Almost Spring but . . .

The sun is finally shining and promises to shine for a couple of days this weekend here in the Pacific NW.  Relatives and friends in the NE are stilling digging out from YAS (yet another snowfall).  I am still knitting with wool.  (Don't really like cotton so I continue with wool and blends even during the summer.)

Bot some fabulous Mini Mochi at Weaving Works in Seattle during a yarn shopping trip with friend Darliss. WW is a great shop with a wonderful selection and variety of yarn, plus supplies for weavers.  Also, they have lots of books and notebooks of patterns.  I wish I lived a bit closer as it's a 50+ mile trip one way thru downtown and the worst of the I-5 corridor traffic.

One of the store models was a wonderful shawl that included some leaves and a growing band of stockinette.
 Here's the beginning of the shawl . .

The yarn specified by the pattern was Regia Angora Merino
solid colors.  But I preferred this Mini Mochi in
a color wave that includes dark emerald and some copper

Up close . . .

Will need a good blocking (you can see the pins holding
scarf in place for pix.)  The center section expands while
the leaves travel up each side.

Great pattern at a great price.  This little "journal" from Regia has at least 12 patterns, including a series for babies.  There are hats, scarves, shawl, sox -- variety at a great price.  $6.95 US.

After the expansion, the center stockinette section will decrease its way back to nothing, leaving only the leaves to intersect at the finished (and narrow-again) end of the scarf.

Love the yarn, though I have to watch not to split.  I am using
a US 4 needle.

Really enjoying this one.  It moves along.  It's not too taxing.  The yarn is soft and the colors are yummy.  I will wear it this Spring even if the sun is shining.  I am a knitter.

Split Finger Mittens

Darliss to the rescue.  Those black gloves that were too big (scroll down if you click)?  Remember I frogged them.  But I still owed my daughter her glubs.

And Darliss had just finished for herself a pair of Split Finger Mittens.  Here's the finished product.  Fun to make and quite cute tho they look out of proportion until you put your hands inside.

The "L" is for "left hand" and the right hand has a red thumb.
No confusion here.

Sorry, but no link for the pattern since it's from Darliss' storehouse of creative ideas.  The yarn is Patons Canadiana, stash from the 5 Christmas Hatts.  (Here).

I love the bright contrasts and the stripes.  The colors are the school colors for Concordia Lutheran School in Tacoma, where grandson is in 4th grade and his mom and dad are loyal supportive parents.

However -- adding color always means lots of weaving in of the ends, unless you can carry the contrast  without cutting the yarn (which I didn't do.)

Messy messy and lots of ends, the pesky kind.  I'm listening to S.J. Parris' Heresy, more English turmoil during the days of the Reformation.

Here it is "sorted" as the Brits say.

Hoping the Conductive Thread works so the wearer can use mobile devices even while wearing the mittens.

It's twirly twisty 'thread' and hard to sew with.
I hope the 'blob' will suffice.

Meanwhile, the clown quilt is ready for backing and quilting.  This has been a fun project and went very quickly.

 Busy week ahead with quilting and sewing some projects.  Hoping you each have a pleasant week with a minimum of chaos.

We are Knitters

We are just two regular gals who like to knit.  We each have over-committed to knitting our Christmas gifts, and which of you out there has not also done the same.

Still we shop sales and add to #Stash and review patterns and wind skeins into tidy balls. mWe start and stop projects and we finish things that we give to babies, friends, children, spouses, and grandchildren.

So it won't surprise you that Darliss and I have decided to do our own KAL.  We recently shopped a wonderful sales at Fibers, Etc, in Tacoma.  There we found some lovely lace weight yarn -- Darliss bot emerald green and I bot a silvery gray.

My job was to research patterns.  Today we found it.

It's a Eunny Jang design and we both just love it.  It's called Print of the Wave.  I'm on my iPad so am posting the entire URL you can paste into your browser.

http://web.archive.org/web/20071013040157/http://www.eunnyjang.com/knit/2005/12/patternia.html

If you wanna join us, leave me a comment and I'll send you my email so we can post your pics.

Happy Knitting.  Now go buy some yarn and cast on a new pattern.  It's what Knitters do!

My friend Darliss

I can see her smiling, my friend Darliss.

Darliss is a great knitter and a great friend.  Her faithfulness makes her the kind of friend it's a blessing to have.  Her knitting makes me wish I were her.

You see, Darliss finishes things.  IMO this characteristic sets Darliss apart as a knitter.  She has a very simple pattern for this activity and accomplishment.   Only four steps.

• *She picks a pattern.
• She buys the yarn.
• She knits till it's finished, including the sewing together part.*
• She repeats from the *.

Now, let's talk about my stuff.  Sure I've got lots of finished projects, gifts, home decor, etc. that I can brag about, but I also have these.

Baby afghan -- crochet, Bernat Baby Softee

Sox, Magic Loop method with Chia Goo #2

Baby Afghan -- knitted, Patons Astra, vintage pattern

Bernat Waverly KAL Afghan -- needs 3 squares (I got bored.)

Cascade Sierra summer cardi I really did wanna wear this season.
(Some would say we haven't had summer, so that's my excuse.)

KAL top down that Knitting Daily did last winter.
Cascasde Superwash 220

Fledge Shawl from Megan Goodacre of Tricksy Knitter.
Sweatermaker Yarns, silk / merino

Patons Kroy sox on 2 sets of DPN's

Plus three (no, wait, four) quilts in various stages in the sewing room.  And more embroidery for pillowcase dolls.

When I grow up, I wanna be Darliss.

Yes, you too!

We knitters and fiber lovers  -- and yes, you too -- are all cut from the same cloth (terrible pun, huh?)  We love the look, the feel, the working with, of fibers.  We delight in yarn, yarn shops, owning yarn, touching yarn, piling it up and planning projects.

I proudly count myself among this august group.  Here are my latest additions to stash.

• I love the Monsoon because it's part acrylic with a great color wave.  Probably a scarf.
• I love the pattern.  Probably some Lamb's Pride Bulky from my stash if I can get gauge.
• I love the Cascade Fixation (upper right on the needles) and am playing around with toe-up bed slipper sox.
• I love the Frolicking Feet in the lavender color wave.  Probably sox for me.

I'm sure that, yes, you too have a good friend who shares your passion for yarn and yes, you too, have a stash that is growing after a wonderful excursion with that friend to several LYS's.

Yes, you too.  Don't try to deny it.

Matched Set

As it says in the pattern intro for these fingerless gloves, they will keep your hands warm while you are "typing or knitting."  These are Andean Silk from Knit Picks, alpaca, silk and merino.  This yarn is just splendiferous -- there's no other word for it.

Finished one.  This is a test -- now that the discovery is complete (new pattern, new stitch combo, etc.) will I be an adult knitter and cast on for the second one.  Will I knit to the completion of a second hand-warmer?

The thumb hole was simple.  Bind off 4 stitches and then
cast them on again in the next row around.
Challenge is to keep with the wavy pattern, an offset rib.
Background is the mohair scarf in Darliss' yarn, pattern
from Whit's Knits at Purl Bee.

Pattern from One Skein Wonders, by WEBS, in NH.  This is a another favorite site for me.  I like the extensive offerings of yarn from practically all makers and all weights and styles.  The sales are really good if you follow them on Facebook.  WEBS

Yes, the second hand warmer IS on the needles, along with a matching scarf.  Here's all three together with the elves (who, sadly, do not knit . . .)

Completed handwarmer at the top (with the nutcracker in
the thumb spot.)  On the gray needles a scarf.  Santa is
resting in the beginning of hand warmer 2.

Love this scarf pattern and have made it once before.  It works well on variegated or solids.  It looks good from either side and the selvedge (edge) stitches keep it flat so it doesn't curl up into a tube.  It's the Universal Scarf from Interweave.  Free pattern.

Use any needle size suggested by the weight of the yarn.
I'm using US10 (6mm) with a worsted weight that's
just a bit fluffy.

The magic of the pattern is that 18 stitches will get you a scarf that's wonderful.  I wanted something just a bit wider so added stitches in groups of 3 (the repeat part of the pattern.)

The collection will keep the recipient warm, even in a cold office while typing or phoning.  And texting will be easy since fingers are available.  The hand warmers work up very quickly since they are on a larger needle (US8/5mm) and the thumb hole is just a big buttonhole.  Bind off 4 stitches and on the next round put them back on.  Nothing elaborate; the wavy stitch pattern speaks volumes.

Details show the wave.  Clever stitch pattern:  P2, K4 for 4 rounds.
Then offset the same stitch repeat by shifting things just one stitch.
Works very nicely in the round.

In between wool knitting I returned to the pima cotton white shawl and added another repeat of the initial pattern over the shoulders.  It's even more satisfying than I remembered.  It's moving along nicely; another couple of pattern repeats and I can begin knitting from the second chart of delicate lace.

Celebrations!  I found my favorite little ruler.  Yes, it was stuck in a book as a place-holder.  I think it was in the Sowerby Victorian Lace.  See, there's a great reason to keep multiple projects on the needles:  when you return to one that's been idle for a bit, you discover you're close to a next fun pattern and you find an accessory that you suspected of having run off with the missing needles.  Some people's knitting stuff . . .

NAS! Not Another Scarf!

Officially speaking I now have at least 4 scarves on needles or hooks -- with me on 'pins and needles' hoping to finish each one in time for Christmas gift-giving.  Every year a vow not to do this -- it's not that I don't love knitting for others; it's that I always get the "just right for this person" idea with too few days left to knit.

I'm not the only knitter that does this.  If you are a knitter or read about other knitters, you will have heard or read the story of "up til 3 am to finish that one."

Inventory --

This one is crochet.  The pencil is added to give you a sense of the size of the hook.  It's a B US, for those who also crochet.  The yarn is lace weight, meaning tiny and fine.  It's also variegated.

Crochet.  Lace weight yarn.  Hook size B.  Pattern from
Interweave

This one is heavier yarn, called worsted weight.  The needles are from my special set of Brittany wood needles; they are warm to the hands and smooth so the wool slides.

Needles about the size of the pencil, size 8US.
Wool yarn from Rowan.  Pattern from a new book
Textured Stitches.

Next is a progress shot of the mohair lace scarf.  When I first showed this one it was wider.  I knitted until it was about 5 inches long and decided two things:  1) not enough yarn; and 2) too wide for the type of scarf (as in, "it's not a shawl.")

This time the needles are actually a bit larger than
the pencil, in diameter.  10 1/2 US.
Pattern is from One Skein Wonders.

And finally (as a reminder to me that I really must go knit), another showing of the Checkerboard Lace scarf using the Darliss Yarn, with pattern from Purl Bee.  No pencil in this picture.  Needles are smaller than the pencil.

Just gorgeous, that pattern at  Purl Bee

Back to projects.  Each one offers something different and I like knowing that my mood and my projects can be coordinated.

• Checkerboard Lace -- when I'm feeling sassy and ready to take on the world; no pattern is too tough
• Burgundy Cables -- when I need a reminder that I know how to do cables and a project that's working up quickly
• Mohair Lace -- when I just need to knit.  There's only one pattern row and then three rows of just knit knit knit
• Crochet scarf -- when I want to rest the knitting brain and work on a delicate difference

How wonderful that I can review the inventory, pick up a project and put it down for another.  Oh, that life allowed us to do more matching mood with to-do's.  Not always easy to be enthused about some tasks, but even mundane 'chores' like unloading the dishwasher can be a reminder that we are blessed with abundance.  Lots of women have to haul water just to quench their children's thirst.

If you're looking for a place / way to help, check out World Vision.

Row 16 -- count the stitches

There are only 48 stitches on my needle.  It's a wonderful pattern, another one of Whit's Knits, the Checkerboard Lace Shawl.  This designer does a wonderful job showing and writing the pattern.  The stitches in this one are simple; it's a 20 row pattern repeat (with 10 'rest rows'); the result is delicately lacy.

Here's the work-in-progress.  Using the second ball of that magnificent yarn spun by friend, Darliss, a variegated wool/silk blend.

Darliss' spun wool/silk with size 6US needles.
Pattern by Whit's Knits.

Row 16 -- I spent at least 30 minutes knitting and un-knitting that row, counting the stitches to discover I had 46, or 47, but No!  Not the required 48.  Can you see the little safety-pin things near the needle?  These are markers to tell me that, after re-examining the results of Row 16 I have omitted two yarn-overs.  The YO (yarn-over) is the way to add stitches.  Next to the YO's are the get-rid-of-stitches-on-purpose technique.  In this pattern all the add-stitches are cancelled out by the get-rid-of-stitches, so at the end of every row -- yes, every row -- you should expect to have the same 48 you started with.

The big red "X" means I was sloppy in the translation
from words to code.  And the mistake was in Row 14, not Row 16

These lessons can be wearying, though valuable:  It's seldom this moment that's the difficulty; it's more likely the choice made earlier whose consequences are now appearing.  I think I'm on track now.  I'm counting more often and paying much closer attention to each right side row, hoping to minimize future consequences (knitting back, throwing the entire thing into the garbage, screaming uncontrollably, you get the idea.)

I'm afraid I may have discouraged you from trying this pattern.  Don't let my own sloppy approach keep you from a delightful and easy lace experience.  Here's the link again:   Checkerboard Lace Shawl.

One last picture to show the scope of the project.  There's the pattern (my coded version, Whit's Knits uses words), the trusty red pencil, the fixer thing with the two crochet hooks, markers to indicate missed stitches.  And the most essential of all -- a fine yarn and some comfortable needles.

Here's hoping you find your way back when you need to.  If you take up knitting you'll get lots of practice.

Spun by Darliss

Scarf #1 knit with Darliss' yarn

Darliss is my friend.  Darliss is talented.  She dyes fibers, she spins fibers into yarn, she knits using all the different techniques and stitches available to knitters.

Darliss also shares -- and the yarn she spun for me last Christmas is worthy of a few pics.  She will correct me if I wrongly state that the yarn is mohair and silk.  The color washes thru periwinkle and lavender.  And the photos will not clearly show the sparkle and shine.  But it does -- sparkle and shine.

Skein of Darliss yarn, with scarf #2 on the needles

I'm starting Swatch #2 today while I work on Scarf #2.

Scarf #1 from Darliss' gift.  Can you see the color wash?