Latest knitting adventure

My latest knitting adventure is to make a rug out of t-shirts.  I've always wanted to teach myself how to make a braided rug - bought the book and everything - but it just seems so time consuming and you need a table to set the whole project on.  So, how about knitting?

This video is fun and shows how to make yarn out of a t-shirt



The kids weeded out some t-shirts and I attempted to make a rug last year.

I started on straight needles and switched to what I thought was the same size circular needles - apparently not!

More t-shirts were weeded this fall and I thought I would try again.  Started and finished on size 15 circular needles.  This rug came out much better this time around.  I had to beg Sean for a t-shirt as more was needed to finish.

A simple garter stitch.

The parts of the t-shirt that I didn't use (the neck and sleeves), I plan on using as mulch in the veg garden.  Lay it down between rows of vegetables and cover with straw or compost.  Hopefully that will keep the weeds at bay.

Update on Brian's blanket

My son is a pain - nag nag nag, mommy when will you finish my blanket?  Sheesh, you think 150 squares will make themselves?!

I'm kidding of course but I did take a bit of a break there for awhile.  Thank goodness for double header softball games, I can get a lot of crocheting done in those 4 hours.

15 rows of 10 squares in each row.  5 rows down, 10 to go.  30 min to make a square - I should be done by the time it snows again.

Row 5, ready to be attached

A riot of color

Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival 2011

Today Sean and I went to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival.  It was INSANE!  There were so many people - mostly librarian types in sensible shoes.  Library conferences seem to attract the same type of women as sheep and wool festivals. I say that lovingly of course.

The parking lot.  Walking into the Howard County Fairgrounds

I'm ready to meet the sheep

The crowds

The usual fair food.  Sean had lamb stew and lamb BBQ.  Lots and lots of lamb to eat

This is the sheep shearing demonstration.  The guy doing it used a blade (shears) as opposed to a machine.   He was from MA and traveled all over the US to ply his trade.

 The guy in blue was from South Dakota and was explaining the process.

Shearing the belly

All done

Fluffing out the fleece.  This was one piece.  It was amazing

Being prepped for show.  The guy was blowing drying the sheep's legs!

The crowds

Sheep dog trials.  This was a demonstration involving 5 sheep and several dogs.

Bah-ram-u

There were several barns with sheep breeds.  

Baby

I have never seen so much wool and yarn in my life.  It was overwhelming.  Luckily, I'm the type of knitter who only buys yarn with a project in mind.  I did end up buying a pattern for socks and some alpaca yarn.  There were booths with goats, alpaca and rabbits - but on the perimeter as if they were lesser fibers.  Very funny.  I also bought some beautiful hand blown glass stitch markers.

I also chatted with a woman who runs a farm in Freeland Maryland  She offers a Fiber CSA.  It's brilliant and I've decided to sign up for a 6 month membership. 

When we entered into the fairgrounds, Sean was teasing me about whether we would see anyone I knew.  Well, we were looking at the vendors in one barn and I saw a booth advertising a knitting retreat at Camp Medomak.  This is a family  camp that the kids and I went to several years ago. We met 4 other families from a working mother's listserv that I have been on forever.  I told Sean "I've been to that camp" and then walked over and started chatting with the director.  I mentioned that I had been to the camp and who with and mentioned my friend Robin and lo and behold, Mr. Camp Director remembered her! 

Sean and I had a very fun day and I'm already looking forward to going back next year.

Knitting up a storm

There is a baby boom going on in my library.  Jessie is due first and I finished up a very cute sweater for her last week.  It's called the Koko Kimono by Jil Eaton. It's from the book Minnies: Quick Knits for Babies and Toddlers.   

I was looking through my knitting storage area and pulled out all the patterns I have because I was looking to see if I had any baby bootie patterns (I do, several in books that my mother used so they are from the early 60's)  Anyway, I came across a photocopied pattern of this sweater and thought it was cute and I would try it.  Once I started reading the pattern, I realized that I hadn't copied the page that gave the needle size or kind of yarn or even the name of the pattern book!  A librarian's faux pas as we are always telling the students to make sure they have the citation information for their articles.

Anyway, I am a member of this online knitting group called Ravelry  This is a place where one can keep track of projects and build a portfolio but it is also a place where you can search for a pattern and see how others have knitted it.  So I looked up Koko Kimono and lo and behold, there it was with needle size and yarn and everything, all documented in several projects.

Kari is due next and I have been knitting for her but can't tell you all what I've made because she reads my blog!  I'll post pictures after Dec 3 since that is her baby shower.

Next up is Rob, whose wife is due in March. I was so happy with this kimono, I think I'll make one for him.

In the meantime, Emma has asked for another hat and Sean has asked for a hat.  I started Emma's last night with some yarn from my stash - it's a beret so I hope it comes out ok.  For Sean, I want to buy the bulky yarn instead of using some I already have.

Brian has asked for another blanket!  The one on his bed took me a year to make - it was from the Barbara Walker's Learn to Knit Afghan Book.  Each square is a different pattern and it makes 60 squares.  It was fun to do and I learned many new techniques but I don't have the energy to tackle another blanket!  Not sure what Brian wants or even why he wants another blanket.  Now this is the kid who is currently cuddling with his hot water bottle on his feet so he may want to be more warm and snuggly in his bed.  He'll have to wait.

Knitting - hat for winter

My old winter hat finally gave out - it stretched so much that it wasn't staying on my head.  Last summer mom gave me a big old box of yarn that she had gotten at a tag sale and most of it was bulky yarn, perfect for a winter hat.  I have a couple of pattern books based on projects that only take one skein so I decided to try a hat from one of them.  The book I used is called One Skein Wonders by Judith Durant and the pattern is Shepherd Bulky Rainbow Hat.  I finished this while on vacation in Maine.  I may make another one, it came out so well.

Yoga Socks

My friend Tara is a yoga teacher and a few months ago she asked me to make her a pair of yoga socks.    We found a pattern at Plymouth Yarn called Twisted Rib Yoga Socks.  The yarn was lovely, a soft organic cotton.   Instead of ankle length, Tara wanted knee highs.  Unfortunately, the yarn did not have enough bounce back to really make them work as knee highs and of course, this wasn't discovered until after I made the socks!  So I'm hoping Tara is still able to use them and in the meantime, I took some stash yarn and made her up a pair of anklet socks.

Tara, modeling her socks

The socks were a big hit in her studio and one of her clients requested a pair of the same socks.  So this time,  I visited my local yarn store, Knit and Stitch = Bliss and with the help of the staff, picked a substitute yarn (Berroco, Merino DK).  This time, the socks came out perfectly and should stay on tightly.

Me, modeling the 2nd pair

Now that the socks are done, I've started on knitting a winter hat for myself.

I finished my socks!

I've been house bound because of the snow so it was a good time to settle down and just knit.  I finished one sock yesterday and the other today.  My elbows are a little sore.  I've decided I don't like the one circular needle method (Magic Loop) and think I will stick to double pointed needles.  Even on the DP, I made a couple of mistakes.  Usually I can watch TV at the same time as knitting but this pattern needed more concentration on my part.  Overall they look pretty good although they are a little loose.  I'm thinking about throwing them into the washing machine (not the dryer) hoping to shrink them.

I don't have another project lined up because I really need to reduce my stash and start knitting little things from that.  Wrist warmers are next.

Socks - Mystery Clue 4 finished

It's been an interesting experiment knitting these socks.  One sock is on a #1 circular needle and the other sock is on double pointed #1 needles.  I had to learn the Magic Loop method for the circular needle and the jury is still out on which method I prefer.  There are many mistakes on the sock knitted with Magic Loop - both because the method was new to me and it was more difficult to pay attention to where I was in the pattern.  So if you look closely, one set of girls are more "pear shaped" than the other set.  At least with the DP needles, it was easier to keep my place.  It's also been fun only working on a portion of the pattern at a time.  It feels like more is getting accomplished and I won't have the dreaded "second sock syndrome".  Clue 5 comes on on Feb 2.

 

  

  

Mystery Sock Clue II

Mystery Sock clue II was posted on Sunday night.  I've finished the sock on the double pointed needles and now working on the circular needle.  The next clue will be posted on Sunday.

This clue incorporated Mosaic knitting and this pattern is called Dancing Girls Mosaic Motif.  Mosiac is working only one color yarn at a time - much easier than carrying colors along - something I've never been able to master.

New Knitting technique

The Mystery Sock Knit A  Long is written for a style of sock knitting that was new to me.  It's for the Magic Loop knitting method.  Basically, instead of knitting the socks on 4 or 5 double pointed needles, you knit them on one long circular needle.

I spent one afternoon with the laptop on my lap, watching you tube videos of the technique.  I tried, ripped, tried again, then ripped and cast on for the 3rd time.  I have the hang of it now but the cuff isn't very pretty.

Circular Needles

The idea of the knit-a-long is that you only get pieces of the pattern at a time - one "clue" every week.  The first clue isn't given officially until Jan 15 (you have to be a member of Ravelry in order to get the clues) but since I ordered the yarn from the company, it came with the first clue.

So I finished  the first part on the circular needles.  I decided to start the second sock on the same size needles, only double pointed.  I cut the yarn from the first sock and started the second sock.  Since I know how the pattern works now, the second sock looks much prettier.

Double Pointed Needles

Double pointed again

So, I'll continue to knit the second sock when the clues start to come in, since it will look nicer to send a picture to the sponsoring company.  I do have the hang of the Magic Loop method and I can see how many prefer to knit their socks this way.  I suppose it is all what  you are used to plus it's part of my new year's resolution to try and learn new knitting techniques.

New Knitting Project

I barely finish the old project when I have a new one lined up.  I get emails from various knitting groups and this one caught my eye to try from the Knitting Brewing Co.

Mystery Sock II Knit-along.

The idea is you get a new clue to part of the pattern every week or so.  You need to sign up to Ravelry and join their group. 

So I ordered the Mint Julep as my main color and the Last Call as my contrast color.  Imagine my surprise that when the yarn and first clue arrived, I discovered it was written for the Magic Loop style of knitting socks.

Thank goodness for You Tube.  Yesterday I spent the afternoon with the laptop and my knitting, trying to figure out how to do it. I frogged 2 times and I think 3rd time's the charm.  I seem to have the hang of it. 

The pattern involves Mosaic knitting which I have done in the past, so hopefully it won't be too much of a challenge.

Size 1 needles and fine yarn - it's time for new glasses.

Finished Sweater

I swore off sweaters a long time ago, unless it was being knitted for a baby.  Too much hassle trying to get it to fit.  When I saw this pattern though, I decided it was time to try again.  Bulky yarn, big needles, piece of cake.  It didn't take that long to knit and since it was on circular needles, there were not sleeves to sew in.  I finished it this weekend and it only needs to be blocked.

The lovely E modeling it

I have lots of odds and ends of yarn and it's time to use them up.  Any knitters out there?  I'm thinking I could make some charity oriented things and I'm sure I can search for organizations who do that but has anyone contributed to a particular one with good results?

My stash

 

 

 

My friend at Guinnah sent me this link to a list of charities.

http://www.alchemyyarns.com/