The No Knitting Challenge

I am about to go on vacation. I am taking two weeks off from teaching knitting and one week off from taking care of Miss Claire and am going to Utah for a few days to visit Mom.

Before that time comes I have decided to try and take two weeks off from actually knitting.

Why would I do such a thing?

Part of it is the heat, but mostly, I need a break before I have to get fall classes figured out and knit up the samples for the classes. Just thinking about it makes me want to go and hide.

So I thought that" Not knitting" and taking a break from all things fiber for a couple of weeks would rejuvenate me.

Progress Report:

~I am doing pretty good not trolling around too much on Ravelry.

~I am enjoying the new magazines as they land in my mailbox but not researching them or looking for yarns that I would like to knit my favs in.

~I have not been on Webs (and they have a sale going on) and have clicked off all emails that have to do with yarn.

Sounds like I am doing well, right? HaHa

~I am knitting a sock.

Not being able to survive "No Knitting" made me realize that I have never gone any length of time without creating something with my hands. Before knitting there was beading, before beading there was quilting, before quilting there was cross stitch and before cross stitch there was knitting. I have to be creating something regularly. I have creating fiber kinds of things or creating music since around 6th grade. That would be forever!

I did spend a Sat. a couple weeks ago on my front porch reading a book which was quite lovely. I don't have a book in the house right now that has me hooked (note: need to go to the library).

As for No knitting,

Not going to happen.

But the socks I choose are very simple. Does that count?

I am casting off my Kauni Damask Bag that I have made into a tote

similar to this one. Then I need to felt it and find handles.

And will finish my Art Deco Beaded Scarf which is 80% done.

And that, in my world, is considered Not Knitting. The best I can do.

Now if I could only get myself to feel the same about exercise!

What is on the Needles

Where did the month go??

I have been knitting away on class projects and socks. Here is what is on my needles.

Toe-up socks: This pair has been giving me some trouble. The yarn is a light weight fingering and I am knitting on a size 1.5 needle. That means that my row gauge is smaller then normal. I usally knit the foot to 3" before the heel. But doing this with this yarn I ended up with a sock that was too short.

Hmmmmm. Now what?

I took out the heal and knitted for another inch and then tried the heel again. Better, but the heel was still to small.

I took it out again and made the largest size on the pattern, I had been making the small for the other socks I have done off this heel pattern. So I have my fingers crossed that this will be the final tweak.

There has to be a mathematical way of figuring this out. I will have to start researching that.

Oh No!! The "M" word!

I have done a little research and found this pattern with lots of "math" and also found this book which has several heals and the "M" to go with them.

Kauni Yarn changes it's color.

I found this great Rainbow Scarf (blogged here) that used the double knitting technique. Decided it would be a great class last winter. It was a good class but a little difficult because of the colors changes happening. After knitting on it and teaching the class I decided that it was way too heavy to ever wear here in So Cal.

I casted off the 6" square as a souvenir of this project.

So now what does my Kauni Rainbow Yarn want to be?

A Felted Bag of course. I have been eyeing this bag for a long time and decided that is what I really wanted to do with it. It falls right into my "Year of Color" theme.

So I have it on my needles. I have several people signed up to make it as a class. This is so much fun to knit and it is soooo pretty. I may change the actual bag some but the fair-isle pattern is wonderful.

That is what I have been knitting in the heat that was this past week. I sure hope it cools back down or my knitting my have to switch to crocheting cotton somethings. I know I said I was going to try and crochet something fun this summer so that wouldn't be the worst thing that ever happened.

How are you staying cool in 100+ degree weather?

Toe-Up Socks I Love You

I have not been a real sock knitter. I have about 4 pairs and I love wearing them. I get tired of knitting them so I just don't do it that often.

Enter Toe-up socks. I learned how to knit these for a class I was teaching and they have changed everything. I love knitting socks from the toe up. They fit perfectly. All the "hard" parts of knitting a sock is gone. I used up all of my yarn, no left overs. They seem to go faster. That is probably in my own head but what ever works.

I have knitted 3 pairs of socks in the last month!!

Berry Toe-Up Socks - "Lifestyle Toe-Up Socks"

The stranding pattern was easy to figure out and fun to do. With stranding you have to be careful that the sock doesn't end up to tight to go over your heel. There isn't much stretch. I went from a 1 1/2 size needle to 2 1/2. It is still a little tight getting it on but I love them.

Baudelaire Socks - Cookie A.

This was a very easy lace pattern to memorize and they are so beautiful.

Crocus Socks - Wendy Johnson

These are the ones that came off my needles last night. The pattern was a lot of fun but I had to keep the chart in front of me the whole time. It was a simple chart to read, only k2tog, ssk and yo's. Again very fun and really pretty.

I fear I am going to have to get some more sock yarn. I love the lace socks and they really need to be knit in solid or mostly solid sock yarns. I don't have a lot of that kind. My stash is mostly variegated sock yarns. What to do?

This weekend is our 2nd knitting retreat for "Marvels of Knitting" in Oceanside!! I know you are crying you feel so bad for us.

Knitting, beach, friends, several really nice yarn stores in the area, great food, too much fun. I will have to get my hands on some great sock yarn while we are there!

The Finished Project Parade

I have finally put up a lot of my FO's on Ravelery which means that I have finally taken pictures of everything. Here are some of the projects that have been keeping me busy the last couple of months.

Baby Blanket Tulip Style



Yarn: Lion Brand Nature's Choice Organic Cotton
1 skein of pink, cream and green. 2 skeins of the brown
Needle: #10
Cast-on 100 stitches.
Blanket measures about 32x32

I love this yarn. It is really soft and has a lovely weight to it. This pattern was inspired by the Tulip Baby Sweater. You do a seed stitch pattern on the row that you add the new color and that makes the "eyelet" effect. I think EraLunaris came up with the idea.
Simply Lovely!

Veyla Gloves



Pattern: Yoslda's Veyla
Yarn: Knitpicks Gloss 1 skein (had a good amount left over)
Needle: #3

I loved making these gloves. The lace is a simple 23 stitch pattern (except for evil row 4). The pick up edge for the hand is done with the wrong side facing and the slip stitches form a wonderful edge. The thumb is shaped with yarn overs, genius. Every little detail is just beautiful. I hope I have time to knit another pair of these for myself. Yes, these are mine!

Beaumont Tam



Pattern: Jared Flood's Beaumont Tam
Yarn: Classic Elite Fresco in Cool Raspberry and Graystone
Needle: #4 and #8

I love this yarn. It has some angora which makes that wonderful halo that looks so good in color work. I never noticed the angora when I was knitting it. It wasn't on my cloths or in my nose. The finished hat is so soft and lushes.

The hat pattern was a fun knit. Easy to understand. I enlarged the charts so I could see what I was doing. Have I told you how much I love color?

Damson






Pattern: Ysolda's Damson
Yarn: Malabrigo Sock Yarn
Needle: #6

I have knitted several of Ysolda's patterns and have enjoyed them all. This one is no exception. Super simple, lot's of garter stitch, yarn overs and K2tog. Talk about something you don't have to think about yet the results are wonderful.

Malabrigo, need I say anything more. A simply beautiful pattern + luxury yarn = my definition of heaven.


Most of these project where either for classes or for christmas. I am starting to think about classes for the winter and what I want to knit. The goal is to make them one and the same. I find that the project I love to knit are the classes that end up with most of the buzz.

What are you looking forward to knitting after the holidays?