A New Year

Blogger is finally letting me post pictures, so I guess I'll still be posting. I've been very poor about blogging lately. Maybe because my knitting projects have taken so long I didn't have finished objects to post about. Now that 2013 is here I have 3 finished projects.

 

Farbenfroh is a drop stitch patterned shawl which is a good way to show off hand painted yarn. The pattern is written so any amount of yarn can be used, so is good if you only have 1 skein of a beautiful yarn. This was a test knit.

Needles: US #4

Yarn:Schaefer Yarn Company Anne

Pattern: Firebird by Rosemary Hill

Yarn: Unknown. Got it at a benefit for Ann Swanson, unlabeled. Knowing Ann only used/bought natural fibers, I'm certain it is wool. It was stiff to work with and hoped it would soften up when washed. I think it might have, but dumb me, I sprayed a little starch on it to keep its shape.

Needles: US #4

Pattern: Lila and Claudine's Advent Scarf. This was a fun pattern to knit during Advent. A different stitch came out each (only 20 days-to give some leeway to skip a few days) along with a little meditation. The meditations weren't too "religious" but gave you some thoughts and to help relax and remember the reason for the holidays during the preparations.

Needles: US # 7

Yarn: Three Irish Girls Springvale Sock

I Have Been Knitting

Maybe I haven't been keeping up with my blog, but I have been knitting. Granted, it has been all for the shop for upcoming classes, but it's knitting.

 

This is the Ferrous Wrap made from Angora, Merino blend of yarn. Yummy. It is a huge wrap-I made the L-Shaped version (I would call it V-shaped) in the smallest size without the extensions. There is also a rectangular version so there are several version/size options. The lacy stitch is simple YO, P2tog which was a pain to do. I experimented with YO, K2tog, and K2tog, YO, but it just wasn't the same.

 

This is the Seamless Katarina by Julie Weisenberger. The construction of this sweater is exquisite! The yarn is Madeline Tosh DK and is wonderful to work with. I love this sweater and can't wait to get it back from the shop after I teach the class.

It is seamless, except for the two shoulder seams and the underarm seams.

The sleeves were provisionally cast on and when the sweater was finished, the stitches picked up and completed to be sure the length was correct. They were supposed to be bell shaped, but I didn't want that, so I just did the ribbing and garter stitch which matched the front bands.

Checking my past posts, I have missed posting many of my shawls for the year, I think. (Or else I just didn't label the posts, so forgive me if I'm repeating some I've already included.)

 

This is Sharktooth by Stephen West. I did not have enough yarn, so I modified the edging.

This is the second Haruni that I've made. I love this pattern and it is a fast knit. The color is questionable-quite striking.

This is another test knit from Aino in Finland. I love her patterns as she works the increases into the pattern so well you can hardly see them. I'm sorry that she is pretty much not designing right now as she is a new mother and is busy with 2 small children.The yarn in this one is Three Irish Girls McClellen Fingering, merino, bamboo and nylon. It turned into a beautiful shawl.

Another test knit for Aino. The is Golden Orchid. The yarn is Decandently Divine, 100% merino.

 

 

Perpetua Shawl

I think this is shawl number 15 for the year. The pattern is called Perpetua, another one by Rosemary Hill. It is from Knitscene, Fall 2012, along with 2 other patterns by Romi. I had difficulty photographing the correct color of the shawl as it is more green than the pictures show. The first picture here is probably the closest I could get.

Yarn is Dream in Color Smooshy with Cashmere. I love!
Needles: US #5

This was not a hard knit-a good one to learn or use your "read your knitting" skills. 

Lace Poncho

Pattern: Lace Poncho from Vogue Knitting Early Fall 2012

Yarn: Cascade Yarn Heritage Silk

Needle US #6

 

This was not a hard knit, but it took a long time as it increased to  818 stitches for the 20 rows of lace edging.

 

The yarn was beautiful, but depending on how the light was I either hated it or loved it. In the right (bright) light it began to have a slight halo which I thought distorted the pattern. It could have been because this was such a large project and it traveled so much in and out of my tote bag the yarn showed the abrasion. It really isn't that noticeable.

 

The increasing side panels have patterning on every row, but because it is knit in the round from the top down, it is always worked on a right side row.

    

      In Progress                             Knitting Done

 Blocking. I used the flexible blocking wires. It is not a good blocking job as I was still doing it at 11:30 at night and it was "just get it done."

This doesn't show real well, but I used the flexible blocking wire around the neckline under the collar.

 It really turned out beautifully. When I brought it to Amazing Threads for display (I will be teaching this in a class) the owner was wearing it when a customer came up behind her and said "there is a hole in the back." Yes, it was one of my mistakes which I hadn't corrected very well. I will take yarn and needle to it and see what I can do some day.

North Country Fiber Fest

This last weekend I taught at the North Country Fiber Fest in Watertown, SD. What a wonderful event! The energy and enthusiasm of the whole weekend was something that is rarely experienced. I taught lace/Haruni shawl, Steek your Coffee Cozy and a Sea Foam Scarf, so I didn't get to take any classes but did walk around and observe some of them.

 

The variety of classes was exceptional. Everything from raising silkworms to basket weaving. Some things I had never heard of or seen before such as tapestry crochet, cardboard loom weaving, kanzashi blooms, Japanese Braiding. Lots of spinning and dying classes.

 

The center of this large building had a "Fiber Circle" where people were always spinning, mostly, but knitting, needlepointing, whatever. This is only about half of the group. the variety of spinning wheels was interesting, too.

This is a kick spindle, sort of a cross between a drop spindle and a wheel. She actually kicks the spindle to turn it.

Of course there is always show and tell and this beauty caught the attention of everyone. It was made by the woman on the left and took her 10 months. It was hard to get a picture that really shows off the beauty.

 I had heard of "fiber sandwich" but had no idea what it was. Well, here it is. People bring in a certain amount of fiber-any kind, any color. It then gets layered together.

 And distributed among the spinners. Sorry these are pictured in plastic bags, but they are the left overs which were auctioned off at the end.

 The spinners then spin the fiber into yarn.

The finished skeins are auctioned off at the end of the festival.

There were also vendors. What did I come home with? Only one quilted knitting bag.

The festival was very much spinning oriented. What did I order after I came home? One weaving loom. More about that when it comes.

My "Have to Do" List

Do you ever feel pressured by the knitting you want/have to do? This happened to me during the Olympics when I set a goal for my Knitting Olympic project. Once the Olympics started my priorities changed. (See my last post.) So, I sat down and made a list of MUST do projects-it totaled 12. That doesn't count a shawl already started and a KAL starting soon. So, here is my progress:

 

Finished. Mimi's Rosa Rugosa is a test knit for Kimberly Gintar (Kimberlolly on Ravelry). I took this on even though I knew I had too much to do. My husband tells me I do it to myself when I voice how overwhelmed I feel.

These are socks for my daughter in law's birthday. She bought the yarn when we were at Arnhild's Knitting Camp in February so I decided I'd knit them for her birthday. They are done except for the toe decreases I think. I want her to try them on before I finish. We'll see her Saturday so hopefully they'll be finished then. This is the first time I tried Cat Bordhi's Sweet Tomato Heel but haven't decided how I like it.

The rest of the projects are for classes I'll be teaching at Amazing Threads.

 

Finished. Opal Sock Bunny. This was fun as the instructions were good and it is completely seamless, but it took forever with sock yarn on size 1 needles.

In progress. #5 Lace Poncho on the cover of Fall 2012 Vogue Knitting. I should have looked at this pattern before I said I would do it. It is knit in the round with patterning on all rows which actually isn't bad because all rows are knit, but it increases to about 1000 sts. I'm a little over 500 stitches here.

This is for a class I'm teaching at North Country Fiber Fair in Watertown, SD in September. The pattern is Haruni. I've asked myself many times why I'm knitting with this iridescent color yarn, but just keep going and haven't ripped and started over. (It is newly acquired stash yarn as I don't like the pattern that came with it in the club I got it from.)Probably because I don't have time to spare. Two more repeats of 16 rows before I do the beautiful border.

Katarina is knit to the armholes, but haven't started the sleeves yet.

The rest don't even have yarn for yet.Progress?

Why Do I Knit What I Do

Knitters say they are either a process knitter or a product knitter. Process knitter knit for the joy of making what they are making. Product knitters knit for the finished product. I don't think a person is one or the other, but a combination of the two. I am much more of a process knitter, because once I see how the knitting looks, I'm ready to move on to something else.

As you've seen on this blog, I love to knit lace shawls. My theory behind this is that I am my great grandmother reincarnated. In my cedar chest I have a set of sheets and towels with knit lace which I discovered Great Grandma Kate made. Now this was in the late 1800's, early 1900's, she lived on a farm and had 11 living children. But she still made a set of these sheets for each one of her children.

As a process knitter, I love to see how the next row will change the appearance of my project. Lace knitting often is the most exiting because it changes so often. I often say that if I wouldn't stop to admire what I'm doing so often I would get so much more done, but that is not the object of my knitting. Plain garter stitch or stockinette stitch bore me, although they both have a time and place. Knitting in public requires a project that doesn't take a lot of concentration. So, why do I have a sweater in the closet that is waiting for me to cast on the sleeves?

Mystery knits are perfect for a process knitter. Each clue as it arrives changes the appearance of the project. Here is a good example: Clue 1.

Clue 2. Unfortunately, this has to be put aside because other things have now come up which have deadlines.

I teach at a knitting shop and the employees knit samples for the shop and I knit samples for my classes. Yesterday I got a call wondering if I would make the lace poncho on the front of Vogue Knitting as a shop sample and also do a class on it. Sure, why not? After deciding to do it, I see that I'll be increasing to nearly 1000 sts!

I love to test knit patterns, especially lace patterns. Through the Free Pattern Tester Group on ravelry I have met 2 talented shawl designers and now they request me to test their patterns. This year, I have test knit 3 shawls for Kimberly Gintar in Germany and today got the pattern for the 3rd one for Aino Haikala in Finland. The last 2 I can't publish pictures yet as the patterns have not been released.

Evening in the Garden by Aino. I love the uniqueness of her designs and shaping.

Blue Ivy by Kimberly. Her shawls are wonderful to cuddle up with.

Judy B by Kimberly.

Ribbons and Lace for the Cure by Kimberly. This pattern is still being tested and has not been released yet. Proceeds from the sale of the pattern will go for breast cancer research. My shawl is orange for leukemia.

This is a sneak preview of Aino's pattern.

I try real hard to do charity knitting, but it is so easy to let that slide. Maybe related to that is that I like to knit things that proceeds of the pattern or kit go for a cause.

Mathilda Monster went to Beyond the Yellow Ribbon for families of military personnel.

A portion of the price of the yarn and pattern for Cardioid went to Susan Koman Foundation.

My least favorite knitting is the request from family category. I really like to knit for them especially when they specifically ask for something, but it might not always be what I want to knit. On the list right now is a pair of socks for my daughter in law. She bought the yarn for me and I'd like to get them done for her birthday in August. My schedule is that this will be a good project when we drive to Illinois for Stitches in August.