About practice sampling

What I am about to show you is not a gauge swatch. It's a practice sampler.

What's the difference? I'm not trying to get X amount of stitches or rows per inch. That means there's really no pressure--no measuring, remeasuring, bunching, stretching, pulling, measuring again, changing needles, no bad words, and no pulling hair out.

A practice sampler is just what it says...a sample that you knit for practice. It's not going to BE anything. It doesn't have to FIT anything. It's simply knitting for the fun and joy of knitting.

This particular sampler just happens to be the toe section of Anna Zilboorg's "Half-Stranded Socks". I've written of this pattern before, a little over a year ago. (Here.) Since that post I have taken a class from Anna, as in live and in person. (More on that later.) For me the class was kick in the butt I needed to practice the art of knitting and become a better, well, practitioner.

My little sample is far from perfect, but did I really expect to hit a home run on my first at bat? (Actually...yes I did.) Some (a lot) of the stitches are wonky. Strike one. I executed a positively crappy stitch pick up along the toe. Surely I don't have to point it out to you. Strike two. Then there's the puckered area over on the left. Strike three. So does that mean I'm out? No way! I've only just begun.

My brain knows what my fingers should be doing, but my fingers are being stubborn. I can do it, but my fingers are balking as I coax them into trying a different way of picking up stitches along the toe band or to remember not to tug the yarn too tightly across the back of the color work. Muscle memory is very difficult to erase and reprogram. It takes patience, which I tremendously lack, and practice.

And don't even get me started on that old cliche "practice makes perfect". That's a whole other therapy session... (Hi, I'm Chris and I'm a Perfectionist...)

For now I'll stick with practicing and more practicing.  

To weave or not to weave

I picked up this cool skein of yarn at Stitches South this past weekend. Do I mix it with a couple other fibers and weave it? Should I knit a funky cowl? Or do I arrange it nicely in a bowl and use it for a centerpiece?

Oddballs and remnants

Finishing the white feather and fan prayer shawl was the motivation I needed to get started on another right away. I couldn't decide what pattern or what color, so I chose to cast on a shawl using up partial skeins and remnants. Our prayer shawl group at church gets yarn donations every once in a while. Someone will go through Grandma's stuff and pull out a pile of yarn and rather than throw it way, the yarn makes its way to us. It's great! (We are careful with the yarn donations and make sure to check for moth-damage before we add it to our stash.)

Last Sunday I raided the cabinet and took about 15 skeins in the blue/green family. A lot of the skeins I took were furry novelty yarns. I added those 15 skeins to another 10-12 skeins of my own and had a pretty good pile of yarn reminiscent of the shades of Lake Superior on any given day.

While the "pattern" looks fairly complicated, it's actually about as simple as it gets. No two shawls will ever be the same using this method. 

Holding two colors together, cast on 160 (or so) on size 15 needles. (Shawl is knit horizontally rather than vertically, so you'll have more cast on stitches than rows.) I'm using my Denise interchangeable circular needles. 

• Row 1: Knit across with the colors used to cast on, we'll call them Color 1 (C1) and Color 2 (C2)
• Row 2: Cut C1 and leave an 10" tail. (These tails will be knotted and used as fringe.) Join C3 leaving an 10" tail and also leave a 10 "loop" of C2 (you'll cut the loop and use as fringe), knit across using C2 and C3.
• Row 3: Cut C2, leave tail, join C4 leaving an 10" loop tail, leave 10" loop with C3 and knit across. 

And just keep going changing yarns and leaving fringe ends until the shawl is wide enough.  

The yarns I'm using are mostly worsted with a few DK and chunky weights. About 2/3 of the yarns are novelty, furry, ribbon, nubby, etc. If you want a consistent color change, number your yarns in advance. If a blind random pattern is appealing, just reach in the basket and use the yarn that you touch first. There's no wrong way! I'm using a somewhat random approach, mixing smooth yarns with novelty yarn and trying to keep from putting 2 furry/eyelash yarns close together. 

After binding off, it's time to knot the end that you left hanging. I use a square knot technique. Lay the shawl flat and gently "comb" the fringe with your fingers so you can see the rows. Cut all the loops so the ends are straight. Now is the time to tighten up the first couple stitches along the edge also. To begin knotting, tie the ends of row 1 and 2 in a square knot. Then take the ends of row 2 (which were just knotted with row 1) and tie them in a square knot with the ends from row 3. In the past I have knotted rows 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, and so on. It works, but I think knotting rows 1-2, 2-3, 3-4 gives the edge a cleaner look with more stability. Then trim all the ends to a uniform length. 

As for blocking, it all depends on the yarn content. I typically lay shawls like this flat on a bed or sofa and then hold an iron about 4 inches above the shawl and hit it with steam. Pressing the iron on the shawl will take the body right out of it.

My goal was to finish two shawls during Lent. At this rate, I may just finish 3! 

Prayer shawl - FINISHED!

Here's an update on the latest prayer shawl.

It's off the needles!! 

This is a simple feather and fan/old shale pattern. 

Size 13 needles, chunky yarn. 

More details on Ravelry

Cast on 50 stitches and knit for a couple rows then the pattern is a 4 row repeat.

1. knit

2. purl

3. k1, k2 tog (3 times), yo k1 (6 times), k2 tog (6 times), yo k1 (6 times), k2 tog (6 times), yo k1 (6 times), k2 tog (6 times), yo k1 (6 times), k2 tog (3 times) k1. 

4. knit

Keep at it until the shawl is long enough. A good way to measure is to hold the needles parallel to the floor and then stretch your arm out also parallel to the floor. When the shawl touches the floor, it's long enough. 

Fringe is optional, but I had plenty of yarn left. I think it finishes it off nicely. 

This pattern can be kind of scrunchy and not so pretty before it's blocked. But it's lovely after it's blocked! I blocked this with steam rather than a full soaking wet block. When blocking with an iron and steam be sure you don't press the iron down on the knitted item. You'll flatten the stitches and take the life out of the garment. 

Prayer shawls....how it began and how it will continue

I would sit off by myself in a corner of the room and knit. I knit to pass the time as my son participated in his weekly Boy Scout troop meeting. Sometimes I piped in with a comment or two about an upcoming backpacking trip or progress on a merit badge, but mostly I sat and knit. The other parents, mostly dads, would ask about my latest project and I'd like to think they were actually interested in my weekly progress. However I think they were just being polite. But now that I think back had I not had my knitting with me during those meetings I might not have engaged in conversation with the other parents. In could have stuck my nose in a book or magazine and propped a "do not disturb" sign by my side, but I chose to knit instead.

"I remember my Grandmother knitting."

"Is that knitting or crochet?"

"Doesn't the string get all tangled?" (Which was funny coming from a group of men who prided themselves in being able to tie a double bowline in 14 seconds with one hand.)

The knitting seemed to be a conversation starter of sorts and I soon became The Mom Who Knits.

In the summer of 2006, rather than plan a week of backpacking in the mountains, the troop headed to Destin, Florida for 6 days of sailing instruction on the schooner Daniel Webster Clements. They needed chaperones, and another mom was going, so I volunteered. Being the only non-crew females on board, she and I shared the state room, a 6 foot by 7 foot cubby hole with one tiny porthole--very cramped quarters! So I spent nearly the entire trip on deck, nights also. As the boys learned how to trim sails and jibe-ho, I propped a couple life jackets against the cabin wall and knit in the shade of the mains'l while chatting with the other chaperones. Relaxation, fresh air, creaking ropes, building friendships. It was wonderful 6 days!

A couple weeks after the trip I received an invitation to a surprise birthday party for one of the dads who had been on the trip. The party was very well attended and I only knew a couple people from scout meetings and the sailing trip. I was extremely thankful when George, one of the dads from the schooner, sought me out. His wife, Betty, was with him and he was pretty excited to introduce us. He said to Betty, "this is Chris, she's the mom who knits, the one I was telling you about!" And it was at that moment, in a living room full of people I didn't know, that I entered the prayer shawl ministry.

George had told Betty about my knitting. Betty was a Deacon at Bellevue Presbyterian Church where they had just started a prayer shawl ministry. They were looking for knitters on Wednesday nights, and she invited me to join them. And join I did. Four days later Zack and I walked through the doors of the church, got in line for dinner, and sat among people I had never met before. It was no big deal for Zack as he spotted a group of classmates at the "youth" table and quickly abandoned me.

I remember that night well. I sat with Betsy and Wayne during dinner. Betsy marveled at my courage saying she could never just show up like that. Yep, I was a bit out of my comfort zone, but it was knitting! That common language made it much less scary. There were about 20 knitters who gathered afterwards. Susan was on my left. Donna was to my right. Bill was directly across from me. Betty, Fran, Irene, Janet, Madge, Teresa, Judy, they were all there, though I doubt they remember that first night of mine. But after the welcome I received that evening I was hooked and became a member of the church soon afterwards.

In the past 8 years we have given 106 shawls to church members, family and friends. It is a rewarding ministry, knowing that our shawls are out there providing comfort. But it hasn't been an easy 8 years. We have heard very sad stories and prayed fervently over shawls that we knit for someone who had lost a child, spouse or a parent, someone who had received the worst possible news from a doctor, someone who was spending another Christmas completely alone.

Now eight years later, we, the prayer shawl knitters, are also needing prayers and comfort. We have lost many members--some have moved away or gone to other churches but some are no longer with us at all--Bill, Susan, Mary, Anne. It has been tough, and we've only got a few knitters who still meet regularly. Betsy, who I sat with that first night, is one of them. Sometimes I wonder if she and I still have what it takes to keep going. I think of all the reasons why we should call it quits. Then I look through our notebook and recognize Susan's handwriting on the pages where the names of all the people who have received our shawls are recorded. I sort through and reread the many thank you cards. I know we need to keep the ministry going, but I'm not exactly sure how to continue. So for the rest of my evening, I will conclude this second day of Lent in prayerful knitting.

In His name.



Note: the Bellevue Presbyterian Church Prayer Shawl Ministry meets in the Narthex each Wednesday evening after the fellowship dinner. During the summer months the schedule may change. Please contact me through the a comment on this blog or contact the church office for more information on the ministry. Thanks

Freshening up a bit

I think a little freshening up is order. The plain background was a bit boring. Hope you like it!

The photo is of one of my favorite hand-dyed yarn skeins sold long ago on Etsy. It's fun and inspiring to go through old photos.

As promised in my last blog...upcoming adventures! I've taken the plunge and signed up to go to Stitches South 2014 with Liana, LeAnn and Lori in April. It's in 1 month, 1 week and 1 day. Can't wait!

Also, I finished up a pair of ultra warm socks and just in time! The weather radio is squawking a winter storm warning. Ice accumulations from 1/2 to 1 inch. Snow. Death and destruction. Pandemonium. Chaos. Gnashing of teeth. Hurling oneself over a cliff. You know the drill...

But back to the socks: knit with "Jarbo Garn Raggi Multi" yarn, top down, on size 5 needles. They knit up super fast and are by far the warmest wool socks I own. My feet are size 9-9 1/2 and each sock took nearly a skein, 52 stitches around and knit in a k3/p1 pattern. It was my intention to mismatch the striping of the yarn, and if you know me, having something mismatched is a huge departure from my nearly OCD/anal retentive tendencies about things being the way things need to be. The heel, gusset and toe are basic, nothing fancy. I love them!

I must confess, I told myself that I bought the yarn because I was going to knit them for Zack for Christmas, but after a couple inches I knew the socks would be mine. Actually, I think I knew the socks would be mine when I bought the yarn. Who am I fooling? And if I don't 'fess up, Liana will surely call me out on it (again)! 

What the Fugly? A Christmas gerbil

Because everyone needs a Christmas gerbil...or three. Really? Maybe these little guys don't qualify as "fugly" but the question still remains--why?

These are advertised on Etsy as follows:

I love making knitted gerbils. I try to make as close to real colors as possible. Every gerbil is hand knitted and unique. No two are exactly alike.

Is someone smoking a candy cane? I have never seen a gerbil in these real colors, but then I've also never dropped acid. Ok, ok...I'll back off. They are kind of cute in an I've-had-too-much-eggnog kind of way.

 

About a forgotten knitting bag

This past weekend, as I was going through a stack of stuff in the room that was formerly known as the guest room (I would abbreviate that but TRTWFKATGR seems even more cumbersome) I came across the most adorable little project bag. I wonder what's inside!

Knitters have multiple project bags. It's because knitters have multiple projects. Sometimes I stuff more than one project in a project bag, but I try to keep my projects monogamous. Too much tangling of yarn, confusion of needles, patterns in disarray. It's best to keep things separate.

This practice is all well and good until I forget about a project. That's what happened with the Point Reyes Mitts stuffed in the most adorable little project bag that I uncovered last weekend.

Ta da!

Project background:  My mom gave me some Knitpicks Swish DK--1 ball of cream and 2 balls of teal. She shipped the package to me with no explanation, just 3 balls of yarn. I remember her ordering the yarn for mittens, so why send it to me? Of course, I had to call her and ask. Swish DK is 100% wool, but it's superwash. Mom was expecting to get good, old fashioned DK weight wool. In other words, scratchy. Superwash is not scratchy, and when she felt the yarn it was too soft and didn't conform to her Scandinavian expectations of what wool should be. She gave it to me. No complaints!

I decided to make the Point Reyes fingerless mitts. It's a fun little pattern with an enjoyable lace design on the back of the hands. I finished one and nearly finished the other. Then, I chucked my project bag into the room that was formerly known as the guest room, and the project fell off the radar. When I found the project again, I only had two rows left on the thumb. I plunked my butt on the sofa, knit those last two rows, bound off and wove in all the ends. In less than 30 minutes I had a finished project! Talk about instant gratification (that took about 8 months.) I wonder what else is lurking in TRTWFKATGR....

Project notes: knit with size 5 DPNs. I'd go up to a 6 if I knit these again, or I'd add a couple more stitches somehow. I think 2 stitches added in the palm would be just enough. I used a knitted bindoff so it would be nice and stretchy. The twisted rib really draws in the size. I'd also like to lengthen the cuff about an inch so my wrists are a little less exposed.

What the Fugly? A man suit

Warning! Mature content (seriously) on display below the scroll!



I apologize for opening this can of worms, or more appropriately, this Pandora's box. And like poor, unfortunate Pandora, I can't close the box. The damage has been done. I can't unsee what my eyes have already seen. Therefore, I feel compelled to share.
 

So, this knitter walks into a yarn shop and says to the yarn shop owner, "I gotta knit me some  fuzzy skin, genitals, chest hair and pubes."
 

 

The belly button and treasure trail are a nice touch. I wonder if the guy has a butt crack and back hair. But seriously (if one can be serious) what in the world would possess someone to knit this? I'm not being rhetorical. I really want to know. This fugly has me worried. And a little scared.

The visual pun might be a little obscure, but this having been knit with mohair has me giggling like a 12 year old. (Like the guy needs mo' hair....bwahahahahahaha!)

The world wide web is a wonderful thing. A wonderful, horrible thing. With a few innocent clicks of the mouse one can get buried in a bizarre maze of wild ideas and outrageous concepts. One can also get consumed looking for ugly knitted crap. However, today's search was easy. I found this...this..."suit" in five mouse clicks. Oh how I wish I had stopped after that fourth click.


 

Something old, something new

I couldn't figure out which project to highlight today. Should I conform to the recent "throwback Thursday" trend on Facebook? Should I show off my newest finished object? Decisions, decisions.

Why not both?

This photo is me, taken this morning in my bathroom (before coffee), wearing my latest finished piece--the "Lacy Baktus" scarf/shawlette knit in Lana Grossa Lace Lux. This has been my travel knitting for the past several months. The pattern is quite simple, perhaps too simple. I can't count how many times I had to rip the sucker back because I forgot to increase or spaced out the YO, K2TOG row.

The yarn is a viscose/wool blend. It's a neat blend of fuzzy halo and silky sheen, and it's a lot warmer than I orginally thought it would be. That's important because the temperature in my office is a bracing 63 degrees. I have learned to layer and incorporate fashionable scarves into my wardrobe. I'm really not trying to be trendy, just trying to keep warm.

Now for the old project. I was going through a stack of computer backup CDs the other day and came across a photo of this little guy. I knit him for a coworker who was going through a particularly nasty personal crisis. Nothing says "happy happy" like a purple bunny!

 

I don't remember exactly when I knit him, but it was way before Ravelry was in existence. I purchased the yarn from Angel Hair Yarn Co. when they were still in their original shop. (They have since closed their doors.) This was also before Haus of Yarn opened their doors. Those of you familiar with Nashville should know the time frame. I'm talking at least 12 years ago, maybe longer.

The pattern is from Fiber Trends and I used 2 skeins of Noro Kureyon with a little bit of Plymouth Galway for the tail, feet and ears. I wonder if he's still spreading happiness. After knitting this little guy I knit several more...because you know what they say about rabbits and multiplication.

As for tomorrow's "What-the-Fugly?", stay tuned! I've been researching projects over the past week and, with a little help from my friends (and you know who you are), stumbled upon the mother lode.

Kauni 8/28/13

I'm not in love with the 2 color cast on, but I might be OK with it. I worry that the bind off on the sleeves and button band won't match. It's tough to get a cast on and bind off to look similar. Hmmm. However I am happy with the progress so far.

The Kauni is on the needles

The plunge was taken and 266 stitches have been cast on for the Kauni cardigan!
I knit a small swatch and was able to get gauge, almost. (This sentence will probably come back to bite me.) When I say "almost", I mean that instead of getting EXACTLY 24 stitches to 4" in plain stockinette, I got 24 plus about a 1/4 of another stitch, so just a tiny bit off. BUT that was in plain knitting. When I knit with two colors my knitting draws up a little, and I'm hoping that will compensate for my lack of perfect gauge. However, according to nearly every blog I've read about this cardigan, I should plan to rip it out at least 2 times. If I'm going to rip, why strive for perfect gauge? This will be interesting.

Two color long tail cast on with two color 1x1 rib.

About waffles and needles

In a week my nest will be empty once again. The summer has flown by!

There isn't much back to school shopping that needs to be done. All the dorm stuff we bought last year will be used again this year, so Zack and his roommate are pretty much good to go. But he wants a waffle iron. (He makes killer waffles with protein shake mix and cocoa as a base.)

Waffle irons are pretty easy to come by, but I want one that has an auto-off feature. Zack has been known to lock his keys in the car...with the car running. Auto-off just makes sense. I headed to Amazon, clicked on an Oster model and scrolled down to read the reviews.

  

This "Frequently Bought Together" pairing is:
a. puzzling
b. disturbing
c. unnerving
d. all the above

Who buys waffle irons and crossbows? Together frequently? At the risk of sounding crazy, it's my opinion that the word "frequently" implies more than one occurrence, maybe even more than two.

Update on the Kauni Rainbow Cardigan!

Liana to the rescue!! She brought her Knitpicks interchangeable needles to lunch the other day so I could give them a test drive. I really liked the look of the acrylic needles, and that's the direction I was leaning...until I saw the needles with stitches on them. This may sound weird (and totally obvious) but you can see the backside of the stitches through the clear acrylic. That's just not right. I liked how they felt and the points were nice, but I couldn't get past that transparent thing. Creepy. Then I tried the laminated birch Sunstruck needles. Heaven on a cable! They are absolutely lovely. Good points, smooth wood, warm to the touch, light color that won't compete with the yarn.

I also checked out the Addi Bamboo circulars. Ick. I know to some knitters, Addi needles are the ultimate luxury. I have a couple sets of the turbos and they are nice. BUT they are darned expensive. Here's what I didn't like about the bamboo needles. Addi has embossed the needle size into the bamboo. The embossing is about a half-inch long. Sure, this is a good way to identify the needle size, however that embossed area breaks up the smoothness of the bamboo and make the stitches drag. I'm not paying $16 per set for something that will make me hate knitting. (Fingernails on a chalkboard!)

Yesterday I took the plunge and made the Knitpicks purchase. The Sunstruck needles, in varying sizes and cable lengths (along with a few extras so I could get free shipping), should be here early next week!

About dream knitting

Last night I dreamt about binding off a project. It was a dove gray shell and the yarn was a tweedy wool, silk blend. As it always is in dreams, the knitting was perfect, gauge was spot on and the garment was going to be a perfect fit. I'm talking about knitting dreams here. Dreams where the pattern has no errors and the yarn never tangles. There are such things as knitting nightmares, but those are more likely to happen during waking hours. Like when you leave your knitting within reach of a bored dog who freaks out at the sight of a nicely wound center-pull ball of yarn. I try to not think about those times.

So back to the dream. I was about halfway through binding off a long row of stitches. (I don't know about anyone else, but in my knitting dreams the project is nearly complete.) As I was binding off in the normal fashion as directed by the pattern, it occurred to me that I should be doing the three-needle bind off so I wouldn't have to sew the shoulder seams together. Ah ha! Deviate from the pattern and....and...that was the end. I woke up.

I know! Doesn't that just suck? So many unanswered questions. Did I rip back the bound off stitches and start over with the three-needle bind off? Did I block the sweater? Did it fit? Was it glorious? I don't know...I JUST DON'T KNOW! I tried, but I couldn't get back to sleep. It was like picking up dropped stitches in a complicated yarn over, knit two together pattern. The harder I worked at it, the further the stitches slipped from my needles. I willed my subconscious into picking back up where I left off but to no use. I will never know how it turned out.

Speaking of dropped stitches...I got an e-mail today from a knitting website advertising a new book of patterns. There were several photos of the patterns offered in the book. I don't normally make fun of review patterns, however this one is special. 

What the heck is that (besides super fugly)? Captions anyone?

• Did someone hear something rip?
• Does anyone else feel a breeze?
• I seemed to have snagged my sweater.
• Duck tape is NOT going to fix this.
• Did I hear someone say they need dental floss? Just use the back of my sweater.
• Does anyone know how to pick 45 dropped stitches?
• Shit, Grandma is going to kill me!

About Ewe

She set her GPS to 407 North Main, Kingston Springs, TN and anxiously watched the display as it searched for satellites. Precious minutes were ticking by. It was 3:35pm. Would she make it in time?

It boiled down to one simple fact. She just couldn’t get gauge. Her size 1 DPNs were too small, and her size 2 DPNs were too big. The elusive size 1.5 (2.50mm) DPN would solve her problem, but that’s a metric needle and this is a non-metric country. The phone calls she made to two other local yarn shops produced the same discouraging results…no 1.5 DPNs.

 

The suggested route finally displayed on her GPS. Arrival time 3:48pm. Should she call the yarn shop first to inquire about their stock? She pondered for a moment. The last two phone calls had been so disappointing. Would this be strike three or a charm? Arrival time 3:49pm. She threw the cell phone down on the car seat next to her and hit the gas.

 

There was little traffic on the interstate that Saturday afternoon, and as soothing voice of the GPS told her to exit at the next ramp, she noticed that she regained the minute she lost while trying to decide whether or not to call. Arrival time 3:48 and only a few miles to go.

 

She expertly maneuvered her Rav4 into a parallel parking spot on Main Street directly across from the entrance to the shop. With cash in hand, she looked both ways before crossing the street (she’s safety minded like that) and entered the store. A delightful jingle of a bell hanging from the door greeted her. She got all tingly inside--for yarn shops have that effect on her. 

 

She hesitated. She took a deep breath. The shop was thick with the intoxicating aroma of wool and fiber. As her eyes were adjusting the shop’s proprietor emerged from behind wall of luxurious fiber and said, “Hi, can I help you find anything?”

She suddenly forgot her quest. Like a deer caught in the glaring headlights of an oncoming car, all she could do was stare blankly—longing to jump headlong into the path of destruction. She spewed one very long word, “I need double pointed needles and you probably don’t have them but it’s a size two point five, I mean it’s a size one point five that’s actually a two point five millimeter, and nobody has them because of the whole metric deal, why didn't the US convert when Thomas Jefferson suggested it, and this is a long shot but I know that Crystal Palace makes them in bamboo and Knitpicks makes them in laminated birch or nickel but I really don’t like birch or nickel for socks because birch breaks and nickel feels cold and I can order them online but I’d rather buy locally.”

The shop owner nodded in understanding as she wound her way to the front corner of the shop. “Like these?” as she handed over a lovely set of size 1.5/2.5mm 6” Chiao Goo bamboo double-pointed needles. It was a moment of magical clarity and she was for once speechless. She couldn’t believe her good fortune. She was wrapped in the warm cloak of victory, and it felt damn good. 

 

The purchase was tallied and paid for with a crisp new ten dollar bill. Change was pocketed, and as she was turning to head for the door, a tabletop display of silk-cashmere yarn caught her eye. Her heart stuttered as it waited for her brain to tell it to continue beating. She could feel the softness of the fiber without even touching it, but touch it she did. She had never felt angels' wings but knew that if she ever got the chance, they would feel as luxurious as this fiber. A quick glance at the dangling price tag jolted her back to earth. She reached into her pocket and felt the soft dollar bill, a quarter, dime and two pennies. Her other hand gripped the prized size 2.5mm bamboo needles a little too tightly. Now was not the time. It was special yarn that deserved more thought than an impulse buy, and truth be told, she just couldn't afford it.

 

Gathering her wits about her and with squared shoulders, she held her head high as she exited the shop. Again, she looked both ways before crossing the street and walked purposefully to her Rav4. She settled into the driver's seat, adjusted the mirror (even though she was the only driver of the vehicle), turned on her audio book and steered the car towards Nashville.

 

She arrived home a few minutes before 5pm. She opened the packet of needles and was treated to an extra bonus. Chiao Goo packs their needles in sets of 6 in case one gets lost or broken. She began casting on...

 

(To be continued) 

 

 

Author's note:

Thanks Ewe & Company for your awesome selection of needles! What a beautiful store. The next time I won't show up moments before you close so I have more time to shop. What a treat that will be!

About "Free-Sole Socks"

It's not very often that I experience "love at first sight" when it comes to knitting patterns. Sure, I see a lot of patterns that I like enough to add to my Ravelry queue, and I've been known to buy a book of patterns now and then. I've also run across a lot of patterns that should cease to exist immediately. (Possible future topic?)

But in this case, I'm talking about LOVE. Shortness of breath, flushed cheeks, special tingling sensations and a spastic rush to find my debit card.

These are the socks that did it to me. Hook, line and sinker...

Up until this point I was a tutorial DVD virgin. I had never taken the plunge--mainly because I'm a figure-it-out-on-my-own-even-if-it-kills-me kind of person. But one look at these socks and I knew that I had to make the video and bonus sock pattern mine. I was really only after the pattern, but I had to buy the stinkin' video in order to get it.

For a couple extra bucks I was able to purchase the HD version of the tutorial. What the heck? I have an HD television, might as well go big. I downloaded the video to a flash drive, made myself a comfortable spot on the sofa (ie, moved the dog) and hit PLAY. After a lengthy advertisement about other videos available for purchase, Anna Zilboorg appeared on the screen and started talking to ME about the socks. The HD upgrade was so worth it. I felt like she was in the room with me (almost).

After explaining the basic construction of the socks she brought out needles and yarn and started to demonstrate how to knit the sock. PAUSE! Wait a minute! I can knit along with this video? Like in a real class? But with no one else to interrupt? And I can rewind if I don't get it? How freakin' cool is this?? I got two balls of Plymouth Galway and my size 7 DPNs, which took no time at all because I had just sorted all of my needles, and went back to the sofa....and moved the dog.

PLAY. Anna cast on 5 stitches, I cast on 5 stitches. Anna picked up stitches, I picked up stitches. Anna knit her purls backwards (or left handed) so I tried purling backwards because Anna told me I could do it. I paused the video and tried again. Guess what? She was right. I did it! By the end of the evening, I had successfully knit a tiny sock. I am so proud of this little guy.

I wouldn't suggest this video to the new/beginning knitter, but if you have knit a sock and are comfortable with picking up stitches and basic increasing/decreasing, then go for it! This is just what I needed to jump start my knitting mojo. (I've been in a bit of a funk and needed a challenge.) When I saw this pattern, I felt my creativity go into over drive. I know the socks will take some time because this is "thinking" knitting. I'll keep you posted as I go. It just so happens that I have cranberry and khaki colored sock yarn in my stash. I swatched and the gauge is perfect!

Anna did a wonderful job teaching this technique, and I hope to take a class from her in person. The producers at Interweave did a great job with the camera work and overall quality of the production. I have since purchased another download, Spin Art, by Jacey Boggs. I've only watched a few minutes of that video, but from the little I've seen, Jacey is absolutely terrific! Needless to say, I've changed my tune from figure-it-out-on-my-own-even-if-it-kills-me to buy-the-tutorial-and-spend-less-time-swearing a blue streak figuring-it-out-and-more-time-knitting (or spinning or weaving or doing anything other than housework)!

About a sock

Q: What did Chris say when she saw this hole in her sock?

A: Darn it!

In all honesty, that's the PG version of what I really said, but my original expletive doesn't work with this clever sock-repairing pun.

It was Thanksgiving 2012 and I was spending the holiday with my family at a delightful cabin on the Cumberland River. My feet were cold. I put on my favorite hand knit wool socks and my mom pointed out the "nice hole" in the heel. What? Nice what?

My vision blurred. The world started to tilt. Bile rose in my throat. I wanted to vomit.

I commenced with grieving.

1. Anger - @#$(*&!
I am pissed! I paid good money for that sock yarn. I'm calling the mill to complain about the quality of their overpriced yarn. I spent hours knitting (and reknitting) those socks. Do you know what a pain in the ass that pattern was? The heel was a particular bitch because there was a typo in the pattern. I swear, I'm never using that yarn brand again, and so help me if I EVER find another typo in a pattern ever again I'm going to come un-freakin'-glued. The rage...oh the rage.

2. Guilt
What have I done? The luxurious softness of that yarn should have clued me in to using reinforcing yarn in the heels and toes. Why? Why didn't I listen to that voice in my head? Did I not treat these socks with the utmost care? Maybe I washed them too often, or maybe not enough. It was probably because of that one time I accidentally put them in the dryer. How could I have been so careless? If I weighed 50 pounds less, there wouldn't have been as much pressure on the bottom of my feet and the abrasion wouldn't have been so damaging. I must go on a diet. Chocolate will help.  

3. Denial
No. No. NO! This makes no sense. I can't cope because my feet are cold. How can this even be happening? My hand knits DO NOT wear out. I'm going to let this sucker languish in the bottom of my project bag where I can't see it. Out of sight out of mind, I say. Besides, I have no idea where I've put the yarn that was leftover from when I knit these socks. I refuse to deal with this.

4. Bargaining
If I start another project and knit it really well, will I wake up from this hellish dream? If I organize all my knitting needles and start organizing my stash (but not finish organizing my stash) will the hole be smaller or even gone the next time I look at the sock? Could it have been (queue the Temptations) just my imagination running away with me?

5. Depression
What's the freakin' point? Why even go on?

6. Acceptance and hope
"Steve Austin, astronaut. A man barely alive."....
"Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology. We have the capability to make the world's first bionic man. Steve Austin will be that man. Better than he was before. Better...stronger...faster."

I can fix this.

Nananana...

Nanananana....

Rather than using a weaving technique, I opted for resurfacing the heel with duplicate stitch. It worked well, and I can't feel anything different on my heel.

7. Extreme self-satisfaction
Better...stronger...but not really much faster.

At first, the off kilter stripe bothered me. It went against every fiber of my perfectionist personality. Then the recovering perfectionist in me made a good point--it's on the bottom of my foot, is my shoe going to file a complaint with the knitting police? I'm good with it. I reinforced the other sock too. It was much easier since I didn't have to work with a hole, just an "almost hole".

Knitters in grief will often report more or different stages. Just remember your grief is as unique as your hand knits, and there is always hope!

About how stashes come in many forms



I'm not a resolution-maker. It's just a freak coincidence that I got my "must get the fiber stash organized" jones in January this year.

 

A majority of my fiber stash is located in what some would call my guest room, but I call it my yarn room. This stash is not all yarn, it also consists of future yarn (i.e., fiber of various origins to be spun into yarn at some point in the future). Keeping my fiber stash in the [insert air quotes] guest room poses a problem several times a year, like when my parents visit. They are guests, therefore they occupy the [say it with me] guest room when they visit. This may come as a shock, but all my fiber is not tucked neatly away in colorful bins and boxes. Nope. My fiber is a chaotic jumble that I find quite pleasing. So, when my parents call and drop the "we're thinking of coming to Nashville next month" (they are required to give a 4 week warning) bomb I have to stash the stash. This causes me stress. First of all, I have to pack it all up in bins, boxes and ziploc bags. Then, all of these containers need to go someplace. The closet is already maxed out, not an option. The logical spot is under the daybed. It's pretty amazing how much you can stuff under a twin-sized day bed when the trundle is up and in place. After the fiber is packed up, then comes the anxiety of not being able to access it while my parents are in residence. I carefully plan what should go the furthest under the bed. I am totally serious about this. Here's the issue--what if I need a particular yarn at the precise moment my parents decide to go to bed and I have to wait until morning to retrieve it? I arrange and rearrange. This must be what dogs go through when they bury a bone or ill-gotten treasure. I make sure that the yarn that pleases me the most is the last to go under the bed and the easiest to retrieve, so if I am faced with a crisis I can slip into the room, fondle a bit of yarn and soothe my battered nerves.

 

My parents visited over the holidays and as I was pulling the stash out from under the daybed so I could put the trundle away, I thought this would be the perfect time to organize and maybe cull (just a tiny bit) my fiber stash. It started as many of my projects start--with the utmost enthusiasm. It ended as many of my projects end--with mind-numbing paralysis. The amount of fiber was/is overwhelming and the task I had worked out in my mind was much too ambitious. I intended to photograph and inventory all my fiber products--yarn, future yarn, and works in progress. Inventory as in a spreadsheet (or on Ravelry) complete with date purchased, amount paid, color, lot, yardage. Silly. Stupid. Me.

 

It all went south as I started going through project bags to inventory my works in progress or unfinished objects (UFOs). That's when I started finding knitting needles. Lots and lots of knitting needles. Holy crap! Then it dawned on me. I have a whole other stash that I didn't realize I had--knitting needles.

 

I present my knitting needle stash.

 

These are the big-ass needles. It's ok to only have one needle in a particular size because it's really a broomstick lace needle. So the blue and white needle at the top of the photo is ok by itself. The wooden needles (three from the top) are called swing needles. I'm still not really sure what I would use them for, but the are pretty slick and pointy as hell. The little ball slides from end to end. All these needles reside in a drawer because they are so big and I can't figure out where else to put them.

 

 

Here is my pretty little stoneware crock filled with assorted sizes and colors. The crock is for couples-only. No singles allowed.  

 

 

 



This is the lion's share of my needle stash. I have no idea how many needles I have here. There are plastic needles, aluminum, birch and bamboo. Some are recently purchased others are older than I am. A majority of my straight needles are "rescue needles", meaning they were purchased them from estate sales. When I go to an estate sale and see evidence that a knitter may have once lived there, I will dig through boxes to find and rescue knitting needles. It's a mission of love.

These little sweethearts are the darlings of my needle stash. They are marked as a size 1, but fall somewhere between a 1 and 2. They have a metal core with a clear yellow plastic coating. The tips are a bit shorter and blunter than I would like, but I love the little hearts.

This next photo is not for the weak. These are incomplete sets of double pointed needles. Look if you dare, but don't say I didn't provide adequate warning.

 

Who knows where mates are to these sets. I sure as heck don't. And this is where the paralysis sets in. If I can't find all five size 2 clover bamboo DPNs, it's bad and I have failed. That's just my evil perfectionism bubbling to the surface. Seriously, having these incomplete sets intermingled with my complete sets is causing me anguish. But I can't throw them out because I might come across the missing size 2 clover bamboo DPN....or maybe that's the one my dog ate. So what do I do? How do I organize something that will now be impossible to organize and, at the same time, move forward as a recovering perfectionist?

 

Chris, you're screwed.

 

Oh, s--t. I forgot to take a picture of all my circular needles. See what I mean?  

About The Mohair

I was able to wear this sweater yesterday that I knit in 1999. That made me very happy. So happy that I finally took a picture of it. May I present the sweater that I never should have knit but I love anyway.

The amount of time it took me to knit the sweater, and the amount of money it cost me to have the last batch of the same yarn shipped from the mill in the UK because I was a stupid-ass and didn't calculate the yarn requirements correctly, does not nearly correspond with the amount of time I get to wear and enjoy the sweater. Had I known then what I know now, I probably would have knit something other than a dark gray cabled mohair sweater. But I did knit it, and I do get to wear it once or twice a year. I get tremendous pleasure on those days.

 

Oddly enough, this is the first time I've ever taken a photo of the sweater. With all the consternation that went into its creation, you'd think I would have photographed it from conception to birth. But, back in the 20th century, digital cameras were rather new and film photography was much more selective. Still not a good reason, but that's my only explanation for lack of appropriate photo documentation.

 

So yesterday, when I was able to tell the world once again that it was cold enough in Nashville, Tennessee for me to don The Mohair, I knew that a commemorative photograph was in order. The only camera at hand was the one on my phone. (We have come so far since the last century!) I don't have a smart phone and the camera is marginal. My arms weren't long enough for me to get the entire sweater in the frame. As it was, I had to sit with my shoulders a hunched forward so the official photo (above) wouldn't scream BOOBS like the one below:

 

 

I have more mohair in my yarn stash but not nearly enough to knit an entire sweater, which is a good thing because I'm a sucker for mohair. Some people find it scratchy, but I think it's absolutely delicious. Maybe it's a good thing that I only get to wear this sweater once or twice a year. That way it's a special snugly treat on a day when everyone else is shivering and griping about the cold.

 

 

About Christmas Stockings

Each year I vow to never take on another commission for hand-knit Christmas stockings, but I'm a sucker. I can't resist.

It starts in mid-November. Actually, the knitting has already been started. November is simply when reality strikes and I realize the knitting-left-to-be-done and time-left-to-do-it ratio is not in my favor.

Reasons to never do this again:

• Slave labor
• Out of print patterns
• Discontinued yarn
• Intarsia sucks
• Sequins
• Seed beads

This year I knit eight and used a stocking from the 1940s as a template. I had to match the yarn, replicate the pattern and pray for gauge. Swatching was grueling, but I finally found the right needle size. I knit like hell. I didn't do house work. I knit during my lunch hour at work. I knit every spare moment I had. I even considered taking the bus to and from work so I could knit during rush hour. By the time I sewed on the last sequin and snipped the last tail of yarn off the last sock, my house was a disaster and I had lost 6 weeks of my life. My carpet was covered in red, white and green yarn...and sequins. I spilled an entire pack of red sequins during my finishing frenzy. It would have really ticked me off but I'm a sparkle whore. As messy as it was, it was sparkly. I knew I was going to need extra vacuum cleaner bags.

So, why do I do this? Because of this:

The stockings are incredible! I love them and everything about them -- the look,the designs, the yarn - its heft and color, the details, the sequins, the bells -- they just announce Christmas in their sight and sound!

 

They took me back to my own childhood as I opened your bag.

 

They have such a timeless and old-fashioned feel about them. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

That's just part of the e-mail I got after delivering the finished socks. I know exactly how she felt when she opened that bag. Every year, I hang the Christmas stockings that my mom knit for me and my son. (Mine is considerably older than Zack's and it has been repaired a couple times.) They are the most valuable Christmas heirlooms that I own. There is no describing how good it made me feel to read her e-mail and know that I helped bring those memories back to her. That's not something you get to do every day.

Is it any wonder I'm a sucker? 

The pattern (such as it is) and charts are at the end of this post.

Basic pattern…if you can knit a sock, these directions will make sense. No copyright on this pattern as I duplicated an old stocking knit in the 1940-50s that was given to me as a template. Plymouth Encore works well, could also be knit in Galway or similar weight. I used a size 6 needle to get a tighter fabric than you would want for a garment.

• cast on 62 (use a stretchy cast on!) on straight needles with intarsia the leg of the sock needs to be knit flat
• 2x2 rib for an inch
• stockinette stitch for body
• decrease two times on both edges, first one about half way down, second one about 2 inches after that
• transfer to DPNs and join, knit in round for about 4 rounds
• knit heel flap on 28 stitches. S1 K1 for knit row, and S1 P to end on purl row. do this for 24 rows, or so you have 12 slip stitch rows
• turn heel starting with a purl row as follows:
• purl 15 sts, p2tog, p1, turn
• s1, k3, k2tog, k1, turn
• s1, purl to gap (between the two stitches purled together and the slip stitch) purl these two together, p1, turn
• continue as such until all stitches are used up, should end after a knit row
• pick up 13 stitches along heel flap, knit across instep, pick up 13 more stitches along other side of heel fap, continue knitting in the round AT THE SAME TIME, decrease on either side of gusset every other row until 28 stitches remain
• knit in round for desired length
• decrease for toe

The sock is a bit narrow for my taste, but I was matching existing socks. I would probably cast on a dozen more stitches or so, and maybe make the toe just a bit shorter.