If you were to knit initials and a date into the cuff of mittens, which way would you orient them? Would you have them read right when looking at the mittens with the cuffs on the bottom or would you have them read right when looking at them with the cuffs at the top??
What are your “must have” tools to take with you when knitting away from home? What do you keep them in? Do you have multiples of these kits living in different bags? Inquiring minds would like to know! 
For me, I have one tool kit in a clear vinyl make-up bag. It usually contains the following…
- Needle Sizer/Ruler
- Measuring Tape
- Chibi Needle Case with four needles in it
- Small Fiskars Scissors
- Small ball of left over sock yarn (for impromtu stitch markers or stitch holders etc.)
- 2 Small-ish stitch holders
- Stitch Markers
- Usually a couple sets of DPNs in various “sock sizes”
- Small Crochet Hook
- A pack of GUM Dental Floss Threaders (great for stringing beads or weaving in too short ends)
- Emory Board (for nails and needles)
How about you?? Either answer in the comments or post to your own blog and leave a comment letting me know to check it out!
Can anyone point me to some good two-color fair isle patterns that might be good for that Alpaca hat from my grandpa?? Norwegian or at least Scandanavian ones would be exceptionally good. Right now I have no stitch dictionaries with much in the way of colorwork because I never thought I’d do it, LOL! So, free links or book recommendations are highly welcome!
Thanks!
What spinning wheel do you use? What were the selling points that made you choose that model?
Yes, a spinning wheel is in my near future. DH informed me last night that my birthday present will be a spinning wheel. He was a little disappointed that I didn’t get to try one out earlier so he could have it ordered and here for my birthday. But, the fact that it is a spinning wheel makes up for the wait. Heck, I didn’t get any presents on my actual birthday because mom took me shopping on the Internet yesterday so I’ll be having some new spring clothes arrive over the next week and two magazine subscriptions (IK and Cloth, Paper Scissors) starting with the summer issues. So, the joy is spread out
Still no pics and I know I promised some. However, last week I had a major flare of my chronic pain issues. I was mostly on bed rest and due to meds sleeping an awful lot so I haven’t had a chance to take any pics just yet, but there will be some soon…
While I was “down and out” I did start and finish the first of the Seaweed Socks for our friend John. I made some adjustments for gauge differences and for a men’s size. I also did not continue the rib across the instep because of the thickness of it in worsted weight. DH and I decided we thought it might be uncomfortable with shoes on. One thing I forgot when I chose the yarn was that intricate stitches do not show up well with Lamb’s Pride because of the 15% mohair. So, for my dad’s socks I think I’ll just do a basic rib of some variety as this seaweed rib is not very prominent.
I have a couple of questions though…
1). I believe I had read some more thrifty ways to hand wash wool and I was thinking it was to use Baby Shampoo to wash them. Am I correct? Please share your tricks to save some $$ when handwashing wool as I’m pretty sure John is not going to big on buying special soap to wash his socks so I’d like to give him some practical washing instructions.
2). Are there any sock knitting books out there that do not have a huge number of intarsia or faire isle designs in them, but rather are focused on knit/purl or cable patterns instead? I do have a few books with stitch patterns but often when I start on socks I’m on my way out the door and needing something to do while waiting or riding in the car and don’t really have the time to create the pattern from scratch so I’d love a no-fail sock book. But, I don’t want to mess with intarsia or faire isle. Any ideas?
In other sock news, the second Sockotta sock is on hold for a bit. Partially because I decided that while I love the socks and they make me smile, I don’t think they are a great fit for the intial intended recipient so there is no huge need to complete them. Then I made the heel flap a bit too long and had a few rows where I skipped a slip stitch on the side so I needl to pull back to the beginning of the heel flap and picking up the stitches has me procrastinating.
The poncho is mostly where it was at last week, except a little over 1/2 of the ends on the first rectangle are woven in. So, there is still much work to do on it, but I’m giving it a bit of a break because it takes a lot of concentration to do that openwork pattern with all those novelty yarns. So, not a good mix with drugs that make me drowsy.
I also started a *super easy* shawl last night based on one we saw at Indigo Thread last Tuesday. I’m 1/2 done on that and did that entire first half while DH and I vegged on the couch watching Pride and Prejudice with Collin Firth and Jennifer Euhle. I took breaks as using full length 13s is a bit hard on the wrists. I’d say I probably knit for about 3 of the 5 hours of the movie. Though that’s a rough estimate.
Tonight at Stitch ‘n Bitch and at knitting tea tomorrow I plan on working on the second seaweed sock…
Okay, as you can see there are still some kinks to work out. If any of you are familiar with WordPress and could help me out with what I need to do (files or tables to edit etc.) to get rid of those error messages I’d appreciate your leaving me comment on how to fix them…
In knitting news, it is picture day!
Openwork Scarf
Sz 13s
Trendsetter’s Dune
The above is a picture of the beginnings of a scard I am making with some of the yarn I picked up in Loveland last week. It’s Trendsetter’s Dune, which contains two strands of yarn. The funny thing is that I have a cone (not full) of the glittery strand or somethin *very* *very* similar, LOL! But I’m really liking it with this pattern, though it is verging on too fuzzy as the openwork is lost in this picture.
Deteil of openwork.
If you have a bit of space between the scarf and a light background you can see the openwork a bit better. I just love this pattern!
Crystal Palace’s Whisper
This was the other ball of yarn I purchased last week. This will be combined with the Sockotta yarn I bought last Tuesday at Lambspun and be used to make the cuff on a pair of anklets. I think it’l make for some fun socks that will make you smile. That’s the goal anyway since I’m making them for a woman fighting cancer and away from her family for 4 months to get the best treatment she can.
Now, I’m late because I’ve been messing around with this WordPress stuff, but it’s time for me to head out to knitting tea for this week. I think the break from the computer might do me some good. But, please, please, if you know anything about WordPress shed some light. I never get responses of any help at the support forum…
I’m ready for a more challenging sock pattern. I’m getting tired of just plain ribs for the ankle. Today I did not leave my wallet in the car and I bought some worsted weight Lamb’s Pride to make some really warm sort of house socks for a friend of ours who lives on the top of a mountain in NM in the middle no where and his housing is less than comfortable in the winter. When he was visiting a while ago he happened to give me a hint as to his favorite color. So, I’m set, except I’d like a more interesting pattern than a standard 1X1, 3X1, 2X2 etc. rib. I’d preffer the pattern to be free or downloadable. But am somewhat flexible. So, please enlighten me with your favorite patterns for men’s socks. It doesn’t have to be worsted weight. I can do okay adjusting to match my gauge or I hope to knit some socks for DH as well so I’d like to build a set of links…
Oh, and while I’m asking questions… I thought I remembered reading somewhere that you could carry sewing thread with to reinforce toes/heels - is this true and if so is it a particular type of sewing thread? The stuff I bought last week just doesn’t come in enough colors to look good with the yarn purchase I made today so if I could just use some sewing thread I could pick a color that blended better.
TIA!
What is your favorite book for a broad variety of stitching patterns? I’d like one that includes simple textures as well as cables and some lace patterns and I *need* your help! Enlighten me!
Wheee! My final printmaking lesson has been written and uploaded so now I only have two color-themed art journals for a round robin that have to be mailed around the 29th to interrupt my knitting time. Of course, I probably still have to be kind of careful about my dainty (HA! all 8 inches) wrists so it’ll be good to have other less repetitive wrist motion activities to break up the knitting with. I’m hoping to really soar on the Shapely Tank and SIL2’s Sigma.
I cannot express how glad I am that the printmaking class is done. I’m getting really great feedback on it, but it was like pulling teeth each week.
I have a shorter reading time for book club and I need to get through both Angels and Demons and DaVinci Code before May 17th if I recall the date correctly. So I’m thinking I’ll be doing at least DaVinvi Code from Audible.com so I can get embroidery and knitting done while I’m reading. See, I burn audio books from Audible.com to CD for my mom since she is blind and has very questionable internet service and my dad doesn’t have time to be burning CDs for her. I’d do Angels and Demons on CD as well, but I don’t think they have that one unabridged and I’m about 50 pages in already.
What are you reading?
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