Waves of Grain

This was an easy and relatively quick lace project. In fact, the centre portion was so easy that I made a few minor mistakes when my mind wandered. I had to tink back to correct them. I wasn't entirely successfully either, but what remains is barely detectable. Normally I would have ripped back until I was sure they were 100% fixed, but I had a looming deadline as I wanted to use the scarf in a lace blocking demonstration.

The pattern is "Waves of Grain" designed by Rosemary Hill, knit up in Cherry Tree Hill Suri Lace Alpaca. You won't find this colourway in Cherry Tree Hill's stock. It was originally their "Spring Frost" colourway which is very pretty, but I chose to overdye it to better suit my colouring.

I used just enough blue dye to change the base colour (which was pastel peach, green, and blue) to blue and blue green with occasional hints of blue violet. Very subtle, just the way I like it.

Lace and Dumplings

What difference does a name make? None really, we're still the same group of local knitters enjoying each others company, but the new group name will hopefully avoid some confusion that has cropped up.

We'll now be known as the Knitters' Circle to avoid the confusion that our former name, Upper Fraser Valley Knitters, caused when our area college/university changed its status and name to University of the Fraser Valley. We don't want the knitting community to think we are a group associated only with the university. University students are of course welcome, we include any knitter that would like to join us.

This week's meeting went very well, with 9 members in attendance. Very good numbers considering all the road closures in the area that make it more difficult than usual to reach the meeting room at the Thresherman's building on Luckakuck Way in Chilliwack.

After I presented a lace blocking demonstration that went over very well (lace blocking creates such a transformation that it can't help but impress), we moved on to Show and Tell and then discussed the group project, a small felted bag.

We're getting in on the Dumpling Bag craze and, with a little imagination and individual creativity, we will each be making our own little dumpling to tote our mugs to meetings. Or use as a purse. Or give as a gift. Or carry our small projects.

This is my first.

I confidently say "first" because, like eating potato chips, you can never stop at just one. Don't believe me? Just try one. I dare ya. The pattern by Sharon Dreifuss is on page 86 of the current issue (Fall 2008) of Interweave Knits.

Toddler Pillow

My mom isn't able to sew any more so she gave me her sewing machine. My own was 30 years old and past its prime. The new-to-me one is a joy to use. It's not fancy, but it does more than my old basic one did, and more efficiently at that.

One of my first projects was to make my granddaughter two little pillowcases for the small, thin, toddler pillow I picked up at Ikea.

Kaylen loves her new pillow. When she first got it her mommy heard her fussing in the middle of the night (baby monitor --- great invention!), then there was a little gasp of recognition, a bit of rustling, a contented, exaggerated sigh, and she was back to sleep.

Could a sewing project be more appreciated?

Masters Monday - 2.33

Nothing to see here folks. Move along, move along.

Yes, I am working a bit on the Masters program, but I have nothing to photograph or really talk about this week because I'm just been reading about knitting history.

B-O-R-I-N-G

and the argyle sock is in the corner for a time out.

I'm SO darn busy right now that I'm running from one urgent, deadline project to the next. I don't know which to work on at any one time because they are all urgent.

What am I doing on the computer?!......ahhhhhh......must need a time management expert to knock some sense into me. Avoidance of all urgent projects is surely not going to help.

It Takes Commitment

I recently joined a group on Ravelry that is committed to spinning for 10 minutes each day. This kind of thing really works for me. The dedication to doing a little at a time, but being faithful to at least that small amount, is what is getting me, albeit slowly, through the Master Knitter certification program. Turns out it works for the spinning too.


I've had a small basket of merino/silk top sitting with my spindle for months now. In only a few days I've spun this most recent cop's worth. When I add it to the ball I had already, the basket can be refilled with the next project, a similar colourway of the same merino/silk to be combined with this one as a 2 ply.

(I use the tiny needle felted ball use see there as a core when I hand wind balls of singles in preparation for plying).

Hand-Me-Down Hat

No new knitting, but how about a cheater of a post using new pictures of a young grandniece in a hand-me-down hat?

These are of Cara Victoria wearing the Cupcake Hat I originally knit for her older sister, Ashlyn, nearly three years ago.

Awwwww, sweet as strawberry icing!

Whine and Geez Party

In place of an actual Masters Monday post I'm inviting you to my little Whine and Geez Party.

I wasn't planning on mentioning this at all, preferring to focus my blog on my creative endeavours rather than my personal trials, but-----well this one is big enough that it's getting in the way of my usual creative pursuits. It's slowing me down, which in turn gives me less to blog about, which makes me feel like I need to explain to my regular readers. So here we go;

Welcome to my Little Whine and Geez Party.

(Your regularly scheduled Masters Monday reporting will resume as soon as possible).

On Thursday I had gallbladder surgery.
Recovery is slower than I anticipated.
I'm feeling crappier than I thought I would.

What?
Yes, that's it.
Party's over.
I never could handle more than a little whine at one time.



If you want more entertainment than that, go HERE, and type in "gallstones".


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Another Stash Buster Rug

Both stash buster rugs, this new one and the previous one, are now off the loom but not quite finished. I still need to do something about all the warp ends. Finished pictures will have to wait until then.

Although this one isn't quite as eye catching as the others, it will fit in with my neutral/beige decor a little better.

Masters Monday - 2.32

I would like to report that all is going well and that I am finished the argyle. I would LIKE to, but I can't.....not without lying anyway. *sigh*

I thought all was going well. I thought I had knit the argyle section perfectly. I even went so far as to sew in all those fiddly ends, block the argyle section and start the duplicate stitch lines.

It was then that I saw it. The Error. The mistake that is hard to spot at first, but then becomes a huge obstacle that cannot be overcome without redoing the whole darn sock.

Do you see it? I've marked the area with the dark brackets. Take a look at the line of the diamond. See how it looks straight all the way down to the outlined section and then suddenly curves inward? I didn't at first. I only found it when I started the duplicate stitch lines and they didn't go through the bottom section of that diamond in the right spot. I could've weeped. I nearly did.

Ripping the sock back that far would be pointless. It wouldn't be able to salvage the yarn and it would take more time and be more frustrating than if I just start over again.

And so here I am starting over again. *sob*

I knew of this tragedy last Monday when the blocking photo went up but I had written that blog entry earlier in the week and had post dated the entry then forgot to take it down when I realized my mistake. Rather than interrupt your kind comments I figured I would leave the explaining until this week.

Masters Monday - 2.31

The argyle section of the Level II sock is done and all those fiddly ends are sewn in (except the beginning and ending tails which I may end up needing).



With this section pinned to exact size and blocking, I'll next be duplicate stitching the contrasting lines and then joining those two small sections still on stitch holders to start knitting the heel.

Stashbuster In Progress

Remember when I wove that chenille last fall? I had to wait until the guild loom was ready before I could begin weaving the second stage.



It was quite a wait, but it's my turn now!

Road Knitting

I don't consider myself an avid sock knitter even though I almost always have a pair of socks in the works. While some knitters can't get enough of the sock knitting, I save my sock knitting for the otherwise mind bogglingly boring moments of life. I get a pair of socks going and then tuck the project away to be used as emergency knitting.

I take this type of mindless knitting on any car trip where I will be a passenger. I take it along when there is a chance that I will be stuck in a waiting room, or in a long boring meeting. I also use the ongoing sock project to keep my hands busy when I'm visiting.....more productive than fidgeting!

Needle 2.5 mm

Yarn: Marks & Kattens Clown

2 skeins = 379.9 yards (347.4m)

Colourway 1688

I cast on this pair of socks on World Wide Knit In Public Day and then barely touched them again until our road trip to Prince George. I finished the Peasant Heel of the second sock last night, the final step in finishing up the pair. As relieved as I was to have them finally completed......



....I immediately cast on for the next pair.

Masters Monday - 2.30

Two steps forward, one step back.

I had hoped to finish the argyle part of this sock some time tonight but I've had a set back. I could probably still reach that goal but I think I've had my fill of this thing for a while.

See the purple cord in the photos? That's the cord of my circular needle. I've run the needle through the stitches of a single row (at least I hope it's all in the same row), below the mistake I found.

I'm hoping that when I rip back the cable will catch the stitches and also help each section end on the same row. Trouble with ripping without a safety line in place cost me the entire argyle section the last time.

Anyway, this is the instep section. Even losing the portion I have to rip, I am nearing the end of the argyle knitting. Next step will be to sew in all the numerous ends and to duplicate stitch the lines. Then there is still the knitting of the sole and the toe.....but thankfully that will only be with the one colour.

Noro Silk Garden Scarf

On my trip to Alberta by car, last week, I started this scarf. It's knit using Noro Silk Garden in colour ways 211 and 8.

I finished it on the return trip, casting off in Kamloops and sewing in the ends on the Coquihalla highway.
A perfectly chosen project for a long (about 12 hours each way) road trip. It was easy enough to allow me to watch passing scenery, yet colourful enough to make it worth looking down and admiring/petting it once in awhile. And how nice to have a project last the whole trip and yet be completed just before I arrived home.

At 5 and a half inches wide and 5 feet, 6 inches long , I used most of the 4 balls of Noro Silk Garden (2 balls of each colour way).

Masters Monday - 2.29

All I ask of myself, in regard to the TKGA Master Knitter program, is that each week I do at least some small thing. Progress, even if it is small, is still better than allowing stagnation.

The only progress I can report this week is reaching the half way point in the second row of diamonds. This is the dividing point where I put the side/heel stitches on holders and continue on, in pattern, down the arch of the foot. (Please ignore the messy bits at the joining points of the two tiers of diamonds. That will be cleaned up as I darn in the ends. No, really......I already checked that it works.)

This bit of argyle knitting was all completed today because we spent last week out of town.....out of the province completely, actually. We were a 12 hour drive away in Lethbridge, Alberta visiting my mom and her husband. I took knitting with me, of course, but I wasn't sure I would have the needed focus to work on the argyle sock in the car so I took along something else. Completed the whole project too! More on that in the coming week.

The Rose Grows

Progress continues on the "Roses" cross-stitch.

I've really been enjoying working on it.

Scarf Initiated

The beginnings of a scarf. Mindless knitting for long car trips.

Masters Monday - 2.28

Bobbin Management

Oooooo, this argyle sock has been a struggle! I've knit this far on the sock twice now....I lost the first attempt, all the way back to the ribbing, after trying to rip back a mistake. Never, NEVER try to rip "a few rows" of argyle. Pick it back one stitch at a time if you have to, but never pull out your needle and attempt to rip the whole row. None of the colours go all the way across the row. Yes, I wish I had remembered that.

The work is going much faster now that I have worked out this nifty system for handling the multiple bobbins and keeping them in order and untangled while I work. I have secured each bobbin to a peg in the raddle for my table loom. Once in place the top of the raddle snaps back on and the bobbins are able to move enough to unwind, but they are held in place and can't get out of order.

This technique might only work with this particular type of argyle where each purl side row is identical to the knit row that proceeded it. I always pick up the new colour from under the old one, and on the knit row they become entwined, but on the purl side they untangle on their own. At the end of each row I lay the knitting on top of the loaded raddle, facing the same direction it was when I was knitting, then I pick up the whole shebang and turn it around. Now the other side of the knitting faces me and the bobbins are all in the correct order for the return trip.

Much better!

Is It Worth It?

My blog is worth $8,468.10.
How much is your blog worth?

Receiving Blanket

When my children were babies I made my own receiving blankets. They weren't any cheaper to make, but they were thicker, larger, and I liked them perfectly square....better for swaddling a newborn. Now I make them as gifts for new babies in the family.

I start by cutting a 40 - 42" square of heavy flannel.

Then I round the corners with whatever is handy...... a small dish usually has the right curve. Taking the time to curve the corners really helps later when doing the machine stitching....no tight corners to navigate!

I fold the blanket into quarters and cut all 4 corners at once with a rotary cutter so that they match. Then I stitch all the way around using a simple scallop stitch standard on many basic sewing machines.

Then I trim away the excess for a neat, no fray edge. On this particular receiving blanket I added a small heart of handwoven fabric so that it would match the heavier blanket it was meant to coordinate with.

Sorry, no finished photo of this. I gave the blanket away before getting a picture.