Robin Blue Shawl

It has been over 6 months since I last posted but I haven't been idle. In fact I've done a ton of knitting, but then I looked at the list I made in January of all my works in progress, wow, I have a lot of work to do.

Any way here is one of my very proud accomplishments, Robin's Blue Shawl

Pattern: Star of Evening Triangle Shawl/Scarf by Anne Hanson
Yarn: I skein of Tanis Fiber Arts Pink Label Lace Weight in Peacock
Needles: 3.25 mm and 2.75 mm
Started: September 1st, 2009

Finished: June 21st, 2o1o

This is a relatively easy shawl to knit, though it can be deceiving in the beginning. The pattern is made up of 24 rows and begins in the corner, once you have around the first 9 stitches you keep repeating the 24 rows until the entire shawl is the size you wish. Then instead of a simple cast off, there is an eight row pattern to create triangles along the top edge. To keep track of where I was in the pattern, I wrote the pattern onto 12 index cards. Each card had the knit side and corresponding purl side. I also used stitch markers to note each 9 stitch cluster, this way I could immediately see if I'd missed a stitch or dropped a yarn over. I think I only made 1 error in the entire shawl.

I loved knitting this shawl.

I made this for my co-worker Robin who is finished her secondment to our consultant position and is off to even greater work helping teachers to refine their teaching. Robin has been so much more than a co-worker, she's been a sounding board, cheerleader, mother/sister/best friend all rolled into a petite little red headed body. Robin cried when I gave her the shawl, what more could you ask for in response.

Emergency Hat Knitting

I had my weekend knitting planned.

A little bit on my sisters garter stitch vest in Marble Chunky (I love this stuff),

a lot more of the Baby Surprise Jacket for my very wonderful very pregnant friend's third baby due to arrive in the next two weeks,

the heel of my second sock of my New Year's Eve cast on socks,

another swatch of my Grotto Wrap in Noro Sekku to see if I can make it work (who knew Sekku is cobweb, I thought it was just a normal lace weight),

and the second half of my Block-A-Month afghan block.

But no, I won't be working on any of these worth while projects. Instead I have emergency hat knitting to do.

When I picked up my sister this evening she did not have her hand knit ribbed hat in Marble Chunky Sand. No, instead she was wearing this monstrosity in fuchsia. Who puts a fuchsia hat on the head of a woman in a burgundy coat????? And what woman in her prime of life wants to be seen in public wearing this hat I ask you????

So, before I bring my sister back toher group home tomorrow evening I must knit her a new hat. Luckily I bought a new ball of Marble Chunky in Sand when I was at my LYS yesterday. It is suppose to be used to finish my sister's Granny Square Afghan, but you use what you have in an emergency.

Luckily, if I don't finish in time, I can send her back into the cruel world with Papa Bear hat that I made using Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitting Workshop instructions. Whew!

JB's Finished Afghan

My second finished object for 2010.

Pattern: Knitted Afghan by Rosemary Drysdale
From Knit Simple Magazine: Holiday 2008
Yarn: 5 balls of James C Brett Marble Chunky, 13 Misty Brown
Needles: 8.00 mm
Started: December 7th, 2008
Finished: January 11th, 2010

Can you see me behind the afghan? I'm standing with my toes on one edge and I'm holding the other end and stretching up on my toes. It is XX large.

First FO for 2010

Here is my first finished object for 2010. I started it on Wednesday, and finished knitting it this morning. I'm blocking it now and need to sew two buttons on it when it's dry.

Pattern: Duet by Linda Wilgus from Knitty: Winter 2009
Yarn: 2 balls of Fable handknit Pure Baby Alpaca (2 stands)
Needles: 5mm
Started: Wednesday, January 6th, 2010
Finished: Saturday, January 9th, 2010

I love the feel of alpaca. I need to find a hat pattern to use up the other 2 balls of yarn I have in my stash. This is all the yarn I had left over from the two balls I used for this project.

Oh Marie, did you notice I borrowed your system for writing the important information. I follow the master.

Tweed Shoulder Bag

Yesterday I cast on, and cast on, and cast on, and cast on, and finally (for now) cast on the final project I have for this Christmas. The project is from Debbie Bliss' Fall Winter Magazine

I have to admit, there are a lot of projects in this issue that caught my eye. But the Tweed Shoulder Bag is one that I'm going to try and get finished for the 18th of the month.

I've chosen Bliss' Donegal Chunky Tweed, the recommended yarn, in the denim colourway. The gifty has demonstrated an interest in denim coloured bags recently, so...

I chose to make two tweed bags for my friends gifts this year. Now, I didn't realized I'd chosen tweed as the yarn for both until I was in Romni purchasing the yarn.

The first bag I made, the Folded Tweed Bag was very straightforward and simple. This Tweed Shoulder bag, as you might have noticed from the fact I had to cast on 5 times, is not as simple and straightforward. There are 3 patterns within the front and back panels. It will be interesting to see how this goes along. I'd never make comments on the personalities of the giftys, but I am wondering if I chose pattern that suit their personalities. LOL

Organizing and Updating

I've been trying to organize my knitting projects, needles and stash. As a part of this project I'm also trying to up date my stuff on Ravelry. One reason is I love Addi circular knitting needles. I've heard they are reusable and that I don't have to have a new pair for each project, but I don't know what I own so I sort of keep buying them.

Check out my beautiful organizing system. These are just a few of my bins. We have a problem in our basement with periodic flooding incidents during the summer. We've had 3 floods in the past 5 years. Because of the possibility of water in the basement we try to keep everything off the floor and in plastic bins. I've found that shoe boxes work really well for my knitting projects.

The flood in the summer of 2005 brought raw sewage with the rainwater into the basement. Out went my stash and all my needles. It sort of gave me a fresh start and an excuse for overindulgence. But come on already.

I think at this point I have 2 sweaters, 3 summer tops, 2 scarfs, 1 pair of fingerless mittens, 2 shawls, 2 bags, 2 baby blankets, 2 afghans, and a cowl in various stages of process. Oh my gawd, I've just realized that I have ADHKD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Knitting Disorder)

Some, like this top are hibernating because I goofed some how and I don't have the heart to frog the entire left side. I must have changed the gauge because the left front is less than 1/2 the width it should be.
This beautiful Angel Shawl has an error as the stitches are out. Both these projects will take some concentrated time to figure out what's up and what's to be done next. I might even need professional help.

On the other hand, this top is perfect at the moment. I just need time to figure out what to do next. The point I'm at now is written with some of the instructions already given and some new instructions. I have to go back and figure out how far along I'm with the first set of instructions and then and the new instructions. Confused? Well, so am I.
The instructions for the center decreases were set much earlier. I need to decrease for the shoulder now, but continue decreasing for the center. I'll figure it out one day, again when I have a working brain.

At the moment I'm working on 3 projects. The Tweed Folded Bag that is giving me conniptions with the garter stitch border. Have I ever mentioned I hate picking up stitches or counting over 100. This project involves both picking up stitches and counting to 400 or so. Argh!

In addition I'm finishing the second of these Drops Alpaca fingerless mittens. Good thing the weather's been so mild as I've not needed them yet. These are my purse knitting as I carry them around in my purse.

And I'm working on this cowl. It is the Hobnail Wrap designed by Penny Ollman and shown in the Fall 2009 issue of Knitter's Magazine. I was actually 5 rows from finishing when I discovered I had 4 extra stitches and the bobbles didn't match up. So I frogged it and now I'm on the second row of bobbles. Only 8 more rows of bobbles to go.

The bag, and cowl are Christmas presents. I also want to make another bag. They all have to be finished by the 18th of December. I better get at it.

I'm not allowed to purchase anymore yarn or start any more projects but, the last time I was in Mary's Yarn store in Unionville I saw the most beautiful silk yarn. It was a variegated purple/silver colourway and only $35 a skein. Hmmmm, if I sort my projects and finish some, maybe I can buy some for my Christmas present to myself. Don't you think?

Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitting Workshop

During the summer, I picked up a copy of Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitting Workshop. Two weeks ago I really began reading and knitting along with the book. I'm loving it. Her instructions are so straight forward and easy to understand. I definitely will be picking up her other books and her daughter's books in the coming months.

By the way, November 30th will mark the 10 year of EZ's passing.

The book begins with instructions that include cast on, knit, purl, increase and gauge. I couldn't believe that after all the years I've been knitting that I could learn so much about the basics. I've changed the way I cast on and increase.

The hardest step to follow from EZ's book is the instructions on determining gauge.

DON'T test it on a 2 inch square, but on a decent-sized cap. Why do you suppose I'm having you make a cap?
TAKE IT off its needle, lay it out flat, dab at it with a steam-iron, perhaps, and place two pins in it EXACTLY 4 inches apart horizontally.

Taking knitting off needles and measuring was the hardest thing I have ever done. It makes the most sense, but I still don't trust my skills in being able to get the stitches back onto the needle. I'd have to frog it and start from the again.

Now I am dyslexic, so I frequently misread instructions, so somewhere along the line I missed the hat measurements, and the first attempt was a little long.



I left too much space between the ribbing and the beginning of the colour work. The other mistake was in not reading the "Important Note" on page 30 that stated that the decrease as stated on page 29 would make the cap "come to something of a point". Well, as you can see it did. So my first attempt at the hat was TOO BIG

I decided to try another hat, but this time with more colour work.



I've been afraid to try the two hand throwing of the wool. With EZ's instructions, the continental knitting method was so simple. I looked at the picture on page 29 of the beautiful colour work of the crown of the hat, I decided to try that for myself.


Unfortunately, I became a little tight in my tension and the hat ended up being TOO SMALL.
So, of course I had to try it again. This time I switched the main colour to the darker of the two. This time it was JUST PERFECT.



Now I have three hats. I think of them as my 3 Bear Hats, one was too big, one too small and one just right.



I made all three with Ecological Wool by Cascade Yarns of Undyed Peruvian Highland Wool. I bought the wool at Mary's Yarns in Unionville, my favourite yarn store.