Cables - fake and real!

I would not say that I am an expert knitter.  I have knit many things - baby sweaters, baby blankets, children's sweaters, scarfy things, mittens, a really bad hat and two good hats are the things I can list right away that I've made.  However, I have never knit cables.  I have found them too intimidating.  I'm not sure why, maybe because you need a special needle, or because in the books I was reading to learn knitterly things, the cable section went on and on about how cables messed up your gauge and you had to think about all these things...  so I've never done them.

When I confirmed with our mom that she would like a smaller scarf (cowl), I went looking for patterns.  I found this on Ravelry (Cowl) and thought it looked really cool.  I printed out the pattern, which is a chart, not secret knitting code (a first for me) and made a swatch to test the pattern and gauge.  I didn't like the yarn I had originally selected, so I used some plain yarn that I knew would be extra from Middle's blanket and forged ahead.

I had a big problem once I started the second repeat of the chart and I couldn't figure out why the pattern wasn't lining up.  Finally, I went back to the chart online and surprise - I knew that I was supposed to skip the last stitch of the last repeat of the final row, but I was ALSO supposed to skip the last three stitches of the last repeat two rows before that.  Everything went great after that, and here is the final result (I think our mom never reads the blog, so I feel safe in posting this).  The only thing I wish is that the yarn were more smooshy and slouchy.  It's pretty snug and stays close to your neck.  I am worried that it will remind her of the neck brace she had to wear for three months last fall.

It is not as lovely as the original, but I suspect that is user error on my part.  Anyhow, these look like cables, but they are fake cables.  No yarn is passing over other yarn.

The other thing I have been talking about is a scarf I want to make for My Friend.  I wanted a scarf that would be interesting, but still "manly" and this is what I found (Scarf) and I think that's just the thing.  It has real cables.

I was going to use some black alpaca wool I got in Colorado on vacation, but it is too small, so that may become more hats in the future.  After much thought and angst, after I finished the cowl last night, I made a little swatch of the scarf using the yarn originally intended for the cowl.  And I tested out making cables.  I don't know why I waited so long, cables are super easy and cute!  The gauge is totally off for this yarn - it's supposed to be sock yarn weight, and this is heavier than that - so I've just decided to reduce the width and keep the pattern the same.  Here is my swatch.  It's sitting on my laptop, which makes it look like it's floating.  Cool.

I still have the lace scarf that I'm planning on, but now I'm sick of the blue color I chose, and I want to get the green color that I saw at the shop when I was there.  Too much blue.  But a fun scarf to make!  The yarn is very soft and nice to touch.  I think MF will like it.

I'm taking the kiddos up to Boston for Thanksgiving to see Catherine and Evil Twin, and we've decided to go to Webs, a massive yarn store in Western MA, while we're there.  Should be fun!

Margie

I'm guessing about 5 hours on the cowl.  Maybe I'll start keeping track again.

It's Just a Small Mistake

So I finished the project I was working on for Catherine.  Although I still need to sew in the loose threads.  No pictures still.

Instead of working on the pillows I mentioned last time, I've made a cape for Smallest to use in a dance performance next week.  I think I've mentioned that the mother of her dance partner is a professional party promoter person and she often has the kids dance at her crazy Russian parties.  This time it's a Phantom of the Opera party.  Middle likes the cape a lot too.  I made it big enough that Smallest could wear it a while, so it fits Middle too.

I did make a sheer curtain for My Friend's bathroom window.  It is narrow and up high, but his neighbor's light shines in his room at night, and so I thought I would see if this would work.  I stealthily installed it when he was out of town, and he noticed it the morning he got back, which impressed me.  He likes it very much.  Good man.

I am now working on the project for our mom, and soon the scarf for My Friend (I need to find better yarn) and I've added a little lace scarf.  I've never tried lace before, so this is new.  As I was knitting along, I realized that originally, the odd numbered rows started with the tail of the cast on to the right.  Makes sense.  Well, at some point, the even rows were the ones with the tail to the right.  Hmmm.   I kept going because I decided that it wouldn't be obvious that there was anything wrong.  Well, yesterday I was showing someone the scarf and as I spread it out, it became Very clear to me where I made the mistake.  Here's a picture.

The arrows are pointing to a row that travels up the length of the scarf.  One arrow shows where it's raised, and the other, where it's a channel.  Whoops.  I had originally thought this would be super fast to do, and so straightforward, but now I'm thinking that's not really the case.  I'm also not really liking the color so much anymore, so maybe I'll start again with a different color!

In the meantime, I will work more on the Mom project.  And I told Middle I would finish a hat for her that she had started in January and then stalled on.  She's done a great job, she just needs to finish.  Sounds like someone I know...

Margie

Getting close!

I am almost done with a project that will be for my lovely Seester for Christmas, which is why I cannot post any pictures.  Maybe there will be pictures of her wearing it later.

I was planning to use the same pattern but different colored yarn for our mom, but then I decided that she probably wouldn't wear the thing I've selected for Catherine, so I asked her if she would prefer Choice A (same as Catherine) or Choice B (something different).  She chose something different, so I am glad that I asked!  I may start that next, or I may work on something for My Friend.

My contractor has taken to calling My Friend, "Stud Muffin".  I'm not sure that's the one that will stick here, but it's a possibility.

Ex-Darling is coming to town this weekend, so I'm planning to do the pillows for MF/SM while they're gone.  Now I just have to decide on the design!  It is nice that MF/SM knows nothing of the blog so that I can discuss his gifts openly.

The blanket for Middle has two stripes, and is lurking by my bed, waiting to be picked back up.  Fortunately for me, it requires the same needles that I am using currently, so I can't do anything.  I am resisting the impulse to purchase more needles.  So far so good.

Since I can't show you the project, I will show you some cute shoes I bought.  I have two other pairs of shoes similar to these, but with different colors.  The first pair is now starting to wear out, so I thought it would be good to get another one.  Plus, they're awfully cute.

I've not been keeping track of hours at all, but I know I've worked a fair amount.  Perhaps I should time how long one row takes, and then I can multiply for the number of rows in the project.  Sounds fair to me!

Margie

More Blanket

Okay, here is another blanket that I started back in March.  The yarn is from Juniper Moon (or Farm, or something?) and it's baby alpaca and is SOOO soft!  Middle and I rubbed it around on our faces when it arrived.  Very nice.

Anyhow, it was knit in the round, which was cool, because I got the panel look without having to sew any panels together, and yet it was a little annoying because I couldn't really see how it looked because it was gathered up on the needles all the time.  Would I do it again?  Maybe, with different yarn.  And although I thought I got gauge (or that it wouldn't really matter that much) it turned out not quite a perfect square, and when it said bind off loosely, I thought I did, but I clearly did not.  The outer edge is restrictive.  Oh well.  This is when I blocked it on The Boy's double bed:

So...now I have started on a blanket that Middle thought she would knit, but we both know that's never going to happen.  I'm about to pause to work on some Xmas presents which I will not be mentioning here until January.  Should be fun.  I am not sure if one of the intended presents would really be enjoyed by the intended recipient, so I will have to think about that.  I can think while I work on a similar one.  I have a cross stitch project to work on as well, and a pillow cover I want to make that will be pieced, but not quilted.

The pillow cover will be for a birthday present My Friend, for whom I have still not come up with a clever name.  Ah well.  He likes Craftsman style things, so I thought I would copy a stained glass window for a pillow.  I later thought I could do something smaller in cross stitch, but piecing will be faster once I actually get it planned and going.  At least I hope it will be!

More projects!

Okay, I have the picture of the baby blanket.  I need to follow up and see how the small one likes it, or if they're even using it!

Once I learned the pattern for this one, it was really fast and easy.  I like it a bunch and it used up several balls of stash yarn from when I was going to knit many baby blankets for my friends having kids.  It's the Heirloom pattern from Ravelry.  I suspect I've mentioned this before, but Ravelry is like crack for knitters.

After I finished the hat for My Friend last week (I will have to come up with a name for him at some point!)  I finished the mittens for smallest, which I think may actually be different sizes and are already too small for her hands.

She likes them a lot, and we've had one last cold snap here, so she did get to wear them a little bit.

Once those were finished, I started on a project using some yarn I got on vacation last August, before Mom's Big Fall (which allowed me to work on the above baby blanket many hours in the hospital!).  I bought Mountain Colors Merino Ribbon yarn in a pretty green color, which I am a sucker for.  I never know what to make with these things, but this time, someone suggested a scarf and since I am always cold in my office, I spotted the Honey Cowl pattern (again, while freebasing Ravelry) and went for it.  I made the shorter, thinner version, but added some stitches because I wanted to be able to loop it around my neck twice.  I finished on Wednesday night and am wearing it today.  I love the color, and I really like the extra warmth!  

It only took about a week to do, which is super fast given the limited time I have to work on things!

Now I am off to the baby blanket.  I got some baby alpaca yarn from Webs (more crack).  When it arrived, Middle and I stood in the kitchen rubbing it on our faces because it is soooo soft!  I'm trying to get gauge right now, although that's probably not critical for a blanket, but I want to get close at least.  The pattern is from an Vogue baby blanket book that I got years ago, and the intended baby is due in July, I believe.

After (or maybe during) the baby blanket, I may give another go at a crocheted top for Middle.  I tried one last year, but the pattern wasn't very clear, or maybe I was missing something Very Important?  I don't know, but it just wasn't right.

And maybe I'll put that darned baby sweater together soon too, get it off my project list!

A Hat!

Well, I did finish most of the painting and I have been doing lots of knitting.
I've made a baby blanket for my mentor's granddaughter, and I've made mittens for Middle and Smallest (although I postponed Smallest's second mitten to do some other things).  My latest project has been a hat.

I am excited about the hat because the last time I made a hat, it was made from calculations based on gauge and used purple fuzzy yarn and ended up way to big for the girls, and too big for me too.  This hat was done with a pattern I found on Ravelry, and while I couldn't get the yarn specified, I did get some help from a yarn shop with a good substitute.  It took a little over a week to make the hat.  I started over three times because of issues with the cast on edge, but I really like it.

The hat is for a new friend of mine.  For those in our limited reading audience, Darling and I separated in the spring of 2012 and divorced last year.  So.  I met this friend in 2007, but we just discovered last fall that we were both single, and started dating last month.  He is making me a box for my double pointed knitting needles, and I said I would make him a hat in return, which he was excited about.

I finished the hat last night while Smallest was at soccer practice.  We are not telling Dance Coach about soccer, because we are worried he will forbid such activities because of the potential for injury. Smallest really likes to play, so we are in a more relaxed league than she's played in before, and she's playing with a friend, which makes it more fun too.

So, here is a picture of the hat.  I will have to add the blanket picture when I get to the home computer.  Catherine has finished her quilt at last, so perhaps she will post her picture too.  I think I am winning this quarter so far.  I'm preparing to make a scarf for myself and another baby blanket, so hop too it, Catherine!