2013 stash flash

Yes time for the annual taking of pictures of all your yarn; I am a bit early this year but I have been waiting for this since December.   I knew I would see a huge  difference since I knitted over 25 k in 2012.  I emptied one more bin while pulling everything and reorganizing .  ONe kit yarn may be headed to the sale listing. Its lovely but honestly I am not sure I want to make it so if I sell its a win win.  That said after 2 years plus of cold sheeping I finally feel like U have control.  Now what?

Another photo slideshow by Smilebox

2012 end of year wrap up

Slideshow design generated with Smilebox With 2 days left in 2012 I am enjoying the last days.   I am attempting to clear my needles and wips knitting wise.  I just might be able to.  It was  banner year knit wise with over 25k yards. Wow.  Most of that was due to to big ugly blankets and the february mad dash on ravelry.   Not sure I will ever knit that much in a year again. My stash yardage is down considerably and I finally am to the point where I will have to buy yarn for some projects.  Imagine that.   I am going to use 2013 to finish my cold sheeping but at the same time try some new things.  I plan to try asa trciosa design. I would like to make a pair of gloves and I am enjoying my new cricket.   I have the second scarf warped in as many days.  All this said, 2013 will bring many changes as DD graduates HS and starts college.   Big times!.  Find myself reminiscing alot of those younger days... Have a happy new year!

cold sheep update; process vs project?

Update: I have now knit over 20k yards and if I finish all my wip before year end I suspect the number will reach 24k.   AStounding!.   Much thanks goes to the stash down group on ravelry and their various challenges etc. In looking at my remaining stash and the early 2013 I truly can see the light at the of tunnel.   Heck I even today lowered some trade yarn prices; I just want to move it and move on.  
But to what?   I am thinking hard about what I want to knit.   I dont need socks , sweaters shawls., even though I like to knit them all.. So so I knit for the process or the project? My niece is having a baby in April  and it might be nice to knit some things for him.   It's been awhile.  ( a little part of me says maybe I dont even want to knit as much?)

I have been queuing some items for 2013 on r avelry .   I am going to pare it down to 6 things which I hope will include items I have never done before, like

• stranded socks   fireweeds
• maybe illusion knitting a baby blanket
• an epic lace blanket/shawl
• online class
• lace weight top down cardigan
• gloves or flip top mittens
• jane thornely free form project

I have committed to cold sheep through DD graduate June 14 2013; wish me luck   

Cold sheeping

I have been "cold Sheeping" officially since I began on ravelry sometime in mid 2010.   My days of yarn binge buying had ended long before that but I still found myself with a lot of yarn, most of it stuff from when my daughter was young; she is now 18.   I think I had over 30k yards although I never really tallied at the time.  Much of it is novelty , single skein stuff. Most is lovely;y I have  worked hard to find it worked into projects.  With 18k+ yds knitted this year I would say I have succeeded. I am  hoping to graduate from cold sheeping sometime in 2013

Now its late October 2012 and I find myself having knit more yards this year than what remains in my stash, at least by whats listed in my stash on ravelry.  I have some scraps not listed and probably the errant skein or two but for the most part I am close to the point where I can truly think about buying yarn. 

  SO I am finding its harder than I thought.   I naturally overthink most purchases, although typically not yarn.  I am hoping that at this stage of my cold sheeping and of my life that my purchases and knitting will be more purposeful.  ie knitting what truly inspires me either for the actual FO or the process itself..   I have way too many projects done that just sit with no use.

I am hoping to participate in the 2012 advent scarf kal for the second year in a row.   I have daydreamed of ordering some artyarns cashmere 1 lace yarn in a delicious purple.   I am willing to splurge the $100.  But I find this little voice saying but you do have 2 lace skins in your stash that would look lovely.   Now I am becoming too practical.   I think I will compromise and knit up the scarf using my present stash and then should I make a second scarf, as I did in 2011, order the artyarns.

the music of lace

I have read recently that knitting lace is like hearing music.   I get that now.   I have cast on my 3rd lace project, buttercup, and find it calling my name.   AS I knit the world around becomes quiet, and even though it would seam tedious, the constant counting, k3, yo, k4, ssk, etc it becomes rhythmic.   The chart symbols form a picture . Finding mistakes is becoming more intuitive.
The piece is hard to put down; I knit 20 rows of the chart pattern yesterday in one day.   Will it stop when I come to the short rows.   I guess I will find out soon♥

Mad dash recap

Well march 31 came and went and the mad dash was a huge success both personally and as a a group. As a group we are up to 191k yards with a few solo dasher to still report in. IN the end, thank s to making 4 kitty beds, and using double triple and quad stranding, I was able to knit 4325 yds. In the 2 kitty beds I used up some mohair and lots of novelty yarn that otherwise would have sat in the stash for even longer. The kitties are happy with their new beds.


My other focus was on feltable projects. I can now close the lid on my plastic container holding my wool I used some patterns in my libray for awhile and did several moebius rims. I mades some more kitty beds, some slippers, and a yarn basket. All projects still need to be felted , but the yarn is usd up. Yea.

Would I do t his again, definately yes. It was short enough and I had a project queue that kept me focused. with learning the moebius techniues I felt like I was still progressing as a knitter and not just knitting.,It was fun to be part of the group and once again ravelry proved invaluable

YTD yards is about 8500, which is amazing for me.. Again a stranded blanket in january and the mad dash stranding help.
I am hoping to flash the stash this weekend. I expect to see major difference from last year;we shall see. My next focus, the mystery yarn 2012 challenge.

The great 2012 MAD DASH

AS the counter below indicates i will be joining some other ravelers for the stash down group 2012 mad dash . We have 6 weeks to knit 12000 yards. Woa!. I am not that mad and have elected to participate as a team. I have committed to 4k yardage which is about twice what i would knit in 6 weeks let alone tax season.

SO why am I doing this? I guess for the sheer fun of it. I have looked at my stash and found about 550o yards of feltable wool ; thats about 25% of my stash. SO my plan is to pick some slippers, some feltable bags and some feltable kitty beds and hopefully be able to double strand etc. Along the way I hope to use some odds and ends eyelash , some patterns in my library and laugh alot!.

Come watch our progress or better yet , join in the fun!

Addicted to lace

Well I finished the marathon of scarves the 2011 advent calendar scarf KAL. I finished on Dec 28, blocked and ready to wear. Not too bad. It was such a great project, start to finish . Not sure if it was the project itself or knitting it with so many from around the world that made the experience so memorable.

I broke my cold sheeping and ordered before Dec 31 6 skeins of lace yarn. I thought I would make another and possibly the 2010 version . Now there is another KAL in the Ravlery beginners lace group for an estonian scarf. I want to knit them all!, lol

Thanks Kristin for giving us all such a great gift!

Know when to say enough

Well I am presently on Day 11 of the 24 days until Christmas advent scarf KAL; I am current. That statement , for those who are knitting along, means I have put in about 4 hours a day keeping up with the daily pattern releases.


The first week was great ; I felt no pressure and was getting done in time with time to spare. I generally downloaded the pattern at 430 EST the day before and knit the spacer section. Then the next am after many had posted errata or clarifications and pics I would knit the days pattern. It was working.

SOunds like a race , right. But then something happened. I began making mistakes I had to tink back . I had to reknit then tink back again I would look at a pattern and my mind would go to mush. I tried to get ahead by knitting some of the pattern still at nite.I tried saving paper and using my laptop to read the pattern. I n short I tried to get too much done. The voice kept saying ," must keep knitting ".

Today is the day I will let it go and go back to enjoying the KAL. If I dont keep up, fine, Their will be others with me too , Plenty to read in the chat threads and offering encouragement . Still plenty to learn..

Norwegian Happy Knitting God Strikking

Any one else willing to share their language version of HAppy knitting?

Things I have learned so far

Well, just completed day 8, 1/3 of the way done. I must say I and many others have come a long way in just 8 days. So what I have learned so far from the most elementary skill to ......

1. It's good to slip the first stitch of every row in a scarf with a garter stich border; helps prevent curling
2. slipping a stitch; wow this is a biggy. slip as if to purl if there is no decrease involved ie the first st of a row. Slip as if to knit when a decrease in involved SSK , . slipping purlwise does not change the direction of the "leg"
3. yarnovers; from a knit to purl, bring yarn under and around then under needle to purl postion. From a purl to knit , lay yarn over knit and knit next stitch. Watch here as realizing you have more yarn involved the first YO the second.
4. yarnovers on return row; hopefully the instructions will tell you. if not look at next right side row. If you want the stitch to blend in pattern then you should on return row do what will blend ie if next right side is a knit st then purl the YO.. All this aside if you want a different effect then blending then do not follow this
5. learning to read charts left to right on right and right to left on wrong: pay attention some charts have even rows charted others dont. As well where even rows are charted most often they are in symbol terminoloiy of right side and your brain must reverse( if it were me I would use symbol we are suppose to actually do , KISS)
6. Probably every stitch is written down somewhere and someone will be able to find a picture or video of it. If you are not interested in being the first one done, you might want to wait till the am...
7. lifelines: I can now easily insert and know that I should.
8. count: sometimes markers for pattern repeats work and othertimes they get in the way. On return rows it is helpful to count pattern repeat number. YOu will catch mistakes and may not have to tink back
9. Do NOT knit when tired. Repeat DO NOT KNIT WHEN TIRED. Self explanatory
10. knitters around the world are a great group. Will need a separate list just for that.
11. AND finally but certainly not the last ... Be the boss of your own knitting. Dont want to do 2 repeats, fine do 1, or skip the day. This is to be fun!
    

Well I have 2plus hours till next day comes out so better get real life things done, lol Happy knitting!...... How do you say that in other languages

I must be crazy

It's December and I signed on to knit the 24 days till Christmas mystery scarf KAL. December as in Holiday time, decorating, baking, shopping in addition to all other tasks real life entails. And yet, I find myself putting "things" aside so I can

1. wait for the 430 local time posting of the next days pdf pattern.
   
2. Printing, reading, checking the new day thread for potential errors
3. I knit my spacer
4. If I am really good I try to get some pf the pattern done
5. I go to bed thinking about when I can put some knit time in the following day
6. I get up and check for overnite speedsters who already finished. I check for potential errata
7. I knit; I get the day done, Photograph and post to my project page and in the thread.

Then I start it all over again. I have kept up to date and so the pressure begins to build. Can I really get this done in 24 days.

here is hoping for a day with a an 8 row pattern, LOL

Waiting

1. I sit here at 430 est , done with day 5,.eagerly awaiting the Berlin time of 1030 for the day 6 pattern to upload I feel like i have been wrapped up in knitting this lovely lace scarf . What a wonderful journey so far. My husband and daughter have been out of town so I have enjoyed the solitude. I put up the CHristmas decorations and have spent my knitting time sitting by the sunny window listienng to Christmas music, some old some new. Its been joyous!

The knitting Journey

SO many knitters
so many yarns
so little time!

I have managed to keep up to day but I think day 6 will be key as my family returns home and life goes"off vacation". ON day 1 I was slightly, , frustrated that pattern designer was not exactly specific on some terminology and said to myself,. Why cant she just add slip as if to purl or knit so we all know. But now I see almost the joy in not being specific.

1. It allows knitters from the globe to share their knowledge and insight and encouragement.
2. It also fosters a sense of creativity and independance in me the knitter, something taht affter 40 years of knitting I still dont have.

I made the decision to follow last year bead placement in the spacer after some suggestions and pics form others. I know I will be a better knitter after day 24, whenever that may be... Thanks Kristin!

Knitters around the globe knit together

Twas december first
and all through the world
knitters, were gathering their yarn, beads, and tools,
to join along in this years 24 days till Chrisitmas knit along

each day designer Kristin releases that days pattern
as we all blog and frantically try to complete that days journey,

In different lands , stitch symbols are different
and the yarns may be different
but we all work to the end result
a lovely knitted scarf


So thanks to Kristin
for being our inspiration
and sharing this wonderful gift during this special season
and as we knit each daily lesson may we all be mindful of the reason for the season.

Dead heat mad dash to the finish

Well officially there is 11 days left in the dead heat dash. I suppose I officially came out of the “black hole” last weekend when I finished my 2nd summer of socks project, medallion lace socks. I was glad to get them done. It is the first pair of socks that I can say I wont knit again. The design is nice but it creates little puckers; so you would have to block the socks each time. I dont block socks. The knit one crochet ty dye yarn was nice; while a little splitty I think it will wear well.

SO only 11 days and I must finish tamarah. I am still sloggn along 8 rows at a time on each end. I think if I calculated to leave about 50 g of each ball for step 3 that should work. Wouldnt that be a hoot if I had to rip because I ran out of yarn. I have a feeling the shawl may block a little big. Pattern said 19 in wide but in retrospect I like mine narrower . Oh well

Then I cast on with leftover cherry tree hill from my marvelous mitts to do a pattern in one skein sock wonder beaded mitts. I am past the thumb on mitt 1 and see they are going to be small. I dont want to rip as getting the beads on with crochet hook has most likely damaged the yarn. They look lovely but…. I think I will cast on mitt 2 and use +8 stitches and maybe sz 2 needles for body of hand.

Technorati Tags: deadheat2011

the black hole stage: danger zone

I have only been working on my current projects for roughly 10 days( I started Tamarah on last stage of TDF and my 2nd summer of sock pattern on July 21). I think its because its summer. its hot, and I finished too many projects during the TDF KAl(can’t wait to see my stash yards at aug 31)

Tamarah was interesting at first but as step 2 continued for 24 in each side… yawn, yawn So will do I think about as I knit 98 st back and forth in a 3 stitch pattern repeat for 54lnches? First, I yarn usage and if I would have enough( it looks like yes). Then I started to start think about how to block this rayon cotton item( will blog next on that). Maybe that will get me through this blackhole stage of this project. Stephanie Pearl Mcphee describes it in her book Cast Off. You know, that stage, when you have knit for 5 hours and the project seems to measure the same as at beginning of day. I even have been fantasizing about buying some yarn , 1 skein only,..danger..danger

Maybe I need to think about a pretty shawl pin . Ok Thinking about Blocking and pins will get me through at least to step 3 when I begin decreases But no thinking of yarn purchases even if my birthday is comng up….

MIddle of the project= Boredom

Well I have been at this project about a week and am getting a little bored. It was exciting initially seeing the shape takes place but now I knit in pattern till basically piece measures finished length or about 54 in

Plus I am thinking that it is going to be too wide when blocked. I am a petite frame person ; a 20: in width hmm . I should have aimed for 14. Now seeing the pattern I know exactly how I could have changed the pattern.

As well I worry I will not have enough yarn left. I suppose I could weigh the balls after a " set " of 4 rows and calculate how much yarn used per # stitches ; then figure how many stitches in step 3 and weight needed at that point.

And finally I am thinking maybe needle size could have been one more larger for a more open weave. . I dont want this to be " heavy" feeling.

SO boring pattern at this point = too much time to think. SHould I keep knitting or rip out and start again

Progress on new project

I completed making the first 2 triangles. I ended up using a sz 8 needle. Now I am beginning to worry that I may run out of yarn. I have 400 yds each .

STEP 2:
I opted to knit out from the center. Once I put the 2 triangles together at start of step 2 I knit 4 rows of each yarn then switch to other side. I did not break the yarns as instructed. It is very curious how this construction is setting up. Allmy LM line up so I must be on right track..

On the bad side I came upon a knot in the rayon yarn and shortly thereafter a frayed section. I will see how I can hide it but now worry about the "strength" of my finished project. It was such a long time ago that I wound this into balls I have no idea what is to come. The first knot I tried to do a type of braided join . The damaged section I may hide a knot edge. Rayon is a slippy bugger.

New Project

Well, the Tour de france is over. I had so much fun knitting quick projects and my one white jersey project that I realized its good to step outside the box and challenge yourself.

SO with stash I have had for about 10 years. I am embarking on Iris SChreiners's Tamarah.

I will be using Wool in the woods capri and double kiss which I must have for at least 10 years. The LYS is long closed. They are 2 of the very few summer yarns I have. While not the Artyarns brand of Iris I will see what I can get from this.

The yarns are dk so I started with needles suggested in pattern, size 7. Difficult to do gauge swatch giving nature of modular piece.
After first triangle I thought it looked small etc so knit up one in sz 8 needles and I like what I see. Its rather interesting how the shape develops into a semi circle.. So I will continue on to 2nd first triangle...( but with no TDF to watch

Tour de France Knit a long: Choices – to frog or not

My TDF KAL project Lisa’s periwinkle got off to a great start and within 2 days I was halfway through the published stated length or about 22 inches. Unfortunately, the combo of yarns was not saying to me, this is great. Instead it was saying to me, this looks like the afghan you made last year and I dont want to wear an afghan. I decided to put the project aside for a day or two hoping that some time away would enhance its love to me.

I quicky cast on project 2 for tdfkal raspberry ribbon scarf. Again this is another quick knit and one that I had the exact yarn(imagine that) in my stash. k1c2 Tartelette.

I first used this yarn about 10 years ago to make a self fringing shawl; I loved it and quickly searched out 7 more colorways from an online seller. I still have some of 2 colorways. As this project is knitting up I like it; I guess it looks like the picture which was a look I liked. I can see this pattern in other yarns as it is a one skeiner. I think as soon as i finish I will choose another stash yarn and make again to see if I can deviate from the pattern ie be a little creative.

Through all my years of knitting choosing the right yarn for the pattern has always been a struggle. Ravelry is a great source to see what others have done I see many beautiful patterns but yarn availalbility is limited even with the internet. I even see that in different countries brand availability changes. Sometimes yarns are dsicontinued by the time the book is published(saw this last night when researching yarn for Plum Perfect Swirl design. I have often thought it would be a great idea of kitting up yarns for patterns and selling them like that , especially for magazine designs.

Eventually I will need to decide what to do with the periwinkle. I am not a fan of ripping but nor do I want a finished item I will never use. I will most likely have to trash the frogged yarn as lengths are short. This was one of 2 major knits in my dead heat dash project as well so will have to use my get out of jail free pass and do some substituting.

Frog or knit on….