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?

Rachel's First Epistle to Her Second Sock

November 9, 2010

Dear Sock,

I know we reached a milestone last night.  Your heel was successfully completed and it looks just like the picture.  The thing is... I have to go to work now.  As a matter of fact would you please stop calling for me at every stop light to pull you out.  I realize that I could get a good 7 or 8 stitches at the 5 lights between  daycare and work.  It's just not safe. I really don't want to explain to the police officer that will pull me over for distracted driving that I "just had to finish my sock."  I don't think he will understand.

I promise that when you are done that you will be loved just as much as your sister.  Just take a look at this picture.

I promise that she will love you just as much if not more because you will fit better.  I solemnly swear that as soon as I get home you'll have some work done and will be done in a day or so.

Sincerely,

Rachel the Novice Knitter

It's Looking like a sock!

So far so good.  It's starting to look like an actual garment that might be worn by my child.  She's very excited about getting them. And I'm having a blast making them.  They are the perfect lunch time entertainment.   The needles are Knit Picks Options Circulars that are nickel plated, size 3mm. They are a very smooth knit if a little too slippery for me.  I also, have a wood needle. I will try that one for the next pair.

The video below is the one that flipped the lightbulb on for the Magic Loop method.

 The Knit Witch is a lovely site where she sells hand dyed yarn.  She also sells these great pottery yarn bowls that her  husband makes. As soon as I find a safe place to knit I'm getting one.

Getting past the cast on

I finally have cast on enough to make a toe and it's actually looking something like a sock. I decided for this first one I'm going to use a basic pattern while I'm trying to figure this out.

 I'm not all fond of patterns.  I have a hard time remembering where I left off. I do have some help with that though.  I'm fond of Knit Minder Lite.  It lets me have multiple stitch counters per project. Yay!  I just have to remember to hit the button at the same time to finish the round/row.  I have a few short term memory issues.

So... the pattern I'm using... Simple Toe Up Socks  by Melanie Fraser aka Shoediva.  It's a good basic sock with easy to follow instructions.

Here's where I am so far...

The yarn is Patons Kroy Sock yarn in the Denim Jacquard color way.  I purchased it at Michael's Arts and Crafts (your welcome for the plug dh).

Show Me

Now that my finger has healed to the point where I can knit with a band-aid.  With the book I began figure out the cast on.  While the pictures were good and helpful I'm a person who needs to be shown how to do something. Which is a little rough when all the groups in town tend to meet at a time when I'm usually at work. And it really doesn't help that my schedule is not regular at best.

 My next stop was YouTube.  My search term was "Toe Up Socks."   Here is where I discovered Very Pink Knits .  She has a 4 video tutorial on toe up socks as well as many other techniques I look forward to trying.   She starts with the provisional cast on.



I wasn't very fond of that technique.  It has it's uses but it stressed me out trying to get the scrap yarn out.

I've heard such good things about Judy's Magic Cast On. I found this video from Knit Purl Hunter.



I did watch Cat Bordhi's tutorial as well but that left me with questions that this one answered.  I think this is it. Time to cast on.