Big picture day.

First things first. I became so enamored of Ravelry, linking to see other projects, setting up my queue, wandering through the forums, joining groups, and looking at more projects that I quite forgot to knit for a time. Well, knit, or do much of anything else.

This is progress on a Brilla print "Graduated Ribs" top out of the "Knitters Stash" book. I threw the yarn and the pattern into my travel bag for Christmas, in case I needed something to start, and especially if I couldn't stand making another mohair scarf at the time. I did an arm and a half. Since then, the other arm has been done, and I'm on the third ball up the body. That's about 7 inches. I'm going to set it aside for a while, because I really want to knock out some wool projects. I've found that once it starts warming up here in Houston, I can't stand to work on wool, so I'll pick this one up then. See you later, Brilla.

Now, here is a boring one. I decided to offer a hand knit sweater as my gift to the family gift swat. The fellow who won the gift wants a "Charlie Brown" sweater. Plain, crew neck, yellow with a black zig zag. lucky for me, I've got the right yellow, and some black that is the same gauge in my stash. I'm using the "Grand Plan Pullover" directions from an elderly Interweave Knits so I don't have to calculate a set in sleeve from scratch. I did an intarsia swatch, but still have to math out the zig zag.

Now, the one I'm currently thrilled with. It's a little fair isle from a very old Vogue Knitting magazine. Holiday 1987. I'm using some vintage Marietta Knitting Worsted from the Caron company for the light green, and some no name wool for the dark. Both procured from eBAY, both stash. I love watching these Nordic patterns grow out of the ribbing.

Phew, nice for Fern to be done. I was putting off a lot of stuff, because I thought I should get her finished first. So, a lot feels backed up.

A while ago, I changed my template, to make it more compliant with standard blotter. I had really hacked up a template to my liking, but I wasn't keeping it up because I'm interested in doing a knitting blog, not proving that I can hack HTML.

I'm adding sidebar stuff as I go along, not even trying to replace what I had. I put the rings back in, and I think they work properly. I left out the Knit along stuff, as I've completed the ones I signed up for. I will be contributing to the Vogue 25th anniversary KAL this year.

I put my year goals up top. Pretty much like last year, knit from stash, try to do six sweaters. Different than last year, in that I have actually planned most of the sweaters I want to do, and have pulled and boxed the stash for them. I also learned from looking at my blog activity that I just can't bear to work with wool in the summer. So, I've set aside some cotton and cotton/rayon projects just for summer.

I'm loving Ralvery, by the way, as their project queue seems to make the planning even more real than the boxed yarn with their assignments.

The stash has been quite a lump to deal with. I found I would dig around, and not use particular yarn because there was either too much ( enough to make an entire sweater, or enough for half a two color sweater ), or not enough, or I was saving that yarn for this project or that. Talk about a Goldilocks syndrome.

I have a lot of "Vintage" yarn where the ball bands are either absent, or do not indicate yardage. This causes a lot of anxiety when planning a project. Keeping records last year has helped a lot. I have been weighing finished sweaters, and now have a much better grip on how much I need to do a particular sized piece.

My head had some projects that got into my head, that I can't stop fussing over. This is where I started with my planning exercise. I wanted to make a set of "his and her" sweaters for BIL and SIL. They wear that kind of stuff; I've seen their whole family decked out in matching Aloha shirts on vacation. So I did a lot of digging, and fussing, and finally decided on what I wanted to do for that project. Hence, the Fair Isle pullovers. His will be light avocado and pine green. Hers will be purple and the same light avocado. I'm making some modifications in order to make the pattern suit the gauge, and noting that.

I also have a baby sweater still on my mind. This is one left from my last year baby mania. The girl is born, but I'm not feeling a rush. I like to make a 1 year old size; newborn sizes are too small after a short three months. I got these GREAT vintage fish buttons while on vacation, so, I'm thinking of making this Dale of Norway model, but doing a fish motif in the yoke band instead of the leaf motif. I like the way the hem edge is wavy; I think it will go with the fish motif well. I have to go into the stash and find the colors. I know I have the pink, and yellows and pretty sure I have good choices minty green. Should be cute.

Houston, you can get to cold winter now. I have a new sweater.

I was planning on stating my goals for 2008, but I'm sort of bushed now.

Maybe tomorrow.

Happy New Year.

I've been back from holiday since Saturday evening, but still getting my life sorted out. We had a nice driving and visiting and sight seeing vacation that lasted two and a half weeks. I really disconnected from my normal day to day, which is what vacations are all about. I didn't do too much evaluating of 2007 or planning for 2008 either. Just saw a lot of people; did some hiking and sight seeing.

I gave every one of the brioche scarfs I had knit this year away.

Husband needed to start on a business trip, so I had to drive at the beginning. This made me a bit grumpy, as I was planning on finishing Fern and the Dale baby sweater on the trip out. I did finish the baby sweater completely, and all the knitting on Fern. Still have to sew it up.

So, Knitting Evaluation from 2007

Goals were

1) use only stash

2) knit 6 adult sweaters

Results

1) purchased some stash on Mothers day, but it was all used up by the end of the year. Count as a success

2) I will count Fern as a 2007 sweater, and make the count 5 sweaters.

2a) A Cardigan for Arwen - 26 oz

2b) Elegant Diagonals - 16 oz

2c) Hardangervidda - 32 oz

2d) Brilla coverup - 17 oz

2e) Fern - 20 oz

ALSO

13 fluffy brioche scarves average 2.5 oz per scarf = 32.5 oz

5 baby sweaters 28 oz total

If the goal was to use stash to make 6 sweaters, I'd say that the scarfs and baby sweaters count towards that goal, and the goal was well met.

Total ounces removed from stash 171, if I added correctly.

That's over 10 pounds!!

Once that baby sweater body was done, I didn't want to look at it for a few days. So, I got back and busy with Fern. She now has a front, all done. All that is left is the back, and sewing up, as the sleeves were knit this spring.

Look at the sexy close up. I know you want it.

I want to get that baby sweater done before leaving for Christmas Holiday, so I started the sleeve on Sunday. Monday afternoon, I present the one armed baby sweater. Moving along nicely, yes?

I got into Ravelry this weekend. My that is a nice interface. One can get quite involved in sorting, and queuing, and stashing online. Almost forgot that it was all about the knitting. I think I have over a year of projects in my queue now. I considered loading up past projects, but I think I'll keep them here, and spend the time knitting.

Over the weekend, this sweater exploded into color, and I just couldn't stop. Last night I finished sewing up the shoulders, put on the collar, and cleaned up the ends that were there.

Yes, most of the yoke was three colors, and I'm not so very good at handling three colors. I can do the color in each hand thing all day, but three was slow. I doubt I'd try this for an adult size any time soon.

After the baby sweater marathon, counted what I needed to do. 5 sweaters made, one more to do before we leave for Christmas. The idea of digging into another baby sweater gave me the heaves. So, I picked up Fern again.

She needed a few more inches to get to the arm opening, and I accomplished that and a bit more. Since half the stitches are now on a piece of waste yarn, she can stretch out for her pictures. I think she's quite pretty.

I also finished another scarf. This is for a friend in New Jersey, and will be mailed today, probably.

Wednesday night, I finally got interested in starting that last for 2007 baby sweater. I'm doing the cover sweater from the Dale of Norway book 81. It has the lovely name of "Baby Wo0l 8106" I'm using Nature Spun Sport, and getting a gauge of 26 st/4 inch instead of the 32 called for. No problem, I found that the stitch count for the three month model will result in a diameter that will be about right for the intended baby. I need to calculate the row count to make sure the armhole works out. I have a ruler, and I know how to use it, so no problems.

I changed the colors; using "Bit of Blue" for the main color, "Sapphire" for the darker contrast color, and "Orange Crush" for the second contrast color. The Orange is on the red side and the Sapphire is on the Purple side. There is also a fourth color used in the yoke. I'm going back and forth on that one.

The pattern does have a number of rounds with THREE colors, which I find tricky.

Another baby sweater out the door. The picture is a bit sideways; not sure why.

Not sure what got into me, but I really worked to get this done in a week. No compelling reason, other than to mark it off my so called list.

So, now I'm not feeling very ambitious about knitting right now.

Something I did a few weeks ago was to work through my stash, and bag up a number of projects. I set aside yarn and sweaters for two more "boy" sweaters. I think I'll rely on Dale of Norway to provide the pattern inspiration, rather than designing my own this time.

I do have a scarf on the needles, and Fern in the basket, so no need to start on anything new quite yet.

She looks so much nicer with buttons and her ends tucked in, don't you think?

I'm moving quickly on the next little boy sweater. This is for my daughter's geometry teacher. How do you like the 3-D cubes in the pattern? Just knit purl, but seems cool for a geometry teacher. I"m hoping to finish this week.

Almost done with some projects. This scarf just needs to have the ends worked in, then it's off to my friend Kathy in Seattle. She saw one like it that was being gifted, and put in an order. I'm a sucker for people admiring my work, so she gets a scarf.

When my daughter was a toddler, and I was travelling to Seattle a lot, she wanted to know who Addle was, since I visited this person so often.

A baby sweater to go to Atlanta. I finished the blue linen stitch one, and gave it away before taking a picture. The only way it will get documented here is if dad puts it on baby, and snap a picture.

I did a baby count, and came up with EIGHT. I guess I missed one, and I learned that another was landing last week. So, with this one, that's four down, and another four to go.

And another scarf for Carol in New Jersey. Carol helps me with a lot of projects, and New Jersey is nasty in the winter, so I hope she enjoys it.

Poor Fern. With Holiday Gifting scarfs, and baby sweaters, she is sad, and packed away in a zip lock. I keep thinking this week I'll do an eight row repeat, but it hasn't happened for a few weeks now. Maybe this week?

Well, the blog was slammed by some spam comment generator over the weekend. I thought I was suddenly popular. Silly me, I hardly get comments here, why should that change? I deleted the stupid stuff, and have added the little box with the funny letters to prevent the spam engines from tagging without effort.

I've been working on baby sweaters the past week. They've been showing up, and I intended to get them taken care of by the end of the year. I counted the babies I felt commited to make a sweater for, and the number was six.

Whoa.

These mitered jackets are for a set of twins that were born almost a year ago. They were premature, but now doing fine. My husband asked me to make these for his friend at work. This is the first time he has asked me to knit something for someone. They will get these baby surprise jackets as soon as I get the buttons.

Two newborns at the Atlanta Office, a boy and a girl. I've got the sleeves and edgings for this little blue jacket left to do. I'm using the last of the "Mothers Day" yarn binge and some very light blue e-bay yarn in a slip stitch pattern for the bottom of the body. This is a close up of the slip stitch pattern.

I'll do just the mohair mix for the top and arms. The edgings will be garter stitch in the light blue like the hem. Should be done soon as well.

The next will be for the girl. I go to Atlanta next week, so I hope I can get them both done and ready to give away for that trip.

Working on this second baby sweater. I had to take the needle out of it yesterday due to a unintentional short row. So, I laid her out for a photograph. This is the Zimmerman "baby surprise" idea, with a modification that has probably been done before.

The basic "surprise" you make the back section from the shoulder to the armpits. Then you make sleeves. Then you knit the second half of one sleeve, the back, then half of the second sleeve together. Then knit back and forth, increasing two stiches at the join in order to make the miter.

My modification is shown here.
I accomplish it by knitting the two sleeves, and make sure that I have an even number or stitches.

I slip the stiches for the back half of one sleeve onto the needle and knit to where the back should begin. Then I use a temporary cast on to add the back stiches, then I knit across half the second sleeve. I then knit back and forth, decreasing two stiches at the back/arm join. It makes this sweet mitered back section, and saves me a bit of seaming.

Nifty?
I'm sure this has been done before.

Well, the needles are working again.

I'm here on a business trip, all my mobility appliances are quietly charging. I used my new Blackberry to photograph miss Fern, who has made it off the chair and is traveling with me. I was able to complete about 18 rows on this trip, and will probably knit on her on the flight home. She's just about 13 inches now, so well on the way to the armholes.

Cast aside for now is a baby surprise that is most of the way done. I'd like to finish that one soon. I'm traveling again next week, so maybe Fern will feel too big to go out, and the baby sweaters will get their time.

Hey, I finished it.

Other than me being about 20 pounds too heavy, it's great. Maybe next summer I will wear it around.

And I dragged Fern off the chair, and took her on a business trip. She had been sharing that chair with the dog, and was a bit hairy, but other that that in fine shape. A few minutes to figure out what row we were on, away we went.

Eleven inches on the body. Maybe a picture later.

It's the middle of October, and cooling down enough that I may be able to touch wool again. I wish I could say I have been busy and productive over the summer. Just hasn't happened.

Let's review:

I had a goal to purchase no new yarn, and to make six adult sized stash sweaters this year.

I amended that because of a mothers day yarn purchase, that all the new yarn must be used as well as the six sweaters.

I'm pleased to say that most of the mothers day yarn is gone. The last bits are going into baby sweaters. Here's one that is done, and sleeves are made for the next one.

There are two balls of a mohair mix waiting to become yet another baby sweater. There have been quite a few born recently - mostly boys.

I was also working on a mesh top based on a pattern from the summer Vogue knitting. The parts are done the edging is done, it's a matter of sewing it together and cleaning up the ends.

This would be adult sweater number 4.

Fern is sweater number 5, and I must signed up for the Fall Cables KAL to motivate me to get her back out and done.

Perhaps over the weekend, I can get the mesh top completed, and Fern back in the mix.

Well, it's been a while. Over a month since my last post. I recall this happened last year. Just lost both knitting and blogging mojo for while.

Something about summer and they way my schedule goes askew. I need external commitments to get me up in the morning. Daughter is at summer camp, my husband was out of the country for over three weeks. So, no one to manage my time but me. That's hard to do all of a sudden.

It won't stop raining here. While we are not having disaster floods, it's swampy and mushy and just hard to move most of the time. Plans for anything outside are on hold, because of the thunderstorms that show up, just when you think you are ready to go out. One of our big trees fell over, and had to be removed. That's the third one to fall over since we moved here almost seven years ago.

So, I've been dropping off and picking up at airports and summer camps. Knitting a bit here and there. Getting wet.

I finished the Waikiki tank. It fits, and it's cute.

I started a top using pattern #2 of the Vogue Summer magazine as a guide. It's an open mesh top, shown as a bathing suit coverup. I'm using multicolor Brilla rayon/cotton. I tried this yarn for a top several years ago, and it turned out awful, so I ripped it apart, and it's been bugging me ever since. The strong vertical line of the mesh pattern seems to be strong enought to not get lost in the multicolor.

I've got the sleeves done, but they seem narrow. I'm working on the body, and it seems wide.

I need to figure out what the deal is, but my mind just doesn't seem to want to go there. So, I'll work up the body, figure out if I need to rework the sleeves when the body is done.

I think I've worked on Fern some, but it's been in the bag a while. Something about wool when it's 90 degrees outside doesn't work for me now.

So, that's the update for July. Maybe I'll get it together in August.

I'm back to two projects on the needles. One sort of complicated, and one very simple.

Neither are very photogenic, as they are on circular needles, and sort of squashed.

Fern is one an 1/2 skeins into the body. I had a bit of trouble on the twist stitch diamond pattern. So, I had to pull that section down, and re-do it. I decided to work the body in the round. So, it will be a few weeks before the front and back are separate, and a nice picture that shows all the pretty stitches can be made.

I spent a lot of time last week swatching the last of the Mothers Day Waikiki. I learned that this yarn does not like smaller needles. I tried some slip stich patterns, but the companion yarn took over the Waikiki, so the effect was dull, or in some way compromised the yarn. Some of the swatches look nice in the picture, but they didn't really show off how pretty the yarn is on it's own.

So, I started in on a tank top in plain stockinette. Just a tube, with a little shaping. Starting at 36 inches on the cast on, and increasing to about a 40inch bust.

It's sort of hard in the photograph to see the pretty colors. It's a blend of teal, magenta, purple, with a bit of tobacco. The colors are all about the same value, so the puddling that happens with multi colored yarn isn't unattractive. I wasn't thrilled about the brown at first, but now, it is my favorite effect. Again, not very photogenic as it is squashed up on a circular needle.

On with the finishing frenzy. The last of the part about to be off the needles is here. That would be the second sleeve for Fern. Here they are for a group shot.

So, fussy finishing is over for a while. I will knit on Fern for a main project.

There is the "Mothers Day Binge" situation. I have two more skeins of a multi-color mohair mix. That, I think will make a nice baby sweater.

Then, there are six skeins of Crystal Palace Waikiki, in a darker teal/purple/tobacco brown colorway. Just beautiful, but also multicolored, and textured, and not enough for a tank top. I've got plans, and some yarns that co-ordinate to work with. Maybe next week, there will be a plan for it.

Houston, we have finished Hardangervidda. Just in time for the swampy, hot summer.

To Review

I used 10 skeins (150 meters/skein) of Norweigian Sport Wool, purchased from Elann.com. I was going to use Nature Spun Sport, but backed out as I felt that I would run out of yarn. If ball bands can be believed, the NatureSpun has more yardage per 50 grms, so I should been able to do it. Live and learn. Contrast colors were stash NatureSpun in Creme, and stash Alpaca in black.

I, of course, changed the pattern some.

1) I reversed the "block Rib, so that the blocky side was on top rather than the ribby side.
2) I used a Shetland steek method, rather than machine sewing and cutting for the armhole. This is really not anything anyone would notice, and since I did make a facing one would have to cut the sweater apart to see.
3) I modified the neck, making it smaller. My husband likes his necks snug.
4) I modified the neck, using a repeat of one of the small diamond pattern with the contrasting stripes rather than the block rib.

And a picture of the "private side" for those of you who like to look. This would be the inside of the join between one arm and the body. Whoopy dooo.

We are well into June, and in a finishing frenzy here in Swatchyland.

Last week, I finished up the Elegant Diamonds sweater. This weekend, much work on the Hardangervidda. It is still not done, but the neck is in, and I like it quite a lot. Still grafting, and sort of anxious about it. I see a distinct line where the grafting was done. You can sort of see it in the photograph. I'm hoping it will go away when the sweater is washed and blocked. If not, I'll tear it out an try again - once.

Any wisdom?

Oh yeah, I also finished a scarf. This represents skeins 3 and 4 of my 13 skein Mothers Day yarn binge. It is a garter ladder pattern from the first Barbara Walker Treasury of knitting stitches. I'm usually not one to post pictures of yarn, I think that pretty dopey. However, I have a big problem with this multi-colored novelty stuff. I find it hard to get a fabric that represents what the skein looks like. I think in this case, the stitch pattern worked well. What say you?

Happy June.

I finally got out my tapestry needle and finished E.D. See?

She's soft and pretty, with one issue that is not her fault. She fits a version of me that is probably 20 pounds lighter than the version that is currently present.

Yes, I'm another one of those folks struggling with weight. This summer, perhaps some will go away. My my blood pressure has been creeping up, and doctor says that it needs to go down, or I go on drugs. I've repeated this enough that my husband is supporting the effort as well. We will be consistent about exercise, and better food choices for a few months at least.

On with the knitting.

Since the tapestry needle was out, all the hems and facings for Hargandervidda got sewn. I also, (horrors) separated the top and bottom, so that I could add those two inches of length. We drove to a nice area to bicycle ride on Sunday, so that's done. The neck has been picked up as well. No pictures, because he is so embarrassed about being in pieces again. Maybe next week, he will be in a better mood.

Happy Memorial Day.

It's rained the whole weekend here in H-town, and is muggy as well. We've been able to do some bicycling in between the showers, and I've been enjoying the long weekend by sleeping a lot, and trying to put some projects on the "finished" list. Mixed results.

Confession.

The Mothers Day sale at the LYS was too tempting. I mentioned it to my husband, the great enabler, and he packed me up, and drove me over. Lots of pretty novelty yarn, the kind I said I would never buy again on sale 40% off. Some jumped into a basket. I was planning on dear husband to make the purchase, so I could rationalize it off as a gift. But I walked up to the counter myself, and did it.

So, I suppose that I need to use it all up before the end of the year. The goal is to end you year with a measurable amount of stash reduction.

So, here is the start.

Two skeins of Waikiki, in a blue/teal/purple colorway that reminded me of my Sister in Law. It is nasty stuff to figure out. Not only is it a multicolor, but it has hunks or wads that are thicker to add more interest. I tried a lot of stitch patterns, and ended up with this garter lace pattern, that I sort of made up. All done, and ready to be mailed.

I'm working on some Lang Venzia now.

Now for Hardangervidda. The sleeves are attached, and the insides are cleaned up. I need to tack down the armhole facing, and hems, the add the neck.

Almost done.

Except

I had the intended try it on.

It's too short.

I'm going to have to do that snip, and knit another two inches and graft it together thing before I can call this one finished.

And E.D. is still waiting to be cleaned up.

I so wanted to post that I had the red Hardangervidda off the needles last Thursday, but it wasn't. There have been other accomplishments, however. Our new little boat is sailing. My husband and I are certified to use enriched air while SCUBA diving. My daughter has had braces installed. The dog has been to the vet. Yes, I still work most of the day, and I'm doing a lot of internal presentations, which has generated more work, which is good, but limits knitting. I had a near disaster on Friday, spilling a drink on my laptop. The keyboard went wonky, and I recovered somewhat by finding an older keyboard from a previous personal computer. I also spritzed and paper toweled the damaged keyboard, and the laptop keyboard may be back in working order. Hurrah for me.

I also find that I am looking too much at my page stats again. I made this blog for myself, and I keep telling myself that it really doesn't matter if I have 2 hits, or 20 hits per day. I should just stop looking. I did for a while, and was a lot happier.

But, this is a knitting blog, and back to Hardangervidda. The project had moved so quickly through the boring center section, and the delicious yoke pattern. Then, the last bit of block rib seemed to take forever. It didn't help that the neck placement didn't please me. My husband likes necks that fit closely, and this one looked way too big. Then, the section for the armholes looked small. I set a steek at the beginning of the yoke pattern, because I don't trust my sewing machine skills at all. Thus, I had to keep working until I had enough armhole. Not a problem, it only took two extra sets of block rib. As far as ending dimensions, this is fine as well. My husband has a long torso, so the extra inch in the body will be just fine.

I'm getting tired of this project, now that it is so near to completion. Lots of fiddly finishing work to do, and I still have all the ends to work in for the Elegant Diagonals sweater. I need some quality time with a good audio book, a thunderstorm, a tapestry needle, and scissors.