Thru The Back Loop

Writers Block vs. Knitted Block

2011-06-21T14:15:00.000-04:00

I was hard at work on the TNGA Master Knitters Level One.

I promised myself I wouldn't knit anything until I finished the knitting for the course. I cheated with a simple seed stitch baby blanket (more on that another time). But I finished the knitting - finally.

I completed all the research. I took my notes. I corrected the knitting mistakes I made.

I learned a lot about knitting and myself as a knitter.

Then I ran into a block.

The writing had to be done. I also promised myself I won't write anything until I finished the writing for the course... So no blogs for a long time. But here I am cheating again! I had to write something because I have since realized that I need a little practice to keep me going. Sort of like being better on the bike after a few rides then the first time on a bike in 30+ years (more on that another time also).

As I write this I feel the block being chipped away at. And at the same time I am knitting mitered square blocks - for a Mitered Squares Blanket to be exact. I hope I can knit all my blocks out of my head and into a report on knitting and a blanket. I just might be knitting these for the summer. Although I hope to have the writing done well before then.

And I may knit a sock or two in for good measure.

Project #100

2011-03-25T23:46:00.002-04:00

A few years ago I was co-teaching a needle arts club group at my sons Middle School. We taught needlepoint, crewel/embroidery, crocheting and knitting. This class awakened a passion for knitting in me that had been dormant for a long time.
I searched the internet and found The Knitting Guild Association and its Masters Course.

The Masters Program is a 3 level program. I thought to myself "No problem. I can knit." and "I'll get through all three levels 1-2-3." I joined TKGA, paid my fee and got the course.

Hahahahahaha hahahah haha! Oy!

When I examined my work though the lens of the Masters Course I realized - I had a lot to learn. While I did knit. I did not knit well enough. My stitches were different sizes, wonky in different directions. It was off but consistent. Consistently off. I started on a mission to learn and improve my skills.

My next Internet search for knitting stuff found Ravelry. I joined on February 24th 2008. It's been a great resource for me. Being able to keep track of projects, yarns, needles all in one place is great. Add to that the ability to share with so many other knitters just grows that experience exponentially. To view how so many knitters execute the same patterns completely differently from each other. Or the many different applications of the same yarn. I love it.

The Internet has been great for this knitter. I have found U-Tube tutorials shared by some very gifted and generous knitters to be an invaluable resource. I have joined a knitting group or two and met some wonderful knitters over the past 3+ years. I learned about Rhinebeck - a fun filled fiber fest for fun loving fiber people. I now have a stash larger then I am willing to admit. I spread it around so I can tell myself it isn't that much (in one place). And I started this blog.

But I haven't finished Masters Course yet.

This is my current project. Ravelry project # 100 - TKGA Masters Course.

Wish me luck and stay tuned.

Tired of Socks

2011-02-22T17:43:00.000-05:00

Did I just write that? I think I did. But I feel so guilty!

I have a rather large stash of sock yarn.

So large that I've actually though about making a blanket out of it.

And even that would just lighten the load.

I have knit a lot of socks this past year.

I can actually make it two weeks in warm woolly socks before I run out and have to wash them.

I have even gifted more then a few pairs to more then a few lucky people.

Maybe I have just been knitting too many socks lately.

Maybe the thought I had in the back of my mind,

of knitting the family socks for Christmas,

has scared my subconscious into sabotaging me with evil thoughts of sock knitting.

I don't know. I sure do hope it passes.

Because when I am actually looking at the sock yarn I can't pick even one skein to make a blanket out of.

I think the only sock yarn that is going to make it to a blanket is the left over yarn from my knitted socks.

I give you - "Procrastination"

2011-02-01T20:28:00.000-05:00

It's been a long time. A long time since I first started this long and wide scarf wrap. I'm hoping that if I make the description very long I can justify taking 16 months to finish one simple scarf. I could have had a ... (you fill in the blank) in the time it took to finish this scarf.

It's not the yarn. I love the yarn! I purchased this yummy Alpaca Silk blend in a colorway called Aquarium from Ellen's Half Pint Farm at the NYS Sheep and Wool Festival @ Rhinebeck in October of 2008. Almost another year before I started the scarf; I mean wide and long wrap. It is so soft in hand with a sweet supple halo. The color reminds me of the ocean breaking on a sand bar.

It's not that the pattern was hard - its a rectangle! I designed the stitch pattern to be a simple mix of stockinette and seed stitch - couldn't get much easier. I worked on it in the car, at night, in the dark! This was easy knitting.

So why it took so long to finish - I dunno. But I did finish it and I am very happy about that. With all the time it took I am calling the scarf "Procrastination". It is a simple pattern. I promise not to take as long posting the pattern to Ravelry.

Color Work in Shades of Grey

2010-12-31T14:13:00.000-05:00

My first Fair Isle knit. I have done 2 projects in intarsia, both kits for my son and nephew.

Front-loading back-hoes, but that's another story. I started this before Thanksgiving and was determined to finish it before the New Year. Made it with a day to spare!

I found this pattern in an English knitting magazine (Knitting) last year as part of their holiday pull out. I went to the Drops website because the pattern in the pull out was a little vague in spots. The pattern on the website was a little less vague but still vague. So I guess I'll just have to channel my inner EZ and without tears, just knit on. I ordered the yarn online from Garnstudio. It was here in 2 days.

This is my first time stranding my yarn. I read the tutorials, watched the Drops tutorial and cast on.

I frogged the first attempt because I didn't like the wonky jumps from row to row without continuity. So I added a stitch in charcoal grey at the end of the first round as a "seam" stitch. Whenever I got to the end of a row I dropped all the colors I was working with and picked up the charcoal grey, wrapping the loose yarns, I knit my seam stitch. This worked out great. I didn't have to worry about jogging stitch's from row to row to eliminate the uneven appearance. Maybe after I am more experienced at this I will be able to change color from row to row and stitch to stitch without seeing the jump.

Or maybe not - for now the seam works fine.

Happy New Year Everybody

My first KAL - Socks

2010-11-01T22:00:00.000-04:00

I joined the Socktoberfest KAL on Ravelry. I never did a KAL before and wasn't sure if I could keep up with the progress through the entire project but thought to myself - "Self its socks! How hard could it be?"

It wasn't hard at all and it turned out to be fun. Mostly because this was a mystery pattern that you got to see as you knit, week by week. I have seen ThroughTheLoops sock patterns By Kirsten Kapur before but I've never knit one myself. I have wanted too for a while and this was the perfect opportunity to introduce myself to this talented designers work. I have not been disappointed at all. Her socks also happened to grace the cover of Brave New Knits. My current favorite book to drool over. I did not finish these yet but I did manage to start and finish two other pairs.

One pair is this plain 2x2 rib throughout the leg and down the instep. I lost the yarn band but I love the color. Very earthy and autumn.

The other pair I knit with an afterthought heel and a 2x2 ribbed cuff/leg. My first afterthought heel. I like it better then a short row heel - it looks cleaner and tighter. I also love the colorway. Its funny, before now I never would have picked this color. Now I love it. It was a gift from Susie. Thanks Susie!

I can't stop drooling.

2010-10-25T00:01:00.002-04:00

Forget me - save the book. But I warn you drooling and lip licking will ensue.

This book is that good. I can't figure out which design I'm going to knit first. Only kidding, I know exactly what I'm knitting first - Jared Flood's Woodsmoke Scarf.

Then I am toying with the idea of knitting Anne Hanson's Hydrangea Neckwarmer.

Ysolda has the beautiful little Orchid Theif Shawlette that I am dreaming about wearing.

Then there's the Sprouting Cloche from Norah Gaughan.

And so many more I'm going to pass out from dehydration.

I have enjoyed reading about so many of the bloggers I already read and getting a pattern too just brings these very talented designers and bloggers, authors and artists all, right home to my yarn stash with great joy. If you happen by a book store or your LYS check it out. I warn you though, bring a napkin or two because you will be drooling.

October is for knitting nirvana...

2010-10-19T21:17:00.001-04:00

October is proving to be a month of knitting nirvana for me. The month didn't start out that well. My beloved old suburban, Betsy, has put in a request for parts and is not moving until she gets them. She is a stubborn old gal and we are getting those antique pieces for her as best we can. But imagine my panic. October has a yarn crawl and the big NYS Sheep and Wool Festival at Rhinebeck! This situation had to be fixed and fast. We took a look around and found a younger sister for our Betsy. Another GMC we'll call Ivy. Thanks to her, October's knitting needs have been saved!

October started with Susie turning me onto Socktoberfest 2010 on Ravelry. So I committed to a month of sock knitting. I thought to myself - self you'll knit nothing but socks this month. What can I say, I was listening to myself the way my teenager does - selectively.

I have managed to get one pair done so far in Socks that Rock yarn. I love the way these self stripped. I love Socks that Rock sock yarn - it is the bomb!

Next, over the Columbus Day weekend, Susie and I went on a yarn crawl. Her husband was nice enough to drive us and hang out. We hit La Casita, Brooklyn General and I went on to Purl. It is very gratifying crawling through yummy woolen fibers all over New York City.

Brooklyn General had a great selection. There were basics like Cascade and lots of smaller mills and dyers too. What a great warm store. Very old school. Warm and homey.

La Casita was next and yielded a great color of Madeline Tosh. I seem to be attracted to coppery brown tones lately.

While at Purl I picked up 2 things. The first was a pattern for a rabbit named Hop. You'll be able to say hi to Hop as soon as I sew on his face. No Hop is not a sock and yes he did get knit this month. Teenager ears, does that mean I'm getting younger? Or maybe just my ears are.

The second thing I got from Purl was a skein of Jared Flood's new yarn Shetler. I am in love with this yarn. It is light weight yet very substantial. This is a yarn you want to make a sweater out of and then eat, sleep and live in it. I will have to look for the perfect pattern to knit a perfect garment out of Shelter but for now I'll just play with this one skein and dream of our future together.

There were knitters in all the stores as far as the eyes could see. This happens to be Purl.

Next was the big NYS Sheep and Wool Festival at Rhinebeck. Despite the cool weather it was packed. I managed to pull myself away from the hardened grasp of woolly fibers long enough to get to the Ravelry lunch time meet-up. A few moments with Susie, her family and Ria and then I was a gal on a mission for sock yarn! After all it is Socktober! I got my usual Socks that Rock stash for the coming year and was alerted to the Sanguine Gryphon presence by Ria. Scored a few more assorted skeins of sock yarn from the great girls that run the company and dye the yarn.

I had read a lot about yarn from Blue Faced Leicester as a breed. I wanted to check it out at the Fair. I was not disappointed at all. I fell in love with yet another type of woolly fiber. This yarn is so soft. I bought 2 skeins with a baby blanket in mind but I think I might have to rethink that.

And last but not least I picked up a couple of skeins of Brook Farms Solo Silk/Wool blend. The yarn makes a great scarf.

Tomorrow I am meeting Susie (and maybe Ria) for lunch and knitting. Time to get back to those socks!

October is Socktoberfest

2010-10-05T16:39:00.001-04:00

October is Socktober month. My Friend, Susie, mentioned this to me last month. I never heard of Socktoberfest before. I went over to Ravelry and checked out the group. I thought, this is perfect timing and joined the group. Thank you Susie!

There is a KAL for a specially designed sock for the event. This is my first KAL. I like that the pattern is being released a little at a time so the design of the sock will unfold as it is being knit. A bit of trust in the designer is required because I won't know what the sock is suppose to look like until I am finished. I am going to knit the KAL socks two at a time so both are finished at once and because the pattern is being released bit by bit, affording me the time to slow down and smell the stitches as they fume into socks.

I started knitting socks about two and a half years ago. My first sock seemed to take forever as I knit and frogged and knit again (and again) until I got it right. Actually the first pair took 3 months to finish. Since then some pairs have taken me longer to finish but none have taught me as much about knitting in general as those first pair of socks.

Over the summer I was reading Stephanie McPhee (The Yarn Harlot) and found myself agreeing with some of her thoughts on socks. Fancy socks are great to knit. They are even more beautiful to look at and wear. For some, it is very hard to put shoes on over them and cover up all that beauty and design work. While I do wear all of my creations I have noticed that some of the recipients of my hand knit socks are not wearing them. I am told they are too pretty to wear. The one exception - the dude who got the pair of plain boot socks! I decided I wanted to knit several pairs of plain or close to plain socks to wear and be worn more often. I started at the end of September with a smaller size of the plain boots socks in Noro. I am currently working on my eighteenth and nineteenth pairs of socks, just in time for Socktoberfest. And with the cast on of the KAL I'll be up to my twentieth pair. I am hoping to knit a dozen pairs of socks this year. I am up to nine pairs including the three pairs above.

In Memory . . .

2010-09-29T12:21:00.000-04:00

Rest in Peace

Janice Haywood Thompson

1/9/1939 - 9/26/2010

My Cardi 2010

2010-09-20T12:00:00.005-04:00

I fell in love with this picture of the Long Cardigan in the Early Fall issue of Vogue Knitting. Its pattern #01 designed by the team of Lutz & Patmos. What I didn't fall in love with was the shorter sleeves and the too busy back panel for the yarn I wanted to use. So lemons to lemon aide I turned this pattern into the perfect Fall / Winter Cardigan for me.

I used a different yarn, Rowan Plaid, an alpaca wool blend of 3 different colored sport weight yarn twisted together. The colors are turquoise, lime and grey. The yarn change called for a needle change, I used a size 11US.

I made the sleeves about 5 inches longer. Eliminated the back panel and just worked the same cable pattern for the front and sleeves across the entire back. I eliminated the pockets because I didn't have enough yarn. I also made the sweater a size smaller because I plan to attach a two way zipper to the front and wear it more fitted. I still have to get the zipper. A trip to Vardhman's on 39th between 7th & 8th is in order. And then I can stop by M&T Trimming for a button to match the Spiral Tweed Cloche.

I hope to be wearing this at Rhinebeck this year.

Back from Vacation

2010-09-15T15:35:00.000-04:00

After we dropped our son off at college we took a long week to ourselves in the Catskills.

Hubby continued his landscaping mission and I canned fruit jam and started knitting a few Christmas presents. Yes its after Labor Day already and Christmas knitting has begun.

Most recently I finished this great skirt from Veronik Avery's book 24/7. An easy knit with very stylish results. I can't wait to see it on its recipient!

A pair of socks for someone. . .

A nice Spiral Tweed Cloche also from 24/7

And just so I don't neglect myself - a slice of blue Citron

and a pair of Lacy Mock Cable socks for me.

It still seems like I have just as many projects lined up to go on the needles as are on the needles now. I guess I'll just have to keep on knitting. I love the Fall lineup on TV and my corresponding knitting time on the couch after dinner. I wish good luck to all who knit their friends and family gifts for the coming season. May no frogs leap on your doorstep and the knot fairy lose your address.

Let the Happy Knitting season begin!

On Vacation

2010-08-30T12:01:00.025-04:00

I took my son to college last Thursday.

I have plans to make a sweater to send him.

He has to have that Ron Weasley moment before he graduates- hehehe.

But for now I am taking some time

and finishing a sweater for myself.

I'll show ya when I get home.

Happy Labor Day everybody.

Project bags

2010-08-25T13:16:00.000-04:00

A couple of years ago I made a few project bags out of quilting fabric I bought when I had delusions of making a real bed sized quilt. I made a doll sized quilt and a baby sized quilt and then the allure quickly faded. When I made my project bags a couple of years ago it seems that I did not make enough. So since I had some time and a lot more fabric on hand I decided to take a few hours and make a few more bags.

Mostly they are one or two skein size bags.

I can also fit a nice lace weight or shawl project in it.

I made one rather large one for a good sized project, now I have two larger bags. This time I also made a wide and short one for that unusual project or to have a few extra yarn cakes at hand, just in case.

I am enjoying my sock knitting so I like having the yarn, needles and pattern

in the bag ready to go when I am.

Well for now I think I might have enough bags. And its a good thing too because when sewing the new bags I realized how badly the older bags needed a washing.

Yarn and traveling can be dusty.

Yes, it does look a little different

2010-08-18T17:53:00.000-04:00

I changed the look of my blog today. No reason. Just playing around with the new template thingy and trying stuff out. Not a big change to things, I do have my preferences.

Sock it to me!

2010-08-17T19:09:00.008-04:00

Here are my latest pair of socks. This is the Lacy Mock Cable sock. I enjoyed knitting these. They are my 5th pair this year. I had set a goal for myself to knit 6 pairs of socks this year. I think I am going to up that goal and really challenge myself.

I finished my first pair of socks in Sept of 2008. I worked on them for 3 months. I worked on nothing else for those 3 months. I did every aspect of that sock many times over. Toes, heels, insteps, soles, cuffs. Such a small item with so many parts. I borrowed books from the Public Library. I expanded my sock knitting library. I devoured any magazine with anything written about sock knitting. At last I felt comfortable enough to go forth and jump into the sock knitting world.

Considering it took me the 3 months to knit my first pair of socks I thought 6 pairs would be a good goal for this year. Then I counted how many pairs of socks I knit last year and now I'm thinking I'd better step it up a notch or two.

In 2009 I knit 8 pairs of socks. So I've decided to knit a minimum of 8 pairs and an ultimate goal of a dozen in 12 months. Yes 12 in 12. I think I'm ready. I'll have to cast on a pair or two today to make my goal.

I love wearing hand knitted, yummy wool socks. And don't get me started on how much better wool socks are in the northeast winters then any other fiber! Whether its top-downs by Cookie A. or toe-ups by Wendy D. Johnson, I love them all. I am now an intrepid sock knitter. I think I will always have at least one pair of socks on the needles at all times.

I think by the time holiday season rolls around I might be ready for a sock of the month club - hint, hint ;)

Barbara Walker Treasury Project - Part 2

2010-08-09T18:44:00.002-04:00

I finished and posted my last 2 swatches for the Treasury Project. Here they are . .

The first stitch pattern here is Ears of Grass. Maybe for a baby Blanket. I would probably alternate the motif - sort of off center - in the rows. Its pretty and very sutle.

I was surprised by how much I liked the Feather and Fan stitch. It is fun to knit, makes a nice curvy wave and has just the right amount of "squish". It was the last swatch I made but I think I liked this stitch pattern the most.

I am going to have to make a neck warmer or 2 with this stitch.

Baby Lace Fern Hood Pattern

2010-08-02T13:00:00.009-04:00

I posted another new pattern on Ravelry. It took a bit of time. This is my second pattern posting and I'm afraid too much time has passed since the last pattern posting so the memory is ~~old~~ ~~faded~~ not what it used to be. Hopefully the next pattern is posted soon enough for me to remember how to do it without reading the entire tutorial again!

But anyway - here it is ... the

Baby Fern Hood / Hat / Cowl

And the pattern is available on Ravelry for free - right now!

Started a few things. . .

2010-07-26T15:07:00.000-04:00

I finished a few projects and the projects I have on the needles are, for me, things I will knit over time because they go on and on and on. Like this scarf. It is half way there but it has a few feet more to go before it will be the scarf I know it can be.

Really, I have to make some room in my stash boxes for this years goodies from

Rhinebeck's Wool and Sheep Festival.

So I decided to start a few new projects. . .

I am knitting myself a sweater from the early fall 2010 issue of Vogue Knitting out of Rowan Plaid. I picked up this yarn at Smiley's Annual Hotel Sale here in NYC back in 2009. A bag of 10 skeins was $30.00. The yarn seems to be made up of 3 different colors of sport or fingering weight yarn (turquoise, lime and grey). I am glad I stashed this yarn, this pattern is what it has been waiting for. I modified the pattern, or rather simplified it, by leaving out the center panel on the back. I didn't really like it. Besides with this colorway it would have been too busy. To conserve on yarn I also left out the pockets. I did the math and will be cutting it close on this project. I'm working on the front right now. I might have to purchase a couple more skeins to make the sleeves longer and I'm afraid those 2 skeins will cost me more then the other 10 did put together. Isn't it pretty though?

I am also making the Lazy Mock Cable socks that my friend and fellow knitter, Suzy (aka KnittingKnoobie) has made several times over. They are very cute. I messed up the 2x2 ribbing at the start - it was late at night - so it stayed that way. I promise to do right on the next pair. Yes there will be a next pair. This is a fun and really cute knit! I totally get why Suzie goes back to this pattern often, I think I might too. By the way this is some of the Socks that Rock yarn that I am making room in my stash for.

I am going to use this to make my next pair of socks. Also STR but in medium weight instead of light weight. I haven't picked a pattern for it yet.

I'm thinking I might do a second pair of Lazy Mock Cable Socks

or maybe something else. I'll decide by the end of the week.

I have to have my vacation knitting lined up by then.

Next week we are going camping by the Jersey Shore.
I don't know if we'll be anywhere near the folks from the show, Jersey has a big shore,
but if I run into Snookie I'll teach her how to knit!

Finshed a few things . .

2010-07-19T12:29:00.002-04:00

I've started a couple of projects a while ago. Oh who am I kidding? I started a lot of projects a while ago. So I have been trying to finish them all. Yes all at once. Yes kidding again. I knit happy, drunk on completed projects. How sweet life can be when I "keep it simple stupid". Not really sure what the exact meaning of that is but for me sometimes it means don't over complicate and sometimes it means ahh - stupid you over complicated. But I digress, ~~I stupid.~~

I mean I finished a few projects and here they are. . .

The first is a blue version of my smoke ring cowl. I designed this with the help of a stitch pattern from one of Barbara Walkers' stitch pattern books. I am finishing up the pattern and will have it posted on Ravelry shortly.

The second finished project is my O-Link socks in a solid color. I made them out of Lion Brands new solid color sock yarn. It's not luxury yarn like say STR, but it on par with other sock yarns of its price range and the colors are pretty nice. Next time I use this yarn I think I'll double it for a more substantial fabric. This pattern, too, is getting the final touches for posting.

And I also finished knitting A Swallowtail Shawl out of Classic Elite Yarns Alpaca Lace. It was a bit of a challenge to get used to this skinny yarn. But after a few repeats I grew used to it. The biggest problem I have with this pattern are the nups. They kicked my butt several times. They were frogged several times. I knit the lily of the valley repeat so may times I could have grown a few real ones!

And I managed to get this out of my frustration . .

So with all of this finishing of projects you know I have to add a few new ones.

So what if I have 2 Walker swatches, a house blanket,

a very large scarf and a rather skinny scarf to finish.

Shouldn't one always have a pair of socks on the needles and I haven't knit a sweater in a while.

Besides Rhinebeck is coming and I haven't finished knitting a big enough hole in my stash yet.

Gotta make room!

Walker Treasury Project Donation

2010-07-13T18:32:00.000-04:00

A couple of posts/months ago I wrote about joining the Walker Treasury Project. See that big obnoxious button on the right (--> ) - press it, after you read this of course.

I finished 3 of the 5 swatches I signed on to do.

This is the first one. Its called Double Eyelet Rib. Its from the first book - A Treasury of Knitting Patterns.

This is the second one. It is called Shadow Cable. Also from the first book.

And the third one is called Block Quilting. It is from the Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns.

They were all knit with Paton's Classic Wool. Your basic all around blah yarn. It is great yarn for felting though if I felted these swatches we would have to send them on a trip with Alice when she shrinks.

Ahhhh...Country Air, now where's that chain saw?

2010-06-02T20:00:00.002-04:00

We have been busy pruning and clipping and chopping overgrowth. House work around the outside started with spring and will end when the ground is covered in snow. Our house hasn't had as much as a branch cut or bramble trimmed in many, many years. Bushes that should be 6-8 feet tall have grown to over 15 feet. Things planted too close to the foundation of our house for comfort, roots threatening the basement walls; it all had to go. And for the most part, this weekend, it did.

This is my house minus the bush/trees.( a little out of focus, sorry)

I did manage to get one planting bed turned and planted with tomatoes and peppers. I have 3 more beds to do - this was just the easiest so it got done first. We are far North in the Catskills and we had a late frost this year so things couldn't get planted until late. I never knew trees could get frost bite but our Mulberry tree did. I don't know if it will effect the fruit or if we will even get fruit. I do know I have wild rose bush roots as big as a tree to dig up in the next few weeks - they took over 2 of the plant beds so they gotta go.

I do enjoy the wild weed flowers that grow out back. I am learning a lot about owning a house. Right now I am still loving it including the gardening and repairing. Its like we're slowly shaping the sole of the house and turning it into our home. I like it - its a great feeling. I think I'm in love with my house! My husband will be happy - he finally gets a menage-a-trois - him, me and the house.

I have been busy knitting too. I finally finished the cotton hat for Dawn.

And I designed a new pair of socks. I first knit it up in this pretty teal and bronze variegated yarn. Sort of looks like a brocade fabric. I wanted the stitch pattern to be seen for the pattern which meant knitting a second pair in a solid color. It was a great opportunity to check out Lion Brands new Sock-ease at the same time. I have one made and will cast on for the second before the end of the week. As soon as the second sock is finished I will post a photo and put the pattern on Ravelry.

The Walker Treasury Project

2010-05-20T19:12:00.001-04:00

I signed on to the Walker Treasury Project. It's an online project where knitters from all over are knitting swatches from the books of Barbara Walker.
Just in case you don't know who Barbara Walker is, let's just say her books are the Webster Dictionary's of knitting. They are stitch encyclopedias, ideas for design, indispensible inspiration - I think I go to them often just to day dream and get lost in all the possibilities knitting holds. In the knitting kingdom she is right up there with Elizabeth Zimmermann.
If you haven't seen one of her books - go to your local yarn store, book store, internet site or School House Press. Start with book one and within a year if not days you'll be looking for the others.
And once you have found your stitch dictionary treasures, think about joining the Walker Treasury Project and knitting a swatch or 2 for the cause. The site is also great to view color photos of swatches already submitted.
As for me I seem to like the number 5 lately - so I signed up for 5 swatches. I wanted to pick from 5 different chapters but looking at them they seem to be fairly close in style. From A Treasury of Knitting Patterns (Book 1) I will be swatching Double Eyelet Rib (chapter 3 -Ribbings), Feather and Fan or Old Shale (chapter 10 - Lace), and Shadow Cable (chapter12 - Cable Stitch Patterns). From A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns (Book 2) I will be swatching Block Quilting (chapter 1 - Knit-purl combinations), and Ears of Grass (chapter 11 - Eyelets).

I will post them as they are finished, after I post them to the Project site.

Wish me luck and join me if you can.

I'm a Ravelry Designer!

2010-05-04T19:44:00.000-04:00

My name is Allyson Ryan and I write patterns for BackwardKnitter as well as this blog.

Today I became a new Ravelry Designer!

I posted my first pattern on Ravelry today. I held my own hand and chattered my teeth - I almost bit my tounge clean off- but I did it. It's free too - so check it out 'cause the price is right. I would love to see how different knitters take this pattern and use their style and choice of yarn to make it their own.
If ya knit one please share. Susie is doing a second test knit for me - how ya doin Suz? If anyone should come upon an errata (fancy designer term for mistake) please let me know so I can adjust the pattern. Constructive suggestions welcome too. Thanks to those who read and will take the time to look and maybe consider knitting this great one skein project.

More to come...

Make dinner or write a pattern, that is the question.

2010-04-27T19:12:00.000-04:00

Life is crazy. I've been obsessed with getting one of the many patterns I've been working on finished and posted. I have test knitted one and sent it over to Susie to test knit for me. I have 3 or 4 other things I've either made or am in the process of making and/or writing the pattern for and/or test knitting - all at the same time.
I have been distracted by issues with my husbands life and my son's life and well, lets just throw the kitties in there for good measure. Its just made me realize life is crazy and ya just gotta go with the flow and steer your life down your own river as best you can. So boys learn to swim cause Mama is paddling her own canoe down a sea of fiber into pattern land. Another words - make your own dinner, I'm writting patterns!
I hope to post something here very soon. Stay tuned . . .

Inventory - OMG

2010-03-27T23:34:00.000-04:00

Yes I love yarn and no I can't pass up a yarn bargin. I realized this about myself and have done my best to avoid my LYS. But it doesn't always work. I just went on a trip to Annie's - a LYS - I had a gift certificate so the damage was minimal. But I have been wondering just how much yarn I have.

So - I started to inventory my yarn stash. I set up a data base on the computer, sat down with most of my stash and my camera, took photos of each, took all afternoon and realized - OMG - I have a lot of friggin yarn.

And I look at it and all I can think is - "No I don't want to give or sell any of it" So . . . I better start shoppin at home and designing a few garments to use up some of this yarn by the next Rhinebeck Festival or I'll literally be buried in yarn.

Is that a bad thing?

Its wool right so how can it possibly be a bad thing?

Anyone ever sleep on a wool matress?

Annie & Co.

2010-03-22T17:38:00.003-04:00

I had this Birthday gift certificate for Annie & Co burning a hole in my bag since I received it in August. Last Thursday I jumped on the subway and in 3 stops and a few walking blocks later I was in wool fume heaven with my favorite LYS person Alyssa.

Good thing she was there too because I wanted cotton. I've never bought cotton for something other then house stuff and wasn't sure if it would make a good hat. I was afraid that the cotton wouldn't have enough spring if I made a lacey summer beret. Alyssa suggested I do the brim with elastic in a coordinating color. Great idea!

I also wanted to make myself a lacey summer cardigan in a fine gauge cotton. I found a nice light ice blue in cotton by Araucania. Its sock weight - so I may not get this one finished until the end of this summer (or maybe next). I have a design in my head for it. I'll show it to you - when it works out. Not if but when - I am determined.

While I was there I also perused the sale section. Oh what a section it was - everything in it was 40% off! I am on a budget so I had to choose carefully which was not an easy feat considering all the good stuff to choose from. I picked 2 skeins of Cashmere (yes for 40% off).

I also fell in love with this red lace weight yarn - I feel a red lace triangle coming on some day and I want to be prepared.

All the wool fumes were so intoxicating that I walked home to 28th Street from 92nd. And then I sat down to knit.

Metal Motivation

2010-03-05T18:02:00.000-05:00

Here are my Ravelympic Metals. I had a lot of fun not just working on my projects but watching others work on their projects too. So much collective knitting energy at the same time! Knitters rule!

You'll notice 2 Designer Pattern Skeleton Metals because I wrote patterns for 2 items I designed and knit in the past. I have printed them out and started a test knit. Next I'm going to ask a few friends if they'd like to test knit for me. And then I will post them on Ravelry for download.

I decided to keep on training by moving forward with my knit designs and pattern writting. Ravelympics was just the motivation I needed to get started.

I have realized it takes more then just a thought and desire to go from thinking about knit design to designing knit patterns. Most of all it take time and patients. Stay tuned I'm getting there. . .

Wool And Hot Chocolate

2010-03-02T23:04:00.000-05:00

On Thursday Feb 18th Susie and I headed over to City Bakery for the First Annual Wool and Hot Chocolate Night. It was a very happy time for the wool fume sniffing, hot chocolate drinking, knitting women (and a few men) of NYC.
There were vendors from a few LYS holding classes for projects with a hot chocolate theme. There were spinners spinning and beginners learning to spin or improve their spinning skills. There was City Bakery food and 10 different kinds of hot chocolate. But most of all there were knitters - about 200+ of us! We knitters filled the place. Once it hit Ravelry's Forum Boards it was sold out in a day or two. Everyone there knew someone who didn't get to go - they could have sold out 2 nights - maybe next year they will.
I am gluten intolerant and was happy to see a nice selection of food for me to eat. Roasted brocolli and carrots, nice salads, a GF curry and rice dish, a GF dessert selection and 10 different kinds of hot chocolate. I only tried 6 - Milk, dark, lemon chiffon, caramel, expresso, and chili pepper. I have no favorite, I would gladly drink all of them in hugh quantity given the opportunity.
For knitting I worked on my Mohair Scarf for Ravelympics.
We were sitting next to Wool and the Gang. The girls came in wearing these great cowl/hoods made from this very chunky yarn. I sort of liked the cowl but wanted to make it more of a cape wide width. I bought 2 balls of what seemed like expensive wool. And looking online I realize it is expensive, about $5-7 per skein more then comprable yarns. But I just had to have it then and there. A few days later I had my cowl / cape made.

We had a great time and I've already noted next years calender - February is hot chocolate month!

I'm in the Ravelympics!

2010-02-28T21:22:00.001-05:00

Hi there. I know its been a while. I'll make a long story short. I turned the computer off one night and it refused to turn back on until we gave it more memory, a new video card and Windows 7. If it starts to smell I'll know for sure my teenager cloned himself. He is the family tech so only he would really know for sure. Anyhow the machine is working now and here I am. . .

I joined Ravelry's Ravelympics for the first time this year. I knit for Team Sit n' Knit, a meetup group I belong to. I had fun, challenged myself and am very happy I was able to complete all my events and even add one. I participated in the following events:

Areial Unwind - I frogged my linen stitch scarf. It was not making me happy and I was ignoring it so now both the yarn and I can move on to better things.

Hat Halfpipe - My son wanted a helmet liner / balacava. I found a pattern, lenghtened the neck for a snowboarding teenager and knit it in black for the boy.

WIP's-Dancing - I've been working on a mohair scarf since November 2009 (from a pattern I bought in November of 2008) and haven't really touched it since November. This was the motivation I needed to get it finished. And it's a beautiful 8 feet long!

DesignSkeleton - I signed up for Design Skeleton twice. I really want to start formally writing and posting patterns I've designed and this was the perfect thing to get me started. I now have two patterns written and ready to test knit. The first is called Baby Fern Smoke Ring / Cowl and the second is the Eyelet Neck Scarf. A test knit of each to fine tune and they'll be ready to print. I can't believe I got these two patterns completed before the pattern for the Star Top Slouchy Hat - and I've knit that one twice already. It amazing how far a human can go when one sets a definite rather then an open ended goal.

I also designed and knit a cowl/cape like thing that was influenced by a cowl/hood type thing I saw someone wearing. It was nice but didn't fit just the way I wanted. It was too much around the neck. So I made mine shorter in length but wider so it would fit over the shoulders like a cape. I wanted to wear it like a shoulder cover over a jean jacket in the spring. I posted it as an original design in event designer dance and referenced the influence of the other cowl. Its not like people design in a vaccuum. Ravelry removed my post! I didn't knit a snood. My design can't even be worn as a hood - its too short. But I guess they see it differently, after all - it is just a tube, not a sellable design. Oh well. Even Ohno got disqualifyed on an event.

All in all I'd say I knit a decathalon - 5 events completed and motivation to take my original designs to a new level of pattern writing.

Next time on Thru the Back Loop - Wool and Hot Chocolate. . .

Sock it to me!

2010-01-28T22:51:00.001-05:00

Happy New Years to one and all! My resolution - to use more yarn stash and stash less yarn - Yea right.
Susie and I decided to start a sock of the everyother month club. For me it seems like a good way to commit to using my sock yarn stash in a timely manner. So we sat and poured over our sock pattern books and favorite Ravelry patterns and together we came up with a list. It is a very ambitious list - we picked about 18 patterns to narrow down to the 6 +/- patterns we actually may wind up knitting through the year 2010.
Now I am a little more experienced then Susie in time but she makes up for that in courage. One thing neither of us did in looking over the beautiful photographs of these fabulous socks was to "read the pattern". Ok - so Susie picks the first pattern. "Sam" by Cookie A (from her book). It is one long cable, cables on every other row - sometimes two cables on a row or two or three rows in a row.
So we started. Susie had her problems but for me I got to the turned heel and realized that these socks are small. Way to small to fit a grown person. So I asked my sister in funlaw, Dawn, to try them on. Now Dawn is a petite size 0 and they were too small to fit her! The only person in my family that these would fit is starting kindergarten. The one plus to giving socks to a child is they might out grow them before they wear them out. No, no - too much work for a child's sock. So I frogged the half sock I had done and stepped up to a size 2 needle (2.75). Now I think they'll fit me fine.
However since I asked Dawn to try them on and her birthday is around the corner I think I just guilted myself into knitting her a pair of socks for her birthday. Maybe the simpler socks Susie traded Sam in for. Yes, Susie has bailed on the pattern altogether and picked out a simpler pair of socks to start with. I'm a bit more sadistic and will not be whipped (much) by a sock pattern.
I got a feeling, in the weeks to come, we'll be picking and reading 6 new sock patterns for our premiere year of sock of the every other month club.

Started a few things...

2009-12-12T00:34:00.003-05:00

It's been a while. I have been knitting like crazy but haven't posted anything. I like to post with pictures and I have been amiss at taking pictures lately. I dunno why. I made Mom a pair of socks - my tenth pair - and forgot to take a photo of either of them. You would think I would record a milestone in my knitting adventures but noooo - I forgot. Must be one of those senior moments.

So here's what I did take photos of...

These are Star Crossed Berets made out of Paztaza. An easy knit and a flattering hat to wear. Should look great on the intended recipients. I hope they not only like them but wear them too.

I love blue - all shades. Aqua is on top followed by baby blue. So I took the light blue star crossed beret above and made this scarf to match out of Misty Alpaca Chunky.

Then I used some Blue Sky Alpaca to make these hand warmers to complete the trio.

I started a pair of socks for myself in a STR yarn I was saving for a special pattern. I decided on the Diamond Gansey Socks from Wendy Johnson's Socks From the Toe Up. I'm almost up to the scary heel - ooooo!

As you can see I can be in baby blue from my head to my toes!

Another thing on the needles is a Mohair Wrap/Scarf from Last winters issue of Knit1. The wrap was originally done in a chunky weight yarn. I got the idea for Mohair from Alyssa (of Annie and Co).

I still have to make hats for the guys in the family - more of a yarn choice then anything else. My son has requested a hat and hand warmers to match made from LionBrand Fishermans yarn in natural brown with a stripe of red. This may become the seasons set - we'll see how many I can make before I get really bored.

And Finally here are a couple of picture of my Wyoming Alpaca sweater....

So that's what I've been up to - how about you?

Done with Wyoming and a Hat

2009-11-02T20:30:00.001-05:00

I was so busy with Rhinebeck I forgot all the other stuff that's been going on. I finished my Alpaca "Wyoming" sweater just in time to wear it to Rhinebeck and get buttons. I love the way it came out. I have to go get a couple of button down shirts to wear with it. I have 1 skein left in my hands and 2 skeins hidden somewhere around this apt. Hopefully I can find them this winter. Its not that this apt is very big, its just that yarn hides very well. I haven't had a chance to take any pictures of it yet. (The sweater, not the missing yarn.)

The other thing I was working on was a hat (by request) for my sister-in-funlaw, Dawn. She gave me a few pictures of various hats and then described what she wanted from there. Susie had a pattern she found and used but it wasn't quite it. So I wrote my own pattern for this very simple hat. I am formatting it now and hope to have it available very soon. My next step will be to figure out how to post a pattern - Susie, oh Susie HELP!

364 Days to the Next Sheep & Wool Festival @ Rhinebeck

2009-10-20T16:53:00.013-04:00

So much has gone on in the last few weeks I don't know where to begin? Yes I do. We went to the NYS Wool & Sheep Festival @ Rhinebeck on Saturday. It was a lot of fun despite the cold weather. This is my second year and I enjoyed it just as much as the first. I didn't think it was as crowded but we got there a couple of hours earlier this year then last. We got there so early the artichoke man was just setting up.

Yet the crowd at The Fold (Socks that Rock merchant) was already many deep. This was my first stop so I put hubby on the line and managed to get back to him with my finds by the time he reached check-out. Not as long a wait as last year - a double size booth and two checkout lines helped move us along to other wool vendors quickly.

Next stop buttons. I finally finished my Wyoming alpaca sweater and wanted special buttons. "Bread Butter and Sugar" makes ceramic buttons and they are great. Delicate and tough all at the same time. I saw her last year and knew she would be there this year. I love the buttons and I love my sweater. Together we are all very happy. After these two stops I really had no agenda, except I wanted more sock yarn, so we just wandered around.

I discovered a new (to me) wool company from Texas - Brooks Farm Yarn. I snagged 4 skeins of their "Solo Silk" - its a 50/50 blend of silk and wool in a single ply sport weight. Yummy!

Then I found Periwinkle Sheep,
another inde dyer and scored medium weight sock yarn. Her stuff is very nice with supple color variations. Karen from Periwinkle shared a booth with Sliver Moon Farm. Picked up 2 small skeins of a nice rust color.

I stopped by Briar Rose but nothing hit me, I did see two gals wearing nice cardigans and they sent me to Decadent Fibers. I got a cardigans worth of a lovely teal worsted yarn there along with more sock yarn.

Then on to Ellen's Half Pint Farm. Last year I got a great 50/50 blend of alpaca and silk that I am currently working on a wrap with in a colorway called aquarium. I was anxious to see what kind of sock yarn I might find. I was not disappointed - 3 more skeins.

And the last skein of sock yarn came from Gale Evans - called cherry blossom although it reminds me more of fall. She had such colorful roving I actually thought about not knitting!

The thing I love most about the Festival is all the independent vendors. One never knows who or what they'll discover in the next stall. I almost bought a dye kit. Maybe by next year I'll get up my nerve. I stared at the rug making - hmmm, interesting. So much warm, fuzzy, soft and colorful roving. Spinners wheels, dropped spindles - is there enough time not knitting to add something else? Maybe.

Glass knitting needles and notions of all sorts. Swifts and ball winders. And yarn from such a wide variety of animals - sheep, goats, alpaca, ox, and rabbits. Some sheep still had their coats, others were sheared and wearing quilted coats/blankets. Alpacas jumped. Rabbits were held. Goats were petted.

And let me not forget lunch, which I did forget to photograph. While I was picking out yarn for a sweater at Decadent Fibers hubby had a lamb sandwich. He said it was delicious so I skipped the other fare and headed for the Lamb tent. We shared one of their lamb plates - 2 lamb chops, wilted spinach with garlic and a few lamb ravioli. I have Celiac's so I ate the chops and the spinach while hubby ate the ravioli's (he said they were delicious and we should go the their restaurant. Unfortunately we forgot their name and none of the food vendors are listed in the program.)

Hot cider and a walk through building E for a basket, cheese and some jerky. Now we were all set. Wool fumes and well fed - what a great Saturday! Now where are my needle?!

New House - New Stash Closet

2009-09-28T12:42:00.003-04:00

We closed on our house last Thursday and no I didn't finish knitting anything. I did knit a row or two of the hat I'm working on just to say that I knitted in my new house. For the first 3 days it seemed that I just walked around and looked at the house. I started to clean bits and pieces but I stared more then I cleaned.
There is a lot of maintenance that needs to be done. While hubby got the gutters re-attached and free of mud and muck, I cleaned about one sixth of the kitchen. Just enough to make some food and a lot of coffee. Although if I had cleaned that much kitchen here in Manhattan I would have cleaned the kitchen and the bathroom twice! LOL!
We cleaned out the wood stove and chimney so we could have a couple of cozy fires. A cord and a half of wood was delivered early Saturday morning, it took us 2 hours to stack it all. To some it may not seem like a lot of wood but for me it was a lot of wood!
On Saturday afternoon, we went to the Garlic Festival in Saugerties, NY. We had no idea what we were in for so we went late in the afternoon. This fair is huge with lots of great garlic, music, garlic merchandise and garlicky food. Next year we will be going earlier and making a full day of it. We either ate or came home with pulled pork, pickles, garlic ice cream, garlic blackened string beans, coconut shrimp, salsa's galore, sauerkraut, jelly and jam, vinegar, garlic shots and a couple of garlic braids. Good thing we both love garlic!
I finally stopped starring and got around to really cleaning on Sunday and knocked out the upstairs bathroom and my bedroom including a large walk in closet.
I now have a place to stash some wool and get it out of my son's closet. It didn't matter before but now the teenager has discovered girls and become a clothes stallion. Little does he know that its going in his closet upstate. Hehehe! Hear that wool stash - country air.

BTW - I cannot lift my arms above my neck today - it was a lot of wood!

Pick It Up - Put It Down

2009-09-23T16:21:00.001-04:00

I picked up the Wyoming sweater again and plowed through the first sleeve. I then diligently started the second sleeve and am 4 inches from the bind off and I just put it down. I don't know why, I just put it down. I want to finish it. Really I do. I just haven't.
I started to work on a neck scarf with a dropped lace leaf pattern - making it up as I go along and trying to chart it out at the same time. I started work on a hat, by request, for Dawn. An overly long, slouchy, weeds type chapeau. Also making it up as I go along. If this one fails Susie has a back up pattern for me that she has used successfully a couple of times.
Susie is my blog mentor and I couldn't have picked a better one. Her blog is really cute and really taking off. She has been officially - commercially - recognized. She'll tell you herself when the time comes, but I wish her all the good yarn fumes a knitter could want.
I am very excited writing this because I am closing on my house tomorrow. I can't wait! It's a short drive to the NYS Sheep & Wool Festival and I can't wait for that either. It is going to be a very nice fall and winter full of knitting and house stuff and skiing for the boys and wool for me!
So maybe I better take that sweater to the closing (2 hour drive) and have two things to celebrate at the end of the weekend.

Socks finished, sweater to go?

2009-09-05T17:25:00.002-04:00

I finished my socks! Yea! Finally! It seems like the longest month of sock knitting. I have so many WIP that I had to make something for fast, instant, gratification.

I picked up the new Vouge knitting magazine. The one with the pink beret on the cover. I made the chunky cable and bobble hat. Pattern #12. My first foray into bobbles. Not for lack of ability but more like a lack of desire. But on this hat they were very cute. Now I have to design a pair of hand warmers to match (A request from the person who doesn't know they are getting the matching hat - well maybe until now)

I picked up my alpaca sweater as the weather is giving us fall like glimpses. I am finished with the body and now have to cast on for the sleeves. Two of them. I can always finish it for spring?! No, no I must not procrastinate.

I have decided to hibernate the one strip scarf and the lace thread scarf for now. I haven't picked up the blanket in a while. More because I don't know just where I'm going with it. Probably to the cave with the other stuff. But ya never know what Mama Bear will knit while she is in her cave waiting for Papa Bear and Jr. to come home for their porridge.

I guess I'm just trying to get my head clear for The Wool & Sheep Festival. I am dreaming of new sock yarn. Last year I got enough great yarn to last the year. But now the year is coming to an end and I'm almost out of "special" sock yarn stash. I have a couple of skeins left. I know I can always get some very good commercial and widely available sock yarn but the "special " stuff is well -"special". I like all the independently dyed sock yarn. I like getting there what I can't get anywhere else. I stock up and go through it all year long. I can almost smell the wool ...

But for now back to my sweater!

Back Home / Back Knitting

2009-08-25T17:05:00.000-04:00

I spent a week on vacation and I must admit I didn't get much knitting done. I finished the one sock I started before we left and knit 4" of the cuff on its match. I also did not finish reading my book, more like 2/3 through. It was a great vacation! You can tell because I got nothing done.

I am working on my sock today. Susie gave me a set of short bamboo needles (she doesn't like wood - she's a metal snob and a disco queen!) I was resistant at first because they were so short, but I found with this pair of socks that I love the shorty's. I just ordered a set from Knit Picks. While I like the bamboo I love the slickness of the Harmony Woods. Slick but warm and no grain to feel as your needles pass by one another. Bamboo may stop the needles from sliding out but it also drags the yarn. Tight wood makes a difference to me. I need some drag because I don't knit very tight - not tight enough for metal. The Harmony's give just the right amount of drag without snag that I'm looking for. And for what you would pay for one pair of fancy stix's elsewhere one can procure an entire set including metric sizes. Those in between sizes can help make those socks just the right size.

At this point I have decided to add a stripe of red all around the blanket. Its not really a blanket yet. Its closer to a pillow cover, which it might become before all is said and done. I am not loving how the back looks on a knitted blanket. The last few blankets I made were crocheted and I can't help but think as I am knitting this how much "neater" it would be if it was just done in single crochet. So this might wind up being a pillow cover and I might just start crocheting a blanket for the house. Or at least find a different pattern that I think I'll like knitting better. So its either a crocheted log cabin or a knitted hemlock ring or one of EZ's designs.

I think I'll cast on for something else while I decide. What will it be? We'll see. . .

More Socks and a Rhinebeck Rant

2009-08-14T17:24:00.008-04:00

I finished the socks for Dawn and they fit her like a glove - so she says. Its hard to wear wool socks right now so I understand but come the first frost I hope to have a picture of them in action to post or I may have to kidnap them for the big web.

I tried to work on my Alpaca cardigan but the yarn just sticks to ya and does not illicit the same oo's and ahh's it got from me when I bought it. In this weather its more like ich and uck. This sweater will have to wait until fall.

I started a simple pair of 4x2 rib socks with "Socks that Rock" yarn in a colorway of jewel tones that I really, really like. I finished the first one in about a week. It had wandering cables spiraling down the leg and across the foot. Notice I say "had". I tried it on and it was too small - I went home and checked my sock yarn stash and I had nothing left that was close to this colorway. So yes I did - I frogged it. Here is a photo of the new larger sock sans the cables (they got lost in the colors). The yarn pools and spirals with the 6 extra stitches that it didn't do before. Before the entire sock was mottled (like the current heel portion) - which I liked - so I was a little taken aback by the new color pattern that was created. I still don't know which one I liked more. Funny how the variables of yarn+knitting works.

I started a log cabin blanket to match the house we are under contract for. It's in LionBrand Fisherman Wool in natural brown and the red stripes are in LionBrand Wool. I like the colors together, they match the cedar on the house. I decided on the thin line of color at the end of every strip. As perfect as the front may look the back shows the masochist side of perfectionism - lots of ends to weave in. I'm trying to weave as I go. I don't know if I'm going to do the whole blanket this way or if I'm going to add more red - we'll see.

Even though I am knitting a blanket for the house, we haven't closed yet, so I haven't canceled my reservation for the Roadway Inn in Kingston. House or not - I will be at the Sheep & Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, for the entire weekend, this year. Last year was my first time there - I was so overwhelmed with joyous wool fumes that I missed the Ravelry lunch and couldn't stay for the after party. I did secure all the wool I wanted with no regrets in that department. So this year I will Ravelry! And I will go with hubby and maybe a few friends and we will stay for the weekend and we will Ravelry!

And I will restock my sock yarn stash. Its the one thing I loved most at Rhinebeck - all the great indie dyed sock yarn! I also secured a few hundred yards of natural charchol gray alpaca in sport weight and an alpaca/silk/merino blend worsted in beach colors. This year more sock yarn, less frenzy and more time to savor the wool fumes.

I pledged to Susie (AKA Knitting Knoobie) that I would try to blog every week but we are going on vacation next week and I won't be blogging then. I will be finishing my socks in air and reading on the beach. We are currently reading Wally Lamb's "The Moment I First Believed". Or I should say I am still reading (Susie finished and I think Megan did too). See ya week after next.

Back to Knitting

2009-08-03T13:41:00.001-04:00

I decided I have to get back to my alpaca sweater so I can have it finished by the end of the summer. So I wanted to clear a couple of project up first.
I finished my green Baby Surprise Jacket and went to M&T Buttons to get some really cute buttons. The damn buttons cost more then the wool! But they are so cute and match so perfectly. The Lion Brand Superwash Merino worked out very nicely for this project. It took just one skein of yarn. I have a little yarn left and am thinking about putting a collar on it. I am putting this one away for the next baby shower/announcement.

I'm closing in on (finally) finishing the Kai-mei socks for Dawn. I'm almost at the toe. These should be done by the weeks end. The skinny scarf is about half way there. I want to finish my sweater. I also want to start a sweater for my son, a blanket for our home, a triangle scarf of my own design, another pair of socks and a few holiday gifts. So much yarn, so many patterns and projects ~ so little time.

Oh and I think I might have found a house! Well it was the second house that we liked and missed by 2 days. Seems the other buyers backed out and we have the chance to get it. I know this is just the beginning of the house closing adventure but I must have looked at over 50 houses and I'm just glad the foreplay is over. I know this is like wishing your kids would talk and then they become teenagers and won't shut up! ...but I'm still gald the looking is over and that my kid can talk!

Looking for a place to stash my stash

2009-07-08T15:01:00.008-04:00

OK so I have been knitting like crazy lately. Lately being the last 4 months. The reason ... we've been looking for a house. OMG! What an experience ~ frustrating, exciting, too much emotion, timing, money. Needless to say - knitting yoga zen to the rescue!

And don't get me started on banks. Two upstate banks took all my info on the phone and gave me pre-approved for a few different kinds of loans in a few hours. Chase took an application from us 8 weeks ago and I still haven't heard back from them. When I inquired on the third week (after about 12 houses we were eying got sold), they said they were busy and would get back to me very soon. I'm still waiting, holding my breath and turning blue. Do you believe they had the nerve to call a few days ago and ask if they could help us in any way (like sell us a credit card or bank overdraft) and when my husband asked about the pre-approval application the Chase rep's reply was that it wasn't why he called and couldn't help us with that. Needles to say my husband is seriously considering closing his account with Chase for lack of service, any service. I have never banked with Chase and now I never will.

As fun as banks are the most fun has been translating real estate speak into American English. Country kitchen seems to mean needs a kitchen, no cabinets, or both. TLC - you would think it means tender loving care but it really means takes lunatic to consider. Needs work = total rehab. Gut job = tear it down. Cute = small. Quaint = old and small. Minor water damage = you'll need an umbrella and or a boat~inside. Off the beaten path = even GPS won't help you find this one. Reno started but needs to be finished = whats the old joke about first having to undo something someone else did before it can be done right?
We thought in March when we started looking that we would be in a house by the 4th of July. LOL! I've since found out that closing, itself, will take over 60 days. So I've now made reservations at the Roadway Inn for the NYS Wool & Sheep Festival since I don't anticipate being in a house anytime soon.
We did find a couple of houses we liked, one we were 5 days late on and the next we were 2 days late on. I feel like we're getting closer.

But back to the yoga zen thing. I finished my Ishbel in Cayenne. It still has to be blocked. The weather is finally starting to warm up here in NYC and I'm not really feeling blocking right now. This may have to wait until the weather gets a little cooler and thoughts of warm woolly scarves fill my head. But, while I was blocking my first Ishbel I noticed something very clever.

Very clever Ysolda ~ she has worked her initials into the pattern. I like that, she is an artist signing every Ishbel made.

I've started another Baby Surprise Jacket. Susie has also but she needs a more detailed pattern, so I am writing it down as I go to give her a cheat sheet she can refer to. Susie's on vacation this week so no knitting in the park. To tell the truth, too much knitting (ooh- did I say that?), its hurting my wrists. I bought a pair of stress gloves from Lion Studio but I don't want to push it.

So I read a book - A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. I could not put it down. Two days to finish and now I have to wait for Susie to get back and hope she has finished it too so we can talk about it. Susie recommended it as a first sort of group read thing between us and a third friend. Our own little book club.
Did I mention how much I love my Kindle? I have to go fill it up now for my summer reads ... And finish a pair of socks or a sweater or something.
BTW - We look at more houses on Friday ~ wish me luck!

Soon or later everything gets blocked . . .

2009-06-24T11:44:00.017-04:00

I figure sooner or later everything gets blocked. For me its usually later. I make it, put it together, wear it and then after a while I block it. Everything has to get washed - sooner or later. But there are things that I knit that won't reveal their true beauty until they are blocked. Sometimes its a cable that needs to be flattened to be seen, or a beret that needs a pie plate to take shape, other times its a lace that remains scrunchy until its opened up. I've only made a handful of lace things so far and I have blocked them all, except the socks.

Ishbel (by Ysolda Teague) is a lace scarf or shawl. It has points on the edge. My first fancy lace project with points! It's yummy but needs to be blocked sooner then later, like before it can be worn. I've never blocked anything that I had to pin into shape. Special tools and equipment were needed for such an undertaking. So after a little knitting in the park yesterday, Susie and I strolled down to the Lion Brand Yarn Studio on 15th Street (just West of 5th Ave) to pick up a blocking kit. It contains straight wires in an assortment of sizes, 2 flexible wires for curves, stainless steel T pins and a yard stick. As soon as I got home I washed Ishbel in Eucalan and laid her out on a large towel on the dining room table. First I ran the wires along the edges, in and out - in and out. Through the straight edge and through each and every tip. Then I pinned her down and straightened the angles of the wires and pinned them down too. It had a shape now, and every detail could be seen. Then the hard part - waiting for this afternoon to unpin my little beauty. Tada! Here she is . . .I like the design very much. But i think its a little small for my taste so I am making another in a larger gauge. Size 8 /5mm needles and Lion Brand Superwash Merino in Cayenne. It will be great for winter. It has inspired me to think about making a pattern of my own design in this shape. I already have the yarn for it.

Susie and I went up to Annie and Company last week, a yarn and needle work store on Madison off 93rd. Our favorite LYS employee, Alyssa (manager of the former Point on Bedford) is now working there. They have great yarn and what a variety! (Only they don't carry Cascade - Susie's favorite all purpose brand) While we were there knitting I picked up two skeins of ArtYarns Ultramerino4 in denim blues. I love blue, all of them. This is the yarn I'm saving for my design. I'll let y'all know when its done. Hopefully I'll learn how to post patterns before the summers end -

Did you knit in Public?

2009-06-15T22:21:00.015-04:00

Last week was a very busy week. Susie and I went for knitting and tea at a Greenwich Village shop called Tea and Sympathy, followed by a margarita and nachos a little further east at Maraca's. We wound up at the Fire Store for a Firemen Calendar signing. A fun day with a little knitting here and a little knitting there. The rest of the week had a little more knitting here and there and before I knew it, it was time for knitting in public and BBQ! (Not at the same time) First we (hubby, son & I) attended the Big Apple BBQ @ Madison Square Pork, I-I mean park. Then on Sunday we went up to Woodstock - where I knit in the car, in a house, on a lawn, at the gas station, in McD's on the thruway, on the thruway and through a tunnel. (I was not driving)

I finished the Noro handle-bar covers for Vince's motorcycle. He can wear them on his feet until I get the rest of the cover knit. LOL ;D They came out really nice and knit up very fast - or so it seemed. They're for his birthday. I know I still have the second Kai-mei to finish for Dawn, but I was so excited about finishing Vince's socks that I cast on for Ysolda's Ishbell.

I'm using Blue Ridge Yarns Bambie that I got at last years Wool & Sheep Festival in Rheinbeck, NY. It's a superwash merino and bamboo blend sock yarn in the palest of greens with rose thrown in for good measure. The colorway is called Apple Rose. I like the slight sheen the bamboo gives the yarn. I don't know if I would have liked them as socks but I am liking Ishbell.

I haven't touched my Wyoming Alpaca sweater in a while. I'm going to have to start knitting at least a row here and there if I'm ever going to get the thing finished. If I do get the body done I'll have to turn this apartment upside down. I put two balls of yarn away for sleeves when I was originally making a top down, no pattern cardigan and wanted to make sure I had enough on the side for the sleeves. But I wasn't feeling the combo of the pattern (no pattern) and the yarn. I frogged it and started a different cardigan (with a pattern) that I do like very much. It's been so long since I put the yarn away that I can't remember where I put it! I'm hoping I don't need the two balls to finish because despite looking "everywhere" I still can't find that darn yarn!

Oh well I'll just have to keep on working on an Ishbell - or two. I'm thinking that this may be the shape of more scarves to come. They'll make great holiday gifts. Yes I know its early but we have a long list and I like things out of the way. Besides if I knit them up now I'll have more room for the goodies at the Sheep and Wool Festival come this fall. I'm already looking forward to it. Might have something to do with this fall weather we're having.

Glynis is finis!

2009-06-07T17:04:00.012-04:00

Glynis is finis! I finished my first pair of socks from the Cookie A book – Glynis. I had to figure out how to graft the toe, commonly called the Kitchener Stitch. I’ve tried this before but to no avail. When I sat down and tried it on a pair of socks I made my Mother for Mother’s Day I wound up with a perfectly grafted toe; only it was backward, not knit – purled! Because my stitches are oriented backward, following the directions step by step was not a help. They looked cute, there were no holes and Mom loved them just the same but they were not Kitchenered! So this time I was determined to master this technique no matter how many times I had to try. I tried at least four times. The “aha” moment happened on the third try when I started to see the stitches in my head. I finally got it after I took the stitches off the needles and proceeded very carefully so there would be no twisted stitches and no holes. So I did my first sock, moved on to the second (I saved both toes for last), then I did it on another sock (the first Kai-mei sock), and I did one for Susie. Sometimes I had to go back a stitch or two, but by Kitchener I think I’ve got it. By the way this would have been a lot easier to learn on something that laid flat instead of a rounded toe. I’m just sayin.

I put Kai-mei and everything else on hold this week to work on these socks. They are a birthday gift for Dawn’s boyfriend, Vince. He’s a surfer dude from California whom I’m knitting a motorcycle cover for one piece at a time, or so he thinks. So far he’s gotten a headlamp cover (hat) and rear lights cover (morningside cowl) and now these handle warmers (socks). I’m using Noro Silk Garden Sock Yarn for the first time. This is the fastest pair of socks I’ve ever knitted. Of course it helps that I’m using US 4 /3.5mm dpns and a very plain pattern. This is my 8th pair of socks. I like the colorway, it reminds me of Vince and of all the colors the ocean can be. Oh and even though he lives in NYC now he still surfs year round out at Rockaway Beach. Yes even in winter with all the snow and only his face sticking out of a wet suit. Vince’s birthday is June 17th. I’ve got a sock and a half done already so no sweat!

Park Crawl

2009-06-02T18:50:00.007-04:00

Susie and I went knitting today. The weather in NYC has been kind of off this spring. It was raining and gloomy at 9am but by 11am, when we met to have a bite to eat, the sun was coming out. We went to our local B&N and knitted, then moved to Union Square and knitted, and we ended our tour at Madison Square park, where yes we did, we knitted. We both commented on how we just should have went there to begin with. I worked on my second Glynis and got to finish the first Kai-mei (sans grafted toe).

It was nice to get out and knit in public and hang out with a fellow knitter who gets it. Susie gave a reciprocal "Holla" out to me on her blog and now I have followers! I'm so excited! Who knew! Thanks Susie - I hope to make you proud! And dear followers, thanks for the great words of encouragement.

And as a closing thought - I was wondering why the past tense of knit is knitted and not knat, like "I knat that".

Today the sky is bluer...

2009-05-31T14:20:00.016-04:00

Today the sky is bluer then it's been all week. It's been so gray and cold that May in NYC has felt more like March in Maine then the dawning of summer anywhere. But today the weather is warm and balmy and the sky is blue! It's as blue as the socks Susie (aka Knitting Knoobie) has just finished knitting.

Speaking of socks ... I'm almost finished with my first pair of Cookie A socks from Sock Innovation. When I saw the book I decided that the Glynis sock would be the first pair I knit from this fabulous sock book. It also happens to be the first pair of socks in the book. I did these on dpns and the first flew because I just could not put it down. This is a great book; it really dissects socks so a new-ish sock knitter (such as myself) can really understand the components and how they all work together. I used size US 2 dpns and lightweight Socks that Rock yarn I purchased at the NYS Wool and Sheep Festival last year. I knew these puppies would be special and I wanted to use special yarn for them.

The second pair of socks I knit from the book are the last ones in the book, Kai-mei, and they are just as cute. The pattern was a little intimidating at first glace so I worked to the heel flap and froze. Good thing I had Glynis to go back to. This gray week I decided to face my fears and wrap my head aroung the foot of this sock. Whew! It was so much easier then I thought it would be! And now I'm at the toe. These are going to be a present for my sister-in-funlaw, Dawn. She's so cute, these will be great on her. I did modify things slightly - I used heavier yarn (by Cherry Tree Hill) and US size 2 dpns. On the pattern I cast on 60 instead of 66 to make up for the yarn and needle size, I also added a row of knit stitches to the motif pattern. I wanted a little more sock there. She rides a motorcycle and these might get worn under her bike boots (little bad ass that she is!). These are so cute that I am so making another pair for myself.

Not speaking of socks ... I finished a Baby Surprise Jacket out of LionBrand Superwash Wool. Yes the photo is color correct - it is black with red stripes. Who says babies always have to wear pastels? Not I! I used US Size 3 needles. This came out so small that it will have to be for a newborn. The next baby born in the family gets it - maybe! I am planning on making a few more; one with the same LionBrand yarn in green and gold and another with some heavier weight Socks that Rock yarn. Both will be done on larger needles. Don't get any ideas - I am not expecting. There are a couple of family siblings that are still popping them out though. I'm also thinking that if my son waits until he's the age I was when I had him to have children I might not be able to knit anything in a finer gauge anymore so I better do it now. Besides they are fun, work up quickly and it's very gratifying to see a sweater finished in a week or two.

Maybe I'll cast the next one on with Susie and we'll try a knit along. Susie and I usually go knitting every week, at least once sometimes twice. Between Memorial Day, colds and cold weather we missed last week so I am really looking forward to this week. Nothing like knitting with a fun friend fellow knitter! (Say that 3 times - fast or slow)

It Begins

2009-05-27T22:56:00.003-04:00

My first blog post - my first blog! I'm excited and scarred all at the same time.

I knit & purl through the back loop and wanted to have a blog that looks at knitting "thru the back loop" (amoung other things). Some call this style of knitting Eastern, some call it Russian, I call it "how I knit". I do have to give a holla out to Annie Modesitt (Knitting Heretic) who inspired me to find my own way and reminded this grown woman that there is no wrong way to knit and to Susie Gaughan (Knitting Knoobie) my knit partner in yarn.
This all started when a fellow PTA mom asked me to help her teach a needle arts club class to MS & HS students. It was a lot of fun and renewed my interest in knitting. I liked it so much I knew I wanted to knit on a more then one project a year level. I was also thinking about teaching knitting after this class was over.
After a little web searching I found the Master Knitters Course and The Knitting Guild of America (TKGA). So I signed up for the course thinking 'level one should be easy'. Yeah right! Questions were asked that really made me analyze every individual component of my knitting mechanics. When I took a good look at my stitches I found that I was twisting my purl stitches. Oh no could it be?! I went to an Aran sweater I had knit 15 years earlier and looked, yes it was true --- all my purl stitches were twisted. Can you believe it took me over 20 years to notice?!
I discovered that there are many different ways to knit and found the one was the most comfortable for me. I've always knit through the back loop and caught my stitches continental style holding the yarn in my left hand. Then I would purl through the front of the loop and wound up twisting the stitches. I wanted to make untwisted purls! I tried wrapping differently so I could purl through the front but that didn't feel right. I searched the web and old books (gotta love the public library); I found Eastern or Russian style - purls through the back loop.
Knitting this way is different but like everything else in my life - I just gotta go with the flow.