Level 3

Having finished Levels 1 and 2 of TKGA’s Master Hand Knitter Certification, I have begun Level 3—the final level to become a Master Knitter.

 I have written a 3 page report on six different kinds of fiber used to make yarn for knitting. I used 4 different references. I have also finished the two knitting magazine reviews. I reviewed the new Rib magazine for men and male knitters and the Holiday issue of Vogue Knitting. I really like Rib and plan to knit several items from each of the three issues that have been published. Kudos to Eric and his team for such a unique magazine. The Vogue Knitting Holiday 2017 issue was disappointed at best. Stale designs, too many advertisements and lack luster articles. I would think that such a dominant publication in the knitting world could do better.

 For Level 3, I also have to review two design books, learn 6 new cast ons and bind offs, work 19 special technique swatches, answer about 40 questions, and design 3 patterns, before I can design, knit and write the patterns for an original Fair Isle sweater and an Aran cabled hat. I want to jump right in and work on the sweater and hat—but I know that I need to work the other parts first.

Oh, well, there will be very little other knitting until the swatches with there accompanying research are done. I am heading now to the world of cream colored 100% wool yarn in a worsted weight. I am expecting my hair color to match the yarn before I am through.

 Hope your knitting is colorful, exciting and without dropped stitches.

Happy New Year

Farewell to 2017! It was a hard year for many. Wishing everyone a happy, safe and joyous 2018.

Mountain Friends

Heading soon for the North Carolina mountains to visit friends — knitting friends, especially. We will lunch, share projects, talk, laugh and attend SAFF, the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair. Will be seeing vendors that we only see at SAFF, like the McMatleys, Elizabeth Wohl, Misty Mountain, and the delightful ladies from Apple Hill. Maybe the rabbit lady will be there this year. Also looking forward to eating at Bruce’s in Marion, NC; going to the Black Mountain Yarn Shop; and heading to P.F. Chang’s for lunch on Friday. Maybe we will also see some members of our Guild there. Looking forward to a great time in the beautiful mountains, seeing friends and getting inspired to knit new things.

Confidence ?!

The socks for the grandson are going well, almost ready to turn the heel of the first one. 

Decided my yarn storage in the guest bedroom needed to be reorganized and the room cleaned out enough for someone to actually be able to sleep there. 

While I was moving things to an empty closet in another room, I noticed that I had ten skeins of Kraemer Yarns Tatamy Tweed Worsted in the Birch colorway. This is a worsted weight cotton yarn. It would look great as a circular yoke sweater. A great layering piece for my wardrobe. 

Oh! Look! My knitting machine is sitting in the corner looking quite lonely. I could quickly knit the body and sleeves up to the armholes on the machine and then finish the ribbing and yoke by hand. Wouldn't take very long and that would take 10 skeins out of stash. A win-win!

I cast on a gauge swatch on the machine. Easy, peasy! Quick!  After measuring, I figured the number of stitches and rows for the four pieces. In a  hour, I had the body and both sleeve pieces knit. Great! I will have this sweater finished in no time and can get back to the Squares Squared sweater. Two sweaters in a month. Woohoo!

Well....

I forgot, in my haste, to increase the sides of the sleeves. Yikes! How could I be so silly. I quickly moved back to the machine and knit the two sleeves again. I would put the four pieces on a circular needle to work the yoke. The ribbing on the sleeves and body would be done after the yoke. This way I could make sure that the sweater and sleeves are the right length.  

This should move quite quickly and then I can get back to the Squares Squared sweater that is taunting me from the other side of the room.

Start - itis

Now that my knitting projects are finished and off the needles, my Ravelry project page looks odd. The glow of finishitis only lasted a short time. I thought that now would be the time to go back to being a monogamous knitter - one project at a time. Take time to enjoy it.

TKGA's Spring Cast On magazine came out. So many wonderful projects to choose from. Really was drawn to the Squares Squared pullover by Arenda Holladay. Hmmmmm ...

I have a sweater's quantity of Cascade Yarns Pima Cotton in the Sunshine colorway. So, I began the sweater. It is knitted in pieces. The back was finished in a few days. The stitch pattern is fun! It's like potato chip knitting - just one more pattern repeat - just one more pattern repeat -just one more pattern repeat ... The back is done.

Then I started on the front. Again, finished in a few days. It didn't take long to seam together and pick up stitches for the square neckline. Ribbed neckline was quick. Now to the top down short row sleeves.  UGH!  After ripping the sleeve cap out six – yes, six! – times, I decided to pull out Ann Budd's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns and use it as a guideline to knit the sleeves from the cuff to the cap as a separate piece and seam them into the sweater. I started and things are going a little slower. Not because, the pattern stitch is a problem or the increasing every six rows is a problem, but because my infatuation with this project has waned.

Why is it that every sweater I knit comes to the point where my vision of the finished garment and the reality of the knitting aren't even in the same universe. Maybe, I should start something while I wait for the mojo to return.

Well, ... there are always socks to be knitted. My granddaughter asked for a pair of shortie socks. How long could that take? Should be quick and then I would return to the sweater.  Socks took less than a week, they fit and she loves them. Her twin brother now wants a pair. Since I have a fairly large stash of sock yarn, he picked out a color and I have the first sock knitted to the gusset. Of course, he wants crew sock, but they are still small – only 48 stitches – so they are not taking long. 

Then I get back to the sweater......

Finish-Itis

My submission for TKGA Master Hand Knitter Level 2 was sent to the reviewers on April 10th. It will take between 6 to 8 weeks to be reviewed and returned to me. After it is returned, any corrections and resubmissions will need to be done. 

The submission took six months to prepare. There were 21 swatches, 4 book reviews, a 5 page history of knitting report, and 8 pages of questions and answers, with many hours of research.  It is difficult to let the package leave your hands and go into the mail. It's like sending your baby away. It is pervasive in your life, consuming your thoughts and hands for months. You know you have it bad, when you wake up and you have dreamed about the submission!

Then the waiting begins. I chose to use my time waiting to finish the projects that mock me every time I open my ravelry.com project page. Projects that have been waiting ... patiently ... for me to finish them. 

The attack of finishitis began. 

First, was the sweater, Pull Me Over. It is knit in Pima cotton. There are many things that I like about this sweater: it is cotton, it was an interesting knit, it has a circular yoke, it is coral – a color I often wear during the spring and summer.

There are things that I don't like about the sweater: the yoke to body transition looks amateurish, decreases and increases are made in the garter stitch sections instead of the stockinette sections where they would be less noticeable, it is a very long sweater and it is hot.

It is finished, but I doubt if I will wear it. Time will tell.

Second,  was socks, Utah Socks. They are knitted out of a wool free self-patterning yarn and are finished. I like them.

Third, was the This and That Shawl, which I designed. It is a boomerang shaped shawl that is garter on one end and stripes of texture stitches on the other end. The shawl is finished and the pattern is written and available on Ravelry. I am pleased. 

Fourth, was the Eidolon shawl. It has gone into hibernation as I could not face the loose knitting of the third section.

Decks are cleared!

2017 Goals

Knitting
Complete TKGA Master Hand Knitting Level 2 - done except for Argyle Sock
Knit 8 pairs of socks - #1 done, #2 1-1/2 finished
Knit a sweater - Squares Squared started
Knit a beaded shawl - knitted to section for beads
Knit at least one item for charity
Design one pattern

Weaving
Finish the tea towels on the Baby Wolf Loom - 3 done
Weave at least 3 scarves
Learn to warp the Dorothy Loom for placemats

Organizing
Donate wedding dress
Empty guest room dresser drawers - done
Donate unwanted books - 2 boxes donated
Shred old tax documents
Review and spin the yarn stash quarterly - 1 done

Spinning
Spin all fiber in stash as of 1-1-2017

Travel
Visit the Holy Land - done
Take at least 3 RV trips
Visit Canada
Visit St. Louis