bread

It was a snow day today so Julia and I made bread. Not the bread in the you-tube video above, but Challah bread. I've never made it before, but I was inspired by my friend Judy who makes it all the time. Hopefully it tastes as good as hers.

Next I want to try the artisan bread in the you-tube video. I just need to get the dutch oven. We have a cast iron frying pan with a cover, but I think that is too shallow for bread. Maybe I can find the pot that goes with the same cover.

I have knitted some more on the brown and white mittens. I just love the feel of that cormo wool. The noro scarf is done. And a pair of toast mitts. I want to use them to wear over my leather gloves on those really cold days when I need more warmth than gloves could ever provide. Need to block.

Colorwork

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It is so cold that I am knitting up mittens and also a toast to wear over my leather gloves while I wait for the train in the morning. It is cold like it used to be around here when my kids were really small. You'll notice there are two different mittens started. That is because I started the red pair from some stash yarn and in the meantime ordered some wonderfully, squishy soft Cormo yarn from Martha's Vineyard Fiberfarm that I just had to start using. I dug up some brown sock yarn from my stash for the contrast color

On top of the mittens, I've been contemplating starting a fair-isle yoke sweater that has been on my to do list for a while. It is from Elizabeth Zimmermann and it entails alot of mindless stockinette in the round for the body of the sweater. Something good for the train.

I love this comment by the Yarn Harlot... I am soooo totally there!

My daughter's new, more sophisticated room for the new (almost)teenager!

This was a lot of work... endless trips to Ikea and Target, repurposing of lots of school-age books, toys, games and clothes and lots of paint. I think we need just a few more Jonas Brothers posters and it will be totally ready for a new teenager.





There has been knitting too, but have to get pictures in the daylight tomorrow.

Pictures of Field of Flowers Shawl

I finished the Field of Flowers shawl for my mom's birthday and sent it off to her for those air conditioned places in Florida. Here are the pictures:

Koolhaas hat

I've started the Koolhaas hat by Jared Flood. It is a really cool looking hat and after I saw my friend Jill's hat, I decided to forge ahead. It is really fun to make and looks awesome.

Rip

I found the mistake. I somehow added a few rows on the 3rd repeat.... so the whole side got ripped back. I decided I should use the full (last) ball of yarn so I hopefully won't need to start a new ball during the border. The first corner came out, but now on the second corner I am a row or two off. Can't find the same mistake again, but will have to look more closely. This is going to take a long time if I keep this pace up. I wish there was a way of checking as I go along.

Love the feel of this yarn and I really do like the pattern... enough that I want to do it again. Thinking I may do it in a DK weight so we can have a nice wool afghan for the winter. Someone on Ravelry had a beautiful one with a contrasting border.

Dana got his license this week and today was the first day driving on his own. I'm scared, but gotta let him go. Hopefully he has the skills to save himself and others from major injuries!

Field of Flowers Shawl

I'm coming near the end of the Field of Flowers shawl. I've gotten to the first corner of the the lace edging, but I'm stumped. The (very detailed) directions say I should be on row 18, but I'm on row 13. Ooops. Now what? Do I rip back or fudge it? I don't know what to do. The directions are so good, I don't know how I'm coming up so short. Where did those stitches go?

Love, love, love the yarn which is Alpaca from Knit Picks.

Knitting but no finishing

I've been knitting, but haven't finished anything. Currently working on a shawl. Pictures this weekend since it is raining right now.

knitting rut

I'm in a bit of a knitting rut! Have started and slowly worked on the button cuff gloves... my own version using the Handy Book of Patterns. I have a pinky and a ring finger so far. I'd like them done by the time I go to Paris at the end of January, but it's not looking good. I need to have a project going for the plane ride and it has to be sort of mindless so that I don't need to have a pattern on my lap or a lot of bulk with me, which means socks and that means I need these gloves done so I can use the needles! Plus I am late on TWO baby sweaters..... babies are born and growing fast....

The mittens are a Christmas present for my friend, Eamon. He's 6. They are Malabrigo. Gloves are Colinette Jitterbug, the picture does not do them justice because their color is really wonderful.

Christmas 2007

Christmas was very nice this year. Two new books: Selbuvotter Biography of Knitting Tradition and The Harmony Guides Lace & Eyelets . I plan on making some mittens in red and white with some Madeline Tosh yarn in a red/pink variegated skein and Bretton from Patternworks from my stash.

Sox , Sox, Socks!

So I finished the heel of the second sock while watching the SOX win the ALCS! I wanted to stop and just watch the game, but those Sox were making me too nervous with the potential tying run at home plate 3 times in a row. Thank goodness for J.P. I know I said I didn't think they'd get to the World Series this year, but look at that, I was wrong.

I am really liking the wool for this project. I picked it up at Patterworks in NH over Columbus Day weekend and had initially intended to make plain socks with red heels and toes, but it really lends itself better to cables. I still wanted a fairly simple, quick knit though, so I used just a simple twist stitch all around the cuff and then continued that down 2 sides of the sock. I like them although the cables sort of abruptly stop at the ankle. I think if I made them again I would make the cuff shorter, change to stocking stitch sooner with the 2 cables going down the sides. I have 2 more skeins and I'm thinking I'll be making some mittens or gloves or maybe these socks. Looks like I will have a whole lotta knitting time over the next 10 days....

Meanwhile, I have started some mitts for my son. I bought some Cascade baby alpaca on Saturday in sort of a green/blue colorway and started the Axel Mitts from Blue Garter. I had to adjust the pattern somewhat, because the way it is written makes the initial cables not really line up with the ribbing. Also my son wanted the palm side to be 3 x 1 ribbing. So I reworked the pattern to adjust it and now I am thinking I am not crazy about how the cable is worked. Once the second cross is started it looks a bit wonky. I am thinking that the second cross of the cable needs to start while the first is feathering out to the sides still. I'll have to play with it a bit to see how it looks. It is a quick knit though, so easy to rip back and re-do. Here is the progress so far:

This picture is closer to the true color which is much more suitable for a teenage boy:


More later. I have a Red Sox hangover which needs to be caught up on before Wednesday....

Shawl's done, Sox in progress

The shawl is done! I finished in time for the wedding in August that my husband and I attended. It was perfect shawl weather and I got plenty of compliments. The wedding planner at the hotel was a knitter and recognized the pattern... nothing like a striking pattern to bring out the knitters!

The next shawl pattern I want to do is the Swallowtail shawl also from Interweave Knits. It is much smaller, so I hope it will be quick enough for a Christmas gift. Knitting Sunshine has a really nice one on her blog.

Red Sox are still hanging in there, but the "believe" factor is not there like it was in 2004, so I can't see them pulling it off this year. It sure is good sock knitting though, I've finished one pair and am onto a second pair.

It turns out I am not the only crafter in the family... Today my son needed a birthday gift for a friend at school. We walked on over to Beadworks and found a necklace and he actually made a set of earrings to match. He and I picked out some matching beads to the necklace and the girls at the store taught him how to use the tools and make the earrings. They came out really great.

















Not that I need another diversion for my spare time, but what a great idea for gifts. We'll definitely be back there before Christmas time. Here is a picture of the necklace he matched:

testing

testing

what progress?

Oh my word, it has been a long time. I am working on the other shawl.... the Icarus shawl. I am at the lacey edge, but it is slow going now because there are so many stitches. I like it alot though. In fact I can see myself knitting both these shawls again. Except that I have a Fiber Arts pattern for another shawl that I may try. It's really hard to get a picture of any progress because I can't stretch it out well enough, so that'll have to wait.

The baby sweaters are starting to need attention though.... and I am already behind. My attention has been diverted to gardening at the moment. My backyard fence is up. But the mud is sort of taking over! Pictures tomorrow.

Finished Object!

I've finished a shawl.... not the one mentioned below, but one that I had started a while back (like maybe last year, I forget). It is the Kiri shawl from All Tangled Up.




It has a fern motif and a simple edging suitable for beginning lace knitters. The pattern was easy to memorize, it was started at the neck edge and gradually got bigger (so less intimidating than casting on a huge number of stitches) and no fancy lace edging to knit on at the end. I got close to ending it several months ago, but made an error right at the point that required ripping back to the previous pattern repeat. I finally got brave (or maybe bored) enough to stop tinking back and instead pulled the whole thing off the needles and ripped. Ripping kid silk haze is a nightmare, but I managed not to get a pile of knots. Then I realized that I was at the point where I should have been doing the edging anyway, so I commenced with the edging yesterday and it's done. I'm very pleased with it.

This:



is the shawl I talked about below. It's the Icarus Shawl from Interweave Knits (Summer 06 I think). This is also a fairly easy pattern. The yarn is Helen's Lace (silk, merino wool blend) and it is very nice to knit with. I am using size 5 Clover needles and have moved right along. I am nearly at the point of starting the bottom lace section. This shawl also started at the neck edge and has gradually gotten wider.

My great Aunt Dede is turning 100 years old next month and my intention is to give her one of the shawls. So at least one is done and blocking which may make the final decision as to which one she will get, but I am hoping to have the Icarus done by then too. That one will really look good with her blue eyes.

I have already ordered some more lace yarn from Knitpicks....

Finished Object!

I've finished a shawl.... not the one mentioned below, but one that I had started a while back (like maybe last year, I forget). It is the Kiri shawl from All Tangled Up.





It is advertised as an easier design than Birch for new lace knitters and I think that is true. The pattern was easy to memorize, it was started at the neck edge and gradually got bigger (so less intimidating than casting on a huge number of stitches) and no fancy lace edging to knit on at the end. I got close to ending it several months ago, but made an error right at the point that required ripping back to the previous pattern repeat. I finally got brave (or maybe bored) enough to stop tinking back and instead pulled the whole thing off the needles and ripped. Ripping kid silk haze is a nightmare, but I managed not to get a pile of knots. Then I realized that I was at the point where I should have been doing the edging anyway, so I commenced with the edging yesterday and it's done. I'm very pleased with it.

This:



is the shawl I talked about below. It's the Icarus Shawl from Interweave Knits (Summer 06 I think). This is also a fairly easy pattern. The yarn is Helen's Lace (silk, merino wool blend) and it is very nice to knit with. I am using size 5 Clover needles and have moved right along. I am nearly at the point of starting the bottom lace section. This shawl also started at the neck edge and has gradually gotten wider.

My great Aunt Dede is turning 100 years old next month and my intention is to give her one of the shawls. So at least one is done and blocking which may make the final decision as to which one she will get, but I am hoping to have the Icarus done by then too. That one will really look good with her blue eyes.

That Mistake

I discovered the mistake on St. Brigid without having to rip more than one row. It turns out I reversed direction in the middle of a row, while knitting at a soccer game... Obviously the soccer must have been more interesting. So I am back on track. I need one more pattern repeat I think for the back to be done. I am making this a little bit shorter than the pattern states.

The weather changed this weekend thankfully. I even did a little bike-riding on one of my favorite bike paths: the Minuteman bike path in Lexington. Not only is it very scenic, but also Wild and Wooly is nearby. And I just so happened to find a gorgeous skein of lace yarn in turquoise to start the shawl. Or maybe I should make something more interesting.......mmmmmmmmmmmm.

The wayward travelers are home, exhausted with plenty of stories to tell.

Second Sock, Shawl anyone?

I am sick of the "spring" already. It doesn't help that my husband is in France for the week enjoying 80-85 degree sunshine while I am left here in the cold and drizzle making sure the sump pump still works and doing laundry in my snow boots.

I'm working on the second cable sock. J's gymnastic meet on Sunday left me 5 hours to get it started. Since I added a few stitches to the first sock, I had to use that one to figure out where I added them (naturally I didn't write anything down the first time). This sucky spring weather has me looking at pretty things to make for the summer... I am inspired by this and am thinking of ordering the yarn in the green/purple colorway. I'm not really a shawl kind of person, but maybe I will become one. Also, my great Aunt Dede is turning 100 years old in June. Maybe she deserves a pretty shawl.

Bella Bunny

Isn't she cute? I think this might be the first toy I've ever made.... which is amazing because I really have been knitting for more than 20 years. I had a lot of fun making her and the little top and skirt. I think there might be another one of these in my future.

Happy Easter

I need a camera phone I think. Once again no pictures today. Wednesday I promise!

I was working on the very cute Bella Bunny from And So to Bed for my daughter for Easter. It came out so cute. I changed the pattern to make it in the round so there would be less seaming. It was pretty easy, even sewing on the ears, arms and legs. The skirt took much longer than I expected, and so did the crochet edging, but I am glad I did it because it completed the outfit nicely (even though I finished at 1 am). It was not at all hard, just seemed to take a long time. The book has some really cute projects in it all in different yarn weights. The other Lucinda Guy book is really cute too. I like the edgings she uses and the color patterns. There is a great dinosaur sweater for a little boy that I can see making for my friend's son. I am not a huge fan of intarsia, but that sweater is something he would really love.

Still haven't seamed that cute sweater from Sublime Knits, but since the baby is soon to be here and probably will only wear it for a month I'm thinking I better get on it. Stay tuned...