Without further ado, The Swatch

As I mentioned, I am working on a swatch for the Flit ‘n Float Scarf. I finished knitting it yesterday, but did not get to block it until today. And because I was trying to figure out whether I want to use this yarn for the scarf, I figured I should definitely wet block it, so I could figure out the fabric, but also the size. Well, here it is:
It is 8 inches wide, which is the width the scarf is supposed to be, and 2 inches high. I did not block it all that hard, seeing how it is only a swatch, and a little difficult to stretch. But I am pleased. I am also pleased with the Harmony yarn I was trying out on it. If you want to read a little more about it, you should look here. I have used US 4 needles. I like my lace scarfs and shawls rather open. I am very pleased that the color did not change yet, which I think means that the color changes will be infrequent enough that it won’t fight with the pattern. This pleases me to no end. I was really looking forward to using this yarn. And now I will.

I also finished the first sock for Dear Son # 1. Here is the result:

Now I just need to get started with #2, hopefully tonight.

It’s only a swatch…

I apologize for not blogging for so long. I have a good reason that I hinted at earlier, and he’s beautiful (in my oh so biased opinion!): He was born in the last part of March, and is almost 2 months old already! Time just flies! This picture was within hours of being born though.

I have slowly been getting back to knitting since he was born, and have this past Tuesday even gone shopping at The Sassy Spinster. Came home with my birthday present from my parents, the Knitkit:
I LOVE it!
And I was introduced by a dear friend to a yarn called Auracania. I am not impressed with their website, as I could not even find the yarn I got, so I am including a link to another website where you can actually see the yarn. It is called Ranco and the colors are according to the tag 310, though it looks much more like 313. Just scroll down to see the colors, if you mouse over them, or click on them they will show up on the main picture on top. My 310 does not have much yellow that I can see. It is the most gorgeous combination of purple and blue, as you can see in the picture above. The second is color 312, though again, mine is much darker, almost reddish, just like the picture above. My friend gave me the blue/purple one. Isn’t she wonderful!
I also found this yarn called Harmony by Jojoland. I have to admit, I don’t think I had really ever looked at it. It is incredibly thin, I mean 880 yards per 50 grams is basically cobweb!
This yarn however, is the reason for the name of this post. I am going to be knitting the Flit and Float scarf. Me being me, I had to change something, and in this case I am changing the yarn, I think… The pattern calls for a yarn that is basically twice as thick as the Harmony. The designer Birdy suggested I swatch the first 17 rows on Chart B, to see how I like the yarn for the pattern. Doesn’t sound that hard, don’t you think? Well, the problems start immediately. I can’t count, and only cast on 46, not 48 stitches. It is only a swatch, so I will just modify what I am knitting, so I don’t have to restart. Then I had to put it away, and the next day started row 3, which doesn’t seem to line up too well, but it is only a swatch. Then on row 4, I can’t figure out exactly what happened at the end of my row, but my stitches are all wonky, and are all out of wack. Oh well, I will just fudge that, seeing as how this is only a swatch. Then I discover that even though I knit rows 1 and 2 from chart B, I knit rows 3 and 4 from chart C. Don’t ask how I didn’t notice I had the wrong chart, I blame it on sleep deprivation! But that was the last straw. Even though it was only a swatch, and I hate swatches and will fudge just about anything to not have to make more of them then absolutely necessary, and I actually think that the needle choice will be fine, I RIPPED the whole thing out and started over. I had decided that if it was still not going to work, I would just give up on the Harmony for the scarf, and use Zephyr instead. But it seems to be behaving at the moment. I am on row 11, and hope to finish the swatch by tomorrow. Nope, not going to show you a picture yet, you will just have to come back later.

The Sassy Spinster

My goodness, time goes so fast. I was fully intending on writing just a few days later. But things have been going on, and all of a sudden it is 2 weeks later. Nope, no baby yet, for those of you who actually keep up with this blog… I have no real idea how many of you there are, as not many people leave me comments. I know there are some visits, more then I expected. Please know that I would love to receive comments on what you liked or didn’t like about my blog, projects, etc.

But now in regards to The Sassy Spinster, a yarn shop in Lancaster, TX. The store just opened last year, in a small little hole in the wall off of the Historic Town Square in Lancaster. I met Susan, the owner, at that time, thanks to one of the ladies on one of the e-mail lists I belong to. The store had an amazing amount of stuff in it, yarn of all kinds, but also a lot of roving, spinning tools, weaving tools, knitting accessories, you name it. And despite being new, she kept adding new and wonderful items.

Then around the end of last year, my friend told me that the Sassy Spinster was going to be moving to a new location, a much bigger store. I had been very curious, but was also in the midst of moving, and did not manage to make it up to Lancaster until last month. And WOW. (And I have only one regret about that visit, but more about that later.) Did that store change! And only for the better. The store is, I believe, 3-4 times as big, maybe even more then that, still filled with all the fiber goodies you can think off, but now you can see all of them. It now has a wonderful couch area for people to sit and knit, several spinning wheels and looms set up, a round table where you can sit and knit, and so much more. In the back was also a section of gorgeous dolls, I have to apologize, I don’t remember their name. There are several toys that my 2 year old could play with while I could shop to my hearts contend! None of the yarn seems extremely pricey to me, and oh so yummy!

I was looking for some purple bulky weight to match the Dune I used in the scarf I was working on last time. I found some Baby Alpaca Brush in color 1805, a wonderful dark purple. I think it matches the scarf beautifully, and I will probably try to make at least a matching hat and maybe fingerless mittens with it. But that will have to wait until next winter I think. I first considered making the scarf longer, but I decided I did not like the heavily multi colored Dune right next to the Purple. But my, is this yarn soft!

I was also looking for some cotton to make a nice soft sweater for my new baby, and found Cotton Kisses, which I am working on. I don’t care for the yarn much, but the end product is lovely, and soft. Just what I wanted. I am changing the pattern a little, I am going to try to put in short sleeves, so my baby can wear it a bit longer in the Texas spring.

There was also some wonderful roving, but I had pretty much spend as much as I could, trying to stay on somewhat of a budget with the new baby coming and all. But I hope she will still have that roving the next time I come in, because then it is definitely coming home with me!

My only regret was that I did not bring my camera. I have no pictures to show you! I will try to remedy that the next time I go! For now, I am going to knit on my baby sweater, I am hoping it will get finished before the baby arrives, and that could be any day now.

Last Day of February

Oh my, it is the last day of February already.  Where has the month gone.  I mean, I know February is short, but I feel like the time has gone much faster than should be allowed!  I have gotten quite a lot done though.

I don’t like my browser crashing on me. It means that I have to write this post multiple times, and that just leaves less time for knitting. This is not a good thing!

Last time I wrote about the baby squares I knit for the LSSK baby blankets. I very much enjoyed doing that, but that was not nearly as much fun as receiving my box of blanket squares for the new baby! But I will tell you about that some other time.

I have finished more projects this month, then I have in a long time. Most of them were small, which is not usually what I work on. But this month I was apparently in the mood for small items? I guess the small person that will hopefully join us next month may be responsible for the smaller items that are on my mind….. Only three and a half more weeks until my due date.

The first project was not for him though. The first project I finished was a short scarf made out of Trendsetter’s Dune yarn. I absolutely hate working with the yarn, but the end result is really rather nice:
It is just a simple scarf, with edges of rice stitch on each end, and stockinette in the middle. Here is a close up of the one edge:
I have decided I really kind of like the rice stitch. Very simple, but very nice looking. For some reason the flash decided it needed to play when I took pictures, so I am afraid the metal in the yarn has picked it up. I apologize for the quality of these pictures.

I also made a cute little bear:
I changed the yarn to Cotton Tots, because I was interested in getting a smaller then 11 inch tall bear. Which I think worked out jut fine. I think it came out to about 7 or 8 inches tall. I enjoyed this pattern, because it uses a lot of short row shaping, wrapped stitches, increases and decreases. It was a lot of fun to make, and really only took me a couple of hours. I will probably make another one, as I am planning on giving this to the new baby, and hopefully make it a lovey kind of critter. In which case it would be good to have more then one….

I also have been working on the Icelandic Lace Shawl. And I actually have finally something to show for it.
I do enjoy knitting this pattern, the lace is relatively simple, and easy to memorize. And the yarn, which is Brooks Farm Acero yarn, in a gorgeous purple, is very nice to knit with. I hope it will block out half as nice, and I will be a happy camper. But that is quite some time in the future.

That is it for today, but stay tuned for news about the Sassy Spinster’s new location.

Here a square, there a square…

Well, I am finally done with the three baby blanket squares I wanted to make for the LSSK baby blankets. They really did turn out very cute. I used Bernat’s Cotton Tots to make these squares, as that is what all the ladies use. Maybe I should back up….

I belong to a group on Yahoo Groups that is called Lone Start State Knitters. This is a wonderful group of women who have become each others’ extended family, and who welcome new women into their “family” all the time. It does not matter if you are Texan or a brand new comer (Like myself). One of the wonderful things they do (besides making you feel welcome) is, they knit squares for members who are having their first baby/grandbaby while being a member of this group. The coordinator collects the squares, and mails them to the new mom when there are enough of them, and of course if the mom wants to receive them. No pressure, no obligation. I am actually looking forward to receiving my squares, which I have been told are on their way! But while I was waiting for my squares, I thought it would be nice to join the tradition. And I bought a skein of Cotton Tots. And I cast on. There are some suggestions to follow, so that the squares are made using the same materials, approximately the same size, and the same gauge. I managed to make 3 squares from the one skein, and I still have a little left over. Here are the results:

This teddybear I ended up redesigning.  I did not like the pattern I found here in the right hand margin. It was written as a stockinette bear on a reverse stockinette back ground. There were not enough stitches, and not enough rows, and I did not want to just add more background, because there is already a lot on this cloth. So I redesigned it using Elaine’s basic charted shape for the bear, but making it a garter stitch bear on stockinette back ground, and I like it much better. This one took me probably more time then the other 2 together, but I am now reasonably happy with the end result.  I think if I would make the pattern again, I might tinker some more with the chart, but then, I usually tinker a little on all my patterns.  In this case, I think the bear should be a bit more “fluffy”.

The last two can be found at Designs by Emily, the June and July 2007 patterns. They were easy to knit, took me only a few hours each.  They are also a garter stitch pattern on a stockinette background, and I think they came out pretty darn well.  Of course these could be used at dishcloths or wash cloths, but I think the designs make them also highly appropriate as parts of a baby blanket.  Just as long as the cotton you use for them is appropriate for the purpose it is meant to serve.  Cotton Tots is soft and feels nice, which makes it great for baby items, if it was to be a dishcloth, I would probably use something like Sugar and Creme.  Different yarns lend themselves to different things.

Well, the thunderstorm blew over, I think it is time for me to head to bed. Good night everyone!

It’s cold out there

It is about 30 degrees out there. For most of you out there that would not be terribly cold. Having lived in PA in the recent past, I KNOW that it is not cold. But here in Texas, it is cold. The worst thing is that a couple of days ago it was closer to 70 degrees! It is these temperature changes that drive me up the wall. And also get my ability to withstand a few germs waayy down. Which is probably one of the reasons first my son and now I have a cold. I think DH is also is coming down with.  It has just made the last couple of days a bit difficult. I have not gotten much done, just a little bit of knitting. But curling up on the couch with a blanket, and my knitting needles is just not exactly comfortable with this 7 month pregnant belly of mine. Oh well.  Of course Dear 2 year old Son, who has gotten over his cold by now, is also not exactly pleased with the idea of me just hanging out on the couch, knitting.  

On that account, I realized I have not told you about my project to design a baby cardigan. I started with the Quick or 5 Hour Baby sweater, but I took out all the lace. I just made it as basic as basic could be, but including the button band, as I wanted to have buttons on the cardigan. Here is the result:

I used “I love this Cotton” from Hobby Lobby, and it does do it’s name justice. I think the color I used is either this aqua, or this teal.  I don’t have the label handy.  Neither color looks right, but they are the closest among the set listed there.  The picture is a little bit bluer then the real color, but not much.  Definitely a better sample of the color then the pictures on the website.  I like the cotton, it holds up reasonably well to being tossed in the washer so far, comes out softer then it went in.  A few of my tails did work their way out, but I think that was my fault for not weaving them in well enough.  Cotton just doesn’t hold onto itself as well as other yarns like wool!  :D

I like the result, but was thinking of adding some cables down the front panels.  I am working on that at this time.  This time it will be made in a yellow cotton yarn named Online Linie 165 Sande.  I don’t think this yarn is available in the United States, I received it from my mother who visited me from The Netherlands.  It is not quite as soft as the “I love this Cotton”, but it is very nice as well.  And the color is very bright, just what I hoped for.  But, I have been running into some issues with this one.  I went from a worsted weight cotton to a sock weight, and apparently my math skills were not working too well.  The first try had me increasing the yoke twice as fast as necessary!  So I frogged it, and am trying again.  I will show pictures when I have enough on the needles that it actually looks like something decent.  :)

Finally I have returned!

I can not believe it.  I have not written a blog post for more then 3 months!  And to be honest, I have not had much time to do much in the name of hobbies.  We did find a house early October, and have had a hectic couple of months to buy and move into it.  But we absolutely love our new house!  It has a pool, which we have not used yet because it is too cold, and a grassy area in the yard, so that dear son can play outside.  It is huge, has plenty of bedrooms and a decent size kitchen.  But between moving, and then several family visits and a wedding we had to attend in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico , we just did not have a lot of time for our selves.  The family visits were fun, and I did get some hobby stuff done during those visits.  But things have just been incredibly hectic, and I apparently have not had time to write a post in way too long.  The wedding in Puerto Vallarta was also a lot of fun, we tagged a coupe of days onto each side, and made it a mini vacation.  The only project I took was the Icelandic Shawl which I have just recently started.  I did get a couple of rows done, but not much yet.  We just had so much fun, and were doing stuff constantly!  :D I am currently on row 20, and while the pattern seems very easy and at this point even a little boring, I am enjoying the process.  I am using some very yummy yarn named Acero, from Brooks Farm. It is 60/20/20 wool/silk/viscose fingering yarn in a nice purple. I am very much looking forward to seeing the end result. I will see if I can get some pictures uploaded tomorrow.

One chart down, how many more to go?

Okay, that was really sad. My last blog entry I was being all proud about having finished my spinning, and then it was quiet for more then a month. I promise I will do better! If I had any readers checking regularly, they are probably gone by now. But if anyone is still around, I will promise to blog more frequently. I do have some rather nice progress pictures tho. I finally finished Clue 3 for Casablanca,

with yet again a couple of extra beads.

I added the beads where the “Windows” had an series of 3 knit stitches, on the middle knit stitch. I like how this shawl is turning out.
I also finally finished the last round and a half of Chart 2 for A’tuin. And I promised pictures of that as well.

And a closer look:

I am also very much enjoying working on this pattern. I am getting to part of the pattern where there are currently some problems, and MMario is trying his best to sort them out. I will either be patient, or try to discover what the problem is for my self. I am currently not knitting very quick, since Dear Son (21Mos) has decided that making lace is more interesting for him to watch. Maybe I will so so of that the next time I blog. But it means that when he is awake, and I have a little time to sit down and do something fun, then he asks me to look at the lace pillow, not the lace knitting. Combine that with house hunting, and my spare time is pretty well used up. So, I am going to end this post, hopefully hit publish rather then save, so I don’t have to wonder next time why it is not showing up, and get back to knitting. Happy Labor Day!

4 oz down, 4 to go…

I finally did it, I finished spinning 4 ounces!! I am pretty proud of my self. I did not think I would ever manage to get the bobbin full, it took forever. Though I have to admit, it went much faster when I started spinning regularly because of the tour de fleece. Here is my results:
I know if anyone else looks like it they will probably think: Is that all? It has little curlycues coming out of it, and it really does not look that even! But it is the first thing I have ever spun! I am going to be working on the other 4, so I can ply them. I am now a bit anxious to see what the end result will look like. But I guess I have to be patient.

I have also been working on A’tuin and Casablanca, though Casablanca went backwards since the last post. I decided I wanted beads in the Moorish lattice. Every time I picked it up I said to my self: Next time I want to put beads in this part. Then I decided that it was a nice to knit, and it was only 20 rows back to where I wanted to put the first beads in, so I just ripped it. I tried dropping individual stitches, but that did not work so well. You keep running into other stitches that you then also have to drop. I decided rather then litterally having to drop all the stitches one by one, I would just frog and redo it. It is a bit of a gamble, since I don’t know what the complete stole will look like, but I think it will be okay. A’tuin is almost finished till the end of the 2nd chart. I promise, pictures will come when that happens. Back to knitting!

Arguing shawls & spinning

Yesterday I had some shawls yelling at me. A’tuin from MMario and Casablanca were fighting about who would get most of my attention. I eventually sat both of them down and told them if they behaved that way I was going to spend some time with Oregon. That apparently was too much, because they agreed to just share the time, as long as they would both get attention.

So I worked on Casablanca some, and finished up to row 47 I believe. I am absolutely loving how this is turning out. I think Anne C. is doing a great job. Of course I am on clue 2, and clue 5 came out yesterday, but oh well. All good things come slowly, as the dutch proverb goes. Here is a picture of the first clue finished. I will take a picture again after I am done with the second one.

A’tuin is also coming along nicely, and after I worked on it a couple of rows, I got to row 53. Right now I am still working on the shell part, and I am loving the ground that Mmario chose to use for it. It looks like a turtle shell to me. For those who are wondering, A’tuin is based on the Discworld Books by Terry Pratchett. I have just recently started reading this series, and am liking what I have read so far. Not that that is necessarily a lot. But I seem to be doing all kinds of things in very little pieces at a time. Apparently that is part of being a mother? But at least I do have some time for “me” things. This is a very good thing. Oh, and here is a picture of A’tuin, after the 1st chart.
It has grown bigger, but the pattern has not changed much. Again, I will get a new picture after I am done with this chart. The next section looks like fun.

And then there was of course my spinning too….. Well just see my progress I guess. I know people will probably look at it and go eeeuw… But hey it is my first attempt, and I am pretty proud of it!

Oh, and I guess I promised some other pictures too. Here is the Heron Dishcloth:

And here is the diagonal dishcloth that I just sort of made up:

Please, feel free to let me know what you think! And now we will be off to find materials for DS’s not yet realized little desk.