Friday, October 18, 2013

Swatches, I don't need no stinkin swatches...

Well, ummm, actually I do (dammit).

So I did the most painful thing a knitter can do.  I dove into a great sweater project.  I started knitting collar of this sweater and then I went up a needle size thinking, better to be safe I told myself confidently.  Knitting away on this thing (I admit I put it down several times and a year later it is finished).

I also tried it on several times.  It is hard to try it on while on needles I said to myself.  I better re-knit sleeve one in next needle size up (as it is in the round after all).

Okay, the sleeves is what took the whole year (am not a fan of knitting sleeves).

Finished sleeves.

Now I get to actually try it on.

Hmmm,  a little snug in the shoulders. I don't like the way the back fits.  UGH!

I have been reading a lot from Amy Herzog's book and blog about fit and about swatching and how important it is to achieve the results you want. Now, don't get me wrong.  I measured while I was knitting. I thought I was on gauge.

Actually - this is what I measured after I finished the sweater.


  • 20 st per 4 inches and 28 rows per 4 inches.  (unblocked)


What was the gauge I needed?


  • 18 st and 26 rows


Now it is possible that I could block the hell out of it.  But here's my thought.  No.

Why?  Because I used a substitute yarn and I am not thrilled with the resulting fabric either.  This sweater weights like 5 pounds, or it certainly seems to.  The collar is too floppy and moving to Florida in the near future, well, I'll never wear it.

So, I will frog and I will make this instead.  It is from the manufacturer and calls for this exact yarn.
It is short sleeved and I will have left overs to make my BFF this.  This sweater can certainly be worn in Florida with the short sleeves and good for being in the a/c.

I have learned a hard lesson but a valuable one.

I also ripped out my daughters socks for xmas (as I was 1cm off gauge and that would make them 2cm too small).

It's all good.  I want to knit things that fit.  I want to feel good in them.  I want other people to fit into the gifts I give them.  So, I don't mind froggin.

THANK YOU AMY HERZOG FOR YOUR GREAT ADVICE AND HELP.  She is a super nice person and answers any questions you have.


Cniotail--mo phaisean é!
(Knitting--(it's) my passion!)

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Christmas is coming....

I am starting to get distracted with thoughts of knitting some gifts and putting my projects on hold. Oh how I wish I could get paid for staying home....

So, I saw this in the latest issue of The Knitter (http://theknitter.themakingspot.com)

The pattern is Greenwich Village (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/greenwich-village)

My DD should love them. She is the original mismatched!  Has never wore the same two socks since 10 years of age. 

I am knitting them in the suggested yarns and even using the color lollipop. 


East knit so far.  Very cool how the spiral stripe is jogless by nature. 

TTFN

Thursday, September 5, 2013

It's official - I am a Plucky

I recently decided to subscribe to the Plucky subscription program.  I picked Primo Fingering.

It was a few weeks ago and I got a surprise in the mail yesterday!!!!! 
My first shipment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How exciting, what color will it be?

I ripped back the quick strip and to my delight....

SNAP OUT OF IT!  (inspired by Moonstruck)

It's a lovely shade of dark dark dark grey (almost black).  Sarah must have been reading my mind! I was hoping for black.

Now, this oh so lovely yarn deserves a great project.  I searched Ravely patterns for a few hours.

I think I will do this....here.  It is Window to my Soul by Joji Locatelli

Here is a snap of my skeins.


I am totally so happy
Yay Yarn!!!!!!
Yippee

Saturday, August 31, 2013

Hi me...

A pat on the back for forging ahead on your destash 2013


11 new projects assigned to stash yarn!
5 cast on
1 gift knit

Not so bad, ravelry stash is way smaller. Now you can see what yarn to put out for the townwide yard sale next Saturday. 

Finished object praise....

This is Kodachrome by Lindsay Ingram (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/kodachrome)



Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Word up....

I was playing around with Wordle today and made a pretty uh, wordle of my favorite things....
here...


What fun...

Knitting update:

I am casting on every project I can to assign my stash to things.  That way I can decide what stash I can de-stash to others.  I have a lot of yarn that I bought before I knew about things like "sweater quantities" for my size (in all fairness to myself I have spanned three sizes due to surgeries etc).  So, that way when I buy yarn in the future it is not to just buy yarn as opposed to randomly  buying yarn and finding out i don't have enough to make anything good.  UGH.

I did however, join The Plucky Knitter subscription for 4 skeins of fingering yarn. I will be very interested to see what I get (oh and of course, I only ordered 4 skeins which guess what - MIGHT NOT BE ENOUGH SWEATER QUANTITY).  BLAST.  She said try it out and see.  I will have to wait till open enrollment to change it.  Sad face.

I think I am going to order some pattern books.  To begin to feed my design side of my brain.  I have some shapes in mind and want to start thinking about sweater patterns.

Dé tha thu ah deanamh?
What are ya making?

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Take the negative with the positive

Looking at all my yarn I am trying to assign projects to all the yarn I can.

But I also have some old projects three of the which will require negative knitting. I discovered my Adrift cardigan has a missed increase one row back but also it has 90 stitches on one side and 94 on the other. So the question is...how much knitting back (a.k.a. Negative knitting) do I to do????    :-(

I went back two row already then put it on a time out. 

I brought it out this morning to access the situation and discovered the sides don't match.

So I ponder...

This is the bad knits time out spot....
.

Friday, July 26, 2013

Bday knitting

Knitting with deadlines and I still cast on new project itching to use up stash. 

Here's a peek...

This is the bday gift


Plus I need one more bday gift in two weeks...mitts. Have to start them. 

Knit on!!!!


Thursday, July 18, 2013

The Long Hot Summer...

Clara: Well don't throw in the towel yet, Agnes, dear. Those tranquilizers may see us through yet.


New Jersey is usually tolerable.  I lived in Baton Rouge, LA for 5 years and after that I thought I was immune to the heat up here.  I can count on two hands how many times I have left the AC on in the bedroom at night let alone kept it on all day to just maintain the status quo. 

This year I have not turned it off since Sunday.  I hate AC but it has its place.  I am moving to Florida as soon as I can sell this @#$% house sold and I know I will need and have it there. But, I am not one of those 68 degreers.  I like to keep it just at the level where the humidity is staved off.

Knitting Update...

Khodachrome is DONE!!!!
Breezy Cardigan is almost done - I am on sleeve 1 of 2.


I am now faced with having to Fix Marin and have it done for a BFFs Bday

My sis saw a cute cowl when we visited her LYS and wants me to knit as well.  Problem - I LOST what I have started.  I have 28 inches to go and bind off.  When I came home, I cleaned out my tote.  I "moved" it somewhere and can't put my finger on where.  UGH!


I am a bad bad shopper...
I have added one skein of Breathless in Black Truffle colorway and joined the Plucky Knitter's subscription club for 4 skeins of fingering weight (first to ship end of August).
Oh and another skein of Pura Lace (but I NEEDED it to get ready for one of these...)

Ta'

De reir a cheile a thogtar na caisleain(It takes time to build castles)

Saturday, June 8, 2013

I kissed a frog...

Well my first official frog of a half done project....

I was knitting with a fun dyed yarn and it was a pretty shade of cream, pink and tan.  The first skein was very pale.  The second skein was noticeably darker.  I thought it would be okay.  Finished the second skein and wow - huge dark line from one to the other.  I thought hard and couldn't live with it.

Agree?




The stripe on the back looked so very noticeable.  Two skeins are darker and the third, which i started from, is very light. They all say the same dye lot number unfortunately.  It is a huge bummer.  If I had started with the two dark I might have not frogged it because the light would have been the ribbed collar.  I think i will turn the yarn into a cowl for someone for Xmas.

I think this yarn has to go in the time-out bin.

Bad yarn!

Monday, May 27, 2013

Perfect day

Yoga and knitting.....

Level 2/3 class and got quite a workout.

70 degrees... Cool breeze... Sittin in the shade...

Need I say more?





Thursday, May 23, 2013

Coming to terms if half the battle...

I had to admit it... "How many WIPs do you have???"  I started counting....

Newest to oldest:
Adrift by Carol Feller
Kodachrome by Lindsay Ingram
Nanook by Heidi Kirrmaier
Marin by Ysolda Teague
Java Summer Scarf by Johanna ShiM
Flaming June by Cheryl Niamath
Breezy Cardigan by Hannah Fettig
Barb's Koigu Ruffle by Churchmouse Yarns
Plein Air Tote by Amanda Scheuzger
Still Light Tunic by Veera Välimäki
Milky Mitts & Fingerless Gloves by Renae Jones
Cinnamon Bay by Carol Feller
Anthemion Wrap by Miriam L. Felton
Okay, its out there.  I have all hopes to finish all of them and start new ones!
In my defense, when I make a blunder, I usually put the project in the bad project box till I can figure out what happened and how to fix it. Marin falls in that category.  Adrift I have to tink back three rows to find a mistake. Anthemion falls in this category too, I have to figure out what I did wrong. As far as Milky Mitts is concerned, I am not sure what I will do.  The thumb is huge!  I followed instructions and it is just plain weird.  I have started mitt #2 but it sits...
Plein Air is awaiting the move to Fla as the fabric to line the inside is in the Pod.
Nanook is almost finished and I was working on it last weekend.
Breezy is almost finished and I took it on vacation to work on it.
Flaming is halfway done and I was working on that last week too.
Kodachrome back is finished and I am almost to the second decrease on the front (I knit a few inches while waiting in long lines at Disney World this weekend.)
On going projects just because they are long are Java and Barb's Koigu and Cinnamon Bay (which is 90 percent done but it has almost 525 stitches and I have to wrestle with it to work on it.
Lastly there is Still Light (which I love)... it was my first sweater attempt.  I thought because of my 34DDDDs that I needed extra raglan increases to accommodate.  However I got down to the pockets and started the sleeve which I finished and bound off (I needed to do extra decreases because I thought it would be too big - that was a understatement).  Second problem was one pocket had 10 more stitches that the other... "How'd that happen?"  Third problem.... I had the DDDDs reduced to Ds, so..... I put it away for a bit till I could think of what to do.  When I pulled it back out, the moths had lunch.  So I plan to rip back to raglan's and start from there.  I did start ripping back though.
Did I cover them all????
Sin an fáth a bhfuil mé ina amadán cniotála ...
(That's why I am a knitting fool...)
 

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Booty

I have NO BUSINESS buying more yarn! But I can't help it and give me the excuse "but they are going out of business and marking down to incredible prices"....

I truely hate to see my fav LYS close. In an effort to support I have gone twice so far. Don't get me wrong, I have supported them plenty in the four years I have retaken up knitting.

I have been also stocking up on my favorite circulars.  I found some yummy yarn. I also was on the hunt for some magenta cotton to try to creat a crocheted pullover I have in my head. BINGO. Eleven skeins of the lovely prima cotton pictured here....

I also want to knit/crochet a tunic and I think a lovely yarn called Cozette will be a great choice (I was able to snag 10 skeins in a natural color).  Plus I'll have left overs to make something else too!

If I could win the lottery and not have to have an income - I would knit ALL DAY and pet my kitties.  LOL  If only life were that smimple.

Chífidh mé (I'll see you later)
Fionnuir

Friday, April 12, 2013

Progress

This is a really good knit. I like the ease of the pattern. I am over halfway done first set of raglan increases. This yarn is heaven!!! Malabrigo lace in the color way Molly. I love the color and the way it is knitting up.  So soft.
Link to my Ravelry



This is the beginning of my Adrift by Carol Feller



Sunday, April 7, 2013

Sad spring for four LYSs

UPDATE!!!!  The store has been bought and will reopen in June! Hooray!


It's always a tug at the heart when a local yarn shop decides to close. Many time when trolling maps on my iPad I see a shop they never noticed, take a Saturday drive only to discover that the shop has long been closed.

Four shops in my driving circle have journeyed down this road. One shop actually bought the contents a shop that closed a few years ago near work (my lunch trips saw many a skein of yarn). The second shop was a great shop to stop by on the way to other places as it was not far from Route 95. the third shop is a good haul but I try to get there two or so times a year. She had KPPM in every color and great cashmere.

Lastly and most sadly, my "go to" shop is closing. This shop in Basking Ridge got me back on my craft. Provided me with 80% of my over 125 types of stash and offered great advise when needed. 95% of my needles are from there as "where the heck are my size _ needles" required a quick stop. They had such luxurious yarn. High quality. I know for some shops it's too expensive to carry cashmere or art yarn but they have an amazing selection. often you can get yarn cheaper slightly by buying online but it nice to see the color variation and hand for yourself.

I will truly miss them, but my purse might be fatter.

I understand the how hardworking these LYS owners are and I try my best to support them all. I never walk out of a shop without a purchase. Even if I need nothing. I get something that reminds me of that shop, perhaps a brand I never bought or a kit of a sample they have on display. So when I knit that I reminds me of where I got the yarn.

So, everyone, remember to shop LOCAL. Visit your LYS and help keep them around.

An rud is annamh is íontach.
Translation: What is seldom is wonderful.

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Set your mind Adrift

The other one has been cast aside. I just can wrap my head around it. So, I found I had four skeins of Malabrigo lace in Molly and found a wonderful pattern by Stolen Stiches called Adrift. Lovely summer cardi for my future in Florida. I will opt for sleeves. Don't want to feel too exposed with unfit upper guns.



You gotta know when to fold em....

So, how many times is too many for starting a project you ask????
Is it me?
Why can't I comprehend the flow of this oh so simple scarf??

Is's garter stitch for cryin out loud!!!!!

This lovely scarf, who shall be nameless (from my last post) is giving me hell. I want it to work so badly. I love the idea of this beautiful piece.

How many starts you ask?? I think it is FIVE! I have not even gotten to the join round part.

Here's my issue. I want to use her instructions for the special M1. Why not follow the designers instruction I say? Besides the other M1 is a pain with all the twisting of yarn. Problem is with that method the stitch marker doesn't stay put. So, you either move it (PIA) or try to see the look of the center stitch and hit it correctly every other row. Ya, I guess that might be considered lazy if you want it to turn out right. I guess I'm just a convenience type of crafter. I can eyeball a 1/4" see with stunning accuracy when sewing a quilt. (decades of practice).

I admit it! I AM A SHORTCUT JUNKIE. Computers (tell me why I should mouse click, FILE, PRINT, OKAY; when i can hit CTRL P???), sewing and I guess now, knitting.

What will happen with my Viajante you ask? Her fate has yet to be determined. After all I am a determined knitter. The yarn was hand picked for this project. So, "yet to be determined" is where our relationship stands.

feicfidh mé go luath sibh
(See you soon)

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

I love reading other's blogs

Do you ever start trolling websites and start reading other's blogs? Something catches your eye and the next thing you know that hours have gone by?

I get my inspiration from seeing projects of others.  Unfortunately (Is baolach... ) usually I don't see anything to fit the 90+ types of yarn I have in my stash!  Blast!

I recently wanted to start a new project because all the ones I have on needles remind me too much of Kitty.  So, I saw this on Ravelry pattern page and thought it was just great!

Viajante by Martina Behm
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/viajante

 I was jonesin to visit a LYS and went to google maps and saw there was one in Lamberville - but alas, google had not updated that this shop has closed, boo hoo :-(
I saw then that there was a shop in Yardley, PA, so I went on over.  Y-Knot Knit is a lovely shop.  She has a nice collection of yarn including some lovelies from Shibui.

I had NO BUSINESS buying more yarn, but I spied some Juniper Moon Farm Findley in red and thought, I don't have 1700 yards of one lace weight in my stash... 60 bucks later I am ready to cast on Viajante.  I joyfully cast on!

Needless to say, I have cast on three more times and last night I had to rip back all the rows I managed to knit from 6:30 to 8:00.  Ugh.  There is a center increase that is tricky, the marker keeps moving so you have to move it back every row.  Once it is deeper in you might be able to just see the stitch.  We shall see.  There are 1700 yards of center increases to work so we shall see how this goes.

Irish of the week you ask?  Learning the consonants and how to ask if there is anything new - An bhruil aon scéal agasta? 

We also learned that gob struck comes from the word gob which was adapted from Gaelic in a way.  "Shut your gob" etc.  béal means mouth. FYI

go dtí an chéad uair eile
(Until next time...)
Fionnuir

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Knitting has sadness attached to it :-(

Alas it has been a few weeks since my last post and my last knitting time.

I lost my dear precious Kitty (cat). 

She and I were thick as thieves.  She was a sweet sweet girl with the patience of a saint and a bite that said "I own you, now love me and go to sleep."

Since CJ went off to college and moved out on her own, she found her way in my bed and on my lap for the past 5 years.  She was my protector and my knitting partner.  No matter where she was in the house, the minute I pick up my needles, regardless of the room or chair I was sitting in, she was staring up at me waiting for me to say "up, up, up" and make room on my lap.

The grief was insurmountable at first. I would have never believed it had someone told me I would feel this way.

After a few weeks I try to think of the good things, knowing that she is no longer feeling poorly and that across the rainbow bridge she is healthy, happy and playing with a green ball (her quote not mine).

I talk to her all the time and call her to bed every night and sometimes the tingle on my legs assures me that I am loved and not alone.

Precious girl, give me the strength to go back to knitting without being sad for you not sitting on my lap. I love you very much!  Mommy.

Monday, March 4, 2013

An labhraíonn tú Gaeilge?

An labhraíonn tú Gaeilge? (do you speak Irish?)

Well, I am learning!  Love the Internet for the possibility it affords us, add Skype and we are cookin with BACON!

Gaeilge and cniotáil - fun combination.  Now, 'cniotáil' is actually Scottish Gaelic but I will make adjustments accordingly as I learn.

Update on 'cniotáil' -

Still working on Kodachrome - and because I did not read instructions through properly I almost had a complete blunder.  I was only supposed to decrease at the END of the 15th row 5 times.  DUMMY ME - I did it at the beginning and the end.  So I had to frog back to the first decrease!  All is good - front is back at 3rd decrease already and last night i started to rip out to get back to 1st decrease  on back.

Oh well, I am sure it will do it again!

Friday, February 8, 2013

Snow day yay!

Cupcakes in oven and still in my pjs! That's what I call a nice cozy day. Working on Nannook by Heidi Kirrmaier. Right sleeve is hopefully going to be done then back to finish off last few inches before rib at waist.




Puff agrees...


Saturday, January 26, 2013

Baby it's warm inside...

I love cold day warm knitting. I picked up this sweater back up, which I put down before Xmas to knit gifts.

I'll fill in name later with credits...

I am using Blue Sky Alpaca Suri Merino. It's a dream. So wubbie blanket warm!

Kitty agrees about a lazy knitting day and she likes Moby playing in the background.





Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Let's here it for No. 2


Daisy says "what??!!!"
I started another project....

It's is Kodachrome by Linday Ingram

I am using Knit Picks Aloft in Oat and Fairy Tale (a bday gift from BFF).

I am crazy to start yet another but I wanted something easy and I needed the buzz from casting on a new project.

I decided to not get 1/2 done syndrom so I am knitting front and back together on one needle and two balls.  It is working out just fine.  I am halfway past decrease 1.

Will post pictures when I get a bit more in. This is it so far...


You can also check out my other projects on ravelry (j3nnyg).

Sláinte is táinte!


Sunday, January 20, 2013

First entry

I did it again. I bought more yarn. I wish I could have gotten three skeins but they had only one. I need ideas to find the perfect one skein project for this beautiful yarn...