My First Heel

The things I like to knit best are things for the people I care about. The Engineer, my BelovedSpousalUnit, is one of the people I care most about (as it should be!)

The Engineer, however, is not one of the easier people in the universe to knit for. Here's the saga of the first thing I knit for him, a ski headband: http://thewitlesswanderer.blogspot.com/2008/04/interim-knitting-or-my-first-design.html and http://thewitlesswanderer.blogspot.com/2008/04/keeping-his-ears-warm.html.

He has yet to wear it because I gave him a ski helmet to protect his tender parts when he's on the slopes and the headband won't fit under it, nor does he need it for warmth with the helmet. (So I tell myself for consolation.)

He grumped a lot this fall about not having any good warm socks, so I decided that would be my next, hopefully not futile, project for him.

These are undoubtedly the world's most expensive socks. I bought three (just in case two weren't enough) skeins of Shibui superwash worsted merino and did test swatches on several different size needles. I presented the test swatches to the sock expert at Blazing Needles and was told to knit the socks on the size 2. Worsted, on size 2! These socks are going to be able to stand up on their own! Since I don't like dpn's, I had to buy an Adi circular needle in size 2. I really need the Adi slipperiness to be able to work the worsted on size 2 needles. Also bought a sock book so that I wouldn't have to return it to the library before the socks were done.

I started knitting on my Carolina trip back in November, but hibernated the socks after returning home to work on Christmas stuff. Then I had to knit thank you scarves for Mr. & Mrs. Good Neighbor. As soon as I was done with all that (last Thursday), I dove back into knitting on the socks.

And did not understand the directions on turning a heel. Went to Friday morning knit group at Blazing Needles where SockLady and a nice fellow knitter gave me some tips on heel turning.

Got that done, then came to the gusset instructions...

Huh?

Off to the library to get a more profusely illustrated sock book. Got the gusset done -- Yay! Hurray!

Now I'm working on the foot. I have no worry about the toe decrease, nor the Kitchener stitch to close the toe -- I can do that.

The one remaining problem is that the Engineer's birthday is Saturday. I hope he likes getting a sock and a half (maybe) for a present.

You Don't Want to See My Ugly Mug

So far my knitting has mostly encompassed things to go on the head and neck - scarves and hats. I want to post pictures of my works of art, but I'm sure as heck not going to use myself as a model (I think there might be some kind of an aesthetic law about it.) What to do, what to do?

I bought a glass head at Pier 1 Imports, which was fine for hats (and does dual duty for blocking hats as well), but it simply didn't cut the mustard for displaying scarves or fancier gewgaws. Yeah, I could keep on using the back of my recliner, but that just feels a little... two dimensional.
I put on my thinking cap and devised an elegant solution.

First you get a four pack of toilet paper (can you tell how truly sophisticated I am?) and place it in the bathroom where there's good illumination from the skylight and a mirror to reflect the back of the item. Then you cover the toilet paper with a high quality bath towel. Next, place the glass head atop the draped paper. Artistically arrange the FO (finished object for non knit nerds), and snap away.Does this presentation not simply ooze class? (Especially now that you know the secrets behind the magic?)

Hmm, I think maybe I need to get a wig for the glass head so you can't see clear through it.

Never Volunteer

That's what I've been told.

Have I ever paid attention to the things those older and wiser than myself have told me to try to save me from finding out the hard way?

Nope. What fun would that be?

Last Thursday I was at the "Stitch Effect", the once a month Library knitting group. Knitbasket, the usual group leader, had her baby early (It's a boy!) so she wasn't there. None of the other regular knitting librarians were either, which left bgulley, who's pretty much a newbie to the group, in charge. She was looking a little stressed, said she didn't think knitbasket would be back by the February meeting and that she didn't know what to do.

That's when my mouth opened itself and said, "Would you like me to teach Magic Loop knitting?"

So now, on my one year learning to knitiversary, I get to teach a group how to do Magic Loop.

Courage, I have. Sense, I suspect I lack.

Ah well, it should be fun. Or at least entertaining for the attendees.

Now to get to work assembling material list, samples, handouts... I'll post up some pictures when I have them.

(All names have been Ravelryized to protect the innocent.)

Two Colors, Two Hands?

When I saw that Blazing Needles was offering a "Basic Two Color Knitting" class, I decided that the time had come (as the Walrus said) to learn how. I called up, signed up and showed up Wednesday night.

Now, I've got to say that I am right handed. Been right handed all my life. Though I'm neither hopelessly unidextrous like my Mom nor ambidextrous like Dad and my brother (Dad can wiggle his ears too), I definitely favor my right hand. Which, to me, makes it rather surprising that I cannot knit English style. I am simply unable to purl if I'm holding the yarn in my right hand; it makes no sense to me.

Left handed -- easy-peasy.

So I got to the class, pulled out my number 7 circular and dpns and selected two shades of practice yarn. Then the teacher, Terri, gave us the bad news...

We had to learn to knit using both hands.

Simultaneously.

Main color in dominant hand, second color in other hand. Alternating. Not dropping the whole assemblage.

Dang.

First Terri set us to knitting several rounds of the main color with our "other" hand for practice. Thank goodness there was no purling involved. The other students were somehow able to toss the yarn over the needle without swinging their whole arm. Not me. I had to pinch the yarn between thumb and forefinger and move the hand in a circle around the needle. I tried to do it like the rest of them, but that was a sure recipe for dropping at least the yarn if not yarn, needles and all.

After I'd managed to knit about three rounds, the teacher announced that it was time to take main color in dominant hand, other color in other hand and knit two, knit two.

Evil Language!

How could it be so hard when I'm right handed?

But I persevered. It wasn't easy, but I did manage to knit with two colors, one in each hand.

Then I went on and committed cute. (I'm so ashamed.)

Ah well, at least I know a four year old who probably needs a dolly hat.

Trust In the Math?

I bought some very appealing Patons Bohemian yarn thinking it would make a nice chemo cap to give away. The cats thought it looked appealing too, just like a mousie, so they shredded the bag and were starting in on the first skein when I saved it.

I knit a swatch. Okay, I admit it, I'm weird, I like knitting swatches. I like seeing how the yarn feels and works and getting the hang of it without worrying about making mistakes. Then I usually frog my swatch and use it in my project.

Anyhoo, I knit a swatch on the suggested size 11 needles (ooh soft) and got the gauge - 2 stitches per inch.

To make the hat more one-size-fits-all, I decided to knit it in a 2x2 rib, so I cast on 44 stitches and knit a few rows. When I tried it on my head, it didn't seem nearly big enough. No way would it encompass my noggin -- and my head ain't that big.

So I frogged it and cast on 52 stitches.

Tried it on after a dozen rows or so and it seemed to fit fine.

Knittidy, knit, knit, knit. Try it on. Hmm... seems long enough, let's do the decreases and finish this puppy off. Once it was off the needles, I tried it on again.

Ever seen the old Cosby Kids cartoon? Remember Dumb Donald? Yep, that's how my hat fit. Less the eye holes, of course.

Crud. Shoulda believed the math.

So I decided to make it into a beret. I cast on 44 stitches. Since I'd found the yarn wasn't the least bit stretchy, I used the backwards loop cast on and knit several rounds in 1x1 rib. My yarn was running way low, so rather than casting off and sewing the band onto the hat body, I sewed it straight from the needle onto the hat.

Looked good...

Tried it on. The yarn relaxed, the ribs turned into ripples and it was still - too - big. Dang.

Guess I just learned to consider the yarn as well as the math.

Know anybody with a really big head who'd like a brown teddy bear
beret?

Interim Knitting - End of August

I don't know why, I can't seem to get into the project which cannot be named. I've chewed it around in my head until I have a pretty good idea of what I want to do. I've knit the first few inches. I like the yarn, the color has real depth. It simply isn't calling my name.

So I decided to knit something obnoxious -- PURPLE! Lion Brand Microspun -- to try to inspire me to want to work on anything different.

I am now about 2/3 of the way through the making of the Purple Pod Pouch for a friend who's a hard core nerd. It's actually for her iPhone, but Purple Pod Pouch is so alliterative and it's fun to pop those P's.

I followed Iron Needles' good advice and bought a set of Knit Picks double pointed needles to magic loop knit it with. Thank you Oh Queen of GrandBebe dress knitting, they work way better than the cheap-o needles.

Here it is photographed on my standard background chair.

And here's why I don't photograph things on the floor where they will often show up better.Extra very fine cat assistance.

Just for good measure, I'm knitting a little sack for a pair of reading glasses I got for a friend whose glasses "disappeared" while he was in the hospital. I think I have the magic loop methodology pretty well down, though I still spend more time than I would like moving the knitting around on the cable instead of knitting.

Comparative Needleology

- or - Knitting Bitty Swatches

I went to a new yarn store yesterday, so new that its grand opening is not until September 6th. The owner tempted me with a pair of Addi Turbo lace circular needles. She let me take them out of the plastic and play with them. The cable was wonderfully flexible, especially when compared to the stiff black cable on my cheap-o circulars. So I bought a 40 incher in size 4 to knit the fingerless mitts with.

Geeze o' pete, that needle is slickery.

I had absolutely no control over the tension. My stitches were loose enough to drive a Mack truck through.

Some experimentation was in order. I have a bunch of bamboo dpn's from Amazon: sizes 1 to 15, 5 of each, $19. They're not as nice as Clovers, but the price was right and I don't mind that dpn's aren't smooth, smooth, smooth. I want 'em grippy so they don't slide out when I'm not looking. Plus, it gave me a wide selection of sizes to fiddle with at a low price.

On size 3 bamboo needles, I did a long-tail cast-on, knit a couple of short rows, then did four rows of stockinet, then four rows of ribbing. It's the yellow and green swatch. On size 4 bamboo needles, I did a cable cast-on and knit essentially the same swatch in blue and lime. On the size 4 Addie Turbos, I did a backward-loop cast-on and knit another twelve stitch swatch, the all green one. They are all from the same strand of yarn. I didn't break the yarn off between the swatches and just left them hanging on the needles to make sure I would know which was which.

Click on the picture to see it enlarged.

Of the three cast-ons, the cable cast on is certainly the most attractive. It takes the longest to do, but I think the appearance is worth the effort. And I know with practice I will get faster.

I don't know if this is typical, but the bitty swatch from the Addis seems to be more hard edged than the two from the bamboo needles; the stitches seem more sharply defined. The Addis were substantially more difficult to knit with because they were harder to hold on to and the yarn kept wanting to go in different directions than I wanted it to. My stitch tension did improve between my first and second attempt at Turbo knitting. It's true it's faster to knit on Addis, but I would like to feel more in control. I can see where the sharp, slippery points would be good for lace, though.

Decisions, decisions. Ah well, I can procrastinate until I get back from vacation in a week.

Knitting Little Tubes

New techniques. Gotta try 'em.

I've been knitting lots of little tubes like these guys. They don't look like tubes because I mashed them flat and scanned them instead of having them smile pretty for a photo. The colors are more accurate, but, somehow, that third dimension gets a little lost.









I have a friend who has rheumatoid arthritis. She makes wire and bead jewelry. I know that it hurts her hands, but she's driven. I've decided that what she needs for her birthday/Christmas present is a pair of fingerless mitts to keep her hands and wrists warm while leaving her fingers bare to do the bead work.

I've already bought the yarn. I am, however none too fond of double pointed needles. Just too many pokey-outs all over the place.

So I'm studying different ways of knitting tubes. In June I learned Cat Bordhi's two circular needle technique. Last week I learned Magic Loop. Last night I tried two tubes on one long circular needle. Supposedly it's easier to get two matching socks - or mitts in my case - and you don't end up finishing one and diddling around, never finishing the second.

With my Baby Bootie track record,
I figured this might be a very good thing... I need to get some needles with a more flexible cable before I start, though.