In the home stretch

Well, the big news out of Wichita today is that they have caught the BTK serial killer that has killed 10 women in the last 30 years. While the news conference was on TV this morning I did what I always do while watching TV, knit. Actually this morning I wove in the ends of this Aran sweater that I've finished for the TKGA Master's level program. It won't win any design awards, but I hope it fills the requirements for the level. I had some concerns about the bottom band, but all in all think it turned out OK. A lot of cabling went into making it. I have to send a picture of someone wearing the sweater and the cap so the committee can see that it actually fits and can be worn. So these are the ones I'm sending with the packet.


Aran Sweater for Master's program

The other requirement for the program is something in Fair Isle. Actually, I could have done the sweater in Fair Isle and the cap in Aran, but chose the other way around. I knit 4 caps before I got a pattern that I liked and got the shaping to work out the way I wanted. Maybe my head is just out of shape with everyone else's heads. I'm sure the cap won't win any design awards. I just hope the master's committee is OK with it.



Fair Isle Cap for Master's program

I'm now finishing up the other reqirements, the swatches, questions and reports. I'm almost finished and should be able to get it all in the mail on Monday. I'll be thrilled to be that far along. Usually there are things that have to be reworked if the committee doesn't approve what you submitted. But that is not as difficult or as time comsuming as the original work. They are very nice about it and will tell you what you have failed to successfully complete. It is a learning experience and I've learned a lot while doing the other 2 levels.
I wonder what my mother would have to say about doing the master's program. There wasn't anything like this when she was knitting for us.
Well, back to the questions and research necessary to answer them.

Too Sick to Knit

I can't believe that I've felt so bad this entire week that I've not felt like picking up any project this entire week. I was in Memphis in a hotel room all week and all I had the strength to do was to sleep and watch tv. While home in bed over the past two days I've kept myself company in bed with my two new knitting books. I'm almost back to new.

I had to cancel my trip to Boone this weekend because I was so ill. I started work on a cute hat from one of my SNB books to give to my sister. I'm 50% done. I should be able to start work on the I-cord tomorrow. Maybe I'll have it done in time to send to her this week with the other stuff I was supposed to deliver on our trip. I didn't have the energy to start a larger project, like her purse. Sometimes you just want instant gratification.

Triangles and entralac

I liked the triangle scarf you made. Thought the colors were great and the technique inventive. The triangles (which are technically not short rows) reminded me of the base triangles in entralac knitting, so I thought I would share the felted entralac backpack that I knit in 2002. It is a kit from Knitability. You can see their designs on their web site, knitability.com. BTW one of the principles in Knitability, Gwen Bortner, is teaching at the TKGA conference in PA next month and I hope to take one of her classes. I usually don't buy kits, but liked the design so much I ponied up and bought it. The colors are great, black, gray, red and purple. And I know you like felting. Hope the pics show the colors great.


Felted entralac backpack





Bottom of backpack

Entralac is so much fun to do, you work in small segments and each time you complete a triangle or square, you are so amazed as to how it fits together.

Looking forward to the conference.

New Things

After a week in Memphis, I returned to my office this morning to gather some documents for my trip next week and I found a surprise package from my sister - two knitting books. I am thrilled!




The yarn for her purse arrived as I was leaving on Monday. I wound two of the four balls this afternoon. I hope to have the last two finished before bed tonight and then start on Heidi's bag tomorrow night while watching the Grammys.

The new project that I started last week "to keep my hands busy" is shown below. I taught myself how to work short rows as well as how to make corkscrew fringe. I just started using Walmart yarn because it was just a test project, but I kinda like the way it is coming out. Maybe it won't be bad for just a decorative piece.



For Valentine's Day I made my mom and her next door neighbor a notebook of dishcloth patterns that I found on the net. There are probably 75 different patterns. My mom's neighbor is 82 and is a very talented knitter. She is very active and you wouldn't believe she is as old as she is. I bought them each a set of size 7 bamboo needles and some yarn to get started. I'm excited about giving them their starter kits tomorrow.

Cute dog coat

I am so glad that you liked the last post. I wanted to show some possibilities. There are other ways to add yarn, but these are the ones I use the most. Glad they work for you.

Rosie's coat is so cute. You did a great job of the fitting, shaping etc. Congratulations! I'm sure you will use these techniques for the coat you are knitting. I know what you mean about keeping your hands busy. I am still working on the two sweaters (the Aran and one other) and have ordered yarn for another so I can have something to do that will be more portable, in case I get back on the road soon.

What about the TKGA conference? Have you sent in your request for classes and if so, which ones are you signed up to attend? I haven't registered yet, but think we should do so soon, if you are still going. Just let me know.

Killin' Time

You have no idea how timely your knitting lesson that you posted was. I had to apply your technique when finishing Rosie's doggie sweater, completed below. The photos were AMAZING! Thank you so much. You should write a book.






I'm really just killing time knitting little things like scarves and dishcloths until the yarn for my sweater arrives. I'm trying to find new stitches to practice. I'm also trying my hand and felting some roses for either my purses or to wear with my stuffy suits at work. Just things to keep my hands busy!

Adding new yarn in the middle of a row

Adding new yarn in the middle of a row


I don't remember where I learned this but sometimes you just have to add new yarn in the middle of a row. In the pics I used red for the new yarn. Step 1 is to simply lay the new yarn on top of the old yarn and work a few stitches with both yarns held together.



Copmpleted 3 stitches with new yarn


You can see the 4 stitches with both the red and white yarns. Now complete the row with the new yarn and when working the next row, just knit the 4 stitches as if there was only one yarn in the stitch.



Finished stitches with new yarn 


Once completed, you really can't see the old yarn since it hides so beautifully unde the old yarn and the additional bulk isn't noticeable, expecially in the felting projects that you are doing.
Hope this helps.

Your doggie sweater looks great. Looks as if you mastered the shaping that you were worried about. Once you learn those basics, then sweaters, coats, etc are just a step away. I haven't knit the Einstein coat but know of others who have and they liked it. Macon is a great place to own a lighter weight coat. Can't get too much use out of it in the midwest.

KOK

Next step

Once the first stitch is completed, now pick up the working yarn and complete the next stitch. In doing so the working yarn passes over the "tail" and anchors it so that the first stitch doesn't slip. When the garment is done, work the "tail" into the knitting as you would normally do.


Step 2 of adding new yarn 

I am so glad that I learned this trick for adding yarn at the end of the row. It makes it so much easier to do.

Adding new yarn

I thought I would share with you the technique that I learned from Maureen Mason-Jamieson at the workshop for K.N.I.T. in Tulsa in November since you had some trouble with adding more yarn in the felted bags you were making. She says, at the end of the row when your current yarn won't do a complete next row, make a fish shape (loop) with the new yarn with the short end on top of the bottom end (if you hold it up to look at it). In the picture I am using red yarn so you can see the path the yarn takes to create the new stitch and anchor the "tail" I hope you can see the short tail is above the longer yarn attached to the ball. I insert the right needle into the first stitch as if to knit, then attach the loop I have created over the needle and pull it through, a knit stitch completed.


Adding additional yarn at end of row, step 1 

I'll put the next step in the next post since I can't figure out how to post more than one picture in a posting.

Icy day

Because outside looked like this today:





I was able to accomplish this:



Rosie's doggie sweater needs some more work, but it's coming a long. If I can find the time tomorrow, I'll be finished and will take a few shots with her wearing it. I used really cheap yarn - but for a dog sweater that will need to be washed over and over, I thought it would be ok. I love to read about the different kinds of yarn and imagine what I could make. I got a new yarn catalog yesterday and I'm excited about placing my next order. I'm really too new at this to look at yarn and look at a pattern and instinctively know how wonderful something could look using that yarn. I guess that's just an excuse to buy more yarn and try new things.

Pictures

I enjoy your pictures so much that I decided to try it. The first sweater I knit for myself in my teens was a yellow cardigan made with some Benjamin Franklin "dime store" yarn from Main Street, I'm sure. I never wore it very much, didn't like the color, the way it zipped or the way the cables added more bulk to my shape. Since then I've knit a few Arans mostly as gifts for others. I have to design and knit something with Aran techniques for the TKGA's Master's Knitting program. It can be a sweater or a hat. I chose to knit a pullover. I've done the design work and am in the proces of knitting it. Here is where I am at present.


This is the back of the Aran Pullover 

The other technique required is Fair Isle. Since I chose to do a sweater in Aran, the hat must be in Fair Isle. I'm working on a design for it as well. I'll post that picture later.

Back to the needles, KOK (keep on knitting)

Forgiveness

Mom's purse is complete. I've here are a couple before felting and after felting photos.



It felted nicely; however, a few of the places where I had either started a new color or started a new ball of yarn didn't hold very well when I washed the bag and I had holes in a few places after the first washing. I stitched them back together and washed again and it seemed to hold up this time around. Next bag I'll keep the tails a lot longer and actually knot the spots where it joins to prevent this. The best thing about felting is it's forgiveness! I'm ready to begin a new project tonight. While I wait on my sweater yarn to arrive, I've got a pattern for a dog sweater that I'm going to start for my mom's dogs. It has some modest shaping involved which maybe I can carry over into my "real" sweater in a few weeks.


I hope you're still enjoying your surger. I understand that it makes a world of difference when sewing clothes - something that I've yet to master. The flannel PJ pants that I made last year were big enough to fit me and my sister in. I've stuck to quilting and making dolls on my sewing machine.

Knitting calcuations.

I have been distracted for the last few days. I bought my first serger and since I have a new toy, I must have some time to play. I already think I should upgrade to the next step up so I can do even more creative things. I made a skating dress for my granddaughter since she is planning to have her birthday party at the ice skating rink. She just loves it and improved a lot over the holidays with more time spent at public skating sessions. I really like to watch her. The dress turned out great. I also made robes for myself, and both my daughter and granddaughter as well as some fleece pants and jackets for myself. It was so cold here last week that I needed more fleece clothing. So I'll put away the serger and now do more knitting.

I wanted to touch on your concern about substituting yarn. I think that some of your knitting books will give you guidance, but basically it all is in the stitch count. First look at the gauge or stitches per inch that the pattern calls for, then look at the total inches for the finished knitting. You can mulitiply the stitches per inch by the total finished inches to get the number of stitches to cast on. Substituting yarn requires you knit a swatch to determine the number of stitches per inch. Use this and do the calculation above. This should allow you to switch yarn at any time. The row count can be changed the same way. Just substitute rows for stitches per inch and complete the calcuations. Hope this helps as you change yarn from what the pattern called for. I find that I do this a lot as I don't always want the yarn called for. Needless to say, a bloody mary doesn't help any of this work.

Right now, I am working on a sweater design for myself. I have a sweater (Talbots) that I really like the way it fits, so I carefully measured it - width, length, sleeve, armhole, etc. so I knew what the finished measurements needed to be. Then, I found a stitch pattern I liked, found yarn I wanted and knit a swatch to determine stitches per inch. Once I knew this I calculated the number of cast on stitches I needed for each piece and I'm off and running with it. I have the back almost completed and I really do like the way it looks. I am always looking for a way that I can make a sweater I could wear to work, since as a consultant I have to look professional. A lot of knitted garments don't lend themselves to professional wear, but the stitch pattern and yarn I chose should be very useful for work.

I'm also working on the Aran sweater design required by level 3 of the master's program. There was a lot of calculations with that one. I'll post pictures if I ever finish either of the sweaters.

Now to finish watching the inaugral which is providing great knitting time.

Friends Don't Let Friends...

I learned an important lesson in knitting last night. I came home from work, after a very long day, and decided to relax with a couple of drinks (a bloody mary or two) before picking up my knitting. It was time to set up the straps on the bag that I'm working on. In the process of going through the process of binding off stitches and placing stitches on holders I learned that alcohol and knitting do not mix. :)

Needless to say, I now have a great appreciation for backing up and starting over. The good news is - for the first time I bound off the stitches correctly! I would always end up with 16 stitches on one strap and 17 on another and I'm sure I was well on my way to another uneven stitch count with my first attempt last night. I guess it took a little liquid inspiration.

Airplane Knitting

Last night flying home from Dallas, where I've been all week on business, I sat next to a 10 year old girl who was flying to see some relatives in Atlanta. She was a seasoned flyer and wanted to know what I had brought to keep myself busy on the plane after I asked her about the book she was reading. I don't think she was prepared for the answer.

I brought out the purse I'm knitting for my mother and showed her how I liked to pass the time away. I think she asked about 100 questions. She loved the colors (pink and brown) that I was working with. She loved the feel of the wool/alpaca blend I'm using. She wanted to feel my bamboo needles. I even cast on a few stitches on the double pointed needles I had with me and let her try her hand at it. I guess knitting lessons can happen anywhere!

Here is the photo of the flower I worked on before I left. Lesson learned on the Lion Brand yarn that they claim can be felted... can't. It's not a huge waste of time. Only an hour of two. So you live, you learn. I want to get a larger set of double pointed needles (13 if they make them) and try again.



One thing I'm a little nervous about is down-sizing the pattern I have for the flower. The yarn is bulkier than it calls for, but the color is too perfect for the purse I'm working on (seen here, pre-felting with my youngest cat Nomie napping on it). Any suggestions on downsizing a pattern so the yarn that I'm using doesn't double the size of the piece? It calls for worsted weight, the yarn is bulky.



I should be done with this purse this weekend. I'm ordering the yarn for my sweater this weekend. I have my eye on the Einstein Coat in Melville's Knit Stitch book. I'm open for suggestions if you think there's a better start. I think I'm going to order Reynolds Lopi in a nice Chocolate Brown color (maybe 315 or 87). Maybe it will be here by next weekend and I can get started. Let me know if you have other pattern suggestions!

Old knitter, new blogger

I finally got all the computer stuff worked out, an account created and will now join the blog. I am an old knitter who knows a thing or two about computers, but nothing about blogs. So bear with me, let's hope I get it figured out.
Heather, I am so pleased that you have discovered knitting. I was getting worried that there would be no one in your generation to take this craft into the next generation, since I don't know if any of your cousins interested in knitting. I thought the bags you made were very professional. You're right, admiration is a wonderful thing. It may be one of the reasons I enjoy associating with other knitters so much. They know the work it takes to create something so beautiful and technically comples. I am a member of the Tulsa Knitting Guild, K.N.I.T. (Knitting Needles in Tulsa). It is a great group of women who have so much talent. I enjoyed attending their meetings when I was on an engagement there last year and returned this fall to their fall workshop (with Maureen Mason-Jamieson) to socialize with the women and to learn new techniques for knitting. You never get too old to learn.

Admiration

I had no idea how important it was to receive compliments on your work. I knitted two purses for holiday gifts this year and gave them to my very stylish sister-in-law and very happenin' mother-in-law. I received a call on Saturday from both of them telling me how much they loved them and how many ohhs and ahhs they've received from their friends. It's very exciting to have someone admire your work - especially when you're not present.


The felted bag pattern I used was "The Lucy Bag," by Two Old Bags. Great for a first time, non-scarf, project and it was fun to see how the huge bag shrinks to the perfect size after three or four washings. I'm hooked on felting. I'll post photos tomorrow of the two completed purses and the one I have in process.


Last night I knitted a flower to felt to use as a pin on the brown and pink Lucy Bag I'm currently knitting for my mother. I'll post the before and after photos of the felting tonight. I'm really into flower lapel pins, so if I can get the sizing just right, maybe I'll make a few to wear to work and add a little fun to my boring suits!

A Start Up

In the past year I've become obsessed with an artform that I only wish I had appreciated while my grandmother was alive. A talented woman with a pair of craft-store knitting needles, my paternal grandmother - better known as Nana to myself and 9 other grandchildren - was, and still is, an inspiration to me. As I sit with my own sticks in hand late at night, I often wonder what she thought about as the yarn passed through her hands and across the tips, evening after evening as she created priceless masterpieces from dime-store yarn.

I'm not a master knitter, yet - although I do have a weakness for beautiful yarns of all colors and textures, which I think is a good start. It must be in the blood! As I grow as knitter, I hope you find my tangles and tantrums interesting.