Fall update

I took a slight break this weekend from sweater knitting because I really wanted to try knitting with my first handspun yarn. I made this hat. It is the Vita Hat from Hip knit Hats. I added the fair isle for just a little pizazz. I loved how the handspun knitted up. I actually knitted this about 3 times because I kept making it too big. But I enjoyed knitting with my yarn so much I didn't mind tearing back to make it smaller.





I worked on my Candy Corn last week. I'm still about 1/2 a sleeve to go.


I've tried it on a couple of time. I think it looks better on than it does lying flat.

Ute socks completed

I finished the Ute socks. I have to say that I really like Fair Isle knitting. By the end of the second sock, my tension was really very good. I like it!!


I have lots of small amounts of left over sock yarn. Now I know what to do with it.
I'm posting these on another blog Scrap Sock KAL which has some of the most lovely Fair isle socks I have ever seen.

Now back to my Candy Corn sweater. Almost done with it too.....Half a sleeve and the collar.

Obsession with my Candy Corn Sweater

I am obsessed with finishing my Candy Corn Sweater. Also, I have to say that I'm not sure why I called it a Candy Corn sweater. I originally thought that the stitch pattern I was using was called Candy Corn, but it is really called Indian Corn. So I was going to change the name, but Candy Corn kind of stuck. So the name has nothing to do with the sweater other than I am making it over Halloween - well that's good enough for me.

Anyway, I took this picture on Tuesday and since yesterday I almost have the first sleeve completed. I'm hoping to complete it by next weekend.

I tried it on and it is looking pretty good on. I wasn't sure how the bulkier yarn would feel and the stitch pattern is kind of dense too, but I have to say, I think I am liking it.

I'm trying to finish this sweater and my Ute socks:

(Which are now almost up to the toe on the second sock) before I start my handspun hat.

Also, just an aside, I had a little alien visitor last weekend. So cool!!! She wasn't afraid of me handling her. I put her in my plant where a bird couldn't find her.

Have a great week!

Candy Corn Geurnsey

I've been working on my Candy Corn Guernsey. I'm about 1/2 way done.

In this picture it looks like a skirt, but I tried it on and I think it will make a nice tunic style sweater. The bottom part is a K2 with 10 stitches of moss stitch in between. This yarn shows of the moss stitching very well.
I've just finished the garter stitch band and I am going to start on the Indian Corn stitch for the top portion. This stitch was explained in the Holiday issue of Vogue Knitting. I thought it gave the knit fabric a really interesting texture. It inspired me to add it to the top and sleeve portion of this sweater.

by the way, the yarn is an ebay purchase of some Mull Spun Wool from a Connecticut Farm. The yarn has a nice heathery look.

Spinning:
Still have not purchased a wheel. I'm more "not yet" than "gotta have it!"



I finished another 80 yard or so of the Fern Color roving. I am planning on using this for a hat for myself. I think I will likely start that as soon as I get to the sleeves of my sweater. I'm anxious to see how my yarn will knit up. I am hopefully that it is fairly balanced. But maybe for a hat that will not matter too much. We'll see.

Happy knitting!!

Come Find Me in Ravelry

For everyone who wants to meet up in Ravelry, my name is Judeh22. I thought of coming up with something clever or using my yarn formulator name, but Judeh22 is so much easier to remember and type!!

Come meet up with me! But bear with me I am still learning how to get around and what/where everything is in the site. I haven't had a chance this week to spend more time there. Darn work!!

The RAVELRY invite finally came!!

First I have to say:

I GOT MY RAVELRY INVITE!!!!
I have only set up my profile; I can tell I will be spending some time in there.

Also, I wanted to thank everyone for the comments and encouragement. It really means alot to me that you all are checking into my blog.

Please, if you stop by, just leave a hello in my comments.

Happy Knitting and Spinning and pray for that cold front to come through Cincinnati before we all melt!

Spinning-First Hand Experience is Invaluable

I wanted to post an update of my spinning progress. I have to say the spinning was great. I do enjoy it, but I had a near disaster trying to remove the single from the spindle.
I had a pretty full spindle of the Fern Colored BFL, and so I thought it was time to wind it up into a ball. I was originally thinking I would spin another spindle full and ply the 2 singles together. I do not have a nostepinne but I had seen a Youtube Video on how you can wind a ball straight off the spindle with a ball winder. I had done this with my first attempt, and it went pretty well. The Fern BFL was another story!!!
I started to wind the ball and about 20 yards into it I got the yarn all snagged up. I had a loose end at the bottom of the cop and it had tangled with the yarn attached to the winder. UGH!!!!! I am a very patient person. I thought, I can work this out.... just go slow, and work the tangle out.
Well, after about 15 minutes, it was clear that I was not going to work this snag out. At this point, I had a complete Brain Fart. I thought if I slide the cop off the spindle, I can start winding from inside the ball. In my defense of this completely stupid idea, I was thinking of what I had read in the book "High Whorl", where Priscilla recommended that you could ply directly off a nostepinne (using the yarn from inside the ball and from the outside of the ball). First of all, I found out the Spindle shaft is not a nostepinne and second the you cannot slide the cop off my Spindle.

My attempt to slide my cop off the shaft caused the most God Awful mess of twisted yarn I have ever seen. The outer part of the cop slide off the shaft and the tightly wound center of the cop stayed at the top of the shaft by the whorl. Not to mention that as the yarn slide off, some of it got hooked onto the the groove that my shaft has at the end of the shaft (I have a Schacht Hi low spindle) I was certain that I was going to have to cut this off the spindle and start over. I should have taken a picture, but I was having a nervous break down at the time, and the thought that this will somehow work out just did not enter my brain at that time.

To the rescue: My daughter arrived home from Soccer practice at this time and thankfully jumped in to help me. Having 2 hands to keep the single from plying back on itself as I tried to work out the snarls was incredibly helpful!! It took a while but we were able to save the yarn!! I got it wound onto the ball winder and left it there for about 2 days because, I have to say, I was terrified to move it. Last night I overcame my fear of the ball of Fern Colored BFL single and tried to ply it. Let's just say that went a whole lot better!




Oh, what we learn from first hand experience that just cannot be taught in a book!

I Got a New Toy for my Birthday

I know I haven't been writing much but that is because I got my new drop spindle and fiber (BFL) in the mail early this week. (Yeah Hoo!!!)


I got started with the natural, just in case I was really bad at this. But it turns out, I could draft a fairly consistent yarn. At least better than I though I'd do.



So this is my first ball of handspun. It was really fun and relaxing to make!!!

I started to spin up the Fern color. I bought this color to make myself a hat for this winter. The practice on the natural color has helped to even out my yarn even more. I'm already thinking about how I should ply it.


The other project I've been trying to finish is the vintage gloves
I added a ribbing to the wrist. I like my gloves to be snug around my wrist.
They took almost exactly 1 skein of this wonderful handspun alpaca. I'm not sure what I will do with the other skein. Maybe a matching hat or scarf???


Have a great weekend

Thoughts on Izzy's

The Izzy Sock Pattern was born out of my love of Fair Isle, my need for mindless patterns, and my curse of a tight hand. These factors do not mix when it comes to sock knitting!!!

I love to work with color. I’m always surprised to see how colors interact in my knitting. But even more, I love mindless knitting. Following a Fair Isle pattern is not what I call Mindless knitting. I find that sock patterns with easy to memorize repeats of lace or cable patterns, are my favorite. I can work on them anywhere, put them down and pick them up, without skipping a beat. That is my kind of knitting!!!

Then, there is my Curse. I am a tight knitter. So I really have to pay attention when doing work that requires me to carry strands of yarn along my work (ala Fair Isle). My Fair Isle work does not stretch, at all. This isn’t exactly great for sock knitting.

So I tried to come up with a pattern to do color work where I carry the yarn behind the front of the work but would also be stretchy enough so that I could get the sock on my foot.
The pattern is a simple K2 P2 rib all the way to the toe. So the stretch is great on these socks. And the 2 color work is completely mindless. You really don’t even need the pattern if you follow this simple recipe.

Stitch pattern:
Always K in Knit stitches and P in Purl Sts.
Carry the non-working yarn behind your work throughout the sock.

Color pattern
The color pattern is a 2 row repeat, so every 2 rows the color pattern will change.
The color work rows are :
1st 2 rows: 2 color work
2nd 2 rows: single color work
Repeat.

The Single color rows are alternating main color (MC) and Complementary Color (CC) color.. So it goes 2 rows of MC, 2 rows of color work, 2 rows of CC, 2 rows of color work, back to 2 rows of MC, etc.
The 2 color rows are worked thus, always work the Knit sts in the opposite color of the previous solid color row and the purl sts in same color as the previously completed solid color row. For example, you have just finished 2 MC rows, the next row you start by K2 st in CC, P2 in MC, repeating around for 2 rows.
After you finish these 2 rows you go back to the single color row instruction. Since your last single color rows were in MC, you do the next 2 rows in CC. And so on. Really, once you do about 8 rounds (1 full repeat) the pattern is stuck in your head.

If you are the kind of person who needs a line by line pattern. Just leave a comment, and I will email it to you.

Summer of Socks 2007 ending

Well, if any of you follow the summer of socks, you know I did not win. Boooooo. But Yea for Ina!! Her pattern was really pretty and I am excited to try it myself. I thought about submitting this one to Knitty but I think it is disqualified because I've posted pictures on my blog. So if anyone is interested, I can email them the word (.doc)or the works (.wps) file. Also I may post it in the text of my blog, but that makes it difficult to print. Leave me a comment if you want the Izzy socks pattern sent to you with your email or drop me a personal email at jhollingshead@cinci.rr.com.

More Art, less functionality

You know, I've decided my blog pictures are boring. Yes they show the projects I am working on , but the are just BLAH!!!!!

I'm going to try to start adding some "artsy" project and yarn pictures. Bear with me, I am learning.

What do you think?

More Boring version:


More Artsy version:


Either way. This is the knit side of my Skinny Scarf I promised.

Oh!!!! Fall is coming

Well I just realized that I have been blogging for about 1 year. I remember starting sometime around fall last year. I've been much better at keeping up with it now. I was pitiful a the beginning. I'm faster now at downloading pictures.

Thanks for all who check in on me to see what I am up to....Speaking of what I have been up to. I finished the scarf for my daughter. She like it. At least it has found a place in her closet among other clothes she will wear.


If you will notice, the picture is of the wrong side of the scarf, but my camera battery has died so I will have to get the correct side ( or I should say the knit side) photo to you later.

I've also been working on a pair of gloves. I purchased some handspun alpaca last year and it has been in my stash just waiting for me to knit up a pair of gloves.

I have this one complete except for the thumb. I actually kitchner stitch the last 6 stitches together. I think this makes a flatter top of the finger. I used the vintage knit gloves pattern. i just added a 3 inch ribbing tot he wrist. They fit so nice. I love gloves. I am planning on casting on the other one tonight.

I've also decided to treat myself (for my birthday this month) to the hobby of spinning. I've been researching it and I think it is time for me to jump in. I put the order for the Book, Spinning in the Old Way and I ordered a spindle and various medium grade wools to begin with from www.Fiber2yarn.com. Elizabeth was great help in letting me know what I needed to get started. I'm so excited. I cannot wait to get my supplies.

I decided to go with hand spinning on a spindle. I know it is very different than wheel spinning, but I like the control factor and the simplicity of it. I thought about why I wanted to spin and it is not about pumping out lots of yarn. It is about learning a new skill and trying to get really good at making yarn. From all I read, there is alot of control over this process with the Spindle. I guess we'll see....

I'll keep you posted..
Have a great weekend.

Still Knitting....Just Not Socks

Okay Okay, I have no Stamina...I've fallen off the sock knitting band wagon at the end here. This is the time I should be devoting myself to finishing up as many pairs of socks as possible, but I know I cannot win....In the spirit of it all. I did get my design pattern in on time. Hopefully more people will enter something. I understand that Jess has extended the deadline because she is 4 patterns short of her 15 minimum to run the contest. Booo.. I hope she gets the patterns to run this contest.
Back to my non-sock knitting. I've started and finished some seat covers for my car. I have black leather seats and they get really hot when the sun shines on them, and they are really cold in the winter (until I get the seat warmers cooking). Anyway....My daughter burnt her butt on the hot seat the other day so I promised her I would finish this weekend.



Nothing too special. But they are really soft, and they will keep my butt and legs from sticking to the seat in the summer. I still have to make on for the back seat. I don't have enough Katia Beetle yarn. I do have some acrylic that might be great for that. I just am not particularly fond of knitting with acrylic. It just doesn't feel as nice. I know these seat covers are going to take some abuse. Soccer season is coming up. We'll see what I can come up with.

Also, I got my Cloud 9 from Webs: Scrumptious yarn. It is so soft, and it knits up so nice. I'm using it for the scarf for my daughter. It is still in progress, but I should finish it soon. I'm more than 1/2 way there.


This pattern has a great stitch. I've seen it used in pillows because the fabric it produces is very sturdy and smooth. But I like it more for the way the colors blend into one another. I want to make a matching hat, just because I have enough yarn, (not because my daughter wants one.) I'm not sure if this stitch pattern will work for a hat, but I may try to work it out.

Well, I'm off to work on another pattern that I am putting into the correct format for Knitty. I decided to try to get it into the next issue - Deadline is Sept 15. I have to get a good picture of it. I guess this is key to getting things accepted to the magazine. That could be a bigger challenge than anything else in the process.

Enjoy the rest of your Labor Day Weekend.

Just Takin' A Break

I'm just taking a break for about a week or so. I haven't forgot to write. I've just been swamped with "kid duties." School started this week for my 2, and it has been....well, something. I've even taken a break from sock knitting.

I've been putting the final word together on my Izzy socks. I'm worried that no one will like them. well, I've decided to put myself out there. If no one likes them..so be it.

Write at ya soon

Pictures of Izzy's

Pictures are on.

I'm working on getting the pictures added to the pattern. And adding my written comments about the pattern. The 2 color knitting is really very easy with this pattern. I'm all about a simple repeat I can just pick up and knit. This one really is like that. I plan on writing out this simple formula in my comments. But, the pattern is, of course, the details of each row.

Writing these details was hard for me because I don't normally knit using a pattern. It was hard thinking in such detail about each row. Anyway, If the pattern is not included anywhere in SOS2007, I will publish it on this site some way (I haven't ever done anything like that) , but I will figure something out. That way if anyone is interested in trying it, they can.

Hope you like the pictures.




These were completed in Lana Grossa Meilenweit Turquoise and Pink. I purchased this from Simply Socks Yarn Company



These were my first pair that I made with some left over Bernat Hot Sox yarn. The gauge was a little larger but they still fit great. The stretch is really nice on these even though the yarn is carried around like in Fair Isle knitting.

Have a great rest of the week!

Thanks for the Yarnaholic Support!!

Thanks Karen and Tonia for the support on my inability to resist Yarn purchase. I no longer feel alone in my weakness!!!

I've heard of others who can shop on these websites and then close the window without purchasing. I cannot understand how they do this!!! If I go on the website and look, I am buying. Weak...I know. It's a good thing I don't drink.
Have a great day.

Jude

Quick Sock design update and A Yarn Splurge

I'm finished!!! Sorry I will post the pictures later today or tomorrow.
Very exciting. This has inspired me to maybe try to submit something to Knitty. When I taught at a shop, I came up with all kinds of original designs for different classes. Now there is no one to share them with. I was thinking that these may be perfect to send off to some online magazines to get their take on them. Who knows, maybe they will like them.

I have to say I have been on a yarn buying spree. My stash overfloweth....

Yesterday I was cruising ebay....you know just to see what was there. And there was a person unloading Lopi Lite. Lots of different colors. Whenever I see Lopi on ebay, I usually watch it and it goes for at least what you can buy it for from Webs or other yarn sites. But I put a bid in on it, figuring I would get outbid as I usually do on Lopi. Well......can you believe. I won 15 balls of Lopi lite for 26.00!!!! With shipping it only comes to 2.10/ball. I cannot believe it. I am such a dork that I went to Webs and priced what this would be and it would have cost me about 70.00 to get this much from them. Okay that is not all. Of course I'm on webs so I have to check out the clearance and closeouts. I live for a good deal....Can you tell. Anyway I come across some Cascade Cloud 9(50 % Merino/50% angora) in beautiful shades of pink and yellow. (My daughters new favorite colors.) So we start planning out a scarf and hat set for her. Well she is thinking scarf. I'm thinking she needs a hat this winter. So I buy another 8 balls in 3 shades of pink and yellow. But it was only 35.00 with shipping. I cannot pass this kind of yarn for that kind of price.

I went onto Webs this morning and they are almost out of the colors I purchased. The yarn is a fabulous deal at these close out prices.

Okay...I must stop buying yarn. I have to start really buckling down and knitting what I already have. It's just so damn hard to restrain myself.

Have a Great Day.....Promise pictures soon!

Finished Pair 3 SOS2007

I've finished the basketweave socks. That is Pair 3 for the SOS 2007 KAL.






I'm in the midst of pair 4. Just about done with the First sock. I'm reknitting my CONTEST design pattern in the correct yarn. They are coming out soooo cute. I'm just about ready to send in the pattern. Likely I will get this done in the next couple of weeks. I will post the pictures of both the socks I've done when I send in the pattern. For anyone who is interested.

By the way, My daughter and I decided on the name.....sort of..

She calls them "Izzy's"
I like "Lizzy's"

We came up with the name because the pattern has a resemblance to lizard skin. But of course I did them in Pink and Turquoise.

Pair 3 Started in the SOS 2007

A simple basket weave pattern, german sock yarn: Strickspass.
I did these on 2 circulars. I have to say.....Didn't like it much. DPNs seems so much easier to me. I used a 16 inch and a 29 inch needle. It was such a pain with all that cording flipping around and getting in my way. I'm doing my second sock on 4 DPNs.


I think I will try doing 2 socks on 2 circs. I see the advantage to that. But otherwise.......I'm not converting.

Have a great Weekend.

Frogging and Filling

Well I finally decided to Frog the sweater I started last Spring. I just was not happy about how the front pattern was looking.



I did not like the center cable.. It was coming out too tight and pulling the yarn to the right and creating long strands along the left side. That no matter how hard I tried to tighten during my knitting, it always seemed to occur. The photo below isn't very clear but you can see how loose the stitches were along the center cable.



I like the yarn. I got it off off Ebay. It was from some farm in Connecticut. It was called Mule Spun. It reminds me of Bartlett yarn. I think I will start a new sweater with it, but I need to decide on a less complicated cable pattern. The moss stitching I did on the back side was really very nice so maybe I'll design something along those lines.

As for my Filler project:
Okay, you must know what a filler project is....a project that will only take a few hours, so it will not interfere with any other project commitment. Since I just couldn't decide on a sock pattern to begin for pair 3 of my SOS2007 KAL, I decided to cast on the filler project the Saarjte baby booties, for my friend who is due in October. A perfect filler project!!




These are just the most adorable baby booties. And they are SOOOOOOOO small. I finished them in about 2 hours including sewing on the buttons.
I knit these in a vintage yarn: Miss Canada (Patons & Baldwins LTD) 100% wool on size 1 needles. The yarn is a very smooth fingering weight with alot of spring to it. Each booties came out to about 3" long.

I think today I will pour over some of my sock patterns and maybe some sweater patterns to decide what I should do next.
Can you believe it, Since I frogged the sweater, I have NOTHING ON THE NEEDLES. Time to get casting on!!