo yarn, which is a blend of Silk, Cotton, and Rayon. I used Size 8 circular needles.

Thankfully, it fits me just right.

Helpful Hint #4 – Pack all the essentials you need for each WIP into each bag

In honor of World Wide Knit in Public Day (Saturday, June 11, 2011), I thought it might be good to have a word about take along projects and supplies…

Take the rubber band off the money and invest in all the essentials you need for each WIP and pack them into each separate bag. This may seem like a lot of money and redundancy, but believe me, it’s worth it.

In the past, I found that I was constantly bringing projects out in public, minus some crucial tool. I’d be out somewhere happily knitting a sweater sleeve, when suddenly I’d come across a knot in the skein, which necessitated cutting the yarn. You guessed it – no scissors or any device of any kind with which I could cut wool, and depending on the wool, sometimes you can’t really break it manually. Another time, I was at the allergist’s office. I had come prepared with a baby blanket that I was crocheting for Project Linus. I was all set to wait 30-40 minutes for my allergist to get his act together and get through all 20 people still sitting in the waiting room (I had the distinct feeling that little “Jimmy” in the corner with the wheezing and sniffles was going to take a while), when I opened my bag and made a horrible discovery…

I had brought the WRONG crochet hook!

So, this is why I’m now a great proponent of being prepared with every conceivable tool needed for each project. You don’t need to break the bank – just go out to your local discount or dollar store and stock up. The one thing I don’t skimp on is the row counters. I like to get the little barrel ones that you can either attach to a straight needle or hang off a circular needle. Or if you’re one of the idle rich, get a bunch of those cute little “Knit Kits.” See http://www.theknitkit.com/ for details…you can find them at the LYS or on-line.

Happy Knit in Public Day!

The Yarn Sirens strike again...

The Sirens have really gone and done it now...

I've made a chilling discovery. Not only do the yarn sirens sing their clarion call for me to drop everything in life I'm doing to go "to the yarn store...to the yarn store...to the yarn store..." - they appear to be capable of moving, bending, and shaping the cosmos to accommodate their wishes.

Case in point:

To back this up, I joined an online forum through our Intranet at work. The powers that be in our company created this work forum space as a way for employees to network/chat about actual work.

No one is doing that.

Seriously, no one is going to fritter away their hard-earned lunch breaks sharing about insurance, annuities, and interest rates ("Bob, did you hear that they wanted to make the GAAP Reserve rate 6.5%??? HAHAHAH!!!"). Everyone (except for the actuaries) would go to asleep.

Instead, the current topics for the work forums include sports, children, scrap booking, and yes - KNITTING! Someone in the downtown Home Office (I like to call it "The Mother Ship") decided to start a Knitting and Crocheting forum. It's been very lively lately because they've launched a campaign to have us all knit scarves for Special Olympics. Every year, I miss the deadline for Special Olympics, so this year I decided to have at it. If any of you are interested in knitting a scarf for this worthy cause, this is the website: http://www.scarvesforspecialolympics.org/

Needless to say, this required MORE YARN. I didn't happen to have Red Heart Super Saver 886 Blue or 512 Turqua lying around the house. At work today, the sirens began:

"Go to Michaels...go to Michaels...go to Michaels..."

I argued with the sirens. I explained that I had to leave work today promptly at 4:00 to be on time for my personal training appointment, and that I'd need to put off any shopping until tomorrow.

This is where it starts getting freaky...As I was leaving work, I checked my email on my Blackberry. There was an email from - you guessed it - my personal trainer! She said she was feeling ill and had to leave the gym and did I mind canceling for this week? I was, of course, overjoyed! Then it hit me...the Yarn Sirens! They did it! They moved, bended, and shaped things so that I'd go to Michaels instead of the gym! Unreal!

Gosh, I had another thought...does anyone suppose my personal trainer is sick because SHE'S PREGNANT??? I can't seem to get through a month without having to knit baby things for someone.

You know the Sirens are going to send me back to the store for baby yarn...LOL.

Pattern for Stealth Baby Square #1

For our SnB's Stealth Baby Blanket knitting project, here is the pattern I used for the first Baby Square:

Used: Lion Brand Vanna's Choice yarn in Rose Mist (1/2 skein, approx. 72.5 yds)
#9 (5.25 mm) Needles
Gauge: 4 stitches per inch in Stockinette
Square should measure 10" square after completion


Cast on 44 stitches

Begin pattern:

Row 1: k
Row 2: k2, p4 -- repeat to last two stitches, then k2
Row 3: k
Row 4: k2, p4 -- repeat to last two stitches, then k2
Row 5: k2, C4F -- repeat to last two stitches, then k2
Row 6: k2, p4 -- repeat to last two stitches, then k2

Continue this pattern until the piece measures 10".

Bind off (sewn bindoff or bind off in pattern).

With the RS facing you, pick up and knit 38 stitches along the side of the square. Knit two more rows, then bind off.

Repeat for the other side of the square.

Weave in all ends.

Pattern for Stealth Baby Square #2

For our SnB's Stealth Baby Blanket knitting project, here is Square #2:

Used: Lion Brand Vanna's Choice yarn in Rose Mist (1/2 skein, approx. 72.5 yds)
#9 (5.25 mm) Needles
Stitch Marker
Gauge: Just shy of 4 stitches per inch in garter. The gauge is not important, as you will be increasing until you have 10" for each side of the square.

Cast on 2 stitches

Row 1: K
Row 2: Increase in the first stitch, put a stitch marker, then increase in the last stitch.

You should now have 4 stitches on the needle, with a stitch marker after the first 2 (in the middle).

Now:

Row 3: K
Row 4: K to one stitch before marker.
Increase in stitch just before the marker (kfb).
Slip marker.
After marker, increase in next stitch (kfb).
K to end of the row.

Repeat rows 3 and 4 until each side of the square measures 10". I achieved this with 38 stitches on each side of the marker, but your gauge may vary.

Bind off loosely.

More stealth baby items...

Yes, once again, I’ve been diverted from my Rune Sweater to knit up more stealth baby items. This time, someone from our Stitch ‘n’ B group has decided that it would be a great idea for each of us to knit up some squares to put together for a baby blanket for an acquaintance whose wife is expecting. My fellow SnB-er is from the South, of course. It’s actually been good to get acquainted with someone south of the Mason-Dixon line, as I never realized before just how selfish and narrow so many of us are up north when it comes to reaching out to our fellow humans. Some of us (okay, me) get so caught up in our day-to-day lives, struggles, and general drama, that we forget the basic Golden Rule “Do unto others...”

Now, I can’t say for whom we’re making this blanket, as it’s supposed to be a surprise...

I swear, at this point, I’m really beginning to think that perhaps I should just perpetually have something on the needles--or on the hook--all the time for babies, as women right and left seem to be just dropping them like calves. Lest you think this is original, I get this expression from my dear late aunt “Arnie,” who used to declare in a voice loud enough for the entire restaurant to overhear, “Well, good heavens, when is she going to drop that calf???” Arnie, bless her, had slight control issues, and nothing made her crazier than things not going her way—like people who weren’t having the baby fast enough for her liking or on her timetable—especially a family member. My mother’s nickname for her was “The General.”

I still think there’s something in the water up here in these parts...anyone wanting to drop a calf, or any other form of baby, should just move to CT. I’ll be waiting with the needles and yarn...

Knitting in Technicolor

...or why does my right eye keep twitching???

I've just completed the cuffs of the sleeves for my Rune Sweater. I always like to do the sleeves together, as it makes it easier to keep track of increases and to keep them the same size and gauge.

My morning gripe, though, is about the process of two-color knitting. Some call it "fair isle," although I don't think my pattern quite ascends to that exalted level. I'm actually working with three colors here (navy blue, gold, and silver), but I made sure that I only used two for each row. I decided to keep the sleeves somewhat sedate, and to save the more complicated pattern for the yoke. I just wanted a small bit of accent near the cuff. The whole idea was to make tiny little Thor hammers, but you can't really see that in the design. That's okay...I figure I can refine this a bit more once I get to the yoke.

We have a woman in our SnB group who's just fantastic at two-color knitting. She knits the most beautiful things, and makes the process look effortless. I can never quite master holding a strand of yarn in each hand and knitting with both. I also always screw up and knit either too tightly and end up with a puckered finished product; or too loosely, and end up with weird, baggy stitches that have to be tightened up after the fact. Our expert at the SnB insists that all you have to do is to just make sure you stretch out the stitches on the needle to keep a steady gauge. Well, I'll admit it works for her, anyway...my method this morning consisted of me taking a spare DPN and cursing under my breath as I re-threaded and tightened up each stitch. In my defense, I've never attempted "fair isle" knitting on DPNs before.

Thankfully, I finally got the sleeves to look presentable. The question I'm now asking myself is: Do I REALLY want to go through this for the 26-row yoke pattern??? Actually, 28 rows, once I correct for the mutant Thor hammers and what are probably going to be the anemic Goddess figures, if the hammers are any indication. I'm almost tempted to try duplicate stitch for the entire yoke, but I don't know...

Will my twitching eye then require a trip to the local walk-in clinic???

Going for the GOLD!

...yarn, that is.

I’ve done all the heavy lifting for my Pagan sweater. Using Excel, I reduced the cells down to little squares and mapped out the entire yoke design. I’m going with Runes in a circle around the yoke and some decorative stitches around those. I’m aiming for tiny Thor’s hammers and little Goddess symbols, but am not entirely sure how well those are going to come out in “fair isle” type knitting. I’m probably going to do some swatches and experiment before I attempt anything on the actual sweater.

So, that brings me to my current dilemma—the colors for the yoke design. One would think it would be easy to find gold and silver toned (slightly metallic) yarns, to nicely offset the navy blue of the rest of the sweater. Well...one would be wrong. I had last week off, and I spend most of it combing our LYS, Michaels, Wal-Mart, JoAnn Fabrics, and AC Moore, frantically searching for the perfect shades of gold and silver (well, okay, this wasn’t such a hardship...it was yarn shopping, after all).

The good news: as you see from my picture, I finally managed to find the perfect shade of gold at AC Moore. The bad news: it’s only available as EMBROIDERY FLOSS!!! I stood in AC Moore for about 15 minutes staring at the display, trying to decide how many tiny floss skeins I’d have to buy to create my yoke pattern and exactly how many strands I’d need to combine to equal worsted weight yarn. I took a skein and walked up and down the aisles of the store, trying to find THAT exact color, only in actual yarn. No dice. Even Red Heart, that company that has perfected every known color under the sun, including neon traffic cone orange, didn’t have anything.

I bought the tiny skein and performed the same exercise at a ton of different stores, but no match.

Yesterday, I finally decided to just skip attempting to be Monet with the colors and just suck it up, buy some Lion Brand Glitterspun online, and get on with it...

Yeah, you guessed it—Glitterspun has been DISCONTINUED! I found a kind soul on Ravelry who can sell me two gold skeins, but now I’m going to have to find two silver skeins...

Must get on eBay...must not appear too desperate...

Utter Chaos...

Holy Cow! Working on the Hooded Duck Blanket, sewing the pieces together. The bill took forever to get even onto the hood. I need to figure out how the %$@# I'm going to get the hood lined up with the blanket, I have no damned black buttons for the eyes, so I may take the cheap route and do I-cord buttons, as I really don't want to go out in the middle of a possible HURRICANE to get buttons, and I have no idea how to do the I-cord edging, as I've forgotten all my lessons from the Jacqueline Fee The Sweater Workshop book, and in the words of my favorite coworker: "OH, MY FRICKIN' GOD!!!"

Breathe...Breathe...Breathe...

KIP-in' Around!

I love the things people say when I’m knitting or crocheting in public:

“I’m telling myself that, NO, I don’t have to ever knit with those things EVER!!!” – This from a knitting friend, watching me knit a sock with DPNs (double pointed needles).

“Is that a scarf?” (It’s long, it’s not wide, it’s wool – what did you think it was???)

“Why are you knitting socks??? They’re on sale at Wal-Mart this week!”

“Are you having a baby?” – I was crocheting a baby blanket in the dentist’s waiting room.

Oh, and my all-time favorite…I was knitting in the allergist’s waiting room. My allergist is notorious for keeping all his patients waiting, so I always plan ahead and bring something to work on. On this particular occasion, I decided to bring a sweater (me knit a sweater…surprise!) I was working on—the Hourglass Sweater pattern. As I was happily working away on the sweater, a woman approached me.

“What are you doing???”

This was a fair enough question, seeing as I was knitting the sleeve, which didn’t really look like a sleeve yet. When I explained it was a sleeve to a sweater, she stared at it, incredulously, and said,

“But WHY all the needles?” I explained that I was knitting it in the round on DPNs.

She continued to stare at the sleeve on the four DPNs, looking like she fully expected it to attack her at any second.

“Why aren’t you using normal needles and knitting it the NORMAL way?” I told her that a) the pattern isn’t written like that, and b) even if the pattern called for the “normal” way, I always convert sweaters to in-the-round.

“Are you sure?”

“I’ve done several sweaters in the round, just like this.”

She stared for several minutes more, and then said, “Well, I guess that could work…”

The only thing that saved me from busting out laughing was the doctor calling my name!