Blocked and Folded

Now the only thing left to do is deliver the finished piece.  Yep, I am done with the Lilac Leaf Shawl, and I am really pleased with it.  I could have finished it sooner, but I agonized a bit about just how many repeats of the center chart I should do, and then I procrastinated a little about the garter-stitch-kitchenering.  Since this is not for me, I was a little unsure about what finished dimensions to shoot for, and I could not remember just how much Jaggerspun Superfine Merino blooms/grows in the blocking process.  After some smoothing, measuring, draping, and guessing, I settled on one last repeat, and it was the right decision.  The finished measurements of 75" x 20" seem like a nice size.  

As I said, this is not my shawl, but something I am donating.  Recently, the newsletter for the lys put out a call for shawls, and I decided to participate.  The request comes from a local chapter of a veterans' organization collecting gowns for the Marine Corps Ball, and they are hoping to pair wraps with the gowns.  I have not decided whether or not I am going to make any more for this, but I have thought about perhaps weaving something.  I just hope what I have done is appropriate for the occasion and fits with what they are seeking.        

Not Quite VocabuLARRY, but Just as Scary

It has been a time of quickly knitting a collection of tiny things, and I think this selection is particularly spectacular, although the rushed photo is not.  The zombie and the clown are contenders for topping the favorites and/or creepy list.  The release of the Tiny Pets collection meant that I had to include some of those, and the gnome is the obvious choice for rounding out the set.  These are a gift for the daughter and son-in-law as they move out into their first place.  Yeah, this is another opportunity for me to put lessons learned into practice, leaving worry and anxiety aside, and focus on hope, growth, and positive potential.  After all, both methods yield results, but only one is helpful.  

Lace to the Rescue

Sometimes, lace is the right answer, especially when I don't know the question.  This is certainly one of those times.  I have been needing a bit of a break from the POP! Blanket squares, and this is definitely a departure from that project.  I had tried this pattern (Lilac Leaf Shawl) before with handspun, but I was woefully under-yardage for it.  That mistake was my own; (actually, it was a series of mistakes) combine that with the fact that many knitters have needed more than the listed amount, and I did not get very far with it last time.  

This time I have more than enough, and the lace is flowing off the needles effortlessly and swiftly.  There was a moment when I applied the tape measure to check my progress and the lace refused to grow no matter how much I knit.   Then, as I approached the end of the first cake of yarn, it finally released about ten inches of growth.  I am nearly done with the project, (only about 7700 more stitches to go) as I already knit the other end and it waits patiently in the yarn closet until it is time for grafting.  

Once I finish this, I want to get something new on the loom.  I need to have some success after something that did not work as planned.  I might show you later, but it needs to sit and think about what happened before it is ready for photos.  

Before we get to that, I will show you what happened with my Tour de Fleece, but that will wait for another day, too.     

Learning is its Own Reward

At least that is what I am telling myself, but it feels a bit hollow.  I tackled some new-to-me weaving techniques, and in many ways, the venture was a success.  However, my efforts fell short, quite literally.  On the upside, my grandma gets a new scarf.  On the downside, that was not what I was trying to weave.  

This was my first attempt at indirect warping and using a warping board.  I actually need a real warping board, because my inkle loom does not accommodate a warp long enough for, oh, let's say, a full sized scarf, but I thought it did.  I think I had calculated correctly, but that was when I was winding the warp incorrectly, and I did not re-check measurements when I fixed that error.  At least that is what I think happened.  Maybe I made some other mistake, but that does not change the fact that I need a real warping board.  I researched them and considered diy-ing it, but figured that between any equipment needed and the time and materials, I would probably be better off buying one.  Then I found a used one for a reasonable price, but just before I had saved enough pennies, someone else bought it.  So, I went back to my other choices, and I think I might have a winner.  

Anyway, now that the scarf has been off the loom for a bit, I do feel better about it all.  I did well with the indirect warping method, and am glad to understand it so that I can use it for other weaving projects.  This was also my first time using two heddles to weave, and that went quite well.  It allowed me to use some beautiful laceweight alpaca to create some wonderfully fine, drape-y cloth.  It also helps that I was able to give the scarf to my grandma, and I think she likes it.      

Dipping My Toes In

Since I had a skein of sock yarn already in cake form sitting in the knitting bag next to the couch, and, it is summer, (as I have been reminded) I decided to knit socks.  I do not remember what the previous plan for this yarn had been, but now they are Circle Socks.  I think I got the pattern idea from Squish adding it to her queue.  I made a few changes--knit them toe-up, fewer total stitches, Sweet Tomato Heel (youtube link), fewer pattern repeats, and added a little bit of ribbing at the top.  

I really like them, though I cannot get a good photo that shows the colors right to save my life.  The pattern is easy, and the texture is nifty.  I like the Sweet Tomato Heel, and it was good to learn something new.  I also learned that I should not work it over 2/3 the stitches if I am making socks for Bruce.  These are his socks, but my nephew has already tried to steal them.  Maybe I will knit a pair for him next.  Then again, his dog loves to eat socks, so maybe not.  Besides, I just checked the calendar, and it is Tour de Fleece time.  Yikes!  

POP!

Just popping back in because I have a photo, or something.  Yeah, two more sets of sixteen POP! Blanket squares.  These are the third and fourth sets, if you're keeping count.  Actually, that remains true even if no one is counting, but that is a different topic.  As far as knitting goes, that is pretty much it.  Life goes on as it does, the seasons change, and the fact that I have not blogged each bit of it is something for us to all put in our gratitude jars.    

Anyway, there have been some really nifty and exciting things happening.  For example, my nephew, Harrison, had his first birthday in April.  A month from now, it will be time to celebrate the first birthday of my niece, Madeline.  And before the year is up, Harrison will have a new little brother or sister.  The due date is 11-12-13, and the appointment to discover the branding of new baby is sometime the first week of July.  

I have been thinking about the next knit, and I am just not sure.  It has been quite some time since I have had lace on the needles, and socks seem like I good idea, too.  Then there is the 2013 Entrelac thing.  No, I won't be combining it with either Forest Path Stole or Entrelac Socks, but what I will do next remains to be seen.  In the meantime, I will keep knitting the blanket squares.  It feels like quite the accomplishment that I have kept up with the end-weaving part of the project.  I was trying to recall just how many squares I planned for this blanket.  I think I might have decided on 100, so that means I am over halfway there, but still have plenty more to go.          

Did They Know It's Called Baby Lace?

My mom went to make bottles for the babies and came back to find them celebrating joyously.  Victory was theirs; they had found a hidden prize and their determination and efforts had finally paid off.  They were waving their quarry in the air, cheering and poking their little fingers through the lace.  It's a good thing I love them so much.  Now I just have to figure out if and how I can repair the damage.  Yes, there are nupps, yes, there are many broken ends in the yarn, and only a couple of the marked areas are pulled stitches.  

   

Oh, Honey!

Well, it may not be particularly original, but I love my new Honey Cowl.  It came off the needles, went onto my neck, and has spent most of its time there.  I'm ready to call my first attempt at knitting from unspun silk a success, and I have something useful to show for my efforts.  The experience of knitting this was good, and now that I have some experience with it, I would be confident to work with unspun silk away from home.  I would still keep the process of peeling and stretching to make the yarn as a home activity, though.      

It Might Work

With the exception of the excitement of Surprise Senior Women Orthopedic Surgery Week, and no, you really do not want to hear any of those stories, we have continued with resting and a lot of downtime.  Then my gmail wouldn't work, and I decided I needed something new to knit.  

Silk seemed like a good choice, so I grabbed some that I dyed with my nephew and started peeling layers and stretching it out to what I hoped would be the right diameter.  Then it all seemed like it might turn to crackers on me, but I kept going, and maybe it will work.  Either way, I should have something to report soon.    

Tired of the Lions; Ready for the Lambs

Poor Brucie has some sort of plague, and we are into week two.  I believe he is on the mend; it is just not happening as quickly as either of us would like.  This has kept me out on the couch and up and down taking care of him, and my sleep schedule set to random.  By Monday, I was just flat worn out and slept most of the day, and then I realized I was not feeling so fabulous, and I kept telling myself that it was just a lack of sleep combined with high pollen levels, but I began to worry that I had contracted a case of plague-light.  Really, I did not feel too terrible, but I certainly did not feel great.  

So, when I haven't been sleeping through the television shows that interest me, I am knitting through crap programming or reading.  Last week I finished my Lady Violet's Dinner Gauntlets (Jimmy Beans Wool Downton Abbey Mystery KAL).  I like that I now have this pair of long gauntlets, the knitalong was enjoyable, and the pattern was simple.  You're only getting a blocking photo of one, but super-swear that I have finished both and laced them with their i-cords.    

After I finished the gauntlets, I was not really up for figuring out a new knit, so I worked on more squares for the POP! Blanket.  When I had the second set of sixteen done, I blocked them.  I even took a crappy cell phone pic and tweeted it, but then somewhere in the midst of possibly coming down with this crap (denial? me?) I managed to delete it.  Such is life, right?  Anyway, the first thirty-two blocks are waiting in a bag, and I have knit four more.  The good news is that I have been knitting the center circle with the second colorway (Rainforest) of Classic shades, and it looks like it is working well with the first (Watermelon).  

In other news, it is time to find a new feed reader because Google Reader is going away on July 1.  I was sad when they decided to get rid of iGoogle, but now that they are ditching Google Reader, I am starting to take it personally.   

As if that were not enough, we are having septic tank troubles.  Best-case scenario is that it just needs to be pumped.  If there are tree roots in the lines, well, that is not what we want, but someone will be out to work on the system on Saturday.  I hope things stay well enough until the repair/maintenance work is done.  

I meant to get this post up this morning, but a stabbing ear pain drove away my denial and to the doctor.  I have respiratory crud and an ear infection.  On a more positive note, I was able to knit one more square for the blanket during waiting times.  

And Then February Almost Finished Me

A bunch of boring things happened, but, apparently, they were a bit more than I could handle.  Oh, but it is all good, because I have more to share for February Finish.  

Yep, I finished Bauble.  I could probably work on getting a good photo of it from now until next February and maybe not come up with anything much better, so here it is.  None of the photos really get the color right, so maybe squint and shake your head quickly and that might be it.  I really like it, but think that it is probably a gift.  I owe (my own weird decision and imagined obligation) a shawl and need to decide between this and a Swallowtail.  Anyway, I omitted the beads because I did not think they really added much and was not sure if the yarn would hold up well to beads.   

The yarn is Malabrigo Lace in Jewel Blue, and I still have 26g left of the second skein.  I am thinking cowl--either Kuusk or Wavy Feathers.  

  

Inspired or Insane

Maybe it was the success of the last blanket that inspired me to try another, or maybe I had destroyed that part of my brain that tells me blankets are a bad idea.  Whatever the cause, when I saw the offer of a free pattern from Tin Can Knits, I chose the POP! Blanket.  Then, because I do not want to contract norovirus, I chose a yarn other than Noro.  Yes, the brand and the ailment are bonded in my brain for many reasons, not the least of which was the time I contracted it from a gathering of knitters.  I really do not hate all Noro yarns, but I am weird.  Anyway, for this blanket I am using Classic Shades in Watermelon (and perhaps Rainforest and Tropics) and Sheep(ish) in Grey(ish).  

While I am only twenty-five blocks into the project, I do not yet hate it.  This works very well for on-the-go knitting, and I can complete a square in a relatively short amount of time.  Each piece looks a bit terrible when it comes off the needles due to the curling nature of the stockinette, but I blocked the first square, (as the pattern directs) and it worked out the way it should.  

My squares are a bit smaller than those in the pattern are, but I like the way they feel, so I am not changing anything.  I have not decided just how large I am going to make this blanket, but I do not think I am giving it to a baby.  Then again, I am not very far into the process, and baby-sized may be all I can handle.  As an extra bit of motivation and inspiration, I wove in ends and blocked fifteen more squares, and I really like what is happening.  It even takes the sting away from just how many more I need to knit.  I have been trying to make sure that I keep up with weaving in ends so that part does not become too overwhelming.  



I also bought more yarn so that I do not have yarndage troubles.  I think I may have bought a bit more than I will need.  There is a small story behind that.  At first, I only bought one ball of the Classic Shades in case I did not like knitting this pattern or found that the yarn would not be a good match for it, but since it all seems to be working, I needed more.  I went to the yarn store to get more of the Classic Shades in Watermelon, but they had one fewer than I needed.  I So, I looked at other colorways to find one that might work with it, and I chose Rainforest and Tropics.  Yes, that is two, and I only needed one more ball of yarn, but this gives me the option to make a really big blanket if I so choose.   

I Win at February Finishes

Having a reputation as one of enormous ego and a legendary sense of self-importance, I know it does not come as a shock to any of you to read that I have declared myself winner and champion of February Finishes.  If I do not complete anything else, I will still be victorious.  In fact, it is possible that I hold the title for next year, so great is my accomplishment.  



My extraordinary skills and gifts do not extend to getting a good photo of the finished piece.  For all of the fanfare, I can only present a nighttime blocking shot.  I was going to go outside for the little bit when the sun was shining over the weekend, but the odor of whatever a neighbor was burning kept me inside.  

Anyway, the pattern is the Shetland Tea Shawl from A Gathering of Lace, and I love it.  It is not a difficult knit, if you have enough yarn.  That was the trouble for me.  I ran out of yarn, was able to acquire a little bit more in the same dyelot, but it was not enough, and there it sat.  Finally, I bit the bullet and ordered a few more balls of the Brown Sheep Naturespun Sport in the Ash colorway in hopes that whatever dyelot arrived would be close enough, and I think it works.  If it does not, I hope that you will support me in my delusion that you cannot really tell where the change occurs.  Anyway, it is pretty, it is big, (about six feet across) and I managed to finish it just shy of four years after the start date.  I win.          

Block After Block

Well, there is only one more Christmas gift to show you all, and it was a doozy.  It was one of those ideas that nearly did me in, and had its hooks in me before I knew what had happened.  Since my mom found the pattern, she earned a portion of the credit and the blame.  

When the idea first struck back in September, I thought I would make these for everyone I know who loves Legos.  I would make one for the newest nephew, (the original plan) one for my younger brother, and then for the other two nephews.  My mom (she knows how to crochet) was going to help make blocks, too.  This would be a family effort, and so special.  It was going to be my go-to baby blanket pattern.  I was going to make one for Kitten's Elizabeth, and then for each of her other boys.  I have friends with little ones who go crazy for Legos, and I was going to make them for all of those kids.  Oh, I wasn't going to do it all at once, but maybe one every couple of months.  It all seemed so reasonable.

The little blocks that make up the blankets are so quick and easy to make that I had finished (even had the ends woven in) the first twenty in no time at all.  Then by the time I had thirty done, I was losing the will to live.  At this point, it was also apparent that Mom's crocheting, well, we will just say she would not be able to help with this.  Somewhere between blocks thirty and fifty-five, time stands still, with the exception of that brief moment at forty--the halfway point.  Amazingly enough, once I hit sixty I was back on a roll again, and soon after that, I had finished all eighty bricks.  I set them aside for about a week until I had the uninterrupted time at home to assemble it, and then I was done.  I was amazingly pleased with it, and I think I could make this again, but I just do not know when I will be ready to tackle the challenge.  

Anyway, the blanket was a big hit, and my younger brother was visibly jealous.  The baby chewed on it, but I did not get a good picture of him with his new blanket.  He was a very blurry boy that day, but I hope he loves his blanket for years to come.    

More Than a Little, Less Than a Lot

You probably guessed that I did not make all of the things for Christmas that I planned to make. Some plans changed, and when I re-assessed others, I saw that I was going overboard, so I crossed them off the list, too.  Overall, I did well with completion and went into the New Year with only one incomplete.  Yeah, it was the one I mentioned in the last post, but that was enough to motivate me to finish it.  

The last of the Christmas presents completed is a scarf I wove.  It is an easy-peasy plain weave with Knit Picks Imagination in the colorway Looking Glass.  The scarf is so soft and pretty and I think it is just right for my ever-cold sister-in-law.  I hope she likes it.  

You may recognize this yarn from my Color Affliction.  I do have a complaint about this yarn--it sheds like mad.  As in, wearing something made from it makes it look like you have too many pets.  Multiple cycles of tumble dry, no heat, yield full lint traps.  It is really rather ridiculous, but at least I knew what I was in for after the Color Affliction adventure, and I pretty much used up all of the yarn.   

Something else to tell you about the weaving of this scarf--I was able to use new tools!  I bought the boat shuttle at SAFF, then I bought this cheap little drink mixer, and now I have a bobbin winder.  It works so well, I love using the boat shuttle, and I feel super-smart because real bobbin winders are expensive.

Next up, we have the garter-stitch-scarf-of-never-ending-ness.  Of course, all garter stitch scarves feel that way to me, but I really like this and enjoyed knitting with my handspun.  The sister-in-law liked it, too, and her husband liked his new socks.  I knew he had been wearing the pair I gave him in October, so I felt confident in this gift choice.

Then one of them pulled a stunt that makes me feel like I might never knit for either of them ever again, but it happened during a time of stress, so I am just trying to let it go and not think about it.  If I do find myself thinking about it, I am trying to reframe it and put a more positive spin on it all, but time might be the best treatment.  Feeling like I might never knit for someone again sometimes just means that I have not finished processing an event, and that is the best way I can think of to deal with the negative feelings.  It is really a much better option than telling someone whatever pops into my head.  This makes it all sound much bigger and serious than it is, and I have gotten way off-topic, but that is nothing new around here.        

Maybe we can bring this post back in order a bit with something cute.  I knit this sweet hat for my niece.  The pattern is Ruffled Cloche from 60 Quick Baby Knits, and if you knit this pattern, I will note that you can work this in the round from the start.  It was hard to get a picture of her wearing the hat, but it was a hit with everyone.  Her mom hopes it will still fit at Easter.  If it does not, I am probably willing to knit another, but I am not making any promises today.  

Finally, we have the gift that tried to kill me, but that will have to wait for another post.      

Coming Out of Hibernation

When I cannot find the focus to figure out what to knit next, there is usually a lonely abandoned something waiting for its time.  No, not that piece on the loom that just needs a little bit of finishing but then requires delivery.  No, not the Jimmy Bean's Wool Downton Abbey Mystery KAL, because I am waiting to see what happens with the provisional start before I go on any further.  Maybe I am just stalling, but I do not think that is the case, because I started the second mitt and have knit it to the same point as the first.  Besides, I have not set that aside long enough to consider it abandoned.  

For this go around, it was Bauble, and it seemed as though no one wanted me to work on it.  Each time I settled in to work on it--comfortable, charts visible and propped up nicely, all necessary supplies within reach--something would happen.  Mostly, it was the ringing phone.  I suppose that if I am ever feeling lonesome and want someone to call me, I could try using this shawl to bring about this type of attention, but I do not think it would work that way, and besides, I am not a fan of speaking on the phone, and want to finish this before that has the possibility of happening.  

The interruptions have kept me from making as much progress as I had hoped, but I only have fourteen more rows on the main chart, and then it is time for the edging chart with beads, and I think I have figured out which I will use for that, if I ever get to that point.  This seems to be one of those knits.  

Terrifically Tedious Tuesday

Not every day can be a fancy day, and that is fine with me.  I just finished a very basic weaving project, and I am about as pleased with it as I could be.  

Sometime last year, I decided it was time to weave some kitchen towels.  I have needed new ones for a while and have had way too much dishcloth cotton for far too long, so this seemed like the perfect solution.  I warped for four with some plain, white, dishcloth cotton.  I used a little bedspread weight crochet cotton for about the first and last inch and then variegated dishcloth cotton for the rest.  After that, I just had to cut them apart and then fold and sew hems.  I used a different colorway for each towel, and I really like how this project worked out, and if they show themselves to be useful, I plan to weave more.     

The Fastest Slowest Day of the Year

Saturday was a big day, my thoughts and feelings are still all over the place, and every time I try to write about our daughter's wedding, I fail.  Instead, I will just share a couple of pictures from this very special day.  

      

Bundle Up!

Winter is here, at least for a while, and I am taking advantage of the opportunity to bundle up in as many wonderful, warm, wool things as I can whenever I have to leave the house.  We have been away from home a lot over the past couple of weeks, but I think next week it should slow down a bit.   

In the midst of all of the busyness and doing things that had to be done, I decided to do something just for fun.  Then I started to have a plan to make a million, (just as I have for most everything this year) but after finishing one Bundle-Up-Bear, I realized they are far too much work for people who may or may not appreciate them.  I love this one and will knit more, but I know they are not the right gift for just anyone.  For right now, this is for me.  

Happy New Year!  Stay Warm!    

Hiding Isn't Working, and It's All I'm Good At

So, I was overwhelmed.  Oh, I had so many great plans and ideas.  I had about a half-dozen nearly finished blog posts all ready to go.  I only had to complete the projects, take photos, and click the publish button.  Of course, four or five crocheted hats, five woven scarves, a woven wrap, the handspun garter stitch scarf, a pair of socks, a pair of mitts, the rest of the blanket I started months ago, a challenging weaving project, some tiny things, and those other ideas that inevitably pop up this time of year take a lot longer to finish than those posts took to write.  Still, I decided that it was totally doable, as most of this is not due until the 29th.  I was making progress, but not finishing anything.  Life kept on happening, and it was not always compatible with crafting.  The next thing I know, the overwhelmed-ness starts, but I have a few tricks up my sleeve to cope and keep me going.  However, it did not take too long before it all devolved into playing Zelda and hiding from everything.  Well, that is not the grownup way to do things, and seeing the progress that my niece was making on her Christmas inspired me to get back on track.