Arlene's Extravagant Knitting

Spinning and knitting

2008-11-17T12:53:00.003-05:00

So, another month has passed. It was a busy month, with a fabulous trip to Rhinebeck! It was such a fun day. Busy too. But I wasn't nearly as exhausted the next day as I was last year. All the exercise and weight loss has paid off!

The "haul" from Rhinebeck included a big purchase -- a brand-new Lendrum DT complete. I came home from Rhinebeck and started spinning that evening. This wheel is wonderful. It took less than 10 minutes to unpack, set-up, and get spinning. Not that I'd ever spun on a wheel before. But its not hard! I started with some pencil roving left from my semi-successful attempts with the drop spindle, and had a hank of yarn (about 180 yards) in less than 4 days. Not that I've done anything with that yet....

Next on the wheel has been some green/blue blend I bought at Rhinebeck. Its just a giant carded batt, and I don't know if I'm handling the fiber quite right. But I'm forging ahead with it, and will hopefully end up with some fingering to sport weight yarn. I'm just going to 2-ply it to make it go further. There were 4 oz. total, and I probably have about 1/4 of it left, maybe a bit less. I can't spin when I'm tired, so I don't get to it as often as I'd like. Maybe tonight, when DH is out teaching, I'll have some quiet time!

So, on a good day, I'm down 25 pounds. I can't believe it myself. Had to go buy new everything, and I am really enjoying looking thin again! 10 more to go, and they are going to be tough. Must stick to the plan, but the carbs do call. I wish they would stay quiet until later in the day, when I can eat them and enjoy them.

No SOAB package yet, although the one I sent was well received. Its fun stalking people for these swaps. A Chanukah one is starting now, also on Ravelry, but there is very little to no information out there about my spoilee. I hope she starts to post a bit more.

Maybe I'll have some finished green handspun to show off on the next post!

Hello, dear Spoiler!

2008-10-11T08:33:00.003-04:00

Okay, I have no idea what I was going to write in my next blog post. It was probably something important, but so much time has passed, and we celebrated DS#1's Bar Mitzvah in-between. So, sorry if you have been waiting in suspense!

This blog post is to my new Spoiler from the Swap on a Budget group over on Ravelry. The names just went out last night, so I'm guessing you will be watching me closely. First, let me assure you, I am so thrilled that anyone is thinking about me, that alone will make me happy to get anything you fling into a box. Let's face it, as the stay-at-home mommy, most of my life consists of thinking about everyone else, and there aren't a whole lot of moments when people are thinking of me.

Next, I'm an eclectic knitter. I can be counted on to have a pair of socks OTN at any time. (I suppose it would be good if I would finish those Snicket Socks I started almost a year ago. Boy, have I ignored those!) I must have made 10 pair or more in the last year. My sock yarn stash is quite impressive, but that still doesn't stop me from acquiring more.

I can also be counted on to have a lace project OTN too. Right now, I have 3 going, one in Morehouse Merino, one in Malabrigo lace, and one in a cotton/silk blend. I have cones of all different sorts of yarn I bought at discount from a local commercial knitting company, but for some reason, I never seem to have quite the right lace yarn. Zephyr is still a favorite, its so reliable. And I adore the wool/silk blend. Someone needs to give me a push so I get back onto the lace knitting, its been quite abandoned lately.

Let's see, what else should you know? I'm working very, very hard to lose weight. Lost over 20 pounds this summer by exercising really hard for about an hour each day (which really eats into the knitting time!) and shutting my mouth. I eliminated most of the carbs in my meals, except for one meal a day. But chocolate doesn't count! Thats one of my little treats throughout the day. I really love chocolate with nuts in it, and it has the added benefit of keeping me from doing harm to the kids. I've been sort of stuck for about a month now, and have to get a bit firmer with myself. I have about 12-15 pounds more to go to reach the number the doctor and I agreed on. Its a tough battle.

Next week is Rhinebeck. I've been looking forward to it for the last year. Had so much fun last year. This time, we are going to stay and go to the Ravelry party afterward, which is just going to be awesome. Last year's acquisitions had a lot of sock yarn and the jumbo ball winder. This year, I find myself contemplating spinning. I'm a terrible, inexperienced spinner right now, but I did pull out my drop spindle (a clunky Ashford bottom whorl) and give it another try last weekend. I have pencil roving, since I can't draft well at all. This year, a new drop spindle will probably come home, along with an assortment of roving, and I'm seriously pondering buying a wheel. Not a cheap item! I want to try as many as I can up at Rhinebeck, and then I'll probably order one. (Because I have nothing better to spend money on with the current economic crises, LOL!)

Must go knit something now -- probably the plain vanilla socks DS#2 requested. At least all that stockinette -- he didn't want any ribbing -- goes very fast in the round.

Pictures!!!!

2008-08-13T20:42:00.002-04:00

So, lets grab some pictures! Lets see....

This is my finished iPod cover for my lovely little new green nano. Its my daily companion when I exercise. Thankfully, some of those MIA podcasters have come back, so I have something to listen to. I'm a bit bummed - I seem to have plateaued in my weight. So, I've upped my exercise a bit (dang pains go from my ankles to my knees when I walked, I've gone back to the stationary bike for the last 2 days), and cut my food. Being hungry is good, right?

Anyway, now I can see the iPod screen, but have a nice secure hook keeping it attached to me and all. And see how nicely I've learned how to blanket stitch! Thanks, Lisa!

What else should I show you? Hmm. How about the headcovering I made for myself? Don't you just love the swirl? And the shiny white beads and the clear silver lined beads have so much sparkle in real life.

The dress for the Bar Mitzvah is white and shiny silver, with beads around the neck and under the bustline. This should work well, it picks up the colors nicely.

My friend SRZ called this week. He offered to buy me yarn while on vacation, but the shop's online system only had fabric, so I couldn't tell him anything. Its just as well - my yarn and projects-in-my-head are far exceeding my actual ability to knit anything. Anyway, he then told me I still owe him a project - to which I replied, "They are done!" I think I shocked him. Anyway, if he's looking, here's a picture of them still in progress. I think you can get the idea.

Thats enough for now. Keep your eyes here, I've got something good coming, you may want in!

Podcasts?

2008-07-31T23:13:00.002-04:00

Again, with no pictures. I'm feeling lazy.

Its been a totally busy summer so far. I'm making progress on the head coverings for the Bar Mitzvah of DS #1, perhaps not as many as I intended, but they are moving along. I blocked out 14 of them last night (that was all the small plastic bowls we had), and this weekend I'll do the remaining dozen or so. Then, its on to weaving in ends (bad me!) and sewing on combs.

All the dieting and exercising is going well. I'm down 15 pounds!!! 20 more to go to get to the level of the government's chart, but a little at a time. But what is with all the podcasters? Their podcasts are the only way I can get through those 40 minutes of exercise each morning, and they all seem to have gone on vacation at the same time! I don't know what I'll listen to tomorrow morning. So, come on David and Brenda and Marly -- give me some new podcasts to listen to!

Did some knitting up at Boy Scout camp again. Two exciting nights and 3 days of fun in the back woods. Really not so terrible. Those Handsome Devil socks for DFIL are slow going though. Probably only did 1.5 inches in 2 days of constant work. Two-socks-on-one-circ with 4 yarns hanging off just is messy and tangly. I would move it all to dpns, but the dpns in the correct size are being held hostage by the long-neglected Snicket socks. I thought there was a second set of that size floating around, but they must be in some other UFO. And its not like I'm going to finish them by midnight tonight, the deadline to enter the six sox knitalong. Hey, new sock coming out tomorrow!

Tomorrow's quick project is going to be a felted case for my new iPod Nano. In green, of course. Not sure what I'll do for a clip just yet, but I can't seem to find a pre-made case that does what I want it to do, at least at a price I'm willing to pay. That clear vinyl I bought a few years ago is getting some good use.

Maybe those pictures I promised will appear later this week....

Ravelry Camping

2008-07-13T21:09:00.002-04:00

Wow, we are all totally exhausted here. This weekend we went off to High Point State Park here in NJ for a Ravelry Campout!!!! The weekend was organized by Knitthatpuppy (aka Kathleen) and there were at least 7 Ravelers there. We dyed yarn with Kool Aid, knit, and everyone seemed to enjoy using my swift and winder.

The pictures are lurking in the camera, and I'm just too tired right now to get them off. Tomorrow.

Its going to be good to sleep in my own bed tonight.

Updates

2008-05-12T11:42:00.003-04:00

So, I'm a bad blogger. I never could keep a diary either. And I have been documenting my projects -- over at Ravelry, of course.

The knitting is getting overwhelming. I have so much I either want to make, have to make, or have started but not finished. I'll list them here, public admission of WIP always helps me move them along:

WIP: The Snicket socks I started last November, before the trip to Puerto Rico. The first sock is all the way up the leg, the second is only a few inches above the ankle. Once the knitting is done on these, I want to re-dye the top 2 sections so there is more contrast. I even bought more of the Wilton dye to do this. Now if I could only work on the knitting part.....

WIP: The rainbow-toed socks for SRZ. I'm past the rainbow part on both, but not quite at the heel turn. I must make a note of the proper foot length and then just get knitting. Time to pull out Charlene Schurch's chart.

WIP: Butterflies 'n Bees for the Six Sox KAL. Turned the heel yesterday, and have a few more rounds to work off the gusset sts. Then its just a matter of deciding how long the leg will be before I make butterflies. Working 2 on a size 0 circular - great way to do this pattern. Bought a whole bunch of the fixed length Options last week when I discovered I didn't have the right size for these (had a huge urge to make them 2 on one circ that wouldn't go away. The class at the LYS went well though).

Queued: A whole lot of women's headcoverings. Worked out a new design over the weekend. Needs some refining, but will look very nice. Haven't figured out where to put the comb yet....

Queued: The Goddess Anniversary Mystery shawl - in the Letttuce Malabrigo Laceweight. Will start in late June.

Queued: The Mystic Meadows shawl - need to sign up and send my money. ** Note: I finished Mystic Light, but Mystic Water is just sitting around undone. **

"Resting" - The Alison shawl. The yarn is just a pain in the neck with the 3 different types all spooling out at different tensions. Its about 2/3rd's done, will probably come out again this summer.

Also queued - a whole lot of socks. Can I go up to Rhinebeck and buy more if I haven't used almost anything that I bought last year? (Love, love, love that Jamie Harmon yarn!)

Long time no post!

2007-11-02T17:30:00.000-04:00

Wow, its been a long time. No, I haven't stopped knitting. Nor have I stopped doing all sorts of other fibery activities either. Lets just blame the lack of blogging on Rhinebeck recovery and Ravelry addiction.

Where to start? The most recent, I suppose. Last night, I'm knitting along on my Mystic Waters Shawl (more to say later), and I don't even feel it, but suddenly there is a collection of stitches in my lap, instead of on the cable of my circular needle. Darn it, its Knit Picks Harmony failure. I wasn't shocked, after all I've read about it on Ravelry quite a bit. But how annoying. The wood simply came out of the metal sleeve on one of the size 4 tips, so the needle is no longer connected to the cable.

Thank goodness I'm no lace newbie. I pulled out my binder, found the size 4 Options tip, and put it on the cable. Now, I have to reconstruct the 20 or so stitches that have fallen. Only 3 or 4 of them had run really far down, so after some quiet cursing, I was able to save it and re-knit it correctly. Why is it always a lace project when the needle fails?

My hubby says the only thing that will hold metal and wood is epoxy. The failure is nice and clean, no trace of any glue in there, so perhaps he'll get the opportunity to glue it all back together. In the meantime, customer service was efficient this morning when I called and a new one is being sent.

So, that brings us to Mystic Waters. No, I'm not keeping up on this KAL - I'm trying to stay on track with the Secret of the Stole KAL, and thats plenty. But having finished SotS on Tuesday this week, I had a few days to get going on Mystic Waters. I have the cone of Wool Crepe in a nice medium blue that I bought just a bit back at the Silk City Fibers Outlet. As with most stuff there, its pretty thin, just perfect for a lace project. So, I start knitting. After a day, I just know it isn't working. Its got such a tight twist, it feels so rough when you knit it. And its got a lot of spring from the twist, I don't know if it will hold a block. The sample I knit back in the summer has a definite bias to it. I've got the sample re-blocking, all pinned and stretched, but the yarn was just making me too nervous. Its time to dive into the stash. Not much in laceweight there, but then I find the Mountain Colors Wool Crepe that I picked up for half price at my LYS about 1.5 years ago. Its dark blue, with streaks of copper, green, purple, etc. Bumpy in texture, but a whole lot softer than the coned yarn. So, here are the two yarns taking shape.....

One word game

2007-10-10T22:24:00.000-04:00

I got an e-mail chain letter thats interesting. You basically send it to your friends and ask them to describe you in one word. Its a tough thing to do. Makes you really think about what you see in your friend, consider why the friendship persists.

My friend clearly gave it a lot of thought, and I've found their words to be quite uplifting. I thought I'd post them here so I could read them anytime I was feeling down and needed a boost of their love.

Loyal
Strong (x2)
Honest
Energetic
Wonderful
Nurturing

Now, I would have described myself as "Creative". Its really interesting to see yourself through others eyes.

Weaving in loose ends

2007-10-08T15:15:00.000-04:00

First off, happy birthday to me! I got another year younger this past weekend. DH actually remembered and ordered a cake at the Shoprite bakery (for a grocery store, they make really good cakes) and invited both sides of the family over. Its been hot and humid here in NJ, more like August than October, so we spent the day eating cake and chips & dip - so much for the diets - and swimming in the pool. Now, we haven't been in the pool since very early Sept., so you can only imagine how warm it is around here. Mom & Dad gave me a black and white flowered SportSac bag, which are great for knitting bags. (Like I need another knitting bag :-) .... must start something new, right?) An old friend came over in the evening and we all went for dinner at the local diner, so it was a nice day all round.

I finally buckled down and finished the commission work I've had sitting in my house all summer. I hated the yarn, a very splitty chunky weight cotton, and have been putting it off despite calls from the project's owner. And then I re-wove a whole bunch of the ends that the owner had done poorly. Just an icky kind of job, especially when it isn't your own. But its done now, and ready to get out of here.

I also used yesterday afternoon to finish my Knitting Needle Bag. It came out soooo well. I'm very pleased. I ended up making the knitting needles from dowels, but the natural wood was too bright. A quick dip in some diluted food coloring, and they are so much better. The lining fit in well, and I'm going to use this everyday, I think.

The lining fit in well, and I'm going to use this everyday, I think.

And to keep the FO theme going... I also finished clue 1 of the Secret of the Stole (SOTS) knitalong. You can only imagine how my fingers were itching last night after all this finishing, so I grabbed the 3 pairs of socks that have been lurking in my knitting drawer and wove the ends on them too. After all, when I finished them in June/July/August, there was no urgency. Now, they might actually get worn in the next few weeks. This actually concludes my list of finished objects waiting around for the last 10 minutes of work. But don't worry, there are at least 2 abandoned UFO's sitting by the couch. I'm going to push myself and pick up that Lace Top from Gathering of Lace that I started probably back in 2002. All it needs are the sleeves and the neckline to be finished. Its just sad that I haven't finished it off in all this time. It even held my size 8 Addi needles hostage for years. I'll put it back onto my Options, it should just fly along, although I'll have to magic loop it. Perhaps a picture of it on the blocking board will show up soon. And I even have the right spaghetti strap top to go under it, another reason why I probably never finished it back then.

Okay, I've stated it all publicly, now I'll have to carry through, right?

Reporting in...

2007-09-30T19:46:00.000-04:00

Okay, its been a while, so I must report in on the knitting happenings around here:

First, DH surprised me yesterday by appearing from the basement with a replacement for the broken arm of my swift. One of the crosspieces snapped back in July or August at the center rivet, and the whole thing has been unusable since. It was so pitiful with the pieces dangling. Luckily we have a fully stocked workshop, so he and I were able to install the replacement piece, put a new holding wire at the top (the manufacturer had left nothing extra, so once we untwisted the original wire it had to be replaced), and put a new rivet in at the join. I reattached the bottom pieces with a piece of the wire instead of the twine that had been there. It should wear a lot better.

Next, I've been playing around with that really cute Knitting Needle bag from Knitting Daily. I started it with one yarn, then switched to some Lamb's Pride Worsted thats been hanging out in the stash. Ever go to the LYS and have a yarn call out to you because of the color? Well, this was one of those. Its in such a wonderful green. Not too bright, not too blue, just this wonder color. I had bought 2 skeins without anything really in mind. (Two was all they had) There was some vague notion of making the Mukluks from an Interweave magazine, but those really called for a lot more yarn. I just finished the first skein, and spit spliced on the second. I'm about 70% done, should finish in the next day or two. Then it will be off to the craft store to buy the knitting needles that will be glued in place as the bag frame. Or maybe I should haunt e-bay?

Finally, I'm waiting on the next pattern from Six_Sox KAL. Its going to be in a heavier DK weight, so I don't know if it will appeal. Depending on what it is, I may adapt it to a sock weight yarn. Tomorrow morning is the release.....

Green!

2007-09-19T23:04:00.000-04:00

See what I found? A little quiz to see what color green you are. And green is my absolute favorite color!

You Are Teal Green

You are a one of a kind, original person. There's no one even close to being like you.

Expressive and creative, you have a knack for making the impossible possible.

While you are a bit offbeat, you don't scare people away with your quirks.

Your warm personality nicely counteracts and strange habits you may have.

What Color Green Are You?

And yes, I am certainly a unique, wonderful individual!

Warm feet

2007-09-15T23:13:00.000-04:00

There is just no substitute for warm feet. Tonight was the "Almost Overnight" for Cub Scouts. Its been cool around here, and its not any warmer up in the mountain where the Scout camp is located. While you can still wear shorts and sandals around the house, clearly that wasn't going to cut it at camp.

Long sleeves and pants were a given - last time the Cub Scouts did this, we were just freezing. I decided that some handknit socks were the way to go; after all, even if it wasn't too cold, at least the wool breathes to adjust. Well, it was the right move. My feet were toasty warm all evening, even after the sun went down. I didn't have to put on a fleecy, although others around me were searching for gloves and hats. I will swear that my warm feet really made all the difference!

My knitting came along - the socks in Terrain Twist. Still working on the foot part in a ribbing pattern, so it doesn't require much attention (p3, k3, p3, k1 - repeat 3 times, then knit plain on the bottom of the foot). Didn't get to do much though - had to go teach the kiddies how to use a pocket knife properly. But tomorrow will be 2 hours of car travel, so I'll get to sit quietly and make progress.

Oh, and my Knit Picks needles came bright and early this morning! Yeah! Already trying them out with the Zephyr for the Secret of the Stole swatch (4's and 5's, but its not clear which one will win yet), and moved the Terrain Twist socks onto the 2.25 needles this evening. They are great - definitely wood and not bamboo (ich!), but I've gotten very used to the slippery surface of the Options, so its going to depend on the yarn. The needle binder is looking pretty full......

New stuff

2007-09-07T23:18:00.000-04:00

Well, the kids finally went back to school. I love having them around, but they do prevent me from doing so many things, like cleaning. And I come home from the supermarket with only half of my groceries, since their constant bickering and chatting prevents me from thinking and remembering what I needed to buy.

Anyway, I've been playing around on Ravelry quite a bit. My ID there is "Arlene". And tonight, when I went to check out the forums, there were a whole bunch of threads about new Knit Picks needles. Well, that needed to be checked out immediately!

Pretty, pretty, pretty! Must Have! And since DH is a woodworker, this he was willing for me to splurge on. He thought I should just order the entire set immediately, but I showed some self-control. I had no use for the clear plastic case or more cables (sheesh, I already own the cables in every size but 40", and I have every size of the metal tips, with duplicates on sizes 8 & 9). So, I ONLY ordered the tips for sizes 4, 5, 6, and 8. The ones I use a lot. And I also ordered the full set of the wooden dp's for sock knitting. They were just too beautiful to not own. And I love wood needles for my straights. (Note I said wood, NOT bamboo).

Of course, I'll probably fill in all the other sizes as I make more Knit Picks orders. Its always good to want something else there, so you can make the $45 free shipping limit.

I've signed up for the Secret of the Stole knitalong (SOTS) which is going to start at the beginning of October. I swatched up some of the Silk City yarn I bought, but they just didn't work. So, I'm trading some of the black Zephyr I have left with a local friend, who used a very pretty Marine blue Zephyr for her MS3. Yes, I was the enabler there. Oh, and on the SOTS too. Bad me. I don't think I could face that black again. Too boring. My friend also gave me the two extra tubes of beads from the MS3, so I'm all set.

The I Love Gansey socks have become a whole lot easier. I turned both heels using short-rows instead of the gusset flap in the pattern - it just fits so much better. It goes faster without having to work Cable C, I no longer need the pattern in front of me all the time. And with the plain bottom of the foot, the amount of work is really much less. I should be at the toes soon.

With the kids back in school, I was back to exercising today. The Michelle's shawl is going to live next to the stationary bicycle, so it will get some attention again. Takes about 30 minutes to do a row on it, so the visible progress is really reduced. Must use up that mystery yarn, though. Get it out of the stash.

I have these incredible urges to cast-on more and more projects. So far, I am resisting, but its all so tempting......

Ravelry invite!

2007-08-24T23:38:00.000-04:00

Just a fast entry....

My invite for Ravelry FINALLY came today!!!! I'm so excited!!!!!

I signed up back on June 18 (DH was on a work trip, and I stayed up half the night poking around on the computer), and was number 9847 [or something like that].

I've already put in the 3 current WIP's, and I'll need to do pictures and stuff. Maybe next week - DH is off on another business trip again. But I need to find some "friends" - anyone out there? I'm plain old "Arlene" in Ravelry.

MS3 Finished!!!!

2007-08-19T21:00:00.000-04:00

Done! Done! Done!

All knitted, washed, and now blocked! The MS3 just needs to dry, and then its ready to be worn. (And if NJ stays as cold as it did today, I'm going to wear it very soon....)

I didn't get to start it on Friday when the last clue was released, since we were away. I printed the clue Friday evening, but was just too exhausted. But I've been working steadily all day today (Sunday), and finished the knitting this afternoon. After snapping this quick picture

the stole was off for a nice wool wash bath and then up to the blocking board. It took a while to string the blocking wires - here it is when I paused for dinner.

And now its all done. Pinned, stretched to 22" x 80", and clearly exceeding the 48" of my blocking board.

A bit of the detail at the ends of the "feathers"

If I'm going to continue making these large lace projects, I'm either going to have to get some sort of extension for the blocking board, or at least find a solid colored sheet so the photos look better.

Its a bit strange looking - seems more like a lace "knife" than a stole. I'll have to get used to it, I guess. I did get up this morning and made this shawl pin to go with the "Swan Lake" theme of the MS3.

Its the copper wire I use in my stained glass work. I twisted 2 strands, shaped them to my pencil drawing (I did my research with Audubon pictures), and then lightly hammered the wire. I also added an eye using my stained glass solder - not only does it make an eye and add a contrasting color, it also covers the rough edges of the wire ends. I also made a "feather" stick to complete it. The stick may be a bit long - I'll have to try it out once the shawl dries.

So, where does that leave me? I now have no big project going. I'll probably finish my bright-striped Regia socks now, all they need is a picot bind-off on the second sock, and then to weave the ends. I've already started my I Love Gansey socks. Some more sock yarn came this past week - I'm going to make some socks to gift to someone who always has cold feet. And my Michelle's shawl is at least half done, and perfect for working on when I exercise on the bicycle. No major projects........ I hope some sort of inspiration comes along soon.

Scout summer camp & STASH ENHANCEMENT

2007-08-11T14:00:00.000-04:00

Well, a trip to Boy Scout summer camp both hinders and helps knitting. Last weekend's 2 night/3 day extravaganza of living in the woods, using a latrine, and being surrounded by lots of barely-in-control teenage boys had its ups and downs. I was pretty excited to go with the troop to the archery and rifle ranges, where I got to try new things. Yep, I've never done either before, and, I'm very proud to say, I hit the targets almost all of the time!! But there was a lot of down time, as I sat in the site playing responsible adult while the boys came and went to their various Merit Badge activities.

The MS3 just wasn't the right project to take on that kind of adventure. Between the light colored fine yarn, the crucial, but easily lost, crochet hook, and the 100's of little beads, it just wasn't going to happen. The second half of clue 5 had to stay home and wait for me. But my socks came along, as did some size 8 perle cotton destined to be a swirl yarmulke. In the 3 days there, I managed to knit the entire leg portion of a sock, and make good progress on that yarmulke. I even incorporated one of the boy's idea to add a gold ring every 10 rows.

The rest of the week has just been BUSY. DS #2 has finished his summer activities, and just wanted me to DO things with him. So, we played games, I read him stories, we went out on "adventures" (which are also known to the world as errands and lunch with Daddy). I am just about done with the leg of the other sock, but I couldn't keep my eyes open last night. Maybe later. And clue 6 hasn't been touched, even though I've had it in my hands for more than a day.

I'm not sure what to make of the MS3. I have taken the plunge and will "wing" it, but I'm still unsure of that symmetry thing. And -- although this might be blasphemous -- its BORING to knit. Its gotten all repetitive with the feather design. Even the short rows don't save it. I'm sure I'll finish it and wear it, after all, there are only clues 6 and 7 left, but its sure has lost its glamour. I do think I'll make a shawl pin for it out of copper, similar to the one that someone is selling. I was ready to plunk down my money, but DH looked at it and said "You can make that..." I think I'll twist 2 finer threads of copper together, solder the end points with a ball of my stained glass silver solder to keep it smooth, and then use the silver dot as the swan's eye. I found some nice drawings by Audubon that I can use as a design basis (don't want to copy someone else's work). I'll also give it a light hammering on the anvil. Hopefully the copper will match the beads on the stole.

And finally, to cheer myself up, and because I won't be able to get there when the kids have to be at shul on Saturday morning's, DS #2 and I ran over to Paterson this morning, home of the Silk City Outlet. Great stash enhancement place! For not too much money, I got all this:

Well, the 4 cones on the lower right were actually free, but still, where else am I going to get 6 weeks of lace knitting enjoyment per project for less than $15 per cone? The 3 cones on the lower left are wool crepe, the blue & maroon still in wrappers are 5/2 cotton, the copper colored cone is some sort of rayon/viscose and I have no clue what the beige colored yarn in the middle is, but it has a gold thread overwrap and twinkles so pretty. I just couldn't walk away from it, although I did sort through the box to find the smallest cone -- and its still enough yardage to make at least 3 large shawls. And each of the other cones is enough for multiple projects too. Overall, its probably enough for a year or more, if I every truly use all of it.

DH is starting to feel overwhelmed in the house, so I'm toying with selling off some of the Silk City stuff that I've already used for a project. I know myself, I'll never use it again. Might as well send it to new homes. I've never done that before. I'll probably try over at Knitswap on Yahoo! first before I pay Ebay for the privilege of listing it. Keep an eye out.....

Knitting interruption

2007-07-23T10:38:00.000-04:00

I have to confess -- I didn't do much knitting this weekend. But I did read all of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows! Fantastic book, such a talented writer. It was hard for me to keep all the details straight, I have no idea how she managed it, and then to bring it all to a coherent ending that didn't leave any major story lines hanging.... WOW!

So, last night it was back to the Mystery Stole 3, but it was quite late. I managed to do about 35 rows since the clue was released Friday morning. And I did do a few rows of the Michelle's Shawl while I played lifeguard and talked with my MIL. That pattern is finally starting to make sense to me, I don't need to refer to the paper all the time. Its about half of its final length. I'm kind of surprised at how long it seems to be taking, I thought it would just fly along. After all, its a much heavier yarn and a bigger needle than all the lace projects I've been doing lately. I will persist! Even though Alison graciously suggested that I could modify the pattern to do what seemed more intuitive. But as a challenge knitter, I just can't let go and do something else. I must master this pattern!

Friday afternoon, I took the kids to the local Build-a-Bear store in the mall. They took one look, and then each had to have an outfit for their bears. The bears came with us to the Harry Potter release party at the library. Notice their wands? I turned them with the boys on Friday afternoon, even used the drill press to put holes in the handles for the elastic to go through. A bit extreme, but I felt like a successful mother......

A bit of magic, and the string turns into beautiful things, right? Or perhaps its all part of the Mysteries... Wizards, knitting, Mystery Stoles.....

And a bit of detail on the latest socks. Not the greatest of pictures to show off the colors. Its not exactly what I imagined the yarn would be when I bought it. Thought more of 2-4 inches of each color, all blending, not these stripes. Oh well.

New challenge

2007-07-17T10:23:00.000-04:00

Well, after finishing the Rona shawl AND the Moc Croc socks, I suddenly found myself with only the MS3 on the needles. Since that doesn't seem to require a full week's worth of knitting time, I had to find another project. So.....

The Michelle's Shawl from Alison Hyde's Wrapped in Comfort. In a mystery yarn I was bequeathed from my sister, who obtained it from someone else..... It's a yarn from the Czech Repulic called Pletaci prize MarLen. The contents read 80% bavlna (I'm guessing cotton), 10% viskoza (viscose?) and 10% akryl (acrylic?). Looks like each ball is 0.100kg (=100 grams), and I have 6 of them. Should be enough. No clue on the yardage.

Anyway, its a strange yarn. 3 distinct plies, just wound together. See:

One is like a boucle cotton, the next is a very white rayon, and the last is a thin beige shiny thread. Totals out to a bit over a worsted weight. I went up to a size 9 needle to compensate for the thick yarn.

And the shawl in progress:

I don't know who this is for. Usually I have someone in mind when I start a project, but I guess not knowing is in line with Alison's general rules for making things. The right person always comes along just as she finishes, and I'm going to choose to believe that this shawl will find the right person like that as well.

Moving along....

2007-07-09T23:02:00.000-04:00

I'm just finishing stuff left and right over here in very, very, very hot NJ. Yesterday, while some friends were over for a swim, I finished the crochet edging on the Rona Shawl. Once they and the relatives left, it went into the sink with some Eucalan, and then I spent from 9-10 p.m. up in my knitting classroom pinning it out. It looks so good, but gosh darn it! I don't own enough t-pins. Must go get more at the JoAnn's this week, just to have them in the house. Now, mind you, I do have 2 ends to weave in on this monstrosity, but I think untucked ends are just going to have to all wait for the right day around here. (Marc's Lang Jawoll socks still have ends hanging everywhere, but who wants wool socks when its 95 degrees and humid outstide)

Before:

After:

Knitpicks Alpaca Cloud, 100% Alpaca laceweight, in color Stream. Worked on Size 5 Options needles. Blocked to a bit bigger than 56 inches in diameter.

Today, I did the short row toe on one Moc Croc sock, and I may stay up late and do the second one now. Big problem with this is that I don't have anything else on the needles to work on while I pedal on the exercise bike tomorrow morning. Shall I start some new socks? No question I have plenty of sock yarn on hand. And the new More Sensational Sock book. Or perhaps another lace project? I'll see how I feel in the morning......

Good night all!

Clue 2 done!

2007-07-07T23:17:00.000-04:00

The Mystery Stole is moving along very nicely. The clue this week was only 50 rows, they went pretty quickly. Finished it this evening (Sat.), and its now packed away waiting for next Friday.

Another photo, just so you can see the cute bag that came with the British Knitting magazine a few weeks ago.

I put the beads into a little acrylic box I found in my Grandmother's sewing box, it worked out very well. I could carry my beads around, they were secure, and it was relatively easy to stab one when I needed it. If this didn't work out, I would have gone to the drugstore and stood staring at the candy, trying to pick the one that came in the right sized tin. Believe me, the type of candy wouldn't have mattered at all.

The Rona shawl, all 1,152 sts of it, is now well on its way to being done. I'm about 2/3rds of the way around casting off the sts. As per the instructions, I'm using a crochet hook -- work 3 together, chain 7. (The instructions alternated ch 7's a few times, ch 5 twice, but it was all too complicated) It looks all ruffly, but when I block it, I'll get to pin out all those ch 7 spaces. Sounds like a lot of pins. Time will tell how it looks.

Its late - I'm going to go do a few more loops on the bindoff, then off to bed. Still no clue on my next project, but I'll have to decide soon. The MS3 just isn't enough this week, and I hate to be without a project.

Lots of stitches

2007-07-04T21:24:00.000-04:00

A quick update: The Rona shawl is now up to 1,152 stitches per round. I have just knit 4 rounds at this stitch count, and yes, it takes a long time. The next row is the LAST!!!!!

Since there is a double decrease (SK2P) on the last round, the final stitch count will be 22 sts x 48 groups = 1,056 sts. Wow. Thats a lot to then work an edging on (its crocheted)

So, here is what 1,152 sts look like on a 47" needle.

Its hard to get a good picture. Especially when the lace is all bunched up. And we all know how crappy lace looks until its blocked. Perhaps my next post.

Still have not decided on my next project. The Curved Shawl is still a top contender, but maybe it'll be something from Alison's Wrapped in Comfort instead. (Got my signed bookplate for the front of the book in yesterday's mail. Yay! And she sent a second one, maybe I'll save it for her next book....)

And, for stash enhancement, I just placed yet another order with Knitpicks. I'm such a sucker for a book sale, and then I needed another size of dp's, in doubles of course, so I can make both socks simultaneously. And I have to try the new sock yarn, right? My family is going to have so many socks, they are starting to beg me NOT to knit them anymore. And this Sat. is the Silk City outlet day, I haven't been there in months. Not that I'm lacking laceweight yarn or have a project in mind for any.

Not much else. Waiting for the next MS3 clue and I'll clean up for our get-together on Friday morning.

Almost finished!

2007-07-03T10:11:00.001-04:00

Yay! The Rona shawl has been moving along well! It just needed me to love it again.... I'm getting at least a few rounds in every day (takes about 30-45 minutes per round, so this is significant time) Thank goodness for the plain knit every stitch rounds, I can monitor the kids in the pool and still get somewhere on the shawl. I'm in the middle of round 144, the pattern ends at round 153, then you do a crochet edging around.

Want to see a picture? Nah - it doesn't look like anything at all. Just a mess of blue. But wait till its blocked!

So, its getting to that time again. What will the next project be? Besides the MS3 stole, of course. Maybe the Curved Shawl from VLT, in the Mountain Colours Wool Crepe. Got to try a swatch of that, see if the bouncy boucle yarn works in the pattern.....

Oh, and I did get a few rounds in on the Moc Croc's this weekend at some friends' house. They may actually be up to the toe shaping.

Mystery Stole 3

2007-07-01T11:08:00.000-04:00

The knitting has begun!!!!

The clue was released Friday morning, and I was there! Got it at 7:35 am, and started knitting immediately.

This is not a pattern you can work on at night. I keep finding myself dozing off with my knitting in my lap, and no idea what row I am on. But even with all the interruptions of life (why do the kids need to be fed?), I finished it this morning.

The edges look horrible, as you can see in the picture. They keep flipping under. I know that blocking will correct this and open the lace as well. But what really scares me is the size. It measures only 16" across in the picture, and the desired size is closer to 20". I kept looking at it and regretting the size 4 (3.5mm) Options needles I used, but the size 5 tips are in the Rona shawl, which is still at least 10 hours from being done.

So, what to do? Simple. Take off the needle tips, put on some end caps, and block the thing! So, here it it, its pinned at 20" wide, 10" deep, and I think it needs to be blocked out even larger to really get the lace to open up. I can live with that! Aren't the Knitpicks Options great?

I'm such a nerd - I had to block this out into a right triangle, instead of just pulling it. See how it follows the diagonal of the blocking lines? And I've also screwed up with the beads. Instead of putting them on the stitch and then knitting it, I knit the stitch first, then put on the bead. Its not a big deal, I'll do it correctly from now on. Its not like its all that visible anyway, certainly no one else would ever see it.

I am so glad this stole has all the beautiful scroll curlicues and the wonderful braiding up the side. I didn't get to participate in MS2, and I loved all those great patterns in it, so its just wonderful that this stole has the same fancy work!

I'm going to go back to working on the Rona now, maybe the Moc Croc socks also. I'm also going to try to organize a get-together for other MS3'ers in the area for this Friday, when the next clue is released.

Victorian Lace Socks

2007-06-25T23:04:00.000-04:00

A bit of time has passed since the last post. So, without futher ado, here are the finished Victorian Lace Socks from the Six Sox Knitalong.
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They came out great! Trekking XXL, had 75 grams left from the Horcrux Socks, size 2.25 mm needles. I used every last inch! But they are exactly perfect. Its going to be 90 degrees tomorrow, so I think they are going to have to hibernate until October. But thats OK.....

So, I know you are wondering.... What's next??? Well, I'm going to be joining the rest of the world for Mystery Stole 3! I joined about two weeks ago, while hubby was away and I was staying up way too late. The yarn has already arrived, Knitpicks Laceweight Bare, and my friend and I made an excursion to the only bead store in the two local counties last week. So, here is all that hope and promise and mystery, just waiting.

I think I'm going to use size 4 Options needles, since the size 5's are still tied up with the Rona Shawl. I've been trying to make some more progress there - up to row 126, 27 more to go. At anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes a round, I've still got a way to go. Or I could do the MS3 on straights. It might be the perfect excuse to get my beloved Brittany walnuts out. I haven't swatched yet, and wasn't planning to. It will all just depend on my mood when the first clue is released on Friday morning. If I use the Options, its a more portable project, since I refuse to take the Brittanys out of my "safe" zone, aka the family room. After some got broken on an excursion to the library 2 years ago, its the only way I can be sure they stay safe.

A King's Ransom of Brittanys. Just hope my family understands the value of them, Just In Case. Perhaps I'll say something to my SIL, who I've been teaching how to knit. She would treasure them. My sister prefers bamboo, so I know she won't get insulted - besides, I'll tell her she gets the stash. Even value, right?

Anyway, the MS3 has been quite my obsession this last 2 weeks. Getting the right yarn, the right beads, the right crochet hook. And, of course, the zillions of messages that have to be read, 3-4 digests a day. I want to host a meetup for those in the Bergen/Rockland area, it should be lots of fun, probably around the second clue. I'll get on that as soon as the 1st clue comes out this Friday.

And there was nothing better than sitting outside this evening, enjoying the cooling air, listening to knitting podcasts, and plugging away on the Rona. Its quite beautiful out on the patio....

New socks

2007-06-01T16:11:00.000-04:00

So, June 1 has come, and there is a new pattern on the Six Sock Knitalong. Its lace, based on the Melon Shawl in VLT. Do I need a lace sock. Not really, but I did sign up for the knitalong. Besides, the Moc Croc's are nearly done. See---

I've turned both heels (Short-rows this time, thank you very much), tapered out the design on the instep, and now its just plain stockinette until the toes.

So, what do I use for the new socks? There is plenty in the stash, of course. The pattern calls for Knitpicks Dye-your-own, but the 4 skeins lurking in the stash are all from before they came out with so many different choices. So, thats not superwash, nor does it have any nylon in it. Now, I may be willing to handknit the socks, but no way will I handwash them. Do I place that order that's been lurking in my cart?

Or, perhaps the Lorna's Laces that I got as a gift. Its pinks and purples, but that might be too much contrast for the lace pattern. It needs something less stripey, more subdued. The Austermann Step was considered, but again, its stripey. I also have the heathered gray/blue trekking from the Horcrux socks. 75 grams are left, and considering its a lace pattern, that should be more than enough. I've also spent the afternoon toying with the idea of a trip to the LYS.

Too many choices, yes? Any votes?

And here is something else I've been playing around with. I saw this on someone's blog, and it was so clever and cheap. The point covers are vinyl caps for screws, a pair is less than $1 at the hardware store. Add some of the many beads I've collected, and put it on the stretchy clear elastic beading cord (no, I don't remember buying that, but I had a brand new roll in my beading stuff). Voila - no more sock needle points sticking through the bag!