What’s on My Sticks?

Whether it is being worked everyday, once a week or tossed in the “for later” basket, there is always something on my sticks.  Which is why I have so many needles and have just ordered more.  Insane, I know.  Some might ask, ‘Why don’t you just move the projects to stitch holder or scrap yarn?’  

Ah, easy to say, not easy to do.  I’ve done this before and, after a long and restful hibernation, I have picked up the project – a sweater, for example – and can not for the life of me remember which needles I used.  Of course, this was all before Ravelry and my newer, organized, record keeping self (ha!), but still – I simply prefer to have the needles in the project.  If this means multiple needles, so be it.

At the moment I have several projects in the works.  From socks, to sweater, scarves to rugs, I have employed many sets of needles.  The oldest project on needles at the moment are a pair of Pomotomus for Darling Z.  These were started in June of this year and, once I was confident in pattern and my gauge, they were tossed in the basket.  I hope to finish these by next Spring.

 

Poms for Z

 

 

The next hibernating project is the February Baby Sweater, up-sized for Darling Z, also started in June.  I stopped knitting this one once I started the button holes, realizing I had not selected buttons and did not have any on hand.  Just three days ago I found the perfect button online and purchased three.  This too, I hope to finish by Spring.

 

February Young Lady Sweater

 

 

In June, I also cast on for gauge, a lace project for a KAL to begin in July.  The South Seas Stole was such a pleasure to knit.  Was?  Yes, was.  I finished the body of the stole just in time for the KAL to end.  However, I have not yet finished the stole, as the border remains undone.  I was hoping to start the border sometime this month but other KALs, obligations and, of course, holiday knitting has me otherwise occupied at the moment.  I am hoping to cast on for the border once my holiday knitting is complete.  

South Seas Stole

Dr. Thuja has been on my needles for way too long.  Although I only just cast on at the end of August, these socks, which are worsted weight house socks, should really be finished by now.  What is taking me so long?  I am not sure exactly.  I think my procrastination on this project revolves around not knowing the recipient’s shoe size.  I have guessed, based on height and visual sizing, that I should be knitting a size large, which I am.  But I am so afraid that this person has freakishly large feet and therefore, a large may in fact be too small.  

What to do?  Based on information found in collective knitting books, I know I can assume the foot is the same length as the forearm and the same circumference as the fist.  I have mentally measured both, based only on sight.  How do you get a person’s measurements without their knowledge!  I am befuddled here. Once I make up my mind to make up my mind, I will finish the socks as a size large, perhaps with a little extra length, just for good measure.     pun, definitely intended for comic relief

 

Dr Thuja

 

 

So, that is actually it for ‘hibernating’ projects.  Then there are the projects that are about to be started.  chuckles insanely I am not so sure that I can finish the projects I have set myself up with, but I will try nonetheless.  Here is my list of projects to be knit by Christmas Eve – most ideally, by December 20th.

Project:  SOSiii – As of this posting, I have not even started this.  I have, but I have to start over in a different yarn.  So, until that yarn arrives, I can do nothing and have fallen behind 5 charts so far! :sigh: 

Recipient: myself

Priority: low

 

Project:  Convertible mitts - this knit is intended as a Christmas gift but also is part of a KAL incorporating our hand-dyed yarns into a colorwork project.

Recipient: Darling Z

Priority: High

 

Project:  R2D2 Hat – Inspired by other hats and using my own charts.  I expect this hat to take awhile as it will be design, knit and learn as I go.

Recipient: QXT

Priority: High

 

Project:  Transformers Hat by Lori Magnus.  This hat is also stranded. KFJ loves transformers, so to find this pattern was perfect.

Recipient: KFJ

Priority: High

 

Project: Kenobi by Norah Gaughan.  There is a lot of moisture in the air here.  That means humid summers and cold, damp winters.  This jacket would serve as a great housecoat for DH.  Presently he uses a very expensive jacket he purchased in Japan.  This jacket is not easily replaced or repaired.  That said, this jacket is beginning to fall apart.  Time for something new and to pack away the Japan-coat.

Recipient: DH

Priority: High

 

Project: Hooded Baby Sweater by Debbie Bliss.

Recipeint: AEJ

Priority: High

 

Project:  Flutter Scarf by MimKnits.  I love this lace scarf.

Recipient: Making 2, one for MDT and one for me. 

Priority:  High and Low, respectively.

 

This list in by no means complete but the most immediate items to be knit.  And of course, does not include any new techniques I may be picking up or KALs I am signed up for or swaps or clubs I belong to. 

ETA – I can not believe that with all the UFOs and WIPs I have currently, I have just cast on for three additional new projects!!!  I need a 12 step program.

So, I want to know – What’s on your sticks?

Yarn Selection is Just as Important as Gauge

Just a few posts ago, I had mentioned my struggles in blocking the Flower Basket Shawl.  The issue definitely was not gauge – this was shawl after all.  The issue was the yarn I had selected.  It contained polyamide, which technically, is a compound structure similar to protein.  Silk is a natural polyamide, while Nylon is a synthetic polyamide.  Can we guess which type of polyamide my yarn selection contained?  Yup, the Nylon.  While I was able to block the shawl, it was not as simple as it should have been.  Lesson learned – don’t use yarn with synthetic polyamide for a shawl.  I won’t make that mistake again. (smug)

Oh but we must learn the hard way before a lesson is truly learned, right?  At least, I must.

This month, my favorite organized swap, Monthly Adventures, featured a theme titled ‘Tops and Pots’.  The idea is to knit a head covering (hat, band, etc) and send a recipe for a one-pot meal to your swap partner.  Easy-peasy, right?  I decided to knit the Calorimetry, as the weather is easing up and my swap partner is not fond of hats.  My first thought, after seeing a picture of my swap partner, was that her hair is so fine and a bulky knit would be too much yarn on top of her head.  I decided that a Calorimetry knit in lace or light fingering weight would be more suitable.  I did the math, OUCH!  I would have to nearly double the cast on stitches and do additional math to obtain the correct results.  Since my soon-to-be-three-year-old was pounding a plastic toy against the tile floor of our highly acoustic house as I attempted the math, I decided it was best to use the suggested yarn.  And, since my stash is well-stocked and I really can not justify to WMH why I should go and purchase more yarn, I decided to make a substitute.

Well, little ole me started feeling ‘o-so-smug as I selected a yarn from my stash that had the same WPI as the suggested yarn.  I knit a swatch, obtaining the same gauge as well.  Feeling extra smug now.  I CO and began the Calorimetry, which is a relatively quick knit.  In a few hours I was nearly finished and inspected my work.  Wow, this thing looked like a feminine pad for an elephant, I am not even kidding.  I would show you pictures but I was so horrified that I frogged the thing immediately.  Trust me, your mental health and suffering has been spared by lack of photos.

What was the dealy-o?  I mean, I did everything right, right?  Why was this happening to me?  Wha, wha, wha (the sounds of violins in the background)

Well, lets examine the yarn itself: 

 

This is the yarn I used    

  

and these are two strands of the yarn   

If you consider that the end is curling back in the top strand, then you would realize that the two pieces, which are the same length, are almost exactly the same length when one is stretched and the other relaxed.  There isn’t much ‘give’ to this yarn.  But, how is it that the WPI and the gauge are the same as the suggested yarn?  Well, WPI is WPI… you can’t change that fact.  If I get 8 WPI, then I have 8 WPI, unless I want to squeeze another wrap in there.  Gauge however, well that gauge is a tricky thing.

You can knit a piece that is 4″ x 4″ and it will look, feel, stretch in just the way you expect it to, as in this case.  But, if you knit a piece that is 22″ x 22″, you may get very different results.  Why?  The added stitches will weigh the fabric, particularly if it is a dense fiber, and you may find that you knit differently when you are knitting a larger piece such as a sweater or afghan than when you knit a smaller piece such as mittens or scarves.  In my case, the yarn I chose to substitute, while it was 8 WPI and I did obtain the same gauge of 20 sts x 22 rows in a 4″x4″ swatch, seemed to g-r-o-w as I added the stitches necessary for CO.  The fiber itself is very dense, resulting in very little stretch in a larger piece, making a heavy fabric.

What to do now?

Well, I went with my original idea.  I mean, if I was willing to spend my precious time knitting a piece I was only going to frog later, then I can spend 5 minutes to do some math, even with noisy toddler in the background.  Using lace weight yarn, I figured I would have to CO 210 sts and the results are working out great:

I have one gripe about the pattern, it does come out a bit wide for an average person’s head.   Of course, if I just do a bit more math, the problem is solved.  If I make this again, I will definitely shorten the width.

I am nearly finished, then off to the Post to send out to my swap partner… :) 

Flower Basket Shawl ~ FO

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Ravelry?  I mean, I really, really love it.  Like a kid loves candy, I love Ravelry.  I can’t get enough of it.  And, as if it couldn’t get any better, Casey and Jess keep adding new features, making Ravelry a knitter’s dream.  If you do not have Ravelry, sign up now!  Yes, there is a waiting list.  Yes, it seems like forever before your ‘in’, but once you pass through the portal of the Welcome page, your knitting life will change forever.

How so?

In my last post, I mentioned I was having trouble blocking my Flower Basket Shawl.  This had never happened to me before and I could not figure out what the problem was.  In addition to posting here, I posted my issue in Raverly as well.  I received a flood of PMs and direct responses to my issue.  I tried the first suggestion and Viola!

See that?  No pins there!  The points stayed!  Yea! 

 So, what was the problem?  A dear Raveler suggested that the yarn I was using had a high oil or lanolin content and that I should wash again in very warm, almost hot water. Well, considering I had washed in quite tepid, almost cold water, I re-washed and re-blocked.  Thankfully, that worked.  Another Raveler mentioned that the issue began before I started knitting since I selected a yarn that contained polymide.  I myself considered this at first.  In fact, I thought of this before I began knitting, but I was assured  through another Raveler at that early stage that the ratio was ‘okay’.  Still, I think in the future I will knit lace with wool, alpaca or silk and steer clear of  any elastin-type fiber.

Thanks to all who helped me with this little issue! 

 ETA: Can you believe it?  Among the many suggestions I received, Katie Himmelberg of Interweave Knits sent her suggestions along as well!  Noting that the yarn I used contained polymide, she suggested steam blocking… which would have been my next choice had the re-washing not worked!  Thanks Katie!

Holiday Knitting

I am not sure if it’s the Halloween decorations or the sudden freezing chill in the air, but I am tackling my TBK* list.  Normally,  I am a s-l-o-w knitter, we are talking Queen of Turtles.  I suppose I could knit fast all of the time but I enjoy knitting, it does so much for me, in a therapeutic sort of way.  The repetitive movements, the soft fibers, the budding project and it’s end result, all feels wonderful to me.  I am one of those strange birds in the knitting community who actually likes to swatch for gauge, especially when a stitch pattern or fiber is new to me.  And,  I do not mind at all weaving in ends – it brings closure to the piece .  As I weave in ends, I think of the recipient of the piece and hope they will enjoy wearing/using it as much as I have enjoyed knitting it.  Cornball I am, I am – it’s true.

Come back soon for pictures….

*TBK = To Be Knit

Ravelry!!!

I opened my ‘inbox’ expecting to see the usual emails from Knitting Daily, YarnSwaps.com, Bills, junk mail, etc.  And then I saw it … Ravelry.  Like many, I had been waiting to join that wondrous site, but the wait had proven too much for me and so, I started this blog.   This blog has been a great outlet for me,  I can ‘share’ my knitting and get great feed back as a result.  I have also found this blog to be a superb motivator for me, I mean, I actually finished 3 UFOs in a week!  I did get my stash, WIP, UFO, FO and TBK cataloged in pages here that you may never see but, Oh!, Ravelry!  I literally just created my account profile.  It is pretty much a bare site, similar to this blog a few weeks ago.

To address a few items:

Will I continue keeping this Blog?

You betcha!  I have enjoyed this blog.  I have learned a lot through this blog and it will continue onward.  I have ‘met’ some great folks already and I hope to meet more!

To commenter and the general public:

I am but a humble hand knitter.  I love the feel of the fibers.  I love the grain of my bamboo needles.  I love the colors of the fibers.  I enjoy the process of swatching as a test run.  I am a knitter.  I am a turtle knitter.  That is why I have this blog.  I am not writting a book.  I am not a designer (not for the public).  I do not spin yarn.  I do not paint yarn.  I do not own an LYS.  I do hope to create a pattern or two and post them FREE OF CHARGE.  I think knitting is a wonderful art and should be available to all.  To the one commenter, I too have opinions, just like you.  Feel free to comment any time.

Have you noticed?

I finally got some pictures up and finished a few WIPs as well, now FO :)) More to come…

Yesterday was a mailbox full of surprises (well, ok – I knew about them) more to come…

…If I had more than 10 minutes, I would do it now, but I don’t.

Keagan’s Hat

Keagan’s Hat.3, originally uploaded by destiknit.

This 1×1 rib beanie was knit from the brim-up for my youngest. I used one skein of KnitPicks Shamrock, I used every last bit. The tassel at the top was what remained. As I look at this picture, I think I will go back and shorten the yarn between the hat and tassel. Other than that, I am very happy with this hat -

Keagan’s Hat

Keagan’s Hat.2, originally uploaded by destiknit.

- and so is he!

Jen’s Scarf

Jen’s Scarf, originally uploaded by destiknit.

 

From the beginning, this scarf was an accident – a beautiful accident. First, I ordered yarn by the ounces indicated in the pattern. Isn’t yardage a major requirement? Oh yeah. Next, this color is supposed to be a Cornflower Blue. It is what it is – Purple. OK. Then, silly me, I just start knitting away. No swatch, no gauge (not needed really), no reviewing the pattern.

Knit, knit, knit.

After one skien of yarn I realize that the pattern is not what it is supposed to be. Hmm. *scratch head**review pattern(now)*It seems I printed the 2 page pattern from the front to the back and I hadn’t not turned the page over, not once. What to do? Frog it and start again? Or keep going? Obviously, I kept knitting – and I am glad I did!

Kalee’s Hat

Kalee’s Hat, originally uploaded by destiknit.

My model (beauty, ain’t she?) is wearing a 1×1 Rib Beanie with an i-cord brim. This had was done totally on the fly. I started from the top, making a Right Swirling Medallion in 1×1 rib as a swatch. Once I realized that my idea was working, I just kept on knitting and BO in i-cord, Viola! It is quite thick and verrry warm. My model is quite sad as this beanie is intended as a gift for her cousin. I suppose I will have to make her one of her very own!