Paws to Remember is off the needles
WooHoo! Paws came off the needles last night and is blocking as I type.
It was a race to the finish, as well, to see if I was going to have enough yarn to finish. From the first hank of yarn, I was able to do 21 repeats of the pattern, but with the second hank, I was only able to do 17 before I decided that I better do the border. I have about a golfball size ball of yarn left, although with laceweight, I may have squeaked another repeat out of it... Nah...
On the pattern, I added an additional 4 repeats to the width and an additional 9 repeats to the length, so that I have a shawl instead of a scarf. The overall dimensions blocked are approximately 69 x 25 inches. I'm quite pleased with that.
The yarn I used is from the Davidson Corp. out of Eaton Rapids, MI, purchased at Creative Fibers in Minneapolis, a Domy Heather in the Charcoal colorway, laceweight 100% wool. I used US size 7 Clover Takumi Bamboo needles. I don't remember when I started this, but it was hot, so I'm going to guess sometime in late June or early July.
89 stitches per row x 508 rows = 45,212 stitches ZOWIE!
Now to concentrate on River, but I still want to cast on for something new, too! I have all that Koigu I was going to use to make a Clapotis, but I'm also thinking of trying the "Here and There Cables" out of "Scarf Styles." I need a take along progect for my trip to San Francisco and River is too fussy for that. What to do...
Ene Complete
Finally finished. Actually, this was finished a few weeks ago except for weaving in all the yarn ends. Each of the 4 skeins I used had one splice knot in it, so it doubled the part of finishing I hate most.
I also hate weaving in thread ends with beading, so I tend to do them right away. I seem to recall that you shouldn't weave in yarn ends until after blocking and that make sense with natural fibers since you're stretching the item.
Also, I want to re-block this. I don't like the pointy things across the long end where the pins held it. I want to go get some welding rods (don't know the correct term, B rattled them off and explained the virtues of all, but all I want is something 3 feet long that is skinny and won't bend or rust, LOL) to weave through the lace on that side to get a straighter edge.
And my hair, look how long. I just had 3 inches cut off and I thought it was shorter than this before I got it cut. Since I want it long, that works!
In other news, less than one repeat left on Paws to Remember. Can I have it off the needles and blocked before my trip to San Francisco and
B.A.B.E. 2005!? Why yes! I think I can!
And then, my attention can focus on River. W00t!
Weekend Ketchup
Not much new to report. River is still at 8 repeats of the pattern. I did get another repeat done on Paws to Remember, so that's at 36. I think I have enough yarn left for two more repeats and that's done.
I started another pair of fingerless mitts with Lion Brand Wool-Ease, The white multi with the strand of glitter in it. It hates me and I was pretty sure this was a project that wasn't meant to be. I think I started and ripped out 5 or 6 times. I never got more than 6 rows on any of the tries, so it was easier to rip out and start over.
The first time, when I crossed the first and last stitches on the needles to make a tighter join, I actually cast off one of the stitches, so ended up with 39 stitches instead of 40. The rest of the tries, I screwed up the pattern. I now have 3 repeats (12 rows) done and I think I'm finally on the right path (knock wood). It was pissing Sophie off, too.
I also started a pair of slipper boots to be felted. I've never felted before, so I think it's going to be fun to see what happens. I'm using Cascade 220 for these, I like it!
Finished Mitts
YAY! I finished my mitts tonight and I love, love, LOVE them! I don't have a picture yet, because my pics in the bathroom mirror sucked big time, but they look like the pic in my last post, only two of them. LOL
I got another repeat done on Paws, but... As I completed the repeat and held it up, I noticed something not quite right.. I dropped stitch about 6 or 8 rows back!! OMG!! How can that be? I count my stitches after EVERY row and I had the right amount on every row.
I can only think that I dropped it on a k2tog or a ssk. Fortunately, the wool held and it didn't run. I didn't want to rip back that many rows and I was way too afraid to try dropping the stitch from the top and run it back, not with lace! Nuh-uh, no way!
With patience and a crochet hook, I was able to weave the stitch through the rows, around the eyelets and back up to the top, then did a k2tog. It's invisible to the naked eye, if you know it's there, you can feel it, but I think once it's blocked, it will be just fine. I wish I would have caught it when I did it, but I'm just SO glad that I noticed it at all!
So is Zack...No, really, he just looks pissed coz I wouldn't let him go back to his nap. He loves his Harley vest.
Drive By Post with a Pic
Not too much to report from my last posting. I did complete another repeat on River, so that's eight done. No progress on Paws, I need to get that done, I'm so close!
I did complete one mitt and cast on for the second one. I love this mitt!
Cables and DPNs
So, Paws to Remember and River are both coming along nicely, I have 4 repeats left on Paws and another repeat (7th) done on River. I made a Feather & Fan dishcloth out of some scrap yarn and a cute little coin purse, so I'm looking for a portable project. Something that doesn't require a lot of concentration.
Then I saw
Cari's cute gauntlets using
Jodi's pattern (this is a pdf file link, FYI).
Let's see, I made sweaters with cables 20 years ago and I have some DPNs, so I must have done something with those, too. What, I don't have any idea, but I have them, so I must have used them, right? So, piece of cake, should be like riding a bicycle... Right?
Well, sort of. After a couple of false starts and fiddling 5 DPNs and a cable needle about, I'm doing pretty well, I think. I thought about trying
cabling without a cable needle, but I'm not that brave yet. Although, I forgot I'd bookmarked
Kathy's tutorial and I think I can do this!
I'm using
Patons Classic Wool in Denim Marl. How do you like them so far?
Summer Tank and a OSW
Since I was so bad about blogging this summer, I do have some finished things to post. The first is this tank top from Leisure Arts
Trendy Knit Tops. Paired with a matching
One Skein Wonder and this girl is ready to go!
For this set, I used Moda Dea Curious yarn (45% nylon, 28% cotton, 27% acrylic ) in
Black Cherry on US size 10 needles. Oddly enough, Moda Dea doesn't show this yarn on their website.
I started a Feather & Fan dishcloth yesterday out of some scrap Sugar 'n Cream yarn in "Hot Blue" (turquoise). It will be as big as I have yarn. I also made a credit card holder out of scrap Sugar 'n Cream in "Summer Splash." These are both leftover yarns from Stephanie's
Waist Pack pattern.
River Along Update and an FO
My progress on River is coming along nicely. After my horrible luck with the second repeat, the waters have calmed down and I've completed the sixth repeat. Since I dropped down to US 8 needles, that's about 15 inches (not including the border), so I think I'll be doing about 18 repeats instead of the 12 called for to get a decent length.
I don't have the pattern totally memorized, but I did write down the rows on index cards to make it more portable. I also think it wil be safe to take back the third skein. I bought three skeins thinking I was going to make it wider... Didn't happen.
I also finished my "on the go" scarf, a project I carried with me to work on after my walks at the lake or other odd moments. This scarf also went with me to Salt Lake City.
Yarn:Plymouth Yarn Italian Collection: Spazzini
75% Wool, 25% Nylon; 5 skeins
Pattern:Feather & Fan
Needles:Clover US 10
Because this is a novelty yarn,instead of purling row 2, I knit every row other than the pattern row. Heck, for all you can see of the pattern, I could have knit that too. :) It's nine inches wide and about five feet long without stretching. It's going to be nice and toasty on my neck this winter.
Paws To Remember Update...
Last you saw, I had about two inches done. I think I was on the eighth or ninth repeat of the pattern when I made a mistake and made a botch of trying to correct it.
I also wanted it to be wider, I wanted a shawl. So, I ripped it all out and ended up with this grey wool snowman.
I added 4 increments (32 stitches) to the width. The pattern calls for 29 repeats, but for a shawl, that's too short. I got 19 1/2 repeats of the pattern from the first skein, so I know I can go to 38 repeats. I'm on the 32nd repeat and am loving it! I tried to get a WIP pic, but it just looks like a gray thing. LOL It may have to wait until blocking.
Ene's scarf
One of the items I just completed... OK,
almost have completed, is Ene's scarf from "Scarf Styles." It's blocked, but I still have some ends (15) to weave in.
Here's a picture about two days before it came off the needles. As you can see, Zack approves.
For this scarf, I used some of the wool yarn I scored at
Value Village, the thrift store where I do volunteer work.
Here's Ene stretched out on the blocking board. I'll have to get some *glam* shots once I have the ends woven in. I think I'm going to block this again after I get some rods from a welding supply shop, I don't like the points across the top.
Once I figured out the rhythm of the pattern, this worked up fairly fast. I really liked that every other row got shorter, too. :) I think I had this completed in under a month.
The yarn is Columbia Minerva Featherweight Knitting Worsted, 100% virgin wool on US size 7 needles. I used just under four skeins for a cost of $2.20. Not bad!
Rolling on the River...
Yes, it's been awhile. I have no excuse other than the longer I didn't post, the easier it became and, the guiltier I felt.
Now, I want to join the
River Along that
Savannahchic is hosting and I figured I should start posting again so I can show my progress.
I was going to use
Knitpicks Alpaca Cloud in either Tide Pool or Stream, but couldn't decide, so hadn't ordered. Then I saw the Dollar Yarn at Target and was going to at least start this pattern using the "Fuzzy Fur" to see what knitting with thread was like.
Then I stopped in at
Creative Fibers and fell in love with the
Crystal Palace Kid Merino yarn colorway 9812 Violets.
After reading all the posts, I decided to use US size 8 needles and I'm pleased with the fabric I'm creating. I made it through the first repeat of the pattern with absolutely no problems at all.
Then I read the update progress on Sunday and saw that a few people were having problems. Bad Karma! Every row I knit on the second repeat, I made a mistake that resulted in much tinking. At the end of the night, all I had left was the last row of straight knitting (except the 3 stitches at the beginning and end of the row). Can't screw that up, can I? HAW! I have NO idea what happened, but I *think* I fixed it. I have the right amount of stitches and I think I picked up whatever got dropped.
WooHoo! Paws came off the needles last night and is blocking as I type. 
The yarn I used is from the Davidson Corp. out of Eaton Rapids, MI, purchased at Creative Fibers in Minneapolis, a Domy Heather in the Charcoal colorway, laceweight 100% wool. I used US size 7 Clover Takumi Bamboo needles. I don't remember when I started this, but it was hot, so I'm going to guess sometime in late June or early July.
