This little pair of cat scissors is on of my favorite things.
I bought them at my LYS here in Orlando for less than $10. They came in several colors.
Ive added a longer chain to mine so I can wear it around my neck. But it’s wonderful. And I imagine that I can take it on airplanes if I so choose and still be able to cut my yarn! Woo! Hoo!
Gone knitting!
Happily knitting along on my Wonderful Wallaby and my right hand feels a lump.
I hate it when this happens!
Thankfully, I’m knitting with wool and since it’s a natural fiber, I can do a “spit join” and it will be a seamless (and end-less … read this as no ends to weave in) way to keep on knitting.
To do this, all you have to do is:
1) cut out the knot with your handy dandy scissors
2) separate the plies from each end of the yarn
3) mine was 4-ply. I cut out two plies from each end of the yarn
After separating the plies, cut out half of them & wet both ends and lay them together again
4) “spit” on the yarn (or dip it into some water) and hold the two ends together and rub them between your two hands. The heat and agitation will bind the fibers … like magic!
Magic! Ready to knit on!
5) knit on!
Gone knitting!
I have learned a great new provisional cast on.
I am beginning to knit a new pair of Footie Socks by Miriam Felton. I bought the pattern for these socks because I wear Dansko clogs a lot (A LOT!) and I like to wear socks with them so they don’t get sweaty and gross. I’ve tried the Turkish Bed Socks pattern with some mediocre success. Basically, the problem that I find is that the heel isn’t quite “tall” enough to stay on my heel and in the shoe. This new pattern, I decided to try when a bunch of my knitting friends also started chatting online about the pattern.
Anyway, the provisional cast on is the one that Miriam Felton suggests and she has made a lovely little Youtube video that I would love to share with you – this may be my new go-to provisional cast on! Get a length of scrap yarn (about the same “weight” as your project yarn) and give it a go!
It’s simple. I could manage it the first time and got my 12 stitches provisionally cast on. I’m getting better with the crochet hook and that surely helps. If I was trying to do this cast on and had no experience at all with crochet, it might take me a few tries! As she says at the end of the video, what’s really great about this cast on is that the stitches are oriented in the right direction so that you can just begin knitting with your project yarn.
Anyway … off I go into a new experience!
Gone knitting.
Yarn – Cascade 220 (Color #9401 Lot #0739
I am nearly done with my first test knitting “job”. It’s been a very rewarding experience, and beyond the knitting, I’ve been privileged to “meet” some wonderful and fun knitters. Enough so that I am hoping they’ll take me up on my offer to host a knitting retreat at our house in Maine next September (2015).
My pattern is called “Fannar” and will be in the new book, coming out soon, called “Frozen: Aurora Borealis Mittens.” (No, I didn’t get paid, since I know you’re all wondering!) When I received my yarn, “ordinary” Cascade 220 in a lovely ivory and grey tweed, I immediately felt some relief from my perceived design-envy. First lesson learned: You don’t have to use exotic (aka pricey) yarns when you design! Who knew!? I was so excited that I nearly tinkled! 🙂
The fabric – unfelted
The initial pattern that I was sent was a chart. Now, I’ve knitted from charts many times before but never for an entire pattern and it was intimidating for about ten minutes. Until I realized that I knew this! I know this! I had it covered and I could do it. And I cast on with a provisional cast on to leave some live stitches for the cuff.
I knitted up the largest size and after I’d reached the thumb crotch my gut was telling me that this puppy was absolutely over-the-top humongous! I sent a photo to Shannon and she, too, was amazed at its girth. So, I frogged the behemoth and we started from scratch. As Shannon was out of town, Andi stepped in and whipped up an entirely new mitten pattern. And I started knitting again … this time a more appropriate size, even knowing that it is going to be felted.
Thumb Gusset (part deux) – way more normal!
The second iteration of “Fannar” is much more normal and the knitting process is super quick. Since I got the one-color mitten, I think I got the easiest job in the book. It’s been super fun to follow the secret Facebook group and watch as other test knitters knit their patterns. And to learn about the comment threads via email, used to communicate. It makes me want to knit more color work. That may be my summer challenge.
I’m wrapping up the second mitten and will finish the second thumb today. Then my job will be over. I can’t wait to see the finished product – the mitten will be felted in Ohio and a cuff will be knitted on afterward (thus the special cast on). I think I am going to have to knit up a pair for myself and felt them and see how it turns out … just for sh#$s and giggles!
What an excellent experience!
Gone knitting.
I may be creeping toward “old” but I am still learning every day. The lesson that I am learning right now is self-care. I’ve spent the majority of my life taking care of others; my children, my (now ex-) husband, my work, the kids at school, my dogs. You get the drift. I know that the old airplane adage is true. You have to put your own oxygen mask on before you help others… I’ve just never been very good at it. Today, my body has given me no choice. I have to stop and take care of myself.
I’ve taken myself to two urgent care offices in the last week and am not sure that I won’t be visiting my primary care physician before tomorrow ends. I have way more prescriptions than I’ve ever had on my kitchen counter. And I’m not all better in less than 24 hours. I just keep trying to remember to be patient. I’m really such a lucky girl to be as healthy as I am. Need I add the caveat, “at my age”?
Yup, they’re all mine!
So, you ask, what are you doing to take care of yourself today? I am working hard to stay still. I’m working on my test knitting project. This is the first time I’ve done any test knitting and I’m excited and anxious about it. I know I know how to knit and have knitted for other people before. But I’ve never knitted a sample for a new book before. So, I’m learning to be more confident. It’s only a pair of mittens for heaven’s sake! So, that’s my big project today. To take one stitch at a time and get ‘er done! I know I can do it (and I’m excited to be offered the opportunity!) Every new knitting experience that I take on makes me grow as a knitter and as a person, too. I learn more about myself and gain confidence with each new attempt.
My pattern is called “Fannar” and it is being stitched up in Cascade 220 on my US #8 needles. I’ll share more as it is allowed. For now, this project is being kept in the project bag! 🙂
My Cooperative Press Test Knit Project … just starting!
So, for today, I’m managing many more medicines than I am accustomed to and I’m working on a project that is challenging my knitting boundaries … and will expand them without a doubt! I’ve helped to fund an Annie Modesitt book, History on Two Needles Exploring Art History Through Modern Hand Knits and now I’m knitting samples for Shannon Okey’s new book, Frozen: Aurora Borealis Mittens, due out “soon”.
Gone knitting!
My second Wonderful Wallaby is off the needles. This one for my sister-in-law to give to a friend who is expecting a new baby in April. She requested it in pink … and since I was at the Black Sheep (teaching), I ran right back to the yarn room to see what was available in a baby-friendly pink that’s not too pink. (Because as much as I love pink for little girls, I also know that they get a lot … a LOT … of pink gifts.) And voila! I loved this one …
Ta-daaa! My yarn choice! Plymouth Yarn “Encore Tweed”
Knitting for babies and children really requires washable yarn. I sometimes break this rule … especially when I’m knitting for people who I know well. But when I am knitting for people I don’t know, I assume that they’ll want garments that are easy to care for. Thus, acrylic or blends are essential. The yarn I chose is Encore Tweed by Plymouth Yarn. It’s a worsted weight blend of 75% acrylic, 22% wool and 3% rayon. Stretchy, soft, washable … and a great price point at $7.50 a ball (I needed three. Color W464, Lot 67839.)
I decided to make the smallest size possible which is a 2T because if the baby is born in April, she will be 8 months old in December and with rolled up sleeves, this size will likely fit well with a little room for growth. I always put my children in sweaters that grew a little bit with them. Because I was knitting a gift, I did knit a swatch for gauge. If it was for me I might not have done that but I wanted it to be sized accurately. And away I went.
Bottom’s UP!
This sweater is constructed from the bottom up and knit in the round. (Hear this, NO seams!) The instructions are very clear and easy to follow. Two needle sizes needed. Sleeves can be knit one- or two-at-a-time which is my preference so that they are sure to be the same size. I’m sorry that I didn’t take a photograph of my sleeves in process. On this particular pattern, I like using scraps of yarn to hold the few stitches for the underarms both on the body of the sweater and the sleeves. (Makes the “pits” very flexible.)
Here’s a great tip! If you start with the sleeves, you can consider them your swatch. For those who don’t like to swatch, you can start your project right off and if your gauge is off you have a lot fewer stitches to pull out.
Splitting the stitches for the neckline … and then on to the collar and hood!
The sleeves are attached very simply by stitching them onto your needles along with the sweater body. Decreases all around for the shoulders and we’re getting closer and closer to a finished garment.
At the neckline, the stitches split and you knit back and forth for the neckline and hood (if you choose to add one … and I love children’s hats with hoods!) Again, very simple. The only “glitch” that I can see in the pattern is that there is a repeat of a few knitted stitches on the edge of the hood, which I am too much of a perfectionist to accept. So, I chose to knit all of the edge stitches on one side and purl all edge stitches on the other side. That way, I get a “perfect” edge. You’ll see what I mean when you knit this cutie!
At the end of the hood, you’ll graft all the stitches together with a Kitchener stitch and ta-daa!!! I added a tassel to the hood because I really liked the hassle that I added to the first WW that I knitted for my niece. All you have to do is graft the underarm stitches and all the seaming is done. Don’t you love that!? I sure do! Use a long piece of your seaming yarn to tighten up the “holes” at each side of the underarm. This is a trick you can use in lots of patterns.
Just a few underarm stitches to graft … that’s it for seaming!
Underarm “holes” are easily tightened up!
So, there you have it once again. The Wonderful Wallaby. I love this pattern so much that I am knitting one for myself in oatmeal-colored wool. You can be sure you’ll be seeing it when it’s on the needles!
Wonderful Wallaby in pink!
Queen Bee Knits label is placed on the inside of the bottom … don’t want it rubbing baby’s neck!
Tassel … my addition
Gone knitting.
My first Wonderful Wallaby on my beautiful niece!
I taught a class ten days ago and, now, I do believe that my knitters block is broken. Woo! Hoo! I’m knitting again!
Zipping through the Wonderful Wallaby that I’m knitting for my sister-in-law to give to a friend for a new baby due in April. (I’ve blogged about this pattern that I’ve knitted before … here and here.) I’m knitting it in the acrylic/wool/rayon blend Plymouth Yarn Encore Tweed (100g./200 yards) in a pink tweed (color W464/ lot 67839). I love this pattern and I love this sweater. It’s such a simple knit and there are no seams! (Well, only a couple of short seams.)
And next? A wedding shawl for my daughter … I sure hope she doesn’t read this blog! 😉
I can’t believe that MY daughter is getting married (in September)! It’s beyond my comprehension that she is old enough for this … or maybe it’s that I am old enough for this … monumental, life-changing event! How did all those years pass so quickly? And now it’s time for her little family to become “official”. We all love the wonderful man that she is marrying and I love that they are authentically themselves even as they’ve become a couple. I remember her telling me (years ago) that he was her “tour affair” and the relationship wouldn’t go beyond the boundaries of her tour. Love got in the way … and it didn’t hurt that he loved her dog!
I’m planning to knit her a Romi lace shawl, Fiori di Sole. It just looks like her. I bought the yarn in Bangor, Maine last summer. It’s a beautiful shade of blue/green (Glacial Pace is the color way) baby alpaca and silk blend by One Lupine and called “Spinnaker” (4oz./ approx. 745 yards). I am excited to get started which is, perhaps, why I am whipping through the Wallaby in pink.
Let me mention, too, that I’ve begun a Wonderful Wallaby for me! I’m knitting in Lion Brand’s Fisherman’s Wool, an inexpensive yarn purchased at Joann, in the oatmeal color way … there will be no contrasting pocket for this girl! 🙂
Gone knitting!
It was without thought that I made a scarf for a charity project.
I just thought it was the right thing to do. My heart was wrapped around the idea and I wanted to participate and make a tiny (yes, TINY) difference in a world that becomes more and more hate-filled, violent, disconnected, concerning, on a daily basis. I believed that I could make a little bit of a difference knitting. And when hundreds of fiber-crazed people like me also make a tiny difference, all of a sudden, we change the world. Together our tiny differences all combined make a huge difference.
I got a lovely email this week from a woman who I have never met and yet, feel that I know her because we share the heart of her project. We love people. We love Boston, we love our homes, we know someone who ran last year in the Marathon. My scarf and what little promotional effort I made to mention the project on my Facebook page (because I believed in the project and wanted to participate) … I got this lovely message:
Queen Bee!Love your name and love the fact that you’ve not only participated in this tender ministry, but you’ve promoted it. Thank you.
When my scarf partner and I started this project we had no idea of the extreme generosity of knitters and crocheters everywhere. Amazing!
Thank you for being such a great cheerleader and thanks for your beautiful scarf!
Please send to:
Scarf Project
Old South Church
645 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02116
I hope we meet again….
Yes, knitters and crocheters are extremely generous people. I think that’s why I feel so at home with these folks. Recently, here in little Orlando, a “last minute” addition to the event’s program was a scarf and hat “Warmies” project. The representative was overwhelmed by the collection of hand-made garments given to her organization. It’s just what we do.
Penguin sweaters, blue and gold scarves, chemo hats, helmet liners, tiny purple hats … whatever it is that the world requests from knitters and crocheters, they turn out hand-made unique wonderful projects by the dozen (or hundreds). Created for strangers, often hundreds of miles away, with love in every stitch.
I’m so proud to be a member of this community of selfless, caring men, women and children. I’m so proud to be considered a “cheer leader” for such worthy charity projects by such a caring soul. I’m so proud to have this wonderful craft that I am able to share. My life is full of so many blessings and I’m grateful for every single one of them.
I hope we meet again, Marilyn. And though we have never met in person, I’m so glad to know you.
Gone knitting.
P.S. – There is still time to knit a scarf for the Marathon Scarf Project! Details can be found here! Thanks for caring!
I know that there’s supposed to be a writer’s block … I am afraid that I have a knitter’s block. I have been knitting little simple projects but my brain isn’t wrapping itself around the idea of one of the several sweaters that I know I have the yarn to knit.
I’ve marked a few patterns, I want to have the garments. So, what the heck’s going on?
Sometimes, one just has to take a few days “off” from the challenges of knitting, I guess. Life gets in the way of our art … work, family, and other things poke their heads in, demanding our immediate attention. My energy level at the end of the day is waning and I am simply tired. So, I’m going to take my own advice and be gentle with myself. Give myself the time to just be … and know that my knitting mojo will return.
For now, I’ll be satisfied with the granny squares and the dish cloths.
Gone (not) knitting!
One Year Later Scarf
I’m knitting another little token of love for the runners of the 2014 Boston Marathon. If you’d like to participate, the details can be found by clicking here.
A worthy cause. And a message to those who choose chaos and violence – we choose love and peace. Knitters from around the country and around the world are participating. Stitching together a community that was wounded a year ago.
Gone knitting.
Queen Bee Knits 