I have begun my holiday knitting. I don't have a super long list, but I just don't knit very fast and so if I don't start early it won't happen. I'm thinking of who all I should do holiday knitting for. I have a few ideas, but it is a short list. I'm trying to think of things that are fast, because frankly, although they don't seem big socks just aren't that fast. At least not for a slow knitter like me. I would love to do some charity knitting, I have a friend who I know would love for me to donate some knitted objects to a charity function she runs. I just always feel like there are not enough hours in the day. Maybe I'll focus on charity knitting instead...??? Hmmm...???
There is already snow on the mountains here. Winter is around the corner. It was snowing in Fairbanks this weekend. The start of the school year has been absolutely INSANE! I keep waiting for it to calm down so I can catch up! Haven't found that yet. Hopefully it isn't too far away because I really need to feel like I have a handle on what is going on with my 350 kiddos.
My friends and I have not yet set a date for the start of our KAL on the Baby and Bears for Grown-Ups Sweater yet. We will be together on Tuesday, so maybe we will get a decision then. I'll let you know. With holiday knitting having started and looming in my head it is hard to think about knitting something that is totally unrelated and just for me. But at the same time I haven't knit anything for me in awhile. Decisions, decisions, decisions!
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Rest of the summer - summed up!
I've decided to take a page out of my friend at One More Project's book to sum up the rest of my summer. She does these Friday Photos entries where she just has images. I'm going to provide some words, but not many, and just a lot of pictures. First, a video:
This is what 10,000 teachers sound like when they get together! It was crazy! And for me, totally overwhelming!
This is the AEA President, Jim, standing next to the Alaska banner. He is modeling the Kuspuk that NEA-AK loaned to each of us to wear as an Alaskan delegate. They were really nice! They were embroidered on the back with the big dipper, so just like the Alaska Flag. I wish I could have kept mine.
We spent a lot of time at RA sitting. And eating, this is Jerry and Lisa doing both. And listening to folks from CA argue about stuff. And voting. It was COLD in the Convention Center! I had to go outside to get warm. I also went out to get food because the food they sold at the convention center wasn't that interesting and it was really overpriced!
On July 3rd, we went to a Padres game at PetCo Park. It was a lot of fun! They played the LA Dodgers and it was the return game of Manny Ramierez after his suspension. Pretty interesting! There was a GREAT fireworks show after the game! I video taped it but it is pretty long. It would have to be it's own stand alone post I think...
Here I am knitting at the game. I was able to get a lot of work done on Arctic Knitter's socks at RA! All that sitting = all that time for knitting. The only other distraction we had was the announcement that our Governor at the time, she who must not be named, was resigning her post. That led to a lot of texting, emailing, and calling folks at home to try to find out more news.
When I visited the USS Midway I got the boys sailor hats. Don't they look cute!
In mid-July my BIL Paul came to Alaska for the first time. He came to meet his girlfriend, Kerry's, parents. We had dinner at the Double Musky.
Also in mid-July I hosted a tie-dye clinic one Monday evening at the house. I had some friends who wanted to learn how, and although I'm certainly no expert I did say I could teach them. Here's a very pregnant Julie Bean and Heather working away.
Here's Heather, Jenn, and Dave letting those artistic juices flow! The pictures are not great because I took them with my phone and the lighting wasn't very good. Our dining room light sucks...my darling electrician husband keeps telling me how it needs to be changed...and that is as far as the conversation goes!
In late July my best friend Wendi came to visit me for my birthday!
We took a Segway tour of Anchorage! It was FUN!
Here we are being goofy taking pictures of one another taking pictures with our iPhones!
For my birthday my sister, Wendi, and I got pedicures! And my dad made my traditional Thanksgiving Birthday dinner! YUM!
Just after my birthday I was able to hob-knob with Senator Begich at the Dog Jog. Winston didn't have much to say to the Senator, there were too many dogs to speak to!
In the first weekend of August I attended the Sock Summit in Portland, OR. This is the clock in the Convention Center. I really liked the clock, but for the life of me I couldn't figure out how one was supposed to tell time on the clock!
I was able to meet and take a class from Cookie A.! It was a great class! It brought me a lot of inspiration!
At Sock Summit Sandy, Sylvia, Arctic Knitter, and I along with a bunch of other knitters worked at breaking the Guinness World Record for the largest number of people simultaneously knitting. I think we did it! This picture was, of course, taken before the clock was actually started.
We went on our annual camping trip to Seward for Labor Day weekend. It was the same campground as the last couple of years, so I figured I'd show a picture that showed something different. Here's a smiling Winston in the field next to the Seward Elementary School with a hanging glacier behind him.
A self-portrait of my love and I.
Winston wants everyone to know that he is hungry!
This is what 10,000 teachers sound like when they get together! It was crazy! And for me, totally overwhelming!
This is the AEA President, Jim, standing next to the Alaska banner. He is modeling the Kuspuk that NEA-AK loaned to each of us to wear as an Alaskan delegate. They were really nice! They were embroidered on the back with the big dipper, so just like the Alaska Flag. I wish I could have kept mine.
We spent a lot of time at RA sitting. And eating, this is Jerry and Lisa doing both. And listening to folks from CA argue about stuff. And voting. It was COLD in the Convention Center! I had to go outside to get warm. I also went out to get food because the food they sold at the convention center wasn't that interesting and it was really overpriced!
On July 3rd, we went to a Padres game at PetCo Park. It was a lot of fun! They played the LA Dodgers and it was the return game of Manny Ramierez after his suspension. Pretty interesting! There was a GREAT fireworks show after the game! I video taped it but it is pretty long. It would have to be it's own stand alone post I think...
Here I am knitting at the game. I was able to get a lot of work done on Arctic Knitter's socks at RA! All that sitting = all that time for knitting. The only other distraction we had was the announcement that our Governor at the time, she who must not be named, was resigning her post. That led to a lot of texting, emailing, and calling folks at home to try to find out more news.
When I visited the USS Midway I got the boys sailor hats. Don't they look cute!
In mid-July my BIL Paul came to Alaska for the first time. He came to meet his girlfriend, Kerry's, parents. We had dinner at the Double Musky.
Also in mid-July I hosted a tie-dye clinic one Monday evening at the house. I had some friends who wanted to learn how, and although I'm certainly no expert I did say I could teach them. Here's a very pregnant Julie Bean and Heather working away.
Here's Heather, Jenn, and Dave letting those artistic juices flow! The pictures are not great because I took them with my phone and the lighting wasn't very good. Our dining room light sucks...my darling electrician husband keeps telling me how it needs to be changed...and that is as far as the conversation goes!
In late July my best friend Wendi came to visit me for my birthday!
We took a Segway tour of Anchorage! It was FUN!
Here we are being goofy taking pictures of one another taking pictures with our iPhones!
For my birthday my sister, Wendi, and I got pedicures! And my dad made my traditional Thanksgiving Birthday dinner! YUM!
Just after my birthday I was able to hob-knob with Senator Begich at the Dog Jog. Winston didn't have much to say to the Senator, there were too many dogs to speak to!
In the first weekend of August I attended the Sock Summit in Portland, OR. This is the clock in the Convention Center. I really liked the clock, but for the life of me I couldn't figure out how one was supposed to tell time on the clock!
I was able to meet and take a class from Cookie A.! It was a great class! It brought me a lot of inspiration!
At Sock Summit Sandy, Sylvia, Arctic Knitter, and I along with a bunch of other knitters worked at breaking the Guinness World Record for the largest number of people simultaneously knitting. I think we did it! This picture was, of course, taken before the clock was actually started.
We went on our annual camping trip to Seward for Labor Day weekend. It was the same campground as the last couple of years, so I figured I'd show a picture that showed something different. Here's a smiling Winston in the field next to the Seward Elementary School with a hanging glacier behind him.
A self-portrait of my love and I.
Winston wants everyone to know that he is hungry!
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Thank You!
Thank you to all who provided input into my knitting dilemma. I think I have figured out what I'm going to do. I'm going to make the socks because I think I will enjoy the process, so long as I don't think about the circumstances with the recipient. And I think I need to get it done just so it isn't weighing on my soul any longer. I will definitely take many photos of the socks and make a production of the giving - even though the giving will not be in person and involve mailing. Finally, my good friend Subarctic Mama gave me a beautiful little bag that is perfect for a sock knitting project for my birthday. I think that if I carry it in this bag it will give me warm feelings and that will be good. Then it will be done and I can move on to other, less conflicted, projects.
Thank you also for the advice on gauge swatches. I had not thought of washing the swatch, because honestly, after I knit the swatch and measure it I pulled it out and then used that yarn in the sweater itself. I'm going to have to do another fitting on my beloved soon, hopefully things will be fine with the US7. I think we'll be okay. I really appreciate everyone's help and input on both situations! Thanks! It is also nice to know that folks are reading too!
Thank you also for the advice on gauge swatches. I had not thought of washing the swatch, because honestly, after I knit the swatch and measure it I pulled it out and then used that yarn in the sweater itself. I'm going to have to do another fitting on my beloved soon, hopefully things will be fine with the US7. I think we'll be okay. I really appreciate everyone's help and input on both situations! Thanks! It is also nice to know that folks are reading too!
Friday, September 18, 2009
F.O. Old & F.O. New
Okay, I have two F.O.'s to share today! One is over a month old, the other I finally finished this week. First, a pair of socks:
These are socks for my BKFF Arctic Knitter. They are her birthday gift I got them to her only a month late! The yarn is Blue Moon STR lightweight in the colorway Lucky. It was one of the colorways from RSC of 2008. Arctic Knitter's favorite color is green, so this seemed perfect.
The pattern is Biological Clock from The Eclectic Sole. I liked the pattern, but I ended up knitting these socks three times. I seem to have some kind of issue that I don't understand with knitting toe-up socks with a gusset and heel flap style heel. I don't get it. I've made four or five pairs of toe-up socks where I used a short-row heels and those were fine, so, as I said, I don't get it. It is hard to correct it when you don't know what you are doing wrong. Anyway, the way I finally solved the problem (or how the third time became the charm) is that when I started the gusset I went up a needle size. Then I went back down again at the leg. That seemed to work.
Why this pattern for my BKFF? Well, that is easy. She's a Science teacher, more specifically, an Anatomy and Physiology teacher, so a pattern that features a DNA double helix seemed so perfect for her that I couldn't pass it up. I delivered them to her when we met up at the Sock Summit. It is hard to see the double helix from this photo right now, but if you click on it and make it bigger you'll be able to see it. Arctic Knitter seemed to be really pleased with them, I hope they keep her toes happy and warm this winter and for many winters to come! I'm very blessed to have her as my friend and I wanted to show her some of my appreciation for all the wonderful things she has brought to my life.
Now, the new F.O. - a Baby Surprise Jacket!
This is for Killian, my good friend Julie's new baby boy! This is actually the second BSJ I've made for Killian. I made his first one before he was born and before I knew he was a boy. That one was made with a kit I had bought from Blue Mood and used their Sock Candy yarn and a US2 needle. Killian was born weighing 9 lbs., 7 oz. - too big for the sweater I had made him! At birth! So, I bought new yarn to make a new sweater at Sock Summit. This is worsted weight yarn, it is Spuds & Chloe yarn. It is 55% Superwash Merino and 45% Organic Cotton, I've never used it before and it was really a pleasure to knit with. I chose these colors to represent the University of Notre Dame. Both of Killian's parents attended Notre Dame and continue to be big fans of Notre Dame football. Look at the buttons:
They are little footballs! I looked for shamrock buttons, for the Fighting Irish, but couldn't find any. I thought the little footballs would be perfect though. I actually got this knitted in record time - the knitting was done in two weeks - including the i-cord bind off, and this was my first time using this type of finishing. You can tell because I didn't space out the buttons very well, but it is good practice and I don't think that Killian will care. It then took me a week to get the buttons on...it's been a really rough week...but it is now done! I have washed it and it is blocking right now, I hope it will be ready to go on Sunday when I'm going to get to meet Killian for the first time!
These are socks for my BKFF Arctic Knitter. They are her birthday gift I got them to her only a month late! The yarn is Blue Moon STR lightweight in the colorway Lucky. It was one of the colorways from RSC of 2008. Arctic Knitter's favorite color is green, so this seemed perfect.
The pattern is Biological Clock from The Eclectic Sole. I liked the pattern, but I ended up knitting these socks three times. I seem to have some kind of issue that I don't understand with knitting toe-up socks with a gusset and heel flap style heel. I don't get it. I've made four or five pairs of toe-up socks where I used a short-row heels and those were fine, so, as I said, I don't get it. It is hard to correct it when you don't know what you are doing wrong. Anyway, the way I finally solved the problem (or how the third time became the charm) is that when I started the gusset I went up a needle size. Then I went back down again at the leg. That seemed to work.
Why this pattern for my BKFF? Well, that is easy. She's a Science teacher, more specifically, an Anatomy and Physiology teacher, so a pattern that features a DNA double helix seemed so perfect for her that I couldn't pass it up. I delivered them to her when we met up at the Sock Summit. It is hard to see the double helix from this photo right now, but if you click on it and make it bigger you'll be able to see it. Arctic Knitter seemed to be really pleased with them, I hope they keep her toes happy and warm this winter and for many winters to come! I'm very blessed to have her as my friend and I wanted to show her some of my appreciation for all the wonderful things she has brought to my life.
Now, the new F.O. - a Baby Surprise Jacket!
This is for Killian, my good friend Julie's new baby boy! This is actually the second BSJ I've made for Killian. I made his first one before he was born and before I knew he was a boy. That one was made with a kit I had bought from Blue Mood and used their Sock Candy yarn and a US2 needle. Killian was born weighing 9 lbs., 7 oz. - too big for the sweater I had made him! At birth! So, I bought new yarn to make a new sweater at Sock Summit. This is worsted weight yarn, it is Spuds & Chloe yarn. It is 55% Superwash Merino and 45% Organic Cotton, I've never used it before and it was really a pleasure to knit with. I chose these colors to represent the University of Notre Dame. Both of Killian's parents attended Notre Dame and continue to be big fans of Notre Dame football. Look at the buttons:
They are little footballs! I looked for shamrock buttons, for the Fighting Irish, but couldn't find any. I thought the little footballs would be perfect though. I actually got this knitted in record time - the knitting was done in two weeks - including the i-cord bind off, and this was my first time using this type of finishing. You can tell because I didn't space out the buttons very well, but it is good practice and I don't think that Killian will care. It then took me a week to get the buttons on...it's been a really rough week...but it is now done! I have washed it and it is blocking right now, I hope it will be ready to go on Sunday when I'm going to get to meet Killian for the first time!
Friday, September 11, 2009
A Knitting Dilemma
I have a dilemma. Do you make a second pair of socks for a friend who denies, then can't remember ever receiving, and then thinks they may have gotten rid of the first pair of socks you knit for them? This is my struggle. I carry around the yarn, pattern, and needles - but I haven't cast on. I'm angry and I'm hurt. But, I also already told this person that I was making them a second pair of socks - that is how the dilemma started. What do you think I should do? I appreciate your thoughts.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
A Lesson On Gauge
Okay, so the post I'm sharing now I've been thinking about and meaning to write since August 23rd. Life has just been so hectic that I haven't had a chance to sit down and write it. So here it goes:
This is the top-down v-neck sweater I've been working on for my beloved. It was going along great! Then I had a thought, "Hmmmm...." I wondered, "what gauge am I getting on these US6 needles that the pattern calls for?" So, I pulled out my handy-dandy measuring tape and started counting - 5-3/4 stitches to the inch! The problem with this is that gauge for this sweater is 5 stitches to the inch. Shoot! I didn't do a gauge swatch, I hate doing gauge swatches, I figure I'll just magically knit to gauge, and that is... a lot of wishful thinking. So, I grab my US7 needles and knit a gauge swatch and that comes out to 5-1/4 stitches to the inch. Still not gauge, but I didn't think I wanted to jump up to US8, that just seemed crazy and US7 seemed close enough.
You see the yellow line? I put the sweater on my beloved, measured to where it still fit good (just under the arms), marked it, and started threading a life line. Then began the RRRIIIIIIPPPPPPP-ing!
Here it is after I ripped back to the life line. Sigh. That's a lot of work lost that I have begun to start again on my US7 needles. My beloved said to me, "you don't have to rip it out, it will fit somebody". At which point I said, "No! I specifically chose this yarn for you and I specifically chose this pattern for you - it is NOT going to just fit SOMEBODY!" I'm determined to make this work, because it is something special I've been wanting to make for my sweet husband for a long time now.
Also on the needles...
This is the wrong side of a sock cuff - it is a fold-over cuff. We're looking at 5-1/2 inches of cuff. Of course, this is the start of the Rhiannon stockings that I started a bit ago for my sister. I haven't progressed beyond this for a couple of reasons. First, I got stuck and I was awaiting guidance from the fabulous Cookie A. She did respond quickly to my cry for help, thank you Cookie A.! Second, I got distracted by other projects.
Here, I'm attempting to show the right side of the cuff. It is all pretty cables. I'll definitely show more once I have more to show.
This is the project of the Sock Innovation class I took with Cookie A. at Sock Summit. (I know, I'm still behind and haven't even blogged about Sock Summit yet - shame on me!) I am reluctant to call this an original design. What happened is that Cookie A. brought a lot of different stitch dictionaries to the class and had us find something that spoke to us. This was a lace and cable combination that I found in a Japanese stitch dictionary. Then, Cookie A. helped me to modify it so that it would work well for socks. Then, I spent a fair amount of time charting out the pattern and then I finally got to start knitting it. I think it looks great thus far, I need to do some more planning with it to figure out what type of heel design to use, and if I should consider having the pattern continue onto the top of my foot or to modify it in some way. Too be continued...
Here's the yarn I'm using. It was yarn that I had in my stash that I had forgotten about. It is blue faced leister, in the colorway sugar snap. I really like it! I wish I could recall where I got it or from whom.
A couple of my knitting pals, including Arctic Knitter, and I are thinking of doing our own KAL of this:
The Babies and bears Sweater for Grown Ups from Cottage Creek. It is very similar to the Baby Surprise Jacket, but it is a little different in the way it is knit and it is an adult pattern. If is knit in two halves - from the cuff, up the arm in stockinette in the round, then switching to garter stitch knit back and forth. You do this until you get to the half way point. Then you do the other half and kitchner the back stitches together to create a finished sweater. Pretty cool!
I'm going to make mine using these yarns. I got the idea of combining these yarns from this:
This is a swatch I have from a color class I took the first time I attended Madrona. These two colorways look really neat together. At first I bought the yarn with a different idea for a sweater in mind, but the more I think about it the less I like that sweater idea. But, I thought this yarn would still be great for the Babies and Bears for Grown-Ups pattern. So, I'm excited! We haven't set a date yet, but I'll let you know when we do and you can join if you'd like to. It will be fun!
Finally, I have a picture of the swag I picked up at Sock Summit. Not a ton, but enough. I got some really nice yarns. I tried to find yarns I had not heard of before and that wouldn't be easy for me to get elsewhere. And I got a lot of stitch markers, which was fun. The yellow and blue yarns on the right are for a Baby Surprise Jacket for my friend Julie's baby, Killian. I had knit a BSJ for Killian before he was born, but it was with a smaller gauge yarn and then he was born weighing 9 pounds, 7 ounces! He was born too big for it! So, this is worsted weight yarn and since both of his parents went to Notre Dame University it seemed appropriate. I'm actually finishing the new BSJ now, but I don't have a photo to share. Soon.
That is my lesson in gauge. I learned it the hard and painful way. Don't be like me.
This is the top-down v-neck sweater I've been working on for my beloved. It was going along great! Then I had a thought, "Hmmmm...." I wondered, "what gauge am I getting on these US6 needles that the pattern calls for?" So, I pulled out my handy-dandy measuring tape and started counting - 5-3/4 stitches to the inch! The problem with this is that gauge for this sweater is 5 stitches to the inch. Shoot! I didn't do a gauge swatch, I hate doing gauge swatches, I figure I'll just magically knit to gauge, and that is... a lot of wishful thinking. So, I grab my US7 needles and knit a gauge swatch and that comes out to 5-1/4 stitches to the inch. Still not gauge, but I didn't think I wanted to jump up to US8, that just seemed crazy and US7 seemed close enough.
You see the yellow line? I put the sweater on my beloved, measured to where it still fit good (just under the arms), marked it, and started threading a life line. Then began the RRRIIIIIIPPPPPPP-ing!
Here it is after I ripped back to the life line. Sigh. That's a lot of work lost that I have begun to start again on my US7 needles. My beloved said to me, "you don't have to rip it out, it will fit somebody". At which point I said, "No! I specifically chose this yarn for you and I specifically chose this pattern for you - it is NOT going to just fit SOMEBODY!" I'm determined to make this work, because it is something special I've been wanting to make for my sweet husband for a long time now.
Also on the needles...
This is the wrong side of a sock cuff - it is a fold-over cuff. We're looking at 5-1/2 inches of cuff. Of course, this is the start of the Rhiannon stockings that I started a bit ago for my sister. I haven't progressed beyond this for a couple of reasons. First, I got stuck and I was awaiting guidance from the fabulous Cookie A. She did respond quickly to my cry for help, thank you Cookie A.! Second, I got distracted by other projects.
Here, I'm attempting to show the right side of the cuff. It is all pretty cables. I'll definitely show more once I have more to show.
This is the project of the Sock Innovation class I took with Cookie A. at Sock Summit. (I know, I'm still behind and haven't even blogged about Sock Summit yet - shame on me!) I am reluctant to call this an original design. What happened is that Cookie A. brought a lot of different stitch dictionaries to the class and had us find something that spoke to us. This was a lace and cable combination that I found in a Japanese stitch dictionary. Then, Cookie A. helped me to modify it so that it would work well for socks. Then, I spent a fair amount of time charting out the pattern and then I finally got to start knitting it. I think it looks great thus far, I need to do some more planning with it to figure out what type of heel design to use, and if I should consider having the pattern continue onto the top of my foot or to modify it in some way. Too be continued...
Here's the yarn I'm using. It was yarn that I had in my stash that I had forgotten about. It is blue faced leister, in the colorway sugar snap. I really like it! I wish I could recall where I got it or from whom.
A couple of my knitting pals, including Arctic Knitter, and I are thinking of doing our own KAL of this:
The Babies and bears Sweater for Grown Ups from Cottage Creek. It is very similar to the Baby Surprise Jacket, but it is a little different in the way it is knit and it is an adult pattern. If is knit in two halves - from the cuff, up the arm in stockinette in the round, then switching to garter stitch knit back and forth. You do this until you get to the half way point. Then you do the other half and kitchner the back stitches together to create a finished sweater. Pretty cool!
I'm going to make mine using these yarns. I got the idea of combining these yarns from this:
This is a swatch I have from a color class I took the first time I attended Madrona. These two colorways look really neat together. At first I bought the yarn with a different idea for a sweater in mind, but the more I think about it the less I like that sweater idea. But, I thought this yarn would still be great for the Babies and Bears for Grown-Ups pattern. So, I'm excited! We haven't set a date yet, but I'll let you know when we do and you can join if you'd like to. It will be fun!
Finally, I have a picture of the swag I picked up at Sock Summit. Not a ton, but enough. I got some really nice yarns. I tried to find yarns I had not heard of before and that wouldn't be easy for me to get elsewhere. And I got a lot of stitch markers, which was fun. The yellow and blue yarns on the right are for a Baby Surprise Jacket for my friend Julie's baby, Killian. I had knit a BSJ for Killian before he was born, but it was with a smaller gauge yarn and then he was born weighing 9 pounds, 7 ounces! He was born too big for it! So, this is worsted weight yarn and since both of his parents went to Notre Dame University it seemed appropriate. I'm actually finishing the new BSJ now, but I don't have a photo to share. Soon.
That is my lesson in gauge. I learned it the hard and painful way. Don't be like me.
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