Weekend Knitting

This past weekend, I did tire of the same sweater pattern, and pulled out my nearly half done Civil War Shawl. I completed several rows, which at around 1400 stitches on the needles, is quite an accomplishment! I'm now only about 6 rows from starting the edging. That point is about half done. I still love it, but it is not a good van pool project as I am needing to look at the chart too often. Maybe I'll pull it out again next weekend. The wool/silk blend yarn I'm using has a beautiful shine to it and I really would like to get the finished before the end of the year. (If you notice on the side bar, it was started almost a year and a half ago. I think this may be my oldest UFO.)

Cables and Os is coming along, nicely, too. It still takes quite some time to finish a row, but I have the pattern memorized, so its not that big of a deal. I had forgotten what it was like to knit a sweater in the round, because I've been knitting them in pieces, lately. It seems to take a long, long time to get to the row where the division happens for the arms, but what a sense of accomplishment! I'm just biding my time right now. :)

Cables and Os

I've working away on my latest project, Cables and Os, from No Sheep for You. Its a lovely pattern and I'm enjoying it immensely. However, when working a complicated, but easily memorized, stitch pattern over 352 stitches, it takes forever!! I knit and knit, but seem to have little to show for it. I'm using Elann's Camila in Sunset Rose, which is lovely but not so stretchy. I machine washed and dried my swatch and the fabric does not (surprisingly) shrink and is softer, but the cables still pop. What an amazing fiber! I'm just plodding away and hope to get near the arm holes, where I'll be working fewer stitches at a time, before I tire of the project and cast on something else. Those that knit with me often laugh at how quickly I move on to something new and at how many, many projects I cast on at once! (Along this note, I have to say that I am laughing right with them, as I can hardly believe it myself!)

Another Great 4 Day Weekend!

This past weekend was very nice. I spent Friday at home doing some cleaning and knitting. I continued working on the "secret" project that was started the previous weekend and am very pleased with it. I also did some much needed cleaning and organizing. It was lovely to have the time to work at a leisurely pace, often flitting about from one thing then went to the post office to mail it to the intended recipient. The post office is near Joann to another. (This meant that I was going between knitting and actual work! :) ) I finished the project on Saturday morning and Fabrics, so I, of course, had to stop there, too! While there, I found some fabric that I loved on sale for 50% off. I bought enough for a skirt, but I didn't have a good pattern for one when I arrived home. (I still washed the fabric, though and intend to buy a pattern this weekend when they have some on sale for $1.99.)

After lunch, I went to meet a friend for knitting and tea at Village Yarn and Tea. We had a very nice time talking and knitting. This afternoon, I finished my Selbuvotter mittens! U After that was done, I went back to starting a cabled cotton sweater for myself from No Sheep For You. The ribbing (twisted rib on 352 stitches) seemed to take forever, but I finished just before bedtime that night.


After knitting group, I made dinner and then headed off to the movies with my husband and some friends from church. We had all been wanting to see the latest Chronicles of Narnia movie and our friends had a coupon for $6 per person. (Compared to the normal price of $9.50, this was quite a deal!) We thoroughly enjoyed the movie. The plot mostly followed the book, but they did add a little. However, even these additions were done very well and think that CS Lewis would probably approve.

Monday was a wonderfully relaxing day. I awoke only an hour or so later than usual, but stayed in bed reading for a couple hours! When I did finally rise, I worked around the house for a little while putting more stuff away and folding laundry. I was overjoyed to have the bedroom, bathroom and hallway cleaned up. It really looks wonderful.










After breakfast, I returned to sewing. On Friday, I had altered a dress pattern that I was thinking of trying to see if my skirt fabric would be enough. Before I began to pin the pieces on the fabric, I found another fabric in my somewhat small stash that I like better for the pattern. I would sew for a while, then knit for a while. Alternating like this meant that I did not tire and sore and achy, like usual. I even finished the dress! It fits so well. Hopefully, I can post some more details on this project later on this week.

I used Simplicity pattern number 3827 view C (sleeveless, short) dress. I made a few alterations: moved arm holes forward a little and the neckline a little higher. Instead of making my own facings I used single fold bias tape in nude. The fabric is a drapey linen/cotton combination that is very cool, but still has some weight to it, so that it is not see-through and will not be easily blown by a light, summer wind.

SP12 Questionare

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I love knitting with yarns that are mostly (if not all) natural fibers. Plant, animal, it doesn't matter. I wear wool sweaters for 3 months out the year and have been known to don a cotton (or other natural fiber like linen) during the summer. I don't like yarns that are mostly acrylic or nylon and also prefer smooth yarns as opposed to mohair or other very fluffy or bumpy yarns

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?I have 2 pouches from Ashland Sky, one for my dpns and the other for my circulars. If you haven't seen these, check it out! I bought mine from Elann.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I have been knitting for about 5 years. A friend taught me how to do a backward loop cast on and the knit stitch. Since then, I've been reading and learning new techniques on my own and now consider myself an advanced knitter. The only project that has ever made me decide not to knit it due to complexity at the beginning was a lace project where the open work was created by yarn overs on both the wrong and right side rows. I dropped a few stitches, which I could not figure out how to pick up again, and I switched to a simpler pattern. I do have plans to try again, but have too many other projects on the needles right now.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? I have a list on Google. There isn't much on it right now, but I will try to remember to add a few more items.

5. What's your favorite scent? I am allergic to most scents, but do like peppermint and lavender. I occasionally use soaps that are scented using essential oils of these two plants.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? No, however, I do like dried fruit as long as it is unsweetened or fruit juice sweetened. I also like nuts (preferable raw.)

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I don't spin, but keep thinking that I would love to try drop spindle. I crochet a little, but mostly only for edgings on knitting. I also enjoy scrapbooking, photography and singing.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I like classical, a little country, and Christian music. I do have the capability to play MP3s.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? I like muted pink, purple, blue, and neutrals. I don't like orange, yellow or very bright colors.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I am married with 2 cats.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? I do wear all of these except ponchos. I often wear a 24"x72" stole that I knit.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? I knit just about anything that catches my eye. I've knit toys (for my nieces, nephews, & cats) sweaters, socks, scarves, hats, mittens, gloves, slippers, & shawls.

13. What are you knitting right now? Right now, I have a crocheted tablecloth, 4 sweaters, 2 socks, a pair of mittens and 3 shawls on the needles.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes, I love them! :)

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I use either bamboo or metal needles. My favorites are Clover and Addi Lace.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Yes, to both.

17. How old is your oldest UFO? 5 years. I started and am about 70% finished with a crochet tablecloth. It was just a couple months after starting this project that I was taught to knit. I've hardly ever looked back! I do love the tablecloth, though, so I do still plan to finish it...Someday...

18. What is your favorite holiday? Not sure. I like any time when the entire family gets together. I have 4 sibling, of which 3 are married. We all live in the same general area of the country (north of Seattle) but don't seem to get everyone together at the same time nearly often enough.

19. Is there anything that you collect? No, unless you count yarn!

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I subscribe to Interweave Knits and have my eye on More Big Girl Knits. There are several sweaters in there that I'd love to start.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? I would like to get better at fairisle. I've made a couple of projects, but am still not very happy with the way that it puckers, sometimes.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? Yes. My foot is 9" long, 8" at the ball of the foot and 9" around the instep. I wear a women's US size 8 shoe.

23. When is your birthday? May 23.

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID? danim