Monday, January 27, 2014

Salvage

 I finished my giant, steeked fair isle sweater and suffered great disappointment. I am a very loose knitter and thought I was careful with long enough floats. But look at all those puckers! Plus, but the end my hands were being injured by the weight of the sweater. Sucking my passion out.
 After a soak that did nothing to improve the knitting, I set up the very steamy steam iron and Juniper Grace podcast and went at it row by row.
It was a success. But I still need to tidy the sleeves, machine sew the steeks and cut my knitting. This may be just too much for me.
 I also salvaged some yarn that I gave my sister. We knit along together last year, but it was a mystery knit and the sweater was in no way flattering to our shape. Mine was a bit bigger, so I gave it to her and took this one. It was hard to screw my courage to the sticking point and frog the whole thing. After soaking and hanging to dry, I am now winding it into 3 big balls. It my be my Olympic knit instead of what I'd planned.
 Distract you with a pretty amaryllis that just doesn't care that Christmas is past and partly forgotten.

This is 700 meters of laceweight merino cashmre and silk. There were cuts in the yarn. Winding it into many small balls was such a disappointment. I bought this yarn 2 years ago and it has been stored in a plastic box. It cannot be a featherweight for the knitting olympics. The other 2 skeins show signs of breakage as well. A disappointment of Olympic proportions. I felt like someone had cut the tails off kittens. 
I may cast on an Antler sweater for myself and try to knit it during the two weeks of the Olympics.
 More distraction. My second hyacinth is keeping me company as I miserably flounder in my knitting endeavours.
 Finished my first sock of the year. Had to rip back the ribbing to use a bigger needle to accommodate my large gastrocnemius. But I did manage to fix it and made notes on my Ravelry page to duplicate it with February's sock. I started it right away and will do some work on it because I'll need a head start if I do an Olympic sweater.
End on a good note. Try to get over it. Give yourself small joys. I know. But it has been a bit uphill. Today will be better. I am going to finish the second block on the baby blanket block a month so I can help with the concerns on the third block.
I have been comforted by the baby blanket. It is pink and soft and simple. And there will be a pink soft baby to be swaddled into it. That can salvage any problem.

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Caring

 Can you see the manly cowl I made for DH? I call it a surgeon's scarf. He likes it, but it hasn't been too cold.
I am helping a friend who has hurt her back and is stuck in bed. She is worth it, and I always enjoy spending time with her. Good news, there is improvement. My nursing work has been filled with drama and tight scheduling. I don't like leaving a shift with things not resolved, but the patients do what they can, I do what I can and we have to let time do the rest. I was so stressed out after the last shift!
 Antidote: Road trip! Sale at Three Bags Full with knitters! This is the before.
 The window was enticing with cupcakes and tincan knits pop blanket.
 The store was full of wool and knitters. I actually visited 88 stitches the day before because my friend works there, I had a very generous gift certificate and I wanted to buy some Sweet Fiber in its natural environment.
 The after. Yes the bags were full! I found a sweaters' worth of Silky Wool for me and for DH.
 Lost in the wild. We found some knitting on a ledge. Someone need lessons in yarn bombing. We gave it to 3 Bags Full to put in their lost and found. Addi Turbos!
 New hope for spring blossoms at our front door. This is a viburnum with pink flowers and crocuses at her toes. I hope it it the same as the tree that brings me so much pleasure on our dog walks.
 A good friend is having her first photography exhibition, so I knit her a camera strap cozy.
 The cow is ready for our new family baby.  Susan B. Anderson is such a good designer.
 But I did have to add a fourth teat and omit the horns on her Milk Cow.
 The gift for the grad auction at my highschool is coming along. I'm practicing double knit to make some hats next winter. Go Falcons!
 I have not put up pictures yet of the December knitting I did while I was struggling with a cough and cold. I'm much better, but it took so long! This is chickadee in Misty alpaca hand paints. I wanted something bright for the winter blahs, but it's so very coral. I have a few friends who love to wear this colour. Perhaps the gift drawer is a good place to keep this.
 Inspira in Noro Silk Garden. It could be a little wider on the bottom and a little narrower on top, but I loved knitting it and I love wearing it!
 Ribbed Cowl from the Red knitting book in Merisol chunky. When I got it off the needles, it went down to my knees! Definitely mods next time. But I love the stepped rib. I will probably gift this to someone who could use a good hug and would wear it with more elan than I.
There is much caring going back and forth in this deep winter.

Tuesday, January 07, 2014

Fresh Start

The decorations came down in dribs and drabs this year because one of my devotionals asked that they be left up until Epiphany, January 6, the celebration of the Magi. But I had to get some of them down ahead. It meant I wasn't exhausted and resentful on New Years Day. That's a pretty good start.
The hyacinth came out to celebrate January 1st. I don't have a window at my kitchen sink, so I try to have some flowers.
 I have been working on my Windows sweater. Almost at the point where I divide for the sleeves, but, as with all stages of this sweater, I am wracked with indecision. Should I steek the sleeves and just keep knitting in the round? Or should I knit fair isle back and forth and impose some shaping? Both are dreaded. I think I may just add stitches for steeking and get the thing knit. Boxy sleeves will be ok with a cozy sweater. Or maybe I need the tidiness of set in sleeves?
 Started the block a month knit along for my knitting circle. It's the Mystery Blanket Stitch A Long. We hope to have a good dozen of us knitting it together. I can teach lace and patterns through these simple blocks. The yarn was bought at the closing of a store many years ago. Good stash busting.
 Started Operation sock drawer. Finished the pink stripy socks and am pretty happy with the regular afterthought heel. In fact, I would remove the extra plain rows I knit. Others complain that it isn't deep enough, but I like it.
These are toe up Vandyke socks from Wendyknit's little box of socks. I am charmed by the way the pattern fits into my little sock project bag. I like the heavier sock yarn, Trekking 6. It almost feels felted. I'm still knitting on size 2mm. My foot is 10 1/4 inches long. So I knit 7 pattern repeats before starting the heel at 2 1/2 inches short of the foot length. I am trying to achieve better negative ease in my hand knit socks. This is my first "pair a month" to have 6 pairs by the end of the year.

 The hitch hiker is not getting much love. I already have blue shawls, but not green. Must make a decision to finish it before I start a new one.

 Started a double knit striped scarf for one of my youth group kids. She asked if I would knit something for her grad auction. Stabbed my heart! She is graduating from Sardis Secondary, our school, and our kids' school. Of course I shall.
 The amaryllis opened on Boxing Day. Lovely treat. The one at Hospice is just finishing it's second bloom, so I think I'll send this one over for it's second bloom.
 We took a quick trip up to the ranch for my sister's birthday. The Coquihalla Highway was just opened and I was a bit nervous, but it was pretty clear except for the summit. Three hours of knitting is a good way to help me relax.
 We were included in a pot luck. She made cookies and biscuits and cowboy beans and a cheese dip for  her own party.
 It was a blast! The community of Knustford is welcoming and close at the same time.
 Many candles!
 And one casualty.
 The next day was sunny and fresh, perfect for a walk to the lake.
 There was a little skating rink open on the far side of McLeod Lake, but we kept to the path.



 I opened gates for her while she fed the cattle. It's about the breadth of my skill set here.
Hoping you have a bright new year. May you knit what you dream of and dream of what you knit.