Well, I made it! I got through the year using only my stash. Actually, I did fall of the wagon one time which is allowed. I went on a genealogy trip with my sister to Pennsylvania and I bought some sock yarn and some very fine yarn to make a shawl with. I got the shawl yarn because my family went together and got me some quivit yarn made from muskox. It is incredibly expensive and I thought I would do better if I practiced some first.
Mother, Mary Beth and I all have our quivit, but only Mother has finished hers. She is a lot braver than Mary Beth and I, and also a better knitter. I have a wonderful book for using the super-fine yarn and I have seen numerous designs that I like, but haven't settled on one yet.
I also did some charity work. I made 6 white and blue scarfs for the Special Olympics. They are giving them to all their participants. I think it is such a great idea and hope they continue it the next Winter Olympics. I also got a wonderful books about charity knitting and some 16" round needles to knit oodles of little hat for the Santa Train to distribute. I think I will also use up some of my baby yarn for preemie caps.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
Getting My Skills Back
Finally, I am beginning to get some of my knitting imaging back. I should have mentioned that I knit very little for about 10 years because I had bursitis in my shoulder and carpel tunnel syndrome. The only way to cure it was to give it rest. For a while, I thought I would never knit again:( Fortunately, it didn't turn about that way. About 4 years ago, I began knitting again, but I was surprised to find that I had lost a lot of my "knitter's soft skills." I knew how to do most any knit stitch, but I was having trouble judging how something would look, or the size, or any of those things that come from experience. I never thought about how much those things add do our knitting. I am happy to say that new see a light in the tunnel, or I should say "an error in the directions."
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
I'm Having a Bad Knitting Month! or Knitter's Imaging
I don't know if it happens to anyone else, but for the past month, all my attempts at knitting have been less than satisfactory, to say the least. I am trying to only use yarn from my stash and it seems like every combination of yarn and pattern I touch is wrong in some way. I'm just not getting the results I want.
This is the first time I've ever had this happen. Usually, I can pick up some yarn and start right in, but not so now. I wonder if the Knitting Genie feels like she's been getting no credit from me and she's now going to tell me what my knitting life is like without her. Please, please come back!
I did a swatch for an Aran for one of of my granddaughters. The stitch gauge was 25 sts = 4" and yet it called for a worsted weight yarn. The gauge was in pattern, and I wish they wouldn't do that. I'd much rather they give the gauge on ss. I figure if I am knitting the same on ss as the pattern maker then I'll get the same gauge on the pattern. I know that isn't always true, but the other way is just as problematic. For example, it says "over pat." Well, which part of the pattern? the center, the cables, the moss st.? You would actually have to do all the patterns and then measure, but then you are halfway done with the sweater, for a child at least. Another problem is that I knit differently on a pattern once I have learned the it. That means that my swatch is going to be wrong. I'd have to knit the swatch 2-3 times before I was consistent. The variation doesn't matter much when you are actually knitting the sweater because the pattern repeats several times across the sweater and you usually have a ribbing at the bottom to adjust any change of gauge at the beginning.
Grrr. The first yarn I used was too dense. The second was too fine. I could get the gauge, but I didn't like the way it felt. I tried a different pattern and didn't like the results there either. So I tried another yarn with a different pattern. It was a cotton with a lot of multicolor bits mixed in and I bought it thinking it would be great for one of the granddaughters. Well, I didn't like it. The yarn is a little too fragile for 6 year olds. The little "tufts" will soon be picked off and the sweater will droop.
Somehow, I seem to have lost that well developed sense long-time knitters have that show us in our minds what a certain yarn will look like when worked up. Is it "knitter's imaging?" You don't know the value of something until it is gone. I hope this is just a temporary thing like writer's block...or maybe it is the Knitting Genie. Please, please come back!
This is the first time I've ever had this happen. Usually, I can pick up some yarn and start right in, but not so now. I wonder if the Knitting Genie feels like she's been getting no credit from me and she's now going to tell me what my knitting life is like without her. Please, please come back!
I did a swatch for an Aran for one of of my granddaughters. The stitch gauge was 25 sts = 4" and yet it called for a worsted weight yarn. The gauge was in pattern, and I wish they wouldn't do that. I'd much rather they give the gauge on ss. I figure if I am knitting the same on ss as the pattern maker then I'll get the same gauge on the pattern. I know that isn't always true, but the other way is just as problematic. For example, it says "over pat." Well, which part of the pattern? the center, the cables, the moss st.? You would actually have to do all the patterns and then measure, but then you are halfway done with the sweater, for a child at least. Another problem is that I knit differently on a pattern once I have learned the it. That means that my swatch is going to be wrong. I'd have to knit the swatch 2-3 times before I was consistent. The variation doesn't matter much when you are actually knitting the sweater because the pattern repeats several times across the sweater and you usually have a ribbing at the bottom to adjust any change of gauge at the beginning.
Grrr. The first yarn I used was too dense. The second was too fine. I could get the gauge, but I didn't like the way it felt. I tried a different pattern and didn't like the results there either. So I tried another yarn with a different pattern. It was a cotton with a lot of multicolor bits mixed in and I bought it thinking it would be great for one of the granddaughters. Well, I didn't like it. The yarn is a little too fragile for 6 year olds. The little "tufts" will soon be picked off and the sweater will droop.
Somehow, I seem to have lost that well developed sense long-time knitters have that show us in our minds what a certain yarn will look like when worked up. Is it "knitter's imaging?" You don't know the value of something until it is gone. I hope this is just a temporary thing like writer's block...or maybe it is the Knitting Genie. Please, please come back!
Friday, April 18, 2008
The Camos are done
Well, all the camos are done. That means 4 of them...a green one for Jacob for his first hunting trip, a desert one for Charles...he's 3 and his dad and brother are in the National Guard and wear the tan camo, and 2 pink ones for Addie and Eli. All the kids look so cute in them. If I can get my camera working, I'll take some photos.
Now I am trying to figure out what to knit them for Christmas. I have been thinking about Arans for Eli and Charles. It seems a lot of work for a little one, especially Charles as he is the youngest and nothing gets passed down from him, but I love making them. It's wonderful to see the pattern to develop under your hands and there is enough going on in the pattern to keep you interested...or rather, it keeps me interested. There are times when I just want to knit something mindless, but most of the time, I want a little challenge.
Now I am trying to figure out what to knit them for Christmas. I have been thinking about Arans for Eli and Charles. It seems a lot of work for a little one, especially Charles as he is the youngest and nothing gets passed down from him, but I love making them. It's wonderful to see the pattern to develop under your hands and there is enough going on in the pattern to keep you interested...or rather, it keeps me interested. There are times when I just want to knit something mindless, but most of the time, I want a little challenge.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Pink Camo Sweaters
Well, I finished one and it has been worn and worn but on the second one I did something I can never remember doing on something knitted. I CUT A HOLE IN THE SWEATER while trying to cut off a joining yarn. It was right down in the front about 1-1/2" above the ribbing. I couldn't believe it. How could I be so careless? Arrrg!
I started to weave in a repair but it turns out that I cut thread in 2 different rows. I had a hole in it like you would in the heel of a sock. It was easier to take the sweater down and do it over again than to fix the hole. I can practically knit in my sleep, but I can't repair a hole, so I decided to just knit it over.
I'm finished now and I'll put it together tomorrow or Sunday, but my poor little granddaughter in Virginia won't have much time to wear it unless Virginia has a really late, late spring! Fortunately, I made the two sweaters very big, so they could wear them next year too. This year the sweaters were like a tunic. I'll try to post some photos in the next few days. They sure turned out cute!
I also knitted hats and 3 mittens. I do mean three! I would have knitted 2 pair, but there wasn't enough yarn. Three means that you still have a pair when one is lost. Once I started that when my kids were half grown, they never seemed to loose mittens any more. Go figure!
BTW, I am now in month 3 and still have not bought 1 skein of yarn:>) It is actually kind of fun. We'll see how it goes.
I started to weave in a repair but it turns out that I cut thread in 2 different rows. I had a hole in it like you would in the heel of a sock. It was easier to take the sweater down and do it over again than to fix the hole. I can practically knit in my sleep, but I can't repair a hole, so I decided to just knit it over.
I'm finished now and I'll put it together tomorrow or Sunday, but my poor little granddaughter in Virginia won't have much time to wear it unless Virginia has a really late, late spring! Fortunately, I made the two sweaters very big, so they could wear them next year too. This year the sweaters were like a tunic. I'll try to post some photos in the next few days. They sure turned out cute!
I also knitted hats and 3 mittens. I do mean three! I would have knitted 2 pair, but there wasn't enough yarn. Three means that you still have a pair when one is lost. Once I started that when my kids were half grown, they never seemed to loose mittens any more. Go figure!
BTW, I am now in month 3 and still have not bought 1 skein of yarn:>) It is actually kind of fun. We'll see how it goes.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Camouflage Yarn
I can't wait until I can get back to New Pathways for Sock Knitters: Book One by Cat Bordhi. I made the little Blue Sky sock and it was so much fun, but right now I am knitting little camouflage sweaters, mittens and caps as fast as I can.
I finished Jacob's sweater so he could wear it on his first hunting trip. (He's 11 and headed for Virginia and the "Swamp Hilton" as the hunting cabin is known.) After that, I got requests for some of the new pink camouflage yarn, so I started a bulky sweater for my granddaughter, Eli. The one I made was too small, but we couldn't get it off her, so I went back to Florida to make her another one and send it back as soon as possible. I knit a desert camo sweater for her 3 year old brother, Charles, and he put the little cap on and wouldn't take it off. I hope to get some of the photos soon. I put a little "Alfalfa" tail on the top and he looked like a little elf in it.
Back here in Florida, I got out more pink camouflage yarn to quickly make a sweater for my other granddaughter, Addie. Winter is VERY short here in North Florida and if I don't get it done soon, it will be shorts weather again. In fact, I saw a girl in shorts out today. The high was in the 70's. I'm not complaining about the temp, but it is a little limiting for a knitter. Fortunately, there are all those wonderful things you can knit and felt!
I am using Bernat's new "Softee" yarn and it is really soft. The kids love it. I don't know how it will wear, but the kids grow so fast, they wouldn't be able to wear it more than 2 seasons, so that isn't much of a factor. I haven't washed it yet, but so far it is a real pleasure to knit with.
I managed to knit 6 pairs of socks in December also and they made great presents. For the hunters and one spelunker, I used Lion Brand Wool-ease and it kept the guys warm, but they could also just throw the sock in the wash. My nephew has had his for 2 years and said they held up just fine, so I guess that will be my yarn of choice for the guys.
The other socks I made from a variety of self-striping yarn and they were such fun to knit. It is magical watching the color develop as you knit. I'm totally addicted. Fortunately they make great Christmas presents, so I can knit to my heart's content.
I finished Jacob's sweater so he could wear it on his first hunting trip. (He's 11 and headed for Virginia and the "Swamp Hilton" as the hunting cabin is known.) After that, I got requests for some of the new pink camouflage yarn, so I started a bulky sweater for my granddaughter, Eli. The one I made was too small, but we couldn't get it off her, so I went back to Florida to make her another one and send it back as soon as possible. I knit a desert camo sweater for her 3 year old brother, Charles, and he put the little cap on and wouldn't take it off. I hope to get some of the photos soon. I put a little "Alfalfa" tail on the top and he looked like a little elf in it.
Back here in Florida, I got out more pink camouflage yarn to quickly make a sweater for my other granddaughter, Addie. Winter is VERY short here in North Florida and if I don't get it done soon, it will be shorts weather again. In fact, I saw a girl in shorts out today. The high was in the 70's. I'm not complaining about the temp, but it is a little limiting for a knitter. Fortunately, there are all those wonderful things you can knit and felt!
I am using Bernat's new "Softee" yarn and it is really soft. The kids love it. I don't know how it will wear, but the kids grow so fast, they wouldn't be able to wear it more than 2 seasons, so that isn't much of a factor. I haven't washed it yet, but so far it is a real pleasure to knit with.
I managed to knit 6 pairs of socks in December also and they made great presents. For the hunters and one spelunker, I used Lion Brand Wool-ease and it kept the guys warm, but they could also just throw the sock in the wash. My nephew has had his for 2 years and said they held up just fine, so I guess that will be my yarn of choice for the guys.
The other socks I made from a variety of self-striping yarn and they were such fun to knit. It is magical watching the color develop as you knit. I'm totally addicted. Fortunately they make great Christmas presents, so I can knit to my heart's content.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
New Year's Resolutions - oh well!
It doesn't seem like I should make more resolutions if I couldn't manage to keep the ones I made last year, but I am ever the optimist. This year I have done a lot of thinking about the state of the world. It started when I drove past the huge pet supermarket they are building out on A1A. Suddenly, it seemed obscene when people are starving all over the world. Our pets live better than most of the world.
Don't get me wrong; we have a dog and we love him dearly. He is very well-fed and living the life the people in Darfur can't even imagine. So, what has this to do with my New Year's resolutions? I got to thinking about how much yarn, quilting and needlework stash I have and realized that just because it's warm and fuzzy, doesn't mean that I am not still using more of the world's resources than is right, especially when I am not using it and am buying more (and more...)
I thought about spending a year working from my stash and it suddenly seemed not only a good idea, but a necessary one. I'd like to use same rules another group used with a few modifications:
1. I will not buy any yarn during 2008, with the following exceptions:
a. Sock yarn does not count. What? You think I am made of stone?
b. If someone asks for a specific knitted gift that I really and truly do not have the yarn for, I may buy yarn to knit that gift.
c. If I am knitting something and run out of yarn, I may purchase enough to complete the project.
d. I get one "Get Out of Jail Free" card -- I am allowed to fall off the wagon one time.
2. I am allowed to receive gifts of yarn.
3. Trading stash is allowed.
I really liked those ideas except that I believe I have enough sock yarn to keep me going for several months, so I'll nix that one, at least for a while.
Resolution two: to do some knitting for charity this year. I don't suppose it will help anyone in Darfur, but I can use some of the yarn to knit for various charities, especially the Santa train in Appalachia. I have a lot of scraps that could be knit into hats and mittens. I used to do it all the time, but I haven't for ages.
Resolution three: to learn a new technique. Recently, I decided that I was going to master grafting stitches and to become so familiar with knitting socks that I could almost knit them in my sleep. That has gone really well and I like making socks so well, I plan to always have a pair on the needles. They are perfect to knit while I am working on the computer. I'm even going to make a knitted tree garland that has miniature socks, sweaters and mittens on it. I saw it in one of my books and I just loved it.
That worked so well, I thought I would chose another knitting skill. I haven't figured out just what I want to do, but I have some ideas. I got some qiviut yarn for Christmas and I plan to knit it into a shawl, so I think I might practice lace shawl knitting. I'd also like to do more felting so that I can feel more comfortable predicting the end product.
We'll see how it goes
Don't get me wrong; we have a dog and we love him dearly. He is very well-fed and living the life the people in Darfur can't even imagine. So, what has this to do with my New Year's resolutions? I got to thinking about how much yarn, quilting and needlework stash I have and realized that just because it's warm and fuzzy, doesn't mean that I am not still using more of the world's resources than is right, especially when I am not using it and am buying more (and more...)
I thought about spending a year working from my stash and it suddenly seemed not only a good idea, but a necessary one. I'd like to use same rules another group used with a few modifications:
1. I will not buy any yarn during 2008, with the following exceptions:
a. Sock yarn does not count. What? You think I am made of stone?
b. If someone asks for a specific knitted gift that I really and truly do not have the yarn for, I may buy yarn to knit that gift.
c. If I am knitting something and run out of yarn, I may purchase enough to complete the project.
d. I get one "Get Out of Jail Free" card -- I am allowed to fall off the wagon one time.
2. I am allowed to receive gifts of yarn.
3. Trading stash is allowed.
I really liked those ideas except that I believe I have enough sock yarn to keep me going for several months, so I'll nix that one, at least for a while.
Resolution two: to do some knitting for charity this year. I don't suppose it will help anyone in Darfur, but I can use some of the yarn to knit for various charities, especially the Santa train in Appalachia. I have a lot of scraps that could be knit into hats and mittens. I used to do it all the time, but I haven't for ages.
Resolution three: to learn a new technique. Recently, I decided that I was going to master grafting stitches and to become so familiar with knitting socks that I could almost knit them in my sleep. That has gone really well and I like making socks so well, I plan to always have a pair on the needles. They are perfect to knit while I am working on the computer. I'm even going to make a knitted tree garland that has miniature socks, sweaters and mittens on it. I saw it in one of my books and I just loved it.
That worked so well, I thought I would chose another knitting skill. I haven't figured out just what I want to do, but I have some ideas. I got some qiviut yarn for Christmas and I plan to knit it into a shawl, so I think I might practice lace shawl knitting. I'd also like to do more felting so that I can feel more comfortable predicting the end product.
We'll see how it goes
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