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.

On my Needles

It's been a while since I did a knitting post. Not because I haven't been knitting, but because I seem to always be knitting on the same thing. However, I am now only one sleeve and fixing the neckline away from being done this sweater, called Pinery. If I keep at it, in my spare knitting moments, I just might have this done in time for our first camping trip of the season, later on this month.
In the meantime, I've been plugging away at projects that have deadlines, but that I can't show yet. The deadlines are for the May guild meeting. Somehow, I had it figures that the meeting was on the 15th of this month, so I had a couple of weeks left. WRONG!! The meeting is on the 8th, so I've been scrambling, just a bit, to get these things done. Hence, no blogging between Monday and today.
I'm linking up to Judy's On the needles.

On my needles.

How on earth did it get to be Friday already? I could swear that I just wrote a post about this yesterday. Today was one of the first days when I could actually get outside for pictures. It is a glorious day, sunny and warm. The snow is all gone from our back patio. All that we need is our chairs and table set out, and we're good to go for some outdoor enjoyment. Although, putting them out now might be pushing it, just a bit.

 Our neighbour's crocuses are up, and looking so very happy, and looking at them makes me smile.

And here's my knitting project, still the Pinery sweater. I'm down to the ribbing at the bottom now. Not much further to go, and I can start the sleeves. I'm linking up to Judy's on the needles.

On my Needles....

Here is the Pinery Sweater that I've been working on forever, it seems. Of course, it didn't help that the tension was really off the first time I did it, so I ended up ripping it all out. I'm at the point of doing the shaping for the hips now, so it shouldn't be too much longer. It just might be ready for the first camping trip of the year next month. I'm also working on a new pair of socks, but I don't have a picture of those, just yet. I'm linking up to Judy's On the needles. And then, I just might sit and knit for a while.

On my Needles

I've made progress on my Pinery sweater. I've divided the sleeves off, so the part that takes the longest, the yoke, is done. It's working up much faster this second time around, probably both from the larger needle size, and the first practice run through. I'm still enjoying this pattern and the softness of the wool, so it's a good thing. Not much else new around here. I've been busy working on quilts for clients, and with my own sewing. I'm currently working on bow tie blocks, in preparation for tomorrow's aqua blocks. The 3 inch ones are done, and after I link this up to Judy's On the Needles, I'm going to go back and start the six inch ones. I want to get these done, because it turns out I'm going to be doing some garment sewing for my daughter. She came downstairs a couple of days ago, armed with the Sears catalogue, and a big grin on her face, and asked me "guess what I'd like to have you make for me out of this?". Of course, my first thought was she was going to show me some maternity clothes she wanted. But no, that was a false alarm and wishful thinking on my part, she just had some things she saw that she liked and wondered if I could make them for less than the cost of them ready made. So, tomorrow, we're going to have some mother daughter bonding time, and go pattern and fabric shopping. Sounds like a good time to me, and I've always loved sewing for her. And now, back to my aqua fabrics, with pictures tomorrow.

On and Amost off the Needles...

 I'm almost finished this pair of socks. All I need to do is graft the toes and sew in the end at the cuff. And since these socks are more or less done, I cast on for my Pinery Sweater for try number 2. I have the right sized needles this time, and I also changed the neck by adding some ribbing. Hopefully this sweater will be ready to wear by the time the semi-warmer weather comes. It knits up faster with the larger sized needles.

The neck still isn't sitting right, since it's still distorted by the cables, but I figure I can finish the edge of the neck with some crochet stitches to even it out. I'm linking up to Judy's On the Needles.