06.30.09
Where did June go?
I felt like all of the month of June was spent looking forward to the last full week of the month when I had a week of vacation. Of course we went camping! It was the hottest week of the month and while I don’t usually do too well in heat I wanted it hot so we could go swimming. Boy did we! Some days we went 3 times! Of course I did a little of this:
Ian and his cousin Thomas did their things:
And I finished the socks by the end of the week. I had to…I had the next pattern picked out already.
Now, who should I give these to? I was thinking of my sister, but not sure if the colors are a little too loud for her. They do fit me, so if she’s not interested they won’t go to waste…
05.25.09
Back to bobbin lace
We recently had the warmest day of the year so far so I took my bobbin lace pillow out to the porch and enjoyed the sunshine.
I finished the bookmark over the weekend while camping and already have another one started so I can build up my stash.
The pattern is by Lacy Susan and the thread is size 70 Venne Colcotton with a Gold Rush gimp. It’s a pretty mossy green.
05.18.09
Thinking about lace…knitting
I’m planning to go to the IOLI Convention (International Old Lacers Inc.) in Los Angeles this summer. So, I thought I should have something lacy to wear to the banquet on the last evening. That’s the time that everyone wears the lace they’ve made, purchased, or collected. I thought a lace shawl would be too ambitious to finish before the end of July, so a lace scarf or stole would be perfect. After searching around, I found this Lily of the Valley Estonian lace knitted scarf. (It will look better when it’s blocked.)
Then I saw this sweet little pattern called Summer Lace Shawlette that I got from Knitting Daily. It’s just a small shawl to throw over your shoulders and I thought it would be perfect for sitting in those overly air-conditioned classrooms during the convention. And, I had enough of the yarn in my stash, so I started it this weekend as well.
And, while I was admiring it and taking the photo I saw (gasp!) a giant hole in the stockinette area that goes over the shoulder! Yes, this is lace, but there shouldn’t be a hole there in that spot! So, I’ll be frogging back several rows.
I’m mad at the shawl right now. I think I’d rather put this project down for now and go wind bobbins to make some more bobbin lace bookmarks.
05.11.09
Happy Mother’s Day
Especially to the new mom, Kristi, for whom I made the blankie. It’s so cool here she may even still get some use from it!
Moderne Baby Blanket
And to my mama and grandma for whom I made some tatted pendants.
I have a new project started for myself, but it’s not fit for photos yet. Maybe after tonight…
04.29.09
Baby blanket update
Okay, the main part of the blanket is done, now I am knitting the i-cord edging. (Actually I finished that last night and am just sewing in the ends now, but these photos don’t show the edge.) I should have it done today! Good thing, because Bret is nesting at work and Kristi is ready to have the baby NOW, I hear.
It looks very square in this photo, but the final measurements are 46×38 inches. At first I thought it would be too big, but this seems to be a nice size.
04.24.09
My first sweater
Love it! I’ve had the yarn for quite a while for another sweater – didn’t like it so I started on something else. This is Rusted Root. I loved knitting it and would like to knit another, maybe with longer sleeves for the fall.
Rusted Root sweater
04.04.09
I designed something!
I’m so excited; I designed a cozy for my teapot and it actually worked!
Here’s the pot that I wanted to cozy: (I love the shape. I’ve always called it pewter but I think it’s really silverplate.)
I had a ball of washable wool (100% for the insulating factor and I don’t want the yarn to melt to the side of the pot!) It’s Swish Worsted from Knit Picks and very nice and springy. I didn’t have the ball band so I’m not sure of the colorway. I wanted coverage on the bottom of the pot so I don’t have to worry about setting it on a trivet all the time. So, here’s what I came up with:
I found that I knitted straight up from the bottom and didn’t add any stitches to accommodate the girth of the pot, so I had a bit of gap-osis under the handle. So I added the little tab and button to bring it in a little. It worked out better than I thought. And the drawstring at the top allows me to open the lid and add more hot water without taking the cozy off the pot. Slick, if I do say so myself!
I was very much inspired by the mug cozies that I have knit from the pattern on http://justkatiespatterns.blogspot.com. But I used a 1×1 ribbing at the bottom and the top because I wanted it to shrink to fit the shape of the pot. The little tab was just inspired as an opportunity to try out Elizabeth Zimmerman’s “one-row buttonhole” from The Knitters Almanac. And isn’t that a great button I found in my button box? I think it’s tin because it’s metal and very, very lightweight. All in all I’m very pleased with how it turned out; I think I’ll have to make a pot of Scottish breakfast tea and celebrate!
03.29.09
Productive weekend
My men are gone for the weekend and I have been focusing on projects.
- The first mitten is done and the second one has only 2″ left to go.
- I put the zipper in the Oregon vest and it worked beautifully.
- I altered a pair of pants that were too big in the waist (yay!)
- Got hours of knitting done on the Moderne baby blanket and actually saw some progress
Last weekend I finished the brown Mojo socks for myself and wore them a couple of times already. I pulled out some yarn and a few different patterns to knit a tea cozy for the teapot that I want to take to the camper. I want it to be a fitted one instead of the hood/cover that I use at home. The pot has a different shape and I think I’ve chosen the elements out of the three patterns that I want to use. I thought I had it all figured out then realized that my idea was closed at the top and bottom and no way to get it over the pot! I’ll let that idea keep “percolating” for a while and work it out some more in my head 
Still on the needles besides the baby blanket and mittens are a pair of socks for Ted. I’ll work on them tomorrow night while waiting for the boys to get home. Also I haven’t worked on my bobbin lace for a week or so. I thought to get to it today, but the mittens were just flowing for me. It was a great day for knitting with the Cast On and CraftLit podcasts to entertain and energize me.
03.17.09
Projects and progress
I’ve made some progress on the current projects, and started some new projects as well. Since new is always fun we’ll start with those.
These are the two color mittens in Galena Pirates colors. I’m taking a class at Fiber Wild and this is hard but super fun. Today I knit the thumb and attached it. Amy has a really slick method for the thumbs and the pattern just continues up it. We started the mitten at the tip and are working toward the wrist. The pattern is the same on both sides of the mitten.
I’m also working on socks for Ted. Plain, toe-up with Chain Rib for the leg.
I am making a pair of Mojo socks for myself and all I have left to do is add the after-thought heel and they’ll be done. You’d think I could’ve had that done sooner, but instead I keep starting new projects…like my bobbin lace fan!
The photo of the lace will seem dark, but otherwise the flash makes so much of a glare that you can’t see the threads.
And I’m also making good progress on the Moderne baby blanket, but the squares are getting so large that I can knit and knit and it hardly looks any different.
02.22.09
Works in progress
I’ve started a Moderne baby blanket for one of my co-workers whose wife is due in May. She was also Ian’s teacher at school last year. Our family is liking the blankie so much that I might have to make one to have as a throw at home. This seems to be a theme – making great things and giving them away! I didn’t use baby colors hoping that this will be a blankie that will last the baby well into his or her college years.
I have also been working on my lace pillow the last couple of weekends. I’ve got a little more than 26 inches of my Downton lace edging. I think I’d like to make enough to edge a hanky. I also copied the pattern and am starting to work on the pricking for my ’s Gravenmoer fan. I hope to get the bobbins wound today so I can take it to lace night tomorrow.
