Last Post for 2011

I promised photos of projects I've knit in the last six months but it had been so long since I used my camera that I forgot how to use the manual settings. As a result, I have snapshots - not "photos". It's been so long since I knit most of these projects that I forgot which yarns, needles, etc. I used. Nevertheless I needed to have a record on this blog, even though I finally added them to Ravelry. Sooooooo, this is mostly what I knit in the last few months. JAPANESE GARDEN SHAWL(pattern proceeds went to help the victims of the Japanese Tsunami)

SEASIDE SHAWL

HATS AND SCARVES (HARRY POTTER, THORPE, and Jacques Cousta HATS: Seaman's Cabled Scarf)

My favorite project this year was this man's pullover designed by Kathy Zimmerman (Man's Cabled Ribbed Pullover). It was designed for bulky weight yarn but I knit it with Valley Yarns Northamptom which is worsted weight. I just knit a larger sizer with smaller needles to get the correct size. I also modified the sleeves to include the cables instead of plain ribbing.

This was such a fun sweater to knit that I knit another one in black. I have it blocked and ready to sew together today. I've also knit several ladie's hats so it is possible I will post one more time for 2011. If not, MERRY CHRISTMAS and Happy Holidays everyone!

Anyone There?

Maybe you thought I fell off the Earth? I have never been much of a blogger but for several reasons I have been unable to even try.

Something happened at Google which would not allow me to sign in to any of my Google Accounts. The page which led me to change my password told me to contact my internet provider. I did - several times. After several lengthy phone calls my IP said it was a Google problem, not their's. I practically gave up until yesterday when I clicked on my own blog from Ravelry and was able to (finally) sign in. This problem also prevented me from leaving comments on YOUR blogs but hopefully I am back (unless Google changes something again).

My second reason for not posting is physical. I have been going to two Orthopedists since April! They tell me I have problems with my spine (which I've always had) as well as Sciatica but I am beginning to wonder if I have been misdiagnosed. I've had an MRI, gone to Physical Therapy twice every week since May, and received five epidural injections but I have not improved very much if at all. If anything, the injections made me worse and now I am told by my physical therapist to stop all exercises. This physical problem means I cannot sit more than 30 minutes until I need to move around for awhile.

Knitting progress is much slower under these conditions and spinning was prohibited. Every time I looked at the unfinished yarn hanging from my spinning wheel since March, I wanted to try to spin. Finally I tried for a couple of minutes at a time and now I am trying to spin no more than 5 minutes. Don't expect to see finished handspun yarn very often - LOL.

I also lost my beloved little "Boy" on July 3d. I know people are not supposed to grieve so much for the loss of an animal but I can hardly talk about him without tears even now. He was my constant companion and the most loving and intelligent dog we've ever had. He lived 17 years and we were expecting the loss but it has been sooooo hard. I miss him every day.

During my absence from blogging, I got a new central air conditioner and a new roof. My new air conditioner is wonderful and quite the energy saver. Now my house stays comfortable and my electric bill has been reduced by $100/month. The roof was replaced by insurance due to wind damage. It is an "architectural" roof and should last many years unless we have more storm damage.

The good news is I was able to complete a few knitting projects but still haven't blocked them or taken photos. I will try to do both very soon. My next post (providing that Google doesn't lock me out again) will not be so gloomy

Until next time

Lace and other Updates

Oh my - it's been so long since I blogged that I hardly know where to begin. Where does the time go?? My camera batteries have needed recharging for a month which I didn''t get around to doing. These photos were taken using my son's camera with which I am not familiar. Sounds like a good excuse for poor photos to me! (vbg)

By the way, I didn't link to anything in this post but Google or Ravelry always works if anyone is interested.

First up I should mention the Gothic Spires scarf by Wendy Johnson. Hmm, I finished it in March(?) and have almost forgotten all of the stats. It blocked to 72"X8" which is quite long for me. I used Knitpicks Essential fingering weight yarn with the recommended needle sizes (5's?).



Next I knit Asterope which is one of 7 Small Shawls by Romi Hill. This was only the second shawl I ever knit. Had I realized the last chart was not very easy, I probably wouldn't have knit it until I gain more experience but I love it. You can see how it barely drapes over the shoulders, almost like a scarf. I can see myself wearing it with a tee-shirt and jeans. The yarn is Knitpicks Stroll tonal fingering weight in Gypsy.




Now that Summer has arrived, what else would I knit but.......a sweater! (I know, the calendar says Summer arrives next month but since we are already in the 90's it seems like Summer) This is "Wishbone" by Norah Gaughan and a freebie at Berroco. I looked and looked for a simple pullover with just enough texture to break the monotony of plain stockinette stitch. This is exactly what I wanted to throw on with jeans next Winter. The yarn is WEBS Valley Yarn Superwash DK which is lovely to use (no splitting and very smooth). If this fits, I will probably knit several.


Okay, no pity party but this is the news about my leg/hip injury I mentioned last time. I finally got in to see my Orthopedist about a month ago but only because my DS happened to see one of his nurses who "worked" me in two weeks sooner than my scheduled appointment. The diagnosis was torn tissue which was more than likely caused by treadling the spinning wheel. It could have been worse but I have no joint problems, no osteoporis, arthritis, or other problems. The medication I was given had horrible side effects which caused problems almost as bad as the torn tissue. I lost almost 10 pounds while eating more than normal but don't try it - it isn't a good way to lose weight! I go back this Friday (Friday the 13th - sigh) for a cortisone injection which he tells me should have good results. For two months I have been "house bound" and hardly able to walk or even sit very long at a time. Going up and down stairs is very difficult. I have always been very independent so hopefully the cortisone injection will do it's job.

As a result, I haven't been able to use my spinning wheel (he tells me that in time, I will be able to spin again). My answer is to try this Trindle which is a lighter weight version of most drop spindles. The inventor and seller is a local man (Trindleman) who is also a science teacher at one of the metro Atlanta high schools. He had a sale so I received an extra set of little "beads - or arms". I have faceted crystal beads on the Trindle now which are beautiful as it spins. As you can tell, I still haven't done much with the Trindle but it is much easier to use than a heavier spindle. I just need to practice.


That's my update for now. Hopefully it won't be as long next time.

Lace

I have never been much of a lace knitter but have always loved lace. Recently,
Wendy Johnson (AKA WendyKnits) designed a beautiful shawl and is donating all sales to the American Red Cross for Japan relief. As of yesterday, sales have reached $4575 and the pattern only costs $5! How could I resist, even if I don't wear shawls - LOL.

The Japanese Garden shawl was very easy to knit because Wendy provides charts and very clear instructions. Most of her shawls are knit with fingering weight yarn which is easier for inexperienced lace knitters like myself. Lately her favorite shawl construction begins from the bottom up - which I like. It makes knitting seem faster.






Yarn: Lisa Souza,
Color: Mulberry
Needles: Knitpicks US 5 but cast on with US 8's

This was so much fun to knit that I purchased 4 additional patterns. Wendy is offering a 25% discount on all of her patterns through April. My current project is the Gothic Spires scarf because I did not have sufficent yardage to knit the stole version.

In spinning news, while spinning 55 grams of this FatCatKnits Polwarth, I somehow injured my leg/hip and have no longer been able to spin. This was several weeks ago and I still have not healed. Wouldn't you know that I just won another FatCatKnits braid. Maybe one day I will be able to finish this braid and have enough for another shawl.

Fiber: Polwarth from FatCatKnits
Spun: 55 grams
Weight: Fingering
Yards: 193

Spinning and Knitting Updates

Finally, I have a spun to finished project. The fiber is Crown Mountains Farm Corriedale which was a "fiber of the month" sometime last Fall. I forgot to photograph the fiber but it produced a nice 3-ply fingering yarn.


Then, decisions, decisions. I always have trouble deciding what to knit but then I remembered knitting this pattern before and how much I like the design. Lightbulb moment - I knit the same design again.




For the Spinners:

Fiber: 3.9 ounces Cmf Corriedale
Yarn weight: fingering
Color: Shadow on the Wall
Yardage: 409 yards
Ply: traditional 3-ply
WpI: 16
Spun: Worsted

For the Knitters:
Pattern: CookieA's "Marlene"
Gauge: 8 stitches/inch
Needles: KP's Options size 1 (2.25) circulars
Yardage used: Less than 350 yards

I detect a few imperfections in my yarn but love them anyway. I am still a beginning spinner which means nothing I spin is perfect - LOL.

Happy Spring everyone (cough, cough....sniff,sniff).

METRO

Finished! .........but not fully blocked.


The basic garment was blocked before knitting the sleeves and collar but it
needs another soaking. Hmm, that may not be until next Fall since Spring arrived very early this year. (So much for my theory that Spring arrives late when Easter is later - April 24th this year). Trees are blooming and the pollen count is aleady 800 (120 is rated as extremely high - sigh).


This was a fast knit (for me) despite having a stomach virus which kept me from knitting for about 5 days. I cast on the evening of February 9th and finished March 6th. Still, very fast and soooo little yarn. I used Valley Yarns Northampton worsted weight (have I mentioned how much I like this yarn??) which only took 939 yards (3.8 skeins) for my size 37. Wow! Maybe I could even spin enough yarn to knit it again.

The techniques which were a first for me included knitting the sleeves top down with short rows and wraps and turns. Now I love this technique. It also included

A ribbed cable which was knit on the WRONG side


ribbed cable collar using short row wraps and turns and the kitchener stitch joining the two halves and then sewn to the back


Darts


I also like the opposite front which has a ribbed lapel


AS Well AS the faux side seams (no sewing)



The original version has 3/4 sleeves which I changed to long sleeves. The original also has 4" ribbed cuffs which I changed to seed stitch. I think it better matches the garter stitch edge which, if I knit this cardigan again, will also be seed stitch. The garter stitch rolled so badly that the pattern actually has instructions to block before finishing. Maybe that was not the intent but the garter stitch bottom edge was very annoying until blocked.


I've also been spinning for the first time since last November but I'll save the spinning update until next time.

Knitting Metro

Lately my taste in knitting has been projects which are more simple in design. This was the reason that I selected the Metro cardigan as my current project. At first glance it looks like a very simple, mindless project but once the knitting began, I discovered several new design methods which I have never knit.

First, there are knit-in darts, both in the front and back. I knit them but think it would have looked better without them. Next was the 8-stitch ribbed cable which is knit on the wrong side instead of the front. It was not a problem - just different from any cables I ever knit.


Then I discovered that the sleeves are picked up at the shoulder and knit top down. The sleeve caps are formed by short row wraps & turns. Now I have never been very successful in knitting wraps and turns without holes appearing but finally mastered the technique. It took watching several YouTube videos and a little practice but now I've learned something new.

This was my progress after about a week of mostly knitting at night for a few hours. Since I took the photo, I completed the dreaded sleeve cap with all those wraps and turns. If I continue at the same rate, maybe I will have a new Spring cardigan before really hot weather arrives (we were 75 degrees last
Saturday and almost as warm today). What happened to Winter?



This is a fast project to knit. It also requires less than 5 skeins of most worsted weight yarn which is another plus. I think I like it - LOL.