MK projects

Earlier this month I purchased Silver Reed SK160. It is a mid-gauge single bed manual knitting machine. It does allow me the option of upgrading to electronic allowing me to use Design a Knit program and add a ribber. I'm not quite ready for that, yet. My first lesson was making a shaped hat. Well, the orange one was the first one. Then the green heather, followed by forest green and green heather mix (left overs), and then the gray one. The first three are Knitaly (superwash wool) and the gray one is Patons Classic Merino. They are adult sizes and fit my husband's head very nicely. The forest green/green heather one is going to Iraq with a friend who is being deployed for the third time. It took about hour and a half to knit the first one, then the others took about an hour. It includes seeming. The shaping at the crown is a bit tedious, but works up pretty quick.

I'm excited about knitting a sweater. I have lots of variegated yarn that I want to knit up but seem to be running short on time. Since most variegated yarn doesn't show pattern well, simple stockinette or reverse stockinette stitch would look nicer on a sweater, maybe with a little bit of accent patterning. I just don't have time to knit stockinette. With the baby due in April, I want to get some baby sweaters knit up as well as some simple sweaters for DH and me. I still have way too many socks on needles and even started a reversible cable scarf. I have to finish up some lace works as well. I enjoy the complex lace, cables, and other texture patterning with hand knitting. Although I have many stockinette socks, I find it very boring and tedious to knit stockinette sweater. I have a couple of garter stitch projects that are waiting to be finished. Same thing. Boring. This is why it took me 5 yrs to finish the Einstein sweater. Bah!

I'm still here...and FO, too

There comes a time when the desire to knit dips very low and then it comes up again. I've finally finished my Einstein Coat (Sally Melville pattern). I started this coat in April 2003. I had completed the sleeves last year and finally seamed them and finished the collar today.
I used Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky in Sable. I knit the "medium" size. I had to up the needle sizes to get gauge. Since there was a long gap between knitting sessions, the cast on and the cast off were of slightly different gauge. Otherwise, it fits fine. It'll get me through this winter in Peoria and my growing belly should be quite warm. I guess the final motivation to finish this coat was that I didn't want to invest in maternity coats for the winter. I am ordering a warmer coat, but this should get me through the bulk of the winter here as it doesn't get too cold (compared to Maine).

I finished a pair of socks and am working on the second of another pair. I'll get pics up later.

I'm in the doghouse...

This showed up in my office today. It's our wedding anniversary...12 years...and I plum forgot until this came. I've been writing the date ALL morning long. DH asked maybe we go out to dinner tonight and I even suggested including a movie. Sometimes, I'm really thick in the head. I love you hunny bunny!

finally more knitting

This is what arrived late February. Someday soon, I will knit it. The packaging was beautiful. There were chocolates involved!! The pattern is very detailed. I don't know where I found out about this but I was doing my usual blog browsing and next thing I know, I'm placing an order. I'm so weak.


I did get back to a stole I started last summer. Faux Russian Stole from a GOL.
I am using Opal Uni-solid in brown. I bought locally. It is working out very nicely. I purchased Addi lace needles for this and it is very nice. Since then, I obtained Knit Picks' Harmony. Those are nice, too, and more affordable (I have many, many circulars...). I hope to finish this this year. I'm not so sure about Frost Flowers and Leaves. The Shetland Tea Shawl should be getting some attention as I only have the edging to do, but...I get entranced in the rhythm of the FRS. I am at 2.5 repeats. I intend on following the recipe and complete 5.5 repeats. In the meantime, I still work on socks to pass the time in between cases.

Is it Spring already?

I didn't even start the Spring Shawl Surprise KAL. It looks nice; I'll probably knit it someday.
I did join another knit along. (ETA: I have left the group...I have no time for what is happening there.)


In the meantime, blocked the baby shawl/blanket that took a year to knit. It's for my niece. She is now 14 months old and thinks it is very "oooooo". That's how she describes something she thinks is soft and nice. I knit the center garter stitch in diagonal with the letter "B" for the last name in eyelet. The borders were picked up and knit in the round with several rows of eyelet and then simple 4x4 feather and fan variety; then the edging was knitted on. The corners of the edging were short-rowed to accommodate the turn. I made up the pattern using various resources.


You can see some of the details here. I used Baby Ull, in white (natural?), about 6 balls, 5mm Knit Picks Harmony (luv it!!!). I think it measures around 54 inches across.




I started and finished a top down raglan sweater for my niece. I used Lorna's Laces Worsted in "child's play" (rainbow colored). The pattern is from LA books. I had knit several of these in the past for friends' children. This was the first in variegated yarn.

I also started and completed socks and cowl (neckerchief) for my friend in Brookfield. She spun the merino/tencel that I used for the cowl. It was very smooth knitting. The socks were knit with Canada Classic Sox. It will keep her feet warm when she goes fly fishing or ice fishing. Maybe she'll send me pics.

I'm hoping to get back to some of my unfinished items (frost flowers and leaves, shetland tea shawl - which only has the edging to do, faux Russian stole, large rectangle shawl from Victorian Lace Today, several pairs of socks, Taos diagonal sweater). I keep wanting to start another lace project, though.

a lemming, I am.

I did it! I joined another knitalong. THIS time, I will complete the shawl!!!! I just have to find the right yarn. I already have a cone of Zephyr in Jade, but I'm looking for other options. Clue #3 has been revealed. There will be 12 clues.

where did the time go?

Yes, it's been a while. I had finished some projects, and I have started several more. I will have to take some photos to show you. I finished Lola socks (two socks on two circs toe up) and I finished a pair using Meilenweit in bluish green colors (possibly colortweed). I also knit up a scarf using Misti Alcapa bulky while at a meeting in Chicago. My shawls are at a standstill. I have just the edging to do on Shetland Tea Shawl. I promise to get pics up soon!!!!

P.S. The swan is no longer. I did not have the enthusiasm that I did starting it....so, it has been ripped. I am considering several other potential lace projects for this yarn. It is a purdy pink.

Pink

So I finished the first clue for mystery stole 3. It was a little cumbersome with the tiny crochet hook and the beads, but I'm getting the hang of it.

Here is a look at the product:




A closer look:
It is very sunny out today. Nice breeze, not too humid. I can have many days like this. It is expected to get warm and humid in the next few days. I'm liking this pink. The beads are nice, too. I can't wait for the next clue.

Pink

So I finished the first clue for mystery stole 3. It was a little cumbersome with the tiny crochet hook and the beads, but I'm getting the hang of it.

Here is a look at the product:

It is very sunny out today. Nice breeze, not too humid. I can have many days like this. It is expected to get warm and humid in the next few days.

me too!!!

It didn't take much to convince me to join MS3 (mystery stole 3) on the Yahoo Groups. Just a visit to Ellen's blog was all I needed to get me to sign up. I'd participated in mystery knit-a-longs before. I've made a triangle shawl and a square shawl through those groups. They've been given away, but I think I may have the photos somewhere. The square shawl was mentioned in a previous post.

I wonder what this stole will be. I chose to knit is in very light pink (color 831 from Skacel Merino Lace) with pink 8/0 beads. I'm using 2.75mm needles.I could go to 3.5mm, but I think the stitch definition is better with 2.75mm. I'll have pictures later. I'm just getting started with the first clue. I don't know if I will end up with a scarf or a stole, but I really don't care. I enjoy the mystery and the act of knitting too much to let the size of the end product be an issue. I just hope I have enough yarn. :)

A New Place

Well, since the last post I have moved to a new home in a different state. I'm back in the Mid-West to be closer to my folks and the in-laws, not to mention my new niece. I'm close enough to get to them in an emergency, but not so close that they are living in my house. You all know how that goes.

Knitting should continue, but the weather here is quite a bit different. I left Maine around the same time juju did; we left some awesome knitters at our LYSs. I hope to find folks here to knit with, but I think my schedule will be quite different than before. I did do some stash enhancement before leaving town. Once all the yarn and paraphernalia were packed, I needed something to see and touch. I invested in some cashmere lace, sock yarn, etc.

More to come later.

Patriot's Day "Hurricane"

This year's Patriot's Day was supposed to be a nice day off for me. But, NOOOOO! We had a Nor'Easter!!!!!!!

This makes my property look like water front, doesn't it? This is during the time when the winds had slowed abit to around 35mph gusts. The horizontal rain was rather scary and the noise that went with the winds....

More knitting content soon.

April Snow brings May Mud!

WHAT!?!?! It should be warm and showery, not snowy. No knitting content today. Just this lovely view from my kitchen as the sun sets. It has now become sleet.

Just in Time

I got this neck warmer finished in time for Pete to wear before the ski season ends. I used GGH wollywasch in navy and light blue...the Maine Black Bears colors. It is a basic k2p2 ribbing, size 3.5mm Aero circulars.

It looks like he'll keep his neck and chin warm while whooshing down the slopes of Sugarloaf.

(By the way, Maine Black Bears are going to the Frozen Four. I'm not a hockey fan, but the regional semifinals and finals were exciting. Go, Black Bears!)

Also, the socks and the mitts from a few posts ago went to Pete's wife, Allison. They fit her perfectly. I like it when people fit into my knitted items. :)

Snow storm...last week

Well, we had a loverly snow storm on Valentine's Day. I have pictures to show you.


This is what I drove through to get back home from work. Yes, I was going slow enough to dig out my camera from my bag.

This was about a mile away from my home. I couldn't tell where the road was.

I'll have knitting stuff next time. Aren't you surprised that I have two posts
this month already?

Happy New Year!!!

From Little bit of...

This is my "little" niece, born 15 January 2007. I knit her the Baby surprise jacket in Lorna's Laces Tuscany. I had enough left over for accessories. She was 8#7. Two of the newborn hats I knit her were too big. I'm going to revise so that she'll be able to wear them at least for the next few months. As Dominique was born before the Chinese New Year, she will NOT be a PIG. She will be a DOG! I don't think she cares very much about that.

From Little bit of...

New Year, new FOs

I did start the new year off with several quick projects.
On New Year's Eve day, I was at Ellen's for the Football Widow's knitting Club. Melissa (of Loose Ends Farm, Brunswick, ME) walks in with her usual one or two skeins of hand dyed, hand spun loverly yarn. It is customary for the "football widows" to each handle, sniff, rub, pet the yarn and pass it around. Occasionally, one of the skeins will not make it all the way around the circle of friends. Well, when this one came in, it was tossed to me (I caught the pass) and it came home with me. The colorway is Flames. Ellen has a more flashy version of Flame, but this was just orange enough to grab my attention. I usually have to stew about yarn before buying, but I could not let this go. Well, when I got home, I HAD to wind it into a ball and get started. I looked around the house for just the tight pattern. I found it in Cat Bordhi's Treasury of Magical Knitting. It is the Lotus Blossom. It has patterning that allows one to wear either side and it looks great. I used a little over 50% of the 5.1oz. skein. I did not have enough for a second hat, so I knit up a mistake rib scarf. Just the right amount of yarn. The photo is rather pathetic, but there you have it.

I started the hat when I got home from Purl Diva, while watching the Packers beat the Bears, then on New years Day, watching the Rose Bowl, I finished the hat and knit the scarf. It was the fastest I've knit in a long time.

I then followed the crowd and knit the Misti Alpaca Chunky scarf. You know, the one with the ruffles at the ends? It's a free pattern from the yarn company. It's easy to do.

I've been working on a sweater for the last two months. The end is near. I've finished all the "parts" and I have to put it together. I seamed the shoulders and I am working on the collar now. I'll have pics soon. It's mohair. It's very pretty. It will be extremely warm, but very light weight.

In the mean time, I've cast on two more socks, one lace project, started a baby blanket, ordered and received the "Wedding Ring Shawl" pattern from Sharon Miller. It is no longer available. I think my copy is n.476/500. I also need to finish the edging on Shetland Tea Shawl, get back to the Frost Flowers and Leaves, finish baby sweater for my sister's newborn who is due to arrive this month, finish baby blanket for said baby. I truly do not have time to start any more projects!!! What do I do with the newly wound cakes of Merino Oro, on in navy and one in white??? OK, I gave in. I started the Print O' the Wave stole with the navy .

catch-up time

Well...all my hopes of being a better blogger is slowly fading. It is already half way through the month of January and this is my first post. Blechh!

Well, I do have FOs to show you. On the left is a pair of Trekking socks that I finished early December. They are leaving me to be gifted.

I used 2.25mm needles, toe up with short-row toes and heels. The cuff is 2x2 ribbing. I cast off using knit two then knit them together. It is one of the most elastic cast off I've tried.

This is a one skein scarf using the lace pattern provided by the label. It is Portrait Mohair. I knit this as a shop model for Purl Diva.
The mittems are make from yarn by End of the World farms, located in Maine. These are 100%wool hand handpainted. I thought they were a bit too scratchy for my feet, but sturdy for mitts.

The background quilt was made by my MIL. She found a magazine with patterns from Korea, so she designed her own version of it. It is very pretty AND I am allowed to use it. :)

This hat is a "Prime Rib" hat knit using Elizabeth Wimmerman's recommendations in "Knitting without Tears". This is hat no.2. Hat no. 1 is mine and the picture of it can be seen here. They are both knit with Sheep Shop Yarn's Sheep 2 and size 11 needles. I did mine in the greenish colorway, knit flat. This turquoise coloway is knit in the round. It was not as difficult as I thought it would be knitting brioche ribbing in the round.
This one has been gifted.


Finally, but not the least: I have photos of the Mystery Shawl 3 that I finished a while ago, but did not have the time to block. It has been sent away as a gift, as well. She wrote that she'll wear it for Christmas. I think she likes it. It is Zephyr, Jade, size 3.75mm KA circular, pattern here from Bo Peep's Wool Shop. It was originally a mystery shawl knit with a Yahoo! group.

Well, that's it for 2006.

There are other item that did not get finished, but that's another story .

ooops!

For those who have left comments in the past: I am so sorry that you did not get posted. I JUST learned how to let comments to post and to get notified. I'll be a better blogger in 2007.

Finally...

I finished something.

I knit up a garter stitch scarf out of Rio de la Plata hand spun, kettle dyed yarn. One skein pink carnation (A21) and one skein begonia pink (A50). Remember the movie Steel Magnolias? ... pink and blush.. anyways, this scarf will be donated to the American Cancer Society. They will be able to use it for fundraising. It is supersoft and currently, taking a well-deserved soak in Eucalan. Part of the scarf was knit while I participated in the Making Strides Walk sponsored by American Cancer Society.



This Flower Basket Shawl went to a young lady on her Bat Mizvah in August. It is knit with Schaefer "Anne", one skein.



I just finished my second Flower Basket Shawl. It (seen above) doesn't have an owner, yet. I used one skein of Cherry Tree Hill Silken Mohair. It is a shop model at Purl Diva. A single skein produced a blocked shawl measuring 66" across and 32" deep. I used size 10 needles.

The shawl formerly know as Mystery Shawl 3 is blocked and waiting to be photographed. It will be a gift.

I knit a second Baby Surprise Jacket with Lorna's Laces sport in Happy Valley. It was given to my friend, Kim, who just had a little girl. I cast on another one, which will be for my sister's baby who is due to arrive in mid- to late-January.

I promise more pics on the next post. In the mean time:

Late September on a beach in Cape Elizabeth, Maine