2009: A Look Back in Time - A Beginner's Adventure in Knitting

I thought it would be a great time to look back on my knitting adventure. What I’ve learned, attempted, tackled, and accomplished. Yes, I was once classified as a beginning knitter earlier this year. As most of you know, I started knitting garments back in February of this year. I spent months before, contemplating what should be my first knitted garment. I needed to challenge myself and step away from scarves and wristlets I felt comfortable with. I looked through many magazines, books, and patterns on the Internet. I was looking for a “beginner” or “first project” patterns. Nothing appealed to me. I went on a personal field trip to a few local yarn shops (LYS) to see what I could find. That’s when the whole knitting euphoria started and my real love of yarn began.

I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time, when I was approached about a job at a yarn shop. I was quite taken back, but took it as a complement to be given such an offer. Little did I know that a few weeks later, I would be laid off from my full-time job of almost 10 years. I graciously accepted the LYS offer (thanks to Jill and her great judge of character) and I had no idea of where this new adventure would take me.

I’ve spent many hours knitting this past year and I have many finished projects to show. Sometimes I would start at 4 or 5 am in the morning and knit for two hours or so. That would be the quota for the day. If I didn’t get a chance to knit in the morning, I would get the chance in the afternoon for an hour or two. Since I worked at my LYS, I may or may not have had the chance to knit. My knitting time might be for an hour or two after I completed my yarn shop duties (e.g. assisting customers, fixing mistakes, straightening yarn displays, setting up POs, ringing up customers, etc).

I’m not a fast knitter since I knit the English way. You know...the swing method. :) I would definitely classify myself as a consistent knitter as I always get the appropriate gauge. I’m also consistent in the area of TNT (tried and true) patterns. If I really, really, really like a pattern and get wonderful end results, I would be knitting another version (or two or three or more). Yeah, I did go crazy over the Shrug This! pattern this year.

This will seem weird, but I’ve actually kept track of all my knitted projects for 2009. Thanks to Ravelry, I have a journal/diary of all my knitting adventures. From completed projects to projects that are sitting in limbo. I’ve also kept track of the yarn yardage and mileage on a spreadsheet. Amazing...close to 8 miles of yarn was knitted. As a number, it doesn’t seem like much, but if you laid out 8 miles of yarn and started to knit and walk...that’s a lot of yarn!


What have I accomplished in 2009?

- I learned to knit the pieces for a sweater and cardigan
- Seams - did a lot of seaming actually enjoyed the process
- Tackled lace patterns
- Tackled difficult patterns (e.g. Intermediate)
- Joining and Knitting in the round
- Consistent stitches that resulted in getting correct gauge majority of the time
- Sweaters, cardigans, socks, hats/berets, purses,
- Fixed many knitting problems (for myself and others)
- Taught classes
- Developed extensive yarn knowledge
- Met some wonderful knitters
- Enjoyed my knitting adventures
- Completed 19 garments and 14 accessories


So now, here I am...10 months later as an intermediate knitter. I have a lot to show for this year and quite a bit wiser in the knitting arena. I have no problems or fear with fixing other people’s knitting mistakes, even mine. I look at it as a challenge. I know so much more about yarns than I could ever imagine.

A month ago, I’ve had to leave my fun yarn shop job and pursue a full-time position. A new career. As much fun as I’ve had, it was time to move on. I have had a lot of wonderful knitting experiences under my belt. Still, I have much more to learn.

What will 2010 bring me? I’m not sure. I do not want to start a “to do list” of projects and be bound to it like I did in 2009. I need to do something different. I need to be a different knitter. I need to be an exploratory knitter. Here is my basic plan and what I would like to accomplish:

- More difficult knitting projects. In order for me to keep knitting and learning new techniques, I need to pursue more challenging projects.
- More quality projects. I need to choose my patterns/projects wisely. Since I now have a full-time job, my knitting time has been drastically reduced. My time must be spent on learning new techniques and future projects need to be wearable.
- To continue knitting daily. If I can squeeze in 30 minutes of knitting time, I’d be really happy.
- Learn to knit with two or more colored yarns.
- Take more field trips and visit many more yarn shops in my area and in my travels.
- Start knitting my Christmas gifts earlier. No more 30 days of marathon knitting.


HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

I Should Be Knitting...

Instead, I'm sitting in front of my Mac looking through the Interweave Knits CD collections from 2007, 2006, and 2005. I think I've hit a jackpot! I bought this collection back in November when Interweave was having a sale. I got a bargain. As most of you know, I started to knit in 2008 and I started collecting the Knits magazine this year. I have no back issues prior to this year. This is why the CD collection is a bargain to me.

I have way more patterns (garments to accessories) than I can handle at the moment and storage is a problem for me. Magazines are stacked in piles as well as books. I know, I need to get a bookcase dedicated to knitting. I won't even talk about my yarn stash storage problem. Right now, having the older Knits magazine archived on CD is the way to go.

I have the ability to read articles, peruse patterns and instructions and print them out. Not bad.

Looking forward to seeing the Interweave Knits 2008 on CD in the near future.

Still Here and Still Knitting

This month has gone by quickly for me. First off, I need to mention that I started a new job this month. That's why I haven't been posting like a mad woman. I've been busy working full-time in the corporate world. Yes, I've been going through bouts of knitting withdrawals...big time! Yes, I do miss working at my LYS. I miss squeezing the yarns and I miss my knitting friends.

I still find some time to knit. Mostly in the evenings during the week and then a few hours on the weekends.

My knitted Christmas gifts (felted bowls, shopping bag, and cozy socks) were a big hit and a big surprise this year. I'm sure the recipients are expecting something hand made for 2010...no pressure! lol!!!

My poor CPH is on hold. I was in the process of knitting the first sleeve. I have to modify the sleeve instructions to accommodate my shorter arm length. I haven't had a block of time to devote to this project. I'm hoping to have a whole weekend in January to get back on track and finish this project.

In the meantime, I've casted on for my "Not So-Swing Jacket" using Lion Brand Thick & Quick yarn in Barley. Before I started my new job, I came across this Plymouth pattern at one of my LYS. Since I have very little time to knit, I knew this would be a quick knit with Bulky yarn and knitting from the top down. There is a lot of ease in this jacket. The size small has a finished bust of 42 inches. I decided not to do the increases in the body and will knit this jacket shorter than the 20 inches the instruction calls for. I also plan on using black LB T&Q yarn around the neckline, bottom of sleeves and bottom of the jacket.

Right now, the sleeves are on waste yarns and I'm working on the body. This tweedy yarn is beautiful and a nice surprise from Lion Brand. Here's what the jacket looks like so far:




I hope to finish this before the end of this week. A nice way to end 2009.

Lace Shopping Bag - Completed

To continue with my latest knitting craze of knitting in the round, I decided to knit a shopping bag for a Christmas gift. I used the Lily Sugar 'n Cream yarn from my stash. I was planning on using the yarn to knit up a few wash cloths and decided the yarn would be well used for a bag. I love it when I'm right.



Name of Pattern:
Lace Shopping Bag

Designed by:
Cecily Glowik MacDonald for Creative Knitting, May 2009 and Fall 2009 (mags)

Pattern/Garment Description:
Hold the plastic and save a tree: take this to the market instead.

Size(s):
One Size

Yarns Used:
Lily Sugar ‘n Cream in pastel multicolor and naturale color. Used 2-1/2 balls of the multicolor. Used 3/4 ball of the naturale. In total, used about 400 yards of yarn.




Gauge:
18 sts /4 ins in lace pattern

Knitting Tools Used:
Circular needles: 16 inch size 5
Circular needles: 16 inch size 7 (decreases)
Circular needles: 24 inch size 7 (for body and start of decreases)
DPNs: size 7 (decreases and knitting the handle)
Stitch markers
Bent tip tapestry needle to weave in the ends and sew the strap to the top edge of the bag

Techniques I used:
Join and knit in the round
Ribbing (K1, P1)
YO
K2tog
SSK
SK2togP
Garter stitch in the round

Changes I Made to the Pattern:
No changes were made

What I Like About this Pattern:
Great looking lace pattern





What I Dislike About this Pattern:
It took awhile to knit and finish this bag

My Pattern Rating (Beginner, Easy, Intermediate, Hard):
Easy

Conclusion/Additional Comments:
I knitted this bag as a gift for a family member.

The bag is knitted in the round from the top edge to the bottom. The strap length is about 25 inches long.

The bag ended up measuring 15 inches long (excluding the strap) and about 13 inches wide. It’s a bit stretchy because of the lace pattern, but the Sugar ‘n Cream yarn is quite sturdy.

This project seemed to go on and on. I carried this project with me and knitted whenever I had a spare moment. In total, I think I spent about 7-9 hours on this bag. The repeat lace pattern is a multiple of 9 stitches. Every now and then I had to tink a few stitches because I added an extra stitch or was missing one. There were 8 rows that made up one repeat pattern. A bit time consuming.




This is a great shopping bag with a lovely lace pattern. The bottom of the bag came out beautifully.

A Time of Reflection...Will You Join Me?

I've been busy writing an upcoming post for this blog. I'm not sure what I'm going to call it, but it will be a reflection of my 2009 knitting adventure.

So, why don't you join me in writing one for yourself and post it on your own blog before the end of this month. Let us know what you've learned, the good and the bad, new experiences, old experiences and what you plan on doing for 2010. Come back and post a comment on my blog to let me know. I would enjoy reading about your knitting adventures. I'm sure others will too. :)

Happy Knitting!

Another Meret Beret Completed

I've just completed another beret. I love this Dream in Color Classy yarn in Ruby River color. It's really a dream to knit with. No splitting and very springy yarn. I've come to realize that red is my color. The real color of the beret is in the last two pictures. I will be back to post live model shots of me wearing my berets.

In the meantime, I wanted to share with you what the beret looks like mounted on a 11" dinner plate. I placed two sheets of paper towels between the plate and the beret to give it some body.



I take my mister and spray water over the entire hat. I used my hands and fingers to rearrange the lace pattern




Sitting on top of a can of diced tomatoes. This way the beret can dry quickly and evenly.



Happy Knitting!

Meret Beret - Completed

Another project completed. I've already CO for another beret. Love this pattern. I will be back to post pictures of me modeling my new beret (that will require some unusual photog skills).



Name of Pattern:
Meret Beret or Mystery Beret

Designed by:
Woolly Wormhead

Pattern/Garment Description:
This pattern was the “Mystery Beret for November 2008 (Ravelry). This pattern can be made more slouchy by knitting one or two extra lace repeats - one extra repeat will make a regular slouch beret, two extra repeats will make it really slouchy!

Size(s):
Sizes: S (18”), M (20”), and L (22”)
Finished sizes: S (16”), M (17.75”), and L (19.5”)

I knitted a size Large.

Yarns Used:
Lion Brand Wool-Ease in Denim Twist

I used slightly less than 1 skein of yarn.

Gauge:
18 sts/4 inches and 24 rows in Stockinette stitch

I was on gauge with #7 needles.

Knitting Tools Used:
Circular Needles: 16 inch in size 7 (CO and ribbing)
Circular Needles: 24 inch in size 7 (body of beret and start of decrease)
DPNs: size 7 (for decrease/knitting the crown)
Bent-tip tapestry needle for weaving in ends

Techniques I used:
M1
YO
S2KPO (slip one, knit two together, and pass over the slipped stitch)
SSK
K2tog
Ktbl

Changes I Made to the Pattern:
I added an extra lace pattern repeat to make the beret more slouchy. Total of 3 lace repeats were knitted.

What I Like About this Pattern:
It’s a quick and easy pattern. Enjoyed knitting the lace pattern of the body. The pattern came with different sizes and also had notes on making the beret more slouchy.

What I Dislike About this Pattern:
Nothing to dislike.

My Pattern Rating (Beginner, Easy, Intermediate, Hard):
Easy

Conclusion/Additional Comments:
I really enjoyed knitting this beret. Next version will be knitted in a solid color, so 1) I can see what I’m knitting and 2) to see the lace pattern better.



I’ve blocked the beret using an 11 inch dinner dish. I pulled the beret over the dinner dish, rearranging the center of the hat with the center of the plate. I also made sure not to stretch out the brim of my hat and let it relax over the center of the plate. I sprayed water from my mister over the hat to get it damp (top and underside of the plate). I sat the plate over a small can of diced tomatoes and let it dry overnight. You could also use a soup can as a prop. ;)



Next Projects
I’ve already cast on another version in a Ruby River color. I plan on knitting a 4 lace repeat to give this beret a really slouchy, slouchy look. Of course, I hope I have enough yarn.

On the Knitting Front

A quick post for today. I've finished my 2nd version of the Vintage Bubble Bag. I also completed my Meret Beret. Guess what??? I enjoy knitting slouchy hats!

I will post my review of the Beret in the next day or so. In the meantime, I've decided to knit another version. This time in a red rose color. I'm off to cast on....

For the folks in the US, have a Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Moving Right Along and On Schedule

I'm on schedule with some of my knitting gifts and have actually finished my projects early. Now, I can sit and relax and continue knitting my CPH and another VBB (vintage bubble bag).

I have to show you a multi-colored bowl I knitted using Plymouth Galway for the main color (heathered blue) and Noro Kureyon (#40) for the contrast colors:



So this floppy looking bowl...




...became this beautifully felted bowl



I ended up using all of the yarn I started with: 4 skeins of Galway (2-brown & 2-blue) and 1-1/2 skeins of Kureyon. This is a wonderful example of using up every bit of wool yarn.




I also finished another pair of Cozy House Socks for a gift. I used a lighter worsted weight yarn in Lion Brand Wool-Ease in Denim Twist color. I wanted to use a machine washable yarn for this gift. This lighter yarn made the socks smaller or snug, which is the fit/size I was after. The recipient of this gift wears a shoe size smaller than mine. Here's the 8" length sock (I really like how this yarn color knitted up):




New Upcoming Project:

I've been checking out slouchy berets/hats on Ravelry. I plan on knitting my first slouchy hat sometime in December.

Vintage Bubble Bag - Completed

I've already started knitting another Vintage Bubble Bag and thought I should get this review posted for the first version. So, here it is my Chianti Vintage Bubble Bag:



Name of Pattern:
Vintage Bubble Bag

Designed by:
Pursenalities - 20 Great Knitted and Felted Bags by Eva Wiechmann (book)

Pattern/Garment Description:
Taken from the book: This bubble bag reminds me of my mom's shopping bag - room and practical. This vintage look is very stylish right now, and although I used colors that are subtle, you can make yours wild and bold.

Size(s):
One Size

Yarns Used:
Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted in Chianti (burgundy) (18 sts/4 inches, #8, 190 yds) - wool/mohair
Noro Silk Garden in 282 (beautiful colors) (18 sts/4 inches, #8, 110 yds) - silk/mohair/wool

I used less than 2 skeins of Lamb's Pride and 2 skeins of Silk Garden.

The bag is knitted with one of each yarn type (double stranded).

Gauge:
Not necessary to get gauge

Knitting Tools Used:
Circulars: 24 inch in size 10.5 (top & i-cord straps)
Circulars: 24 inch in size 15 (bubble bag)
DPNs: size 15 (3 needle BO)

Techniques I used:
Joined and knitted in the round
Garter stitch in the round (knit one row, purl one row…so on)
Stockinette stitch in the round (knit all the rows)
3 needle BO
5 stitch i-cord
Felting

Changes I Made to the Pattern:
The only change I made to the pattern was to lengthen the straps by 6 inches. This turned out to be the right call, as I can wear the handbag over the shoulders.




What I Like About this Pattern:
Quick & easy project. Ability to use different yarns and different colors. Straps could be lengthened.

What I Dislike About this Pattern:
Nothing to dislike

My Pattern Rating (Beginner, Easy, Intermediate, Hard):
Easy

Conclusion/Additional Comments:

I never really had an interest in felting a hand knitted project. I suppose I haven’t seen a felted project that caught my interest, until this project came along.

I first saw this felted bag at my LYS. A customer had brought in some knitted bags to be felted and then pulled a pretty black/multi color one that she had already felted. It was amazing to see this bag, before and after felting. I knew right away that I wanted a knit bag of my own.

The hardest part was trying to figure out which yarns to use and then what color combinations to use. Possibilities are endless. For this bag, I used similar colored yarns. I bought the Lamb’s Pride Worsted in Chianti (wine color) and came home to see what Noro yarn’s I had in my stash. The Silk Garden #282 was a perfect match.

It took about 4-5 hours to knit this bag and about 35 minutes to felt.

Another TNT pattern for me.


Before Felting Pictures:






Felting Process:

My LYS has a felting/agitating machine. I placed my bag in the machine. Added hot tap water, enough to cover my bag. Added a dime size amount of All liquid detergent (white bottle) and turned the machine on for 15 minutes for the initial agitation. Afterwards, I would check the bag by feeling the stitches/fabric. I set the machine for 10 more minutes and checked it again. I could still see the stitch definitions in the bag and the bag had shrunk. I set the timer for another 10 minutes and the bag came out perfectly. A felted fabric and nice size. I then placed the bag back into the machine with the soapy water and added a few drops of fabric softener to the water. I set the machine on 2 minutes, enough time for the soap bubbles to disintegrate. The fabric softener also gave the bag a nice scent.

The water had turned a nice light wine color and the machine had lots of fuzz/lint. I suppose that’s from the Lamb’s Pride yarn. I drained the machine into a bucket and used a fine mesh colander to scoop out any fuzz and lint.

The Lamb’s Pride had felted into a nice thick wool fabric with no stitch definitions. I understand that the Noro Silk Garden takes longer to felt. You can see some stitch definitions from the colorful Noro yarn. I like this effect.

NOTE: I am fortunate to have a LYS that has a special felting/agitating machine to felt my bag. I am certainly spoiled in this area. For those of you who will use a washing machine, your felting process, felting time and results will be different than what I’ve mentioned in this review.

Felted Bowl - Completed

Name of Pattern:
Felted Bowl

Designed by:
Leigh Radford for One Skein (book)

Pattern/Garment Description:
Taken from book: “I like colorful containers of every sort. Recently, I began making sturdy felted bowls and now have an assortment throughout my house. The bowls make colorful decorator accents and are ideal for organizing buttons, beads, yarn, keys, or other small objects that need a special place. I used a single color of yarn for each of the bowls...but imagine the fun you can have with stripes!”

Size(s):
Small (2.5”x17”) and Large (5.5”x18”) - height x circumference

I made the Large size bowl.

Yarns Used:
Plymouth Galway Highland Heather in 712-Brown: 210 yards/skein, 100% wool

I used two skeins and knitted with double stranded yarn

Gauge:
Not necessary

Knitting Tools Used:
Circular needles: 24 inch in size 13
DPNs: size 11
Bent tip tapestry needle (thread through the last few stitches and pull tightly)



Techniques I used:
Join and knit in the round
SSK
K2tog
Felting

Changes I Made to the Pattern:
No changes were made


What I Like About this Pattern:
Quick and easy knitting project


What I Dislike About this Pattern:
Nothing to dislike

My Pattern Rating (Beginner, Easy, Intermediate, Hard):
Easy

Conclusion/Additional Comments:

I’ve been looking for man-ly type of gifts to knit for the upcoming Christmas holiday. Some of the men in my life live in a warm climate in the middle of winter. Wool scarves are frowned upon. So, I looked around and came across these functional felted bowls.

I’ve only had limited amount of knitting in the round skills and limited felting skills. I thought this would be a quick and easy knitting project, with a few challenges.

As I was knitting the bowl, it began to look more like knitting a hat (which I haven’t done one...yet). I ended up knitting 10 inches before starting the decreases for the base. I didn’t have #13 DPNs in my stash, so I ended up using my #11s for the decreases and finishing the base of the bowl. This unintentional change worked out fine.






I have to say this floppy looking bowl turned out to be a beautiful felted piece.




Felting Process:

My LYS has a felting/agitating machine. I placed my bowl in the machine. Added hot tap water, enough to cover my floppy bowl. I added a dime size amount of All liquid detergent (white bottle) and turned the machine on for 10 minutes for the initial agitation. Afterwards, I would check the bowl by feeling the stitches/fabric. The floppy bowl had shrunk considerable, but still felt floppy. I set the machine for 5 more minutes and checked it again. I could still see the stitch definitions in the bowl and it started to take the shape of a tall bowl. I set the timer for another 5 minutes and the bowl fabric was nice and thick. I could still see some ribbings of the stitches. I set the time for 3 minutes and let it agitate. I did another check and I could see I had a nice bowl. I then placed the bowl back into the machine with the soapy water and added a few drops of fabric softener to the water. I set the machine on 2 minutes, enough time for the soap bubbles to disintegrate. The fabric softener also made the bowl smell nice. This was a fascinating process to watch and experience.

The water had turned a nice light brown color and the machine had minimum amounts of fuzz/lint. I drained the machine into a bucket and used a fine mesh colander to scoop out any fuzz and lint.

The Galway had felted into a beautiful wool fabric.

NOTE: I am fortunate to have a LYS that has a special felting/agitating machine to felt my projects. I am certainly spoiled in this area. For those of you who will use a washing machine, your felting process, felting time and results will be different than what I’ve mentioned in this review.

Next Projects

I plan on knitting and felting several more bowls. For the next one, I plan on using blue yarn with a brightly colored Noro Kureyon yarn. I also plan on knitting the top rim/edge of the bowl in garter stitch and then the rest (base) in stockinette stitch.

A Chance to Felt...Knitting Projects and Other Things

I had the opportunity to felt my own knitting projects. My Vintage Bubble Bag and the Brown Bowl are drying. So far the Bag is taking 2 days to dry. My fault, I forgot to swap out the damp towels inside the bag for dry ones (overnight). I used small hand towels and stuffed them inside the bag to help shape the bag. I found a "lint shaver" at my local fabric store on sale for 50% off. I used it to shave the long pieces of lint/fuzz off the bag. The fuzz was not as bad as another felted bag I saw a few weeks ago.

The felted bowl came out beautiful! I wasn't too sure about felting with Plymouth Galway yarn, but I'm extremely happy with the results. I can now start knitting more bowls for gifts.



In the end, my bag took about 35 minutes to felt and the bowl took 25 minutes. I will be back to post a review for each of these items and my thoughts about felting.

CPH Status:
I've managed to work on CPH for a few hours. I'm getting ready to shape the front right neckline, do the decreases, and hopefully bind off the shoulders sometime tomorrow. I hope to start one of the sleeves this week.

On the Sewing Front:
I've been going through my pattern stash, looking for a needle case to sew. I'm in dire need to store my DPNs. I don't care to wrap them in rubber bands or dump them in a zippered case. I found a Butterick pattern that looks promising. It's for straight needles, but with some modifications I'm sure it will work to store my DPNs. Unfortunately, I can't start this sewing project until I finish my Christmas gifts. I'm hoping, maybe, Thanksgiving weekend I'll get to sew it.

Oh, I made a comment about being at my local fabric store and catching their 50% off notions sale. I also found a beautiful home dec remnant to make a simple tote bag to carry my knitting projects. That was also 50% off. I enjoy finding fantastic bargains.

I have a lot of projects to tackle as well as a lot of blogging to do over the next few days and weeks. Stay tuned!

Getting in Gear...Christmas Gifts

Christmas is right around the corner and I need to get myself into a fast knitting gear mode. Some of you have mentioned that I'm already a knitting machine. Thank you for the complement. :) Now I have to really crank it up a notch, if it's at all possible. My personal goal is to complete most of the gifts by the end of this month.

I've already casted on for a brown felted bowl. I'm using worsted weight yarn and knitting with two strands. I'm also knitting this project in the round, starting out with #13 - 24" circs and will start the decreases. I just realized I don't have #13 DPNs in my stash. I have #11s and #15s. I'm wondering if I should just use the #11s for the decreases and the bottom of the bowl. What do you think? The bowl will end up being felted. I'm not sure what it will look like going down a needle size. Anyways, do you realize how hard it is to find #13 DPNs???

I've started another cozy house socks. This time, I'm using a lighter worsted weight yarn to make the sock a bit more fitted. So far, it's working out nicely.

I have some other sewing projects in the works (tote bags, laundry bags, etc). I'm so glad I can knit and sew. With this combination, I should be able to get quite a bit done before the end of November.

Happy Knitting and Happy Sewing!

Another Project in the Works...Chianti

A few days ago, I started another small project called the Vintage Bubble Bag. Here it is still a WIP:



I've used two strands of yarn and knitted the bag in the round. I have been knitting the i-cord handles and I'm almost finished with the second handle. The next step is to attach the handles to the bag. Then I can felt it. I can't wait to see the end results.

I'm calling my bag Chianti. Named for the main color of yarn I'm using. I will be back in a few days with the results of my felted bag. Stay tuned!

Cozy House Socks - Completed

Wow! I'm really impressed with these socks. Can you believe I said that??? Still, I'm not a sock knitter. Don't get me wrong. There are just so many other things to knit and try out. Could I tackle another sock pattern? Sure! Now that I understand the structure of a hand knitted sock. ;)

I have to CO for another new small project that I'm anxious to start. Let me leave you with this post.


My first pair of socks! Wow...I could get used to taking these modeled pictures without wearing any makeup



Name of Pattern:
Cozy House Socks

Designed by:
Sue Dial for One Skein Wonders (book)

Pattern/Garment Description:
These cozy socks knit up fast and are an easy introduction to sock knitting. Pick a bulky worsted yarn and get busy. You can probably finish a pair this weekend.

I finished a pair within a weekend.

Size(s):
One size fits all

Yarns Used:
Bernat DenimStyle (70% Acrylic/30% Cotton) - 196 yards/skein - 18 sts/4 inches with #8 (label info)

This yarn has been in my stash for a few years. I used one skein and had a few yards left. What a wonderful way to use up this yarn.

Gauge:
18 sts/4 inches in St st with #7 needles

I had close gauge with #7s. I have to make a comment here. I've been noticing I don't get gauge with the yarns I purchase from Michael's (e.g. Lion Brand and Bernat and Patons). This is when I go by their yarn labels for the recommended needle size. I normally have to go down a needle size from what's suggested on the label.

On the other hand, when I do a swatch for the more expensive yarns from my LYS, I can actually get true gauge based on their yarn label recommendations (e.g. Debbie Bliss, Blue Sky Alpaca, Plymouth, Malabrigo, Berroco, Brown Sheep, Cascade, Noro, Sirdar, etc).

Interesting, huh?

Knitting Tools Used:
- Circular needles: 24 inch in size 7 for knitting the ribbing flat
- DPNs: size 7 for knitting the heel flap, shaping/turning the heel (short rows), heel gussets, foot, toe, and kitchener technique
- Bent tip tapestry needle (seaming ribbed cuff and weaving in ends)

Techniques I used:
- Knitting in the round with DPNs
- Short rows
- Picking up stitches around the heel
- Kitchener stitch for closing the toe area
- K2tog & SSK
- Seaming (the cuff)





Changes I Made to the Pattern:
No changes were made to the pattern. I recommend following the pattern verbatim.

What I Like About this Pattern:
It's a great pattern. Well written. Easy to knit sock pattern. My first pair!

This One Skein Wonder book is one of my favorites. When I got to the Kitchener stitch, the book referenced the glossary in the back to see how this stitch is worked.

What I Dislike About this Pattern:
Nothing to dislike

My Pattern Rating (Beginner, Easy, Intermediate, Hard):
I rate this pattern as Easy/Intermediate. An Advanced Beginner with a lot of knitting experience could easily tackle this project.


Conclusion/Additional Comments:

I started out on circulars, knitting the ribbed cuff flat. Then I changed to 2 DPNs to knit the heel flap (flat & short rows). Once I started to pickup and knit the heel gussets, I added two more needles to the mix. Personally, I think this was a great way to introduce DPNs into this project and get a lot of practice. This knitting process is based on the pattern instructions. That's why I recommend you follow them and get the same wonderful results I received.


The ribbed cuff that needs to be sewn together


It took me awhile to get used to knitting with 4 DPNs. By the time I completed the first sock, I felt quite comfortable with the 4 needles. I plan on making a pair for hubby and of course, will have to make some pattern adjustments to accommodate his foot size.

This has become one of my TNT patterns for cozy socks to wear around the house. It was a quick and easy knit. My first sock took about 5 hours to knit. The second sock took about 3-1/2 hours to knit. Yes, I got into a knitting sock tempo.

One Completed, One More to Knit

Okay, one more post about my socks with pics and I must get back to my knitting. I managed to finish one and I estimate it took me about 5 hours (an hour here and there) from casting on to seaming the back of the ribbed cuff. Now, the second one is going much faster. Here is one sock completed:



I had a chance to learn a new technique...the Kitchener stitch. I used this to finish off the toe end. It really makes a nice finish:






This cool project has given me lots of opportunities to learn new techniques. An invigorating project!

I should finish the second matching sock by tomorrow morning and have a review within the next day or two.

A Cozy Sock in the Makings

I had some time this morning to cast on for one of my small projects from my "to do/to learn list". My first sock. I must have done two swatches to get gauge. Then I CO and just started knitting like crazy. Now, I've mentioned before that I'm not a sock person. I don't get the "I need to make one of these" feelings/urges when I see hand knitted socks. BUT, I have to say this one caught my eye.



So, I'm knitting up a pair for me. A trial pair, I call it. I have a funny feeling I will end up wearing these a lot and DH will end up with a pair as well.

I can now scratch off my list: teaching myself to knit in the round with DPNs and for knitting my first sock (still a work in progress).



Not bad, huh?

Finally...It Arrived

The Free Gift:

When I got home from work today, I had a very nice surprise waiting for me. This is the gift yarn and two patterns from Rowan International. I did get a chance to give the yarn a quick squeeze and I must say...it's beautiful! This is my first Rowan yarn and I can't wait to knit with it.



Now, Rowan members on Ravelry have been waiting for their yarns to arrive. Rowan had run out of this pretty blue color a few months ago and provided supplemental colors a few weeks ago. Random colors. No one knew what color they were getting. I really didn't care what I got. It's free yarn. Okay, I really did care as beige makes me looked washed out. I'm happy with the selection and quite surprised I received the original color.

My Knitting Projects:

I'm shifting gears and will be working on some small knitting projects over the next few days and even weeks. Somewhere in between I will still work on CPH.

I think I'm burned out on knitting garments. Is that possible??? Yes. It's happening to me right now. That is the reason I have to start working on smaller projects. You know, change of pace.

At last count, I've knitted at least 18 garments this year. Whew! I need a break.

Knitting Around For the First Time

I was feeling a bit under the weather this morning. I didn't feel like working on CPH nor did I feel like sewing. The sun decided to take a break today and hide behind the clouds. I decided to have some fun and learn something new about knitting. I have two new small knitting projects that I want to complete by the end of the year and they involve knitting in the round. I've been busy knitting garments that I've pushed these projects further down my list. Plus, I didn't know how to knit in the round.

So, I started with my DPNs. Gwen, a fellow sewist/blogger, gave me one of her techniques for joining in the round. It was a slow start, but I managed to figure out how to knit in the round with DPNs. I guess knitting a ribbing (K1,P1) wasn't a great pattern to start with. I should have started with just the knit stitch...it would have gone faster. Anyway, here's the result of my first attempt:




After patting myself on the back for this small feat, I came up with another brilliant idea: try the magic loop method. I have heard this was an easier way to knit in the round. I grabbed my instructions, my 47" #9 circulars and CO 40 stitches and away I went. Here's the results of this method:




Now, I feel like I can tackle any knitting project. Stay tuned to see what I'm up to.

Still Working on CPH

I'm still cruising on CPH. I've finished the back a few days ago. I'm now working on the front left and very close to BO/decreasing the armhole.



I was chatting with my fellow knitting friend about not knitting the hoodie, but knitting a deep ribbed collar instead. She thought it would be a great idea..."would you really wear the hood?" Maybe not was my answer. So, I will be making a last minute knitting decision when I get there.

As I am knitting this CPH, my mind is filled with many knitting changes. Besides changing out the hoodie, I will need to match the ribbing depth of the collar with the front ribbing for the buttonholes/button loops. Yes, then there's the choice of knitting buttonholes or crocheting button loops. This all depends on how the CPH will fit once I do the all the seams and try it on. I love this process of knitting and making changes on the fly. It's an unknown, but I'm a fearless knitter.

BTW, don't be surprised if my CPH may soon be known as CPC (central park cardi). ;)

Creating Things

I've been busy...creating things. I figured the left side of my brain gets a good workout on the computer that I needed to start working with the right side of my brain. So, I thought I would start with a simple basic scarf. With my limited knitting experience, I wrote down some instructions and created this:



Who knows what's next. The creative juices are flowing. Ideas are being formed. Sketches are being drawn. Now, this is fun!

Happy Knitting!

Starting Over...Size

I started working on my CPH (central park hoodie) a few days ago. This is as far as I got with it:



Yesterday, I CO another version. I decided to go up a size to a Medium (40"). I normally knit a 36" and that depends on the garment type as well as the type of yarn I will be using. On Ravelry, I read that CPH runs small. I noticed other knitters who were close to my size, were knitting one size up, even two. I decided to follow suit.

Now, normally I don't follow the majority. I'm an independent thinker. God gave me a brain to use to make my own decisions and to be a creative individual. That's who I am. BUT, when previous experience of others have resulted in the same or similar answers, I don't mind following along to get similar results.

So, with CPH I will knit one size larger. I also plan on making some other adjustments on the fly. I can do that, because I'm an independent thinker and I know how to make adjustments to get a better results for me. I can do this because it will be my own hand knit garment. Remember, I'm the creative individual creating a unique garment.

I'm still in the learning process of knitting. Just like I am in the sewing world even though I've been sewing for 4 years now. I never stop learning. It's an on-going process for me in anyone of my many hobbies.

I'm still learning about size in knitting and can be fooled by the individual pattern makers/designers. Have you noticed, that each knitting pattern is different and you may not get the same size results you anticipated from one pattern to the next? But in the end, 90% of you out there are happy that it fits? BTW, I'm one of those in the 90% category. :)

I know if I knit a few patterns from the same designer (e.g. Hélène Rush), I will get consistent results in size. When I start knitting patterns from different designers, I will get different results.

Have you ever seen a cardigan with buttons pulling across and distorting the front of the garment? That's a no-no.

Personally, I don't care to knit something tight or close fitting. I don't strive for that. I want my hand knit garments to drape over my body. I want my garments to look good on me. I want to be able to breathe while wearing them.

I'm not disappointed that my first 12 inches of CPH will have to be frogged. I'm not disappointed that I lost a few hours of knitting. I'm not mad at myself for making a bad choice. I don't like to complain, but rather move on.

What did I get out this experience? I got a chance to practice and memorize the cable pattern. How do you like my gigantic swatch?

Alpine Cardi - Completed

My Alpine Cardi in Alpaca With a Twist in Ochre

This time I'm on the ball. I managed to take some photos of me modeling Alpine. Here's my review:

Name of Pattern:
Alpine Cardigan

Free pattern at Berroco's site.

Designed by:
Berroco Design Team

Pattern/Garment Description:
Cute cropped cardigan with short sleeves and round neckline. Single button at the top. Chevron-like knitted pattern in the front left and right pieces. Ribbing at the bottom of the body and sleeves. Garter stitch and ribbing around the neckline as well as a decorative BO.

Close up of the chevron pattern


Close up of neckline detail


Size(s):
X-Small (32), Small (36), Medium (40), Large (44), 1X-Large (48), and 2X-Large (52)

I made my normal size Small.

Yarns Used:
Alpaca with a Twist Highlander in Ochre color. Used roughly 3.5 hanks (145/yard) of this lovely yarn. This is my favorite yarn. Love all the colors it comes in. This yarn has a very, very low itch factor. It's soooo soft. Delightful to knit with.

Gauge:
15 sts/4 inches in St st and #10 needles

I was right on gauge.

Knitting Tools Used:
Circular needles: 40 inch in size 10 for the main body (St st. and Chevron pattern)
Circular needles: 40 inch in size 9 for the ribbing (bottom and sleeves)
Circular needles: 40 inch in size 8 for the neckline
Stitch markers to mark the 15-stitch pattern
Bent tip tapestry needle (seams and weaving in ends)
Crochet hook J (5.00mm) for adding button loop in front
1-1/4" button

Techniques I used:
K2tog & SSK
P2tog
M1k
M1p
Mattress stitch for seams

Changes I Made to the Pattern:
For the sleeves I knitted an inch less than the pattern required. Wanted the sleeves to hit above my elbow.

For the neckline, I picked up 121 stitches versus the required 133 stitches. Personal preference.

What I Like About this Pattern:
The design and style is gorgeous. Believe it or not, it was a quick knit. Another pleasurable knitting experience.

What I Dislike About this Pattern:
Just as another Ravelry folk mentioned, the cardi can be a bit snug under the armholes. I found that to be true for me as well.

My Pattern Rating (Beginner, Easy, Intermediate, Hard):
Intermediate

Conclusion/Additional Comments:
I would definitely knit this cardi again. For the next version, I would knit the armhole 1/2 inch longer and do the same for the sleeve cap area. That way I could wear a long sleeve t-shirt underneath. I would also knit the bottom ribbing with a size 8 needle (recommended in the pattern) versus the #9 I used to give the cardi more shaping.

I added the optional button loop closure. I crocheted a one inch chain to the right front for the loop and added a 1-1/4 inch button on the left side. I found the gorgeous button at a recent Sewing Expo I attended.

Overall, it's comfortable to wear. I notice I'm not tugging at it which is a good sign of fit and design.

This is my first Berroco pattern. Their instructions were easy to follow and I like the results. I would definitely try their other patterns.

Here I've shown two different ways of wearing this cardi. I think it looks great as a simple cardi over a camisole, tank top or short sleeve t-shirt.








Modeled with long sleeve t-shirt. Oooops...picked out the wrong one. Should have picked the one with a lower neckline. You get the idea