This Knitter's Life

Today and tomorrow, I am leading a great, Knitter's Life.  

I leave shortly to head down to Kitchener as tomorrow is the annual Knitters Fair.   This year, I am working the fair, at one of the Cabin Fever booths.  Yes, this year they have two booths,  and today is set-up day.  Two days of being surrounded by yarn and knitters,  breathing in those yarn fumes and perhaps, just perhaps, engaging in some yarn, retail therapy.  Couldn't hurt.   You'll find me at the Cabin Fever Clearance Booth in Marshall Hall.  Stop by and say 'Hi.'

Before I leave I can take a few minutes to swoon over my new book that arrived at the post office yesterday.   Being interested in mastering the math behind top-down construction, I purchased Ann Budd's Handy Book Of Top Down Sweaters.

Unfortunately, in my opinion, she does approach top-down knitting,  as most designers do - casting on less that the full amount of neck stitches then short-rowing to add in the centre-front stitches.  That is the opposite of Deb Gemmell's method.  Deb, instead casts on lots of stitches and at the same time as  increasing at the raglan markers, decreases to shape the front neck.  A brilliant and - in my opinion - better, neater way to start a Top Down.  Nonetheless, I expect the book will be helpful in helping me learn the math involved.  And since tomorrow  I  spend all day  with Deb, maybe I can encourage her to divulge her mathematical formula.  Or at least tell me if there is one.

While I check out the book, I can gaze fondly at my quartet of Ruby-inspired knits. 

The mohair-lined mittens she requested, plus the Unoriginal Hat and Bulky  Collar I knit to match.    Easy knits all and a   great  winter combo.

The knitters who are reading are probably heading for their needles at this very minute after reading of these wonderful knitting adventures.  And the non-knitters?  On their way to the LYS I'm sure. 

On A Ruby Roll

With Ruby's, requested, two-layered mittens finished and the pattern for them 99% so, I moved on to a matching hat.  Knit too with the Sirdar Juniper,  I used the yarnharlot's  'Unoriginal Hat'  pattern.  She is right about it being a fast knit.  There are only 56 stitches to cast on and 36 rows to knit.  A one-movie  or  - this time of year  - one-baseball-game  hat.

Stephanie recommended a set of five,  7mm, double pointed needles.  Her pattern, 56 stitches in total is divided into four pattern repeats of 14 stitches each.  A very nice fit over four needles.  However, always one to find a harder way to do something, I didn't have 7mm dpns.  I did have two sets of 8mm circs and that is what I used.  Less easy perhaps than one repeat per needle, but still not too complicated for this mathematically-challenged knitter. Stephanie did say for a larger hat,  use a larger needle.  So now I am looking for a fat-headed friend - or at least one with big hair - who loves green and who needs a new hat.  Just kidding.

It is cute, very trendy and a nice compliment to the mittens.  Another gift for the Christmas box.

Ruby's Mittens

Before heading home from Hearst, at the end of the summer, Ruby of the Napa Wool/Tool Shop handed me a bag of yarn.

"For you," she said.
"For me?" I puzzled.

"With the string attached that I would like you to develop a pattern for a pair of two-layer mittens" she said.  "The thick & thin, variegated Juniper on the outside and the mohair on the inside."  Hearst is cold in the winter time, don't ya know!  

That pattern development has been consuming my time this past couple of weeks.  But I think I have it worked out.  Then, of course,I couldn't stop.  Wouldn't it be nice to have a hat or a cowl  - a cache-cou in Hearst speak - to match, I thought.  So I called up and ordered two more balls of the Juniper to be sent down.
 

The mittens are finished,

 

the pattern almost so.  Then it is off to Ruby for her approval.   Time to start my first wool sweater of the season.