Year of Projects: Week 16

Another week has passed.  I wanted to have another FO (and believe me, I was trying) and I did it!  I finished my Earth & Night Sky Shawl and I love it.

 Thank you to cousin B1 for modelling it for me.

I loved it so much, that I'm giving it away for a good cause.

Yesterday was my mother's 60th birthday and she went all out on a schindig.  It turned out really nice.  She had me going to stores to pick things up (like her rose gold Guess watch that was still at the store), lighters and taking trips to Downtown Toronto.  Not to mention physically making things for the party.

This is when the good cause came up.  I'm giving the shawl to my mother for her birthday.  I still have to block it so it will be bigger.  That's the part I am trying to work out but I will find a way.

Otherwise this week, I worked on the Flip Top mittens.  I was trying to have it finished for this update, but as I said before, there was no time but I have made good progress on it.  It should be finished this week, or at least the mitten part.  There's also the thumb plus opening the mittens up to make them convertible.

I spent a good amount of this week visiting different LYS's around me.  I managed to make it to 3 locations; The Purple Purl, Romni Wools and Handknit Yarn Studio.  I made it to the weekend with 3 new skeins of wool plus a set of fixed circular needles; all for two shawls by Stephen West.

I've decided that these two yarns will work well for the Daybreak Shawl (that's Tanis Fiber Arts Blue Label in Chris Grey and Turtlepurl Yarns Stripped Turtle Toes in Dream Room).  This one will be the next project, once I finish at least one more WIP.

The Pagewood Farm Glacier Glacier Bay in Cape Cod Cranberry and Anzula Squishy in Maple, is set aside for the Chadwick (which I have not purchased as of yet because I can't decide if I should buy the book or just the pattern,).

Forgot to mention that I finally got a picture of my brother RJ with his new hat and scarf.  His mother hid it well from him to the point that on the night of his birthday, he still didn't have his gift.  The next morning at church, he gave me running hug wearing his hat and scarf that he refused to take off almost the entire day.

Yes, he's learning to play the bass since the drums and the piano are not enough for him.

My youngest brother Nathaniel has now put in a request for a scarf for his birthday.  Not necessarily a hat but he does want a scarf.  The kid barely ever asks for anything so I can't really say no to him.  Time to go and look up another pattern or something of the sort to make with acrylic yarns in the colour of Reese's Pieces...I may just have some more Brava yarn in a bulky weight though...oh the possibilities.

YEAR OF PROJECTS / 26 PAIR PLUNGE

Year of Projects: Week 15

Guess what?  I can finally use this again!

I finally finished the Ladder to the Sky Socks and I still have a good amount of the yarn left over.  I'll weigh it tomorrow and see what can be done with the remains.  I'm feeling a quick stint on the Blankie is in order.

So that's one FO.  I have another one as well for this week.  I finished the birthday gifts for my brother RJ.  I don't have a picture of him wearing them yet since I kinda threw it in the car after he got out of it without his knowledge and I think his mother hid it even further in the car so he doesn't open it until his birthday on Friday.

So that's two FO's (and three in the last 2 weeks).  I have been working diligently on the Earth and Sky Shawl and I am still loving it.  I was debating on Friday what size to do.  I finally decided on the small and that means I have just a few more rows to do and then block the darn thing.  I have never blocked anything other than socks and that's rare as it is.  It should be finished this week.

I am still loving the colour choice and as much as I say I want to make another once, I want to do another Stephen West shawl pattern soon.  I think I had Chadwick next on my list.  I just have to actually acquire the pattern and I'm sure I have enough yarn in my stash, starting with the new skein I got for the sock club.  I've already determined it's not going towards socks.

YEAR OF PROJECTS/26 PAIR PLUNGE

Year of Projects: Week 14

I have had a very productive week.  I still didn't finish the test socks for Ladder to the Sky but I did accomplish a lot of things.

I was at my dad's house last week Sunday and my brother RJ reminded me about the scarf I had promised him from so long ago.  He even offered to pay me money from his piggy bank if I would make him a scarf sooner.  I couldn't take the money from a 12-year old boy.  Besides, he couldn't open it and it was already on the needles.  But I can say that my brother RJ will be able to get his scarf before his birthday and it is finished!

It just has a couple of ends to weave in and a creative way to give it over.  Almost immediately, I started on the matching hat, the Irish Hiking Hat.  I just have one more cable repeat before I start on the decreases.  It's a pretty easy knit.  It has a good chance of being finished this week.

Now to the next project.  I have to start from the beginning of this little dilemma.  I borrowed a set of Harmony Tips from the Knitting Circle on Tuesday.  I have never used them before and it was available in the size I would need for the Earth & Sky Scarf, that I would not be starting for a good couple of months due to the other projects I have to finish first.  I brought four skeins plus one caked yarn to the Circle as well to get some opinions as to what colour yarn I was going to use.  Judy, a fellow knitter and crocheter chose Tanis Fibre Arts Blue Label in Charcoal, Cascade Yarns Heritage Silk in a Teal colour and Springtree Road Muscadine in Dark Aoife.  They are beautiful together and reminded me of a dragonfly.  I went home with the tips and my yarn selection and like a good little knitter, I picked up the Irish Hiking Hat, and continued to work on it.

The next day, after a long day of walking around Downtown Toronto, I came home, looked at a ball of dish cloth cotton and I could swear I could see the Harmony Tips calling me saying "You want to use me!"  The next thing I know, I'm clearing the dresser in my room and setting up my swift and started to cake the Tanis Charcoal and the STR Dark Aoife.  Before I went to bed, the Earth & Sky Shawl was well on it's way.

Believe me, there was determination to do it to.  I have never had to start a project 4 times, but I did it for this one.  First time, I didn't understand how the colour order would work and I started with the wrong colour.  Ripped it out to start again.  The second time, I had the colours all in the proper place. I was supposed to do a garter stitch section.  I did stockinette.  Ripped it out and started again.  Third time, I did start with the correct colour but mixed up the order.  After that, I realized that the Cascade Teal yarn was having issues with me.  I kept getting huge clumps of yarn because somehow, both ends of the yarn ended up in the middle and would both come out in tangled mess.  As much as I love that Teal colour, the patience with that yarn was at an end.  I grabbed my Miss Babs Cosmic Hand Painted Sock yarn in Inkwell I got for the last shipment from the Cookie Sock Club and put it on the swift.  I ripped the entire project back out and started again.

I could not be happier with the progress that I'm making.  I learned a lot from the process and for anyone else who is doing this shawl, from the beginning, just do 2 separate balls of yarn for colour A & B.  It'll make your life so much easier for Section 2.  I'm still debating on the size since it does come in Small, Medium and Large.  If anyone has done this pattern before, let me know what size you did and how it fit.

Year of Projects: Week 13

While I did work on the Ladder to the Sky socks, they're still not done.  The gusset is finished though and I do look forward to wearing them.

I worked mostly on my brother RJ's scarf which is growing quickly but it needs to be about double the size. His birthday is coming up in less than 3 weeks and I haven't even started the hat.

In an effort to free up some of my projects on circular needles, I finally started working on the "Forget Hermione! These are for me" mittens by transferring them onto the brand new Knitter's Pride DPNs that I purchased to replace the set I had kneeled on. I am getting excited about them again.

The new pattern(s) that intrigued (http://thisismetryingtobeawriter.blogspot.ca/2013/09/what-sock-yarn-isnt-only-for-socks.html?m=1) me this week is the "Earth & Sky" shawl by Stephen West. I bought the pattern, picked out potential yarn and now I'm trying to locate the 4US 47" circular needles that I apparently own but cannot find. The second pattern is the "Chadwick" shawl. I'll get around to that one once I can actually start the "Earth & Sky", which will not be for awhile but here are the pattern pictures of both of them.

How can I say no to them?

Year of Projects: Week 12

Boy! Am I ever late with this one but I have a good excuse, I swear!  Last night I was (actually I still am as of writing this) in Hamilton. In the summer, they have these monthly festivals called "The Art Crawl". I have been hearing about these for ages and have always wanted to go but a of yet, every Friday it happens, I have choir practice and I can't attend. This month, they had a bigger festival called "The Super Crawl" to end the summer festivals and it went until Saturday night...the time I usually prepare my YOP update.

I was amazed with all the arts that I saw.  I wasn't aware that Hamilton was such a big artistic community.  It makes me wanting to move there seem so much better.  I have to show off some pictures of what I saw going on.

This is just one section of the people we saw while walking through.  This is before the shopping stalls and food trucks.  You can see 2 of the many, many cousins I have; in green and the other in blue,

This is made for poptabs and yarn.  A lady was crocheting them into bags.  What a great way to reuse what's around.

I am not fond of creepy looking dolls BUT I am loving the two dolls at the front.  I made sure I took a business card to look up her shop at a later date.

This man was painting this right when I took this picture.  I think it looks like it's pencil drawn so imagine how much work it took to get that done.

Apparently, they always have a "graffiti" wall (or more than one) at the Super Crawl.  On this fence people posted art work and wrote messages.

I think this was a decoupage art.  I thought it was painted at first.

I don't know who did this but I think it looks amazing.

There was even live music.  I believe this guy was playing "Heaven" by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.  This is actually one of my favourite jazz songs.

On to the actual update. This week, I worked on quite a few projects. I worked on the Irish Hiking Scarf for my brother and I completely missed my September 10th finishing date that I had planned for it. I worked on the Hitchhiker Scarf. I think it's almost half the length recommended. And lastly, I worked on the test pattern socks and I can show pictures of it (and you can also see why I "ooh" and "aww" over the colour of this yarn).

Irish Hiking Scarf

Hitchhiker Scarf

Test Socks - Ladder to the Sky

The fabulous Springtree Road Yarn, Muscadine in Framboise

The name for this pattern is Ladder to the Sky. It's designed by Econnerd on Ravelry. I only have one foot completed however, I am half way through the secon sock.  If I'm lucky (but I'm thinking its not going to happen), I can finish the pair on the 15th, (yes that is today) which is the deadline.

Over 12 hours later and a day of volunteering at a foodbank...
It ain't gonna be done in time.  Still on the gusset but I will finish these socks this week and I will be able to put up my 26 Pair Plunge banner for a 3rd time.

Year of Posts 2013-2014 / 26 Pair Plunge

Year of Projects: Week 10

Finally made it to the double digits.  No finished projects this week :( but that's okay.  I actually casted on for 2 new projects.

First of all, I'm finally doing the Long Promised Scarf, for my brother RJ.  And thanks to last week's update from Sandra (aka: Saminar on Ravelry), I chose to knit the Irish Hiking Scarf for him, as well as the matching hat that I found while looking for the pattern on Ravelry.

The scarf is further along right now but this is the last picture I took of it.  Luckily for me, I didn't even have to pull out my interchangeable needles.  I was able to find 2 sets fixed circulars, both in an 8US and one is a 16" which is perfect to knit with for his hat.

Also casted on this week is another pair of socks.  I'm doing a test pattern for Karen (aka: Econnerd on Ravelry).  I am actually really liking the pattern so far.  I'm still on the leg though and working my way down.  And Karen, if you're reading this, is it okay to show progress pictures of it?

I have not knit much else.  I did finish the 3 row for the Blankie.  Yay.  I'm still working on the foot for the shortened Istanbul socks.  I'm spending time looking through everyone else's finished socks and suddenly wishing I had more needles and yarn to knit more socks...or else knit as quickly as The Flash would, if he would knit.  That, and 'ga-ga'ing over the information on the Sims 4.  Not going to get started on that or else the whole point of this entry would be shot.

Year of Projects / 26 Pair Plunge

Note to self

KnitPicks solid stroll yarn feels so good after it's washed! I swear it didn't feel like this when I washed and wore the tonal yarn. Sigh! These feel so nice on my feet.

So the whole (very short) history:  I knit the Tiberius socks in KnitPicks Stroll Solid in the colourway Dandelion because it was the closest to Command Gold I could find in my stash.  I was hesitant about it since for the past 2 years, I have been spoiled with Indie Dyer yarns and loving the heck out of them.  I used it anyways and liked the knitting process.  The yarn felt good in my hands as I knit.  I knew the true test would be after I washed it.  I finally managed to get together enough light coloured clothing to go in the wash with the Tiberius socks.  I hung them out to dry and tried them on once they were dry.  They were great.

Note to self: add solid stroll sock yarn to the acceptable KnitPicks order, along with Brava yarn.

I knit more of the test pattern socks and it's coming along nicely.  Only 4 rows to memorize and 2 of them are exactly the same.  I'm sure I still have a pretty long way to go before the leg is finished and I have to start the heel flap.

The Long Promised Scarf (aka: the Irish Hiking Scarf) is coming along nicely.  I did 3 more repeats of the pattern, expecting the scarf to now be 10" long and was surprised that it was only 8".  So either I only knit 3" yesterday, or I can't measure properly and really measured 4" the first night.  All that really matters is that it's growing and I'm not bored of yet.  As a matter of fact, I want to get started on the hat.  I'm trying not to be too crazy since I do have too many projects to work on right now.

The long promised scarf and the test

Looking around on over on another Year of Projects" participant's blog today and saw that they were a scarf called "Irish Hiking Scarf". First thing I think? "This would be perfect for RJ!"  RJ is one of my younger brothers (there are 3), who has been very supportive of my knitting since he found out I can knit. He's also been asking me to knit him a scarf for "bajillion years!" (his words exactly). I looked up the pattern on Ravelry and saw there was a matching hat.

Somehow or another, the proper sized needles and 2 balls of worsted weight yarn ended up in my backpack that I take with me for Knitting Circle. Within 10 minutes into it, I had the scarf casted on and was knitting away. Only thing I had to do with sock knitting was showing off the Tiberius socks.

The yarn I chose for this project is the KnitPicks Brava worsted weight acrylic yarn in the colourway Tidepool. The scarf is going well. Before I went to bed last night, I managed to knit 5". I changed it a little by slipping the first stitch as if to purl and knitting through the back loop for the last stitch, like I do for the squares of the Blankie.  The edges are looking much neater now. 

If I can keep up knitting 5" a day, I'll be done by September 10th which is great since his birthday is almost exactly 1 month later and I still have to do the matching hat.  I was thinking the same kind of yarn, but in the colourway Cobblestone Heather with some rows in Tidepool to tie it all together.

On top of the Irish Hiking Scarf, I'm also doing a test pattern for another participant in the Year of Projects. Casting on today and hoping to finish by September 15th which is the dead line.

I'm going to have to put aside my (auntie's) sock for a bit to finish these deadline projects.

First of all, I am loving this yarn!  I was having an internal debate as to which yarn to use for this test patter and finally decided on Springtree Road Muscadine in Framboise.  I have been dying to use this colourway for awhile now and here's my opportunity.  I'm also hoping that Maya (of Springtree Road) still makes this colour because I would like to restock it in my collection....never mind, I went to check on the site and there is no more Framboise right now but I did see a lot of other tempting colours.

The pattern itself is going well however I am still at the cuff.  I believe I knit at a tighter gauge than the designer.  The pattern states 1.5" for the cuff should be at about 15 rows.  I'm about to start row 16 and I'm not even at 1.25"  The cuff otherwise is a 4x4 cuff, which I have never actually knit.  I would have thought that it would stretch out too much but it seems to be snug enough.  All that tells me, trust the designer and so far, everything has been going well.