Knitting 40 shades of green

Travel Knitting

After finishing the May Basket socks while at the Representative Assembly in San Diego, I immediately cast on for a pair of basic socks in Trekking.  Nothing fancy since my attention needed to be on the business of the association and not on the pattern of my socks.  I had almost finished the first sock as I came home from San Diego.  I would have loved to have worked on it on the flight but realized one of the needles had fallen to the  bottom of my carry on and I didn't want to drag everything out in the cramped space of the plane.  I soon cast on for the next sock but favored Girasole  while sitting on my couch, at least until I finished chart D and got half way through the first rendition of chart E and realized that my stitch count is off.  I am slowly tinking back (notice the stitch markers now in the knitting)

That simple sock that didn't require a pattern seemed a natural thing to pack for my trip to Wales.  I would have some time to knit on the plane and a bit while navigating and yelling"stay left, stay left" to the intrepid driver on our excursion.  I didn't get as much knitting done as I would have liked but would have finished the sock on the return flight except that I had heard rumors that Heathrow airport was much more strict in their safety checks and there was a possibility of losing my needles, so I packed it away in my checked baggage and included an incomplete set of wooden needles (I had broken the 5th) and another skein of Trekking for my carry on.  While they thoroughly searched my bag, swabbed all of my electronics and confiscated the cork screw that lives at the bottom of my purse (that I didn't realize was there since I had no problem getting it through TSA where all I had to do was tell the screener that the long thin things in the x-ray were knitting needles).  So as I waited in the boarding area, I cast on for a new plain sock and managed to get to the heel flap before arriving home.

It makes me excited to get back to ice skating with all of these new socks soon to be in the rotation.

Girasole

I am going to blame Sherri over at the Loopy Ewe or maybe I should blame Wendy who is knitting this as well, but I cast on for Girasole a shawl/blanket designed by Jared Flood a recent Friday afternoon. It was part of my "avoid having to pull out the monkey plan".  After casting on, I almost called up the girls to opt out of Happy Hour so that I could sit home and knit on this fun lace project.

 

I am making it in a fingerling weight yarn from Tuscan Grove.  The color is called Cobblestone.  I chose it because I thought it would go with lots of different outfits.  I am not entirely sure that I am a shawl person but wanted to keep an open mind and so chose the neutral colors.  I am really enjoying working with this yarn and was happy to discover that I had bought a couple of skeins for socks the last time I ordered from the Loopy Ewe.

I brought this with me on my trip to San Diego but have only worked a few rows (I have almost completed chart D), as it takes a little more concentration than I can devote at most of my meetings.  I have finished the May Basket Socks and started another plain sock in Trekking XXL of which the first is already at the heel flap after casting on yesterday morning.  Hopefully, I will get a free evening to take a few pictures and share them with you before I get back.

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

NAKNISWEMO update

After much ripping and knitting and ripping again, I think I have come to peace with this yarn and its fugitive dye.  I have completed the front and back of the sweater and sewed the shoulder seams (although I did skip the blocking step).

Now I am working on the lacy part.  I have picked up stitches for the neck and have started knitting in pattern.

Avoiding any unforeseen complications this sweater should be finished shortly.  I did some calculations and while the NAKNISWEMO usually assumes 50,000 stitches and this sweater has closer to 40,000, I think I have more than made up for it by knitting large sections of it twice to avoid faded yarn and knotted skeins that ended in unfortunate places.

Now I am off for an early version of cookie Saturday.

NAKNISWEMO progress

Well, I snapped a couple of pictures at Panera last night (as seen above), as I was planning on posting on this sweater. They were nothing fancy and no feats of photography but I sort of noticed something amiss about the sweater. However, I was trying to get my computer to work and get the post up and so I continued to operate in denial as if all was right with the world. But it kept nagging at me. There seemed to be some mottling in the yarn -- this solid colored yarn was coming out a little more semi-solid in places. It seems some of the yarn has faded a bit but overall it wasn't too noticeable. Well, surely that was denial speaking -- while I think I can get away with the back (which is finished) the front? That is another story.

You see that stripe? Well it really shouldn't be there and I was pretending that it wasn't until someone (who doesn't knit) asked about it. Damn, burst my bubble and make me face reality. And while I am facing reality I should probably rip the last 2 1/2 inches of the back as well.

I have an extra skein of yarn and it seems that this fading is only on the outer part of the skein (as evidenced by the difference between the last few inches of the back and beginning of the front)

so maybe I will have enough yarn despite this fiasco. I could probably get away using the faded yarn for the lacey bits if I had to and I truely think the rest of the back (aside from the last 2 1/2 inches) while it does show some of the fading, doesn't have any stark contrast lines. I really like the color of this yarn and have been enjoying knitting it so, I really hope I will be able to make this work. Fingers crossed, I am going to frog...

Casting On

So after sewing the buttons on my mother's sweater and having a brief photo shoot, I finally cast on for my NAKNISWEMO sweater. It isn't much to look at just the ribbing and stockinet stitch. But that is a good thing -- with only 23 more days to go to get it finished, I need simple. It is easy to read the paper or blogs and get this knit. I am caught up on my blog reading. One little snag is that I left the pattern book at a friend's house last night by mistake so I can only knit 10 1/2 inches before I need it back. Hopefully, I can get it back this evening.

NAKNISWEMO

And while I was joining things, I also managed to join the National Knit a Sweater in a Month (NAKNISWEMO) sponsered by Knit Grrl

Only problem is that I am in the middle of another sweater and when I decided on this challenge on Tuesday -- I wasn't really sure what sweater to start since I have been attracted to/and buying complicated color work lately although I haven't started any. The likelyhood of me finishing one of those complicated sweaters, or of even being able to remain momogomous is limited at best, more likely impossible. While I want to make my twin neices sweaters and the 6 year old is likely growing out of her last sweater... well, I thought it should be an adult sweater. So I went back into the gold spare bed room. I came out with some Elsebeth Lavold Choice cotton patine in a lovely shade of (what else) green. Now what to make with it? Well, I have enough for Jade from the Sentimental Journey Collection, but only if I do the version without sleeves.

Considering that it is already the third and I have yet to cast on, this might be a good option. Large stretches of stockinette stitch for mindless knitting with a little lacy detailing thrown in. Can I do it in 27 days?

A rose is a rose is a rose

A good friend from late night and MDSW excursions has been putting a bug in my ear about Eunny Jang's Autumn Rose.  She mentioned it back in May -- a fair isle with shaping.  She brought the book in to Late night to continue to tempt me.  She posted about it on her blog and then she started a knit-along.  Well, I broke down and bought the kit fromTwo Swan's Yarn.  My saving grace was that the popularity of the kit had stripped the distributer of all of the stock of Old Gold the most prevalent color in the sweater so I had to wait an extra month and a couple of weeks ago, on a Thursday I came home to a box wedged between the front door and the storm door.  (In this day and age of air conditioning, I can never figure out when I should put the screen back in the storm door -- seems I have to change it four times a year.)  My kit had arrived.

I let it sit on the coffee table for a day before opening it.  But the colors were beautiful and I am excited to start it but then there is so much else that I should be finishing at the moment. It may come out for swatching soon, we will have to see.

Since I promised pictures yesterday, here are my two purchases from the Fall Fiber Festival of Virginia.  They were both bought at the both for Knitting Notions from Nashville, TN. First, I bought a skein of sock yarn in a lovely semi solid called Thyme. 

It is kettle dyed Classic Merino Supersock.  I also bought a shawl pin/hair stick which I wore in my hair today -- have you ever tried to take a picture of the back of your head?

I believe the wood is called Zebra Wood.  It really is lovely (something that might be tricky to tell from my pictures).

Leapin' Lizards

I was tempted by the Lizard's Ridge blanket and cast on September 14, as I was crying over contemplating my loss.  It is a catchy pattern with a nice balance between knit and purl rows and the short row squiggles.  The color changes and the pattern keeps me knitting (just one more pattern repeat) long after bed time.

Stacy alerted me to the knit-along that she and Caryn set up.  I ordered some yarn without putting too much thought into the colors and they are coming out rather subdued so far although I know there are a few bright ones in there.  Here is what I have knit so far. 

That is Noro 88, 156 and 157.  I have almost finished a fourth square but I don't have a picture.

Join in on the fun and knit lizards ridge -- it is loads of fun.

Thanks Secret Pal

My Secret Pal, Michelle, got a little behind in the exchange which is completely understandable from the mother of a small child.  So I just got my final package!!  Considering the past couple of weeks, the timing was great for a pick me up. She had Carolyn Dean, of JIL Creations at The Flying Ewe, spin me some super cool yarn.  It is blue and green and there are 61 yards with crystal beads spun in and another 111 yards of single ply.

Vicki has tempted me by leading me to Jane Thornley's site and I may have to play around with this multi fiber knitting and I think this yarn could be a beautiful compliment.  Maybe I will search in my stash for some matching colors.  Here is a close up of the beaded yarn (although I seem to be photographically challenged today).

There is also some moisturizing lotion in a scent called "Spring Green".  How could she resist for the knitter at 40 shades of green?

log cabin update (for those of you keeping track at home):  17 completed/55 to go  -- expect a full update when I reach 20 squares.