"Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn't hurt the untroubled spirit either." ~ Elizabeth Zimmerman

2/26/14

WIP Wednesday 2/26/2014

Time for another WIP Wednesday post.

That 1/3rd done sleeve on the gansey? Yeah. About that.  Yesterday I worked it up to it being just over half done and then I frogged it. I wasn't liking it. I'd made some mistakes early in the sleeve which I wasn't gonna fix, and then I discovered I'd missed 3 decreases on one side. I needed to frog back quite a bit. I decided I wan't happy with my workmanship on the whole sleeve. Might as well go back to the beginning. I'm much happier now. No pics. It pretty much looks like this.

Last Saturday I started teaching a 3 session sock class. I decided to knit along with the class. I'm doing a different stitch pattern than the students, but the basic construction is the same. I've got until Saturday to get to the heel flap if I wanna keep up with my class. Not very good light for this pick, but you get the idea.



The yarn. The bright pink/violet is Plymouth Neon Now. The dark purple is Sock-A-Licious Kollage.



Here's my beading WIP. A chain for the amulet bag.



My sock class was so much fun the first day. I have 5 very enthusiastic students. I also have my very first male student. He is quite sweet. He's making socks for his wife. I wish there were more males that knit. Anyway, the class is doing well. They all caught on to the technique of knitting in the round with 2 circular needles very quickly. I have one student who insists on learning the double-pointed needles method, so I'm dealing with that (sigh). There's always one oddball in a group of humans. She is doing well too. Hopefully, everyone will have their homework done next Saturday. (Yes, I give homework.)

I'm also teaching an Entrelac Fingerless Mitts class. It started last week on Monday. I had 2 students at the first session (5 signed up, urg). One of them let me know she was going to miss the second session because she'll be out of town this week. So she wasn't there for it this Monday.

Why do people do that? Why do they take a class when they know they're going to miss a good chunk of it? The class is only 3 sessions. Missing one session, incidentally the most important session-how to actually knit the Entrelac, means she's missing 33% of the class! She's expecting me to give her an extra day of my time to make it up, for free! When my classes are scheduled and announced, folks are given the information as to what dates the class will be on, materials, tools, etc so they have what they need to determine if they can take it or not. Urg. One of my pet peeves.

The other one is people signing up to take a class, then not showing up at all. I planned the mitts class for 5 people. I showed up with 5 patterns and 5 hand outs. Those cost me money! Sometimes people sign up for my classes and come class day no one shows up. Then I've wasted 42 miles worth of gas and an hour and a half of my time driving back and forth for nothing! I consider it incredibly rude and inconsiderate. If I could change the world...





If you're interested in participating in WIP Wednesday, please join us.
Live long and prosper. \\//

2/23/14

Event Mitten Moguls

I was definitely way too ambitious about the Ravellenic Games. I could not get my Gansey or the Mukluks done in time. I was not a total let down to my team though (Team Yarn Hoars). I finished my Mitten Moguls project, as well as the Single Skein Speed Skate event with these mitts.



Granite Mitts

Pattern: Granite Mitts by me
Size: Ladies Medium

Yarn: Vintage by Berroco
Content: 50% Acrylic, 40% Wool, 10% Nylon, worsted weight
Color: 5166 Sakura

Needles: Addi Turbo Circular size 5

Cast on: February 19, 2014
Completed:
February 22, 2014



I love the Granite stitch so much I decided to create a mitts pattern using it. I've finished the prototype and have begun the writing. After that it's time for test knitting, so it will be about a month or so before the pattern is ready for public consumption.



I'm not sure why I like this stitch so much. I just do.



That being said, these mitts are part of my Librarians Project. I'm knitting a pair of mitts for all the librarians at my local library as a thank you gift for all they do for the community, including putting up with my knitting group meeting there once a week, every week.

I've got a WIP to share too. I've finished the mitt part of these.



Now I need to make the embellishment tabs that are sewn across the cuffs. You'll know what I'm talking about when I get it done and you see it.

The Mukluks have come to a temporary stand still at the moment. When I assessed the situation and realized there was no way I could finish them before the end of the Olympics, I decided to put all my energy into making the Granite Mitts. The Gansey is progressing slowly. It should pick up this next week.

I have begun work on the strap for the bead knitted amulet bag I made last month. I'm looking forward to being able to wear it, soon.

Live long and prosper. \\//

2/14/14

The 26th Anniversary of My 29th Birthday

Since my last post my birthday has come and gone. It was an interesting day. It began when we awoke to discover that the water pipe to our house was frozen, deep underground. There was a hole right next to it so there must be a leak we were unaware of. Anyway, we had no water. So instead of the wonderful plans I'd had for the day, I ended up spending it babysitting 2 electric heaters pointed at the problem site waiting for things to thaw.

It was especially frustrating because, in order to have the heaters on, we had to shut off all the lights and whatnot because the circuit breaker kept tripping. I could have tv and dish receiver on, OR I could have a light on, and that was it. I chose the tv. There were all kinds of things I could have done, but every one I thought of required water. You know, laundry, cleaning, that sort of thing. I was unable to sit and knit because it was just a little too dark in the house for me to see. (We can thank the cataracts for that.) It was a gorgeous sunny day outside, but it was only 13F degrees.  I spent the day running outside to check on the heaters, and running back in to watch tv, hating the cold and my water pipes. Oh, to be able to flush the toilet.

After a few hours of this I couldn't stand it anymore, donned my swimsuit, and sat in the hot tub for awhile, in the sunshine, while it was only 13F degrees. I enjoyed it immensely. I was getting a dose of vitamin D despite the cold.

Sitting there also gave me the idea that we could flush our toilets. There was water in the hot tub! Hot water at that. After I got out and got dressed, a bucket was obtained. Toilet was flushed. I felt so much better about things.

Sweet Hubby came home from work early. We both wondered if pouring a bucket of hot tub water down the hole might thaw out the frozen pipe. He grabbed the bucket and went out to try. About 15 seconds later, we had running water. HURRAY!!!

Hot tub. I LOVE it!

I got a birthday present from Sweet Hubby. This is a rare occurrence (him getting me a present for my birthday), so I am extremely thrilled. He got me a Grumpy Cat mug.



It seemed especially fitting for that morning. After the water started running, Hubby took me out to dinner for my birthday too. We went to La Cabana in Rathdrum. Mexican food, yum! I had my favorite, enchiladas.

Over the weekend I purchased a new Tonner Doll. Well, new to me. She arrived Monday. This is Prudence Not All Black and White.



She looks different because I've put a red wig on her. The previous owner unglued her hair, which is short and black, so she could put wigs on her. I am all for that. I've been wanting a Pru with inset eyes that is wigged. She will do nicely. Her eyes are brown and this is her original outfit. The girls are happy to have her in the family.



The past few days I've spent more of my knitting time on one of my Ravellenic games projects, the  first of a pair of Mukluks. I got all the way to where the heel starts on Wednesday evening and stopped because I just wasn't happy with it. It was just looking too thin, and I hate the red and navy corrugated rib.



I was gonna frog it and start all over. I even yanked the needles out of it. But then I got to thinking and took it to Yarnies with me for opinions from the group members.

After consulting them, I've decided I am not going to frog it. Instead, I will remove the corrugated rib cuff (it is partially removed already). It is way too tight and has no elasticity. I want that cuff to be stretchy. I'm going to knit regular 1x1 rib in navy blue. I might put a couple stripes of a second color. I definitely don't like the bright red, so I stopped knitting that in after the cuff. The rest of the slipper looks like it will be fine for Susie. (She is a tiny little thing.) So I'll put it back on the needles and will carry on.

I have made a stitch pattern change too. The third chart in the pattern is a lizard (see pic at right). I don't think Susie would like it, but I know she'd like the traditional snowflake. So when I got to that spot, I googled "snow flake chart knitting". There were thousands of them. I picked one that would fit my stitch count and knit away. So much better than a lizard. However, I fear these Mukluks won't look anything like the original pattern when I get done with them.

I finished the neck on my Gansey while at the Yarnies too.



After binding off the last stitch on the neckband, which I decided I wanted 1 inch of 1x1 rib instead of the rolled neckband in the pattern, I had to try it on. I wanted to know if it is going to fit, and if the neckband is going to be comfortable because it's kind of high for my taste. I pulled it over my head over the blouse I was wearing right there at the table in Calypsos. It fits perfectly, and is very comfortable around my neck. Hurray! Now I'm so excited to get it done! The first sleeve will be started later today.

After the frigid birthday, the weather started to warm up. The last couple days it's actually been in the 40's. The snow is melting very fast. We're expecting rain for the next 3 days. It's another Pineapple Express!

Oh yes, almost forgot. Happy Valentines Day!



Live long and prosper. \\//


2/5/14

WIP Wednesday 2/5/2014

I finished knitting the body of my gansey last night. Woo hoo!



Next step is to join the shoulders with 3-needle bind off. Then it's picking up stitches for the first sleeve.

I took this pic of the beaded amulet bag I'm knitting along with my student.



Monday's class went very well. She caught onto short rowing the bottom very quickly. Next week we'll be sewing the side seams and making straps.

One of my orchids opened a flower yesterday.



There are two branches of buds this time. I've not had that happen before. It must be a happy orchid.



All in all, over the weekend we got about 12 inches of new snow. Now, the clouds have cleared and the sun is shining. It was -2F degrees when I got up this morning. It's friggin' cold out there.

Did I mention that our microwave oven croaked last week? It throws sparks, no matter what we put in it. We discovered a hole in the top where it's rusting and bits of metal are falling down. Yikes! The paint is peeling like crazy too. I've never had a microwave do that before. I've ordered a new one. It is scheduled to be delivered today. I also have Knitwits this afternoon. It will be interesting to see how this works out.





If you're interested in participating in WIP Wednesday, please join us.
Live long and prosper. \\//


2/2/14

Snowy Sunrise

On Friday morning I got up just as the sun was rising. The view out my living room window was stunningly beautiful. The sky had cleared some and the sun was shining on the top of the mountain. I got the camera.

View down the driveway

We got about 8 inches of snow from the storm. The trees looked so pretty.



Something happened on Friday that is indeed rare. A temporary peace truce was formed in the interest of being warm on the fuzzy blanky.

Couch Detente

They were almost touching each other. It's amazing what can happen around here when it's cold and snowy.

I've decided to do the Ravelry Ravellenic Games during the winter Olympics this year. I'd been kicking the idea around in my head. First I was, then I wasn't, then I was, then I wasn't. Yesterday I looked into what the events, and rules, are and decided I will. That's my final decision. I joined Team Yarn Hoars. I'm entering the following events:

WIPs Dancing - finishing the Gansey. (Doesn't matter when I started it or if I'm working on it now. As long as I finish during the Olympics, it qualifies for a medal. Woot!)

Sock Hockey - Don't know if I'll actually get this done in time or not, but I'm gonna try and make those Mukluks for Susie.

Mittens Moguls - Since I'm making fingerless mitts anyway, this gives me an actual goal as to when to finish them.

Nordic Color Work Combined - the Mukluks are fairisle.

Single Skein Speed Skate - the mitts don't use more than a single skein.

Yesterday I prepared. I wound all the necessary skeins of yarn into nice yarn cakes. I wish I would have taken a pic of my set up (why didn't I think of that?). My dining room table edge is most unsuitable for clamping a yarn ball winder and a swift to it. It's curved. So I clamped them to the back of the dining chairs. I had the swift on the top of the back of one chair, set to lean a bit to the right. And the ball winder was on a second chair, clamped upside down to the top. I stood between the two, cranking with one hand, and adjusting the yarn tension with the other. Somehow it worked, wonderfully. I shall do it that way from now on instead of involving the extremely wobbly piano bench in a weird way like I have done in the past. Anyway, needles are gathered and sorted, patterns are printed out, yarn wound and ready. Let the games begin! Cast on is at 8 a.m. February 7th.



After all that ball winding, I sat down and did a bit of bead knitting. I'm teaching another beaded amulet bag class. It started last Monday. It was actually scheduled to start while I was in Michigan, so I had it postponed. I have one student. A very sweet young lady of 14 years. She is catching on very very quickly and was a joy to work with. I'm looking forward to our next session. I needed to knit my little bag up to the point where she is supposed to be at the next class so I can show her the short rowing steps. I like to knit along with the students, if possible.

I am starting to get back into this teaching thing. I've come up with more classes I want to do. The next one I'm planning will be for the Entrelac fingerless mitts pattern, A Rainbow For My Hands. I need to remember to take the model and class info handouts to the shop when I go in Monday.

Today is Superbowl Sunday! We have friends coming over to watch the game with us. It's the only football game we watch. We don't actually like football, hubby and I. But we do like to know who wins at the end of it all. Plus, it's an American tradition. So we patriotically watch the game just like the rest of the country does. I'm serving Nachos and Fahitas for game food. Yum! Besides, it's an excuse for a party. Being a Seattle born native, I will be cheering for the Seahawks, of course.

Live long and prosper. \\//