Blankets!!

I am so excited and thrilled to announce that I finished my Noro Cable Comfort Throw...almost two years in the making. I am really excited about the way this turned out. I used 13 balls of the Noro Transitions (so this is a very valuable blanket!), soaked the finished product in Eucalan and then laid out to dry. The Eucalan bath softened up the yarn considerably, and also relaxed the stitches so that the final dimensions were almost 60 x 60 inches. The throw drapes beautifully and is super-warm due to the content of the yarn, which includes a mix of fibers such as wool, silk, cashmere, mohair, camel, angora and alpaca. My family seems to love it, which is a great relief. I think I am going to stick to my plan to make the Lady Eleanor stole out of the remaining 7 skeins of Transitions. I think it will be luscious.
My family did put up quite the protest when I was ready to use the throw to replace a big old Lion Brand Chevron-style afghan I had made several years ago (pre-Ravelry, I think, so I didn't have any pictures). I had used a variety of Lion Brand yarns in this blanket, including chenille--which turned out to be disastrous. The chenille started worming a few years ago and there were huge loops hanging out everywhere on this throw. My husband and kids didn't care--they love this blanket (much more than the fancy Colinette AbFab Throw that I made around the same time). So...once the Noro blanket was finished and in place on our couch, I spent about 4 hours yesterday cutting the chenille loops and weaving the ends in to blanket with a crochet hook. Once done, I washed the blanket and put it in the dryer with the hope that the chenille would tighten up. It looks much better--here's the "after" shot (forgot to take a "before") but I still see some ends (see below) and I have a feeling that with time, the worming will happen again. But at least I can live with this blanket now without feeling disgusted, and my family can enjoy ALL of the blankets we have available. The weather is turning pretty cold, so it's nice for us all to have homemade throws to cuddle with in the family room.
I have beautiful shades of Manos for the Four Seasons Throw--I think I'll work on that over the holidays!
I'm making good progress with the Sunrise Circle Jacket--almost done the second front/sleeve combination, then just the back, which is the smallest piece, remains. The sleeves may be too long--it is very hard to estimate size on this unusually constructed garment--so I may get to practice ripping up from the cast-on edge if I want to make them the perfect, shorter length. I want to finish all the pieces, pin them together and try the whole sweater on before making this decision.
The argyle vest is also coming along. Not enough done to know if it fits, but the intarsia is looking pretty good so far! More to come on that.

Blankets!!

I am so excited and thrilled to announce that I finished my Noro Cable Comfort Throw...almost two years in the making. I am really excited about the way this turned out. I used 13 balls of the Noro Transitions (so this is a very valuable blanket!), soaked the finished product in Eucalan and then laid out to dry. The Eucalan bath softened up the yarn considerably, and also relaxed the stitches so that the final dimensions were almost 60 x 60 inches. The throw drapes beautifully and is super-warm due to the content of the yarn, which includes a mix of fibers such as wool, silk, cashmere, mohair, camel, angora and alpaca. My family seems to love it, which is a great relief. I think I am going to stick to my plan to make the Lady Eleanor stole out of the remaining 7 skeins of Transitions. I think it will be luscious.
My family did put up quite the protest when I was ready to use the throw to replace a big old Lion Brand Chevron-style afghan I had made several years ago (pre-Ravelry, I think, so I didn't have any pictures). I had used a variety of Lion Brand yarns in this blanket, including chenille--which turned out to be disastrous. The chenille started worming a few years ago and there were huge loops hanging out everywhere on this throw. My husband and kids didn't care--they love this blanket (much more than the fancy Colinette AbFab Throw that I made around the same time). So...once the Noro blanket was finished and in place on our couch, I spent about 4 hours yesterday cutting the chenille loops and weaving the ends in to blanket with a crochet hook. Once done, I washed the blanket and put it in the dryer with the hope that the chenille would tighten up. It looks much better--here's the "after" shot (forgot to take a "before") but I still see some ends (see below) and I have a feeling that with time, the worming will happen again. But at least I can live with this blanket now without feeling disgusted, and my family can enjoy ALL of the blankets we have available. The weather is turning pretty cold, so it's nice for us all to have homemade throws to cuddle with in the family room.
I have beautiful shades of Manos for the Four Seasons Throw--I think I'll work on that over the holidays!
I'm making good progress with the Sunrise Circle Jacket--almost done the second front/sleeve combination, then just the back, which is the smallest piece, remains. The sleeves may be too long--it is very hard to estimate size on this unusually constructed garment--so I may get to practice ripping up from the cast-on edge if I want to make them the perfect, shorter length. I want to finish all the pieces, pin them together and try the whole sweater on before making this decision.
The argyle vest is also coming along. Not enough done to know if it fits, but the intarsia is looking pretty good so far! More to come on that.

Making Progress

Since my last post, I've made quite a bit of progress on a number of projects!

1)I have indeed gone back to the Cable Comfort Throw, which is now about 75% of the way done! Since it is getting colder outside, it's actually nice to knit with a warm & growning afghan on my lap. And what could be better than Noro?! I had bought 20 balls of the Transitions when I started this project, not being sure how much I would need. I think I'm going to have several left, so I'm already thinking about what to do with the rest. I am not a huge fan of bulky-weight sweaters, but I do have a Noro book that has some pretty ones. My other choice, after seeing lots of projects on Ravelry, is the Lady Eleanor stole, from Scarf Style. On the spur of the moment the other night, I watched some YouTube tutorials about knitting backwards and taught myself in about five minutes. It's a lot easier than I thought! I will have to wait and see how many balls of Transitions I have left to determine what will become of them. Meanwhile, I'm really enjoying the afghan. My goal is at least 2 rows per day (as it is not at all portable); I should be done before spring!

2)Instead of the hooded vest that I thought I was going to cast on when I last posted (the gauge didn't work for my Tahki Donegal Tweed--one of the oldest yarns in my stash--and I couldn't figure out how to adjust it so that it wouldn't be huge on me), I opted to cast on the Sunrise Circle Jacket. This is a really fun pattern and lots of people have used the Donegal Tweed. I had to use size 6 needles to get gauge, but I think it will be fine--nice and firm, which is good for a jacket that is really outerwear. I am done the first piece (left sleeve + left front), and partway up the right sleeve. I THINK this will fit perfectly--it is kind of hard to tell with this intriguing construction, but I'm taking the leap of faith and going on!

3)My darling 15-year-old son has requested an argyle vest! I have never done argyle and have done very little intarsia, but I'm going for it. We pored over patterns on Ravelry and the one he liked (Argyll V-Neck) is from a book called Rowan Knitting for Him, which has gorgeous men's patterns. This vest has overall argyle patterning on the front and the back, but several Ravelers have suggested doing the front first and doing the argyle on the front only. I think that's what I'll do. I have to decide whether I duplicate stitch the zigzag lines as some people have recommended, or knit them in. The thought of doing all the duplicate stitch is not very appealing, so I may try to knit them in. We'll see. Ordered KnitPicks Palette--how fun is it to choose from among their 100 colors!--swatched, and I'm on my way!

Hope to have some good progress on all of these wonderful projects soon.

Making Progress

Since my last post, I've made quite a bit of progress on a number of projects!

1)I have indeed gone back to the Cable Comfort Throw, which is now about 75% of the way done! Since it is getting colder outside, it's actually nice to knit with a warm & growning afghan on my lap. And what could be better than Noro?! I had bought 20 balls of the Transitions when I started this project, not being sure how much I would need. I think I'm going to have several left, so I'm already thinking about what to do with the rest. I am not a huge fan of bulky-weight sweaters, but I do have a Noro book that has some pretty ones. My other choice, after seeing lots of projects on Ravelry, is the Lady Eleanor stole, from Scarf Style. On the spur of the moment the other night, I watched some YouTube tutorials about knitting backwards and taught myself in about five minutes. It's a lot easier than I thought! I will have to wait and see how many balls of Transitions I have left to determine what will become of them. Meanwhile, I'm really enjoying the afghan. My goal is at least 2 rows per day (as it is not at all portable); I should be done before spring!

2)Instead of the hooded vest that I thought I was going to cast on when I last posted (the gauge didn't work for my Tahki Donegal Tweed--one of the oldest yarns in my stash--and I couldn't figure out how to adjust it so that it wouldn't be huge on me), I opted to cast on the Sunrise Circle Jacket. This is a really fun pattern and lots of people have used the Donegal Tweed. I had to use size 6 needles to get gauge, but I think it will be fine--nice and firm, which is good for a jacket that is really outerwear. I am done the first piece (left sleeve + left front), and partway up the right sleeve. I THINK this will fit perfectly--it is kind of hard to tell with this intriguing construction, but I'm taking the leap of faith and going on!

3)My darling 15-year-old son has requested an argyle vest! I have never done argyle and have done very little intarsia, but I'm going for it. We pored over patterns on Ravelry and the one he liked (Argyll V-Neck) is from a book called Rowan Knitting for Him, which has gorgeous men's patterns. This vest has overall argyle patterning on the front and the back, but several Ravelers have suggested doing the front first and doing the argyle on the front only. I think that's what I'll do. I have to decide whether I duplicate stitch the zigzag lines as some people have recommended, or knit them in. The thought of doing all the duplicate stitch is not very appealing, so I may try to knit them in. We'll see. Ordered KnitPicks Palette--how fun is it to choose from among their 100 colors!--swatched, and I'm on my way!

Hope to have some good progress on all of these wonderful projects soon.

Bauble!

I finished my Bauble bracelet, which was a lot of fun. I learned a lot about stringing beads for knitting (as opposed to knitting beads into yarn, as I did recently with Citron), and I think I'd like to try this again. I wasn't 100% happy with the way this looked when it was done, so I wove some of the elastic cord through the looser parts and I think it looks pretty nice now.
So now that this is done in record time, the question is, what do I cast on next. I COULD work more diligently on my Cable Comfort Throw, which has been languishing on my needles for some time, and which is nice to knit on in the cooler weather. But since it is so big and not right for traveling, I think I will swatch and cast on for the hooded vest that has been in my queue for a VERY long time. I can have both of these things, plus my current socks, going at once.
I wore my Citron to a Bar Mitzvah today. It felt great and I thought it looked great, although no one mentioned it. I think there needed to be other knitters there to appreciate it!

Bauble!

I finished my Bauble bracelet, which was a lot of fun. I learned a lot about stringing beads for knitting (as opposed to knitting beads into yarn, as I did recently with Citron), and I think I'd like to try this again. I wasn't 100% happy with the way this looked when it was done, so I wove some of the elastic cord through the looser parts and I think it looks pretty nice now.
So now that this is done in record time, the question is, what do I cast on next. I COULD work more diligently on my Cable Comfort Throw, which has been languishing on my needles for some time, and which is nice to knit on in the cooler weather. But since it is so big and not right for traveling, I think I will swatch and cast on for the hooded vest that has been in my queue for a VERY long time. I can have both of these things, plus my current socks, going at once.
I wore my Citron to a Bar Mitzvah today. It felt great and I thought it looked great, although no one mentioned it. I think there needed to be other knitters there to appreciate it!

FInish-Itis!

I guess a good trip to Rhinebeck is among the best motivators to finish things so that new ones can be started. Tonight I finished my Serendipity Socks, which came out really nice--the colors are so cheerful, and as I pointed out on Ravelry, I never would have chosen this colorway but got it as part of the Rockin' Sock Club a couple of years ago, and I am very pleased with it now that it's been knit into a beautiful pair of socks. Great pattern too. I have never been a big fan of short-row heels, and the directions in this pattern just didn't do it for me, so I used the directions (that I thought to be much clearer) from Socks a la Carte. Same result, but just easier for me to do with yarn overs vs. wrap and turns.
Next up, before I start one of my Rhinebeck purchases, is the Bauble bracelet from Knitty--one of the treats I bought myself after I did the beaded Citron. I bought a kit of all the beads from Earthfaire and I think this will be a good learning experience--the bead-stringing is pretty tedious. I will cast on something else to alternate so my eyes don't pop out of my head!
I think I'll start another pair of socks and then either a Rhinebeck project or the poor hooded vest that's been waiting patiently in my queue for two years. I bought the Skacel sock kit for which all of the proceeds go to the Marsha Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer Research--may make those as a Christmas gift for the daughter of my friend who just passed away from this horrible disease. Kind of like a prayer shawl...The pattern looks very intricate, so I think I will use the yarn and the spirit of the project (the teal blue, etc.), but use a different pattern. Especially if I'm doing this as a relief from the teeny beads!

FInish-Itis!

I guess a good trip to Rhinebeck is among the best motivators to finish things so that new ones can be started. Tonight I finished my Serendipity Socks, which came out really nice--the colors are so cheerful, and as I pointed out on Ravelry, I never would have chosen this colorway but got it as part of the Rockin' Sock Club a couple of years ago, and I am very pleased with it now that it's been knit into a beautiful pair of socks. Great pattern too. I have never been a big fan of short-row heels, and the directions in this pattern just didn't do it for me, so I used the directions (that I thought to be much clearer) from Socks a la Carte. Same result, but just easier for me to do with yarn overs vs. wrap and turns.
Next up, before I start one of my Rhinebeck purchases, is the Bauble bracelet from Knitty--one of the treats I bought myself after I did the beaded Citron. I bought a kit of all the beads from Earthfaire and I think this will be a good learning experience--the bead-stringing is pretty tedious. I will cast on something else to alternate so my eyes don't pop out of my head!
I think I'll start another pair of socks and then either a Rhinebeck project or the poor hooded vest that's been waiting patiently in my queue for two years. I bought the Skacel sock kit for which all of the proceeds go to the Marsha Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer Research--may make those as a Christmas gift for the daughter of my friend who just passed away from this horrible disease. Kind of like a prayer shawl...The pattern looks very intricate, so I think I will use the yarn and the spirit of the project (the teal blue, etc.), but use a different pattern. Especially if I'm doing this as a relief from the teeny beads!

FINALLY Made it to Rhinebeck!!

After many years of wishing I could go to Rhinebeck, I got to go today! It was a bittersweet drive up the NY Thruway, as I lost my dear friend yesterday. Rhinebeck became my therapy, and it was wonderful to have the whole day there alone to revel in all of the gorgeous hand-knit items everyone wore, to feel, smell and buy yarn, and to enjoy the gorgeous fall day with foliage at its peak.
I wore my Einstein Coat for warmth, and debuted my February Lady Sweater, newly finished and for which I got many compliments (and saw MANY others, in all shapes, sizes, yarn, and colors!). Seeing everyones amazing knitted finery at this show is truly inspirational. You just don't see all of these knitted masterpieces, casually worn with jeans and T's, in your daily life.
I left NJ at 7 am and couldn't believe the gorgeous sky as I entered the Hudson Valley--dramatic clouds and flaming trees! I got right to work with the vendors and visited some of my old favorites (like Brooks Farm) and some new friends--like Autumn House Farm. I even went to the Ravelry meet-up and met Jess! Very exciting.
Here's what I bought (pictures in collage form at right):
--One beautiful shawl pin from Annie's Sweet Products
--5 skeins of Autumn House Farm Finnean's Rainbow, which I may use to make their "Finnean's Favorite Getaway Pullover" pattern, or maybe a shawl, or maybe a different sweater. This is really cool yarn!
--1 skein of Creatively Dyed Steele, in colorway Sharon. I really love this unique, handpainted yarn. Amazing colors! I'm thinking I'll try one of the shawls in Romi's "7 Small Shawls" e-book, which I purchased just before Rhinebeck. Right now, Celaeno is in the lead!
--2 skeins of Brooks Farm Solo Silk, right now queued to make the Hypotenuse Shawl (by Ann Hanson, whom I also spotted yesterday!!)
--4 skeins of Brooks Farm Solo, to make the Triple S Shawl pattern by Knitting Fairy that I fell in love with when I saw two samples at the Brooks Farm booth
OK, now I have to finish the pair of socks I'm currently knitting and then decide if I can keep my willpower and continue working through my queue, or cast on one of the Rhinebeck projects ASAP!

FINALLY Made it to Rhinebeck!!

After many years of wishing I could go to Rhinebeck, I got to go today! It was a bittersweet drive up the NY Thruway, as I lost my dear friend yesterday. Rhinebeck became my therapy, and it was wonderful to have the whole day there alone to revel in all of the gorgeous hand-knit items everyone wore, to feel, smell and buy yarn, and to enjoy the gorgeous fall day with foliage at its peak.
I wore my Einstein Coat for warmth, and debuted my February Lady Sweater, newly finished and for which I got many compliments (and saw MANY others, in all shapes, sizes, yarn, and colors!). Seeing everyones amazing knitted finery at this show is truly inspirational. You just don't see all of these knitted masterpieces, casually worn with jeans and T's, in your daily life.
I left NJ at 7 am and couldn't believe the gorgeous sky as I entered the Hudson Valley--dramatic clouds and flaming trees! I got right to work with the vendors and visited some of my old favorites (like Brooks Farm) and some new friends--like Autumn House Farm. I even went to the Ravelry meet-up and met Jess! Very exciting.
Here's what I bought (pictures in collage form at right):
--One beautiful shawl pin from Annie's Sweet Products
--5 skeins of Autumn House Farm Finnean's Rainbow, which I may use to make their "Finnean's Favorite Getaway Pullover" pattern, or maybe a shawl, or maybe a different sweater. This is really cool yarn!
--1 skein of Creatively Dyed Steele, in colorway Sharon. I really love this unique, handpainted yarn. Amazing colors! I'm thinking I'll try one of the shawls in Romi's "7 Small Shawls" e-book, which I purchased just before Rhinebeck. Right now, Celaeno is in the lead!
--2 skeins of Brooks Farm Solo Silk, right now queued to make the Hypotenuse Shawl (by Ann Hanson, whom I also spotted yesterday!!)
--4 skeins of Brooks Farm Solo, to make the Triple S Shawl pattern by Knitting Fairy that I fell in love with when I saw two samples at the Brooks Farm booth
OK, now I have to finish the pair of socks I'm currently knitting and then decide if I can keep my willpower and continue working through my queue, or cast on one of the Rhinebeck projects ASAP!

Keeping it Going

So it's now less than two weeks since my last post--good for me! My dear friend continues to decline and I am trying to appreciate all the good things and wonderful people in my life to offset the sadness I feel. I am also trying to knit more...and I appear to be a bit more successful in that. Fortunately, this is a quiet weekend so I think I will get my wish to knit, blog, and prepare for my (fingers crossed) trip to Rhinebeck in two weeks!
I finished the first of my Serendipity Socks. I didn't use the short-row heel directions given in the pattern; instead, I followed the short-row directions in Socks a la Carte, as they just seemed easier to follow. I think the whole wrap and turn process and I don't get along, while the book's version uses yarn overs that are then knitted together. It's just a different way of achieving the same result. I'm happy with this sock, and LOVING my new Eat Smart Kitchen Scale, which I bought after reading a review on Knitter's Review. Clara Parkes gave wonderful directions about how to determine how many yards of yarn are left in a ball by weighing it on the scale. I used it for my Citron, but it is particularly helpful in an instance like this, where I made the Serendipity leg a bit longer than the pattern stated, and wasn't sure if I'd have enough for the pair. After Sock #1, I have 200 yards left according to the scale, and the ball started with 360 yards--so I should be fine. At a time when I am stressed out, it's nice to have a tool that helps take some of the stress out of knitting.
I ordered and received from Earthfaire a kit for the Bauble bracelet from Knitty.com. This will be my next beaded project, and I am excited! The question is, do I start and make this next, or finish my long-neglected February Lady Sweater--I just have the sleeves to do, and if I can do one sleeve per week, I can wear this to Rhinebeck! I'll decide by tonight--have some movies taped and ready to knit the night away!

Keeping it Going

So it's now less than two weeks since my last post--good for me! My dear friend continues to decline and I am trying to appreciate all the good things and wonderful people in my life to offset the sadness I feel. I am also trying to knit more...and I appear to be a bit more successful in that. Fortunately, this is a quiet weekend so I think I will get my wish to knit, blog, and prepare for my (fingers crossed) trip to Rhinebeck in two weeks!
I finished the first of my Serendipity Socks. I didn't use the short-row heel directions given in the pattern; instead, I followed the short-row directions in Socks a la Carte, as they just seemed easier to follow. I think the whole wrap and turn process and I don't get along, while the book's version uses yarn overs that are then knitted together. It's just a different way of achieving the same result. I'm happy with this sock, and LOVING my new Eat Smart Kitchen Scale, which I bought after reading a review on Knitter's Review. Clara Parkes gave wonderful directions about how to determine how many yards of yarn are left in a ball by weighing it on the scale. I used it for my Citron, but it is particularly helpful in an instance like this, where I made the Serendipity leg a bit longer than the pattern stated, and wasn't sure if I'd have enough for the pair. After Sock #1, I have 200 yards left according to the scale, and the ball started with 360 yards--so I should be fine. At a time when I am stressed out, it's nice to have a tool that helps take some of the stress out of knitting.
I ordered and received from Earthfaire a kit for the Bauble bracelet from Knitty.com. This will be my next beaded project, and I am excited! The question is, do I start and make this next, or finish my long-neglected February Lady Sweater--I just have the sleeves to do, and if I can do one sleeve per week, I can wear this to Rhinebeck! I'll decide by tonight--have some movies taped and ready to knit the night away!

I Love Beads!

Again, it's been far too long since my last post. I guess I am really writing this blog as a record for myself now, as I can't imagine anyone would be reading something that is updated so infrequently. Alas, life has gotten the way of both knitting and blogging. We have had some ill relatives and I now have a very ill, dear friend whom I've known for four decades. Suffice it to say that I've been preoccupied and sad.

I am also in a very stressful time at work, and I wish I could release that stress through knitting, but I am too busy working to have time to knit! Not a good situation. As a result, my Citron took me much longer than anticipated. The fact that I decided to go for seven pattern repeats--yielding a total of 732 stitches for the ruffle rows AND the beaded bind-off--also made this a slow process. I loved every second of it. I am hooked on knitting with beads! See my Ravelry page for more details. The favorites that come up on that project page will lead you to some of the tutorials I used for adding the beads and doing the beaded bind-off. I also got a lot of assistance in terms of what kinds and how many beads to buy, from Earthfaire. Excellent quality and customer service. I will DEFINITELY do more beaded knitting!

Now it's back to my Serendipity Sock and my February Lady Sweater. Hope there's more time for knitting and blogging SOON!

I Love Beads!

Again, it's been far too long since my last post. I guess I am really writing this blog as a record for myself now, as I can't imagine anyone would be reading something that is updated so infrequently. Alas, life has gotten the way of both knitting and blogging. We have had some ill relatives and I now have a very ill, dear friend whom I've known for four decades. Suffice it to say that I've been preoccupied and sad.

I am also in a very stressful time at work, and I wish I could release that stress through knitting, but I am too busy working to have time to knit! Not a good situation. As a result, my Citron took me much longer than anticipated. The fact that I decided to go for seven pattern repeats--yielding a total of 732 stitches for the ruffle rows AND the beaded bind-off--also made this a slow process. I loved every second of it. I am hooked on knitting with beads! See my Ravelry page for more details. The favorites that come up on that project page will lead you to some of the tutorials I used for adding the beads and doing the beaded bind-off. I also got a lot of assistance in terms of what kinds and how many beads to buy, from Earthfaire. Excellent quality and customer service. I will DEFINITELY do more beaded knitting!

Now it's back to my Serendipity Sock and my February Lady Sweater. Hope there's more time for knitting and blogging SOON!

Big Time Catch-Up!

I can't believe it's been exactly TWO MONTHS since I've last posted. I'm sorry (if there's anyone out there reading!).
Life has been hectic even though it's summer, which usually gives me a bit more time since my kids are away at camp. We completed our kitchen renovation in early July and that was very time-consuming and ate into both knitting and blogging time. We also went on a glorious vacation to France in late July...so here we are.
First, some notes on the trip. I brought three knitting projects with me: a dishcloth (which I never picked up); my Salish Sea Socks (which I almost finished and did finish last night);
and my newly cast on Citron, which I am making in the gorgeous Dream in Color Starry in Black Parade, and which I am going to attempt to bead on the bind-off.
I worked on the Citron on the plane over and during some car and train trips, and worked on the socks at various intervals. I was all set to finish the socks on the plane trip home and make significant progress on the Citron--after all, the trip home was an 8-hour flight, all daytime hours--when BOOM! the dreaded confiscation of the needles that I've read so much about happened to me. We've gone on about 5-6 trips out of the country the past several years, and I've been lucky each time until now. I begged to keep my needles, but the French equivalent of the TSA was very unsympathetic. So I read and watched movies and pouted the whole way home.
Needles have been replaced now, socks finished, shawl on the fifth repeat (almost done, although the rows are getting Loooong!), and I guess all is well. But it still bothers me that needles aren't allowed on flights from Europe to the U.S.
On a brighter knitting note from our trip, I visited the outpost of La Droguerie in Le Bon Marche department store in Paris, and bought absolutely perfect buttons for my February Lady Sweater, which will wait until my Citron is done to be finished. The fantastic yarn, button and notion outpost in this luxe department store was absolutely fabulous!
So now I'm home, really enjoying the Citron, and about to cast on for my next socks--Serendipity, which according to my notes was the first sock of the 2008 Rockin' Sock Club year. This was the last year I participated, so I guess I'm down to five STR skeins once I finish this pair. I do have other sock yarn in my bin, but once I finish the Socks that Rock, I might think about joining another sock club. I do so love knitting socks! The Salish Seas were a lot of fun. My first Cat Bordhi pattern AND my first successful toe-up pair. Judy's Magic Cast-on finally clicked with me, and the arch shaping in this pattern was neat too. The socks fit very well and I see why people are in awe of Cat. I don't know how she thinks of all of these variations!
Kids are still away for a few more days and DH off on a business trip tomorrow--this is my last chance for a summer knitting marathon, and when I'm not at work, this is how I plan to spend my time!!

Big Time Catch-Up!

I can't believe it's been exactly TWO MONTHS since I've last posted. I'm sorry (if there's anyone out there reading!).
Life has been hectic even though it's summer, which usually gives me a bit more time since my kids are away at camp. We completed our kitchen renovation in early July and that was very time-consuming and ate into both knitting and blogging time. We also went on a glorious vacation to France in late July...so here we are.
First, some notes on the trip. I brought three knitting projects with me: a dishcloth (which I never picked up); my Salish Sea Socks (which I almost finished and did finish last night);
and my newly cast on Citron, which I am making in the gorgeous Dream in Color Starry in Black Parade, and which I am going to attempt to bead on the bind-off.
I worked on the Citron on the plane over and during some car and train trips, and worked on the socks at various intervals. I was all set to finish the socks on the plane trip home and make significant progress on the Citron--after all, the trip home was an 8-hour flight, all daytime hours--when BOOM! the dreaded confiscation of the needles that I've read so much about happened to me. We've gone on about 5-6 trips out of the country the past several years, and I've been lucky each time until now. I begged to keep my needles, but the French equivalent of the TSA was very unsympathetic. So I read and watched movies and pouted the whole way home.
Needles have been replaced now, socks finished, shawl on the fifth repeat (almost done, although the rows are getting Loooong!), and I guess all is well. But it still bothers me that needles aren't allowed on flights from Europe to the U.S.
On a brighter knitting note from our trip, I visited the outpost of La Droguerie in Le Bon Marche department store in Paris, and bought absolutely perfect buttons for my February Lady Sweater, which will wait until my Citron is done to be finished. The fantastic yarn, button and notion outpost in this luxe department store was absolutely fabulous!
So now I'm home, really enjoying the Citron, and about to cast on for my next socks--Serendipity, which according to my notes was the first sock of the 2008 Rockin' Sock Club year. This was the last year I participated, so I guess I'm down to five STR skeins once I finish this pair. I do have other sock yarn in my bin, but once I finish the Socks that Rock, I might think about joining another sock club. I do so love knitting socks! The Salish Seas were a lot of fun. My first Cat Bordhi pattern AND my first successful toe-up pair. Judy's Magic Cast-on finally clicked with me, and the arch shaping in this pattern was neat too. The socks fit very well and I see why people are in awe of Cat. I don't know how she thinks of all of these variations!
Kids are still away for a few more days and DH off on a business trip tomorrow--this is my last chance for a summer knitting marathon, and when I'm not at work, this is how I plan to spend my time!!

Lotus Blossom-Challenging, but Lovely!

I finished the Lotus Blossom Tank a couple of nights ago. Just like the Two-Toned Shell that preceded it, this was knit from the bottom up in one piece up to the armhole. This one had a lovely lace pattern (which made me want to knit more lace!) up to the empire waist, so it was even harder to determine fit--how much would this stretch? Would my gauge change much after blocking in the somewhat fiddly KnitPicks CotLin?
Well, I'm hear to tell you that after a neurotic amount of measuring, consulting Ravelry (particularly LicketyKnit, who seems to be the go-to Raveler in terms of having made the most favored changes to this garment), and crossing my fingers, this top fits perfectly!!! It is really beautiful. I'm looking forward to wearing my two new shells as the summer gets under way. For once, my timing is right!
Next up--I think I'll finish my Salish Sea sock #1 and start #2, swatch and cast on for the February Lady Sweater, and wind yarn for the Citron shawl, which I plan on taking on vacation in July. I will also try to get back to my Cable Comfort Throw, which I started over a year ago and abandoned for a long while.

Lotus Blossom-Challenging, but Lovely!

I finished the Lotus Blossom Tank a couple of nights ago. Just like the Two-Toned Shell that preceded it, this was knit from the bottom up in one piece up to the armhole. This one had a lovely lace pattern (which made me want to knit more lace!) up to the empire waist, so it was even harder to determine fit--how much would this stretch? Would my gauge change much after blocking in the somewhat fiddly KnitPicks CotLin?
Well, I'm hear to tell you that after a neurotic amount of measuring, consulting Ravelry (particularly LicketyKnit, who seems to be the go-to Raveler in terms of having made the most favored changes to this garment), and crossing my fingers, this top fits perfectly!!! It is really beautiful. I'm looking forward to wearing my two new shells as the summer gets under way. For once, my timing is right!
Next up--I think I'll finish my Salish Sea sock #1 and start #2, swatch and cast on for the February Lady Sweater, and wind yarn for the Citron shawl, which I plan on taking on vacation in July. I will also try to get back to my Cable Comfort Throw, which I started over a year ago and abandoned for a long while.

Two-Toned Shell

I thought I'd add the latest shots of the Two-Toned Shell as it fits me. And fit perfectly it does! Can't wait to wear it.


Now that I'm into the Lotus Blossom Tank, also knit from the bottom up, I am once again stressing about how it will fit. I think I will relax and enjoy it and if it doesn't fit, I'll rip!

Two-Toned Shell

I thought I'd add the latest shots of the Two-Toned Shell as it fits me. And fit perfectly it does! Can't wait to wear it.


Now that I'm into the Lotus Blossom Tank, also knit from the bottom up, I am once again stressing about how it will fit. I think I will relax and enjoy it and if it doesn't fit, I'll rip!

Lots of Progress!

Finished two projects this weekend while hubby was out of town!
First, my LAST pair of fingerless mitts for one of my daughter's friends. I have now made 10 pair of fingerless mitts for this lovely bunch of new drivers. I hope they all think of me and my wishes for their safety when they continue to wear them next winter.

These last two pairs (for a set of twins) were the Maine Morning Mitts from The Knitter's Book of Yarn, knit from leftover Malabrigo Worsted. I love this stuff! I now have bits left in three colors of Mal worsted, but I know EXACTLY how many yards of each thanks to my nifty new Eat Smart Precision Pro Kitchen Scale! I had been wanting one of these for some time, but when Clara Parkes wrote about hers in Knitter's Review a few weeks ago, I just clicked on the link and ordered it from amazon.com. It is really helpful to know how many yards of yarn I have left for planning stash projects. I know it will also come in handy in dividing sock yarn as I make more toe-up socks. And, I used it today to weigh a letter to determine whether it needed a second stamp (it did).

I also finished the Two-Toned Shell from Vogue Knitting. After much angst about how it would fit, I think (it is blocking as we speak) it will fit perfectly. And, as with most of the cotton projects I've made, it really smoothed out from a nice blocking. Here it is on the blocking board; I hope to be able to try it on later this week.

Next up--I will cast on for the Lotus Blossom Tank from an older issue of Interweave. I'll be using some KnitPicks CotLIn leftover from the sweater my mom knit and I put together for her about a month ago. I swatched tonight and figured out that some of my KnitPicks Options needles were in the wrong sleeves and I had swatched with needles that were too big! I think I have them all straightened out now and will cast on with #5's by tomorrow.

Lots of Progress!

Finished two projects this weekend while hubby was out of town!
First, my LAST pair of fingerless mitts for one of my daughter's friends. I have now made 10 pair of fingerless mitts for this lovely bunch of new drivers. I hope they all think of me and my wishes for their safety when they continue to wear them next winter.

These last two pairs (for a set of twins) were the Maine Morning Mitts from The Knitter's Book of Yarn, knit from leftover Malabrigo Worsted. I love this stuff! I now have bits left in three colors of Mal worsted, but I know EXACTLY how many yards of each thanks to my nifty new Eat Smart Precision Pro Kitchen Scale! I had been wanting one of these for some time, but when Clara Parkes wrote about hers in Knitter's Review a few weeks ago, I just clicked on the link and ordered it from amazon.com. It is really helpful to know how many yards of yarn I have left for planning stash projects. I know it will also come in handy in dividing sock yarn as I make more toe-up socks. And, I used it today to weigh a letter to determine whether it needed a second stamp (it did).

I also finished the Two-Toned Shell from Vogue Knitting. After much angst about how it would fit, I think (it is blocking as we speak) it will fit perfectly. And, as with most of the cotton projects I've made, it really smoothed out from a nice blocking. Here it is on the blocking board; I hope to be able to try it on later this week.

Next up--I will cast on for the Lotus Blossom Tank from an older issue of Interweave. I'll be using some KnitPicks CotLIn leftover from the sweater my mom knit and I put together for her about a month ago. I swatched tonight and figured out that some of my KnitPicks Options needles were in the wrong sleeves and I had swatched with needles that were too big! I think I have them all straightened out now and will cast on with #5's by tomorrow.

A Great New Pattern

As I work diligently on my Two-Toned Shell (about halfway done and so far looking good); my LAST pair of driving mitts for my daughter's friend, and my first pair of toe-up socks (more on those later), I had the opportunity to take a look at a great new pattern from SweaterBabe.com!

The Dramatic Lace Wrap Cardigan will be available for purchase shortly from Sweaterbabe, but she kindly allowed me to take an advance look.
I have made SweaterBabe patterns before (my favorite is the Talia Vest, which appeared on Knitty.com--I liked it so much that I made it twice, onceT for me and once for my daughter) and I can't recommend her careful directions and unique designs enough.

The Dramatic Lace Wrap Cardigan is a top-down design with, as SweaterBabe describes it, "a kimono-like air," featuring 3/4 sleeves, and lacy, drapy front panels that can be wrapped around your waist, "pinned creatively," or left hanging in an elegant drape.
The back also features the big, lacy leafy design.

The pattern features sizing from XS (28-30" Bust) through 3x (52-54"), so your perfect fit should be achievable. As usual, there are also detailed explanations of all stitches featured in the pattern and large, clear charts. The yarn is knit in worsted merino (the sample used KnitPicks Swish Worsted, but the possibilities seem endless here) and can really serve as an all-season piece to layer over anything from a tank to a base layer sweater.

I can't wait to make the Dramatic Lace Leaf Wrap! For more information about this pattern, go to www.SweaterBabe.com. Photos here courtesy of SweaterBabe.

A Great New Pattern

As I work diligently on my Two-Toned Shell (about halfway done and so far looking good); my LAST pair of driving mitts for my daughter's friend, and my first pair of toe-up socks (more on those later), I had the opportunity to take a look at a great new pattern from SweaterBabe.com!

The Dramatic Lace Wrap Cardigan will be available for purchase shortly from Sweaterbabe, but she kindly allowed me to take an advance look.
I have made SweaterBabe patterns before (my favorite is the Talia Vest, which appeared on Knitty.com--I liked it so much that I made it twice, onceT for me and once for my daughter) and I can't recommend her careful directions and unique designs enough.

The Dramatic Lace Wrap Cardigan is a top-down design with, as SweaterBabe describes it, "a kimono-like air," featuring 3/4 sleeves, and lacy, drapy front panels that can be wrapped around your waist, "pinned creatively," or left hanging in an elegant drape.
The back also features the big, lacy leafy design.

The pattern features sizing from XS (28-30" Bust) through 3x (52-54"), so your perfect fit should be achievable. As usual, there are also detailed explanations of all stitches featured in the pattern and large, clear charts. The yarn is knit in worsted merino (the sample used KnitPicks Swish Worsted, but the possibilities seem endless here) and can really serve as an all-season piece to layer over anything from a tank to a base layer sweater.

I can't wait to make the Dramatic Lace Leaf Wrap! For more information about this pattern, go to www.SweaterBabe.com. Photos here courtesy of SweaterBabe.

Just Made It!!!

I had talked about the Harris Tweed Socks I was making for my husband in my last post. Today I was down to the wire...and actually had to break into the "Emergency Skein" that the Rockin' Sock Club sends (or at least used to send when I was a member) with each installment. I have a teeny, tiny bit left. I am SO relieved! I just didn't want to have to order another skein for a few rows, but I wanted the socks to fit him and be symmetrical too.

Now that these are done, I'm going to keep on with my latest driving mitts--the wonderful Bodhi Mitts pattern that I found on Ravelry. Here's a pic of the first one; these are really fun to make but will definitely need a nice blocking.

I just placed a big KnitPicks order with several sizes of 40" circulars--I will now make socks Magic Loop as I've been doing my driving mitts. I've been reading a couple of toe-up books and I'm READY!

More to come.

Just Made It!!!

I had talked about the Harris Tweed Socks I was making for my husband in my last post. Today I was down to the wire...and actually had to break into the "Emergency Skein" that the Rockin' Sock Club sends (or at least used to send when I was a member) with each installment. I have a teeny, tiny bit left. I am SO relieved! I just didn't want to have to order another skein for a few rows, but I wanted the socks to fit him and be symmetrical too.

Now that these are done, I'm going to keep on with my latest driving mitts--the wonderful Bodhi Mitts pattern that I found on Ravelry. Here's a pic of the first one; these are really fun to make but will definitely need a nice blocking.

I just placed a big KnitPicks order with several sizes of 40" circulars--I will now make socks Magic Loop as I've been doing my driving mitts. I've been reading a couple of toe-up books and I'm READY!

More to come.