In Dreams KAL

I signed up for the In Dreams knit-a-long. I am really liking the shawl so far. The actual knitting is easy, but the hard part is all them time needed to put the beads on. So far with clue 1 we used 364 beads and clue 2 needed 912. Here are the pictures of clue 1 and 2.

The boy is almost 10 already!

Tomorrow is the boy's birthday and he will be 10. Oy, where does time go? Since the last post I have done quite a bit of knitting. The boy got a Kindle for Christmas and needed a cover for it, so I knit a Griffindor stripped sleeve.
I used scraps of Andean Silk from KnitPicks and just knit in the round with a 3-needle bindoff using both colors.

I also have finished up the Henley with a Twist by KnitSpot. I used hand-spun merino for this. I love the fit and the pattern was easy to follow and very easy to sew up.Last summer I sewed up some block for a Warm-Up-America afghan that my church knitting group had created. This was just a horrid mess of colors and an assault on the eyes, so I decided to crochet a complete afghan that matched. I am using Vanna's Choice yarn and will add 2 more colors to these:
Each block is 7" x 9" and there will be 49 total for the afghan. This is one of 4 works in progress.

I have a sock that is on-going, a sweater for Darin, and I joined the In Dreams mystery KAL. This is a shawl pattern in a series from the Lord of the Rings series by Sunflower Designs. Here is my swatch-
I am using Valley Yarns 2/14 Alpaca silk in Sienna and copper lined crystal beads from the Beadwrangler. The pattern calls for 5000 beads and 1260 yds of laceweight yarn. I didn't have the copper lined beads when I did the swatch so what you see there is silver lined crystal on the left and clear crystal on the right. I have started clue 1, but I need to spend time working on Darin's sweater as well. He sat with me at the computer and selected the pattern and yarn for this one:I am using KnitPicks Wool of the Andes in the blackberry color and a pattern from Penny Striker. I don't need to follow a chart for the cable pattern any more as they are easy to follow.

Nutcracker 2010 is done!

Today were the two performances of the Nutcracker for this year. I was a Party Adult and it was the first performance in point shoes for me since 1990!! All went well, but it was a long day.

I haven't finished much knitting recently. I did finish the mittens for the mitten tree at church.
The pattern is from Spilly Jane and they are knit with KnitPicks Palette. It is not a style that fits my hand, but was fun to knit and someone here in town will have warm fingers. I also started a project using my handspun merino. This is the Henley with a Twist from Knitspot.
I have finished the back and I am past the armholes on the front. It is an easy pattern to memorize and is very well written, not too much extra info. The next major project's yarn has been ordered and received, but I can't start until I get this one done. I am going to knit an Aran sweater for my husband with KnitPicks Wool of the Andes in the blackberry color. He picked both the pattern and the color, now I just have to find the time to knit it.

October 31st?

I have done a lot of knitting recently, but can't put all of it on here. The rest is on Ravelry. I have lost some knitting time and gained some knitting time this school year. N has started martial arts so I get to sit and watch class 3 times a week for 45 minutes each time. This has created some forced knitting time. I also started more dance classes, so I have lost time there. I think it is about an even trade. I don't have as much time for big projects, but will get lots of little things done. I started a pair of socks while on the family camping trip and was able to finish them at N's class.
Pattern: Ballet from Toe-Up 2-at-a-Time Socks
Yarn: Regia stretch

I then had to start another pair of socks. I decided doing 2 at a time was too hard to use as travel knitting, so I followed the same book, but I am doing only one at a time. This also allows me to use the dpns instead of magic loop.

I also decided that I was going to get too many socks done. I am not really much of a sock person, so I started a pair of mittens for the mitten tree at the church. I hope to get more than one pair done before Christmas, but that might be a stretch. I have lots of colors of KnitPicks Palette and since the pattern only uses 1 ball of each color, I should get quite a few from my stash.
This pattern is a free one from Spilly Jane Knits. I like the look of her patterns and thought I would try a free one before buying all of the other ones I want. She has some really cool mitten and sock patterns. So far it is well written and easy to follow, but a bit tight on my hand. Good thing I am knitting for someone else. I love color work with the KnitPicks yarns.

I am still here

I haven't fallen off a cliff. I just have been doing other things and not using the main computer or my camera. I have gotten a bit of spinning done. I tried to work on the Alpaca from a few years ago (from the alpaca named Sienna), but 2 of the 3 balls were very matted. I gave up and plied most of what I had, ending up with about 350 yds of a 2-ply and more still on one bobbin. I gave the rest of the fiber to a spinning co-worker to see if she could work with it or pass it on to friends who do needle felting. Since I gave up on that I started on some pencil roving in the Teddy Bear color. While spinning it looks like cake batter you are mixing melted chocolate into.
I have also been working on lots of baby shower presents. I love the little sock pattern I use as they knit up fast, but after a few pairs I am getting bored a bit. I need to get them all finished up so I can go back to the sweater I need to finish. I also have knit a cute, lovely sweater using Webs yarn. I forgot to take a picture of it, but it knit up quick and the yarn is nice a soft. I will definitely use it again.

A while back I went to Maryland Sheep and Wool festival. This year I took a class on a knitted Gansey sock. I used fingering weight yarn instead of the worsted, so the socks came out just the right size for Nathaniel. He loves them. I got the first sock done the first day and started the second sock in the second day of class. This was the second class I have ever taken on knitting and I learned just a few things, not as much as I really wanted, but I had fun with my sister. The rest of the festival was fun also, I didn't buy too much this year as I have tons of fiber I need to use up first.

It has been a while

Well I have been busy with lots of stuff. I keep knitting, but the photos haven't made it to the computer from the camera. We also tilled up the entire back yard and put down sod. I have been working on a knitting project I can't post pictures of here because the intended recipient may read this blog (check Ravelry to see them). I have also been doing some spinning. I finally finished the never ending pile of dark brown merino. I ended up with 1742 yards of a 2-ply fingering/sport weight. I thought I would have enough to knit Darin a sweater, but at a gauge of 7 sts/inch I don't. Now to decide what to do with it.
I also got around to spinning some wensleydale wool I got at MS&W last year. I got 2 braids for a total of about 8 oz. I wanted to learn how to chain (navajo) ply before I got to working on this wool.
I think I figured it out. I have about 165 yards of chain-plied.

This coming weekend is MS&W 2010. I can't wait. I have a list of books I want to look at and then a few things for the spinning wheel. I probably could survive an entire year without buying anything else, but what is the fun in that.

Time flys when you are having fun.

March already? Where has time gone? I didn't post anything for a while as we were experiencing computer problems and I didn't want to hook up the camera to download pictures. I have gotten lots of knitting done. I have tried my hand at designing and come up with some fingerless mitts that I like. Here is the second pair:
Pattern: Martha's Mitts
Needles: KnitPicks 3mm dpns
Yarn: KnitPicks Palette less than 2 balls
The first pair were knit with KnitPicks Bare in Fingering weight Merino. I like the second ones better as they are not quite as tight and heavy.

Early in the year I finished another lace shawl. This one is Lacewing by Anne Hanson. I really like the pattern as it was a bit challenging with pattern on both the right side and wrong side rows.
I also started another project. I was looking for a top down raglan v-neck short-sleeved sweater, but after about 3 hours of searching for what I wanted, I finally settled on a bottom up pattern from Creative Knitting magazine. After taking this photo I realized that you can tell where the second ball of yarn starts even thought I did several pairs of rows alternating balls of yarn to prevent a line.

Welcome to the Year 2010!!!

But before I start the new year of knitting here are the last bits of last year's work. First up are the arm warmers. This is a pattern for 18th century knitted mitts by Mara Riley. I liked knitting them, but when I make another pair I will make several changes- I didn't like how the decrease/increases look and they were a bit boring. I also need to check my gauge as these were a bit tight on my arms, but fit a friend perfectly.
Next up are the pilates legwarmers. I discovered this fall that when my calves get cold I get toe cramps in pilates class. I needed some shorter legwarmers as all of mine are thigh high for ballet class, so I found this pattern at KnitPicks and added the stirrup to the bottoms to help keep my feet warm. They fit nicely under my yoga pants and really work without interfering with my feet.I also finished the green Panda Silk socks, but I don't have a photo of the finished pair. They fit well, but stretched out a bit during the day and ended up a bit loose.

I am currently working on the edging for the Lacewing shawl by KnitSpot. It is taking a long time. After that I really don't know what to start. I got a few knitting books for Christmas (The Knitter's Book of Wool by Clara Parkes and Twisted-Stitch Knitting by Maria Erlbacher). I think I will work on another set of arm warmers with a twisted stitch motif. I also have to finish spinning the Merino roving I got a long time ago (actually before I bought my wheel). I am not loving the finished ply and I will probably have to make a 3-ply to get anything remotely even in thickness. I guess I prefer spinning worsted instead of woolen and this is not the best fiber prep for that.

My goals for this next year are to make a dent in spinning some of the fiber I already have before I get to MS&W in May; knit a few more pairs of socks than last year; try my hand at designing some items; and I think I already have an idea for one Christmas present for next year to get started on (after consulting my color expert).

Wow it is almost Thanksgiving

Where does time go? I have done quite a bit of knitting recently, but only have these 2 pictures to show. One is the bag in progress and the other is an almost finished photo with the bag blocking on a cardboard form. I still have to make the straps and line it with fabric. I love color knitting with the palette yarn.
Pattern: Sipalu Bag from Knitpicks
Yarns: warm colorway alternate colors
Needle: Knitpicks 2.25mm circular and dpns
Finished size: 9" x 11" x 2"

The other knitting projects have been swatches for a fingerless mitt pattern I am designing for some friends who have a revolutionary war era re-enactment store. I hope to either knit up several pairs for them to sell or at least produce a pattern for them to sell. I have taught both of them to knit and so we might just knit up a bunch. This will only happen if I get a pattern designed that will work easily. I have never designed or written a pattern before, so this is a bit of a challenge.

Wool Gathering 2009

Before going off to buy more wool I finished spinning up some merino/tencel I got at MS&W2007. I have had this for way too long and finally got to it. It is one ply of a light green and on of a dark green. I ended up with about 550 yds total.

Last weekend was the Wool Gathering 2009 at Young's Dairy in Yellow Springs, OH. I went all by myself and had a nice time wandering around for a few hours.
There was a huge bunny for sale:
A very beautiful Border Leister sheep:Some very interested Jersey cows:
Two big tents of vendors:
It is about 1/8th the size of MS&W, but is only about 1 hr from here. I came home with 1.5 pounds of Romney in an oatmeal color that I want to spin and knit a sweater for Darin, 1 pound of a charcoal merino to spin and then knit something for me, 3 oz of a hand dyed BFL and 1 pattern from Knitspot (aka Anne Hanson).On the way home I had to stop at Jo-Ann's (since I didn't have enough yarn at home) and get some Cotton ease to knit a mesh shopping bag that I have been wanting for several months.

I finished the mesh bag this afternoon and here it is:
Pattern: BYOB from Knitty
Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton Ease, 4 skeins total (1 each of the contrast colors and 2 of the main)
Needles: US 7 and 10 KnitPicks options
Time: about 1 week total

Stupid Alpaca

Two weeks ago I sat down to start the Andean Chullo Hat kit from KnitPicks. I was going to make it for N, so I called him over and asked him to help pick out the patterns for the different bands. I told him I was going to use the alpaca ear flaps and he said "I don't want stupid alpaca on my hat". So the hat is not his, but Darin and I will wear it instead. It took only about a week for the knitting part. I love how Palette knits up in the color work. I couldn't stop, I had to see how the next section would look. My original kit had the substituted colors (navy for bark, sky for pool ,and turmeric for masala), but I was able to get the original colors before starting. I ended up using all of the colors I had.

I got some pictures of the Sarah cardigan today as well, so here they are.

In spinning news, I finished the socks-that-rock sheep-to-shoe kit I got a few years ago. I ended up with 413 yds in the big skein, 280 yds in the smaller skein and 71 yds of 2 ply in the smallest skein. I hope it knits up as nice as it spun.

End of Summer

Summer has ended and the school year started!!! We got back from a camping vacation where I finished 1 sock. I still have the second one to do, but I got one done in a week.

I have also been knitting on the Sarah cardigan kit I got at MS&W2009 from Selridge Farms. The color between balls 2 and 3 is not as noticeable in person, but you can still see it.
If you hold the balls of yarn next to each other it is not noticeable, but when knit up and photographed it is very distinct. I wonder if over-dying the whole sweater when done will fix that. Any one have an opinion on that?

I have also done some spinning and finished the 3 singles for the Socks-That-Rock Sheep-to-Shoe kit I got a few years ago. Maybe tomorrow I will ply them and see how many yards there are and if I actually want to make socks from it.

I finished 2 projects

I have only worked on 1 project at a time for a bit now. I finished 2 projects and have started a third.
First is a baby present:
Pattern: Baby Blocks by Ann Norling (in The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber)
Yarn: Vanna's choice, 8 skeins
Needles: KnitPicks size 8

The second is a shawl from Knitted Lace of EstoniaPattern: Miralda's triangular shawl
Yarn: Briar Rose Fibers, Sea Pearl, Laceweight
Needles: KnitPicks size 6

The new project is the Sarah Cardigan from Button Up your Top Down. It was a kit I got from Shelridge Farm at MS&W this year.

I am still here.

Here are some finished projects:
First the ski sweater I promised a photo of.
Now the Crew Crew socksI also finished the Aran Afghan. Actually it is more of a throw being only 3'x5'.Yarn: Lion Brand Fisherman's wool (I can't remember how many skeins
Pattern: based on a pattern from Knitty Gritty, but with other blocks. There are 12 different blocks. The corner blocks are the same (and my favorite one).
Time: Too long, over a year.

I have also done some spinning. A few years ago I got a Sheep-to-Shoe kit from Blue Moon Fiber Arts in the raven color series. I started spinning 2 weekends ago and I have gotten 2/3 done. Last Sunday I spun up 1/3 in about 9 hours. I can't do that much spinning in one day again without taking more breaks. Here is part of the first bobbin worth:


I still haven't photographed my purchases from MS&W2009, but I didn't get much. I got one sweater kit from Shelridge Farms, a sock kit, and 2 bits of wool to spin. I want to start something new, but I have a baby blanket I started that I must finish first.

Almost MS&W 2009

I am headed to MS&W again this year. Before I go I got several items finished.

First, Ski Sweater. No picture yet, it is on the other camera. The sweater is wind-proof and warm.

Second, Lyra:
Pattern: Lyra by Herbert Niebling
Source: Lacis
Yarn: JaggerSpun Zepher silk/wool in Mushroom
Needles: US size 3, KnitPicks
Finished weight: 143 g or 4 7/8 oz
Time: Too long, it sat in time-out for several months.

Third, tofutsies socks:
Pattern: from Sensational Knitted Socks
Yarn: Tofutsies, about 2/3 of a ball
Size: women's size 10
Time: again, too long.

I started a new pair of socks. These are Nathaniel's Crew crew socks.
We are fans of the Columbus Crew MLS team, so he needed socks to wear to the games.

Next time it will be pictures from the festival and pictures of the finished ski sweater.

Sleeve 3 is finished

I finally finished the other sleeve for my ski sweater now that the weather has decided to be spring. Oh well I can get it all ready for next year. Here it is blocking (soaking it really helped the puckering of the color work). Now to do the sewing up.While I wait for that to dry I am back working on Lyra. It is taking about 45 minutes to knit one round. I am on on round 145 of 180, so the end is in sight.

Yesterday we went on a spring salamander hike at the local park. We did get to see one:
It was fun, but a little chilly. At least it is a sign that spring is indeed here.

Shouldn't I be done yet?

I am almost done knitting the second sleeve of the ski sweater, but I am not almost done. I have to knit sleeve #3. This is because I like my elbows to bend when wearing a sweater. I got the first sleeve done and decided it was too tight and too short, so I ripped what I had on sleeve 2 and started it over again with bigger needles. I also re-wrote where the increases were and increased the length by 1 inch. I have already ripped the "finished" sleeve and washed to yarn to remove the kinks.

I also spent some time spinning. I want to try a cabled yarn. I have 8 oz of a superwash undyed wool that I split into 4 even pieces. I am spinning each as a single, then will ply them. I will to cable, but if it doesn't work, I should have some nice 2 ply.