On my Needles, Aug. 29, 2014

I have really fallen off this blogging thing lately. I've been rather busy with summer and customer quilts, and doing the publicity for the quilt show for our guild coming up in October. Something had to go, and unfortunately, blogging was it. I have been busy doing all kinds of quilty and knitty stuff, but I simply haven't had the time or the energy to actually sit down and write about it. But, I am mostly caught up on the quilts, although not on my own, and most of the time consuming stuff for the publicity is done. So, hopefully, I'll be able to get on more of a schedule again with the blogging.
First off, is what is off my needles, finished and blocked and with the zipper sewn in! Flyaway Hoodie is done. Here's a pic of it, with me in it. This taking pictures of oneself is quite difficult, I have discovered. This was the best of the bunch, and it's not great, but it will do.
I changed to pattern from a buttoned to a zippered fastening. I was a bit concerned about putting in the zipper, because I wanted to do it using the sewing machine, rather than by hand, and I wasn't quite sure how well it would work. But, after I had it all blocked and at the right length, I pinned it well to the separating zipper, trying very hard not to stretch the knitted fabric, and then used my walking foot to do the stitching. I used a variegated thread with the same shades of green as the sweater, and used two lines of stitching on each side, by moving the needle position on my machine. It wasn't hard at all, which was quite a relief. I'll probably continue to do this with cardigans that I make, since I much prefer zips to buttons. The yarn I used for this sweater is Malabrigo worsted, and it is every bit as soft and comfy and warm to wear as I thought it would be.

Now, on my needles is another sweater from the same designer who did the hoodie pattern. This one is called On the Grass, using Malabrigo Rios yarn. This is a really fun yarn to knit with, since each skein is different in the colour concentrations, but similar enough to go together. The shein changes are visible, but not in a bad way, I don't think. The colour in the picture is quite close to the real thing. I love it! I will be buying more of this yarn in different colours.

I've managed to get a lot done on this sweater in our last few outings in the car. It's an easy pattern that doesn't require any counting or charts or anything complicated. Scott and I went on a mini road trip and quilt shop hop today, delivering flyers and bookmarks to 3 quilt shops in our area. I think I got 2 or 3 inches done on it during the drive. Just a couple more inches, and I can start the ribbing for the bottom. And, of course, I didn't come home empty handed. I added some fabrics to my neutrals collection while we were out. That means I'd better get some backings made if I want to keep my stash in the positive numbers for used, rather than added. I'm going to link this up to Judy's On the needles, actually on the right day, even! And then, I'm going back to get some more work done on Meteor Shower. It's almost there. I just might have a picture of the finished top to share come Monday. At least, that's what I'm working towards.

On, and mostly off, my Needles

I have a finish!! Woohoo, Yippee, and a little bit of a happy dance! This is Flyaway Hoodie, by Joji Locatelli. I love her designs. I have another of hers printed off, and waiting to be started, and another one yet, that the yarn arrived for yesterday. But more about that later. This sweater still needs to be soaked and blocked to get it shaped properly, but it is done. All the ends are sewn and woven in. And I bought the zipper for it today.

 This is a close up, a bit on the blurry side, of the cable going down the sleeve. The perspective on this picture makes it look like the sleeve is miles long, but really, it's the perfect length for my short little arms.

 And here's the back, and the hood. The sweater is made out of the softest, cushiest yarn. It felt so good to knit up, and then stop and pet it every now and then. Once I get it blocked and the zipper in, I can wear it, so I don't have to pet it. It's Malabrigo Worsted yarn. I cast off the last stitches of the sleeve last night at about 10:30.

And here's the tension swatch for my next project. It's a Malabrigo Rios yarn, which isn't quite as soft feeling as their worsted, but pretty close. It is also a Joji Locatelli pattern, called On the Grass, the same sweater that Judy is making right now. She's such a good role model for us yarn and fabric obsessed people. I also want to make See You There, and I have the yarn for it, and it's all swatched and ready to go. However, I'm ready for something a bit easier, without charts and cables, which is why I've decided to do On the Grass. Plus, I have lots of sweat shirt type warm things to wear for the cooler days, but only one nice sweater pull over, so that helped with the decision as well. I'm linking up with Judy's On the Needles, and then I'm going to print off my pattern and study it, and maybe even start it.

On my Needles, July 11, 2014

 We're still here at our campsite, but decided that today was a stick around the campsite and campground and not do too much requiring energy day. Yesterday's hike to the falls, found here, really tired us out. If the weather is good tomorrow, we'll do another hike. Every time we come to a campground, we like to do a walk around to scope out any good sites for further reference, so that was the extent of our exercise today. That meant there was lots of time for sitting and knitting. The body and the hood for my Flyaway Hoodie are done. While sitting down by the lake earlier today I did the boring chore of sewing in the ends I've created so far. Then, when we got back to the campsite, I found a patch of sun, and sat out and picked up the stitches for one of the sleeves.

 And in between working on the hoodie, when my hands needed something to do, but my brain didn't, I've been working on these socks. The instep decreases are done, and I'm on the home stretch for the foot.

This is a picture of our lovely campsite. I am standing in the far corner to take this picture. The site is huge! There is a pull through area where the trailer is, and then there is a sitting area off to the side where the fire pit and the picnic table are. It could easily fit a couple more tents or, if we had remembered it, the screened shelter. In our stroll around the campground, we didn't find any sites that were nicer than the ones in this area. All of them are like this, large and very well wooded and private. I am so enjoying our time away. I'm not going to want to go home. I'm linking up to Judy's On the Needles, and then I'm going to see if I can wrap my head around the instructions for the sleeves. I have to do wrap and turns for the top part of the sleeves, as well as remembering to do the right section of the cable that goes down the arm. This has been a fun and challenging knit.

Stash and knitting report, week 27, 2014

I've been sewing up a storm this past week, but I can't count very much of it. Four of us from the guild have been doing a round robin. We are all at work doing the last round, and that's what I've been sewing for the past week. I'm working on Christine's right now. She sent all of her own fabric to use for it, so I can't count any of it as out of my stash. We are all meeting up in the middle of this month to do our exchanges and final reveals of each others' quilts, so I'm running out of time. The only sewing I've done for myself has been a journal book cover, which took one whole fat quarter.

Used last week:                          .25 yards
Used this year:                     50 yards
Added last week:                         0 yards
Added this year:                     52 yards
Net added:                              2 yards

I have some of my own sewing coming up to do. This month's colour for the scrappy challenge is red, so that will work in all of the projects I have going. I also have some backings to sew up, and, at the moment, one quilt to bind, which will help with the stash used numbers. None of that will be happening in the next week, however, since we are off for a week away in our trailer, starting tomorrow. I'm not sure that we'll be able to get an hydro site, since we don't have reservations, which means all my sewing stuff will be staying home.
What will be coming with me is my knitting. My Flyaway Hoodie is coming along well. The body of the sweater is almost done. I've left it on the needles just to be able to get the length right for the zipper. I've started on the hood, and it's almost to the point of starting the short rows, which is going to involve learning a new skill.... wrap and turns.















This is the back of the sweater. I love the cables across the top of it.












I want to take extra knitting with me, just on the off chance that I either get the green sweater finished, or I need a change, so I did up a tension swatch for the next sweater I want to start. And

 then, I've also managed to finish the pair of socks that travel with me in the car as my take along project.
I still have to graft the toes to finish them up. I've started another pair of take along socks, but haven't got a picture of them, since they are up in the car. I'm not sure how often I'll be posting while we're away. I've looked at the wireless coverage in the area of the park we're going to, and it looks like it might be patchy. We're heading up to Grundy Lake Provincial Park, one of my most favourite places to go. It is so beautiful. If there is coverage, I'll try and get some posts done with scenery pictures, which might just make you wish you were there.
I'm linking up to Judy's Stash Report and also to her On the Needles. Then I really should finish getting organized to get going first thing tomorrow morning.

A Little Bit of Everything......

It has been just too nice outdoors these days to spend any more time inside than I absolutely have too. Summer takes so long to get here, especially this year, that I just can't bear not to be out in it. Consequently, there has been very little sewing going on here. I though that, maybe today, I could bring my machine outside with me and do some, but it's a bit too breezy for that. I'd have pieces blowing all over the yard. Some people would say that it's too hot and muggy out, but not me.  However, this means that my stash numbers haven't changed a bit.
Used last week:                          0 yards
Used this year:                     49.75 yards
Added last week:                         0 yards
Added this year:                     52 yards
Net added:                              2.25 yards

So, while I haven't been doing a lot of sewing, I've been doing tons of knitting, while enjoying the outdoors.  My Flyaway Hoodie is growing by leaps and bounds.

 I think I have 2 more sets of increases to do on the sides of this, and it will nearly be ready for the body of it to be done. I think I'll likely leave the final part of the body to finish after I get the hood done. I want to put a separating zipper into this, and they come in 2 inch increment sizes in even numbers, I believe. I want to have the front opening of this as close to one of those sizes as I can, and I'm not sure how much the hood will add to the front opening measurement. I might actually be able to begin the hood today, which would be rather exciting!

Scott and I were out in the neighbourhood of The Little Red Mitten a couple of days ago, and I couldn't bear not to go in. I've been wanting wool to start See You There, which is a gorgeous design. I actually started it once, using the yarn that I'm making Flyaway with. But there was too much colour texture in the greens for the design of the stitches to show up, so I ripped it out. I'm thinking this new yarn will work better. It's not exactly what I wanted. What I wanted was a Malabrigo Rios, but at $18.95 for a 210 yarn hank of yarn, it was just way too far out of my price league. I couldn't bring myself to pay almost $200.00 for a sweater, lovely as the yarn is. Definitely a case of champagne tastes on a generic brand cola budget.
 Our son Noel was over last evening, and we had a family BBQ with steaks and sweet kale salad, mashed garlic potatoes, and roasted peppers. My contribution was to open the bag of sweet kale salad, dump it into the bowl and then open the dressing package and stir it into the salad. Such hard work, I know. ;) Noel took a hank of the wool back home with him. He is putting together a yarn swift for me, which is becoming a much needed item in my arsenal of tools. Have you ever had a hank of yarn go rogue on you and end up in a massive tangled mess? I had that happen Friday evening. A hank of sock yarn ended up in such a mess. It took me 5 hours to get it all sorted out, bit by little tiny bit, until it finally ended up in a usable ball of yarn. What an ordeal. I was sorely tempted to take the whole thing and pitch it out the window, but I paid too much and it was way too lovely a yarn not to be able to use.
There isn't much else happening here, today, so I think I'll link up to Judy's Stash Report and On the Needles, and then just relax and do some more knitting.

This is part of my view a I enjoy the outdoors. Matt built this wooden pole structure last year, as part of what he calls "bird central" There are 2 feeders there, which attract all kinds of little birds. I'm not sure what they all are but they are fun to watch. As is the squirrel who has figured out that, if it hangs upside down from the bar, it can get a hold of the black feeder that is filled with black oil sunflower seeds, and gobble them all down. The round feeder has a cage around it. The small birds can get through it, but the squirrel can't. So much fun to watch. We have quite a few chipmunks in the yard as well, and they congregate on the stones under the feeders, and in that giant hosta, to feed on all the seeds spilled onto the ground by the birds. I love out life here. God is so good!!

On My Needles, June 20, 2014

 I'm still working away at my Flyaway Hoodie. I've made great progress on it this past week. It's been so lovely outside in the evenings, that I've been spending a lot of time sitting outside, enjoying the warmth and knitting. All of the cable stitching is done. The rest of it is basic stockinette stitch. However, later on in the sweater, it calls for pockets, which I've never done in knitting before, so it won't be all boring. And the sleeves call for short row shaping. I've done short rows in socks. I'm hoping it's the same process for sleeves. The front of the sweater is this picture to the right. Those rust coloured pieces of yarn are holding stitches to pick up to knit around the hood. The original pattern called for buttons and button holes in the front button bands. I'm not a great fan of button sweaters- they tend to gap at the front- so I'm leaving out the button holes and will be putting in a zipper instead.
This picture to the left is the back, with all the lovely cables. I'm linking up to Judy's On the Needles.

On my Needles, June 6, 2014

I'm still working away on my Flyaway Hoodie. The left front is done to the point of joining at the underarms and has been added to the appropriate place on the circular needle. The right side is almost to that same place. So it's going well and it's going fairly quickly. There hasn't been a lot of knitting or sewing done today, however. But I'll link up what I've got here to Judy's On the Needles.
Today was a gardening day. Last summer our son-in-law, Matt built a retaining wall along the one side of the patio. Before he built it, all the rain run off used to end up pooled on the patio, right outside our door. In addition to the retaining wall, he built a small garden in it.

Today, I planted in it. It's not a very good picture, but
 starting from the far end, there's a Joseph's Coat climbing rose and some lavender... I love the smell of lavender. Then there a lupine, some columbines and a big hosta that used to be in that blue planter. There are three of those blue planters, a bigger one and a small one and then this medium one. The hope is to eventually make a water feature out of these. We did some planting in some other areas of the yard as well, but I didn't manage to get any before and after pictures of those. I did more physical work today than I have in a long time. It felt so good to get back out playing in the soil again.  I've missed having a perennial garden to wander through. It's nice to get back at it. And it's even nicer to have young man's arms and a young man's back to do the heavy work. I probably haven't said this in at least a week or two..... I love living here.

On my Needles, May 30, 2014

I've made good progress on the Fly Away Hoodie I started last week. I've learned a couple of new things on this one, the provisional cast on being the biggest. This is a picture of the back. The shoulder seams were the provisional cast on parts. I'm now working on the left front, after picking up the stitches at the shoulder. This means that there are no seams at the shoulders, and the cables are continuous from front to back, which I think is really cool! There is also a provisional cast on used at the top of the button band. I'm assuming that it will be picked back up to go around the front edge of the hood, once I get that far. So far, the instructions are really good, and easy to follow. I'm linking up to Judy's On the Needles.

On and off the needles, May 23, 2014

Well, I finally did it. My Pinery sweater is off the needles. It still needs ends sewn in, and blocking, but it is finished enough to be able to try it on and attempt to get a picture. This selfie business is difficult. I first tried it with my cell phone, but my arms aren't long enough to get a picture and push the button at the same time. So, I resorted to the old take a picture in the mirror trick, which wasn't the easiest thing either. But here it is anyway. It is wonderfully
 warm and soft and oh so comfy. I don't want to take it off. But, that will give me the motivation to do the boring chore of sewing in all those loose ends and get it blocked so I can really wear it. Sometime this summer, I will try and get Scott to take a picture of me wearing it while standing beside the sign of the park for which this sweater was named by the designer.

 In the meantime, I've been working on a pair of socks. I did a lot on these while we were holed up in the trailer last week, during our extremely cold camping trip. It's an Opal yarn, but I don't know the colour name.

And the a couple of days ago, I started the cast on for a new sweater. It's going to be a challenge because it has some new techniques in it, starting right off with a provisional cast on using a crochet hook and a backwards loop cast on. It will be a lovely warm sweater, made out of the same Malabrigo worsted weight yarn I used for Pinery, only in a lovely green. The pattern I'm using is Flyaway hoodie. Obviously, it doesn't look like much, yet. The socks are my take along, don't have to think much project. This sweater, on the other hand, is going to take lots of thought. But I love doing new things. It keeps my almost 60 year old brain from getting any more befuddled than it already is. I originally started another sweater using this green yarn, See You There, which is another hoodie. But, after doing the first repeat for the cable design, discovered that the design wasn't going to show up using this green coloured yarn, so I ripped it all out. I might just have to see if the is a cream coloured malobrigo, so I can do that sweater too. I'm linking up to Judy's On the Needles.There are lots of fun knitting projects to see. I always find at least one that I want to add to my ever growing knitting wish list.