Back home

Left last Thrusday and got back this evening, Thrusday, the 30th.  Don't know how many miles I put on the car, but it was enough to last me quite a while!

Forgot to take the Baby Alpaca Vest for Melissa.  Oh well.

Going to bed!

Ramblings

I've decided to give the shawl/vest wrap that I made, with the Baby Alpaca Grande Paint by Plymouth Yarn, to my DIL to be.  The project I had with me Saturday.  I don't like the way it looks on me.  If it doesn't fit her it will fit her mom.

Last night I spent quite a bit of time figuring out the pattern for the head band/scarf we saw while at Knitting in Meadville.  Finally got it all figured out and began writing it up on Word.  Got tired and went to bed.   This morning I went on Ravelry and there is wonderful Radka's post linking to several similar headbands/scarves! 

Decided that I will leave for David's place on Thursday, not Friday.  That will give me one day of rest before we have to head up to Palmyra.  I called David to inform him that I will be there Thursday night, but all I got was his voice mail.  Left a message.

I need to stop  by the Post Office tomorrow to have them hold my mail while I'm gone.  I have a feeling the order of wheels of Unspun Icelandic won't be here by Wednesday.

New Projects

I must be nuts. 

1.  Bought yarn to make the Amazing Zombie Hat.
2.  Ordered Icelandic unspun from Schoolhouse Press to make:
     A.  Hat, "The Roses" from:  http://www.fiberrepublic.com/the-roses   I will be making changes, color, etc.
     B.  Natural Comfort Felt Slippers from http://www.fibertrends.com/
     C.  Double Knit Mits, but I am going to make them larger and felt  .From:   http://fog.org/~douglask/dmitten.html    
 3.  Headband/Scarf, duplicate item a gal was wearing at The Bank today.  I'll use the left over yarn from the vest/shrug, which I did finish seaming last night.

Yes, I must be nuts.  I have the ivory vest to finish and 2 pair of socks yet to be kitchnered.  Also have a pair of socks on needles, but they don't count, as they are my take along project. I'm working on the Herbert Neiblings Frosted Fern/ Oak & Acorn, first charting and then knitting.  I have my fair isle jacket calling me.
None of these include the "I want to knit" items, which I will NOT list.  (Only because I can't remember all of them!)

I am going to try and get the vest finished tomorrow, along with the 2 pair of socks that need to be kitchnered.  That will get the "guilt elf" off my back and I can get on with knitting for ME!!!

I really need to quit buying yarn!  I'm running out of room for all of it and for heavens sake, where am I going to put 11 wheels of unspun!

Charts and Lace Knitting

Absolutely!  A must have!  Finally broke down and did a written row by row for round 41.  I was making mistakes and having to tink.  Then realized I could make much better time with a chart, so, after struggling with 2 repeats in round 43 AND some dropped stitches . . . . I charted rounds 43, 45 and 47.  Time to start putting in safety/life lines!  I'll put the lines in the straight knit rounds.  All even rounds are basically just knit except when you have a double YO.   Now I have to get up, out of my chair, and go to the printer to get my chart! 

Thank heavens for Stitch & Motif Maker, although I have graph paper that I charted on in the late 70's.  I still have my first knitting graph for an Aran sweater pattern and my symbols still make sence!  My first graph was for a croched, I think, edging, Royal something or other, that had an error in the written pattern.  The only way to figure it out was to graph it.  I stll have the book with that pattern, but not the graph.  I think I made a note in the book, I'm not sure.  I still use graph paper for ideas and notes.  I had never seen a graph before I made mine, so mine read just like the pattern,   I started at the top and worked down the page, instead of the way we do it now.

It is amazing how much we all learn, through the years.  My knitting has improved as a result and believe me, I check my knitting much closer than I used to.  One thing I haven't changed is that I am not afraid to try something new.  That I can attribute directly to Elizabeth Zimmerman.  I learned a lot from her and her books.  I will be forever grateful to that wonderful woman..

Off the Knitting Topic - GRRRRRR

I am not a happy camper.  Mad at National Fuel's inept accounting practices.   Wouldn't you think that if you didn't owe them any money they wouldn't debit your checking account?  Oh heavens no!  Lets get the money twice.  Sent them an e-mail (they are lucky I just found out today, Sunday) telling them to credit my account back for their error!  Of course they are going to tell me tough sh**!     GRRRR

Went on line to see if I could find  picture of Herbert Nebling's Frosted Fern, since I am knitting it!  Wow, it is pretty.  A lot bigger than I expected, but I should have known that, judging by the amont of crochet cotton it requires!  Then there are the 8 pages of written instructions and I'm just finishing page 2!  I have found that I really prefer the charts now.  One glance at a chart and you know what is expected, can see the design, etc.  Don't know that I want to chart it out now, maybe I'll think about giving it a bit of a try.

Time Zone

I just noticed that the "time posted" on my last post is according to the Pacific Time Zone.  Gee, I wish it was that early!  It's now 9:39 PM here.

Started a Neibling

After spending many hours, over the last few months, totally frustrated with a knitted circular cast on I finally "Did it My Way".  

Using that skinny crochet cotton on tiny needles I was really frustrated.  Just could not get 2 rounds that were not screwed up.  Tried so many different cast ons and nothing was working.  Finally, this afternoon, I decided to try a combinantion of techniques, one of which has absolutely nothing to do with casting on.  IT WORKED!  First time!  Easy as pie.  I'm so happy, happy!  I actually kept knitting and just finished round 17 of Frosted Ferns!  Now I do have to admit th my size 12 crochet cotton is not as fine as I would have prefered, but it was the smallest I could find, in the area.  Also, although I do have size 0000 needles that are metal, I decided to try this one with my bamboo 0's.  When I have enough stitches on the needles I will switch to my size 0, 16" circular nickel plated Knit Picks needles. 

Next time I will have a finer crochet cotton and start with my size 0000 metal dp's. 

Feeling guilty that I'm not finishing knitted Christmas presents!

Running out of

Get up and go.  My get up and go never got out of bed today!  Snowing and blowing.  The great neighbor did his snow blow thing on my sidewalk and I knew I needed to get out and do my daily run to the VFW and Am. Legion to sign up.  Also need a gallon of milk.  Oh well. So I called Bertie, since she signs up every day, also.  Asked her for a ride and she came and got me and we both got signed up.  Forgot about the milk, but tomorrow is another day.  Just had no energy today. 

I've got 3 rows and bind off to go to finish the knitting on the vest/shrug, then it is time to weave in a few tails and seam the sides.

Made chicken noodle soup for dinner, wasn't bad with celery and carrots added.  Enough left for tomorrow lunch or dinner. 

Once I retired I found that I lost my "schedule".  As a widow I can knit as much as I want, nap as much as I want and stay up as long as I want.  Now I have multiple projects on needles and many that only need finishing touches.  Contented?  You bet!  Lots of yarn, needles and goodies.  Retirement is grrreat!

Only 32 more rows and the vest/shrug will be ready to seam!  Then it is back to the ivory vest to do the ribbing on the arm holes and neck.  Need to get that done along with kitchnering the 2 pair of socks for Sharon  and getting them in the mail!  Then, who knows.  Is it back to the fair isle jacket for me? 

Happy Day!

Finally, after a full year of checking out new TVs I finally found one!  It will be delivered Friday and they will remove my very old one.  The owner of the store gave me an additional $50.00 off the sales price AFTER I said I was going to buy it!  So, what to do with the extra money?  He, he, he.  I just ordered Knitted Lace Designs by Herbert Neibling!  I've wanted this book ever since I heard it was going to be published!  YES!!

Late night knitting

I have spent the last 2 nights knitting till the wee hours.  The vest/shrug, or what ever I call it, is now 1/2 done and I have used almost 3 skeins.  The pattern called for 7 skeins and it looks as if I will have a full skein left.  I'm getting just over 3,000 stitches per skein, so maybe I'll consider some fingerless gloves or a hat to match.  I'll have to do some calculating and a swatch for a tighter fabric, if I do gloves.  If I do a hat it will be in the same pattern as the vest/shrug and the stitch count will be easy to calculate.

Ivory colored vest project

Decided to do the bind off on the vest, for the 2nd time, today.  The first time I bound off, seamed and knitted the left armhole rib.  It was way to deep.  So I had to frog back quite a way, besides taking out the shoulder seams and related burried ends.  Now the bind offs are re-done and the shoulder seams re-done.  Now I tried it on and it is perfect.  I enlarged the neck opening, as Sharon wanted it a little larger.  Now to rib the armholes and neck opening.  Picking up the stitches is the only part that will take awhile.  This vest is one I designed, using Sweater Wizard.  I had already done 2 using this pattern but using a different lace design.  The first 2 were identical, except for the color.  One for me and one for Sharon in Idaho.  She told m how elegant the vest would be, done in white!  Meaning, make me a white one!  This lace design stretches lengthwise more than the first one, that is why I had the sizing problem in the armhole area.  The lace pattern, Harebell Lace, is from Barbara Walker's Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns.  For the first 2 vests I used a lace pattern  from that book also, but I tweeked it a bit.  That is the beauty of having books with stitch patterns as you can always change the patterns a bit to suit your own need.

Did a few more rows on the orange/pink/rose varigated Plymouth yarn vest/shrug.  Just enought to finish ball #1.  It should take 7 balls, so I need to work on it a bit each day.  Looks better without the eyelash yarn.  It is on size 7 needles and they are a bit hard on my hands, that is why I'm not making fast progress on it.

My take-along project hasn't been getting any attention this last week.  I am using Baby Star, 100% Merino Linea Baby, white with size 0 dp's.   I haven't decided it this project will be socks, mittens or fingerless gloves, so I did a knitted cast on of 64 sts and am doing a k2, p2 rib for about 1 1/2" or 2".  If I haven't decided what this project will be, by the time I get the 1st one to the rib length I want, I will just grab ball #2 and start on the 2nd one.  I do have more than one set of size 0 dp's.

When Richard, my husband, was alive I would knit in the afternoons.  Now I have become an evening knitter.  Actually, the light reflecting on the screen would bother him when watching TV in the evenings, so I adjusted my knitting time to afternoons.  Now I watch TV and knit but I have the TV set up so that the light doesn't glare on the screen.  This only presents one problem, getting involved in a show!  I find  myself leaning forward, entirely focused on the show, with knitting on pause.

29* with a light wind, just after 10:00 p.m..  Saw a few snow flakes when filling the gas tank tonight.  $48.97!!  Ouch!

Software 4 Knitting is fantastic

Otherwise known as Knitting Softwear/Sweater Wizard, etc, etc

Opened my e-mail and there was an e-mail from Leah Wulster of Knitting Softwear Inc.!!!!  She had attached another copy of the Interactive Sleeve Wizard for me to re-download, if I hadn't found the one I purchased and downloaded on 11/1/10. 

NO, I had not sent them an e-mail.  I had called them and left a voice mail.  Yes, I did leave my name, City and State.  Leah had taken the time to dig through their records and find the sale record.  I did not ask them to do that, I'd just told them I was having problems finding where I saved it!  I had said the I would get back to them, during office hours, if I coldn't find it.  I just figured I'd wait until after Thanksgiving and call next week!

Wouldn't it be wonderful if all companies were as reputable and great to work with.

Thinking about my standard techniques

The cast on I prefer is the knitted cast on.  I started using it exclusively for my socks and gradually started using it for almost all of my knitting.  Using the knitted cast on is safe.  You don't have to worry about that tail being long enough for you long tail cast on.  When I decided to do the current vest/cape, I did a bit of research on cast ons.  Darn it, I thought, looks like the best cast on for this project is the long tail cast on.  OK, I figure I need a minimum of 3 finger tips to nose lengths, so I use 4 lengths.  How much yarn, after a cast on of 160 stitches, do I have left?  Would you believe an inch and 1/2.  I think my future will include knitted cast ons for all my basic knitting.  We all have our preferences, and this is one of mine.

I don't remember learning to knit.  Everything that I have, that I knit, only dates back to 1977.  There was one black and gold wool fair isle sweater that I never finished.  It was started for my one and only brother as a ski sweater.  Bear Brand Yarn.  When I finally got back to it the pattern was long gone and I set it aside again.  Finally, in 2009 I frogged it and used the yarn for worsted weight heavy socks for myself.  I must have started that sweater in the 1950's.   I knit in a modified Continental style which makes me think I must have crocheted first.  Since I know I learned to sew in high school, I know I didn't learn there.  When I look back at the various craft books I have I have to assume that I am totally self taught.  I've always been a very very technical person; 1 + 1 must equal 2, angles must be perfect, etc.  In my sewing I remember that even the plaids and stripes had to be a perfect match.  I crochet, embroider, do crewel and cross stitch.  I began charting my crochet and knitting long before it was standard practice.  I remember one crocheted edging that just didn't work, so I graphed it and found the error in the pattern.  Of course that was before computers and the Web.  Now you have the luxury of searching the Internet for corrections.  

I found, in my sewing, that I am not a follower.  If I ran across a great technique in one pattern I would incorporate it into another pattern.  I've always had that independent urge to design.  It started with Stretch n Sew and now I use Sweater Wizard and most all of Carol's other programs.  I bought, over the internet, the new program for sleeves, Interactive Sleeve Wizard,  and promptly downloaded and lost it!  I know I downloaded it but I sure can't find where I saved it!  Maybe I just didn't do it right.  So now I must humble myself and call and beg for a new download code and further humble myself and beg for instructions so I won't lose it again.

Hello Knitting World!

I've decided to start a knitting blog for my own personal satisfaction!  Some may say this is wrong, but think about it, this is saved as a blog, not on my computer.  This blog would have to self-implode in order for me to lose my pictures and projects.  This will give me a record and keep the occasional reader laughing at how my designing and knitting projects progress.  Will this blog curb my spending on yarn?  No, very doubtful.  Not even my budget can stop me when I see something I want for knitting!  For instance, let me start this blog with last Tuesday, November 16, 2010.

November 16, 2010:  I checked my mail box and low and behold a check!  Wow, $240.00.  Don't have to include this in the budget!  Wheee!

November 17, 2010:  I went to Erie, PA to sit with my wonderful friend, Mary, in the hospital.  Of course I just had to stop in Waterford, PA at Butler Country Knits, to look at yarn.  Initially the stop was to see if she had a very light pink in Plymouth Yarn's Mulberry Merino.  I have some in an ivory color and wanted to do a fair isle sweater in the ivory and light pink.  Darn, no light pink.  Oh well, I might as well look around.  Bad girl!  Marge has a cape/vest on display, in Plymouth's Baby Alpaca Grand, pattern #26, vest.  She has tweaked the pattern with an inset of ribbon yarn, over and back, about every 10 rows, 3 times.  It looks fantastic. Hmmmm, maybe I could use a variegated yarn and get a different look.  The pattern is 4.00, the yarn, for the large size (7 skeins), is $111.93.  Why not!  OK, I buy the yarn, after all, I have the "non budget" money.  Well, Don had me make out the check for $111.93 - whoops, hey, how about the pattern?  Well, I didn't catch that and neither did Don (Marge's husband and a wonderful guy).  Result:  I still owe Marge $4.24.  An excuse to go back! 

November 20, 2010:  I take the yarn, pattern and needles to the Meadville Knitting Group meeting and do the 160 stitch cast on and get 3 rows done.  We talk a lot and I get very little knitting done, but so what, it is a great group and the socializing is worth the trip. 

November 21, 2010:  A afternoon for knitting so I pick up my new project and knit, knit, knit.  I get up through row 11 and think about checking out my stash of eyelash yarn.  Ah, yes, I do have 2 skeins that just might work.  OK, I get the eyelash yarn knitted in and now I'm not to sure it looks all that great with the eyelash yarn insert, but I continue on.  Stopped for the night after row 21.

November 22, 2010:  Picked up my project and looked at it.  Nope, the eyelash yarn just won't work.  Seems to make it look cheap and for something that is costing that much, well, that just won't do!  Frog time.  Now, after taking the 1,600 stitches out I will start row 12. 
 
It isn't like this the only project I have on needles, it isn't!  There is the ivory colored lace vest for Sharon in Idaho, 2 pairs of socks, also for Sharon, that need the toes kitchnered, my fair isle jacket that is done in the round and will need steeking, eventually.  I did the sleeves first and am not happy with them, so they will be frogged and re-done, top down, once I get the body finished.  Of course there are other projects that aren't quite done or need more thought as to the design.