Done In a Day

Was I knitting obsessively all day, or were these just an ultra quick knit?

Probably a bit of both! I cast on for the first fingerless mitt at about 2 pm yesterday and sewed in the last end of the second mitt at the stroke of midnight. Somewhere in there I did make supper and clean up afterward, but yeah, I knit most of the afternoon and evening.

Still, that seemed a very quick project.

I knit these up in my own chain plyed handspun. The halfbred top in the "black allsorts" colourway was purchased from Aurelia Wool and Weaving. The fingerless mitt pattern is "Suzie's Reading Mitts".

Cuter Than He Looks

Unfortunately I'm having trouble getting a good picture of the Gnome. He's really quite a charmer in person!

Perhaps he's camera shy?

The pattern is Yuletide Gnomes (Jultomtar & Teeny Tomte) by Alan Dart, and I made this one up in my own handspun, except for the beard of course, which is fun fur.

The pattern requires a lot of tedious sewing up which initially peeved me, but who knows, he's so cute perhaps I will make another one some day.

Packages In The Snow

Further work on my granddaughter's stocking. I love the little 3D bows on the packages tucked in the snow. Not much left to do now.

Spinning Batts

Still working toward having all the handspun to knit up a Gnome. I dug through the fibre stash and came up with this batt. It was originally a commercially dyed merino top that I found too compact. I ran it through my drum carder quite some time ago. Much of it was used in a blend with other fibres, but I had this bit left over.

I spun all 65g that remained into a 2ply. It might work for the gnome, but I won't know until I try a swatch. It looks a bit thinner than I had hoped for.


I also spun up all 65g of a batt of Lincoln that I received as a door prize at a spin-in. It too is a contender for the gnome, but looks about the same weight as the merino. Perhaps they will both end up being used, but in separate gnomes?

Spinning For A Gnome

200g of bright, Christmas red corriedale all spun, plyed and washed in preparation for knitting a Gnome.

Perseverance

I think I'll name this cardigan "Perseverance" because at this gauge I'll need a lot of that before I'm through.

This will be my version of 97-18 Tailored cardigan by DROPS design (which looks much better on the Raverly knitters who have made it than it does on the Drops model). I've had to rework all the numbers though, as I am getting a much finer gauge. I'm using 3.25 mm (US 3) needles and ColourMart's 2/28, merino/cashmere/silk blend (60%/20%/20%). It's ultra fine so I'm using it doubled and getting 28.5 stitches and 35 rows per 4" (10 cm).

Continuing the Legacy

Knitting is a skill that has been passed down through the generations in my family. My great grandmother was a knitter, as was my grandmother and my mother. I am a knitter, and I have taught both of my daughters to knit.

I am proud to show you the work of my youngest daughter, Kristy (Kristo on Ravelry). This is her first attempt at intricate lace with the dreaded "nupps". She did a wonderful job! This is "Swallowtail" knit in hand dyed silk and is destined to be a gift for a very special lady.

200g of Gnome Flesh

I've spun up all 200g of the flesh coloured corriedale in preparation for knitting handspun gnomes. That's way more than enough for one, but I may decide to make multiples. We'll see.

Now I'm on to spinning the bright, Christmas red.

An Arm And A Leg

I've been working on Kenzie's stocking quite a bit the last few days. Recent additions are Santa's right arm and Frosty's arm and leg.

It's unfortunate that my camera does not do a good job of picking up all the amazing details of these stockings. The arms and legs are attached only at the shoulder and hip ends so that they dangle free. They are stuffed for a 3 dimensional effect as well. They are also decorated with embroidery, sequins and beads. . . . . very dazzling in real life but barely visible in the photograph.

Santa's Frosty Friend

Slowly, slowly I'm making progress on Kenzie's stocking. The toboggan was completed today, and a lot of work has been done on both Frosty and Santa over the past couple of weeks.

Me and Beige

Beige. Not a good colour choice for me!

I look much better in vibrant colours. My reasons for choosing this yarn for my second Panta have nothing to do with how the colour looks on me. The yarn was chosen for a more practical reason.

I needed an absorbent yarn that wasn't too warm and could survive being machine washed and dried with my gym clothes. . . . I hope to be brave enough to wear this Panta to the gym regularly. My thick, heavy hair falls in my face and drives me crazy when I am working out!

This is "Sonora" by Nashua Handknits, a silk/linen/rayon/nylon blend. The label recommends hand washing but I'm going to treat that as a "suggestion" and throw it to the washer. If it fails? Well then I will have nothing to show for an evening of knitting. But then when is an evening spent knitting ever wasted, even if you have nothing to show for it?

Edited to add: It survived a trip through the washer and dryer with no ill effects. *whew* I also wore it to the gym today and no one fell over in fits of laughter. Perhaps they restrained themselves until I was out of earshot? Anyway, it worked VERY well. Not only did it keep the hair out of my face, but it also reduced the brow mopping to a bare minimum.

Handspun Panta

Ever get caught up in a project that there is a good chance you will never wear, but you just have to make it anyway?

This panta (hairband/ear-warmer thingy) is one of those kinds of projects. I saw the pattern on Ravelry and just HAD to make it even though it's rather "out there" for a grandma like me.


Still, there is something about it that appeals to me in a funky, never in public kind of way.



I knit it from , hand spun, hand dyed, hand combed mohair.

LONG Term Project

This will likely be a very long term project. Today I purchased the pattern and some of the corriedale roving I will spin up in preparation for making one of Alan Dart's Yuletide Gnomes.



I fell in love with these little fellows way back when I first saw one on Michelle's blog.

If you're interested in spinning for one of these, or any other humanoid type toy or decoration, flesh coloured corriedale can be purchased from Sandi at "Shades of Narnia".

Ply-In

The Ryder Lake Spin-In, hosted by the Chilliwack Spinners and Weavers Guild, was held on Saturday. Lots of conversation and laughter, a nice lunch, and vendors with tempting wares.

I certainly didn't need any more fibre to spin, so I was able to avoid much of the temptation. Much of it, but not all. These two little cuties followed me home. They are very tiny, about the size of a large gumball.

I also didn't spin. I plyed. And plyed, and plyed. I spent all day plying two huge, 250g skeins of "Everglade" colourway. This is a 2 ply of approximately DK weight which I plan to knit into a vest some day.

Stocking Progress

I'll be focusing on Kenzie's stocking for the next while, trying to work on it for at least an hour every day. It must be done by December 1st, when her family traditionally decorates for the season.



These handmade, beaded, sequined and embroidered stockings are just too pretty to be kept hidden away until the last minute on Christmas Eve. . . . so they go up with the other holiday decorations at the beginning of the season. I'm sure Santa understands.

NOT on the Baby!

Kenzie wasn't too sure about wearing the llama's hat.....

Kaylen however, was VERY sure. . . . . .Sure that it was a VERY terrible idea for her Best Little Sister to be wearing a hat that belonged on a toy!




She was inconsolable until the hat was back where it belonged. . . . on the llama!

(No grandchildren were actually hurt in the making of this blog post. Traumatized maybe, but not actually hurt.)

Llovable Llama

This fellow has been in the works for quite some time. I started him right after finishing Shaggy the Sheep, but put him aside when other items took priority place in the line-up.

I think he's adorable, but I'm so glad that he is off of my list of "must finish" items. Crocheting worsted weight acrylic yarn with a small hook to achieve a tight gauge is very hard on the hands!

Loop stitch is no picnic either!

The hat is also included in the pattern, but I think I like him better without it.

I have a feeling that my granddaughters will like him better with the colourful hat though.


So, one item done. Kenzie's appliquéd, sequined and beaded Mary Maxim Christmas stocking will be the next item in the priority list I think. Wouldn't do to be late with the stocking for her very first Christmas.

Shapely Socks

You know those "shapely" socks I was making? The ones with the weird, balloon-like toe?

They're finished.

And they fit great!

Lots of wiggle room for the toes, a snug instep that conforms to the foot, and a heel that fits just right. This wide toe thing might be an accidental "design feature" that is worth repeating.

I used a figure 8 cast on, 12 stitches each needle (24 total); increased every row to 48 stitches; increased every other row to 64 stitches, and then after knitting for a bit decided that they were actually too wide so decreased every other row back to 56 stitches. As the depth of the arch of my foot deepened I started the gusset increases a bit early adding 4 stitches to each round (2 each side) every 4th row, so that by the time I reached the spot where I was supposed to start the gussets I was back to 60 stitches. I used the 60 stitch count to calculate the heel turn, heel flap and cuff.

Another On The Go

I finished these socks a little faster than I expected to when I wrote that last post. We made two long car treks over the past week and I spent 26 hours in the passenger seat, mostly knitting.

I finished one pair and got a good start on a second pair.


I know this second pair looks a bit odd, "shapelier" than usual. I had increased to my usual 64 stitches but then decided that in this cotton blend yarn it was working out to be a bit wide. Rather than rip back I decided to just decrease back to a more reasonable width before widening again through the gusset. It makes them look very peculiar when they are lying flat, but on the foot they look normal and fit perfectly. I actually like the extra wiggle room in the toes!

I worked the heels this evening so it's just a matter of doing the cuffs now. They could be ready for a FO debut tomorrow.......or a year from now. I'm that way with sock knitting.

Ready For Boring

There are obsessive sock knitters, but I'm not one of them.


Sock projects tend to languish in the small knitting bag that I only take to meetings, appointments, or on long car rides. These toe-up socks have been on the needles for quite some time, so long in fact that I can't remember exactly when I started them. On a recent car trip I picked them up for the first time in ages and I reached the gussets. When we got home I decided to bring them back into the house for the heel turning and heel flap, which I accomplished today. Now they are going back in their little bag to be reserved once again for those stolen moments when I would otherwise be "wasting time". Don't expect to see the cuffs any time soon.