Queen Bee Knits

Knitting, Living, Loving, Baking, Tips, Tools and Idle Chatter

Casting On!

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Queen Bee Knits

I’m casting on another new project. I probably shouldn’t be doing it, but I am. So there! 🙂

I saw a wonderful cowl pattern on the internet and just HAD to know what it was. Wouldn’t you know it was a Purl Soho/Purl Bee pattern (I’ve never seen a project that I didn’t like from that site!) called the Fluted Cowl (FREE pattern! Click here.)

It calls for 300 yards of a bulky weight wool. So, into my (beautifully organized) stash I went to see if I had what I needed and, sure enough, there it was. Sitting there looking back at me. Begging me to take it out of the bin and knit with it after all these years. Well, not really, but it sounds good doesn’t it?

Years and years ago I bought Some Jo Sharp Silkroad Ultra in a colorway called “Seafoam”. Five skeins of it. Why five? Because there were only five left and I really liked the color and the hand of the yarn. It was also at least 50% off because the shop was closing.

I’ve made an executive decision to use a US #13 needle because I don’t have the size that the pattern asks for. And since it’s a cowl not a sweater, the gauge isn’t as much a strict rule as a guideline. The cowl will be a bit smaller than the one in the pattern but that’s ok.

First cast on effort (yes, first means that I have had more than one!) was using a long tail cast on. I usually use this method and generally it works if I plan for approximately an inch of yarn per stitch. So, since the pattern asks for 196 stitches, I gave it three generous “wing spans” and then some figuring that my wing span is about 5.5 feet (I counted 60 stitches). Wrong. I got 169 stitches on my needles.

So, on round two, I decided to do a more “sure thing” cast on and used the knitted cast on. If you’ve never done it, it’s really simple.

Start with a slip knot on your left hand needle. Knit into the stitch (just like normal knitting) on the left-hand needle knit-wise.

Insert the right-hand needle knit-wise

Now you can go ahead and wrap the yarn around the back needle and pull it through the “old” stitch. (Good grief, my hands and fingernails look awful! That’s what I get for trying a gel manicure with no intentions to continue to have them done!)

Wrap the yarn around the needle and pull through to create the new stitch

Pull the stitch through the old stitch and you have one new stitch on your right-hand needle.

Here’s your new stitch! You’re almost there!

Now, slip the new stitch from the right- to the left-hand needle and tighten the stitch down. Important note: when you’re slipping the stitch to the left-hand needle, twist your right-hand needle a quarter turn clockwise … make sure your two needle points are facing the same direction and then you’ll be passing the stitch the right way. Don’t just pass the stitch from right to left with the needles pointing opposite ways. I know it’s a bit confusing, but if you try it, you’ll see what I mean!

Now just slip the new stitch back onto the left-hand needle and tighten it up.

Voila! You’ve added one stitch. Now insert your right-hand needle into the new stitch on the left-hand needle knit-wise … and off you go!

You’ve cast on one new stitch. Now just start over again from the first step and repeat for as many stitches as you need for your project.

This way, you’re adding stitches with your working yarn rather than using the tail for your new stitches. This way you won’t get to 169 stitches and have three inches of yarn left for a tail (and nearly 30 stitches short of what is required!)

A new cast on method for you. I now need to go cast on another 190 stitches!

Gone knitting!

Putting it “Out There”

Posted on January 23, 2013 by Queen Bee Knits

Last year, for the first time, I joined my knitting guild group and entered a couple of items in our Central Florida Fair. I was (super) nervous about putting my work “out there”! But the rewards were great – not only did my work receive recognition, but I felt so good doing it.

This year, I’ve decided to enter a few items again. I can always change my mind but I think it’s healthy to submit my work asking for criticism and showing people the work that I am so proud to do. So, what did I submit?

The rules state that all items have to be completed during the calendar year between fairs. I have chosen the “mini-me” leg warmers that I knitted copying the adult-size ones that I made for my daughter for Christmas. My first efforts at Fair Isle knitting (and I, honestly, forgot to watch the joins which are not joggless so we’ll see how that goes.) I may even re-knit them. Time permitting.

“mini me” infant leg warmers – original Fair Isle pattern

I also entered a little light green seed stitch dog coat that I designed for my little dogs. Last year I submitted my first original dog design for my Prima Dogma line. This is number two. I like the color and the edge which is a simple single crochet in a black & white wool which contrasts really nicely with the light green. It was a quick knit … I really need to write down the pattern and post it! I need to find a way to display it … stuffed dog or something!

The last three items are still on my needles.

My Vintage Velvet scarf with its wonderful reversible cables is one. Second is the little hat that I started knitting yesterday and will finish today, Downton. It’s a free pattern on Ravelry. Check it out! Third is the fingerless mitts that I will finish (I hope) in time to submit that I am knitting along with the Jimmy Beans Wool Downton Abbey KAL “Lady Violet’s Dinner Gauntlets”. Despite the fact that I am not totally in love with the colorway, I like the project. (And it’s my first ever KAL!) Both the scarf and gauntlets can be seen in my previous post, Queen Bee WIP here.

I will report on the final decisions of what I will submit (the deadline is still distant enough to add a project or two if I decide to do so) or that I may decide to withdraw. It’s a woman’s perrogative to change her mind, after all!

Gone knitting!

Queen Bee WIPs

Posted on January 20, 2013 by Queen Bee Knits

Downton Abbey KAL with Jimmy Beans Wool – Lady Violet’s Dinner Gauntlets

This KAL is my first and I am really enjoying it. We’re knitting “Lady Violet’s Dinner Gauntlets” with Lorna’s Laces Sportmate yarn. I love the yarn, although, because we were away for Christmas, I decided to postpone buying the Christmas at Downton colorway and I don’t like my substitute (Spats) as well. I fixed that last week, though, by ordering a new skein of the Downton color way and it should be arriving soon. When the first gauntlets are done, I will happily knit up a second pair! The gauntlets (as you may or may not be able to see) have a violet pattern made up of little yarn overs and they have a pair of eyelets up the inside of the arm. I’m guessing that they’ll be laced at the end. We shall see. Today’s clue will finish the hand and thumb and next week’s clue will tell us why we cast on with a provisional cast on. I must be a real knitting geek/nerd!

Churchmouse Yarns & Teas – Turkish Bed Socks

These adorable bed socks are the third pair I’ve knitted. The first pair were too big (and I’ve tried to felt them (sort of) to make them fit better. They still fall off my heels but I wear them anyway. They’re wonderful with my clogs!

Pair #2 was frogged. Totally too small because I didn’t swatch with a different sock yarn which turned out to be significantly “thinner” than the Koigu KPPPM that the pattern was written for. That won’t discourage me from trying again because my bee stripe yarn really wants to be a pair of bed socks!

This, obviously is pair #3. The yarn is a hand-dyed colorway that I bought in Maine last summer called “Maine Lobstah” (if my memory serves.) I love it. I did have to go up a needle size to get gauge!

This pattern is a different way to construct socks and it’s fun to do something different for a change. I’ve just completed the heel and joined the flat first part to knit the foot in the round. I should be able to complete this pair with a few hours of knitting time.

Cantaloupe Baby Feet Wash Cloth

Two Baby Feet wash cloths are finished and off the needles but for weaving in the ends and blocking. I now need to knit a couple of pairs of booties for said baby feet. A sweet friend of mine (a much younger friend) is having twins in February. I thought it appropriate to send her a little something hand knit from me. I really loved knowing her and they’re going to have such an exciting time with two little bundles of joy!

Salmon Baby Feet Wash Cloth

Vintage Velvet scarf from Scarf Style by Pam Allen

And last but certainly not least, my Vintage Velvet scarf. This pattern is from the book Scarf Style by Pam Allen. I’ve had this book for years. Maybe even for a decade. All because I saw this scarf, made by a college friend, way back when and I loved it. When I saw the price of the yarn, however, (Meunch Touch Me), I decided it was too much at that time to “fork over” for a scarf. No matter how much I wanted the scarf. So, I’ve been waiting and watching for an opportunity to buy the yarn on sale. And lo and behold, I got my chance at a yarn shop that was closing (sadly) where the yarn was 50% off! So, for half price, I got my yarn and I’m knitting the scarf.

I wish there were “feel-a-vision” … like smell-a-vision only for those of us who like to feel stuff instead of smell or watch! It is the softest yarn I’ve ever knitted with. And it will be interesting to see how it changes when it’s felted. Yes, you heard me right, I’m going to have to felt it – chenille. Felted. Doesn’t seem right, does it?

So, there you have it. The Queen Bee’s WIPs! Now that I’ve told you all about them, I’m signing off and …

Gone knitting!

Why Swatch?

Posted on January 15, 2013 by Queen Bee Knits

Downton Abbey KAL swatch

I never used to swatch. But after a few knitting disasters, I’ve decided that it’s the new “must happen” in knitting.

My last post was about the trouble I was having with the Turkish Bed Socks pattern. The first time I knit them up, with the suggested yarn and needles, they turned out too large and slip off my heel. (I have to admit to making the foot longer because my feet are not – NOT – eight inches long.) The second time I used a lighter-weight fingering yarn and smaller needles. They looked adorable but they were way (WAY!) too small. I frogged them.

Did I ever tell you about my “boyfriend” sweater? I bought this beautiful bulky tweedy black yarn and knit the sweater. I actually did swatch this one and everything was working up just right – according to the directions. Perfect. Except that I was knitting the wrong size! So, even when you do swatch, you’re not guaranteed perfect fit but it sure will get you close. Next time, measure the boyfriend before knitting an entire sweater! (I’ll be frogging the sweater this summer in Maine. The lake-side frogging will help with my dismay!)

So, back to Turkish Bed socks – version three is on the needles. I’m using the Cooked Lobster colorway handspun that I bought this summer in Maine. I had to go up a needle size to get gauge so I’m knitting on a US #4 using magic loop (I really don’t like knitting with DPNs any more!)

I knitted three swatches for these socks. One on a smaller needle, one on the pattern sized needles and then finally settling on one size up. The only way I’m going to skip the swatch step from this day forward, is if I’m knitting a felted bag! Or something where the size is irrelevant – like …

I just joined to knit in the round … wish me luck!

Gone knitting!

Orlando Distaff Day 2013

Posted on January 6, 2013 by Queen Bee Knits

I took one picture today at Orlando’s Distaff Day! One! (And it was as I was leaving to head to my car and home.) But who wouldn’t wonder & follow a sign like this?

The whole day was fun. Not a minute when I thought, “It’s time to go home” or “Ugh, why’d I offer to demo” or anything like that. I had so much fun mingling with knitters and spinners and weavers and felters of all ages! It was also fun to catch up with some of my “old” knitting friends and meet some new ones.

I arrived at 10am thinking I’d like to catch some great bargains at the “Garage Sale” or find something wonderful that I just can’t live without on the “free table”. While I did see things I liked, I reminded myself of the shopping binge in Mississippi and suppressed the urge! Next on the list was a chat with James the needle felter. This guy is super talented and fun to chat with … loved his sample of felted camel hair – who has a camel?!

I got some fun yarn from the gift swap! I was asked to be the “carrier” of the traditional gag gift (a horribly bright crocheted purse and bikini bottom that has been added on to over the years and now contains a bikini top and some fuzzy flip-flops!) and was glad to present my gift to a (horrified?) recipient of the gag. She was a super good sport! Lots of laughs during the game which was new this year and a lot of fun! (I hope she liked my gift!)

I won a door prize – some yarn from Four Purls Yarn Shop! (And I never win prizes, it was a happy moment!) The demos were super! Needle Felting, Kumihimo braiding, and my weaving in ends as you go, weaving and more. You can always learn something at Distaff Day! You can also see what everyone’s knitting at the fashion show. This year’s “biggest hit” was a woman who had knit socks to her panties! Yes, I mean it! She started to knit a pair of socks with her left-over bits and pieces of sock yarn and ended with a pair of hand-knit pantyhose … attached ever so carefully to a pair of panties! She was showing them off in their best light, of course, by wearing flip-flops and shorts. Knitters have such great senses of humor!

I loved the “make ‘n’ take” this year, too – a pair of earrings or stitch markers made of tiny fabric squares and beads. Thanks to a really great manicure and gel nail polish, my fingernails are so long that I struggled with tying the last knots but managed after a couple of attempts!

A fun fiber-y day with friends old and new. If you missed it, you’re no doubt sorry today but don’t worry, there’s always next year!

Gone knitting!

How to Weave in Ends as you Knit!

Posted on January 2, 2013 by Queen Bee Knits

I just completed a pair of wonderful striped Christmas stockings. They are beautiful – but they had a bazillion ends that needed to be woven in at the end of the project

At least a bazillion loose ends!

… unless you knew this trick!

You can weave in the ends as you go and avoid the drudgery at the end! (It’s a bit like avoiding seaming by learning to knit in the round!)

So, “how do you do it?” you ask? Here’s how.

When you’ve knit to the place where you need to change colors or yarns, you can make your first stitch with the new yarn. And what you’re going to do is ” carry” the yarn to be woven in (the old color of yarn) across the next row of stitches by alternatively bringing the old yarn tail up and over your needle and knitting a stitch and then bringing the tail down and knitting a stitch.

Here are a couple of illustrations:

On right is first green stitch. Making stitch #2

Making the second stitch of the first green row of stitches by inserting right hand needle into the second stitch knit-wise.

Carry the yarn tail

Bring the yarn tail to be woven in (the black yarn) across the stitches. First bring the tail up over the needle and then wrap your new yarn around the stitch to be made.

With tail over the needle, wrap your new yarn around the needle to make the next stitch (green)

Bring the tail back down and then finish your stitch.

Make the next stitch “normally” with the tail being held down so that your yarn is carried over the tail yarn (black) when you make the stitch.

Alternate bringing the tail yarn over the needles and holding the tail yarn down while you make the next four or five stitches. That should be enough to hold the tail. You can finish your row and cut the tails close to your stitches.

The tail is woven in and doesn’t even show – unfortunately, I chose black yarn so you really can’t see the tail!

I hope this helps!

Gone knitting!

Pantone 612U

Posted on December 20, 2012 by Queen Bee Knits

Several weeks ago, a Facebook creative friend put up a photograph of a bunch of Pantone frames that she wanted to do something with. People posted suggestions (as did I) about what to do with them. Lo and behold, I got a message from Kanella asking if I’d be willing to knit a swatch in the color to be framed and used as part of the art installment. Of course, I said, “yes!” So, today, I am finally getting around to starting the swatch so that I can get it sent back to Greece close to the New Year! Step 1 – what is Pantone 612U? (Thank goodness for Google!) And I just happen to love this color and have some wool in the lemongrass colorway by Patons (ha! Patons – Pantone … the names are even close!)

Frame + Googled + Yarn = Success!

Step 2 – Plan the pattern I love cables. They make me happy. So, I decided that three cables of six stitches would be about the right width of the frame. Cast on 42 stitches and it should be OK. (It’s all a guessing game when you’re swatching!) At the end of several rows of 42 stitches and the set-up for the cables, the swatch was way too wide for the frame. BUT, as cables do, when they were twisted, the cables pulled the swatch in beautifully and it will fit the frame just about perfectly!

Step 3 – Knit!

So, there you have it! The cables are going to be three stripes of wonderful in this rectangular piece of fabric. I’ve completed two twists as I write this and I think it’s going to be a very simple and yet pleasing pattern … perfect to show off the art of knitting and also to highlight the color of the yarn. The Pantone color.

I can’t wait to finish it up and fit it into the frame and then send it off to Greece!

Gone knitting!

It’s the Most Wonderful (?) Time …

Posted on December 9, 2012 by Queen Bee Knits

Over the years, I learned to dislike the Christmas season … yes, I am a Grinch-y Christmas person. I’m not sure when I made the turn but somewhere along the line, the expectation of making Christmas perfect for everyone got bigger than me. And it grew and it grew like the Grinch’s heart. I keep trying to scale back the expectations and it’s difficult. Even with no kids in the house and even though the pressure really only comes from me. I’m still not in love with Christmas.

So, for this year’s goal for myself, it’s to try to keep it simple. Focusing on what’s important. I’m not going to have all the gifts ready – my daughter’s leg warmers are probably not going to be finished. But she knows they’ll get to her as soon as it’s humanly possible. The rest of the family I’m keeping in my heart with small gifts to acknowledge the day. The hundred and fifty cards may not be sent until after Christmas (Happy New Year!) I want to make cookies because it’s a tradition. I want to have a small something for my family to open on Christmas and know that they’re with me in spirit although we’re separated by many miles. I want to be relaxed and enjoy the season!

I know I’m blessed to have children and family that I’ll miss on Christmas because that means I have people in my life that I love. I want to hold that close and remember how grateful I am for my children, my family and my friends – and you, dear blog readers are in that extended family, too.

Merry Christmas. Happy Hanukkah, whatever you are celebrating I hope it’s filled with joy, wonder, good health – and maybe a little bit of yarn!

Gone knitting!

Jogless Joins … say that three times fast!

Posted on October 27, 2012 by Queen Bee Knits

So, I’ve been wanting to knit one of the beer can mittens that I have seen a couple of on Facebook. Thinking that they must be a pretty normal mitten that is somehow connected back to the base of the mitten (by the cuff). Today is the day!

I pulled out my trusty Lamb’s Pride Bulky yarn from my stash in two colors: Onyx and Limeade (not sure where to find my purple shade but that’s already off topic!) and cast on 24 stitches on my size 7US DPNs. Ribbing for a few inches and then switched up to my size 10US needles and added four stitches in the first row of stockinette stitch.

After a few rounds, I decided that the black needed to be broken up with a few stripes. But every time I’ve worked in the round with stripes, I have had that awkward “jog” where the stripes don’t quite match up. Which makes sense because knitting in the round is more like knitting a spiral than stacks of rows that line up (as in straight knitting).

So, to fix the jog, all we need to do is pick up a stitch and knit two together … and this is done very easily in the first stitch of the second round. When you’re ready to change colors, just change colors. Knit one round in your new color. At the beginning of the second round, pick up the right leg of the stitch under (in the old color) your first new color stitch and pull it up and slip it onto your left needle. Then you simply knit the two stitches together and knit to the end of your round. Here is a photo of my knitting … I am going to change from green to black …

First … knit one round with the new color (if you’re using a marker to mark the start of a new round, slip the marker) you are now back to the first stitch.

I’ve finished my first row of my new color (black)

Second … Pick up the right leg of the stitch below with your extra needle and slip it onto your left needle.

The stitch (green) right in front of my thumb is the stitch below. The black stitch above it is the first stitch of my first new color row. (Hope that makes sense!)

I’m picking up the right leg of the stitch below (purl-wise)

and slipping the stitch onto my left-hand needle

And now you can just knit the first two stitches together and then knit to the end of your round.

Knitting the two stitches together (one is the stitch from below and the other is the first stitch with the new color.)

That’s all there is to this method. And as you can see, there is no awkward “jog” now on my stripes.

No jog! 🙂

Note that this works for stripes of at least two rounds. I haven’t figured out if there is a way to do this with one row stripes. I saw one video (on my search for the answers) where Euny Jang alternated where the stripes started rather than stacking them up but starting in the exact same place at the start of the row. But that tutorial will come later. For now you’re all set to knit stripes in the round … with two or more rows per stripe!

Have fun!

Gone knitting!

Knitting on the Bias

Posted on October 27, 2012 by Queen Bee Knits

Three Shades Cowl … knitted on the bias and wrapped twice around

I’ve knitted two mohair cowls in the last month. I pondered (ever so briefly) just knitting straight but figured I’d be bored after the first few dozen rows. So, I decided to knit it on the bias which, in the knitting world, simply means you increase a stitch at one side and then decrease a stitch on the other side.

This cowl can be worn hanging long, wrapped twice around your neck, over your head like a hood or even around your shoulders. And despite it’s light weight, it’s quite warm. The fibers from mohair are really “fuzzy” and that creates a fiber that closes over the “holes” in the garment and make it super warm.

Three Shades Cowl in One Shade … once around the neck

This is a super easy pattern and I love making these cowls. God willing, I’ll post a pattern one of these days! For now, though, they’re even too warm to try on and photograph in Florida!

Gone knitting!