Faberge Shawl amongst other things

Still knitting away here.  Recently finished the Faberge Shawl.  Also have done 3 ruffle scarves and starting another Wingspan.    I have been helping one of the people at my local knitting group learn to knit and naturally answering others questions.  I have decided to try and add a tip or technique that I share at knitting group in my blog posts.

Tip:  My most used book for knitting is The Knitting Answer Book:  Solutions to Every Problem You'll Ever Face; Answers to Every Question You'll Ever Ask.  It is apparently in it's 2nd edition.  There is a Crochet version of this book also in it's 2nd edition.  There is also a Sewing and Quilting version.  I know noting about the 2nd editions nor the sewing and Quilting versions.  The Knitting and Crochet (1st editions) ones I absolutely love and refer to them so often. 

Project Pics (Photo Heavy)

Below are pics of some recently completed projects.  Of course they are all on Ravelry and in my list on the side. 

Owl Mitts for Cousin (Upside down)

Jeweled Cowl

Blue Ruffle Scarf

Faberge Cowl

Faberge Shawl (Pre-blocking)

Owl Mitts for Me (Upsidedown)

Neutral Ruffle Scarf

Knitting away

I have been knitting away. So far this year I have gone through 1870 yards (1.0625 miles) of yarn knitting.  That is not including the projects started and not finished yet.  There are 17 projects done.  Three of which are crocheted (small).  Those were another (81.5 yards).

One project is up for frogging consideration, with another pattern in mind, but not sure yet.  One project (Wingspan) I'll definitely be making again and again.  Good thing I like the pattern. 

A Christmas gift is done already. I made something, discovered it's too small and didn't want to frog.  Decided it could be a Christmas gift and I could do it again modified.  That spurred the idea to make another pair (3rd) for another person.  The 3rd pair still had to be done.  A second Christmas gift could have been done, but I decided to give it to it's recipient.     

So at the moment I have a Faberge cowl, Handspun Diagonal Lace scarf, lava lace scarf, and pair of socks on the needles.  The cowl is being done without beads.  I'm liking it without at least for this color and yarn.  Will do this one again too.  It's good as I paid for the pattern as well as Wingspan.  I hate buying a pattern and not wanting to do it again. 

I now want to find a vintage pattern.  Hoping for no older than a certain age.  To set to work on a special little project.  At least that's my idea at the moment. 

The quilt hasn't had much work done recently.  The top is about 1/2 the size I want it to be.

Wingspan









Eventually I will get other photos up.

Dishcloths Done!!!!

Phew!!!  Way ahead of deadline too!  Yep the dishcloths are done all 12 of them.  Well actually 15 because I already gave my recipient one and made 2 extras as I don't know if they will get used.  They are all a different pattern and color.  They all have a corresponding Tribble (scrubbie) to go with  it too.

I just have a scarf to make for my dad and I think my Christmas knitting is done.  This is way ahead of my schedule which is odd for me.  I'm doing something wrong right!  Must figure out what it is.  Now I can work on those baby socks I was asked to make a while ago yet life got in the way.

I'm off to work on a shawl that went into hibernation.  That and a crazy quilt that I am sewing.  Yep I don't just knit... I sew too (and more).  I'll take photos of the quilt sometime and post it.  My sewing machine has been getting a workout.  That sewing workshop gave me the kick in the pants to get me sewing more. 

Cotton Mania

I have been on a cotton knitting spree.  I family member has requested a dozen knit dishcloths for Christmas.  Yes they are dead serious regarding this gift, and they will be more than happy with this gift.  I'm making accompanying scrubbies to go with them too.  Two of the patterns I picked out they may not want to use so I am making them 14 dishcloths.  Well actually 15 once you add in the one they got the other weekend.  I don't mind doing that many though.  Each dishcloth is a different color and pattern.  I just checked and with the nine cloths and eight scrubbies I have done so far, I have gone through 0.62 miles of yarn.  This year I have gone through just over 3.3 miles worth of yarn.  Now to do the other six cloths and scrubbies.

Still having trouble with this yarn

Well once I got knitting with the Baby Ull things went well.  Then came stringing the beads for the second half.  This time plies didn't break.  The whole yarn broke!!  Not once, but at least 3 times.  The blasted wool yarn also wouldn't spit splice.  It doesn't say anything about being superwash so I have no clue what that is about.  I know that it's not from moving too many beads at once as I made sure to do small amounts of beads at a time.  Also when I started to move beads I checked for broken ones and removed them, thinking that was a contributing factor.  The yarn started breaking further after that.  One thing is for sure, I will not be getting and using this yarn again when done.

At least it is coming along nicely.

Dale of Norway's Baby Ull

Maybe I got a bad skein, but so far I am not humored with this yarn.  I'm using it for another iridescent beaded scarf from Knit One Bead Too.  I got the 2 skeins of the yarn on Thursday.  Yesterday I strung the beads for the first half on one skein.  One of the plies kept breaking and had to discard a bit. Annoying when you have the beads already on it.

One time while spacing beads out between the spacing between the 13 and 14th repeat and ended up having the yarn break due to plies breaking again! Finally, after that yarn did not break again and was able to do spacing for the rest of the first half of scarf. By the looks of it all 65 repeats and edging will fit on what is left after the yarn broke. If not I have the yarn with the first 13 repeats spaced on it.
In case you are wondering how I know the proper spacing, it is because I learned with the first one of these scarves I did that one of my arm spans is the right amount of space between repeats.  I also got this brainstorm to do all the spacing before starting knitting so I don't have to keep stopping to move beads down.  I am glad I did that since I discovered this problem.  Just wondering what to do about the next skein.

Christmas Knitting Planning....Yes Already

Yes it's July (well almost) and I'm already planning Christmas presents.  Go figure.
Green = Done

Red = Not Done
Green = Done
Orange - In progress

Dad -- Soft Scarf
Nancy -- Beaded Scarf (felted Scarf for Birthday)
Mom -- Beaded Scarf 
             Dishcloths and scrubbies
             Truffles
Pauly -- Wine
Nanny -- Felted Scarf 
Pop-Pop --  Gift Card
Ashley -- Cowl
Christopher -- Candy
Lelsey -- Cowl
Robbyn -- Nymphidaliea
Linda --

Knitting List

I did this about 6 months ago, but figured I would do it again as there have been some updates I know.

Let's see what I've done and not done.  This list has been kicking around for a while is some way, shape or form.  The general idea is that you put in bold is what you've done and  in italics what you plan or want to do.



Afghan
American/English knitting
Baby items
Bobbles
Buttonholes
Cable stitch patterns
Cardigan
Charity knitting
Combination knitting
Continental knitting
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/arm-warmers
Darning
Designing knitted garments
Domino knitting
Drop stitch patterns
Dyeing spinning fiber
Dyeing with plant colors
Dying yarn
Entrelac 
Fair Isle knitting
Free-form knitting
Fulling/felting
Garter stitch
Gloves
Graffiti knitting
Hair accessories
Hats: Cuff-up
Hats: Top-down
Holiday related knitting
Household items
I-cord
Intarsia
Jewelry
Kitchener stitch
Knitted flowers
Knitting a gift
Knitting a pattern from an on-line knitting magazine
Knitting and purling backwards 
Knitting art
Knitting for a living
Knitting for pets
Knitting for preemies
Knitting in public
Knitting items for a wedding
Knitting on a loom
Knitting smocking
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on one or two circulars (done both ways and and do not like 2 circs.  Started a shawl with 2 circs and got it onto 1 as soon as it was large enough to fit on one)
Knitting to make money
Knitting two socks on two circulars simultaneously
Knitting with alpaca
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Knitting with banana fiber yarn (cannot do due to allergy to tropical fruit and do not want to risk setting off allergy)
Knitting with beads
Knitting with camel yarn
Knitting with cashmere
Knitting with circular needles
Knitting with cotton
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Knitting with dpns
Knitting with linen (unsuccesful)
Knitting with metal wire
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Knitting with self patterning/self striping/variegated yarn
Knitting with silk -- Used a merino/silk blend earlier in the year

Knitting with someone else’s hand-spun yarn
Knitting with soy yarn
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Knitting with wool
Knitting with your own hand-spun yarn
Lace patterns
Long Tail CO
Machine knittingMittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Moebius band knitting
Norwegian knitting
Participate in an exchange
Participating in a KAL
Pillows
Publishing a knitting book
Purses/bags
Rug
Scarf
Shawl
Short rows
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Slip stitch patterns
Slippers
Socks: toe-up
Socks: top-down
Steeks 
Stockinette stitch
Stuffed toys
Swatching
Sweater
Tassels
Teaching a child to knit
Teaching a male how to knit
Textured knitting
Thrummed knitting
Toy/doll clothing
Tubular CO
Twisted stitch patterns
Two end knitting
Writing a pattern

Productive Week

Doesn't seem like it, but it's been a productive knitting week.  Sunday I finished my first beaded scarf. Monday I went to start finishing a pair of socks that were started in April, but for some reason I got distracted and haven't finished them yet.  When I went to work on the leg of the second sock I found out that I couldn't figure out where I was in the pattern.  It doesn't help that in the time that I haven't been working on the sock, I lost all my notes on the first sock!

Well, there went the leg progress back to the cuff.  I'd say it was half the leg.  Then came Tuesday.  Tuesday is what has caused me to be able to make more knitting progress than I would have expected.  It's a blessing in disguise I guess.  I was at a doctors appointment, following my doctor down some stairs.  Next thing we knew just as I started down the stairs, I was no longer standing.  Thankfully I did not fall all the way down the stairs.  If anything I may have slid down a couple more stairs.  Unfortunately, my driving ankle didn't fare as well.  I got up, saw him for that appointment and they set me up to see their medical doctors.

Their Primary Care Docs and an intern checked it out and sent me for an x-ray.  once i got home I took it easy for the rest of the day and easier for the rest of the week.  That resulted in a lot of knitting.  I am NOT one to stay still or down.  If it wasn't for knitting or other fiber arts I would be loosing what is left of my sanity.  I want to spin, but that is a no go right now for I wouldn't last for as long as I like to spin.

Thankfully everything is okay according to the report.  It's not a major sprain, but any sprain is a pain in the arse in my opinion.  Funny thing is my roommate is more worried than I am.  Well off to knit more.

Been Busy

It's been a busy few months.  A friend has passed; company has come and gone not once but twice; roommate has been experiencing some health problems; and life for myself has been carrying along.

I have been trying to not let that affect my fiber arts time though.  Since last posting I have been working on a couple shawls, socks, a beaded scarf, and poppies.  The shawls have been quite fun and one gave me a learning experience (quite pleasant).  The beaded scarf is the first of at least 3.  This is also my first time really putting beads into my knitting.  Sock pair 1 is done and sock pair 2 is still in progress.  I forget why, but it got interrupted and I am now working on finishing it.  It hung out on the needles for at least 1.5 months.  The poppies are going to the UK.  You can go to http://www.ww100challenge.co.uk/ for the full story.  Between my 3 or 4 others in my chapter and me we made 46 or 48 poppies.  We did it in a month.

I've also been having fun with the spinning wheel and will be weaving again when I remember to get the yarn I want for my warp.  I keep forgetting to get a certain yarn for a certain project.

Well off to take photos and work on socks.  Plus hunt down the perfect color yarn for the next beaded scarf.

One and a half miles. . .

So far that's how far 2417 meters translates into.  Well more accurately, 1.501854 miles.  That is how much I have knit this year.  I know the last 200 yards of it was over the past week and in a sock.  That sock has gotten me through a long week. 
The long week has been due to the passing of a friend and a person I know lacking a lot of common sense. 
The friend passing is the previously mentioned "T".  This is the one that the afghan was made for.  Even though their passing was expected it is still hitting hard.  As a result a lot of knitting has been getting done this week and that has been helping.

I am apparently on a sock kick as I finally finished the socks I started in October.  Then went on to start another pair and am looking forward to the next. 

Knitting group was fun earlier this week.  Helped a fellow knitters.  When asked where I learned the answers to their questions my answer was consistently "Ravelry."  It was to the point it was being said by others and with a laugh.  We had a good time.

January Wrap-up

It's been a busy knitting month.  I finished an entrelac scarf that was started on Christmas.  Started and finished a lace shawl. and started an entrelac shawl.  I wanted to redo the cuffs on a pair of socks.  That isn't going to happen though because of the heal that has developed on them from washing and wearing them.  I have also rounded up my WIPS and decided whether or not to frog them.  All but one was frogged because I was either: sick of it; lost the pattern; or it was something that was in time-out so long for not cooperating I forgot where I was.  Only one project survived.  I also started to organize my patter leaflets and printed patterns.  Stage 2 has yet to happen yet. 

While working on the lace shawl I learned about the importance of placing lifelines.  I also learned to NOT use waxed dental floss when placing a lifeline.  It just doesn't work.  Next time I do lace I will definitely place liflelines with something more slippery.  Of course all my projects are on Ravelry.  How did one survive without Ravelry?

Year in Temperatures Scarf

One of my big knitting projects will be the My Year in Temperatures Scarf.  It will be a previous year and going from a birthdate to birthdate.  It will have 15 colors plus another to denote the beginning and end of months plus rows at the end of the scarf for the start and end of year.  While laying out the colors I realized I missed a high temperature so I will do one row of a completely different color for that one day instead of completely redoing all the colors.  Every color for temps denotes a 4 degree Fahrenheit range. 

Through a group on Ravelry and a wonderful person who posted I was able to obtain the temps for the date range and area I wanted.  I was also able to get them onto a spreadsheet.  I ten went and filled each date with the color for that temp.  Now to get the yarn and start.  Maybe this will be a Ravellenics project.  Who knows.  I am contemplating another project though.  I have no clue yet what will be my Ravellenics project.

New Year Coming

Well, the new year is upon us.  The holidays went well.  In the fiber arts department overall from friends and family I received: a set of Knitters Pride Trendz Interchangable Needles , 2 skeins Araucania Tepa, 2 Skeins

Queensland Collection Alpaca Bamboo Soft, 2skeins of Farmhouse Yarns, 1 Blue Ridge Footlights, and a gift certificate to my LYS.  I've already spent my Gift certificate and got 2 skeins of Cascade Heritage to make a shawl, the Regia Sock Calendar, and Around the World in Socks.  Needless to say I am a VERY happy camper in the fiber arts department.

The Tepa has already been cast on and is well underway as well as the Queensland Collection slow going.  I have joined the 14 in 2014 group on Ravelry and am looking forward to working on my goals. 

Knitting Technique List

Let's see what I've done and not done.  This list has been kicking around for a while is some way, shape or form.  The general idea is that you put in bold is what you've done and  in italics what you plan or want to do. 



Afghan
American/English knitting
Baby items
Bobbles
Buttonholes
Cable stitch patterns
Cardigan
Charity knitting
Combination knitting
Continental knitting
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/arm-warmers
Darning
Designing knitted garments
Domino knitting
Drop stitch patterns
Dyeing spinning fiber
Dyeing with plant colors
Dying yarn
Entrelac
Fair Isle knitting
Free-form knitting
Fulling/felting
Garter stitch
Gloves
Graffiti knitting
Hair accessories
Hats: Cuff-up
Hats: Top-down
Holiday related knitting
Household items
I-cord
Intarsia
Jewelry
Kitchener stitch
Knitted flowers
Knitting a gift
Knitting a pattern from an on-line knitting magazine
Knitting and purling backwards

Knitting art
Knitting for a living
Knitting for pets
Knitting for preemies
Knitting in public
Knitting items for a wedding
Knitting on a loom
Knitting smocking
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on one or two circulars (done both ways and and do not like 2 circs.  Started a shawl with 2 circs and got it onto 1 as soon as it was large enough to fit on one)
Knitting to make money
Knitting two socks on two circulars simultaneously
Knitting with alpaca
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Knitting with banana fiber yarn (cannot do due to allergy to tropical fruit and do not want to risk setting off allergy)
Knitting with beads
Knitting with camel yarn
Knitting with cashmere
Knitting with circular needles
Knitting with cotton
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Knitting with dpns
Knitting with linen (unsuccesful)
Knitting with metal wire
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Knitting with self patterning/self striping/variegated yarn
Knitting with silk

Knitting with someone else’s hand-spun yarn
Knitting with soy yarn
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Knitting with wool
Knitting with your own hand-spun yarn
Lace patterns
Long Tail CO
Machine knitting
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Moebius band knitting
Norwegian knitting
Participate in an exchange
Participating in a KAL
Pillows
Publishing a knitting book
Purses/bags
Rug
Scarf
Shawl
Short rows
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Slip stitch patterns
Slippers
Socks: toe-up
Socks: top-down
Steeks 
Stockinette stitch
Stuffed toys
Swatching
Sweater
Tassels
Teaching a child to knit
Teaching a male how to knit
Textured knitting
Thrummed knitting
Toy/doll clothing
Tubular CO
Twisted stitch patterns
Two end knitting
Writing a pattern

Busy Busy

I've been gone since late August.  It's just been a hectic few months.  Amongst everything going on, two wonderful people retired in the past 3 months.  One person's party had lots of tears and the Commissioner of an agency showed up.  She is based in the Capitol and took time from her VERY busy schedule to come and say a few words.  The other person they still haven't found a replacement for she was that great.

Other things have been birthdays, the holidays, organizations, family, friends, and birthdays, along with other things.  All is well though.  

Christmas knitting and weaving is done and now onto finishing the Christmas spinning.  For Christmas 1 woven scarf, 3 knit scarves, 3 knit hats, 1 pair fingerless mittens, 7 pairs mittens, ans 1 loom knit scarf.Now I'm on to a 2 ply hand spun yarn that is 50% wool 50% alpaca.  The alpaca is dyed by me.  A little wrench may be thrown into t he works by having not dyed enough and having to dye more.  I've already plied and hanked 260 yards and have to spin more of one of the colors (the dyed), then ply and see where I come out.  I was just too eager to see how it was going to look together.

Learning new Crochet Technique and having fun

I started crocheting between Christmas and New Years Eve of 2009.  Last year or the year before my grandfather gave me crohooks that he made himself.  They are wonderful.  The other day I decided to try Tunisian or Afghan Crochet. 

So far after checking with a book, the internet, and my mom I am off and going.  I have made a couple 6" squares.  I have been making a lot of crocheted squares of late.  They all go into a box and make their way to a lady that puts them together with other peoples squares to make some beautiful afghans.  Those afghans then go to Pine Ridge Reservation.  There is a wonderful Ravelry group that I do this all through.  This month 99 squares went.  They were made by me, my chapter regent, and one by my roommate. 

I have so much fun doing these squares and now that I have learned a new technique even more fun.  In fact I am having so much fun I am having trouble pulling myself away to do other projects.  Projects such as the second sock in a pair, my holiday knitting for family and veterans.  I keep telling myself that I must take a break from the squares, but I keep getting lured back.