And another cast on!

I need some socks to carry around with me, now that I have to think some more about the orange fire snakes at the gates of hell cardigan.

Because I haven’t started enough projects in the last few days.

So!  Socks for me, in Zitron Trekking XXL, a lovely intense watery blue.  I finished the top ribbing, and now I might switch to fancy schmancy waving ribs.  Or maybe I won’t.  But I think I will.  And add leg shaping while I’m at it, cause that’s what I cast on for.  Then remember what I did for the second sock.  While working on it as my carry around project.

What am I thinking?  I know!   Nice yarn, lovely yarn, must start something else…

I bought this skein, and only this skein, when I stopped for more stitch markers Saturday.  The cardigan has eaten a lot of them, so I don’t have to think about the pattern.  And I’ll need many more for the shawl.  Which I probably have around somewhere, but maybe not.  I don’t use tons of them.  That, and the house eats them.  Has an appetite for stitch markers and scissors.

I also want to start a vest for me in Silky Wool.  But I need to think more about what kind of vest I want.  And swatch.  And I have plenty of other knitting things I’m thinking about just now, already started.

(You’d think I could manage some photos over a long weekend, but it’s funny how fast the time fills up.  One of these days…)

Fire Snakes!

So we’ve been discussing the orange sweater.  I’m knitting it in one piece, back and forth (a cardigan, you see), knitting a garter stitch button band as I go.  I have no idea how I’ll do the sleeves.  I was informed weeks ago that it will have a hood (so I don’t have to worry about the neckline).

The other day, I asked how he’d like the sleeves.  He said, “lots of colours!”  Orange isn’t enough?  Oh my.  As I am an obliging mother, we stopped by the yarn store so he could choose sleeve yarn.  Yellow for the sleeves, and blue-green for the hood.  He insisted.  I’ve been worrying about that green…  (and I only bought that yarn, nothing else.  I seem to feel the need to reassure you.)

This morning on the drive to school, we talked about the sweater again, and I mentioned adding red might be nice.  He thought it was a great idea (phew!).  He’d like orange and red and yellow and a little black, so it’s the colours of fire.  He decided he didn’t need green (phew!).  I think I’ll be adding colour to the snakes soon, so they’ll be two colour cables.  And I’ll probably have to use duplicate stitch so there’s not such an obvious divide between what I’ve done and what I’ll do.  Unless we change our mind again.

I should take a picture, so you can see how much I’ve done.

The garter hem flares.  I needed a bigger stitch differential between the garter hem and the cable patterned body.  I may need to cut off the bottom and knit down.  I’ll see what happens in the blocking.  And I still don’t know how I’ll do the sleeves.

By the way, I’m not thrilled with the start of Antique Lace.  I think I don’t like the yarn (SWTC SoySilk).  It squeaks.  But I’ll try a bit more before I give up and give it away.  Maybe I’ll switch to metal needles.  The swatch is nice after washing.

Yesterday, I started Sivia Harding’s Diamond Fantasy Shawl in SeaSilk.  No yarn problems here!  I’ve been wanting something gossamer, and this isn’t.  But it will be spectacular.  And, because the edging is knit as I go, when I’m out of yarn, I’m done (except for Icord across the top).  I wanted Anne Hanson’s new Star of Evening, which would also be amazing in this yarn, but the edging is knit on after completing the body, and I don’t want to think about yardage requirements.  Besides, I’d have to buy the pattern, and even though I can get an electronic copy, that wasn’t instantaneous enough.  (I’ll buy it soon, though.)  It will be a slow shawl.  I have to peer at the chart carefully each row, even though it’s not a difficult pattern.  And I have so many distractions responsibilities annoyances Oh, you know what I mean!

The best one is reading a book to me now.  It’s about boats, and he’s doing a grand job!

Cast On Saturday

I’ve got an orange sweater to make for the Kid. Back before this round of teacher gifts, new baby gifts, small socks, I’d managed a couple of repeats, then ripped.
Saturday morning, I finished the garter hem (183 stitches) and started the pattern set up. Oops! I forgot to consider the nine increases I want to add to combat flare from the cables. So I glanced at my notes, did a quick refiguring of the numbers (again) and cast on again. 187 stitches. As I contentedly started the garter rows again, I thought about those numbers. Garter stitch is great for thinking. Why did I have more stitches than last time? I stopped. I ripped (only 2 rows this time - I learn). I looked at my numbers more carefully. I cast on again. I ripped again. I drew out the plans again, counted much more carefully, considered the 9 stitches, and cast on again. As I counted out twenties, I realized that I seem to think subtracting 11 stitches equals subtracting 9 stitches. A slash of the pen (yet again), and the numbers fixed, and I kept on casting on twenties. Then the Kid got up.

Saturday was hot. I didn’t sleep well Friday night. I made a long list of things to get done over the weekend, then sat around not doing any of them. I obsessed about knitting. Not only did I finish the teacher mitts last week, I finished the carry-around kid socks. I felt like starting something new, not an orange sweater. I wanted Lace! Intricate, gossamer, sheer lace. (That’s what happens after wandering around Miss Alice Faye and Fleegle’s Blog.) I wanted to start a sweater for me! (I’ve done my part to stimulate the local yarn store’s economy - Jo Sharp Silk Road DK Tweed, a sweater’s worth on sale.) I sketched my idea out (longish, yoked with colour detail, waist shaping, scoop neck).

But I was a good orange sweater knitter, despite these myriad temptations and their justifications (It’s hot = lace. I finished a lot = sweater for me.) The Kid dragged me out to the backyard, so I sat in the shade with the orange sweater and knit garter stitch. Until he sprayed me and the knitting with the sprinkler. By accident. So I went inside and wandered through my patterns for a hot weather tank, and decided to get started on Ilga Leja’s Antique Lace.  Since I already swatched.  So out I went again, but I didn’t work on it at all because my husband appeared from his morning wanderings hungry and ready to go somewhere air conditioned for lunch.

By the time I went to bed, I managed to work the garter hem and two repeats of the pattern.  So, right back to where I’d ripped!  Not bad for a lazy, no energy day.

Sunday, I cleaned like a madwoman, but still have stuff all over the living and dining rooms.  At least the floor’s clean, and the stuff is in the process of being sorted and put away.  And I updated in Ravelry.  If I keep updating my stash, I may be less inclined to buy more.  And I still haven’t finished the cotton in the closet.

Mitts, with photos

Finished Mitts! With Recipe

Only a week late for Teachers Appreciation week…

They’re sitting in the (very hot) house drying as I write (from my air-conditioned office).

Super easy to knit.  Gorgeous yarn and so lovely to work with, I’m sorry to be finished.  I wondered if I’d be sick of them before I finished all four.  Silk Wool yarn naturally dyed by Tactile Fiber Arts.  I’ll be looking for more of the same.

While you’re waiting for me to add a photo, would you like the recipe?

Easy Mitts Recipe

With gorgeous worsted weight yarn, cast on 36 stitches. 

Knit 3 Purl 1 rib.  Knit as long as you want on your wrist. 

Start the thumb gusset:  Knit 1. Make 1. Knit 1. Make 1. Knit 1. Purl 1. (you’re increasing two stitches one stitch inside the K3 rib).  Finish the round.  *Next round, knit and purl as the stitches come (gusset will be stockinette).  Next round, again increase 2 stitches.  Knit 1.  Make 1. Knit 3(5, 7, 9). Make 1. Knit 1. Purl 1. and finish the round. Repeat from * until thumb gusset, including outer 2 knit stitches is total of 11 stitches.  Place those 11 stitches on holder.  

Make 3 stitches with backward loop.  And continue knitting K3P1 ribbing until mitt reaches desired length (I usually do about 12 rows after setting aside thumb stitches).  Cast off.  To ensure edge does not flare, evenly space K2tog three times as you cast off.

Place 11 held thumb gusset stitches on needle, knit across (leaving long tail for later weaving and neatening).  Pick up 4 stitches to come back to beginning of round.  Knit one round.  Then start Knit 2 Purl 1 ribbing and continue until thumb is desired length (I usually do about 8 rows of ribbing).  Cast off.  To ensure edge does not flare, evenly space K2tog two times as you cast off.

Weave in ends.  Use long tail at thumb to neaten up any holes (I usually do sort of duplicate stitch on the inside) and weave in end.  Wash and block/lay flat to dry.

The spindle came out

I went to Color: A Fiber Festival the other weekend and took a beginning spindle class. It was just what I wanted to get me going with the spindle. I like learning out of books, but when I’m just starting something new and a handcraft, it’s much better for me to watch, then try with feedback from the teacher.

We had bits of Finn (white) and Blue-Faced Leicester (natural brown) top to work with in class. Once I got home and finished off the bit of top, I managed Andean plying out of Spinning in the Old Way by Priscilla Gibson-Roberts.

Washed and hanging to dry from the grapevine.

One half knit into a swatch. The skein was short enough to pull across the room and have the kid cut it in half. I spent the drive to la playa fria swatching. I think I’ll make myself mitts with the bits and pieces of handspun. Knit back and forth in garter, with slipped stitch detail, striping the bits and pieces.

From Mom’s wool roving - white with a touch of grey, total two balls like this one. (I’ve got lots more roving just like it.) My husband watched me plying. I think the spinning spindle fascinated him in the hypnotizing sense, because he helped. Carried the spindle across the room for me. The kid was not happy, wanting to be the one to do it. Oh, the jealousies.

Hurrah for Abuelas y Tios and Puppies!

At la playa fria, we buried the kid. Or did we find toe seedlings coming through the sand?

We played soccer with Uncle’s puppy. Border collie and cocker spaniel, both parents mixed. Four months old, and a sweetheart. He wanted to play with the rabbit, who wasn’t too worried.

Abuela and the kid felted roving on a hot afternoon. Now we get to figure out what to do with it. The kid wanted to felt everything with his feet. Good idea, but we needed more endurance.

They didn’t stay long enough, even though poor Uncle stayed through Sunday morning to get over a nasty poison ivy reaction.  Oh, the blisters!  Oh, the horror!  Oh, the good food he cooked every evening!

Teacher Appreciation Week

(taken at dusk)

Next This(!) week is Teacher Appreciation Week. I have a teacher and an aide to appreciate in a concrete way, so I’m making them easy mitts in luscious yarn. The classroom is usually frigid in the morning. I think this will be a good gift.

The yarn is 50% silk 50% wool, worsted weight, 2 oz/125 yds, naturally dyed by Tactile Fiber Arts. The colour is greener in less light and more gold in brighter natural light. It held up pretty well to casting on six times in an attempt to get a measly tail (I don’t want to waste any). I want a sweater in this yarn. I want a blanket in this yarn. I want to live in a whole castle knit in this yarn. I want to run off to Gretna Green with this yarn. I don’t even care if we never make it to Gretna Green.

(taken an hour or so before dusk)

As of Sunday evening, I finished one mitt and half the second. And I only have another pair to knit (in a soft red, undescribable colour) before Friday. I might manage it.

I have a funny feeling I’m setting myself up for the next few years…

Finished Bunny

Naturally, I made a mistake on the last leg. But I didn’t care to do it over. Perfection is boring, no? Well received by the new grandmother.

Dalegarn Baby Ull, pattern Jess Hutchison Bunny.

Expressing anger appropriately

The sign by the bedroom door.