My First Hat

I've been reading "Knitting Rules!" by Stephanie Pearl-Mc Phee and in it she has a chapter on the "No Pattern Hat."  I love it because she gives a basic set of guidelines to make hats, socks, shawls.  She also gives variations on a theme.  I'm not very good at following patterns. I get lost very easily especially if it's a repeat of more the 6 or 7 lines.  When I do try to follow a pattern I have to write it out myself to make sure I understand it. I get lost less frequently.

The yarn is Cascade Fixation, yet again.  This is a challenging yarn for me because of the elastic.  I'm starting to get really good with getting tension right and consistent.  I did the math based on the gauge but it still ended up small.  I compared it to a newborn hat and it was really small.  And so, dolly gets a new hat.  I knew this day would come. I think I need to work my way to knitting Barbie clothes though.  That is becoming my child's new obsession.

The next project is to re-do my black and red afgan. I was not very good at the tension in this crochet project and I got random loops sticking out.  It bothered the crap out of me.  I just finished frogging it and have started with a smaller hook and am using a single crochet instead of a half double.  I want something dense and warm for my lap in winter.  I've also changed the red yarn.  I went from Lion Brand Chenille which has a spicy brown kinda red to the Suede line which has a more primary red. I'm only using it as a small accent as the gauge is very differnet. It should be interesting as both have been discontinued. Time to start scouring the discount bins

Weaving In

If you ask any knitter what the most boring part of a project is. The most common answer you are likely to get it is, "weaving in the ends."  I have a few of those projects.  During our big snow storm this winter I decided it was high time to get on a few of those things.  Having them stare me in the face for 3 straight days while I frantically search for something to keep myself and child entertained was the inspiration.

Item #1  Diagonal lace shawl

It's a larger version of my first lace project. I'm using Caron Simply Soft again in black. This one didn't block quite as large as I hoped.  I still haven't quite figured out blocking yet. The scarf seemed to stretch more than this leaving great open spaces in it. The only difference between the two is that I used a clothing steamer instead of an iron for steam.  I'm going to block it again and try just a wet block.  I've sent and email off to Caron asking them what the recommended blocking technique is for this yarn.

Item #2  Cascade fixation Socks (for me)

This is my first pair of socks for myself and gods help me I love stripes.  It's a ten row stripe which means lots and lots of weaving in. I got some done during the snow storm but the fates and children were against me.  I'm going to get back to it. No, really, I am... I need to wear these socks.  I just have to finish off a slightly secret project.  

Spring is coming and a lot of gardening is looming. Between my lunch breaks and quiet evenings I'm hoping to get quite a bit done this year.

Hand Me down knits

A couple of summers ago my sent a bunch of stuff from her house. She was moving out and it was time to clear out my stuff. In the shipment were her dolly clothes from when she and I were little girls. I played with them too. I had forgotten how much crochet wear there was.

I pulled it all out and gently hand washed it in Eucalan wool wash. For the most part everything came out all right. There were a few undyed wool pieces that disintegrated. Sixty plus years can do that.

Here are some shots. I did my best with the styling of the dolls but Em had an opinion too.

Book Review--Knitting Rules!

Knitting Rules! is written by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee.  She is a writer from Toronto who is all about the knitting.  She is also known as the Yarn Harlot and has a blog where she posts about her knittting exploits. She just completed her self-imposed sock club.  Where she combined patterns and yarn to stash bust/christmas present prep.  I only mention this as I really want to do this, but ummm ... well this is another post.

If there is one thing that knitting rules is not, it is a pattern book.  Sure, she give some basic instructions on how to make socks, a hat, a shawl. I'm really not very good at following patterns.  It's not just that I lose my place, and I do, it's that I'm picky. I like lace, but not too frilly. I like cables but not too complicated.  I like stripes but not too many ends to weave in.  I don't really expect that one to keep me from doing stripes. I just had to put it out there.

The book is really about using commonsense when doing these things with a healthy dose of a sense of humor.  Honestly, when trying to learn to knit one really needs a sense of humor.  I know there are moments when I think my head will explode when I just can't figure out the math or I have ripped something back for the tenth time.

My favorite part is the lists. "Ten Times When You Should Worry About Gauge"


1. If you want your work to be exactly the same (or as close as possible, considering you that you changed the neckline, the yarn, and the cable pattern) as the sweater in the picture of your pattern.


2.  If your bust is 36 inches and you'd like the sweater to be related to that fact in any kind of way.


For the rest you need to get the book. :)

In a way she reminds me of Alton Brown on his show "Good Eats."  He breaks cooking down to the basics making sure you understand how food is put together.  And he's a big goof ball to boot which makes it entertaining.  The Yarn Harlot is a writer and doesn't get to use the cool props but her sense of humor and knowledge of knitting really comes through.  Let's have her explain.  Follow the link below--

Yarn Harlot@ Full Thread Ahead

Travel Knitting

I was recently given a purse by my mother.  It's a lovely Donna Karan number with many internal dividers.  There is one section that is just perfect to place a small knitting project.  my first one...


I have finally found the pleasure of travel knitting on a small scale.  I've been knitting on my lunch hour.  I've had to take a separate knitting bag with me.  It was very annoying to have to carry that plus my lunch bag and a purse.  For the last few weeks I've been working on the leg warmers.  I was even in a ridiculously long drive through line and pulled it out to work a round.

The yarn is Cascade Fixation.  I'm pretty sure the colorway is 5104.  I'm still trying to handle the yarn itself.  The hardest thing is to get the right tension on the stitches between the needles.  Because of the elastic it tends to stretch rather than pull tight.  So, I'm getting a ladder on each side. I'll figure it out in time.

The needles are bamboo circular by Kinki Amibari size 4 (3.5 mm) 36 " long.  Probably a little too long.  One thing I'm still trying to figure out.  Things I like? I like that the kinks can be worked out with a hair dryer or a dip in warm water.  I like how it catches the knitting just a enough that the stitches don't slip off easily.  It does happen on occasion.  Things I don't like?  Actually the only thing I don't like is the blunt tip.  It becomes very difficult to pick up dropped stitches.  Especially on this particular yarn.  There is a soft kink worked into the cotton on the elastic. The loops when dropped are not as defined as in other yarns.  A small crochet hook is necessary in this case.

So, that is my travel project.

Now for my at home project.





Here is a lovely view of the seam.   Like I said, I still haven't quite figured how to not get ladders.

Socks for Em

The socks are now complete. They aren't perfect but they will keep her feet warm.

This is still the first sock. She wouldn't take the thing off for two days. I completed the second sock and got the heel to work out properly. This one...not so much. I couldn't get a pic of both socks because now that it has cooled off and the air is drying out her skin she won't wear them. "They're itchy Mama!". I really can't win on this one.

As I was contemplating the next project I was hit with a little bit of inspiration.








Leg warmers!

The yarn is Cascade Fixation.  It's a wonderfully soft cotton with a bit of a kink and some elastic. It was given to me by my good friend margaretw. This is the first time working with this yarn and I really want to get this "in the round" thing going

I picked the "Magic Loop Method," heretofore known as magic loop, because when I  first started on Em's socks I used dpn's. They're cheap and I can get them at a discount. When I  started using  them I found that I couldn't keep track of them all.  I am a knitter is frequently interrupted.  Usually every 2 to 5 minutes in the evening when someone (seen above) is demanding attention. Getting the needles co-ordinated in my hands took to long. Or the yarn would just slip off.   And so I went to circular needles and found the magic loop.

There were two places that really made the technique click for me the first is at The Knit Picks tutorial part of their site.  Their Magic Loop photos are very clear and easy to understand.

The next place I went to is you tube and found a video by The Knit Witch.  She sells yarn and these lovely pottery yarn bowls that I covet.  She also has tutorials and this one was really helpful.

Sock Update

Last night I completed my first pair of socks. Ever.  Yay for me!  I give them to my child to put on so that I could see them.  She puts them on and runs off into her room to play.  She comes back five minutes later with socks in hand and says, "Mama, you need finish these."  Jack and I look at her, confusion on our faces. "Em, what do I need to do to finish these?"  She lifts one of he legs Harpo style and says, "You need to make it go up here."  She points to the very top of her thigh and then runs back to her room.  My child wants me to make tights. I'm never gonna win in the end, am I?