Queen Bee Knits

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

Writing it Down …

Posted on May 6, 2011 by Queen Bee Knits

It’s been a challenge but I’ve finally knitted a second iteration of the Senorita Lolita Sweater and written down the pattern.

Version 2 Complete! Pattern is ready for test-knitters!

For some reason, I couldn’t get it right and have knitted and frogged several times. Finally, however, I’ve gotten it done! I only have to knit the flower to “jazz it up” and it’s done. Lola will have another sweater to wear and I’ll have a first original pattern for my Queen Bee Knits “Prima Dogma” line. The second design is on the needles but I’m struggling through it as well and am trying not to let it get the better of me! For now, I’m reveling in the sense of accomplishment that I have for getting the first one done.

I used a cheap-o ball of sock yarn that I had in my stash from JoAnn Fabrics. Nothing special as far as the yarn goes, but pink does look great on my little girl! The needles that I used, however, were a different story.

Takumi Clover (US 5). The needles knit just fine but when you have to slide the knitting to the other side of the needles, it’s nearly impossible to get the stitches onto the bamboo part. I think I’m going to have to splurge and get some new needles for the Queen Bee!

Photos soon but for now, I’m off to eat my first Maine lobster of the season!

Scrappy Socks … and Low Socks

Posted on April 13, 2011 by Queen Bee Knits

Finishing some projects and it feels oh, so very good!

I’ve been making a concerted effort to use my stashed yarn to clean out the closet and while I’ve been knitting away, the closet doesn’t seem to have a lot more space. Oh well, it will!

I’ve finished Cousin Lisa’s cowl and all it needs is some buttons and it can be wrapped and mailed. Now that it’s warm up north, she will be able to put it in moth balls and wait to wear it in the fall/winter! It turned out to be quite pretty.

I made a pair of socks … well, I started to make a pair of socks ages ago for my daughter’s friend Peter (who collects socks). Got all the way to the tip of the toe and realized that I wasn’t going to have enough yarn to finish two socks. Ok. What to do in this situation? I searched my LYS to see if I could match the yarn and do a toe in a complementary yarn. No such luck. SO, I just frogged them and put the yarn back in the stash and used another different yarn to complete the gift for Peter. Last week, I made a pair of “low” socks with the yarn and then started a pair of “Scrappy” socks to use up the many bits and pieces of sock yarn that I’ve collected (because I can’t throw it away!)

Anyway, I’m knitting … and that’s a good thing!

On the Needles

Posted on April 1, 2011 by Queen Bee Knits

I started a new project last night. The “Munchkin Boq” sweater … chunky cables for my little boy. This is a new design using the Aran cables that I love so much. The idea for an Irish knit little dog sweater to add to the Prima Dogma line that I’m designing came to me the other day. I’m using some stashed wool for the first iteration and will find some lovely pure wool for the next ones made.

When there’s enough for you to see, I’ll post photos. It feels good to be knitting!

Update: May 19, 2011

Here’s the progress to date!

Great Cables – Books from the Library

Posted on March 29, 2011 by Queen Bee Knits

Great, Beautiful Book for Knitting Cables!

I went to the library a couple of days ago. Honestly, I was going to get a particular book which shall remain nameless because I’ll blog about it later. I always try to go online and reserve books at the library; that way, I don’t “waste” my time looking all over the place and leaving with an armload of books that I won’t have time to read (or even look at.) BUT … my online sign-in wasn’t working so I went in without a hold list! Scary!

I didn’t find the book that I thought I wanted (and I’ve since asked a lovely librarian to fix my sign-on problem) but instead found two wonderful books on cables and Aran knitting.

I’ve blogged before about my love of cables. You’ve likely seen a couple of my projects with cables. I won’t talk about the sweater that I knit for my sweetie that came out too large … I’m talking waaaaay too large … and I did swatch it. I guess I just thought he was bigger than he really is. Anyway…

Cables Untangled by Melissa Leapman is a great book; especially so for those of you who may be afraid of cables. She provides some great tips and good illustrations for making the basic cables and increasing and decreasing, etc. I love some of the patterns in the book, most of which are sweaters but she provides patterns for different weights of yarn – bulky knitting is so much faster and if you’re new at cables, it’s a great place to start! In the back, she has a bunch of great color photographs of different cable panels, too. They’re so pretty, it makes me want to just sit down and knit each one … like I have time for that! 🙂

I swatched a new project, a sweater for my little boy (dog, that is) and will start on that this afternoon. He’s getting a simple sweater made from yarn that I bought at the Farmer’s Market in Ithaca, New York at least 7 years ago (and maybe longer). It’s a lovely double-stranded wool with one strand a light blue and one strand a natural brownish-grey (or greyish-brown). I’m knitting it on size 8 (US) needles and it will have cables down the back. When designing and knitting for male dogs, you have got to take their “parts” into consideration. These adorable sweaters that I knit for my two dogs last summer are cute as can be. However, my little boy (in the green) tends to get his wet when he goes outside. Not a good thing! I’ll be posting pictures of the “Boogie Sweater” as I progress! I know he’ll love it – he likes to wear clothes. His sister … not so much!

More books and knitting stories tomorrow!

I’ve gone knitting!

You better Swatch out … or you’ll be crying

Posted on March 27, 2011 by Queen Bee Knits

Here's the side view ... can you see the pretty buttons that I worried over? No?

Well, in all the years I’ve been knitting, I think I’ve knitted about two … maybe three … swatches. Yes, I know. Everybody tells you to knit a swatch to determine your gauge PRIOR to starting your garment (whatever it may be!)

I now have a better, first-hand understanding of WHY you should knit a swatch … even if it’s “just a cowl”!

Not exactly upstanding, is it!

And from the front ... the leaning tower of cowl.

I’ve taken three photos … well, I didn’t but my sweet love took time away from polishing his boots in the garage to take it for me.

Photo one above shows a side view. There are two lovely buttons that you can’t see because this cowl is so darned big. Nothing like the sample photo on the pattern. Why, you ask? Because the Queen Bee is a non-swatcher. (I’m almost ashamed to claim the title.) But it’s the truth and I always tell the truth.

It’s rather funny, actually. In my day-to-day life, I am such a rule follower. I don’t cross the street when it says “don’t walk” and I make a full stop (counting to three) at stop signs. I don’t litter. BUT … I don’t swatch!

And now, I will have the pleasure of frogging my lovely Thermis cowl and then making a swatch so that it turns out the right size. I’ll blog about it again, dear reader, when it’s knitted properly!

While I may have hit a creative block, I’m thinking about knitting … and am off to the library to find some books to peruse while my creative block is still in the building. 🙂

Knit twice, Frog twice

Posted on March 25, 2011 by Queen Bee Knits

I. Can’t. Knit.

I seriously can’t knit a stitch. Well, I can knit but I can’t follow a pattern and I can’t count stitches. This is a new disease. I’m sure that someone infected me. Where’s the drug to fix this? Quickly!

I am going to apologize to the people of Japan now and then state that I hate Noro yarn. There, I’ve said it.

Well, at least I hate the skein that I’ve been working with. I’ve worked with angora, fun fur, wool, alpaca, and all sorts of other fibers but this is the stickiest skein of yarn that I’ve ever had the dis-pleasure of untangling. It gets tangled up on itself for no reason at all in the middle of a (maybe) yard of fiber as I pull it out of the skein. I’ve been working with Noro Kureyon Sock Yarn. It’s wool and nylon (70/30) and I can’t figure out why it’s such a demon yarn!

Then there are my needles. I don’t know whose they are, they’re so old that the name is worn off and I admit they’re one of the first sets of circs that I owned and may be 20 years old but they may be the most INFLEXIBLE needles in the world. No, I’ve rethought this, they absolutely ARE the most inflexible needles in the world. Must be replacing them today – and think I’ll buy them at my LYS so I can have some immediate gratification. Shopping therapy almost always works for me when I’m in this mindset.

Third, the pattern. A free Ravelry download … simple lace pattern. I could recite the pattern by heart. But can I count the stitches?! Nope. Not a single one. One side was nine, YES NINE, stitches longer than the other side … and I’d already fixed this problem once! (And frogged and reknit once, to boot!)

Frogged again! Enough already – stop the bleeding! I’m giving up for now; and this Irish lass doesn’t give up easily. I’ll see you later Gaia Shoulder Hug … I’ll sneak up on you from behind one day and tie you around my new needles and make you mine.

So, dear reader (of which there may be one or two), I’m going shopping.

While I’m at the Knitting Patch I may see if the divine Laura can help me with the mess on the needles of project #2 … Cousin Lisa’s cowl. “It should have been done by now.” Thanks, oh, critical one! Self talk doesn’t do us any good … merely raises the level of frustration.

Same old Pictures, Same old Projects

Posted on March 18, 2011 by Queen Bee Knits

Why is it that some days (or series of days) seem to bring up all the ugly in the world?

I’ve got three WIPs and I don’t like the way any of them are knitting up. The last project that I finished (a bee-utiful cowl for moi) is way too huge to even consider wear it – it would be too big to fit a COW, for God’s sake.

My motivation has fallen and can’t get up, I’m feeling frustrated and frozen. Ugh.

So, when I was lolling in my tub this evening, I wondered … so, why is it that I attack myself and think that I’m doing a crappy job and can’t even knit decently these days? Why don’t I blame the pattern or the yarn or the crappy, sticky needles with the inflexible cords?

WIP #1 – a Gaia Shoulder Hug made from Noro Kureyon Sock Yarn that I bought up in Maine last fall. The sample in the store was really pretty. Mine, not so much. The colors are too muted and it’s difficult to figure out when the colors start to change, my needles (old ones that I don’t even know what the brand is but they’re awful!) are way too sticky and the cord in inflexible. Add to that the yarn is scratchy and stiff – I sure hope it softens up! I’m actually hating it.

WIP #2 – a Thermis cowl for my cousin. I had enough navy blue left from her hat and mittens to make half a cowl. My LYS had none of the same yarn so I bought some similar (match the fiber and the weight, color must blend) and “blend” the two yarns. I’ve gotten up to where the button placket starts and I’m not sure how to blend the yarns without having ends to weave in on each end of each row. Even an “old” knitter like me needs help so tomorrow I’ll go ask Laura at my LYS. She’s a GENIUS!

WIP #3 – the third (fourth?) iteration of the Senorita Lolita sweater that I designed oh so many months ago which is pictured above … and didn’t write down the pattern as I went. Big mistake! Now, trying to re-knit it and writing it down, I am struggling. Big time. I’ve made it to the spot where it’s time for sleeves … and I just don’t want to pick it up.

So, just for today, I’ve decided to put aside the knitting (I know, everyone knows that one of my favorite lines is, “I have to finish this row”) and pick up a book or maybe a knitting magazine … I have at least three new ones that I haven’t really read … I’ve glanced at the pictures. And that will be ok. I am a good knitter, I’m a good designer, I’m a good person … I know that. It must be the needles! (They’re going in the trash just as soon as the Gaia is complete.

Frustration Point

Posted on March 11, 2011 by Queen Bee Knits

I have hit my frustration point.

Two projects are getting the better of me and (fortunately or unfortunately) I’m so stubborn that I keep frogging and starting again. I bought some Noro sock yarn and got a free pattern up in Maine last summer. The sample shawl that was in the store was so cute! As I got going with the pattern, nothing was right. I didn’t like my needles (old plastic ones) and I didn’t like the yarn (too sticky, but could have been the needles) and didn’t like the pattern (reverse stockinette stitch, you’ve got to be kidding!) I’ve frogged it now twice and have started it the third time with the same needles, yarn and pattern and maybe this time I’ve got it right. We’ll see!

And then I’m having a problem with re-knitting the Senorita Lolita sweater. I started it twice with some beautiful alpaca yarn that I bought at an alpaca farm visit. My Tuesday night knitting group went on a field trip to Southern Oaks Alpacas (Here’s a link to their Web site!) The first iteration was not working the way I wanted it to because I wanted to make a couple of simple changes. So, I frogged it and restarted it and frogged it again. After a couple of days, I decided to use some old pink sock yarn to mess with the pattern changes. So far (despite the fact that I can’t count!) it’s going better and I’ve made it up to the legs part … and we’ll see how the next section knits up! I so love the first iteration of the Senorita Lolita sweater and I really want to be happy with the second one – and I’ll never design another garment without taking copious notes and writing it down!

I’ve decided this frustration must have something to do with the alignment of the moon and the stars … or maybe it’s simply the crummy needles. I guess I have to do some more shopping!

Frogs in my Atelier!

Posted on March 4, 2011 by Queen Bee Knits

Oh for goodness sake! I can’t seem to knit a thing these days!

I said that I’d brought a few “new” projects out of the atelier closet and started them (again.) Well, now I’m going to be frogging them and starting over brand new … it occured to me that I’d made a rather large mistake – one too many yarn-overs smack dab in the middle of the back of the Noro shawl. Poop! It looks dreadful and isn’t one of those patterns that you can simply fix. So, frog it!

In my process of re-knitting and documenting the beautiful Senorita Lolita sweater that I designed for the Jimmy Beans Wool contest with Koigu KPPM skeinlettes, I have forgotten to write down as I knit – and for those of you who are over 40, you’ll appreciate that when you don’t write things down and then leave them for a few hours, you quickly forget where you are and what you’ve done. So … frog it!

Starting over again? Well, I start each day, I start (and sometimes finish) books … sometimes I put them aside and start them over, too! So, I’m accepting that I’m starting these projects over and this time, I’ll be more patient and more aware and will write down and focus more on the process (and the shawl pattern directions!)

This Queen Bee is going knitting! (After lunch!)

Koigu Skeinlettes Are in the Building!

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Queen Bee Knits

Yesterday my wonderful, handsome (pretty?), super special mail delivery person had this envelope of yarn-y love for me! Woo-Hoo! I am so excited to get knitting!

These are the skeinlettes from Koigu yarns that I won – actually the contest was on the Koigu Facebook page but the yarn was send by Jimmy Beans Wool.

Gotta get my needles out and warm them up … I have exactly 18 days to design and knit a darling roll-neck sweater for my little Lola (who hates wearing clothes)!

I’m thinking that since she was named after “Senorita Lolita” from Damn Yankees, something a little sassy and saucy, a little glitzy, maybe a ruffle but certainly lots of color … because we all know that “Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets”!

Give me a few days and I’ll have a plan! Knitting to win! Go!

Watch Gwen Verdon sing Whatever Lola Wants in Damn Yankees by clicking here!