Knitting 40 shades of green

Shock the Monkey

Well, I have to say that I am glad that NABLOPOMO is almost over although I do think that it has got me a bit more in the habit of blogging.  I hope to blog about three times a week or so after the challenge is over.  It has also motivated me to knit a bit more which is also a good thing.

I am not entirely sure that I understand blocking.  It is something that everyone talks about but I am not entirely sure of its purpose or when I should do it.  Looking at a couple of web sites I see that they recommend that it be done before sewing a garment.  Then there is the part that says slightly dampen.  Seems I missed the memo.  I tried to teach this monkey to swim.

He coughed and sputtered and sank to the bottom of the sink.  After a heroic rescue he is now drying out on a towel.  I think I should have pulled out the neck and retried with less stitches but then I remember that babies have huge heads and I would hate for it not to fit over Baby Bella's head.

• Pattern:  My Little Monkey Romper by Cindy Polfer found in  Best of the Worsteds edited by Bobbie Matela
  
• Needles:  Knitpicks options sizes 4 (3.5 mm) and 7 (4.5 mm)
• Yarn: Knitpicks Comfy Worsted (green, brown, cream and yellow)
• Size:  18 months
• Started:  March, 2009
  
• Finished: November 28, 2009
• Notes:  This project proves to me that I could use a little more practice with intarsia but overall I think it came out well. 

There has been some knitting...

I have been carrying these same socks around with me forever, putting in a row here or there. The above picture of sock number one is time stamped February 15. I started them on the 9th of January and finally on an airplane, heading for an hour layover in Memphis, I cast off for Wendy's generic toe up feather and fan socks. Since the 19th I have worn them twice and carried them in my purse everywhere hoping to get a chance to photograph them and yet here I am typing this entry without a single image on my camera...hang on a second while I take a photo or two (or 15 and still none of them will be good...is it the camera or operator? Good question...)

Just my luck...my camera battery just died after 2 pictures. Now I have to go home and charge it and then take 13 more pictures only to hate them all. So while I am waiting for the battery to recharge let me distract you with a query/story. I always have a sock on the needles and carry it around with me in my purse. While waiting, or commuting, or hanging out, I will pull it out and complete a couple of rounds. Often someone will ask me what I am knitting. If it matters, I knit one sock at a time on double points. My response is always "a sock". Then people inevitably respond with "just one?" Not knowing what else to say I point out "just one at a time". Would it be more accurate to say I am knitting socks? I feel at the moment I am knitting just one. I think if I was working on a sweater sleeve I might respond with "a sleeve" and if I feel like talking to them might show the other parts of the sweater or a picture on the pattern. Are they asking about what I am currently knitting or wondering what it will become or are they just trying to make conversation with a stranger for no good reason?

Pattern: Generic Feather and Fan Toe Up Socks by Wendy Johnson

Yarn:  Sunshine Yarns in Black Lake

Started:  January 9, 2008

Finished: March 19, 2008

Notes:  The socks are a little difficult to get on over my heel -- this may be the the lack of stretch in the stitch pattern or just the result of short row heels on my foot.  They fit fine once they are put on carefully. 

I immediately cast on for my St Patrick's Day socks while waiting in the airport in Memphis.  The pattern I choose called "Making Waves" warned that it pulled in quite a bit and to maybe make a larger size than usual so having smallish feet I decided that the medium size would be just fine.   

In just a few days I had knit quite a bit and was almost ready to turn the heel.  So I tried them on, they weren't even close to fitting over my heel.  So what is a girl to do but cast the first sock aside and cast on for the second one with more stitches.  But I love the way the pattern is working out with the stripes. I am nearing the toe on the second sock (and worrying about whether their is enough yarn) and trying to psych myself up to pull out the first sock.

NAKNISWEMO finished object

Proof that it is off the needles. However, there are still a few of the gajillion ends and it needs a good soak (that will hopefully even out the color and a good block as well for the lace edges on the armholes.

When I started this sweater, I thought that it was a good choice for the knit along because it wasn't too complicated and I should be able to finish it in a month. However, with finishing my mother's sweater and other distractions I didn't even cast on until November 6. However the knitting was cruising right along and I wasn't too tempted to stray (especially since my devoted knitting time was limited so having a simple stockinette project fit well) so I thought I might finish early. That was not to happen when I noticed that the yarn had been dyed with fugitive dye (thanks for the terminology Phyl) and I would have to do lots of ripping to be happy (especially since I had been living in denial). Then I realized I was in denial about how much I was bothered by an end that resulted due to knots in the yarn. You guessed it, more ripping. Finally, I finished the stockinette parts and was able to move on to the lacy bits. So while my rough calculations put the sweater at around 42,000 stitches, I am sure that with knitting and ripping and reknitting I have knit the required 50,000 stitches for the challenge.

Despite all of my troubles with this yarn (a few knots, the fugitive dye) I really liked knitting with it. It has a sort hand and is not as difficult to knit with as some other cottons that I have knit with (is the difference mercerization?). I would knit another project with this yarn. I will try to get a formal FO post up early next week

The official FO entry for mother's sweater

Well, I presented my mother with her sweater when I was visiting over Thanksgiving.  While we had good intentions for a photo shoot, the unseasonably warm weather made that impossible without much discomfort.  (I am of the mind that giving someone a gift and making them suffer in it is not good practice).  So I will present you with the pictures from my own photo shoot upon finishing the sweater.

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I was remaking the first sweater I ever made (although this one was in a bit heavier yarn) since my mother loved it so much and wanted something warm to throw on when she went out to feed the chickens (and the old one was starting to show wear after 18 or so years).

The pattern is a basic one that I am sure is out of print. It gives directions (or calculations) for the sweater in three different weights of yarn. Of course my gauge didn't match any of these so I used a different set of numbers to create the sweater to the measurements she had given me.

Personally, I find the sleeves a little short although I made them to the measurements she supplied (they are bracelet length) but it will keep her from having to roll up her sleeves and I guess if it is really annoying I will tear out the seams and add an inch or two. [Let me know mom even if it has been a few months, I would rather you wear it.]

• Pattern:  Brunswick Classic Keepsakes (1988)
• Yarn:  Carodan Farm color: Bracken
• Started:  September 6, 2006
• Finished: November 6, 2007
• Notes:  I reworked the math for this sweater and was easily able to find a size that matched my calculations. Otherwise, this was a fairly straightforward pattern and was as easy the second time as it was the first time. If I had to make it again I might think to jazz it up a little with a cable up the pocket or something.

Mother, it is finished and waiting

Finally after years of waiting I have finished my mother's sweater. I brought it in the car on my way to Montpelier Fall Fiber Festival during the weekend of festivals with just the collar and the seaming left to do. I was meeting my mother there and thought I could seam it up while watching the sheep dog trials. However the weather was extremely hot and dusty and sitting around with a whole sweater on my lap was out of the question. My mother, however, wasn't aware of how close to finished I was. She pulls me over to check out the pockets in a sweater hanging in one of the booths (not wanting to ask about her sweater outright), she points out cardigans but then as soon as I mention that it is almost finished -- just a row or two on the collar and lots of seaming -- she states that it is much too hot for a sweater today and she will gladly come to get it once the weather turns colder (she is nothing if not gracious after her needling and nagging).

In past years I have given my mother flowers on my birthday since in my ego centric world it is my mother's day. This year I will present her with a sweater, just like the old sweater. Happy Mother's Day, Mom. Hopefully, she will agree to model it when she comes to pick it up (or when I drop it off). If not, I will have my photographer take some pictures so that I can do a summative post.

Dot, dot, dot*

I have never been much of a fashion plate.  More like a "fashion don't".  I don't much like shopping and am likely to indulge in this diversion infrequently leading to a wardrobe that would be considered out of style if there had been any style to start with.  Couple this lack of fashion sense with the fact that I have the fashion sensibilities of a three year old. striped tights?  you should see my collection!  Those photos from Interweave of knitwear and crinolin that everyone mocks?  I try to figure out how I could get away with wearing that without people making fun of me.  My friend Lisa (who has acted as personal shopper when I needed a formal dress, pulling things off the rack and bringing them to me in the dressing room) used to threaten that she was going to submit me as a candidate for What Not to Wear.

I worried when I picked this sweater back up that it was an ill choice for someone like me.  You see, the model is rather small in the bust and well, I am not.  And yet, I decided to finish it anyway.  But sometime in between starting this and finishing it, I learned the secret of the camisole.  I was at an Ann Taylor in Vermont and a helpful clerk made the comment that the sweater I was rejecting because it was so low cut would look super cute with a camisole.

The camisole is what saved this piece for me -- I am fairly pleased with how it came out although I might have made it a smidgen longer if I had to do it all over again.

• Pattern:  Polka Purl Dots by Veronik Avery (Interweave Knits, Spring 2004)
• Yarn:  Endless Summer Collection Sonata from Elann color 2499
• Started:  summer 2004
• Finished:  30 August 2007
• Notes:  I learned how to make a tubular cast on and cast off with this pattern (and actually understand the tubular cast off).  I also learned to check how long the finishing instructions are on any pattern I might be starting.

*hopefully that isn't some cleverly constructed Morse coded come-on that will get me arrested

Waiting in the wings

Monkeys!!

You have seen them all over blog land and if you haven't caught the fever you really should!!  I enjoyed knitting these socks (so much so that I immediately cast on for another Cookie A. pattern).  The pattern is easy to learn and they seem to go quickly.

pattern: Monkey by Cookie A.

Yarn:  koigu KPPPM p316 51 won from Julie

Size: to fit my 5.5 size feet

Started:  June 9, 2007

Finished:  August 6, 2007

Notes:  I made a picot cuff a la Cara and only did 5 repeats on the cuff -- these were super fun to make and I had quite a bit of yarn left over after finishing them.

I think we need an intervention

It all started with one Happy Hour. My friend was running just a bit late and so the sock was pulled out of the purse while I had a glass of wine... you have seen the Festival on June 30th. They fit into the bike bag and listened to lots of good music while we swilled beers and checked out the different cultures on display...they were then soon neglected. In December I picked them back up -- knit an entire cuff and then finally admitted there was no way they would fit me or anyone I knew and I ripped them out only to cast on again with an additional 25 stitches or so...

They have been carried around forever with just a row or two knit at a time and finally on Saturday I finished them up and kitchnered the toes. I left them sitting on the arm of the couch while I went to knitting group only to return to this...
What were the socks doing in the liquor cabinet? I wondered the same thing but it seems they took photos of their exploits. It seems it started with a Guinness (for strength)
then they decided to celebrate with a bit of bubbly...
and it seems they were moving on to the taquila when I drove up...
You think I should stage an intervention or will a good soak in the washer followed by a quick spin dry them out?

Ronnie stands in

With all the talk of winter storm warnings and icy sleet, I hoped for a two hour delayed opening on Friday but instead woke up to a 33 degree rainy day.  I didn't much feel like going to work so I tried to talk my knitting into going in my stead.  Problem was that Ronnie doesn't know how to drive so I had to drive her in. Without any legs she needed a little help from the magnetic men.

She was easily distracted while grading papers... She enjoyed reading about knitting (that is Jan Brett's The Mitten that she is reading there).

But ultimately she ended up surfing knitting blogs.

Pattern: Ronnie from Jaeger Handknits JB34

Yarn:  Jaeger Aqua in shade 325,326 and 329 as specified by the pattern

Size:  I made the next to largest size with no alterations and it fits pretty well

Started:  January 7, 2006

Finished:  January 31, 2007

Notes:  This was a very simple knit and the pattern was easy to follow.  The seaming went well and looks very nice but there are about a bazillion cotton ends that had to be woven in.  This was a huge task and it just seemed to take forever, although Stephanie, who was stuck sitting next to me at late night, might tell you it wouldn't have taken so long if I wasn't so melodramatic, sighing every 5 minutes.

One last finished object from 2006

I have been trying to figure out when I started this sweater and to the best of my recollection it was in March or April of 2005 because I remember working on it in the hotel room the first time I took a workshop with Kathryn Alexander at Cannon Hill Studios which is sadly more or less defunct while Georgeanne battles and is recovering from breast cancer.  This workshop was a big turning point for me and getting my life back together after my father died so I remember lots of little details about the weekend that I might not otherwise recall.  This was the first thing I had done in a while that I really experienced rather than just going through the motions.  I am sure all of that is knit into this top.  It is quite likely that I finished knitting the pieces that weekend and they have sat at the point in the directions where it says sew shoulder seams and pick up stitches for the collar.  Looking back though the blog I can see that I tackled those directions over the summer and them let it sit while I waited for a US 6 needle to do the arms.  Truth be told when I did this I used a size 4 needle for the arms so I am not sure why it wasn't finished earlier.  But finally it is done and the fit isn't bad although I might question the choice of vertical stripes and I might consider putting a little effort into losing a pound or five as well.

Pattern:  Vera in In Living Color from Mission Falls

Yarn: Fiesta La Luz (100% silk) in Champagne and Painted Desert

Started:  April 2005

Finished:  December 30, 2006

Notes:  Because I changed the gauge significantly on this when I substituted the silk for the Mission Falls Cotton called for in the pattern, I had to spend a fair amount of time with calculator to make all of the shaping and stripe width and sizing come out but I think it was worth it as the fit on this is pretty good.  The number of sticky notes on this pattern are significant noting all of the changes and alterations to the pattern.

So just two more sewing jobs before I gt to cast on for something new...