Monday, June 28, 2004

One more

I need another finished object. I'm feeling a little down so another finished object would really be a nice boost.

I have another item ready to add the Finished Projects. That will give me a total of TWO. Is that pitiful or what?

Anyway, I started a hat and now I just need to seam it. I knit it using Rowan's All Seasons Cotton. Let's just say, I LOVE THIS YARN!!!


Here's one shot of the hat:


Here is the shot that makes me hesitant:


There is one side that is straight and another that has angles. Could be interesting seaming.

The pattern is from Melanie Falick's, Knitting for Baby, which is the first knitting book I ever bought. I love this book. The picture in the book is really cute but it does not show you a picture of the uneven sides or of the seaming process.

I still love the book.

I'm making the Beginner Booties next, if I have enough yarn left. Then, I'll either try the Stay on Booties or one of the sweaters. Wish me luck.

What A Lovely Lady

My husband's aunt died today. She was a wondeful person.

It's so odd how even when we know someone is ill, it's still painful when we lose them.

She was a beautiful person. I loved the way she used the word "dear."

She made an incredible seven-layer salad, baked homemade bread, and all sorts of other good foods. She made ceramic items and beautiful pieces by knitting and crocheting.

To me, she always seemed fearless, creative, strong, a lovely lady.

She is, however, no longer suffering, no longer in pain.

Saturday, June 26, 2004

Not going well

The sock is not going well. I've had two false starts
The first start, I knit the wrong end, thereby, not joining the ends and not forming a tube. DUH


The second start, I have no idea what I've done but something seems to be backward.

I wondering if I should just try the dpn's first, then try ML after I'm mastered the dpn's.

I have not given up hope but I am a little aggravated. Maybe I'm really more of a visual learner than I thought.

Maybe I just need to get back to my sweater.

Friday, June 25, 2004

Socks, some day

Well, I've cast on the required stitches for my socks using the Magic Loop Method. I'm feeling kind of cruddy, so I don't know if I'm going to get past the cast-on stitches tonight or not.

Here's a shot of the yarn I'm using. (Again, yarn snobs, look away.)


It's white with little flecks of color in it, almost reminds me of cellophane. Here's a close-up, hoping you can see the flecks.


If they turn out hideous, it won't be much money spent.
So far, though, I'm not liking Wool-Ease and I've only cast-on. Maybe I am still sensitive to the wool or maybe I just really don't like the yarn. Only time will tell.

In any event, I'm thrilled with the idea of knitting socks and I'm planning to restart my hat this weekend as well.

I need a finished object. I'll have socks, and a hat, maybe more, some day.

That's how it's done!

Sometimes it helps to see things performed rather than just reading the words. Having a little audio with the video is even better...at least for me.

Since these links were helpful to me, I thought I'd share them with any other newbies out there.

Here are a few links for video of knitting lessons.

Kitchener stitch --Knit At Knoon

Beginning Knitting (Cast-On, Knit Stitch and Purl Stitch performed in Continental as well as English) Beginning Lesson video is free. --Fiber Art Shop

Two-handed Fair Isle (you can only see video if you have DSL or cable/ ie. high speed connection) --Philosopher's Wool

Various Knitting Techniques --DNT Inc.

Casting-On, Binding-Off, Varous Stitches --Stitch Guide

...and a lovely vision from my flowerbed

Tuesday, June 22, 2004

Changes

While this template is quite functional, I really need to update it and change it to something that is more a reflection of me.

I'm exhausted, in pain, trying to spend quality time with the family, learning new knitting techniques, trying to find time to knit, trying to find time to read, trying to find time to breathe, so taking the time to learn html just has not happened.

It is my goal, however, to change the face of this blog.

I need to beef up my side bar, maybe add a sidebar to the other side, and the background really must go.

Like I really need another thing to add to my To Do List...

Summer Knitting, Summer Tweed

Since I have yet to acquire yarn for a shawl, and since I really want to make something for me, I'm contemplating making a shell/tank/sleeveless top.

I've have Summer Tweed in these two colors.


The bottom yarn is not quite as orange as it appears. It's more red. I believe the color is called Summer Berry.

I'm considering making Elderflower, Amber, (picture if Amber is underneath the picture of Basil,) and Ginger.

Amber is a little low-cut in the front and Ginger is a little low-cut in the back so Elderflower is appealing to me more and more, with Ginger as a close second. Anna, at Anna Knits has made Ginger in purple. I found this out while surfing the Knitting Blogs webring. She's the blog right after me, which is kind of cool.

The blog after me in the Fiber Arts Bloggers ring is Cyn. Crazy thing is I'm making a Peer Gynt sweater and so is she.

While this may not mean a lot to you, I found it a bit intriguing. Nothing like a little coincidence to make life interesting for me.

Yarn snobs, skip this paragraph.
I'm still wanting to make socks. I pulled out some Wool-Ease to try the Magic Loop. I figure if the Wool-Ease pills and gets ratty as much as others say it does, it will be socks which will be mostly hidden by my pants. If it does not get ratty, I can always use it for other things without taking a serious chunk out of my budget. The yarn and the 40" circulars are safely tucked into my knitting bag along with the sweater for my son. It's just a matter of getting to it.

I'm going to also restart the hat I was making with the Mission Falls Cotton. I'm thinking of using the All Seasons Cotton but part of me wants to give the Mission Falls a try again. I only hesitate to use the MF until I actually have metal needles in the right size as there is NO WAY I'm attempting to knit with MF Cotton using bamboo needles.

Other than a shawl, I think my next larger project will probably be crocheted. I've seen a couple of blankets I want to try for charity. I've also taken a lot of time dedicated to knitting and need to make sure I haven't forgotten how to crochet. After that I'm toying with the idea of Cheesylove, which is the first sweater I ever wanted to make.

As the days are getting more and more hectic and the pain in my back is getting worse, I'm not sure how much knitting I'll get done today. Hopefully, I can do at least one row on the sweater, start the hat OR start trying out the Magic Loop.

Sunday, June 20, 2004

Knitting doesn't hurt my back

As I've mentioned before, I'm in pain. It seems to be worse at night but this morning, it's pretty bad.

Yesterday, I went to see my parents. My back was hurting but I managed to sit and knit while talking to them. It is with great bliss that I tell you that knitting does not aggravate the back pain in any way.

I'm a little farther along on the sweater and hope to get a little more done on it today.

Full shot:


Close-up, so you can see there is actual progress:


I'm just working along and hoping that when the time comes to cut, I'll be prepared and BRAVE.

I finished reading the Magic Loop Instructions in the book. Now all I have to do is try it. I have no idea why I'm so apprehensive. Why in the world am I just struck with fear for trying something new?

I'm going to just try to bite the bullet and cast-on.

Going to try to read either Knitting Workshop or Knitting Around for a little comfort, inspiration, and technique. Maybe it will help ease my fear of the Magic Loop, dpn's, and cutting.

Let's hope so.

Friday, June 18, 2004

Through the pain

I'm in an incredible amount of pain right now. I tried reading the Magic Loop book last night but only read to the end of page 4. Page 1 is the table of contents. I intended to read more but the pain took over my body and I had to lie flat and still, face down.

Because it's important to me to document some sort of progress, I managed to take a few pictures of the sweater this morning.

**Please note that the pictures show a horrid variance in color. I imagine it's due to lighting, positioning of the camera, and the fact that the digital camera is an older model. The middle picture is the truest in color.

Full shot of the sweater


Closer shot of cabling


Close-up of beginning color pattern


While I'm pleased with the product, I must say that Fair Isle is a task I perform at considerably slow pace. I'm going to have to read a little more about different techniques and practice. There's got to be a better way than the way I'm doing it.

Each stitch, however, does bring me a little closer to being finished, and hopefully closer to discovering "the better way."

Thursday, June 17, 2004

Does dreaming count?

I thought about knitting constantly yesterday. However, I only knit about 18 stitches the entire day.

I woke this morning after dreaming of knitting, wishing those stitches had really been formed by my hands rather than my mind.

Alas, dreaming didn't get my sweater any closer to being finished. Guess it doesn't count.

On a happy note, the LYS called to tell me the Elizabeth Zimmerman books I wanted have arrived. At least that's one thing pleasant to ponder on an otherwise dreary day.

Tuesday, June 15, 2004

And so it ends...

Last night was the last session of my knitting class. I got there late because I was feeling quite awful. Most of the class members were not there.

One of the ladies in the class said that they are going to start meeting at her house on Tuesdays to knit. I took her name and number and gave her mine.

The instructor told us what we needed to do if we wanted repeat the class. She asked me if I was going to repeat it and I told her that when the new sessions started I would probably be teaching a class again at church, which I will be doing starting the end of August or September. I told her if it would be okay, I might drop into one of the classes to say hello and to show her my progress. After all, I did like the instructor. I just didn't get a lot from the class in the sense of instruction.

So I'm moving on! I'm still knitting the sweater. I'll do it on my own, with a little help from the internet and my internet friends.

Monday, June 14, 2004

Shame, Shame, Shame

I did no knitting this weekend. I have not knit a stitch yet today.

Yesterday, I woke up feeling awful, and today I left work early, sick.

I'm contemplating tonight's activities. I need to work on my sweater. My last class is tomorrow and I've been seriously neglecting this project. I just don't feel like I've really benefited from the class. I started having some trouble, frogged, and then just abandoned the thing. I'm so ashamed.

I've enlarged a copy of the chart pattern and color-coded it to make reading it a little easier. I'm going to try to get at least a couple of rows done tonight and read through the directions a few more times. I must complete this sweater. I must.

Closeup of yarns used in sweater:


Progress thus far:

Saturday, June 12, 2004

Maybe Later

Did a little research on Mission Falls Cotton again. After reading quite a bit, I think I will again attempt a project using MF Cotton on Inox. It will, however, not be a task I attempt in the very near future.

If you're interested in the MF info, there's some HERE, HERE, and HERE.

So Free

I frogged the hat. I was almost done with it, just finishing the last stitches before seaming it. It looked strange, like there was no way it could really be right. I must have done something crazy while entertaining the baby, talking on the phone, talking to hubby, or fighting sleep.

I'm going to remake it, just not in Mission Falls. It was frustrating to knit with it. I'm still undecided as to whether it would have been better on metal needles.

As the hat was drawing near completion, I was feeling a sense of relief. Finally, I was going to be done.

I was so excited because:
1. There would be another finished object to add to my list.
2. It would mean I learned a good lesson in short rows.
3. I'd be able to wash the Mission Falls to see how it performed, if it softened, if it shrunk.
4. I'd know if I liked the hat pattern I was using.
AND
5. I'd be done with the Mission Falls.

Frogging the hat was incredibly and ironically liberating. I honestly thought that pulling a project completely apart would be discouraging, even heart breaking. This experience, however, made me feel as if I'd been let out of a cage.

I am truly no longer afraid to frog!


Friday, June 11, 2004

Mission Falls 1824 Cotton

I started knitting my hat. I'm knitting it in a larger needle than called for in the pattern to make it a larger hat. I decided to use Mission Falls 1824 Cotton, as we're a family with very sensitive skin. Mission Falls had a very white yarn that I thought was pretty, so that's what I'm using. I had the yarn for about 3 months. When I purchased it originally, I figured I'd try a hat and baby booties with it.

When I played with the Mission Falls before, I don't remember it being so HARD. OH MY GOODNESS! I finally got used to how hard it was, then found a knot. I had also forgotten that it's only 84 yards in a skein, so it's looking like I'm going to have to use an additional skein to finish the hat.

I'm honestly not sure I'll use Mission Falls again. I must have been confusing it with Calmer or All Seasons Cotton.

I'm wondering if anyone else feels this way about Mission Falls.
Next time I knit with it, if there is a next time, I think I'm going to have to use Inox rather than the bamboo needles.

Thursday, June 10, 2004

Hat, Socks, Booties, Shell, Shawl...

I've decided that a hat is my next project...that and socks...then booties. Both patterns, for hat and booties, are from Melanie Falick's Knitting for Baby.

I have Summer Tweed to make Elderflower and Ginger, both of which you can see HERE. I also have enough Linen Drape for a couple of things and I'm consider Misty which can be seen HERE. The only thing is, it's already buckling on the model, and I'm a chesty girl, so I may be considering other options for Linen Drape.

I'm going to try the Magic Loop method for socks. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to do the baby socks or the adult socks found in the book.

Somewhere in here, I've got to figure in figuring out the sweater and making an angel or two.

I'm looking forward to my new projects!

Party Over Here!

There's a party going on! It's a celebration of my first FINISHED OBJECT!!!!

That's right! I have finished the blanket.

Forget about me finishing by the end of the week. I finished last night!

I'm so excited!

Here it is!




Not glamorous, not flashy, but finished!

Thank you for being a part of my celebration!

Wednesday, June 09, 2004

We met again

We had class again last night. I loved being among people with similar interests. We looked at new yarns, talked about traveling abroad, different customs in different countries, and had a lovely evening. One of the other students, who is so very sweet, made a Mexican Wedding cake and brought it in for us to enjoy.

The end is near. Only one more class session left.

When and how am I going to find other knitters to have this time to share?

There is also the issue of finishing the sweater I have started. I watched a streaming video of fair isle work but I really don't want to weave. I want to float. I just can't seem to get the hang of having two yarns in one hand and switching from one yarn to the other with every 2 stitches is tedious.

I'm not abandoning my sweater. My child wants this sweater and is waiting for it. He asks about it and loves to watch me knitting it. I'm so frustrated and disappointed. I really haven't learned anything in this class except how to weave in ends.

It's a nice setting for camaraderie and pleasantries. It just didn't suffice for me as a class. I'm really going to miss a few of the ladies but it's just not the best format for me.

I feel so guilty for not being happy about my class. Everyone else seems to love it.

Tuesday, June 08, 2004

Oh What A Feeling

I'm going to finish!
I'm going to finish!

I found the skeins of yarn.

I have two left and I only need one more.

I will finish this blanket this week!

Less than 80 rows to go!

Let's Play a Game

It's been a lovely morning. I'm breathing without any assistance, I can talk, walk, chew, blink, bend, reach, sit, and stand.

I cannot, however, find the outfit I had set aside for my son to wear today. I'm playing an infamous game of "Where."

Where is the outfit? Where is the AC cuz it feels like it's 90 degrees in here?! Where is my ability to not get frustrated with the situation? Where is the ability of my hair to hold curls rather than lie flat and limp? Where the heck is that last skein of yarn I need to finish this blanket?!?!

Right now, as you can see, "Where" is winning.

Sunday, June 06, 2004

Back, back, WAY BACK

Ah, finding an error, having to go back to correct it, pulling the stitches apart, this is how my knitting day began. Not exactly a dreamy start.

Here's a closer look at my homey and slightly homely blanket.


It pained me less than I thought it would to pull out the rows. Maybe I'm too stressed about other things to let this stress me.

I still have visions of binding off this blanket, tossing it in the washing machine, then happily presenting it to the owner, my son before the week ends.

Several projects are calling to me, asking me to make them. The office where I work is cold, no matter what the season, so the shawls are calling me. Quite a few ladies I know are pregnant or just had babies, so booties and hats are calling to me. I'm immensely curious about socks, so they beckon to me with the thrill of unlocking a mystery. Which call do I answer first? Therein lies pleasure and conflict.

Saturday, June 05, 2004

20 down, still at least 100 to go

Between knitting at lunch, on breaks, and before bed, I got 20 rows done yesterday on the blanket. Because it is knit diagonally, each row at this point has one less stitch than the last. I'm not sure when it will be finished but it will absolutely, positively be before the end of this month, maybe even within a week!



Hubby told me it looked good. I'm just excited to be almost done with it!

Going to try to work on the sweater in the next few days. I've been neglecting it. It's the fact that I still haven't quite figured out a good way to hold both yarns and I need stress free knitting right now.

My body is still not cooperating with me. Hopefully, this doctor's appointment on Tuesday will shed some light on things.

I want to take something small with me to the doctor's office to knit, rather than a sweater and a blanket which are both now a little large for the waiting room, so I'm going to decide whether or not I'm starting the booties, hat, angel, or diving into a shawl.

I've also still got sock yarn waiting. I wonder if I have enough of it for a pair. I'm going to have to check the dye lot and see if there is more at the LYS, just in case. Whatever project I do next, it's looking like the double pointed needles are almost guaranteed to be a requirement. I'm just a wee bit excited about the entire idea.

Friday, June 04, 2004

Is it really finishing fever?

I need to finish a project. I've said this so many times recently but it's so true.

I'm wanting to start a shawl or something lacy.

As I mentioned before, I purchased Angels, A Knitter's Dozen by Gerdine Strong.

I'm trying to decide if I want to make a few of the angels before I try shawls. I think it would be good practice for me and a quick project for that finishing fever that I can't shake.

Do I make an angel, do I start booties, do I start a hat, or do I just finish one of these doggone projects I've got going?

Could it be that I'm just frustrated with my current projects?...Nah!

Thursday, June 03, 2004

Still ill

Not much new on the knitting front. I've been feeling awful in general, so activities of any kind have been slow.

I've sent my new square off for Georgia's Healthful Throw and I'm hoping it has been received. I made it completely in the double seed stitch without adding any other stitches to it. It was pretty and wonderfully soft...but I failed to scan it or take a picture of it.

I knit for a few minutes during my lunch break today. I was too busy to take a full lunch, so I didn't get much knitting done. Hoping to knit a few rows of either the blanket or the sweater tonight.

At class, one of the other participants said that she is planning to have a knitting night at her house once our classes end. Part of me wants to go but the other part is hesitant because I don't plan to take the next session of this class. I'm pretty sure most of the others are planning to repeat it and it could prove to be a sticky situation to explain that I'm not.

I'm still considering the idea of starting a knitting group/guild. I'm thinking about calling Barnes and Noble and asking what it would require to use a little of their space to have meetings once or twice a month. I know some B&N stores are more than happy to have such gatherings but that others are not as eager. Books-A-Million or a local library will be my alternate options.

I need to find out if there are any buying requirements, if they reserve a space, and what the general rules would be. I also need to find a way to attract other knitters. Not sure about posting signs.

There's also a guild that is about a 40 minute ride for me to attend meetings. That's probably the closest one that meets in the evenings. I just have to make the drive there, then to have to drive back again. Investing four hours (with the commute,) on a workday, when I have to get up early the next day, with a young child who needs my attention, just isn't as appealing as a 15 minute drive to a book store.

If only my head didn't ache I could think more clearly.

Wednesday, June 02, 2004

Moving Forward

We had class again last night. I had made absolutely no stitches on the sweater since the last class. I'm honestly not even sure why.

I knit very slowly in class. I was having trouble with holding the two yarns at once for the colourwork. It was difficult to hold the two strands in one hand, but to only put on of them in the stitch. I can't knit in the English/American way, so putting one yarn in the other hand didn't work. Knitting was FREAKISHLY slow! I looked around the table for examples to follow but no one else was doing any colourwork! I was planning to ask about a better way to handle the two colors, but since I didn't get much response last week, I just decided to try to work it out on my own. Since I was feeling horrible anyway, I just wasn't up to much of anything.

My new knitting books came in. I am now the proud owner of Knitting Shawls and Scarves (Best of Knitters) and A Knitter's Dozen (a book of angels to knit.) I shared my books with the class, which I love to do. I think that's the part of class that I like, knitting and sharing.

When I got home, my son was asleep. This is a small miracle, as the child fights sleep like no one I've ever seen. He wasn't feeling well either, so he woke up quite a bit during the night. I watched him until he seemed settled. I sat beside him, knitting, working on the blanket for him, rather than the sweater. I thought knitting the sweater might be too frustrating, and I may disturb him.

My goal now is just to finish the blanket so I can move on to something else and to figure out a comfortable and efficient way to hold the two yarn colors so it doesn't take me FOREVER to knit a row.