Felt Like Knitting

WIP Wednesday - shawl and socks



I do have some other things I need to get knitted, but this weekend I started two new projects:  the Rosaleen Shawl and Sunrise Socks.

The shawl is for a friend.  I had made her a scarf a long time ago but never sent it.  During my cleaning, I found it but unfortunately the moths had found it, too.  I think this new project will be more to her liking anyway.  I know she loves this color!  (It's called Papaya and isn't as red as it looks in the photo.)

And the socks are for me!  Two of my students want to knit socks and I think the Sunrise pattern may be a good one for them to knit.  It's for sizes small through extra large which is not common for a sock pattern.  And it's toe up so they can easily customize the socks to their feet.  I'd like to get one sock mostly completed by Saturday's class then use the other sock to demonstrate how to make the project.  I love that the yarn looks like a sunrise!

What are you knitting these days?

WIP Wednesday: The mostly non-knitting edition

Things have been crazy busy here since the summer.  There has been knitting, but not a lot.  

Knitting - Still working on Vonica.  Picked it up yesterday for the first time in months.  Before that I made a pair of mitts for Emma, some dishcloths to replace our old ones, etc.

Teaching - I started teaching beginner knitting at my LYS last fall and I'm still going.  I've had a lot of fun meeting all my students.  Fortunately, my guitar teaching is done for the semestser.  I love all the funny things the kids say but I will enjoy not having class on Fridays during December.

Reading - House Rules by Jodi Picoult and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.  I have to admit that I read the ending in House Rules.  The suspense was getting to me.  I can enjoy the book much more when I'm not worrying about what's going to happen to people.  My book club's selection for January is Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.  The unofficial December book for those who can read it is Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie.  I'd love to read this but doubt I'll have time.

Family - We're deep in the robotics season now.  Combine that with Emma trying to finish up PE for school, making an appointment for her driver's license, going on school visits and filling out college applications, etc. and things are kind of hectic.  This fall, Emma was involved in a musical (The Pajama Game).  I helped with costumes and was the Board Liaison (volunteer coordinator plus other duties).  It was a great show but I was so glad for it to end.  (Bonus points for me:  I said no to having these same duties for the spring show!)

Church - This Sunday there is an orchestra concert at our church and we're hosting a cookie reception afterward.  The last two years we have gone through almost 30 dozen cookies.  When I checked the freezer on Sunday, there were four bags of cookies.  So I started baking:  Cranberry Oatmeal Walnut, Peppermint Patty Brownies, and Chocolate Covered Pretzels.  I'm hoping to make a few more kinds before Saturday.  Then there is the Christmas Pageant reception the week after, etc.

So...I will start knitting more in January.  What's keeping you busy right now?

WIP Wednesday - Summer Flies

I couldn't keep my hands off that Manos and I just had to start Summer Flies.  These colors are beautiful and I never want to put it down.  Unfortunately, I'm off by a stitch and may need to do some tinking.

I had looked for a third colorway when I bought this yarn but there wasn't one available.  Hopefully it will turn out okay just using two colorways.  I wish I could show you the shop samples at Cast-on Cottage.  The three colors in each shawl go together so well!

Here is my original Summer Flies with Koigu.  I liked the colors together in the skein but not together when knitted.  And I think it would look better in this shawl to not have the solid yarn with the multi.  But the Koigu won't go to waste!  

WIP Wednesday - Abyssal and Sassymetrical

I have two projects currently getting knitting time - a shawl and a sweater.

Abyssal

This is a feather and fan crescent shaped shawl/scarf that I'm knitting from Berocco Ultra Alpaca Fine.  I like how light and airy it is.  I'm knitting this with opportunityknits - a friend I made through a fabric swap several years ago (hosted by Iris).  She posted about her shawl yesterday so you can see her beautiful project.

This was getting a lot of attention during the earthquake/tsunami coverage.  Then I needed to finish a lap blanket for someone and I started a sweater.  It's amazing how easy it is to put something aside and forget to work on it!

Sassymetrical

I rarely knit sweaters because:

1.  I don't want to knit them for my current size since I am not happy with my size.  And even though I'm losing weight I still don't want to put time into a sweater I may not get to wear.

2.  It takes more yarn to knit for the size I am now.  There are so many beautiful yarns to turn into sweaters but I don't want to use Emma's college fund to buy them.

3.  I couldn't find the "perfect" sweater.

Well, I found the Sassymetrical sweater pattern and decided to just jump in .  This sweater should be fine because it's rather adjustable depending on how it's worn.  And I already had the yarn (Classic Elite Premiere).  I really have nothing to lose and I'm excited to be knitting it.  I hope to have enough yarn to lengthen the body and the sleeves.

What are you knitting these days?

WIP Wednesday - Lap afghan

I'm trying out mobile posting for the first time. Since I don't see a way to save the post, I guess I'll be posting without editing!

I'm working on several things this week but this lap afghan feels the most urgent right now. It is for a young man at our church who has been medically fragile since his childhood. He is currently going through more difficulties and I'm hoping this lap afghan and the prayers that accompany it will be comforting.

What do you have on your needles today?

WIP Wednesday - bad mitt bind off

I was excited to be completing the mitts I started for Emma for Christmas.  I couldn't remember how I bound off the right mitt, but it seemed fairly stretchy.  So I undid the conventional bind off I had started on the left mitt and did my favorite stretchy bind off.  Wrong!  Look how loose it is.  But the sun is out today and I should probably take advantage of it and fix the bind off while I can see this black yarn.  Maybe you'll see these again on Friday, but in a finished state?  I hope so!

WIP Wednesday - Colchicaceae troubles

            

First, the good news - I did get half the garage cleaned up!  (Emma helped with the heavy stuff.)  Even though they aren't good, I'm sharing some before and after shots with you.  Steve was really surprised.  :)

Now the bad news...  Somehow I've gotten the purls wrong on Colchicaceae.  Instead of ripping it out, I'm going through each section with a crochet hook to get a balanced design.  It may not be exactly how it's designed but it will at least look okay.  I have to admit that I was pretty tempted to leave it like it was.  But I thought it would look even worse after blocking.  (Have you ever left something then regretted it?)  I blame Masterpiece 'cause that's what I was watching when I starting goofing up.  I think.  :)  What are you knitting this week?

 

WIP Wednesday - Colchicaceae

My LYS started another KAL last week: Colchicaceae (Rav link).  I was only able to go for a short time but I did manage to select yarn and say hi to a few folks.  And then I was able to cast on while I waited to pick up Emma from school.

I'm using Sublime Baby Cashmere Merino Silk DK.  This is pricier yarn than I usually use but my mom had given me a gift certificate to the store and that helped.  I may not want to go back my usual choices now.  This yarn is so soft!  This pretty turquoise color helps me remember that spring will be here someday. 

(The real color is actually just a little lighter than the color in the photo.)  

What do you plan to knit for spring?

WIP - Gwen Slouchy Beret

I finished the Gwen Slouchy Beret last night and I'd like to get your opinion on blocking it. (Please excuse the bad photo.  I went to three different rooms, trying to get more light.)

I want to block out the ridge that has somehow formed around the hat.  (Look near the arrow then travel counter clockwise toward 6:00.)  I'm not sure if I've done something wrong or if it's just the nature of the stitch pattern.  Ravelry shows other hats with the same issue.

Last night I tried putting the hat around a salad plate, dinner plate, pasta bowl...nothing looked like it would stretch out that ridge.  And I'm afraid that if I find something large enough to pull out the hat by the ridge, the ribbing will be pulled too much.  Does anyone have experience blocking berets or have a creative solution?  Should I try blocking it around something big like an inflated balloon?

On a happier note, I tried on this hat and it looks okay on me.  That rarely happens!  Since this is my daughter's,  I may just have to make one for me, too.

WIP Wednesday - Beret

One of the things on Emma's wish list is berets.  I'm knitting the Gwen Slouchy Beret and I like how it's looking.  The yarn is Bambool and I'm enjoying knitting with it.  Let's just forget that this was supposed to be a Christmas present, okay?

Also in the photo are some lovely new stitch markers.  Mary gave me some delicate olive green markers - she chose my favorite color!  And Emma made a set of colorful turquoise markers.  She even made one different to mark the beginning of a round.  It really touched me that she made something for me that would mean a lot to me and that she knew enough about my hobby to make one of them different.

Today is Day 3 of The Storm.  Steve went to work and finally got there.  One 10-15 minute stretch of road took him an hour to travel.  His parents are trying to leave.  They called to tell me that the hill near our house is blocked by police so they're having to go around.  The interstate roads are now passable but getting to them is a problem.

I hope you are all cozy and safe with all the winter weather.  Right now Florida is the only state without snow!