Brenda Knits

Done Thrummin'

2012-01-27T08:41:00.000-05:00

Thrumming is fun! In just a couple of days, I knit this hat.

A warm, wooly, fun hat.

Using some left over Briggs & Little yarn at 18 stitches to four inches and some left over B&L roving, I cast on 112 stitches. In retrospect that was a few too many. 96 would have given me a closer fitting band. The 112 came from some ravelry research where knitters knit their thrummed hats using knitting worsted yarn, at 20 stitches to four inches. I knew my yarn was a bit thicker BUT to increase wind resistance and keep the thrums from getting loose I decided to use smaller-than-normal needles and chose 3.75mm. With that smaller needle, I thought I needed the extra stitches to compensate. Turns out I didn't. The hat won't blow off but could have benefitted from a tighter band.

There are four and a half inches of 2x2 ribbing - enough to fold double over the ears. Three rows of plain knitting follow the ribbing before beginning the thrummed rows. Thrummed rows are
three rows apart. For no particular reason, I chose to offset the thrums. The first off-set row required concentration but after that it was simple to follow the pattern.

Knitting for an average adult, I knit the hat to a depth of five and a half inches from the bottom of the folded ribbing before beginning the decreases. My hats and my socks have decrease rounds in common. I prefer the 'rounded' look. To accomplish this, I decrease every other round until half the stitches have disappeared, then decrease every round. That faster rate of decrease keeps the hat a bit flatter, less pointy, on top.

The hat is fun and warm. Not your 'steppin'-out-in-style' kind of hat - at least south of the Arctic Circle it's not - but practical. Great for a walk on a cold, windy, winter's day. With the added bonus that is it perfect for a great Hallowe'en costume or the Teddy Bear's Picnic.

Thursdays Are For Knit Group

2012-01-26T19:14:00.000-05:00

No snow storm today meant lots of knitters out for fun and laughter. Oh yes - and knitting.

We laughed when Ruth showed off her new sweater.

"I made it to wear when I bowl, because the bowling alley is so cold," said Ruth.
Someone asked - "Oh you bowl? "
"Geriatric bowling," deadpaned Ruth.
Different colours, different stitiches. A great geriatric bowling sweater, I'd say.

Lauren, so happy is she, was full of laughter when showing off her knitting.

"I get it now, I get it now" she said of the top-down, baby cardigan she is knitting. Last week, Lauren was struggling to comprehend this, her first sweater pattern. She kept scaring herself by flipping way far forward in the pattern, epressing disbelief that it would work. Lauren is a great vocalist so I chastised her. "Lauren, if you can read music, you can read that pattern." That was all it took. She did it! We knew you could, Lauren.

Wilma looks pretty happy with her latest sweater. On the needles last Thursday, on Wilma today.

Knit top-down, in Paton's Classic,with a great collar.

Nice addition to the winter wardrobe, Wilma, and the perfect colour for you.

We were all smiling to see 'no-longer-new' Nan, up for a couple of weeks of R&R at their place on the bay.

Great to see you in mid-winter, Nan.

There was especially lots of laughter when I tried on my almost-finished, thrummed hat - needles, hanging yarn and all. I was forced to try it on, because ~~someone~~ Lauren asked " What is it?"

Knit group and laughter - a great antidote to a grey winter's day.

Just Thrummin

2012-01-24T12:00:00.000-05:00

The Knitting Gang, at the LYS where I work on Wednesdays, decided they wanted to learn to do some thrum knitting. ~~Trying to lead by example,~~ never one to be left behind, I decided to knit along with them. Take a look at the beginnings of my thrummed hat.

Using some Briggs &Little yarn and roving from my stash, and my Need A Hat book for stitch count,I just finished my second row of thrums.

There are various ways to create thrums, but I chose to pull - rather than cut - the roving at a longer than necessary length.

Once the hat is knit, I will cut the thrums off evenly leaving them just long enough to fill in the ~~naked~~ un-thrummed rows.

Like the many ways to create thrums, there are also many ways to insert them. I chose the easy method - surprise, surprise. Working with a multiple of four stitches, I knit three stitches with the yarn, then one stitch with the roving. When ready for the roving stitch, by folding the roving in half and laying it on the needle, I simply knit with it rather than the yarn. The yarn crosses behind the roving to get to the next stitch, thereby anchoring it. The disadvantage of this method - so I'm told - is IF the thrum happens to pull out, there is nothing to hold the stitch. It could drop. However knowing wool's propensity to stick to itself, I find it hard to imagine that happening.

You can see, in the upper photo, my four-inch deep ribbing. I wanted it deep enough to fold in half over the ears. My thinking was, if knititng a double-layered hat (a layer of yarn on the right side and a layer of thrum tails on the inside) shouldn't the ears be covered by a double layer as well? I think so.

It has been a long time since I have knit somethng with thrums. It is fun. And while the hat isn't my style, it will be a very wam one for someone. Any grand kids raising their hands?

Addicted To Accessories

2012-01-23T13:26:00.081-05:00

Accessories were never a category of knits that caused me to reach for my needles. But lately, I seem to be addicted to them. With my new winter coat as yet undecorated, I couldn't resist this lovely Cascade Yarn. Called Nikki - just like our Nicki from knit group, if you don't count spelling. And since Nicki is the reason I have a new winter coat - heck - it was meant to be.

You see Nicki has a theory about winter coats. She thinks one should have several. Her theory - and I have decided to stick to it - is that when one leaves the house in the winter months, one rarely removes the coat. Grocery shopping, running errands, taking the dog for a walk. See what she means? Until Nicki enlightened me with her 'many coats theory' a few years back I was a one-winter-coat woman. No More. I am now a coat-a-year girl.

Using my favourite one row pattern from these creative folks but tuning it on it's side, I knit it lengthwise.

220 yards made me about eight feet of a gorgeous, bright, winter-blahs-dashing scarf

- with just a few yards left to decorate the co-ordinating hat. Yep. There will be a hat. Another Felted Bucket Hat coming up. Addicted, I tell you. Addicted. Or maybe just avoiding those
goal- setting goals I set for myself.

Thursdays Are For Knit Group

2012-01-19T20:14:00.000-05:00

Winter arrived.

As I drove to knit group today, I did think "Any sane person would turn around and go home." Insanity being common amongst knitters, I drove on. I did think I might just drop in, say hi, then head for home. But of course the yarn fumes got to me.

Although only 6 of us braved the weather there was knitting, snacks and fun. Gail had a request for a pair of gardening socks. Short-legged gardening socks to be exact. For a friend that can't stand anything on her legs. Grey was the colour choice but Gail is giving them the feminine touch with the pink stripes.

Gail expressed our obsession perfectly when she told how immediately after her friend requested the socks, she was 'just itching' to head out to the yarn store. Been there. Done that.

Sharon is gifting her daughter with a pair of un-felted, felted clogs.

Sharon did the knitting, her daughter can do the felting.

After the slippers, Sharon too cast on for some striped socks.

Like-minded knitters this group.

Wilma showed us the pattern for her latest sweater.

Looks almost finished, Wilma.

At home or at knit group, snow days are great knit days. Who knew knitting was so weather-related?

Off The Board

2012-01-18T09:02:00.000-05:00

Off the blocking board and around my neck, I present my Linen Stitch Scarf.

Wrapped,

Braided

as is the fashion at knit group this year and which Wilma has to demonstrate weekly because none of us but her remembers,

and lastly 'halved and through'

as all the young people do. It is a great addition to my wardrobe. Green because I know what looks good on me but with other colours because I am open to different colours. Really.

The End Of The Never-Ending

2012-01-17T10:55:00.000-05:00

Some fool notion got into my head in December, making me think that knitting a six-foot, Linen Stitch scarf with sock yarn was something I should do. Something fun to knit. Something to fill the time between major projects. Fill the time it did.

Sock yarn is a fine-gauge yarn. It does not knit up fast. Linen stitch is compressed. It does not knit up fast. Linen stitch in sock yarn? Double the snail-ness of the pace.

Fortunately, Denise of Needles & Things gave me a suggestion from a friend of hers. Knit it in the round she said. No nasty purls to slow you down. It was possible to go slower? By the middle of the second row of 500 stitches, trying to Linen Stitch in purl, I knew that I would never knit this scarf and remain sane. Despite having to re-cast-on those 500 stitches, Denise's friend's idea started to hold great appeal. I frogged and started over.

To knit it in the round, I needed a 'steek'. Those 'steek' stitches, unravelled, would form the fringe. I cast on the 500 stitches for the Linen Stitch scarf plus 30 extra stitches for thestockinet stitch 'steek'. You can see the difference in depth of stockinet versus the compressed Linen Stitch

Changing colours at the beginning of each row, I left a long tail. In hind sight, the 30 stitches provided enough of a 'tail' of yarn and I probably didn't need the 'long tail'. No matter. No harm done and not enough wasted to be a bother.

If possible I like to knit a scarf lengthwise. Much less 'to-ing and fro-ing'. The initial cast-on can seem endless, but once started, the thought of only knitting five inches is very motivating. Especially in sock-weight, Linen Stitch.

Last night I cast off and cut up the centre of those 30 stitches.

Six feet in length, using three vareigated and three solid-colour sock yarns, the scarf is lovely - even with a very tangled, unblocked fringe. The thing about Linen Stitch is that it appears to be woven. Without purchasing a costly loom, this is a close as I could get to a woven-look scarf. Of course as my Dad would say " If your time is worth anything...."

Yes, I know, the loom might have been cheaper. But the scarf is finished. I like it. The colours are wonderful and the never-ending-ness will become less a pain and more a great story with each wearing.

My Green Sweater - Renewed

2012-01-16T12:25:00.000-05:00

Almost two years ago now, I knit Elizabeth Zimmermann's Green Sweater. It was my 2010 Olympic project. Interesting construction, especially the sleeves. Knit top down with the decrease line running down the centre - on the top, not under arm side- of the sleeve.

There had always been a bit of a bump - a wing - as the sleeve neared the shoulder seam.

I blocked it away but it came back. Each time I wore the sweater, I would furiously try to hand-press it away, but it always came back.

With that little bump bothering me, I found I wasn't wearing 'Green' very often. What good is a sweater on the shelf? The wing, I was sure could be fixed and this morning, I took the plunge. Pinning out the extra fabric from the inside,

then basting it from the inside confirmed for me that I would like the look better without the wing.

Turning the sweater back to the right side, I worked a mattress stitch seam up the sleeve. Beginning about half way up with a narrow seam, widening the seam as I approached the shoulder, then decreasing it sharply again in the last inch or so before the shoulder seam. What a difference.

No more 'wings'. Of course I'd rather spend my knitting time on 'new' knits. But sometimes re-newed works too. De-winged, 'Green' now has a date with the ladies for lunch tomorrow.

Thursdays Are For Knit Group.

2012-01-12T19:30:00.000-05:00

Not the first 2012 knit group - but my first. With my runny nose at bay, I couldn't wait to see everyone and get caught up on their news and knitting.

Sharon's daughter gave her some wonderful Fleece Artist at Christmas and over the holidays, she whipped up a Shalom. Look what happens when a knitter pairs a great pattern with wonderful yarn.

It is delightful, Sharon.

Gloria is somewhere warm and sunny for the rest of the winter. But just because she isn't here, Gloria, doesn't mean we aren't thinking of her. Gail made several hats over the holidays and this one - destined for a grand daughter - is striped with the mohair that she snatched from Gloria's great, yarn give-away.

Nothing is ever wasted with this group.

Lauren arrived today with the beginnings of a baby sweater.

Top down from the Need A Baby Cardigan book, it is Lauren's first. She is at that 'why is this written in a foreign language' stage. Don't worry, Lauren, it gets easier.

Doreen (Look at those knitter's hands flying) showed off the lovely scarf that Marlene - one of our group we don't see often, now that she works Thursday afternoons - knit her for Christmas.

It is soft and drapey and beautiful colours.

Ruth, with her great sense of fun, asked me if I would like her to model the hats she knit for her grand sons to wear under their ski-do helmets.

Great hats, Ruth - attractive on either sex, apparently. Using a 2 x 2 rib, knit 5 inches to keep the neck warm. Cast off 16 for the mouth opening, knit 13 rows, then cast on 20 and carry on.

Great fun and great projects. I noticed my cold symptoms were much lessened while at knit group. Yarn will do that to you.

A Mini Goal

2012-01-10T14:41:00.000-05:00

Along with my goal- setting thoughts, this yarn has lately been on my mind.

Purchased a few years back, it has been patiently waiting on my shelf.

There was love at first sight when I spotted this yarn. A colour that others might call bilious or even puky, I loved. The olive greeness of it, I saw as delightful and mine. A by-the-bag-only sale, meant that despite not having a plan, design or goal I was 'forced' to purchase a ten-ball bag. It has been percolating in the back of my mind since then.

Last year, I almost decided what to do with it. When Sally Melville's book Cool Gifts, Warm Knits came out, this pattern caught my eye .

In either vest or sweater form, I thought it perfect. It did require ball #11 - but what the heck -
'in for a penny, in for a pound'. This wonderful shade of Twilley's Freedom co-ordinated perfectly.

All 11 balls have since been resting quietly in a zippered bag.

But lately,I've been thinking that maybe Sally's sweater/vest isn't for me. That large-ish cowl could overwhelm a short, petite person. And it ends up inside out - a look I don't like at all. And then there is Sally's signature, set-in sleeves. Set-in sleeves that aren't really. With shoulder seams that sag below the shoulder bump. Not something I like.

Then!!! Over Christmas I saw this, Tricosa's Yes a sweatrrrrrrr. I loved it. The creativity. The originality. The surprise of contrast. I think I have my design. Not a year-long goal but a start. A mini goal. Do I finish the forever linen stitich scarf or dive into my bag of olive green. That is my next decision.

About Goals And Computers

2012-01-09T12:24:00.000-05:00

2012 is already 9 days old and I have yet to set knitting goals for the year. Knitting goal-free is fine. Many knitters do that. But ever since 2010, my very goal-intense year with Elizabeth Zimmermann, I got to know the real me. I am a knitter who does better with goals.

I stay more focused, learn more and grow more as a knitter. Dorky, I know, but I like that.

But this year, no goals have come into focus. There are a few goal-like thoughts running through my mind: Learning more about machine knitting, learning more about top-down construction, in particular learning more about designing top down, studying the fit-to flatter series and designing more of my own knits.

Way too many ideas for one year. Maybe the get-started step would be to set a goal of setting the goal.
In the meantime, post Fred's red-wool sweater, I have taken up my Linen stitch scarf again.

Knit with sock yarn, it is the slowest-ever scarf. There are probably about two weeks of knitting into this scarf already. Including last night's 6 rows, I have still less than three inches. How pathetic is that?

Interfering with my knitting as well as my goal-setting thoughts is my struggle to get used to a new computer. A few of you have emailed to tell me about troubles accessing links in the sidebar of my blog. I have been told that re-installation on the new system is a good idea to make them easier to access and I am in the process of doing that. But in the meantime, if you read my blog using blogspot dot com, try reading it using www.brendaknits.ca It should make accessing links better. At least, it worked for some.

Hopefully soon, the goals will be set, the linen stitch scarf finished and my new computer a comfortable fit. In the meantime - where can I get a good computer guru?

January 6th - This Hubby's Christmas

2012-01-06T13:55:00.001-05:00

Knitters Christmas and look what was finished on time! Fred's specially-requested, red, wool, sweater.

Seen here inside out and on the blocking board.

I am a steam blocker and to prevent the heat from discolouring the yarn, I always block inside out. Pin out to size, then hover the steam iron over the garment until the heat and steam set the stitches.

This photo I snapped as Fred began to put it on.

Followed by his very ~~natural~~ er, stiff pose.

It fits, he likes it, it looks good and I'm happy. There are no buttons on it yet, and Fred seems to think that means he can't wear it. Hah! He turned down my offer of a shawl pin.

Specs.

Yarn: Ella Rae. 100% wool. I purchased 8 balls of the wine colour and one white. According to Ann Budd's yardage chart, in this weight of yarn, a 48 inch sweater requires 1800 yards. With 200 yards per ball but only eight of the wine coloured balls on the shelf, the white was meant to make up the difference. My thoughts were a white band on the upper chest. As you can see, that didn't happen. I used 6 balls of the wine coloured yarn and a bit of stash grey for some interest.

Needles: 4.5 mm and 4.00mm for the button bands. Knit Picks Zephyr.

Pattern: Personal. Based on Elizabeth Zimmermann's percentage system. I used a sweater from Fred's wardrobe as a template, measuring it and casting on enough stitches in the gauge of 20 stitches over four inches to give me the 48 inch finished chest. Did I do a gauge swatch? Does a gauge sleeve count?

Method: The sweater was knit in the round in a pattern of K9, P1. The purl stitch was inserted to give both the sweater and the knitter some interest. Once the sleeves were joined to the body, I knit about one and a half inches to give some freedom under the arms before beginning the raglan decreases. At the same time as the raglan decreases were begun, I also started the 'V' neck decreases - but at half the speed. Raglan lines were decreased every other round, the neck every fourth round. When the sleeves had five percent of total stitches left, I worked back and forth on the sleeves and back only. Elizabeth's method to raise the back neck -works perfectly every time.

Steek: This centre-front steek, I crocheted. My first-ever crocheted steek, was on my
'Lloie's Anniversary Cardigan'. Another EZ pattern. While slower to do than racing up the centre front with a sewing machine set on zig zag, it gives a beautifully and totally finished edge. No need to tack down yarn ends on the inside of the sweater. The crochet was done in a finer yarn - in this case, grey sock yarn.

It was an easy, quick sweater to knit and if there had been no seasonal hullabaloo would most likely have been finished inside of three weeks.

Now to think about 2012 knitting.

Thursdays Are For Knit Group.

2012-01-05T17:51:00.000-05:00

Well, at least Thursdays are supposed to be for knit group. But today, my very leaky nose and runny eyes kept me home.

So while the rest of the gang knit and chatted, I sat and blew and wiped.

I promise to have pictures of them all with their new year's knitting, next week.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like ...

2012-01-04T10:09:00.016-05:00

A red, wool, hand-knit sweater topped Fred's wish list this Christmas. Although he didn't actually specify, I am pretty sure he meant finished, red,wool, hand-knit sweater. Sorry, Fred.

I tried for the Christmas deadline, but with other prep being more pressing, not all that hard, actually. Following the 25th, I flirted briefly with a December 31 finish date. A day with benefits for both of us. Fred would start 2012 with a new sweater and I would start the year with my first finished sweater. Not surprisingly, that goal disappeared with the leftover turkey.

My knitting buddies and blog readers all said January 6th would do. One even authoritatively said that the date is known in knitting circles as Knitters Christmas. Good enough for me, January 6th became my new goal and I think I will make it.

Monday night I steeked, using crocheted, rather than sewn edges. Yesterday, I ribbed the bands. Today? Well, I might re-do the bands. Another row between buttonholes and cast-off would look better I think. Then it's grafting the underarms, weaving in ends and crossing the finish line.

Looks good - very guyish. IMHO.

Happy New Year

2012-01-02T10:41:00.000-05:00

A few weeks before the stockings were hung and visions of sugar plums danced, I received an email from the qivuit blog, telling me I was their December winner of a ~~pot of gold~~ some Qiviut yarn.

The email was most nondescript and fearing an open invitation to a virus, I almost didn't double click. But the word Qiviut gave me courage. Then the message announcing me as winner made me suspicious. Me? Winner of nothing ever? Had I entered a contest? In the bustle that is December, I couldn't remember. But it sounded like something I would do - enter a contest to win some Qivuit. What knitter wouldn't? And just how dangerous could an email be with the word Qiviut in the header? How vulnerable could I be by simply giving these folks my post office box number? Those hours of indecision took a nano second. Before you could say Rudolph, they had my address and I eagerly anticipated holding my very own Qiviut.

I am not totally unaware of the glory that is Qiviut. Several year ago, in the Jacques Cartier store in Banff, I drooled, ogled and fondled the yarn until I was sure the staff were ready to call someone. Police, loony bin. I really wanted some of that yarn. But the price tag of $65 for a 25 G ball back when most yarn was priced still in the single digits, gave me pause. Wondering what it might be like to have money. I did buy a Wool/Qiviut blend at half the price.

Thanks to the generous folks at theqiviutblogspot I am now a rich in Qiviut. 66 grams of 100% Qiviut. 50 grams and 470 yards of the most soft, rich brown and 16 grams of off white.

Ask me how merry that made my Christmas. Sugar plums? Hah! My visions are of a wonderful. lacey, warm, cozy, scarf/shawlette.

A Special Day

2011-12-23T11:20:00.000-05:00

Today is our 45th Anniversary.

Married young - a child bride has always been my story and I stick to it - to a good man

and being the fortunate recipients of many blessings

gives us the opportunity to celebrate this wedded longevity. Even more extraordinary is that we still speak to each other - even when dining out - and still enjoy each other's company.

While I am off tarting myself up for a special night on the town, I thank you all for your attention to my blog in 2011 and wish you all many, many hours of happy knitting in 2012.

I'll be back blog writing in the new year. Merry Christmas, everyone.

From Our Knit Group To Yours

2011-12-22T19:41:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas from the Meaford Knitters.

Wishing you 'happy knitting' from our knit group to yours.

I'm No Mathemetician

2011-12-20T11:16:00.000-05:00

It is a good thing that I can knit, because I sure can't do math. Here's the problem.

If two sleeves equal one-third of the knitting and the body equals two-thirds of the knitting, how much knitting has been completed when two sleeves are fully complete,

but only one third of the body (that is one-third of the two-thirds) is complete?

See what I mean? Who can figure that out? I am no Einstein, but I think that I might be about half-way to the finish line. Before blocking and buttons that is.

What I do know is that there is more to be done. And five days to go.

This Time Of Year

2011-12-19T10:15:00.000-05:00

This time of year, it is not unusual to have delivery men ring the doorbell. Couriers delivering my online purchases or neighbours bringing Christmas cookies and wishes.

Friday, when the doorbell rang, I was excited, thinking it might be the delivery of Number 2 son's 'promised-but-still-not-here-yet' gift.

The delivery was of another sort.

Fred, with a five pound Rainbow Trout. This delivery man had his picture taken, received a kiss and was invited to dinner.Not every delivery person is treated so well - even at this time of year.

The One Third Mark

2011-12-16T10:46:00.000-05:00

Still in a math mode, I am one third done the Christmas sweater. I think. I hope. In my math world, two sleeves equals one third of the sweater. With the first third taking one week, I'm looking at a three-week sweater - which makes a late Christmas gift. Unless of course I look to January 6th.

Lyn S tells me that January 6th is the feast of the Three Kings - Tres Reyes - in the Spanish world while Denise of Needles & Pins says it is the Ukrainian Christmas. Both occasions for gift giving, I'm sure, so my options are still open. Commenter Nan said it is called Epiphany and it surely will be an eye opener for me if I can finish a sweater in two weeks. Laurie M cautioned me that if not finished on time, Fred will get bit by the Yule Cat. Marie, however, tells me that January 6th is Knitters Christmas and that's the story I have decided to stick to.

As proof positive, here they are.

Unblocked and looking small to me. But they have been tried on numerous times and 'Mikey likes them'. If he likes them, I like them.

On now to the body, knit in the round, with none of those pesky purls to slow me down. Will I 'get my groove' or slow down? Only a knitter has wrist and shoulder issues to affect her math.

Thursdays Are For Knit Group

2011-12-15T19:35:00.000-05:00

The only thing better than an afternoon of knitting is an afternoon of knitting preceded by lunch in Meaford's newest restuarant. A great way to celebrate the season. Can you see who joined us, fresh from Florida?

That would be Sandy B. With lots of knitting to show off.

You are looking at little poncho/capelet items (I thought they were mini skirts. Another option. Just sayin') with matching ruffled scarves - and as if that wasn't enough, matching 'Coach' bags. One for each daughter and DIL. Great gifts Sandy. Would you be my Mom?

Gail looks quite studious here,

showing off the cutest-ever baby hat. Knit bottom up and finished with two colour I cord.

Speaking of baby outfits, Doreen is almost finished the top-down baby sweater started at Knitfest. That was October but Big Red delayed her for weeks.

Nell has been busy making more gifts for her lucky, lucky friends. venge

Wilma feels better this week having finished the blue, silk shawlette. The larger needles worked, giving the piece perfect size and drape. The red one - just barely seen here on her lap - is almost off the needles. With ten days to spare, who wouldn't feel good about that?

Equal opportunity or revenge, I'm not sure, but Wilma asked to use my camera. Next thing I knew, I was being told there are never any pictures of me so today was my day. Tanya is home from the NWT and here you see me explaining the knitted cast on.

followed by some bit of hilarity

and finally, the teacher doing the work while the student watches.

She's a smooth talker, that Tanya.

Good food. Good fun. Great afternoon.

Math For Knitters

2011-12-12T10:26:00.001-05:00

Having set myself the goal of knitting Fred a sweater before December 25th, I thought it a good idea to consult an expert to see whether or not my goal was at all possible.

My favourite expert is Elizabeth Zimmermann. In her Knitter's Almanac she knits an entire adult sweater between December 1 and December 16.

Presuming she counted both the first and the 16th, she knit for 16 days. Exactly the number of days available to knit Fred's sweater. No extra math calculation needed there.

But Elizabeth's sweater was knit at a gauge of 10 stitches over 4 inches. Mine is 20. By my knitters math, that will double my time. 32 days. Hmmm - not good.

Reading further, Elizabeth states she knit on the sweater for 30 minutes per day. If I double the time not the days and knit for 60 minutes per day, I should be back on track for the 16 day sweater.

However!! Elizabeth knit a 46 inch sweater. I am knitting a 48 inch sweater. Using my calculator here because this is a high level of math for this knitter, I ask my self "How much extra knitting time does that two inches require.?"

The two inches - again by Brenda's math which is often not perfect - amounts to 4.347% more knitting. If I calculate that in terms of days I would need to knit for 16 . 695 days. In real terms I think that means knit all night Christmas Eve. Not going to happen.

Recalculate. Multiply that 4.347% times the minutes per day, to find out if I will be able to eat or sleep. BUT - do I multiply by Elizabeth's 30 minutes or my 60 minutes. I think the 30 might be wishful thinking - a pre-Christmas prerogative, but still. Better to multiply 4.347% times 60. 62 . 608 minutes per day.

And to that I say HAH!!!

I started Thursday evening and by Sunday evening had this finished.

By my calculations - one sixth of the sweater. Four evenings equals one sixth. That is, by my count, 24 evenings. What do they call that Christmas that comes on January 6th?

While Visions Of Sugarplums . . .

2011-12-09T11:36:00.019-05:00

It is not sugarplums that I am envisioning, but this.

A few days ago, pestering Fred yet again to give me some idea - any idea - of what he might like for Christmas, he said
"Well, I wouldn't mind a hand-knit sweater. A really warm one to wear around the house."

He went on to explain more, but I didn't hear, because I was out the door and on my way to the LYS. Not quite, but close. What he said was music to this knitters ears and I knew exactly what yarn to buy.

" I want a wool one. I do have that blue one, but it isn't very warm. It must be acrylic." And you think they don't listen!

Alpaca, reportedly seven times warmer than wool, was my first choice but someone beat me to the Alpaca bin. There was not enough of any one (or two) colours to make the sweater of my vision. So wool it was. Ella Rae Classic in maroon and white.

The vision is raglan sleeves, deep 'V' neck, buttons and a bit of an all-over rib design. Perhaps, 9 X 1. Enough to give it some interest but not enough to slow me down.

15 days of knitting time. Perhaps the wiser vision would be a wrapped bag of yarn under the tree. Never the wise one, the Christmas Day headlines will probably read 'Crazed Knitter Refuses To Put Down Needles To Cook Turkey.'

Thursdays Are For Knit Group

2011-12-08T19:04:00.000-05:00

How much red yarn can one group use? How much mad-rush knitting can one group do? If you know for sure when the needles absolutely must stop clicking before the 'big day' then you will have the answers. In the mean time, these knitters will keep on knitting.

Nell just happened to have yarn in her stash the exact same colour as her new coat. Who could resist knitting a hat to match when the yarn is already in the stash? Ruth said a friend knit her hat. But don't they make a cute pair in their hand-knit hats?

What is that in front of Sharon?

The cutest ever baby slippers.

Cuffs, knitted onto purchased soles. Re-defining cute!

Having finished those, Sharon is knitting a pair of 'Newfie' mitts.

With lovely, variegated yarn for inside the honeycomb, they are soft and warm.

Bonnie is knitting socks.

Thick, warm socks knit with heavy yarn on 44 stitches. A sock a days she says. How many pairs is that before your needles take a Christmas break, Bonnie? They are so close in colour to Sharon's mittens as to be a 'set'. Maybe one of you will share. Christmas spirit and all.

Wilma had the good news, bad news of the day. The red shawl, one of the two silk shawls she planned to knit for her daughters for Christmas is finished.

And too small. Using a larger needle she has started shawl number two - the blue shawl

and plans to re-knit the red one. That probably means that you will be working the same shift as Santa, Wilma.

By the industrious group around our table today and with 17 days of knitting time still available, it would seem there will be some very lucky recipients of hand-knit gifts this Christmas.

A Ladies Afternoon

2011-12-06T11:26:00.018-05:00

-Not every day, but every once in a while, I love to host a ladies social event more reminiscent of another era than of today's casual entertaining style.

Yesterday was my chance. I had offered my home to host the December meeting of the horribly-named Stitch & Bitch group.

I decorated my table,

baked some Christmas goodies,

washed the delicate tea cups and unearthed my Santa tea pot.

With only five ladies coming, it was a very manageable number. No extra chairs to set out and everyone able to gather round the table. With this group, I know exactly when the guests will arrive and there is never the need to stifle a yawn or surreptitiously glance at a watch, because I know within ten minutes when they will depart. That's my kind of party.

Entertainment was, of course, knitting.

There was laughter, food and fibre-y inspiration. All to the background of Christmas music. A perfect ladies afternoon.

Cowichan Corrected

2011-12-05T10:09:00.000-05:00

This warm, 'Oh-so-Canadian' Cowichan sweater arrived at the store a couple of weeks ago.

Much cherished by it's owner, it nonetheless ~~has~~ had   a couple of flaws she hoped I could correct.

By it's slightly matted, fuzzy appearance, it would appear the sweater was improperly laundered at one time in it's past. Lucky for the current owner, as that probably explains why she was able to purchase it cheaply at a second-hand store in Nanaimo B.C - the heart of Cowichan country. For this owner, the sleeves were a bit short and she wanted pockets.    Could I do that?    I thought I could.

It was decided to insert storm cuffs rather than lengthen the actual sleeve. To lengthen the sleeve itself, would require cutting   above the cuff and knitting the sleeve down. Not that difficult, but throw   matching three different colours plus matching gauge into the repair and I thought it a process more likely to look 'corrected' than original. A storm cuff seemed a better idea. They were easily accomplished by picking up stitches on the inside of the sleeve and ribbing down for a few inches.

Looks great. The yarn used here was a double strand of Eco Wool. Not a perfect match but darn close.

The pocket was a little more complicated. So as not to disturb the front pattern and because I could match the white yarn perfectly with Briggs & Little Roving, I cut the sweater just below a white band, picked up those stitches and ribbed up for an inch to create pocket trim directly in line with the white band of the sweater.

On the inside I picked up the upper stitches and knit down, again using a double strand of the Eco Wool, to create a pocket lining which I tacked to the inside of the sweater.

Barely noticeable which pleases me immensely.

One would think they were part of the original design.

My arm has been sorely stretched by my own ~~'atta boy'~~ 'atta knitter' pats on the back. I am happy with the results. I feel certain the customer will be too. The only decision left is what to charge her for the repairs.

Too Busy Baking To Blog

2011-12-02T16:39:00.000-05:00

Life in a small town is all about the food.

See here my contribution to a few upcoming community events. This week's after Church snack, a funeral lunch, veteran's Christmas boxes, the ladies group I'm hosting next week, and hopefully a bit left over for my own Christmas.

The kitchen still has 'mega mess' written in flour on the counter top and as is all too often my custom, I'm ending my marathon day in the kitchen by cleaning the oven. If it isn't my cup, it's my pie.

Fred, bless his heart, took one look at the kitchen and suggested we eat out. He read my mind.

Thursdays Are For Knit Group

2011-12-01T18:12:00.000-05:00

It would seem to me that once burned, twice shy. But not Doreen. She has agreed to knit another project for another friend and this one too is driving her crazy.

Pom pom yarn - that's what I'm calling it, I don't know the official name - that is beyond difficult to work with.

Pulling each pom pom through is a chore in itself, but ripping out? Impossible. Ask me how I know. Ask Nicki how she knows. Better yet, ask Doreen. We have decided that a little therapy would go a long way to solving your 'S' word issues, Doreen.

Nicki has finished baby sweater #2, from Knitfest.

Top Down, no sew from Need A Baby Cardigan? Is there 'Gramma-wanna-be' thinking behind these baby sweaters, Nicki?

Past the baby stage, Wilma's little grand daughters love barbie dolls. So what would a good Grandma knit for Christmas gifts? Barbie fashions of course.

Is it just me, or is Barbie more sophisticated than she used to be? Look at that hair!

Our Koigu queen was wearing a Koigu sweater.

Normally her style leans towards wraps and shawls. We don't often see Ingrid in a sweater. This one is beautiful - of course - and in particular the edging caught my eye.

Crocheted, fast and easy said Ingrid with built-in buttonholes. I think I'd like a lesson on that one.

Another great Thursday afternoon. A keenly-anticipated, weekly time-out as we enter the hectic season.

Off To A Better Start

2011-11-30T08:46:00.000-05:00

My fingers are glad to be back in familiar territory. This Linen scarf is being knit, not crocheted.

Still not much to show, but off to a better start than the torquing, crocheted scarf. And thanks to
Needles & Pins who left a great tip in my comments - and if it works for me, I will explain once the scarf is finished - it's knitting up faster and easier than expected.

There was no post yesterday as I was off to Toronto to meet up with son Peter in the morning, then Sel&Poivre for the afternoon shift at the One Of A Kind show. I practised great restraint coming home with just a single item. There have been years when I felt I should stop in for some consumer debt counselling on my way home from the OOAK show. But yesterday all I brought home with me was a Linen tea towel.

A lovely piece, woven by a fellow originally from France but living now in Montreal.

After a day of shopping and hours of driving in relentless rain, the Linen Stitch was the perfect evening companion. How do non-knitters cope?

Toss The Crochet

2011-11-28T12:36:00.000-05:00

Looking at my crocheted, left-torquing scarf, I agree with Denise of Needles and Things. She commented that she sees Linen Stitch. And so do I.

In fact, when I first spotted the scarf at the KW Knitters Fair, I saw the crocheted facsimile of Linen Stitch. Knowing that crochet works up much faster than knitting I purchased the pattern. Hah! The best laid plans ...

The pattern has now been relegated to the garbage and this pattern downloaded from ravelry. Attempt number two coming up.

One Winner, One Disappointment

2011-11-25T11:40:00.001-05:00

A repeat post of sorts, I know, but my first-ever, lace scarf, knit from Patti-Ann's hand-spun, deserves a modelled shot --

or two.

Fred and I are off to visit my sister and BIL for the weekend. To this knitter, any excuse would do, but the visit is a perfect opportunity to arrange the soft, delicate lusciousness that is the scarf on the blank canvas of my white shirt and show it off. It looks, feels and makes me feel wonderful- especially since I found a necklace of similar colour in my drawer. So chic.

As wonderful as this scarf is, my next one, is a disappointment.

It is crocheted and part of the problem is my rusty crochet skills. The pattern, picked up at the KW Knitters Fair leaves a bit to be desired. It calls for a 'split' single crochet which gives it a look similar to that of a slipped-stitch pattern in knitting. Having read, re-read and re-read the directions for a split single crochet, I am almost certain that I am doing it correctly, but the entire scarf is torquing to the left. Perhaps the display scarf had been artfully arranged to disguise the torque because I sure didn't see it.

Add to that disappointing result, my poor colour choices

and a 'rip' is in order. The colours that looked so good together in ball form are not looking so great in crocheted form. A double reason for a rip. But before I rip, I'll let it sit to see if it improves over the weekend. It could happen, right?

In the meantime, I intend to have a great weekend and hope you do as well.

Thursdays Are For Knit Group

2011-11-24T17:33:00.000-05:00

Knitters know a good knit when they see one. Well, I can't speak for all knitters, but Meaford knitters recognize that 'special' pattern. Today's wardrobe choices proved that for sure.

Gail, arrived first, wearing her Sit Com Chic cardi.

This cardi is a great knit. Easy to knit , a good fit and just enough detail to kick it up a notch beyond the plain raglan. I've knit one. Gail has knit two, this green one in Baby Bamboo. Lovely, soft and drapey.

Then Wilma arrived wearing her Sit Com Chic. A 'twin ' photo-op was just too irresistible.

From sweaters to scarves. Sharon came in wearing her lovely Noro, Entrelac scarf. Such wonderful colours in that Noro.

She is also modelling for you, the Alpaca mittlets, I knit. Sharon picked them up on one of my
'giveaways' and wears them often she claims.

Next to arrive was Nicki - and what was she wearing? Her Noro sock yarn, Entrelac scarf. Another twin photo op.

Nicki isn't fond of having her picture taken and this one came with the added blurb - "That's for you, Mom." Mom being blog-reading, Vera on Vancouver Island.

Surprising everyone today, was Ingrid. She had been helping a loved one move to Victoria and wasn't expected home until closer to Christmas. What was she wearing? What else - but a lovely Koigu shawl. Welcome Home, Ingrid.

It is so nice to see knitters wearing their creations. But when one knits with lovely yarn like Bamboo, Koigu and Noro, who could resist wearing them?

One Thing Leads To Another

2011-11-23T08:50:00.000-05:00

My good friend Patti-Ann is a wonderful knitter. But last year she lost - what she calls - her 'mojo'.

What's a knitter to do when she loses her 'mojo'?   Many, I think, do as Patti-Ann did. She took up spinning. Only dreaming about it at first until her husband bought her a wheel.   Now she is both a wonderful knitter and a wonderful spinner.

And lucky me. She gave me the special gift of one of her first 'perfect' efforts.   100 grams of   hand-spun in a wool-silk blend and the most wonderful shade of fresh, delicate green. Perfect for a scarf.

To me, the yarn said things like - delicate, lacey, precious. None of which ~~normally~~ ever describes the things I knit. But the yarn deserved it and so I searched for the perfect pattern that wouldn't suffer too much from my clumsy attempt at anything delicate, lacey or precious. I chose My First Lace Scarf from Sally Melvilles book Warm Knits, Cool Gifts.

Not a lace knitter by a long shot, I figured I could probably handle a pattern called 'my first' anything. And Sally's pattern was wonderful. Easy to memorize despite it's eight-row repeat, and easy to 'see'. A must for me.

Started in the midst of the tedium of the teeny, tiny knitting of Ombre, I now have almost six feet of gorgeous, soft, lacey, precious, delicate green wonderfulness to wrap around my neck.

It is beautiful - even in it's un-blocked state. Thanks, Patti-Ann.

The Need For Speed

2011-11-21T10:47:00.000-05:00

After two months of knitting teeny, tiny yarn, I certainly felt the 'need for speed'. Translate that into knitting terms and read - chunky yarn, simple pattern, simple garment.

With those thoughts in mind, look what ended up in my shopping bag.

James Brett Marble, chunky, ACRYLIC!!!   I can't believe I did that. And in blues and purples. My friend Nicki who frequently challenges me to wear something other than my normal colours of browns, greens, oranges and beiges, thought I had finally taken her advice. Sorry, Nicki, this is for the gift exchange at the family Christmas.

At the 20th Anniversary celebrations at London Yarns, I spotted the scarf on display.    Perhaps it was the orange, greens and browns of their yarn choice that caught my eye, but I loved it.

"Is there a pattern?" I asked.   Janet's talented staff like to do a bit of designing on the side. The pattern they handed me was designed by Cathy

and contains 14!!! one-row scarf patterns. Holy Doodle!! 14 for the price of one.

"Why 14?" I asked Cathy, thinking that five would have been enough to make the pattern sell like hotcakes.

"I burnt out," she said. No kidding. 14 patterns, with separate instructions and yardage requirements to knit each in either DK, KW or Chunky weight yarn - heck that was 42 samples she had to knit. Burnt out indeed!

Acrylic or not, it fit my post-Ombre, need for speed. Started Thursday at knit group and finished Sunday evening, I have a 75 x 8 inch scarf in beautiful colours, that no one can complain 'itches'.

My dilemma now is whether to block or not. The stitches need the bit of separation that a good blocking would give. Since steam blocking is my preferred blocking method, I will have to be careful that the ~~plastic~~ acrylic stitches don't melt. I don't want my need for speed to go unsatisfied.

Ombre At Last

2011-11-18T14:05:00.001-05:00

Need I say more? Probably.

Pattern - Ombre by Tanis of Tanis Fiber Arts.
Needles - 4mm
Yarn- Two skeins of Centolavaggi Lace Weight held double throughout. Two strands of the light colour at the top, one strand of each colour in the middle and two strands of the dark colour at the bottom.
I purchased the yarn on sale at KW Knitters Fair for $10 a skein, so a very reasonable sweater.

The folding seed stitch border has been blocked into submission. (You can still see the blocking pin indentations along the border) The fit is lovely. I hate sweaters that are loosey goosey under the arms - I've got enough loosey goosey things happening under my arms, I don't need sweaters like that too - but this one fits closely. I like it. The only modification I made was to do a few increases as I approached the hip area to ensure the sweater and I were the same shape.

Weighing only 140g, this is certainly a light-weight sweater.

Good in many ways, but I'm wondering how warm it will be. Winter will tell. If I were to knit it a second time, I might use lace-weight Mohair for one of the yarns, to increase the warmth factor.

Taking nearly two months to complete, the knitting of Ombre seemed slow. It wasn't so much the teeny, tiny yarn but more the two strands at once. The two, light strands weren't bad. The one strand of each colour wasn't bad either. But the two strands of the dark yarn on the lower third was frustrating. Whether it was the darker colour, or end-of-project fatigue I'm not sure. But many times, I caught only one strand and so frequently found myself having to drop down stitches to grab the second strand.

Frustration behind me now, I love it. The fit, the graduating colours and the style. Tanis of course has her Ombre buttoned top to bottom. But Tanis weighs what I did 40 years ago. I did knit buttonholes but they are so small as to not be noticeable and my intentions are to wear Ombre a few times before deciding if I want buttons.

This is a very happy start to my weekend. I hope all your knitting goes well this weekend.

ETA - I forgot about a major modification until I looked up other Ombres on ravelry. I eliminated the ribbed bottom, substituting it for a seed stitch border to match the button bands. Much better for my non-Tanis-type bottom.

Thursdays Are For Knit Group

2011-11-17T20:22:00.000-05:00

It was baby-sweater day at knit group today. Wilma, back from her trip out west, brought in her finished baby sweater - the one started at Knitfest.

Creative knitter that she is, she added her own stitch pattern to the bottom edge. Very cute, Wilma.

Sharon has finished one baby sweater and is knitting a second one.

This big smile came as a result of us teasing Sharon about blending into the green wall with her green sweater.

Nell, along with more baby booties, has been busy making Christmas gifts for friends. Little hand-crafted boxes and inside them, sun catchers to brighten a kitchen window.

Gail, knows a bargain when she sees one. Although she is a great hat knitter, she couldn't resist purchasing this one at the Church Bazaar for $2!

Speaking of Church bazaars, I know you are all wondering what happened when Doreen presented her friend with the finished red sweater - Big Red as I called it. Frustrating is a mild word to describe the difficulties Doreen had with that sweater. Picking up in the middle of some one else's knitting is not easy and it took weeks of Doreen's knitting time to finish it .

Turns out the friend asked Doreen to finish the sweater on her behalf, to make sure it got done in time to be donated to the Church bazaar. It sold for $20. Doreen's question was - "They value the art of quilting enough to put a big price tag on the quilts, why not the knitting?" Why not indeed!

Ready To Block

2011-11-16T08:59:00.000-05:00

Ready to block is not quite as good as ready to wear, but close. The end is in sight.

While it looks great, seems to fit, is lightweight and will, I think, be easy to wear, the severely-folding, seed stitch borders are causing me worry.

Here's hoping a firm blocking will cure that. I did read, just yesterday, that one secret to preventing folding seed stitch borders is to knit the seed stitch in little pyramids, or triangles. Perhaps two or three solid rows of seed stitch, then seed stitch interspersed with stockinet with the final result being that the seed stitch forms a triangle. Apparently this prevents the 'folding' but a tip too late for Ombre, so I holding out for the blocking.

Details will come after blocking, along with modelled shots.

Not Yet

2011-11-14T10:12:00.001-05:00

Friday, I was sure my Ombre would be finished by Saturday. Saturday I thought I would finish it Sunday.

And Sunday?? Well, enought to say 'not yet'.

This little sweater has been on the needles for close to two months! Way too long for my attention span! Teeny, tiny yarn held double and it is taking me forever. I recall bloggers using the term - 'marooned on sleeve island'. Exactly where I am! At times like these, I am thankful my parents were not big people.

The sleeves keep shrinking. Truly. This is a top-down sweater and, as advised by all and sundry to do with top-down construction, I have been trying it on. Several 'try-ons' ago the first sleeve was the perfect length.   I cast off. Then it shrank.

By the time I noticed the shrinkage, sleeve number two was underway. Forewarned, I knit the second sleeve for an additional two inches - trying it on to make sure that extra length gave me what I wanted. It did. Perfect.   I cast off and ripped back sleeve number one to lengthen it.

This morning, after taking photos of the 'not yet' state of the sweater, I tried it on once more. Dang. The finished sleeve   shrunk. It could use another two inches still.

The 'not yet' description is the mild one I chose. The other was, in some circles, perhaps printable - but not on a knitting blog.

Remembrance Day 2011

2011-11-11T09:02:00.000-05:00

Last night I attended 'Women and War' at Meaford Hall, where four women spoke of their war and/or military experiences.

The first to speak was a young female soldier who served for seven months in Afghanistan in 2010. Her heart-warming stories of the young children and the women of the villages revealed to us a softer side of the military.

Next , was the story of a young woman who along with her husband, were among the many families forced from their land in 1942 to make way for the Meaford Tank Range (known today as the Land Forces Area Training Base, Meaford). Most families were farmers and they were forced to leave their farms just as harvest-time approached. Although some thought they would be allowed to return after the war, that was never to be. The speaking role in that tribute was performed by the grand daughter of the young woman featured in the story. She concluded by introducing that lady - her Grandma - to the audience.

Next was an interview with a female, airplane mechanic. An English lady who 'signed up' looking for adventure. She was one of four, female, airplane mechanics - grease monkeys, she called the four - to inspect and repair the allied planes.

Last, was a speech by local Silver Cross Mother, Carol Mitchell. Carol had two children. Her oldest son was killed while serving in Afghanistan. He 'knew' he wouldn't return and spoke to both his Mother and his wife about what to do in the event of his death. The one thing he asked of them was to never blame the military. He said "They are my family. I will never be lonely." While her oldest son was serving in Afghanistan, her youngest son was diagnosed with brain cancer. He made the decision to not to tell his brother, so as not to interfere with his mindset while serving in Afghanistan. Both boys are now gone and you can read Carol's her story here.

It was a memorable evening.

Lest we forget.

Thursdays Are For Knit Group

2011-11-10T17:28:00.000-05:00

Well, look who arrived with a finished sweater today.

If it isn't 'wound-up-tighter-than-a-drum' Doreen. We decided if the friend isn't thrilled with the final result well ... as luck would have it, it fits Doreen.

Ruth arrived today with a baby blanket of 36 squares.

The squares that last week, she warned me not to mix up as she had them all laid out in order.

She looks pretty happy about it being finished.

Her sister knit her that lovely pink vest. She could be smiling because she told us she spilled pea soup on it at lunch time but managed to get it wiped off before her sister spied the offending stain.

Gail, managed to severely slice her thumb and is only knitting dish cloths.

Her reasoning is that if she bleeds on her knitting she can bleach out the stain. Where there's a will - eh, Gail? Nothing will stop a knitter.

Sharon has treated herself to a pair of pedicure socks.

I guess a girl that gets frequent pedicures might need those socks. I wouldn't know.

Nicki spent her afternoon ripping back the baby sweater begun at Knitfest 2011.

She complained about running out of yarn until I advised her to measure the length of the sweater. Dang! An extra inch will do that. Ribbit!

Nell began the afternoon with one baby bootie.

By the time we were picking up to leave, bootie number two was finished - including a croched tie. That's speed knitting.

Fun again and lots of great knitting. By next week we will know Doreen's friend's response to Big Red. Can't wait to hear, Doreen.

Another Great Day

2011-11-08T11:20:00.000-05:00

My knitting fortunes are raining down on me.

Not only did I spend Saturday surrounded by yarn, in-store designs and long-time knitting friends, but Monday I did the same.

Years ago, when I first set myself up with a home computer, there was such an Internet beast as newsgroups. I belonged to a knitting newsgroup and one day there was a message from a knitter in nearby St. Marys. She was my age - about - married, as am I and a knitter. Despite dire warnings (from my children) about the types of people that lurk on the 'net' I didn't think I could get into too much trouble with a knitter. I contacted her.

We agreed to meet. Marlene brought along another knitting friend - her kids had given her those same warnings - and the rest as they say is history. A trio-of-knitting-friends history.

Then, life intervened. Marlene lost her husband suddenly and retreated from life for awhile. I moved away. But thank goodness for the fibre that binds a knitting friendship. This summer, Marlene came to visit and yesterday I returned the favour, visiting her in her beautiful new home St. Mary's.

Lots of laughs. Lots of food. lots of fibre, lots of patterns and knitting stories. Such fun.

Not to be maudlin, but I would be remiss if I didn't tell you that the light bulb went on to remind me of how rich my life is because of knitting. Two recent, fabulous days - all because I like to knit.

I Had So Much Fun

2011-11-07T10:35:00.000-05:00

Saturday was a very special day. London Yarns, where I worked while living in London, celebrated it's 20th anniversary.

Being in business for 20 years is not to be sneezed at, no matter the type of business. But small businesses especially, and doubly especially, yarn stores, are not always long-lasting enterprises. To celebrate 20 years, is very special.

Janet and her Mom, Katy-Lu,

owners of London Yarns, called me back in the summer to tell me of the event and asked, as a previous employee, would I be able to attend. Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss it for the world.

By the ~~busy~~ hectic activity in the store from the moment the door's opened, it would seem that Janet's customers were also happy to take in the party celebrating her 20 years in business.

All-too-kind Janet had sent out a customer email saying that previous-employee Brenda, (Janet always referred to me as her 'fearless knitter') would be at the party. As a result, some of my London hiking, knitting buds dropped by. Good to see you Diane (Trish - sorry I forgot the camera when you were in.)

New friend, blog-reading, sock- knitting fan, Deb stopped in to meet me and say "Hi."

There was cake

roses

and cake cutting ceremonies.

New staff to meet

and the 'one -in-every-crowd' member of the staff who never wants her picture taken.

Sorry, Dianne. I couldn't resist.

Add to all this, a well-stocked store,

my dear friend Patti-Ann who shared so many Mondays with me at the store,

and amidst the revellers a Learn To Crochet class

and you might have already guessed - as I announced to Fred as soon as I opened the door - "I. Had. So. Much. Fun."

Thanks Janet for the invitation, and may you continue to sell yarn in good health for another 20 years.

Its Not A Race

2011-11-04T09:55:00.001-04:00

Teachers and Mothers often tell children "Its not a race" to encourage them. Letting them know their slow pace in no way diminishes their effort.

I try to remember that ~~sometimes~~ often, in my knitting life.

Take the current cardi on the needles.

Started the evening of the KW Knitters Fair - that would be September 10 - it is still on my needles. My excuse is - well, I guess I have no excuses but should you wish to feel empathy for me and my efforts, then know I did take a vacation, knit a couple of projects for Knitfest and the yarn is teeny tiny.

AND! There was Hallowe'en. In it's favour, the cardi is simple stockinet knitting. No fancy stitches, no lace, no cables.
So Brenda said to herself " I can knit on this simple stockinet cardi between door openings to serve the 200 plus kids that rush our house every October 31." Knitting towards the final colour change on the first sleeve and being only one- half inch short of the required seven inches,

I saw those couple of candy-serving hours as a chance to race towards the finish line. Which might have worked if those kids had been taught patience.

But little witches, goblins, princesses and Harry Potters have no patience. Apparently if the door is not opened within a nano second of the bell being rung, they think the idea is to ring the bell again. And again. I know that you know, but those kids had no idea the havoc they wreaked on my little cardi.

Hallowe'en landed me further behind, not ahead. Several rows had to be ripped out, picked up and re-knit. Not normally an excruciating experience, but with two strands of teen, tiny, lace-weight yarn, I'm looking for a corneal transplant.

Four days later and I'm almost back on track with almost all the dropped, single strands of the double- stranded stitches having been repaired. And sure, I know it's not a race but there's great humiliation - and no ribbon - in coming in last.

Thursdays Are For Knit Group

2011-11-03T19:14:00.000-04:00

Sometimes, circumstances just allow for   laughter. It happens often at knit group, but today was laughter to the 'max'.

Perhpas it was the smaller crowd. Wilma, as I write, is winging her way out west on a family visit.   Ingrid is driving to Victoria, helping to relocate a loved one. Sharon had to do an airport run to pick up her husband and Gail was caring for grand kids. With only eight knitters at knit group today perhaps some felt freer to tell their stories,

Or perhaps it's the shorter days, what was eaten at lunch or the next full moon. Whatever the reason, laughter reigned supreme today. It started with Bonnie.

She made a lovely scarf for her daughter's Christmas gift. Last night the daughter popped in for an un-expected visit, spotted the scarf and said " I hope you're not planning on giving that to me, Mom!"    She didn't like the scarf. At that point Bonnie turned to the grand daughters who had come along with Mom for the visit and asked them if they liked/wanted the scarf. They too turned it down! This is how Bonnie feels today.

She's also made slippers.

Who are you giving these to Bonnie? Likely, not family.

Ruth has made several squares to be sewn together for a baby blanket. I tried to spread them out to better photograph them, but got 'spoken to' by Ruth. "They're in order!" she said.

Hmmm. All six of them. Okay. Sorry, Ruth.

Doreen, though, was the cause of the most laughter. She is still knitting the big red sweater for a friend.

She is sick and tired of it! Sick and tired of not having any kntiting time for her own projects. Sick and tired of the awkward yarn and difficult patern. Just plain sick and tired of it!! To top that, the friend is not responding with the amount/type of gratitude Doreen is/was expecting or that Doreen feels she deserves for such a favour. And we heard all about it. In detail. With emotion. Conversations repeated, verbatim. More than once. Hilarious to all but Doreen. Really, Doreen - we're on your side.

It was fun to have Nell back from her month-long stay in South Carolina. Looks like her crochet hook didn't take a vacation at all.

Nice blanket, Nell. Most days in South Carolina were 25'c Nell says so I hope she' ready for winter because here, today, it was 9'c.

See how nicely I worked that weather report in? That's for New Nan who is in the city - down south compared to Meaford - for a few weeks and emailed wondering if the weather is warm enough for one last trip to her Meaford summer home.

If laughter does indeed have healing powers, then those at knit group today are dang healthy!

Crazy Ball Of Yarn

2011-11-01T11:02:00.001-04:00

My own personal knitting took a backseat these last couple of weeks, as I prepared some samples for Knitfest 2011.

One of the fun things we planned for the day was to give everyone a bag of 'bits and bobs' of colour coordinated yarn so they could create one giant ball of 'Crazy Yarn'.

Crazy Yarn came to my attention a couple of years ago while browsing in a not-so-local yarn store. There, I saw a lovely scarf on display with several different yarns in it. When I mumbled something about the cost of buying all those different yarns to knit the scarf, the store owner pointed me towards the one - and only - ball of yarn used in the scarf.

It was a ball of yarn created by tying several different yarns together. Knots were left with ends hanging as part of the design feature. My first thought was "What a great way for the mill to get rid of short pieces of yarn and still make a profit." My second thought was "I can do that."

My first Crazy Ball Of Yarn project was this Shape It Scarf from Sally Melville's 'Book 1 The Knit Stitch'.

Second was the same pattern in different yarns.

In preparing for Knitfest I knew that a ball of yarn would only do half the trick. Knitters would want a pattern. But, since I'm known in ~~local~~ far-and-wide knitting circles as - The Copyright ~~Queen~~ Bitch - I couldn't bring myself to hand out Sally's pattern. I would have to get to it and create my own. This is the result. A little scarf with some shaping.

At this point, it seemed to me that the best use - and maybe the only use - for Crazy Yarn was scarves. But Knitfest 2011 was not about scarves. It was about sweaters - Top Down sweaters to be exact. With the personal, designer touch of adding a cable, some lace or the knitter's favourite stitch pattern to the basic sweater.

Would Crazy Yarn look good in a sweater? I decided to find out. Using the Basic Cardigan pattern from the book used at Knitfest - Need A Baby Cardigan? I knit a one year size placing the Crazy Yarn in the yoke but using plain yarn for the rest of the sweater.

I couldn't decide if I liked the 'knotted' look in a garment and wondered whether I should take all knots to the inside. In the end, for demonstration purpose - and to delay my final decision - I left the knots out on the back but took them to the inside on the front.

It's dang cute and received many approving murmurs when displayed at Knitfest.

There are two secrets to creating a ball of Crazy yarn. One - make the yarn first. It seems obvious but some might think that you tie yarns together as you knit. But no. Create the entire ball first - it will give the garment a much more random appearance.

Secondly - tie the colours together randomly and in varying lengths. With the orange scarf , I had much more of one yarn than any of the others. To accommodate that, each time I was ready to put in the main yarn, I simply measured off (using the Old King Cole method of nose to finger tip) much more of it than any of the others yarns. If I went nose-to-finger-tip ten times with the main yarn I might only do that once or twice with the others.

And perhaps third - yarns do not have to be the same gauge. Varying lengths, a variety of colours and gauges and knots that show and you have one Crazy Ball Of Yarn.

Since Knitfest 2011 was all about releasing your inner designer, the Crazy Yarn project fit right in. And you can thank me for giving you one more reason to 'knot' throw out your little bits of leftover yarn.

Knitfest 2011

2011-10-31T10:45:00.000-04:00

Saturday was a great knitterly day in my little neck of the woods. Grey Heron hosted a day-long workshop with Deb Gemmell. Knitfest 2011 we called it.

The idea came about when Karen began talking of retreats, workshops and other off-site activities: She wanted to further the art of knitting by bringing legendary talent to a local venue for our faithful customers to learn from and enjoy. Hey - I think I just wrote a 'mission statement.

Grey Heron is a small LYS in a small town, making some event ideas just to grandiose to be manageable and/or successful given those parameters.

And so - we rented the just-right-sized, historic Ravenna Hall in the heart of the picturesque Beaver Valley, asked Deb Gemmell to teach a day-long workshop, planned food, goodie bags and door prizes - and called it Knitfest 2011.

19 knitters signed up. Given that Deb did this same workshop in Ottawa in the spring to 15 knitters, we were thrilled with that number of registrants. Some, like my Meaford friends came from close by, others drove for over an hour to attend.

There was food and fun. Laughter and ~~tears~~ some frustration at slow hands and tired, mixed up, knitterly brains. Frustration, though, was no match for the fun or learning that happened all day long.

It was a great day. Hmmm. Is it too early to start thinking about Knitfest 2012?

Sweaters Deb brought with her. All from her latest book Need A Baby Cardigan?

Morning snacks.

Deb speaking with the Meaford gang.

Busy knitters.

More busy knitters with Karen in the corner.

Just a great day!

Knitting Stars

2011-10-28T10:16:00.001-04:00

Take a look at this lovely living room.

Is it mine, you ask? I wish! It is most definitely not mine, but I was privileged to spend some time in this room on Wednesday morning.

I'll give you a couple of clues as to where we were.

Rogers, Ontario's media giant, has, in many towns, a community television station. It promotes and showcases local events, businesses and stories. Wednesday morning Grey Heron Yarns, where I spend my Wednesdays, was the feature segment on the hour long show.

We were asked to bring in LOTS of knitting related things and Karen didn't disappoint.

She looks pretty happy with our TV debut.

Rogers staff caught wind of the store because of tomorrow's KNITFEST. A day long event Karen has planned for local knitters featuring Deb Gemmell from Cabin Fever. Karen thought it only fair to ask Deb to join us for the show and I managed to capture Deb capturing the set before the recording began.

I hope you don't mind me telling tales out of school, Deb, but take a look at her sweater. Knit from Cabin Fever's Cotton Tweed about five years ago and worn often. Deb tells me she has other sweaters, but I am hard pressed to believe it as I rarely see Deb in anything but this great little sweater. All of which is my way of pointing out that Cotton Tweed is one heck of a long-lasting yarn.

Fortunately for me, all I had to do during the taping was sit and knit. Silently. Karen and Deb had the nervous -producing job of talking and demonstrating. It was great fun and if I was 24 not 64, tall not short and blond not brunette, I would sure jump at the chance to be the hostess on a local TV show. In that living room. Can I at least get the name of the stager?

Thursdays Are For Knit Group

2011-10-27T19:44:00.000-04:00

A week ago today, I was eating fine French food in the dining room of a charming old hotel and listening to jazz music. But today!!! I was at knit group. Thursdays don't get much better.

Again, purple shoes. And again they belong to Ingrid. Before I met Ingrid, I knew no one with purple shoes - and Ingrid has two pairs!! Ingrid is off to the western provinces next week. I bet she takes both pair of purple shoes.

The shoes match the next purple knit she is creating.

Carol too is working on purple. In her case, the purple is for a grand daughter.

Part of this ensemble I mentioned a few weeks back. Is it the colour purple that makes you look so happy, Carol?

Gail's colour, this week, isn't purple but blue. In this case, blue Koigu. She is knitting another of her little ruffled scarves that starts with a cast on of 648 stitches.

An all day project just to cast on, according to Gail.

Wilma, also leaving next week for a western trip, is working on the first of two shawls for her two daughters. Both kits, purchased at the KW Knitters Fair, are from Sweaterkits . The shawls are completed with beaded fringe, added as a finishing, haute-couture touch.

Gloria has a new ~~man~~ pattern in her life. If you husband looks like the model on the pattern once your sweater is finished, Gloria, I'm going to borrow that pattern.

Lots of colour, lots of fibre, knitting, lots of fun. That's why I love Thursdays.

HUH !

2011-10-25T16:24:00.000-04:00

Occasionally, on TV there is an info bite that ends with the speaker saying HUH ! in an 'I- can't-believe-that's-true' voice.

HUH ! was my thought exactly, when yet again today, I reached for this sweater when leaving the house.

That's right. The sweater I thought I'd never wear. Neckline too low. Yarn too chunky. A sweater of such opposites that I couldn't imagine a day when it would be the perfect sweater to wear. If it was cool enough for the heavy yarn, the low neckline would be too cool. If it was warm enough for the low neckline, the chunky yarn would be too warm. Then along came Autumn.

The sweater is perfect for a chilly fall day. The kind of day - like today - when the weather doesn't call for a coat but requires a little something. Not only has it seen wear, but compliments have come my way each time I have worn it. Not that I depend on the opinion of others to tell me what to think, but dang it feels good to find out I'm wrong about a knit.

The almost-discarded is now in my favourites pile. HUH !

Home Again

2011-10-24T13:41:00.000-04:00

It was lovely, lovely, lovely. Those are my all-too-inadequate words to describe our little vacation to Quebec City.

The weather was great. Sunny and mild enough most days to make me wonder if my felted hat would get worn at all.

Having knit so furiously fast to get it finished, I did want to wear it. Sel& Poivre had even suggested I would look quite chic in it. Just because 'chic' is an adjective rarely before applied to my style doesn't mean it couldn't happen. And dang if she wasn't right!

Shown here once back home, I think you can get the effect. Just imagine me wearing it at the Chateau Frontenac,

the Citadelle,

the Hotel Du Parlement

viewing the city with the St. Lawrence in the background

or at any number of the neat little bars suffused with French ambiance

and you get the idea. Une vacance manifique! With weather so good I only wore the hat one day. Best possible scenario.

Last Minute Knitting

2011-10-17T09:31:00.000-04:00

Entire books have been written on the topic of last minute knitting. But I am the Queen of such stressful -and I might add, self-imposed - activities.

My latest endeavour in the Last Minute Hall Of Fame knitting is another of Chic Knits Felted Bucket Hats.

This one, knit with Briggs & Little Sport - left over from my Elizabeth Zimmermann Green Sweater.

Recently, some of that left-over green found it's way into a Shape-It Scarf (rav link) to match my new-ish coat.

Now, Fred and I are off to Quebec City for an early 45th anniversary celebration and it occurred to me that travelling that far north on the cusp of winter, it might be a good idea to have a hat. And wouldn't it be nice to have a hat that matches my coat? And couldn't I do that at the last minute?

And one can. It's not the knitting that takes time with this pattern. Knit at a chunky gauge - which was my sport weight doubled - it knits up quickly. But it felts and dries s-l-o-w-l-y. That is why you see it here still on the register, and not yet de-fuzzed.

Since this is Felted Bucket hat number six for me, you think I might have learned that as stylish and easy to knit as this hat IS, one thing it ISN'T is last minute. Mine will finish drying in the hotel room.

We'll be back on the weekend. Have a great week everyone.

Ireland From My Easy Chair

2011-10-14T14:12:00.000-04:00

Earlier this week, reading The Rainey Sisters, I learned of a new book by Carol Feller. Contemporary Irish Knits.

Susan Rainey kindly provided the Amazon link and in a flash, my credit card had purchased me a copy. Without leaving home, fighting shopping crowds or struggling to find a parking spot, two days later, the book arrived. I love Internet shopping!!!

This is a lovely, lovely book. The photography, done by Carol's husband Joseph, is stunning. Each section of the book features a different Irish Woollen Mill: Keery Woollen Mills, Cushendale Woollen Mills, Donegal Yarns, Dublin Dye Company and Hedgehog Fibres.

The patterns within each section have delightful Irish names and each are knit with yarn from the mill featured in that part of the book.

Killybegs, in the Donegal Yarns section,

mentioned on Susan Rainey's blog post, captured my attention and is definitely a favourite in the book. But there are lots of great patterns for ladies, men and children. Hats, mittens, shawls and sweaters.

With an eye to practicality, the book has flaps. Both front and back flaps to keep my place without hunting down a bookmark.

With pictures and a built in bookmark, it will double as a pattern book and a good bedtime read.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

Thursdays Are For Knit Group

2011-10-13T19:50:00.000-04:00

My time at knit group, today, started with giving Sandy B a hug. Today was her last day with us until she is home from the south, for a quick taste of winter, at Christmas time. She brought us cake and goodies and served us coffee and tea. A going away party so to speak. I couldn't resist a last picture of her in her half- completed, perfect- for- Florida sweater.

Have fun, Sandy. We'll miss you.

Joanne has her daughter visiting. Two generations of knitters - isn't she a lucky Mom?

And what a lot of 'show & tell' she brought for us to see. This is Elizabeth Zimmermann's Rib Warmer Vest.

Knit in Briggs & Little Soft Spun, Karen thinks it's a little short. And it is. Blocking might help or as I suggested, just call it a 'shest' or a 'vrug'. (That's a combo of a shrug and vest for those that don't think as I do)

A terrific fit though is her 'Mothed' - without the holes - knit in Americo wool.

As so often happens, this is not a sweater that appealed to me when I saw it on the model in Knitty. But now, having seen yours, Karen, it's a must -add to my queue. Thanks for sharing.

It is great to have Gloria back with us after her summer of poor health. I was so captured by her smile I completely forgot to ask what was on the needles.

Bonnie says this will be a slipper boot.

Ruth looks quite dubious - I can understand why. Show me the boot, Bonnie!

Ruth, a woman after my own heart, knits mostly for herself. Here she has a pink sweater, just started.

The pattern is lovely. A raglan-sleeved cardigan, with seed stitch panels either side of the cable. Where do you shop for yarn, Ruth, that you can buy it to match your lipstick?

Some coming, some going, all of us knitting. It's a great place to be on a Thursday afternoon.

In A Turkey Fog

2011-10-11T14:02:00.000-04:00

I'm in a turkey fog. There was lots of company, lots of food, lots to be grateful for.

But not much knitting. Something had to give. Last night after everyone had left, I could have knit. Maybe even, should have knit. But instead I fell asleep in my chair.

Nonetheless, my Transitions sweater is coming along nicely. I am into the third and last colour grouping. It is another light-weight sweater that I think I will love and wear lots.

The pattern calls for several inches of ribbing on the lower edge. I'm thinking maybe not. Instead, perhaps an inch or so of seed stitch to match the other borders. Tiny, little Tanis, the pattern designer, wears her Transitions buttoned. Top to bottom. Mine, I can tell already, will probably be a sweater that doesn't meet in the middle. So glad that's fashionable.

By tonight, hopefully, the turkey fog will have cleared and I can pick up the needles again. Heading to the bottom.

Thursdays Are For Knit Group

2011-10-07T09:38:00.001-04:00

What with catching the movie Barney's Version (which I loved, BTW) at Meaford Hall after knitting, then home to dinner/overnight guests and Ontario election results to watch, means Thursday's post is being written on Friday morning. Nonetheless, Thursdays are still for knit group.

Carol arrived back from a long vacation to show all the knitting she had done. She just kept piling it on. A purple 'sparkly' sweater for her seven year old Grand daughter.

Then a 'ruffly' skirt to match.

Sparkly and ruffly begin specific seven year old ~~demands~~ requests. Then of course, the outfit must have buttons sewn on at various locations!

A cute pink sweater for yet another Grand daughter.

And a blue sweater for the boy.

That's one 'honkin' big 'show & tell, Carol. Fun knitting.

Pat arrived with her latest creation. This time a sweater for herself. A 'guess-what-kind-of-pet-I-have' sweater. The view of the front,

the view of the back

and the best view of all- on Pat.

Doreen, bless her heart, agreed to finish her friend's sweater. A big job that has given Doreen much knitting grief. Finished are the body and one sleeve - that's Doreen, knitting so desperately she can't look up

But - Doreen has started to whine about not being able to knit on her own projects. It'll soon be over Doreen. Two pieces of advice. One - focus on how grateful your friend will be. Two - next time, say NO!!

Sandy B, her sister Sue and a few friends did a Koigu field trip this week. Sandy exercised great restraint. Yarn for two Ruffled Scarves in two different colourways for two different daughters.

Probably travelling knitting as Sandy leaves for Florida next week. Don't you think she looks sad to be leaving us? How will we manage without you, Sandy?

The weather is to be beautiful all weekend. A great Ontario, fall weekend with lots of coloured leaves to view. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone.

Big And Small

2011-10-05T08:48:00.000-04:00

The slippers are felted and on the drying rack.

A lesson in opposites. Think of a child's book describing opposites. Big and small. Long and short. Fat and thin. Now add my contrasting fibres. 100% wool and wool/acrylic. What a difference! The smaller slippers, made of 100% wool felted in 3 minutes and felted well.

The big blue slippers, knit with Sirdar Softie, a 50/50, wool/acrylic blend, required 24 minutes in the machine and are not a great felt at all. For slippers they will do. But for a bag, a hat or mittens, they would be a reject.

Lesson learned. I thought I could make that yarn do what I wanted it to - but not so. The off-white, Rowan Big Wool in the slippers felted quickly and well. That means the slipper opening is very tight. My nice, little, designer touch I thought so cute requires stretching every few hours,otherwise, I am not sure a foot will get into the slipper.

That 50% acrylic has made these slippers a process knit. On to the next pair.

De-Cybered and De- Virtualed!

2011-10-04T11:30:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, it occurred to me that I had not read any blogs for several days. My normal blog haunts must have thought I had developed 'attitude'.

I hadn't read any because google hadn't prompted me. Dang that google. Did it change it's
modus operendi and not tell me!! The nerve. I had been de-cybered!

I use gmail for my email and it's a google app. Once open there was, previously, always a tag called 'Reader' - and Reader stored my favourite blogs. In easy sight and easy clicking for easy reading.

Had google eliminated that tag? Because there was no 'Reader' tag on the top of my email. Of course, leading the busy, important life that I do, I hadn't noticed. Until I started to miss my cyber friends. (Some might say - "Get a life!" But I like the life I've got) What's Sandra up to? How's Marie's beautiful dog, Hudson? Is Terri still juicing? What is Denise knitting? Has Lyn weakened and purchased any new clothes? Only then did I take a look to find - there was no 'Reader' - there were no blogs.

Some computer fiddling later, blogs were found. Further fiddling and I have the 'Reader' tag back in place.

Marian of Freshisle Fibers says that this year she is teaching Computer Technology to every class from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 8. Could this ancient blogger get some tutoring, Marian?

That's Better

2011-10-03T18:56:00.000-04:00

Last weekend, I knit my first pair of 19 Row Slippers. They were great, but small. I missed the direction in the pattern where it referred to either Chunky yarn, or DK weight, held double.

This weekend, I tried another pair. Knit with Sirdar Big Softie and a bit of Rowan Big Wool to make up for the minimal yardage on Softie, they are definitely bigger. Much bigger - and much better. They should felt down to the correct size and make a great slipper.

Or at least I hope Big Softie felts. It is 50% wool and 50% acrylic. But remembering my fiasco with my Shalom I am counting on them to felt. Shalom, I knit with Vienna, another 50/50, wool/acrylic split and tossed it into the washing machine thinking with 50% acrylic it would never felt. Wrong. It felted big time.

What was wrong in Shalom, will be right in my slippers. I hope.

We've Been Invaded

2011-09-30T13:00:00.002-04:00

On virtually every street corner,

every lamp post,

every store front,

every door step

there are scare crows. This weekend is the Meaford Scarecrow Invasion.

Friday at 6 pm there is a parade followed by festivities - including food - at the harbour. All day, Saturday and Sunday there is the famous Apple Harvest Festival Craft Show. Perhaps not quite the One Of A Kind - but not far off it, either. The show takes up the entire arena and curling rink - and includes food.

Not to deter you from planning a day trip but driving in the area this weekend makes it seem as if every other road in the province has been closed. EVERYONE comes to Meaford for the Apple Harvest Festivities. So if you are driving by, stop in and if not - you should. Even if just to catch a glimpse of our annual invaders.

Thursdays Are For Knit Group

2011-09-29T19:33:00.000-04:00

Company came. A couple of weeks ago, I received an email from Zieknits in Indiana.

She wanted to let me know that she and her husband were planning their annual 'Grey County Fix' vacation and that she would drop into knit group. Yippee!! We love company.

Then just this week, I received an email from Elana, Moe (Mother of Elana) and Maryanne.

Southampton knitters planning a day trip with a stop at Meaford knit group as well. Lots of company! Lots of fun!

These Southampton knitters don't let any opportunity to boost their community pass them by. Here they advertise this weekend's Port Elgin Pumpkin Fest in true knitter fashion.

They told us the very sad news that the Southampton knit group is on life support. So here is your invitation, Southampton. If you knit, want to knit, used to knit, have ever thought about knitting, know what knitting is or once saw someone knit - go your local Library on Wednesdays. Elana will be there. You could be having this much fun on the shores of Lake Huron! Grab your needles and go!

Wilma had two neat things to show us today. Most important was a picture of her British Columbia Grand daughters wearing their Grandma-knit tunics, hats and mittens. Aren't they the cutest?

Her other piece of 'show & tell' was more funny than adorable. Wilma has solved the problem of knitting in the car during night drives or knitting in darkened movie theatres. She has needles that light up. Stranger than fiction and you heard it here first, folks. Knitting needles that glow in the dark.

Sharon has a great start on a pair of Zauberball socks.

Nice, but not identical, which disappoints Sharon a bit. I have heard that with Zauberball yarn it is difficult to get identical. Has anyone else heard this?

Poor Joanne. She injured her ankle on a Bruce Trail hike this summer and it is healing ~~very~~ too slowly.

She is now in a new-fangled cast and can get around well, but no hiking for awhile. The silver lining in that cloud starts with yarn and needles, Joanne.

We got rid of Ruth's mug-shot look. Much nicer when you smile, Ruth.

Oh - and cute little knitted outfit too.

With company - international company I point out again - knit group was enthusiastic, loud and fun! Right next door to our room at Meaford Hall, voters were coming and going at the Advance Polls. We were ~~hysterically~~ quite loud at times. I wouldn't be surprised at a higher-than-normal number of spoiled ballots. If my preferred candidate doesn't win, can I blame knit group?

Part of today's fun came from trying to guess what Ingrid is knitting.

We still don't know. ~~Our~~ My comment was so rude she chose not to tell us. To be continued.

Light-Weight, Lace-Weight

2011-09-27T15:50:00.000-04:00

Just when I thought I knew everything there was to know about knitting! How foolish. It started with Featherweight. That lovely, lighter-than-air cardi that I knit with Cotton Flamme, this summer. Travellers would claim Featherweight to be the perfect companion. Tiny and light-weight, it can be rolled into a ball and stuffed into the suitcase.

Having now worn a sweater as light as Featherweight, I suddenly, after years of knitting, realize how heavy some hand knits can be. It was no wonder then, that I was drawn to Ombre Cardigan by Tanis Fiber Arts. Using even lighter, lace weight yarn than called for (Tanis lace weight has 900 metres per skein, versus my Centolavaggi with 1400m) this little sweater is light, light, light.

Just now past the first buttonhole and part way into colour combo number two, I can't wait to get it finished and toss it's non-weight on my shoulders.

19 Row Slippers

2011-09-26T13:53:00.000-04:00

Last week, I came across the 19 Row Slipper pattern on ravelry. It's very name held much appeal to me, suggesting a quick & easy, weekend felting project.

My yarn wasn't the bulky weight the pattern suggested. Well to be honest, I missed the line where it said DK weight DOUBLED!! My yarn, greedily grabbed a year or so ago, from one of Sandy B's sister Sally's (AKA The Bag Lady) great, yarn give-aways is a loosely-spun, mid-weight wool in orange with navy flecks. With some co-ordinating navy Patons Classic in the stash, I went for the two-coloured combo.

These are so easy! Just 19 rows and none of the twisting, turning, watching-every-stitch-you-make complications of some other slipper patterns I could mention.

The pattern did suggest that for a higher slipper, one could knit another row or two. I did. Then the other modification I made, - copying from that other famous, felted-clog, slipper pattern - was to knit a double sole. Once the slipper was complete, I picked up stitches all around the slipper, where the body met the sole and knit a second sole, "" reversing"" all shaping. Even now, in their yet-to-be-felted state, they are great slippers.

Having made the size medium with finer yarn, definitely another pair in heavier yarn and/or larger size are in order. Next weekend.

Thursdays Are For Knit Group

2011-09-22T17:10:00.000-04:00

What great surprises were in store for us today. at knit group.

The day started when this lovely couple, Virginia and Ron,

stopped by with bags and bags of yarn, patterns and needles. Sadly, arthritis now prevents Virginia - ' the best knitter I have ever seen', according to husband Ron - from knitting. She decided to donate all her supplies. It was Christmas all over again. Thank you Virginia.

Look who is back form the Arctic. Tanya.

Still working on the Fish Hat. Or wind sock as she now describes it.

"I went terribly terribly wrong somewhere" she claims. A new fashion in Whitehorse, I am sure,Tanya. She said she will never wear it. But I think she should re-consider. Look at the fun it gave us today, Tanya.

Nan, another Koigu knitter finished yet another scarf. It's great,Nan. Sadly, not my colour though.

It would be impossible to NOT guess which one of our knitters purchased Lilac shoes. Only Ingrid. They are beyond cute. Sadly, not my size though.

Sharon is back from Maine and practised great yarn-shopping restrain it would seem. Two balls.

Strange as it might sounds, she still reports a great vacation.

Sandy B finished her Noro Citron. There are many versions of Citron on ravelry and like yours, Sandy, they are all wonderful.

Ruth knit herself a very stylish sweater. Nice fit, nice style but Ruth - it's not a mug shot.

Then just before we left, another great thing happened. Victims of our own success, our new room at Meaford Hall is too small. The Hall has offered us a larger room on the main floor for the same price. Yippee!

From My Basement

2011-09-21T08:32:00.000-04:00

FOs are flying off the needles here. If one can fly slowly. This mini afghan was started in March shortly after attending the Brier in London.

It all started with the new chesterfield. Purchased solely for comfortable TV watching, it has big puffy arms and reclining seats. But no basement TV watching is truly comfortable - at least in our basement with our Canadian winters - without an Afghan.

Our previous TV-watching Afghan was lacey, holey, heavily fringed and delicate. It ended it's life with messy, tangled fringe and a giant hole where Fred's big toe rested. This Afghan I decided had to be more serviceable than ornate. More sturdy than delicate. More closed stitched than lacey. Patons had the perfect pattern.

Knit on 15mm needles, in stockinet stitch, holding together four strands of their Shetland Chunky (I substituted Cascade Eco), a non-curling edge and simple giant tassels on each corner, it would be perfect.

Today's furniture manufacturers don't include removables. There were no pillows or arm caps to take to the store for colour matching so I am not 100% pleased with my colour choices. The little fleck of red in the furniture is overdone in the Afghan. But with four strands of Eco, it sure is warm. That delightful warm. That cozy but never over-heated warm that only wool can bring. There are no holes for toes to play with. No fringe to tangle. It fits the basement, TV-watching-bill perfectly.

Done!!

2011-09-20T16:26:00.000-04:00

Started in the summer. Finished in the fall. Same year though!!

This is the Pure & Simple Bulky Asymmetrical Cardigan. Knit with Naturally Chunky yarn in a dark brown colour.

The end result is not as pleasing to me as I had hoped. I loved the pattern from the 'get-go' and have had it in my queue for quite some time. But! I had forgotten how heavy, hot and plain uncomfortable a chunky weight sweater can be. Especially when compared to Featherweight which was the knit that preceded Asymmetrical. This style, with it's off-centre closure, only looks good when buttoned. Hotter that ever.

Sure I knit Chunky sweaters years ago. Most knitters of my era did. We began our sweater knitting with Patons Chunky 'Ski' Sweaters. Sadly, I had forgotten that they too were hot and heavy. Asymmetrical at least has some style.

And I do love the buttons. Those were from The Woodlot, purchased at the KW Knitters Fair.

I will give it one winter. If it is too hot and heavy for comfort, then I will take it apart for hats and mitts. Probably a much better - IMO - use of the chunky yarn. And then - maybe - re-knit Asymmetrical in a lighter yarn.

2nd Annual Knitrade

2011-09-19T14:07:00.001-04:00

In 2010, Cabin Fever sisters, Deb and Lynda, organized the first-ever, Canadian equivalent of the massive, American, wholesale trade shows. One-stop shopping for LYS owners. Yesterday was the 2011 event and while there, I wore two hats.

My first hat was for my 'boss' Karen, from Grey Heron. She had another commitment and could not attend Knitrade this year. She sent me with her shopping list. What fun that was to buy and buy and buy and not break MY bank account. For the store, I brought home very large bags of Cabin Fever and Jojoland yarn. The Jojoland rep, a petite, Chinese woman all the way from Texas was so cute, so polite, so charming.    A perfect match for their lovely yarns. And then I brought home lots of one-offs - buttons, beads, brooches, stitch markers - to show Karen some new things that we might consider for the store.

My other hat, I wore while helping out at the Cabin Fever booth. That meant arriving early and staying till the last shopper left. Ask me if my feet hurt. Ask me if I ~~was~~   am tired. But ask me too if it was a great day! For sure.

The shop owners portion of the morning started with a presentation by the Patternfish rep. It was great to hear her new ideas for expanding the Patternfish online presence directly into the LYS.

Then I met Barbara. The Denise Needle Rep - all the way from Virginia.    What a great lady.

That Timmys is borrowed. She is newly converted to our national drink and thought being in Canada and all, she should show her love of the brew.

I told Barbara how in love I have been with my Denise Needle Set ever since first purchasing it about ten years ago. But now, they have gone one better. They have come out with a soft case for the needles.With space for needles, cords and lots of other bibs & bobs - like markers, little scissors, it is a great kit. It can be purchased alone - for those like me, who already have the needles - or with all the needles included for first-time purchasers.

Did I have to have one of those? You bet. Along with a great brooch by 'Sarah' to decorate the front of my felted bag.

What felted bag, you ask? Haven't heard me mention knitting one? Well, you are right. The thought never occurred to me until I saw the brooches. "Great to decorate felted bags", said Sarah. Such a slick salesperson. Of course I had to have one. Fred accuses me of being impulsive. "Ain't it grand" I say?

There were goody bags of course,and I suppose it really should go to Karen. She does own the store, after all. But sorry for your luck, Karen. I have stolen this from the goody bag.

The latest C.F. book. Another - 'use whatever gauge of yarn turns you on' Need A book. Like the Need A Hat and Need A Sock books, this little, book of baby sweaters gives patterns using yarn from Sock to Chunky weight. One book for all your knitting needs. I love it. Someone - have a baby please!

All in all a great day. Two knitterly weekends in a row. How lucky am I?

Thursdays Are For Knit Group

2011-09-15T17:14:00.000-04:00

Whether it is the call of a new location, or a resurgence of interest in knitting due to the season changing, I don't know. But our new room at Meaford Hall was packed again today.

Nell, - that would be Nell-who-knits-only-for-charity-Nell, knit herself a shrug.

She and hubby are off to North Carolina for a few weeks to visit their son and she thought a shrug would be just the ticket for those North Carolina evenings. It looks lovely, but I hope you don't always need help to get into it, Nell.

Can you guess what these are? Nicki is making slippers again.

The Fiber Trends Felted slipper pattern. Can't wait to see what size they end up being, Nicki.

Sandy B has started another mitred square blanket.

In taupe tones as requested by her daughter.

She and Nan discuss it. Sandy hates it. I like it.

Nan brought her Knitters' Fair treasures to show us. What wonderful buttons.

They look great, Nan, but I think you need to sew them on first.

Newcomer Joyce is working on a hat and hopes next week, someone can teach her how to do I-Cord for the tassels.

I'm sure someone - er any of us, can - Joyce.

Mona has a great sock yarn hat for her daughter and a great smile.

Guess who?

A shot of the back of a sweater coat with mitred squares is your first clue.

Ingrid wearing another beauty.

Doreen - sorry to be the one to telly you this, but you need a lesson in gauge. This top is MUCH too big for you.

Doreen tells me she is sending it off to her daughter in England. Like Sally Melville said -"if you don't get the gauge thing right, you never know who you are knitting for" - or something like that.

What about that Survivor opener last night? Looks as if it's going to be a great season!

Ready For Coat Weather

2011-09-14T13:53:00.040-04:00

Last week, I started a scarf to match my new-ish, fall coat. Last year's scarf of contrasting colour was so - last year. This year I wanted a matching scarf.

Casting on, then ripping off for a few different designs, I finally settled on Sally Melville's 'Shape It Scarf'.

This scarf begins like a triangular shawl, but not long into it, casts on great hunks of stitches on two rows. It finishes with knitting straight for four inches - a hybrid of sorts. A sharf. Or a scawl.

Mine, being knit with far, finer yarn that the pattern recommends, had to have many more stitches to achieve the length I wanted. 300 to be exact. But it is perfect.

Initially, I planned to use two yarns. A green and a deep charcoal to match the coat. But it looked a bit plain. So I used my old trick of making my own yarn -taking several different but co-ordinating yarns, and simply tying them together in varying lengths, to create a 'new', designer-effect yarn.

I love it. It looks great and gives the entire 'ensemble' a more cohesive look than the contrasting scarf. Heaven knows I can use more cohesion!

The Haul

2011-09-13T13:33:00.003-04:00

For weeks before the the Knitters Fair, I kept asking myself, if I really needed to go this year. After all, I have a room full of un-knit yarn, with enough queued projects to outlast my fingers. Did I really need more yarn? More patterns? Turns out I did.

Here is the 'haul'.

Two sets of buttons. Deer Antler buttons from AB Originals (sorry no website found) for Moose Eh!

And hand-carved, wooden buttons from The Woodlot, for my Chunky Asymmetrical Cardigan.

Two sweaters each just missing buttons to claim their spot in my F.O. file.

Still wondering what I might buy at the Fair, Friday night, I had a 'sign'. I came across a new pattern by Tanis Fibre Arts. I loved it. A simple, top-down, V-neck cardigan with graduated colouring. Knit with two strands of lace weight yarn held together, the top portion is two strands of C#1, the centre portion one strand each of C#1 & 2 and the bottom third knit with two strands of C#2. Of course, Tanis and her staff were all wearing this cardigan. One in blue as on the pattern and one in the most gorgeous autumn tones. But sadly, for me to buy Tanis' yarns, the government would have to increase CPP payments. I purchased the pattern and went shopping. I found this.

1400m of Filatura Di Crose, Centolavaggi, lace-weight wool at $10 per skein. I purchased one extra skein, to give me enough to also knit the Geodisic Cardigan - a pattern patiently waiting in my queue.

At the Passionknit's booth, Steven West's Spectra caught my eye. Worn by staff, and kitted up with one ball of Noro, one skein of Malabrigo Sock and the pattern, it was too gorgeous to resist.

At Shall We Knit? I spotted another gorgeous scarf on display. Designed by one of the staff and with only one pattern remaining that a generous, ex-co-worker agreed I should have, how could I say "No?" The picture on the pattern does not do this scarf justice.

It is crocheted, but in such a way that the stitch appears to be knit. Can't wait to see if I can figure that out.

At this point, I thought I was done. My empty purse said so. But then I spotted three skeins of green, Baby Alpaca Lace.

With the Geodisic Cardigan in mind, I bought them faster than a long-tail cast-on.

It wasn't until walking to the car, that I realized what I'd done. A double whammy. When Wilma saw the green Aplaca, she laughed and said " I have a skein of that at home you could have had." Oh, yea! Those d*&^%* green Alpaca lace shawls we struggled with a couple of years ago. I do remember telling Wilma, after the shawl episode, that if I ever appeared ready to purchase lace-weight Alpaca again, to haul me away from the counter -by force, if necessary. At about that moment in time, I remembered the extra skein of Centolavaggi I purchased for Geodisic. Of course that was before lunch. With tired feet and yarn-fume overdose, it's easy to forget those things. Maybe I will love Geodisic so much I will want two. That's my story at the moment and I'm sticking to it.

There was only one sour note to the entire day. New Nan, like me, was captured by the lure of Steven West's Spectra on display at Passionknit’s booth. She fondled & gazed, and gazed & fondled as knitters often do. Should I? Shouldn't I? Do I have enough stash yarn? Should I buy just pattern, or the kit? Lost in thought with all those knitterly questions, she was caught off-guard when approached by store staff who said
" I know what you are doing. You are memorizing the pattern. Move along." Nan, was at once, both flabbergasted, flummoxed. But one would have to think she must have also been flattered. Imagine being brilliant enough to memorize a Steven West design in a few, fleeting moments? Knitters speak with their pocket books. Not a wise comment, Passionknit.

Otherwise, a wonderful day to feed the knitterly addiction.

Fair Day

2011-09-12T09:27:00.019-04:00

Fall fairs are wonderful aren't they? The KW Knitters Fair - no midway, no candy floss, no rides - is no exception.

We arrived minutes after the 9:30 opening and left just after 4pm. We out-lasted most everyone except the merchandisers! It's a good thing too, as it took me almost that long to do the complete tour of vendors. There were so many knitters/friends to talk to. Knitters from my old London knitting group, students I taught, bloggers I read and co-workers from my old haunt London Yarns. I hardly had time to shop!!

And true to Brenda form, my camera made it out of my bag only a few times during the day. But that doesn't mean, that I didn't enjoy our conversations, Carol, Jan, Sharon, Linda, Buffy, Pat

I did finally get to meet Laurie M of Issues With Knitting. What a delight. A big, non-stop smiling kind of knitter. We did the 'blogger-taking-a-picture-of-another-blogger' thing.

The biggest surprise of the day was when I happened past the 'Shall We Knit' booth.

OMG. Is that really who I think it is ?? It cant be!! But yes it is!! A knitting celebrity! Anne Hanson of Knitspot! And all her sweaters.

Another delightful knitter. So soft spoken, so undemanding of attention. And so creative! Brad Pitt, George Clooney and the T.I.F.F. be d----. My celebs are knit-designers and bloggers.

Between celeb gazing, we met for a picnic lunch under the trees. Then back into the hall to hear
Denise Powell and her take on using traditional quilts for knitting inspiration. Very inspiring. I never thought I'd say this, but I just might have to try that quilt/knitting thing.

Back home safely and time today to paw through my bags. Yep that 's right. Plural. Purchases revealed tomorrow..

Big Day Tomorrow

2011-09-09T10:55:00.000-04:00

Bigger than the first day of school. Bigger than Christmas. Bigger than a birthday.

Tomorrow is the Kitchener Waterloo Knitters Fair. Two vehicles filled with knattering, knowledgeable knitters will leave Meaford early, early, early and come home late, late, late.

We open the doors of the fair in the morning and close them in late afternoon. In between, we shop, shop, shop.

And we picnic. So if any blog readers want to meet the Meaford Knitters, we will be eating lunch at a picnic table across from the front doors at about 12:30. Come over and say 'Hi'.

Thursdays Are For Knit Group

2011-09-08T19:38:00.000-04:00

A great crowd of knitters came out today to see the new digs. Sandy B worked hard to find us an elevator-equipped, down-town location that we could afford. Thanks Sandy. Mention elevator and look how many knitters turn up.

Gail had two baby sweaters, knit with Jame Brett 'Marble' yarn to show off.

For no baby in particular but it was mentioned that sweaters so cute might encourage one to get pregnant. Nah - I don't think so.

Mitre mania is the only word to describe what has come off Sandy B's needles. The 'memories of the beach' pillow for her Florida condo

- she insisted that I show both sides - (Nice to see that smile, Sandy)

and her finished, work-of-art, baby blanket.

Ruth is knitting a gorgeous little pink sweater. I'd tell you who it was for if I could remember if she said Grand Daughter or Great Grand daughter. Sorry Ruth.

Ruth went backwards today with her knitting. This shot was taken shortly after she arrived. Before I left, she was almost back down to the ribbing. A big goof she said. A big tear drop I'd say.

With no stairs to climb, Pat was able to come out. Another toy and a big smile to show us.

Nell was so busy crocheting this blanket she kept right on counting while I snapped her picture. Deadline, Nell?

Ingrid, of course had another fabulous sweater to show us. It was an "Oh that old thing" sweater. Knit last winter. Lovely light weight mohair.

The easy-access room was smaller than what we've been used to, but the knitting was just as grand.

Beginnings

2011-09-07T08:36:00.000-04:00

The beginning of the school year, despite the many, many years since I've been in school, still feels like a 'New Year'. A time for beginnings.

Luckily though, for me, there was no lunch to pack, no sitting still for long stretches of time, no being quiet!! Just a new beginning - casting on for a new knit. I could have - and probably should have - cast on for my Must Have Cardi. That however, would have required thought. Maybe even a gauge swatch. With a morning hike and an afternoon visit to the dentist, I wasn't up for anything that required thought or swatching.

Instead, I cast on for a scarf. Something to match the coat I purchased last fall.

Shortly after buying the coat, I knit a scarf of contrasting colours,

which looked lovely and worked well all last fall and early winter. But this year, I wanted to do the matchy-matchy thing.

It so happens that my two balls of left-over Briggs &Little Sport from my Elizabeth Zimmermann Green Sweater matches perfectly.

The two balls of leftover, deep-charcoal grey from Peter's Christmas sweater

is another dead-on match.

As with many students, there were a few, less-than-perfect starts in my beginning. Holding the two colours together, working with two strands of the green, settling on one strand at a time, in one colour at a time.

I settled on 200 stitches, knitting the scarf lengthwise. Mostly green with a grey stripe or two. A good beginning.

The One-Armed Moose.

2011-09-02T11:11:00.000-04:00

While creative knitters and weavers like Sharon and Sandy B were showing of their wonderfully, gorgeous wares, yesterday at knit group, I worked on the ribbing for Moose Eh! And cast off! Yippee! Done! Last night I sewed in the first sleeve.

So today, I can show you my one-armed Moose! So Canadian, eh? Maple leaves, Moose and inclusiveness too!

Have a great Labour Day weekend, everyone and thanks for reading.

Thursdays Are For Knit Group

2011-09-01T20:58:00.000-04:00

Sharon arrived at knit group today, chuckling as she laid her beautiful woven scarf on the table.

"Remember this yarn, Brenda?" she asked.

In it's transformed state, a lovely scarf, fresh from Sharon's loom, I didn't. But Sharon reminded me it was this yarn from Dessert Wrap. The customer that commissioned the wrap asked that I cut out most of the purple bits. Those purple bits went home with Sharon for her weaving. Recycled in the best possible way. It's gorgeous, Sharon.

Sandy B, still working on her quilt-knit baby blanket

intrigued me with her little black book of prep work. Some knitters prepare for a new project by knitting a gauge swatch. Some of us read ravelry. Sandy does something different. She colours.

It obviously works. The blanket is outstanding, Sandy.

It was great, today, to see Wilma back from vacation. She knit the cutest tunic for one of her grand daughters

and is finishing up one for the sister. Same colours, reversed positions. They are very cute, Wilma.

For any blog readers (Zieknits, I hope you are reading) that might be planning on dropping in to see us, please know that as of Sept 8, we will be meeting in the Meaford Hall. Take the elevators to the first floor and walk towards the front of the building until you smell the yarn fumes. Although our room at the library is wonderful, it is a gruelling climb up 20 stairs. Some of the knitters find that too difficult so we are moving to a room serviced by an elevator. All readers welcome. And if in town next week, pick up a copy of the Meaford Express and look for the picture of your favourite knitting group. Famous, I tell you.

Best Before Date

2011-08-31T14:28:00.000-04:00

With Moose Eh! almost done, I have been thinking about what to knit next. Since I dragged it all the way to Hearst and didn't get it started there, for sure, it will be my long-queued Must Have Cardigan.

I have had this sweater queued for at least 5 years. How much of a 'must-have' can it be, you might ask, when I've waited so long to start it? A better name might be my Kinda' Wann'a Have It Cardigan.

Even the yarn I have had for almost two years.

Galway, knitting worsted, purchased at Romni Wools in the fall of 2009! Yikes!! It's a good thing yarn doesn't have a best-before date.

This is a pattern knit in pieces.

So not me! I am wondering if I might knit the entire thing in the Elizabeth Zimmermann mode. Totally in the round, with both neck and sleeve steeks. Or perhaps at least in the round until the armhole then back and forth to the shoulders. Or maybe, I should just trust the designer and knit as instructed. HAH! I'd need to close off my memory to all the times designers have led me astray for that to work.

Finishing touches on Moose Eh! will take a couple of days, then visitors for the long weekend and I'll probably be starting my Must Have early next week. In the meantime, I'll do my prep work. No, not a swatch. Reading what other, 'quicker-off-the-mark' knitters on ravelry have to say about the pattern.

Gall Darn Ribbing

2011-08-30T13:55:00.001-04:00

Moose Eh!'s ribbing is giving me grief! 230 - or thereabouts - stitches for each row. 26 full and 12 short rows. Lots of knitting. Sunday night, I was a couple of rows from casting off when I quit for the evening.

At that point, only the shoulders were seamed, but I couldn't resist a quick try-on. Horrors! Two horrors, actually. The buttonholes were on the wrong side. Despite being a mild feminist, a women of the seventies, I nonetheless like my buttonholes on the right hand side. Moose Eh!'s buttonholes were on the left. I re-read the pattern. Yep, I had done them as instructed.    Now why would they write a pattern like that?   A re-knit was in order. Dang!

Once that shock subsided, I turned the wide ribbing back between the markers to form the shawl collar. Double Dang!! Of course! There are three colours in the ribbing. Each used more than once. I had been careful, every time the colour changed, to   work knit-only stitches in the first row of the colour change. The trick of working knit-only stitches, on that first row, prevents the purl bumps of the different colour from showing on the right side of the work. A much nicer look IMHO! My work looked marvellous on the right side. But when folded back between the markers, what showed of course, was the wrong side.

Now, there was never any mention in the pattern of switching from right-side knitting to wrong-side knitting between markers to keep the public side of the sweater neat and tidy. But there should have been. Again, I was reminded that when I knit from a pattern, my brain stops functioning. Designers only have so much room on a one, or few-page, pattern. They do presume that the knitter knows something. But this knitter presumes that the designer has worked out all the bugs and my brain turns off.

Ripped again.    Second - or is it third - time through, I am knitting right-side rows on the right side before and after the markers and wrong-side rows between the markers. Then on the wrong side,   wrong-side rows before and after the markers and right-side rows between the markers. Get it?

Disappointed, but rare the cloud though that doesn't sport a silver lining. I am delightedly happy with the great job I did picking up the stitches for this gall-darn ribbing!

Weekend Hat

2011-08-29T14:02:00.000-04:00

Wanting a break from the tedium of the 200 plus stitches of Moose Eh!'s ribbing, this weekend, I picked out some stash yarn and knit a hat.

The pattern, Seaman's Hat by Brenda Zuk, called for 100 g of worsted weight yarn but my stash ball had only 86 g. It might be enough, but then again, maybe not. Solving that issue before it became one, I chose a coordinating variegated yarn for the turned up cuff.

But, probably because I knit the medium size, there was still lots left on my 86g ball once the hat was finished. However, the contrast colour accomplished two goals: an interesting touch to a plain hat, and the end of the left over Vienna yarn from my Mondo Cabled Cardi.

Brenda's pattern has a great turned up cuff to give double coverage to the ears. It is knit in K1, P2 ribbing which when turned over becomes a most attractive K2,P1 ribbed cuff. Nice.

Really not an entire weekend's worth of knitting, the hat took me just part of each of Friday night and Saturday afternoon's pathetic Blue Jays games. Thank goodness the hat turned out better than Toronto's scores!

Thursdays Are For Knit Group

2011-08-25T19:43:00.000-04:00

With only nine knitters today, what we lacked in numbers we made up for in wonderful, finished pieces.

Nell who hasn't been out for quite some time due to poor health, was back both last week and today. She has assembled a gorgeous crocheted blanket. 32 squares of bright, lively colours.

Sharon and Gail examine it closely to see how Nell stitched it together. Then they gave it one last display.

And Sandy B has started another mitred-square baby blanket. I suggested to Sandy that it is amazingly quilt-like. She replied "Yes. I Know." Apparently she studied a friend's quilting book before casting on. The yellow square you see in the centre will be the middle of the blanket.

Bonnie arrived today with a gorgeous, green cardigan. Destined for her booth at the Meaford Craft Show, it is a close cousin to Central Park Hoodie.

If you think that arm on the right holding Bonnie's sweater might be mine wearing my Featherweight Cardigan you are close - but wrong knitter. That's Sharon. She and I both chose to wear our Featherweights today.

Dang, those are good looking sweaters!

See Sharon's B - I - G smile? That's the smile of a newly retired woman. A woman with more time to knit! Woo Hoo!

Another great Thursday. What fun nine knitters can have.

It Pays To Read Ahead

2011-08-24T11:52:00.000-04:00

Last night I began to 'finish' Moose Eh! Beginning with sewing the shoulders together with a three-needle bind off

I then moved on to picking up the stitches for the collar.

The pattern said to 'pick up and knit 101 stitches along the right front edge, 32 across the back neck and and 102 down the left front edge'.

101 stitches!! That's a lot of counting. Some serious math would need to be done to make sure they were evenly spaced. Or - I could just do a three-for-four pick up. After all, I'm not a new knitter, the three-for- four has worked for me in the past. Elizabeth Zimmermann would recommend a similar strategy. It would be much easier than marking equal sections to ensure that the 101 stitches get picked up evenly. So what the heck, why not?

Once that pick-up step was out of the way, I turned back to the pattern for my next bit of instruction. It read 'place markers after stitches 61 and 163'. Oops! Those markers indicate the points in which the knitting wraps and turns to form the short rows that will in turn shape Moose Eh!'s shawl collar.

Of course, with my three-for-four pick up ratio, I had no idea how many stitches were in my front edges. I just knew that the ribbing would neither pull nor flop. Not good enough, it turns out. If the number was off from the pattern numbers by much, my shawl collar would be hanging off to one side. Hmmm! What were my choices?

I could either count my stitches, and if out - which of course they most probably would be - adjust the marker points to correspond with my stitches. All of which would be a c- - - shoot. Or I could take out the pick-up row and do it according to pattern.

Sighing with that "I hate it when I realize that I'm not as smart as I think I am" sigh, I did neither. I went to bed.

Rainy Day Sweaters

2011-08-23T14:11:00.000-04:00

That rainy weekend came in handy for finishing. At least, closing in on finishing. Not only did I move forward lots on Moose Eh! but my bulky brown got a re-do.

The sloppy neck was amazingly tamed with it's minimal, three-row finish. I'm happy with it now.

Both sleeves, now at three-quarters length, look (to me) more perfectly suited to the sweater than the pattern's suggested wrist-length sleeves. I'm happy with them too.

But mostly I am happy with my bulky's new bottom. (Mine is beyond replacing.)

Remember the swing look that was happening when knit as the original pattern? It was ripped back about three inches above the trim and knit straight down. That means the waist decreases were not replaced with hip increases with the end result that the sweater, below the buttons, stays open to reveal a bit of what I'm wearing underneath. That look I can live with. It is much better on me than the swing bottom.

Ends to tie in, blocking to do and buttons to buy. Then it's done. Certainly not a sweater that I am ecstatic about but wearable now.

The Weekend Moose

2011-08-22T11:28:00.000-04:00

Weekend weather that saw one and a half days of rain, wind and severe thunder storms might have been discouraging to some. But to this knitter it meant lots of time for Moose Eh!

Remember me, while at the trailer, trying to decide whether to knit the fronts by hand or leave them until at home when they could be machine knit? I hate knitting flat but doing so while on vacation would have meant being being able to claim another FO at the trailer. I chose instead, to wait.

That's where the stormy, rainy weather came in handy. Both fronts were done Sunday afternoon. I don't use my machine often and so struggle to begin anew each time I dig it out of the box. Remembering one of my knitting friends, a machine knitting expert who helped me learn the basics, always encourages me to keep trying. One day, when first learning to machine knit, I exasperatedly said to him "I could hand knit faster than this!"

"Any time you think that", he replied, "just pick up your hand knitting, and knit a row. You'll see."

So I persevere. And Sunday afternoon, it didn't take long - an hour perhaps - to re-configure my brain and knit two fronts. The ribbing was already complete, and I simply hung the stitches on the machine and knit

up the two fronts.

All other pieces wait patently for the fronts and the sewing up.

It shouldn't be long now.

There Are Issues

2011-08-19T15:47:00.000-04:00

There are issues with my Asymmetrical Bulky Cardigan for sure. Sleeve number was knit down to the wrist - as per the pattern - and then ripped back to three quarter length. The shorter length is the winner I think, as it will maybe allow me to wear this bulky sweater indoors without overheating.

But take a look at that neckline depth. Lower than the V neck top I'm wearing. With the pattern calling only for a three-row trim I am not expecting much height to be added. It should tidy it up a bit, but that's all.

Despite my one-handed photo shoot, I tried to get the camera to capture the flaring bottom trim. Can you see it? That definitely needs to be ripped back. To say there are issues with this sweater, is an understatement. I only hope I can alter it enough to be wearable. Otherwise, any suggestions for ten balls of Naturally Tussock?

Thursdays Are For Knit Group

2011-08-18T20:01:00.000-04:00

Vacations offer an escape from routine. Some, back from vacation, complain about being 'back to routine'. But the routine of knit group on Thursdays, I look forward to. No complaints from me.

First time back today after my trip to Hearst, it was great to see everyone and get caught up on their knitting projects.

Mona, looking spiffy with her new perm, is knitting a sock weight hat. Light-weight yarn favoured by her sore shoulder.

Sandy B has completed her mitred square Koigu baby blanket. Words like - Outstanding! Fabulous! Wow! Well done! come to mind.

There are hats to match. One boyish, one girlish. The baby is apparently a boy so I guess Sandy expects him to channel his inner female side.

Sharon - one of our multi-talented ~~crafters~~ artists has been weaving. This is a fingering weight, caramel and ivory, hounds-tooth checked scarf. Again, Fabulous! comes to mind. The weaving is so absolutely perfectly executed it hard to believe it is hand done.
It will be for sale at the Pottawatmi Spinner and Weavers Guild Sale at the Owen Sound public library in November if you are interested.

A new-to me knitter, Carol has Gail helping her untangle some Koigu yarn. (Knitting with Koigu seems to be infectious in our group. Maybe we can negotiate a discount ???) Carol intends to make a mitred square jacket for her daughter.

Mind you, Gail has knitting of her own. An almost-completed baby blanket. The shower is tomorrow night, so keep working, Gail.

The date and time might be routine, but never the conversation or the knitting. Glad to be back.

Bulky Means Bulky

2011-08-17T15:38:00.000-04:00

It was the Bulky Asymmetrical Cardigan by Knitting Pure and Simple that I chose for car knitting on the drive home. Being bulky - well, chunky really - it knits up very quickly. One and a bit sleeve to go and it's done.

But there are issues. The front neck is Very Low.    Not that I didn't see that in the picture, but sadly, seeing and registering are often two different things. It has occurred to me that bulky being bulky, Asymmetrical probably won't be an indoor sweater. But with that very low neckline, it won't be the best outdoor sweater either. That openness could be stuffed with a scarf I suppose, but I'm not sure I want to mar the simplicity of the design by stuffing the top with a scarf. I can't quite envision it.

Then there is the issue of button/hole placement. In the picture I've put markers where the buttons will go. Looks fine, lying flat. But on me and my short frame, the 'buttons' seem to end too low on the sweater to truly replicate the beauty of the 'three-buttons-at-the-top' design.   Shortening the sweater from the suggested 25 1/2"   to my standard 'long-sweater' length of 23 inches obviously shortened the distance between buttons and bottom. No such luck that I might have realized the shorter length would require shortening the distance between buttonholes. Dang! Ripping back to above the sleeve join to redo the buttonholes doesn't appeal to me. I am considering stitching the button holes closed and using a pin. Could work.

Then - point three - there is the flaring/swinging bottom. The sweater has normal, waist shaping - decreases above the waistline, increases below it.   Those increased hip stitches, done in chunky yarn, in seed stitch, falling exactly at my widest point? Not pretty. After all - bulky means bulky.

There will be ripping. And a note to my knitting file - no more sweaters in thick yarn.

Once I Get There, I'm FIne.

2011-08-16T14:02:00.000-04:00

In my old age, I seem to have developed a resistance to change. (I guess it's really true what they say about becoming like your spouse over the years.) Before leaving for Hearst and the trailer each summer, I think of many reasons to resist going. I whine and complain. I stare longingly at my Clematis, knowing it will flower in my absence. I think fondly of all the fun, home activities I'll miss: Knit group. Hiking the Bruce Trail. Swimming at the harbour here in town.

Once there, I'm fine. It's the transition I don't like. Now that I'm home, I suffer the same resistance in reverse. I know - there's no pleasing me. I think Fred has said that a time or two. But today, I'm melancholy about the summer being over - MY summer being over. It started when I downloaded a summer's worth of photos to the computer.

Take a look. From hair cuts to Root Beer floats to friends and knitting, it was a great summer.

There's A Calendar In Their Future!!

2011-08-15T12:45:00.000-04:00

Home from Hearst and catching up on blog reading, ravelry - oh yea - and the laundry too.

But I can't resist showing you what the Meaford Knitters - well, some of them thought this too riske (Where's that French keyboard when I need it?) a way to spend the afternoon and chose to stay away - were doing while I was on vacation.

Here they are, knitting babes, enjoying yarn and summer on the shores of Georgian Bay.

Don't you think there is a calendar in their future?

Pure And Simple

2011-08-11T14:46:00.040-04:00

Pure and Simple - that's the knitting I need for the 10 hour car ride home.

Although Laurie M commented that the back and forth knitting of the 36 stitch fronts might be considered mindless enough for the car, I have put Moose Eh! away. The back, sleeves and two pockets are done. Once home I shall speed through the two fronts on the machine and move along to the interesting ribbing.

For the car, I have begun Knitting Pure & Simple`s Bulky Asymmetrical Cardigan.

The pattern I`ve had for some time, but just purchased the yarn - Naturally`s Tussock Chunky - last winter. Elann had a special, selling this yarn at about 20% of normal retail. I mean, who could resistÉ

This is a top down knit. A cardigan which would suggest back and forth knitting but I am thinking - trouble brews, when I think - Elizabeth Zimmermann would do that in the round. Then steek. Why not.

The decision will be made in the car, but that`s the way I'm leaning at the moment. Pure and Simple it will be.

For Danny And His Mom

2011-08-09T14:05:00.001-04:00

Often, I am surprised to learn who reads my blog. Take Danny's Mom for instance. Who you ask? Danny's mom.

Danny, a Hearst 'boy' works at Ruby's Wool/Tool store.

I met Danny the first time I went in search of a fellow knitter in Hearst. I had been told that 'Ruby' loved to knit and had confiscated a corner of the Tool Store for yarn. My kind of woman. I had to search her out. That particular day, Ruby wasn't in, but this friendly, helpful guy - Danny - spoke to me and helped me out. I left my card, and along the way, Danny must have mentioned my blog to his Mom.

Now, each summer when I go into the store, Danny mentions to me that his Mom reads my blog. Religiously is the word Danny uses. Danny tells me his Mom is NOT a knitter (a situation that is not too late to change, Danny's Mom) but that she reads the blog because she enjoys my writing style. Quite a compliment. Thanks, Danny's Mom.

So today's post is for Danny and his Mom.

You raised a great boy, Danny's Mom. He is always polite and helpful - and not to embarrass you Danny, but single too - I do imagine that when he began his career at the tool store, he never expected to be selling yarn. But he has made the transition gracefully and is unfailingly helpful and patient.

Of course he is a man of many talents. Not only is he great with yarn sales but it was Danny who introduced me to the absolute best cleaner in the world.

Oops! Did I just give a commercial endorsement on this blog? Only for you Danny.

Danny's Mom, I am sure you know what a treasure you have in Danny, but now, the rest of the blog world knows too. As always, thanks for reading.