Queen Bee Knits

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

Lane’s Island Pullover – FO

Posted on August 6, 2023 by Queen Bee Knits

Today’s my daughter’s birthday and the day started off with my calling her at 6:30am by mistake. There was a notification from my phone when I opened my eyes and when I tapped on it to see what it was, it called her. I thought I hung up before it rang but I didn’t IRL. Later, when they were having their coffee I got a text: “did you call me at 6:30 because you were on a plane that was crashing and you only had a few minutes to say goodbye?” Ha! ha! I was lucky to have a good reason that I called at at ungodly hour on her birthday. Her grandmother used to call every year really early … it was not a favorite family thing when the kids wanted to sleep in the morning.

All of that is just the long way around saying that I’ve finished my Lane’s Island Pullover by Lori Versaci. AND … I love it! In fact, I wore it today because it was a bit cool this morning when I was heading off to work. I love the weight of Remix Light and I love the style of the sweater. Today’s outfit wasn’t much different from the day I modeled it for my husband and he took this photo …

I’ll be excited to wear this by itself in the fall and with a tee or blouse in the winter. It will go with everything because it’s just a light neutral. Remix is a recycled yarn with nylon, cotton, acrylic, silk and linen in it so it’s quite soft and a little bit nubby. I like the texture, frankly. And I adore the pockets. I also love the fit – boxy and cropped a little but not too much. I didn’t even bother to block it, I just put it on. I’ll wash it after I wear it a couple of times. haha.

I’ve just finished reading a couple of wonderful books, too. I read Hello, Beautiful by Ann Napolitano. This was my first summer book club book. I really enjoyed it. The book is about the Padavano family. Charlie, the father, may be a bit of a drunk but he greets his three daughters with, “hello, beautiful” whenever they enter the room and he loved them each for who they were. He was the glue that kept the family together. The book is set in 1960 and begins on the day that William Waters is born and there’s a bit of a twist. I’ve never read an Oprah’s book club book to the end before this one. I’d recommend it for sure … and it’s on Barack Obama’s book list!

I also read Chemistry Lessons by Bonnie Garmus and I may have liked this one even more. Quirky characters make this a fun read … who doesn’t like a book with a dog named Six-Thirty! Elizabeth Zott is a scientist in the 1960s where life isn’t quite equal and certainly not in science. I’m not giving any more information but my husband thinks he will read this book which is very unusual.

Lastly, I finished being the president of our lake association. On Saturday it was the Annual Meeting and the board and members voted in a new president. I will be handing over the reigns when I “train” her on Tuesday. I will be so happy to reclaim 20 hours or so a week that was spent (well spent but spent) on lake stuff and do some more sewing. I’ve just jumped head first into Creativebug’s website and already want to make a couple of quilts and some clothing. I need to find some simple fabric to make 6×8 inch squares (twenty of them) for a “Love Note” quilt. More about that will be forthcoming. Suffice it to say that it will be a love note to my husband and me in honor of finding each other again after several decades.

Tomorrow is my Saturday to work and I’ve got a school board working retreat on Monday and lake association president training on Tuesday but I have Wednesday off before starting my work week over again on Thursday … who said life wouldn’t be busy when you got older?

Gone knitting.

A Pocket Story

Posted on July 8, 2023 by Queen Bee Knits

Let me tell you about a pocket.

I love pockets and I believe that all garments for women should have pockets. OK, maybe not every sweater needs pockets but every dress, skirt and pants should. I may have to learn how to sew pockets into some of my garments that don’t have them BUT this isn’t a story about one of those pockets.

I’m knitting Lane’s Island Pullover by Lori Versaci in Berroco’s Remix Light. I’ve made a few sweaters and a shawl by the same designer and I love her patterns. I also love that she makes my life better when it comes to seaming the pieces together at the end.

Lane’s Island has two pockets on the front. The stitches are hanging out on holders when the story begins. After I finished the front of the sweater (not without counting problems) I am instructed to knit the pockets. I slip the 30 stitches from the holder to a needle and then begin with a setup row. It just so happens that you begin by adding two stitches, one at either side as edge stitches or selvage stitches. The addition of one stitch on either side makes is possible to have an easy spot where we’ll put the needle to stitch up the pocket seam. Yippee!

Sadly, the first time I knitted the pocket I didn’t pay attention. I need to take the time to slow down and follow the directions. This is a pattern of behavior lately. I feel like I have too much on my plate and that’s making me make mistakes. Anywhoooo … I have pulled out the pocket and started over with an extra edge stitch on both sides of the pocket so it will be perfect when I seam up the sides.

I’ve also started the sleeves but I’m going to pick up another ball of yarn tomorrow when I’m at work so that I can knit both sleeves at the same time. I got the first sleeve ribbing done. I’ll knit the second 4 inches of ribbing for the second sleeve and then knit both sleeves at the same time the rest of the way. This way I’m assured of having two sleeves that are exactly the same lenght. (I’m thinking they only have to be 3/4 sleeves but I haven’t made a final decision.)

Gone knitting.

Lane’s Island Pullover (part 1)

Posted on June 27, 2023 by Queen Bee Knits

This weekend we went to Marblehead, MA for a couple of days to visit with our family there. It was wonderful … and we even saw the sun! We hadn’t packed well for sun, though, since the weather report said it was supposed to be rainy and in the low-to-mid-60s. But we survived and were revived by our visit with my brothers, sisters-in-love, nephews and niece, great-nephew and friends there, too.

I’m working my way up the front of my Lane’s Island Pullover by Lori Versaci of VersaciKnits. I took some artistic license with this pullover because I loved the style and shape but I don’t love me in stripes. So, I eliminated them. I’m knitting the sweater in the “white” (more natural) colorway of Berroco Remix Light. As a result of my choice to nix the stripes, it’s a rather “boring” knit because once past the ribbing, it’s all stockinette stitch to the armhole decreases. And then more stockinette to the shoulder decreases. Which, frankly, in my harried and hassled state of mind, has been a blessing.

The part that I find so incredible in this pattern (so far) is the way Lori added the pockets into the front of the pullover. It is a miraculous design, brilliant! I’m not going to share how she does it because you should buy the pattern to learn it yourself, but suffice it to say that I am so in awe of it that it’s kicking my butt into high knitting gear. I can’t wait to finish the front and start the pockets.

The stitch holder, by the way, if you’ve not seen them yet are The Knitting Barber cords. They’re silicone “straws” that your needle tip fits into snugly and you pull the stitches off the needle and onto the cord. A brilliant knitting tool.

I’ve been working exclusively on this sweater so that I can get it finished by the time I go to “sewing camp” in early July. I hope I make my deadline and if not, so be it, it’ll go to camp with me for when I need a brain break from sewing. I really do want to finish those pockets and see how they’re done.

It’s another rainy day here on the lake. I’ve had two lake association meetings already this morning. Catching up from being away. I’m watching a pair of loons preening and stretching their wings from my office window. A spectacular view when one has to be working!

Gone knitting.

Deep Freeze, Raw Emotions

Posted on March 2, 2021 by Queen Bee Knits

My emotions have been very close to the surface recently. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m mourning the last year that we’ve “lost” because of Covid-19 or because there is finally a sense of calm in our Nation’s capital with the new administration. I’m not sure what it is that I am feeling so deeply or that’s bubbling up but it’s there and with this post I am acknowledging it. I am looking forward to the day when it feels safe to leave the house and when I can see my family again. I miss them all so much but I am also so grateful that they’ve all remained healthy.

We woke to sub-zero temperatures today and lots of wind gusts! It was blowing all night but we have been fortunate to retain our power today while lots of other communities in Maine have not. The sun is out and the sky is bluebird blue and that always helps my “attitude”. I would love to see a really good snowstorm before spring but they posted our road yesterday and our camp road has been a muddy mess for a week or more so I may not get my wish.

Today I finally seamed the underarms of my test knit sweater, Crofter’s Smock by Gudrun Johnston. I like it more than I thought I would before it was blocked. The fabric relaxed a lot in its bath. I also learned a few new techniques: folded cuffs and neck and saddle shoulders. This sweater was fun to knit, partly because it’s somewhat cropped and knit in an Aran weight yarn. I used Hayfield Bonus Aran with Wool (a washable acrylic and wool blend) and it was heavy on the US8 needles … my hands got tired knitting! After seaming the underarms, I put the sweater on – this is the coldest day of our winter so far – and it’s nice and warm, the sleeve length is perfect and I like the pockets placed on the side of the sweater. I can’t show you any photographs yet but when I have permission, I’ll add them here.

Meanwhile, I have cast on a pair of socks for my March 2021 Sock Challenge. This month I’m knitting worsted weight boot socks in Raggi yarn. Gray and white marled leg and foot, red cuff and toe. I’ve nearly got one sock finished and will have to attach sock #2 as soon as #1 is finished. These will be super warm socks and they’re so cute!

I’ve also chosen to participate in the Confident Knitting year-long program hosted by Jen Arnall-Culliford. I also chose to splurge and purchase their yarns – typically not yarns we carry at the yarn shop where I work here in Maine. It’s a great chance to taste yarns that I may otherwise not get a chance to work with. AND they had a cool pink project bag!

I’ve started the March project, Flux Handwarmers by Martina Behm. The techniques learned this month are crochet provisional cast on and a folded edge. I chose to do a picot edge which is so cute! This month’s yarn is the springtime colorway of a Crazy Zauberball. These mitts will be a nice weight and they’ll be so cheerful. I’ve participated in A Year of Techniques and Boost Your Knitting for the two previous years and I learned a lot. I’m sure I’ll learn some new tricks this year, too! What I love about these programs is that there are detailed tutorials on all of the techniques and even when I already know one, I can find something to learn (or it just hammers it into my head.)

I’ve been spending a lot of time “worrying” about my sweet Lola. She’s not eating well and her hind legs are unstable. She sleeps most of the day but she still finds a tail wag or two to gift me with every day. For months I’ve been looking at the little kit that I bought when I was out shopping pre-pandemic. The little felt mitten has a bee on it and I couldn’t resist. This will eventually live on our Christmas tree but until Christmas, it’ll likely live on my desk lamp!

I finished two black tams for a customer and they’ve been delivered to the store for her to pick up. She wants two more navy blue ones. It’s sweet of her to ask me. I made a tarte tatin over the weekend. It was delicious! A few apples, some sugar, butter and a home made crust and it was dessert for two for several days. Yummy!

We’ve been spending lots of time doing puzzles. My hubby gave me a really difficult puzzle for Christmas and we stuck to it and finished it … and he ordered another one for Valentine’s day which we’re working on at the dining room table. Luckily, there are only the two of us so we only need one end of the table for eating (although we generally eat up in my studio and watch the news.)

Gone knitting!

Allison Cardigan

Posted on August 20, 2019 by Queen Bee Knits

It hasn’t been an easy path for this wonderfully soft and beautifully dyed Malabrigo Rios yarn. I started out knitting one sweater and then another but both got frogged because of the fit or the style. (Both were pretty horrendous!) The yarn went into “time out” for awhile until I found the Allison Cardigan by Hannah Fettig.

This cardigan is knitted from the top down in one piece with US7 needles. I knew that to get the right gauge, I needed to knit this yarn on a size 7 needle. This pattern seemed perfect. It’s a simple sweater, pretty straight forward in the top down sweater world.

The yarn is Malabrigo Rios in the Cirrus Grey (845) colorway. I love, love, love this color! It’s somewhere between a denim blue and grey and everything in between. I chose the Purpureas (872) colorway for the pocket. This is another rich purple color and I think it’ll be just enough zing when the interior of the pocket shows against the blue sweater. I can’t wait to wear this sweater!!! Rios is what I would call a light worsted weight merino yarn. It’s not got a whole lot of twist and that’s why I want to knit it up on a “smaller” needle. The US7, in this instance, I think will be perfect. I loved the fabric on my swatch.

The construction of the pocket was different than any pockets I’ve knitted before. It is knitted into the body of the sweater and then seamed at the sides. Initially I thought it would be bulky but it’s not. And my hands will be so warm!

Once the body of the sweater was finished, I started on the first sleeve. One of the tricks I’ve learned over the years is that if I want to make the sleeves even and balanced, I need to use the tools that I have and mark every decrease! It really helps. And the sleeves turned out the same the first time around! No adjustments necessary! Woo! Hoo!

I was a little bit (or maybe a lot) concerned that I didn’t have enough of the main color so I didn’t finish the ribbing on the bottom of the sweater until I had knitted both of the sleeves. Turns out that I didn’t have to worry. I had enough yarn and one extra skein of the purple! Maybe I’ll knit some fingerless mitts to wear with the cardigan!

Here it is before blocking (on my wonderful antique braided wool rug made by my husband’s grandmother.) I will post another picture or two after it’s blocked and in some good light. I blocked it tonight and I know I’m going to love wearing this cardigan this fall/winter!

Gone knitting!