Swatching, Still

I am not going to win any speed records with this mystery shawl. Not that I was interested in that anyway---and it is sure a good thing!

My Knit Picks Shadow, in Jewel Heather, arrived in good time. I got one skein of it rolled into a ball and was ready to start. Well, after I made a side trip to Joann's and got some smaller size circulars with longer cords. The smaller sized ones that I had were only 16 inches long and I knew that wasn't going to work.

I really hoped my size 4 needles were going to work, as they are the Knit Picks Options and I love them. They are so nice and sharp! I started a swatch with them, and knit several rows---till I made a mistake that I found I could not fix. I had knit enough that I already realized that size 4 wasn't going to work. Too big a needle for the way I knit.

I started over--another day---with the size 3 circular. The difference was almost immediately apparent and I knew this was the right size needle. I also knew, while knitting the first row, that I needed Knit Picks needles, and I think I had ordered them before I had knit 3 rows. I have sort of gotten used to knitting the swatch with the blunter needles, but it is a chore and makes those decreases much more tricky. I did keep working on the swatch, for the experience. I got to "that" row, I don't remember which number---it is the one with the s1k2togpsso. I got to the end of the row, knit the purl row, and found I was two stitches short. I put it away for a day, then tinked back. I do not yet have enough experience to successfully tink back a row of lace with so many decreases in it--especially with this fine a yarn. Especially with dull, blunt needles. I frogged the swatch, and will try it again after the new needles arrive. I should go ahead and use life lines in the swatch, if I ever want to complete it. I am not sure I really care about completing it now? I can successfully knit the required stitches and have found the right needle size, and those were the main reasons for doing a swatch anyway.

I think any further knitting on this project will have to wait till after the wedding.

Secret of the Stole 2

I really needed something else to do, right? Jo mentioned that she had signed up to do this KAL, and it sounded like fun. So, I signed up too! The first part of the directions are up and I am waiting for yarn to arrive.

I had considered using some alpaca cloud that I have, but I saw a scarf that Penny from knitting group is working on, made from alpaca cloud, and it is knitting up fuzzier than the yarn looked like it would knit. So, I will be using Knit Picks Shadow, if it arrives--haha.

I still need to put photos up, I will get to it eventually!

Our knitting group went on what Anne calls a "yarn crawl" on Wednesday. We went to Orlando, to check out a yarn shop, a fabric shop, Joann's and Michaels. We had a good time! We had lunch at a place called Sweet Tomato and I highly recommend it! They have a great selection of fresh foods--they specialize in salads, soups, and pasta. They have a great selection of low fat foods too, so it is a great place to eat healthy.

Well, there will be more later, and I promise I will get photos off the camera and onto the computer so they can be put on the blog!

WIP's

I guess I am getting the new year off to a good start. I ended up the old year by actually finishing both Christmas stockings and getting them in the mail in time for Christine and Michelle to actually use them! I did take photos, they are still on the camera instead of on the computer. That will be remedied soon and I will post pix.

I started a mindless knitting project last year. It is a baby blanket, in pink acrylic, to work on at knitting group. I am doing it in basketweave, and that takes more than enough attention as it is--lol.

I just wound up into a ball a skein of alpaca cloud from Knit Picks. It is going to be a lace scarf when it grows up. It should be really pretty?

I will take pix of everything that hasn't already been photographed and will get them up soon!

Do you think the earth will stop spinning if I start knitting the scarf? (haha)

Knitting Done

Yep, the knitting part of the stockings is complete! I had a great and productive day today---I finished the foot of the stocking, including the toe. I then took a break from that and wove the ends in on Christine's stocking. Later, I got back to Mitch's, and got the heels finished before 10 p.m. As much as I would have liked to have finished up more of it, it will have to wait till tomorrow.

I think I will go ahead and get Christine's blocked first, then weave ends on Mitch's. Then hers can be blocked and as soon as Christine's is dry, I can get it stitched up. I figure it is best to get them on a staggered schedule so I can make progress on one while the other sits. I hope to get them in the mail on Tuesday, will see how it goes!

I was busy today, made fudge and karamel korn. Plus the knitting. It was a good day!

The Stocking Progresses

That is about the gist of it all. I am past Santa's face now, so I can stand to knit longer. It drives me nuts to have too many balls and holders of yarn attached at one time, and they get tangled so quickly, too. I am down to three now--two skeins of red and one of angora. It isn't nearly as bad to deal with. Needless to say, the knitting goes faster too, with not having the change colors as much.

It is definitely time to make hay while the sun shines. I am thankful for air conditioning, as it would be the pits trying to knit this otherwise. As it is, the stocking is getting big enough to create a lot of heat--haha.

Well, I have no other news, so will go....and will hope to have more to report next time!

Yikes!

How did I go a whole year and some days/weeks between posts?

It isn't that I haven't done any knitting at all during that time. I guess things just got to busy, and there were too many other things to do, rather than blogging, taking photos, etc.

But, I am back and I hope to keep up with it all this time!

No pix this time, but.... The knitting is completed on Christine's Christmas stocking. It just has to be blocked and sewn up. Mitchie's stocking is coming along. I got a start on it last year--knitting was completed through the name and year section and a little bit more---while I was trying to find an appropriate pink for Santa's face on Christine's stocking.

Galway has discontinued the green we have been using for the stockings, so Jo kindly checked her local store and found some for both of us. I have ordered the other colors needed for more/future stockings (including one for the soon to be son-in-law), and I have ordered the angora too.

I had forgotten, till I got to the Santa's hat section on Michelle's stocking, just how lovely the angora is to knit with. I might have to think about something else to knit in angora some time....

A Future Spinner, Knitter, Crocheter in the Making

We had a fabulous few days in Texas. Neither Anne nor I took any knitting with us. Anne's desire to knit was not to be denied, and she had yarn and needles in hand long before the end of our time there.

I know our lovely Michelle has already been exposed by her mom, but we got photos of exposure while in Texas. First, a photo of Michelle with her mom's crochet hooks.




Next, a photo of our lovely girl touching knitting needles, in use. That has to rub off harder, right?




We had a close call with spinning, and didn't quite make a photo. Jo did some spinning on her drop spindle, and Michelle showed definite interest. I believe there was a hand put out to touch. The digital camera was not fast enough and the moment was lost. Oh well.

Final fiber related photo, our girl in bodily contact with a KnitPicks catalog. I am sure she is doomed/blessed.




Anne has been busy knitting baby hats, some preemie sized and some more new born sized. Some are knit from some neat yarn she got in Texas, and it is interesting to see how much different the yarn pattern knits up with the different sizes.

I am getting geared up to knit Christmas stockings, which have been denied for much too long. I will get them done!

I truly hope to post more regularly on this blog and to actually have knitting/spinning content to write about. It has been too long.