Book review and amazing shawl

I got Intentional Spinner book from the library, but didn't get a chance to really go through it entirely before I had to return it. But it looked interesting. There's a few chapters about fibers and how to spin (all pics are on the wheel, no spindle pics) and about plying. There was a good description of worsted vs woolen and the variation in between. The part I didn't get a chance to look at was the project sections and the details about adjusting the wheel, instead of your treadling/drafing speeds. When I have some more time, I'm getting this again to study those sections.

The pooling scarves at Yarn Floozie are amazing. I have a skein of Anne yarn in beige shades that might work with this kind of pooling scarf.

Read More......

Stitches East

I went to my first Stitches last weekend. I didn't do any classes because it was a last-minute day-trip, I didn't have time to do the pre-work, and since I was only there for the day, spending 3+ hours in a class that didn't really excite me wasn't something I wanted to do.

Plus, I'd missed most of the sheep & wool shows this year, I wanted the shopping time! The two hour drive wasn't bad, I think the hardest part was finding the up-ramp in the parking garage :)

I had gone through the vendor list and the general info parts of the Stitches East website a few times beforehand. At first it was curiousity, but the last week or so when it was looking promising that I'd be able to get down there for a day, I started making a must-visit list of vendors.

Walking into the marketplace was overwhelming - the booths, the colors, the noise, the people, everything. I did the Extreme Stash Wall (which wasn't all that extreme) first just because it was close to the entrance. It's a nice idea - 4 or 5 different yarns from about a dozen companies, already cut into 12" or so lengths. There was a poster size flyer next to the wall with all the name and rolls of scotch tape.

Then I started wandering, more or less, aimlessly up & down the aisles. It was set up like the vendor booths at Rhinebeck or the NH Sheep & Wool shows. Stitches East had much better lighting, and the rain didn't matter. The sheep shows have animals, but rain would make it less enjoyable. Stitches had a nice concession area (not a great food selection though) to sit & eat & relax. There's more food selections at the sheep shows, but not usually a place to sit and relax - the last time I went to NH it seemed like everytime I sat down at a picnic tables, I was asked to move because it was needed for a class (why they didn't bother to put up a 'reserved for class' sign, I have no idea).

Stitches East also didn't have anywhere near the amount of fiber as the sheep shows, even though I recognized some of the vendors from the sheep shows. On the other hand, I did find some fiber to buy though A small bag of qiviut from Windy Vally Muskox and a purple/white silk merino blend from um.. Ellen's Half Pint farms maybe. (I got receipts from everyone, but I didn't realize that almost none of the receipts have names.)

And some yarns...One skein skacel laceweight from Skaska and 6 skeins of Santa Fe Asland Trends sock yarn in the purple heart colorway, no idea from who.

And a bunch of patterns - Baby Mine baby sweater by the Yarn Harlot, Dual Cable Fingerless Gloves from Bijou Basin Ranch, a reprinted pattern of Galina Khmeleva's Orenburg Lace Triangle from Interweave Knits, the Portugese Fisherwoman's Shawl, La Valse shawl (Ravelry link), and Sneaky Socks from comicknits

I tried out the Kollage's square metal knitting needles and flat wooden needles from another vendor. I didn't notice any difference in holding the needles, but I did notice that when I slide the right needle tip into the stitch and then off the left needle, the needle 'jumped' a bit at the square edge. Not so much with the metal needle, but definitely with the wooden ones. I'm not sure if it's because the square edge was more rounded or because the rounded tip edge was longer with the Kollage needles. There was also square handled crochet hooks, but I didn't get a chance to try those - they were all packaged and I didn't see any available to try out.

I also tried the Signature needles with the stiletto point. Very nice - the points are nice and pointy and the rest of the needle has a bit of a texture that's not usually on metal or aluminum needles. Sort of like a super-super fine emory board feel. It was too noisy in the hall to hear if they have the same 'whine' as aluminum needles do. If they don't, I'd definitely buy them, if there were a little less pricey.

The only tools I got was a pair of flex needles in a size I don't have and a set of small double-ended crochet hooks (they're maybe 3" long) for picking up stitches etc.

Would I go again? Sure,but I'd rather go to one of the sheep shows instead.

Read More......

Saturday evening

and I'm (sort of) surprised it's been so long I've posted. On one hand, I think of things that I want to keep track of - the kind of thing that's perfect for a blog, but then I don't. Maybe it's just proof that blogging, and any other kind of craft-journaling isn't 'me.' On the other hand, it's still a good place to keep track of things when I do use it.

I did the Serafina shawl this summer for a Craftster swap. I had a heck of a time with the first few rows - and if those aren't right, the rest of the pattern doesn't work. Luckily it starts at the center neck and works down (out?) to a batwing triangle or faroese style shape, so ripping and re-doing wasn't hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of stitches.

It's a repetitive pattern - start to center and center to end is the same - I thought my problem was that I was leaving out something on the 2nd half of the rows, that I was skimming the pattern writeup too much and leaving out something. Before I ripped out (again) I spread it out and compared what I had with what the pictures looked like and figured out where I was going wrong. The next try worked :) It was a few more repeats of the 4-row pattern before it clicked enough that I didn't need the pattern.

That's when I drew up a chart and wrote a simplified pattern for myself for next time - I think it'll be good for the zephyr wool/silk yarn I have no idea what to use it for.

Too bad I didn't find the errata or the color-coded chart or the Ravelry group for the shawl before I went nuts trying to figure out where I kept messing up the pattern - turned out I wasn't using the version with the corrections.

So, for my own sanity the next time I make this, especially since I'm liable to lose my written notes before then... I'm typing up my own notes for the pattern.

Notes are just that - the pattern is not mine, I'm not claiming it as mine, this isn't another version of Serafina's shawl. It's just notes. I don't know if these are detailed enough to crochet without using the actual pattern. The links to the pattern and errata are above and working as of 10/10/2009. Click on the link if you're interested in reading the notes.

Abbreviations-

V (V stitch)
At the beginning of a row: ch4 and dc in base ch
At the end of a row: dc, ch,dc in the 3rd ch of the starting V from the previous row
In the middle of a row: dc, dc, dc in the next dc

V2 - (dc, 2dc, dc) in the ch1 sp of next V

DoubleV - (2dc, ch, 2dc) in ch 2 of next V2

DoubleV2 - (2dc, 2ch, 2dc) in ch sp of next double V

Shell - (3dc, 2ch, 3dc) in ch2 sp of next shell or double V2

Pattern - shell, ch1, 3dc (the shell is made in the 2ch space of a shell and the 3dc is one dc in the next 3 dc)

Rows 4-7 and 7-10 increase 1 dc after the starting V, before and after the center shell, and before the ending V. The increase is made by doing a dc in the ch1 space of the previous row.

Shell is the center of the row and the center of the shawl

Row 1 -In ring do - V, ch1, shell, ch1, V - tighten ring closed

Row 2 - V [ch1, 5dc, ch1] shell, repeat [ ], V

Row 3 - V [ch1, 3dc V 3dc, ch1] shell, repeat [ ], V

Row 4 -V [ch1, 4dc ch1, V2, ch1, 4dc, ch1] shell, repeat [ ], V

Row 5 -V [ch1, 5dc ch1, doubleV, ch1, 5dc, ch1] shell, repeat [ ], V

Row 6 - V [ch1, 6dc ch1, doubleV2, ch1, 6dc, ch1] shell, repeat [ ], V

Row 7 - V [ch1, 3dc V 3dc, ch1, pattern (1 time), V 3dc, ch1] shell, repeat [ ], V

Row 8 - V [ch1, 4dc, V2, ch1, 3dc, ch1, pattern (1 time), ch 1, V2, ch1 4dc, ch1] shell, repeat [ ], V

Row 9 - V [ch1, 5dc, doubleV, ch1, 3dc, ch1, pattern (1 time), ch 1, doubleV, ch1 5dc, ch1] shell, repeat [ ], V

Row 10 - V [ch1, 6dc, doubleV2, ch1, 3dc, ch1, pattern (1 time), ch 1, doubleV2, ch1 6dc, ch1] shell, repeat [ ], V

Rows 11-14 - repeat rows 7-10 doing "pattern (2 times)"

Repeat rows 7 - 10 for desired length, doing one more "pattern" each time.

Read More......

Socks and a sweater

Not finished ones though. Yet.

Socks first. Nine Tailors Socks After a fairly lengthy discussion over at Ravelry, especially message 28, with TsockTsarina about doing these toe-up, I'm doing them cuff-down as written. Mostly. I'm doing them cuff-down starting just after the ribbing, (provisional cast-on) and then doing the ribbing upwards which will give some leeway to adjust for fit.

Most of the sock details I understand how to reverse them to toe-up, but the one thing that she pointed out was that as written, the cable starts at the ribbing and goes down. If you (I) work them toe-up, you don't know where to start the cable (at the toe) so that the cable ends at the ribbing at same beginning point.

On one hand, if the cable doesn't end at the same point, it doesn't matter, because both socks will match.

On the other hand, the cable is a bell-ringing 'song' (chant, verse, whatever) so it won't be starting at the beginning.

Sweater

I've been thinking about the Sort Of Thora (last update) sweater that's been hanging around for, um, 3 or 4 years. Besides the fitting issues from the last time (which, I'm guessing haven't changed), a fewer bigger 'problems' have come up.

Warmth - I don't really need a worsted weight 100% wool heavy sweater. It'll be too hot to wear indoors, and probably not jacket-y enough to wear outdoors. I think the cable design will get obscured the first time the sweater's washed. I found a small swatch I had done a long time ago (no notes, so I don't know if there was any shrinkage) and the knit stitches were all fuzzy and blended together. Ok for a simple pattern, but not ok for a cable. It's a dressy cardigan that's been dressed-down. The dressed-down part is ok, but... I still have that picture of the dressy cardigan in my head. And the Sort-of Thora is ok, but sort of a let down. I think it's the yarn (a casual, soft, tweedy purple) more than the re-sizing and top-down vs bottom-up etc changes I've done. A different yarn, maybe a jewel tone with a little more body to it, would work better.

I think this is going to be ripped and re-knit (or crocheted?) into something casual. Maybe. Or maybe not.

Read More......

Project updates

I started working on the Nine Tailors Socks. I did a short-row toe and started the mini-cable panel on the foot. There's a little more than 4" done, it's not as complicated as it looks, although the leg has two mini-cable panels and two colorwork panels. I think I'm going to be ripping most of it out though - I didn't short-row enough so the end of the toe is a little too wide. And re-doing it will let me neaten up the start of the mini-cable, so that's good too. Haven't decided on the heel yet, but I have time before I get to the gusset. Or maybe not, if I don't rip out, I'm only 2" or so away from the gusset/heel. This is going faster than I expected.

Other projects -

Regia Cotton Socks - I turned the heel of the first sock and I'm leaving it as all-stockinette with a picot hem. Slow knitting - but only because I'm not working on them much.

Barbara Seamen's Scarf by Myrna Stahman in a wool/alpaca mix. Done. And mailed off for a Craftster swap. I did switch to 14" straights, it was easier to keep the 2 halves of the scarf together than it was with the cable of the flex needle. The other half slid down the cable and made the needle feel lopsided. Didn't happen with the straights. Just over 60" long and about 10" wide. I think I'll be making one for myself in a different pattern. The ribbed neck and wide tails was a nice combination.

Read More......

More progress notes

Not sure what happened to May, but June just disappeared. A few days prepping for vacation. Almost 2 weeks on vacation. Three days for a family reunion-y weekend get-together. Four days of either me being sick or hubby in the hospital. I'd like to re-do this last week without being sick or seeing the inside of a hospital.

Anyway... project 'stuff'

The next-in-line stuff (first because it's more interesting)

The Nine Tailors Socks from Tsockarina. Definitely next up when the scarf's done (but only because I think the scarf will be done before the Regia socks and those are the only two that will be done in the few weeks.) I bought the kit at the New Hampshire Sheep & Wool show this year. I read through the instructions and got stuck at the line that said something like "because of the toe pattern, these can't be knit toe-up" (not an exact quote because the pattern's in the other room and I'm too lazy to go get it). So of course, I spent a while thinking about how to knit them toe-up. Because I really don't like knitting tall socks top-down - and from the sample at NHS&W these are taller than what I usually knit.

So I wound the yarn while I considered this. I think that will be the worse of the pattern. I hand-wind skeins into balls all the time. I have to, I don't have a ball-winder. I untie the skeins, shake them a little to loosen them, lay them over my knees, or over the newel post of the staircase, and wind. 100gm is about 30 minutes or so. No big deal. Until I started. Took about 2 1/2 hours. The skein wasn't knotted or tangled or anything like that, but the strand went *under&over itself, reversed direction, then repeat from * for the whole 100gm. Weird. And slow.

And I made row counters. Once I figured how the bell ringing notation was written out (it took a few re-reads of the instructions) it'll be easier for me to knit from that instead of the chart or the written instruction.

Toe-up. Definitely being done toe-up.

The active stuff -

Regia Cotton Socks - I finished the foot of one sock in the hospital. I'm thinking they'll be all-stockinette with a picot hem. I like the self-striping pattern that's showing up.

Regia Ski Socks - They've been found. That's all.

Barbara Seamen's Scarf by Myrna Stahman in a wool/alpaca mix. Very soft. Amazingly bulky compared to the socks (size 0 vs size 9 needles) I've finished the ribbing section and I'm doing the tails at the same time. I've been using flex needles, but I may try regular 14" straights instead.

Done stuff

Easy Peasy 2 Swap - Crocheted Robot finished & sent & pic here (posted by receiver).

UFO stuff

Sort-of Thora Sweater (last update) Absolutely no progress, except to entertain thoughts of frogging it and saying to hell with it. Then I get a good night's sleep and decide maybe it's worth finishing.

Socks to Anklewarmers - no progress, but hanging around.

Read More......

In progress notes

Regia Cotton Socks - I just these a few days ago. I think they're a regia yarn, but without a label, I'm just guessing based on the self-striping pattern. I suppose they could be Meilenweit or Fortissima too. I started with toe-up using the wide-toe cast on from Priscilla Gibson Robert's book Ethnic Socks and Stockings book. The foot will be (probably) be stockinette, haven't decided on the heel or leg pattern yet.

Regia Ski Socks - ???? I know I knit on them on vacation. I know they were too small (they can only stretch so far...) I know they made it home from vacation. I know where the extra balls of yarns are. I don't know where the socks are.

Easy Peasy 2 Swap - Not started yet

Sort-of Thora Sweater (last update) Absolutely no progress since the last update. I tried it on and it's not right - a little short (but that's easy enough to fix) and a tighter than I wanted (not as easy to fix). Even sleeveless, the sweater (vest) was warmer than I expected it to be. Not really a bad thing since I want to wear it almost as a light jacket. But the V-neck isn't quite right. This cabled sweater is close in style to what the Sort-of Thora sweater is turning out to be.

So... to fix the width, I can add some panels to the side seams. Easy enough. But the V-neck still won't be right. I'd have to rip out both fronts and re-do the neck & front cabling again.

The V-neck isn't right because the sweater's tighter than I want. Before I rip back I'm going to undo the side seams and see if I can tell what the V-neck would look like if the sweater was the right size. Then I can rip-back if I have to.

Socks to Anklewarmers - no progress

Read More......