New Mittens for Dad

The first sweater I made back in 2005 was a deep purple raglan. It was made in pieces requiring seaming. I was lucky enough to discover Elizabeth Zimmerman's books within the first six months of knitting, but not in time for my first sweater. I knit the sweater back and forth on long straight needles. I didn't know yet the benefit of working on circulars for both flat knitting and knitting in the round. But the sweater turned out beautifully - my seams turned out really wonderfully. I used Vogue Knitting for reference. Constantly. And as a consequence, I don't mind seaming at all. That sweater was made from Lamb's Pride Worsted - and holy cow, is it a warm sweater.

I made these mittens for my dad from Lamb's Pride. It might be the first time I've used it since my first sweater. I don't know why I haven't used it more - it's easy to work with, has a great little bit of fuzziness to it from mohair, and is sooo warm. This is the first project I have made for my dad.



Needles: size 6 Clover bamboo dpns
Yarn: Lamb's Pride Worsted in Charcoal

The are mittens from Knitting New Mittens and Gloves by Robin Melanson. They just need a button for the flip top and they're done. I adjusted the length on these three times. For some reason, I made these very, very long. They needed a lot of shortening. The book is wonderful - great ideas for interesting, yet useful designs, and a smattering of patterns that could easily become stand-bys. Knitting New Mittens and Gloves is a great. I will be adding that to my shopping cart at Knit Picks. Knit picks is currently running their 40% books sale and I think I am going to pick up a few items before the sale ends on November 2. Definitely on the list is Alice Starmore's Book of Fair Isle Knitting. I've borrowed that from my library several times and now with its new publication, I can own my own. It is a great reference book, loaded with technique and tips, and enough info to design your own sweater.


I have been thinking of some new ways to occupy myself this winter that aren't working or thinking about working - either at my job or on my house. I'd also like to meet a few people. I've been looking into some book clubs at my area libraries. There are several to choose from - a mystery book club, a knit lit book club, and many that don't have a theme. Second on my potential new activities is a sewing class at Craft Planet, a LYS a few blocks from my house. I am still taking real classes for my grad program, so I don't want to overdo it. That said, I am confident there's more time for fun in a day.

I sold my scooter and bought a sew guitar and amp with some of the proceeds. Oy vey....it is loud in here. But fun, so who cares! I am tapping my feet and bobbin' my head.

Gentleman's Plain Winter Socks

Sometimes projects feel like they finish themselves. I wonder if that's because with some persistence, it is inevitable that things will come to an end. Projects seem to be finishing themselves while sitting in my knitting bag. I've recently finished mittens, socks, a sweater, cutting my pile of unfinished projects by over half. Here is another pair of socks. These are the Gentleman's Winter Socks from Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush.



Wool: Sock Ease by Lion Brand
Needles: size 0 Addi circs (magic loop method)

These were originally being made for a gentleman, but he said something about adult men not wearing striped socks. He may have also said something about a cheshire cat. So, I made them to fit a ladies size 8 and they fit perfectly! Adjustments include a sturdy slip stitch heel and that's about it. I've also picked up some Lana Grossa Meilenweit Tweed in a great tweedy brown and some Plymouth Yarns Happy Feet for yes, more socks.

October in Minnesota is really beautiful. I work on the Mississippi River - right on the river. I walk on a foot bridge over the river most days of the year. I also see a wild turkey in the work parking lot nearly every single day. (One day I nearly drive over him, but that's another story) And October is usually beautiful. Walks over my lunch hour make me hanker for apple cider, homemade breads and stews. But this year....





Please take note...there are green leaves and snow in the same picture. The leaves hadn't really begun to change. And then the green leaves froze and dropped to the ground. It going to be a long winter.

Next posting...newly finished mittens for my dad from Knitting New Mittens and Gloves.

Mittens for dad and minimalist cardigan

You might think I am getting a good start on Christmas presents for this upcoming Christmas. But these are actually mittens I 'gave' two years ago. I think. In my defense, I did make some flip top mittens for my dad before, but they were horrible. Really floppy and I needed a good pattern.

So, here are some mittens out of Knitting New Mittens and Gloves/ The cable on the top is a staghorn cable. I might need to shorten these just a bit, but that should be fairly easy. Oh yes, and I need to make the other mitten. I am not usually afflicted with disinterest in a second sock or mitten, so I am not worried about that.

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And a good shot of the flip top:



And that's me and the husband in the background at our wedding - 11 years ago.

Needles: Size 6 Clover Bamboo dpns
Yarn: Lambs Pride Worsted in Charcoal

And here's a whole mess of moss stitch (Minimalist Cardigan from Interweave Knits - Fall 2007). I must admit to getting a little tired of this stitch, but I think I will be really pleased with the results.



And I will have to give the full story on 'after thought arms' from Wendy Bernards' Custom Knits book. The Minimalist Cardigan pattern had you making the sleeves separately, but I am not very good with seaming and was intrigued by her instructions on how to pick up arms, make custom sleeve caps, and knit the sleeves down. One arm down and one to go.



Hopefully I will have some finished projects soon - I have a number of things in the works.

End of the season

Our yard is really coming together nicely. We always seem to do more work on the yard toward the end of the season that at the beginning. I think it is because we've always got pressures to keep working on 'more important' things during the first part of the season. But this year, we NEEDED to do a significant amount of heavy work - including getting get rid of a huge and awful pile of wood along the side of our yard that was riddled with gross mushrooms and creating a major eyesore. So, thanks to a couple of bagsters (3 cubit foot bag type dumpsters), the wood is almost gone. And we've planted a vibernum hedge that will hopefully grow very quickly to provide some privacy. We still need to put some edging of some sort along this or it will be really difficult to mow. It looks great, but you know what? 60 privet hedges showed up in the mail yesterday. My husband placed the order and he did not think it went through, but here they are. They come from an online nursery - very small with no dirt - in a dormant state. But they started to sprout on their way to our house, so they need to get into the ground. I guess I know what I will be doing today.


Our sienna maple is just two years old and look how big it has gotten:

It is getting to be the end of planting season in Minnesota, but we've taken advantage of low prices on shrubs.

And a little giant arborvitae, potentillas, and a red twig dogwood - these are a little more well established - maybe five years. And we put in the retaining wall, steps, and cobble stone sidewalks. The potentillas are great because they give yellow flowers all summer long.


And we just created this little corner for a that evergreen and a few perennials. You can see a tarp and some junk in the background. We're building a deck there first thing next fall.


And here is a smoke tree and two hibiscus. I need to get some pots for the hibiscus, so I can bring them in and out of the house. And the smoke tree is going in the front - as far as I know now.


And a weeping Japanese cherry tree, diablo ninebarks, and alpine currants (also just a couple years old!). And we're getting a new drive way poured next spring. I can't wait to be able to shovel a real driveway instead of gravel.


But the real winner of the season is going to be our soffits and fascia. They were damaged in a storm two years ago and we hadn't fixed them - we were having a difficult time finding them and weren't looking forward to the work. But we placed a special order for them and you can see them all wrapped in plastic on sidewalk in the above picture. They are slowly but surely getting on the house. The high wire act isn't very much fun - ladders and hanging off the roof by the skin of your teeth. But it will be done!

I am nearly finished with the back of the minimalist cardigan - more photos soon!

And I know....another new template for the blog layout.

Making progress on minimalist....

or making minimal progress? "Making progress"....this phrase has somehow gotten woven into my regular speech and it has got to go! 'We're making progress' or 'I am making progress' with fill in the blank - projects or tasks at work, yard work, house projects, you name it. And I am tired of if. I am tired of thinking of my life in milestones toward completion of some work that needs to be done by a date that feels like it was picked out of the ether. These self-imposed deadlines are no doubt the result of feeling like things don't get done, but boy, can it suck the fun out of things. I have an inordinate amount of yard work that I'd like to get done this year, along with new carpeting in the living, purchasing new couches, finishing the ceiling in my dining room, getting a walk in closet finished upstairs, and generally having the house poised for projects to do in the winter. This house under constant renovation is a real strain and I want to be living like a normal person again. Maybe the solution is a shift in thinking - some kind of paradigm shift. I will let ya know how that goes.

I was knitting the Minimalist Cardigan this week. I see my photo features the same book I used in the photo last week! I don't take much time taking these photos, but at least the photo isn't taken on the couch next to me as so many are. I frequently set my project next to me (laptop on my lap), grab the camera and take a few shots and call that good. And I think I keep looking at the front of this book not just because of the patterns, but because I think I want my hair to look like the model's hair on the cover! It could happen...



This brown is so pretty. The moss stitch too is a good one to use if you've got any wrist or arm strain from keyboarding or other repetitive stress activities, because are moving back and forth so much. I still really love the color for fall and just recently got a gold silky tank top that should go beautifully with this brown.

So, other things to look forward to....I am selling my Honda Ruckus scooter, because I don't feel safe on it any more and I want to use the proceeds get the husband a new guitar and amp just for the fun of it; I am taking 1 of 2 more classes this fall to finished my masters (perspectives of adult development) and the instructor is very relaxed and creative - I think I will be journaling this fall if that tells you anything!; and I am planning on doing a long weekend camping trip to enjoy the colors and do some hiking before winter.

And I will leave you with this....it has been 90 degrees with matching humidity the past few days - all around icky. This picture was taking in Minneapolis, MN out my kitchen window in January 2009. Yup, 20 below zero - I think the windchill that week was 35 below zero. Scary cold.



Here's to enjoying the rest of summer!

Minimalist Cardigan

I am taking what I hope is a very small break from the Flutter Cardigan to cast on the Minimalist Cardigan because I wanted to have something that I didn't need to pay close attention to while watching a movie. The Flutter Sleeve Cardigan has only the front bands to knit and some finishing work. The bands are something else - they will require some very careful mattress stitching of the band to the body of the left and right fronts.

And then the long band that will need to be stitches to the body?



See how you use some reserved stitches from the waist and knit a long band up the front?




And here's the beginning of the Minimalist Cardigan from the Fall 2007 Interweave Knits. Fall 2007 was a great issue - I have made the Tilted Duster from that issue and have a few others marked for future knitting. The color in this first picture is very accurate - I sometimes run into trouble with my camera. The deep brown moss stitch is going to be beautiful in the fall.






Size: 39
Yarn: Knit Picks Andean Silk in Fedora (it has a great fuzziness - its an alpaca, merino, silk blend)
Needles: Size 6 Addis

And The books in the background.....Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book. I just picked that up at the library yesterday. I bought it for my tween nephew for his birthday and thought it looked pretty good. There's nothing that says I can't read kids books - I read all the Harry Potters so why not branch out into other kid's literature? And the other book....Knitting New Mittens & Gloves by Robin Melanson. I also got this at the library, but think I am going to need to buy this. This has a wonderful variety of patterns - creative and unexpected, folk, clever and unexpected and a few patterns that I could see as great standards to always fall back on. I learned about this book from a fellow blogger, Knitting with my Mothers's Hands, on one of her recent posts.

And on a personal note, I have had minor bad luck for weeks and I hope things are going to change. I got a notice from the City of Minneapolis for out of control lilacs in the alley. I cut them by the requested date and still got a fine. So, I went to court to dispute the charge. (The fine was pretty small, but annoying - $134). The judge was condescending and treated me like a naughty little girl. But the most annoying part is that a neighbor was there for a similar ticket. Well, now he knows who I am and came down to my house to talk with me after court and he thinks the city is conspiring against the citizens, and that they are perpetrating fraud and wants me to work with him to fight the man. I am guessing he is about 40 years old (but looks much older from smokin' and drinkin') - well, the best part of this story? I also got a letter from the guy's mother asking me to join forces with them. Oy vey.

And then my brand new car (Suzuki SX4) was vandalized and backed into. I had not made the second car payment yet when this happened. And even though I think the two things happened at the same time, Allstate processed this as two claims. Yes, two deductibles.

And then my wallet went missing at work (big public University campus)on Monday afternoon. I realized it was gone in about two hours. By the time I called the bank, the criminals who I now think actually pick pocketed it out of my purse had made 11 fraudulent charges - at four gas stations. So, I had to cancel everything. And the only reason I had a VISA with me that day? Because I needed it to pay the $993 charge at the auto body shop to get my car back. That meant I could not get my car. But in the end I hope this was nothing more than annoying - the bank fixed everything, I got my car, and wasn't out any money. But a word of advise....know what's in your wallet. I knew exactly what was in there, so I knew what needed to be canceled immediately and where I was at risk. I even canceled my health insurance card and library card.

And last but not least, thanks to Zel, the Grimm Witch for blogging advise on how to get a picture into my header. Cool! Now I just need to find a good pictures that matches this template. I am still working on the right layout and I am not loving anything that's canned, so I might continue to work on my own and make incremental changes over time.

Flutter Sleeve Cardigan

The Flutter Sleeve Cardigan from the Spring 2008 Interweave Knits mag is about 75% finished. The bulk of what's left is finishing work - the band and the tabs. The finishing is going to be kinda difficult.

Here's is right front side to give you a sense of the cool short row shaping. And lots of increases and decreases at various intervals.



This is what I needed to do to keep track:


Each number is a row (knit or purl depending on odd or event) and each I is an increase row. Each number with a circle around it also has a decrease on the neck edge. There was a lot going on 'at the same time', which often gets confusing for me. And the BO 5, BO 3, etc is just the shoulder shaping for reference. I like to check off each row as I complete it on more complicated patterns too.

Yarn: Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool - beautiful, but this stuff is awful to wind, super sticky.
Needles: size 3, 6, and 7 needles

Ok, I am off to knit quietly for an hour or so. I worked hard in the yard today (despite being up at 3 am again). I am taking action to improve my sleep - including quiet time at night, no eating late, and getting some exercise, and let's not underestimate the power of drugs. Herb tea and valeriun herb (not together) are also on the menu tonight.

More Simple Ribbed Socks

Here's yet another pair of socks...another pair of Simple Ribbed Socks and I think this is the Madder Ribbed Sock from Knitting Vintage Socks. I've made a number of these since I stopped blogging regularly, so I am kind of guessing based on the heel. I can't tell by the toe or heel flap, because I almost always do the same heel flap (s1, k1, purl back) and toe (k2, ssk, knit to end, kt2, k2, repeat). This appears to be the Horseshoe Heel or Dutch heel, which I like very well. Creates a nice little cupped shape that hugs the heel.





Nice horseshoe or Dutch heel.



I think the yarn is going to be very nice - doesn't have a nice texture? It is very soft. It is Knit Picks Essential Tweed. The bummer is that one skein isn't enough and there is sooo much left of the second. I hate all those leftovers.



The striped socks on the left are the same pattern in Trekking XXL on size 0s. Trekking is a great sock yarn - very durable and it gets softer with washing. The Flutter Sleeve Cardigan in the background is my current WIP from Interweave Knits on some Elsebeth Lavold yarn - silky wool I think. I should have pics of that fairly soon!

If any of you are looking for a great sock book, Knitting Vintage Socks is it. It has great instructions, some very nice simple patterns that will become standbys, and some other really nice and interesting patterns.

Oh, and it is exactly 3:00 am in Minneapolis here and I am sooo sick of insomnia. But being up at this time, I saw something I've never seen before though. There are only 588 Ravelry users online. I am sure that this interesting tidbit is not worth how I am going to feel when the sun finally comes up. I am getting crabby. And it is August freakin' 1st today. That stinks. Pretty much everything stinks at 3 am.

I have been doing a little online shopping in the middle of the night and can't believe I need to start thinking about fall clothes. I would like to have a more interesting, good looking and well fitting wardrobe this fall. I don't like shopping, but like to have a good looking wardrobe and this year, I am going to put a little more effort into putting together some better looking styles. I think thrifting is going to be a key in getting some more interesting stuff. And stylish shoes.

New template and Gentleman's Plain Winter Socks

Bear with me while I work on a new template- I may continue to make a few changes. I like this layout and would like to have a photo in the header, but I am having trouble finding how to change the size. If anyone can give me a suggestion, I'd very much appreciate it. But I have very few readers left after taking such a long break from blogging!

Here's a pair of socks finished recently: Gentleman's Plain Winter Socks





From Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush
Lion Brand Sock Ease - yarn seems pretty durable, but not tested yet.
Addi Size 0 circ - magic loop method. My new fave.

And here's an interesting heel. And by interesting, I mean I don't like it. It seems to fit snugly, which I like - but it seems a little too snug. Can you see how the heel is turned on just about five stitches? It just seems too small. These I knitted for my husband, but he said something about grown men not wearing striped socks. hmmph. This is a good pattern though - a good standard. I like the basic patterns in Knitting Vintage socks too - the simple ribbed sock. There are many, many possibilities starting with that pattern. One modification on the socks shown here...I almost always adapt to a k1, slip 1 heel flap for extra durability.



Since I have been away so long, I have a number of completed projects that I can use to provide me with writing fodder for awhile.

Been away....

I haven't been blogging lately - I've continued to read my favorite blogs, but it also seems that others are slower to post as well. I wonder if it is the summer weather. It could also be the extensive list of projects we have to complete before winter. I thought maybe a new look would inspire me, so I picked a new blog template.

Since my last blog, I have finished three pairs of socks and started two more pair. But today, I got into it a bit...I picked up Mason Dixon Outside the Lines - great patterns and those two are so funny. I also started reading Green Apples - a knitting blog regularly. She had a great post recently about how she styles her knits - inspiring. I have been inspired to start thrifting again and was inspired to start a new project and plan a couple of others.

I picked up Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool in spruce for the Flutter Sleeve Cardigan from the spring 2008 Interweave Knits and am about 2/3s finished. I also bought Andean Silk in Fedora (chocolate brown to make the Minimalist Cardigan also from Interweave Knits. And I bought Cotlin in planetarium also from Knitpicks for a pattern from - you guessed it - Interweave Knits - to make the Sleeveless Tuxedo Top.

The summer has been whizzing by and I have only been camping once so far, but at a great park - Perrot State Park. We're planning on a return trip to see fall colors and get in some more camping. Here's our massive tent with remote controlled lighting being pitched:


And the husband, reflecting on the upcoming weekend. So cute.

That's it. I took only a couple of pictures.

Knitting content coming soon....pictures of the Flutter Sleeve Cardigan

Kreative Blogger Nominee!

I was nominated awhile back for Kreative Bloger award by Lupie and am finally getting around to responding in the way I'd like! Thanks to Lupie for letting me know she enjoys reading my blog - there is such a great community of knitters out there sharing tips and projects that adds a very fun element to knitting. I don't knit at a LYS or do any type of craft night (and not really sure that's my thing anyway), but I do enjoy keeping up with 'my knitting blogs'.



Lupie is the founder of Lesser Known Skeins and was good enough to include me with this group from nearly the beginning: Knitting with my Mother's Hands.

I'd like to nominate the following blogs - this is just a sampling of some of my favorites. There are so many blogs out there with great content and I also included a couple new-to-me blogs - listed in no particular order.

Heathen Housewife
Dances with Wool
Librarian-in-Training
Little.Yellow.Different.Better
Scottish Lamb
Hobbygasa
spillyjane knits
Exercise Before Knitting

Here are the rules for the nominees:
1. Copy the award to your site.
2. Link to the person from whom you received the award.
3. Nominate 8 other bloggers.
4. Link to those on your blog.
5. Leave a message on the blogs you nominated.

This feels odd to give people I don't know a blogging assignment....so, have fun if you have time!

On a personal knitting front, I have lots to catch y'all up on - I finished some woodsman's sock and Ingenue (in 8 days!! - and I got to wear it once before the Minnesota weather shifted from winter to spring-ish. You can't actually say winter is over yet, we could still have 20 inches of snow that will melt in 2 days and flood the entire town.). I finished a Simple Ribbed Sock from Knitting Vintage Socks. I really wish I didn't knit so loosely - I absolutely HAVE to use 0's to get a sock with even just 60 cast on stitches to fit properly. I am also starting to pay closer attention to the heel choice for socks - I really like the horseshoe heel. I might start experimenting with different toes too. It snugs the heel nicely. I usually knit socks with two Addis, but I bent one to the point of annoying, so I have been making this pair of socks with the magic loop method and it is quite easy. I really only knew of the concept, so I making it up as I go.

The sea mineral mittens are on hold because I need another skein of Nature Spun Sport in Bamboo. I've also hibernated the Knit Down Jumper from the Knit Stitch - I just don't care for the Cestari Yarn. It is very hard to knit with. I tried Addis and Clover Bamboos and that yarn just makes my hands tired.

This has been a beautiful day - 50 degrees in March in Minnesota! I raked leaves, am baking a ham, bought new walking shoes, picked up MI-5 season 1 from the library, will work on my second sock, and probably knit and watch a little tellie tonight.

Reinspired

I got a nice little package in the mail a week or so ago from Knitpicks. I took advantage of the 40% off book sale and picked up Custom Knits, Selbuvotter, and Best of Vogue Knitting. As much as I like Knit and Tonic, I thought I might not like the book that much. I don't know why...I think it is discouragement from projects like the Tilted Duster that take a long time to knit, have skin tight sleeves, and are almost perfect. Bummer. That's a reason I like Elizabeth Zimmerman so much. I bought Custom Knits almost entirely because I liked narrative and photos on Wendy's blog. But Wendy's patterns are beautiful and kinda hip and sassy and from reading the patterns, the designs look like they will be fun to knit, I'll learn a few things, and have projects that turn out well. Wendy's clearly got her own style, but her pattern designs are rooted in concepts from Elizabeth Zimmerman - a personal fave.

My first Custom Knits pattern? Ingenue - I started this 3 days ago:



And check out the close up of the neck, sleeve, and waist stitch pattern:



Couldn't be easier.

Size: small
Gauge: 4 (giving me a slightly larger than small sweater)
Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca in Spiceberry (I love that you can find the names of yarn on the web instead of those boring numbers)
Needles: size 8 circs - Clover bamboo

Ingenue is very similar in construction to Frances, which just shows how versatile a well designed pattern can be. Better picture of Frances:



Yarn: Cascade 220
Gauge: 4 stitches/inch
size: completely winged it by trying on regularly
Needles: size 8 circs - Clover bamboo
Hair: I got it cut - thankfully - it was a little much. Granted it was 7 am and the hairspray hadn't calmed down yet.

And huge news! I learned from Knitting in Color that Alice Starmore's Book of Fair Isle Knitting is going to be reprinted and available in August. I pre-ordered mine from Amazon. I can stop requesting this from interlibrary loan at the library.

American Swedish Institute and Frances Revisited

I went to the American Swedish Institute last Friday with my mom for the Bohus exhibit. The exhibit itself was great - wow, what amazing work. I wish I could have taken pictures. This was all I got:



However, this clever knitter captured everything before she got busted with her camera: The Heathen Housewife. It is definitely worth checking out the Heathen Housewife's photos and those on the ASI site - this knitting is amazing.

Ok, finally....a FO. Frances Revisited:







Yarn: Cascade 200 Heathers
Pattern: Frances Revisited
Size: difficult to say - I knitted about 4 stitches to an inch on size 8s
I knitted this over Christmas on size 10s and didn't like the gauge, so I redid it on smaller needles. This was a very easy pattern to modify - knit from the top down until it fits over your neck and bust, then put some arm stitches on a waste yarn and carry on. This is a free pattern by Beth Silverstein - pattern available on Ravelry.

Bad pictures, but I was anxious to get something posted! Now I have to take some picture sof the Columbia Beret, women's mittens from Opinionated Knitter, and a lace cowl. I am getting there - getting caught up!

Violence of the Lambs!!

That's the tag line from the movie Black Sheep? It's such a very funny New Zealand horror (comedy) about some sheep gone mad, mad I say! So funny.

Anyhoo, it has been 6 weeks since my last blog. I don't know. I haven't been inspired to say much lately, so tonight I decided that if I tried to blog about something, maybe I'd take a few pictures and post some of my newly finished projects. I finished the Columbia Beret - so dang cute - and some matching mittens from Opionated Knitter and a short little neck gaiter from Exercise Before Knitter- more details to follow. Color is a beautiful purply maroon.

And I have knit and unknit and reknit Francis Revisited in Cascade 220. I looked on Ravelry and saw others using 220, but I hated the gauge on a size 10. So, I took it apart and reknit on size 8s. Since it is knit from the top down, it is completely rescalable (don't think that's a word) and it is turning out quite nice.

I haven't finished the sea mineral mittens yet.

And I got a huge gift certificate from Knit Picks from my mom and dad, so I need to do a little planning and then shopping. They are having their semi-annual 40% off book sale until Feb 10th or so.

And what else...oh, I am going to a Knitting Exhibit on Friday with my mom (and Nordic glass) at the American Swedish Institute. The exhibit is called Radiant Bohus Knitting. Full report on the weekend.