You read it here first!

The Knitty Winter 2006 bonus patterns are up! And I love them all! Well, I probably won't make the handspun mittens or dragonfly, but they are great patterns. I love the reversible cable scarf, and I'm really tempted by the thermal sweater. Unfortunately, I don't have enough of one yarn to make it; on the other hand, by the time I get to it, the stash bust-along will be over!

I had already been checking the knitty site to see if their spring issue was up. Guess not. How much longer must we wait?

FO: Red Scarf

The first FO of 2007! My Red Scarf. Many thanks to Norma for publicizing the project - she even got to do a photo shoot with some of the recipients!

Project specs:

Pattern: Slacker Scarf (pdf)
Mods: I replaced one repeat with garter stitch borders, 2 rows wide on each side, to help with the curling. I don't think it worked.
Needles: KnitPicks Options, size 9
Yarn: A Piece of Vermont superwash worsted, colorway "Rudolph". There is a fair bit left over.
Size: 72" x 6"

I love this scarf. I liked making it - it was simple enough to do while watching TV, and in the big needles it went very quickly. I almost couldn't give it away, but I thought of the potential recipients, and of course I did. I included some gift cards to Staples, too. I was a bit stunned at how long it was. I stopped at about 5'5" - longer than I am tall. But it stretched out so much in blocking! It did have a tendency to curl, but it still showed off the pattern, so I didn't really mind.

Here is a close-up, taken with my cell phone right before I mailed it:

I won!

Beth asked advice on washing machines. I put in my 2 cents (have I ever not given advice, especially when it was asked?)

I won! Which just goes to show, no good deed goes unpunished.

The sweetie contends that acquiring sock yarn via a contest could be in violation of the Stash Bust-along. But I think it doesn't count - I didn't buy it, after all.

PS- Welcome to those of you who came over from Beth's blog. Make yourselves comfortable. Tea is on the stove.

Another new knitter!

Freddy wanted his picture taken
Originally uploaded by kimberly_nico.

No, not the cat. Cat included for photo interest. Isn't it always better to read a blog entry with photos than without?

I started my SIL knitting this weekend. I didn't think she was going to be very interested - she has not shown more than a cursory interest in my knitting before. But over Christmas, I gave her mom and dad scarf and hat sets that I made, and I got to talking with her mom about knitting. Her mom immigrated from Poland and used to knit, although I got the impression more out of necessity than for self-enjoyment. She said she knit sweaters for my SIL and her brother because there wasn't much choice for clothing. I found out she knits continental (Of course! She learned to knit on the continent!) and watched her knit a few rows so I could see in person how it is done. Even after many years of not knitting, she had lovely even stitches.

So this weekend, BIL and SIL visited, and we had a lovely time, and the Sweetie bonded a bit with his brother, and SIL and I got to talking about knitting. Well, one thing led to another, and led to a tour of the stash, and I started thinking, well, I should see about getting her started knitting, maybe next time I see her. Let her ponder it a bit...

And then I said, "Would you like to start now?" And she said yes! We only had a few hours before they had to leave, but I had her "shop" for yarn in my stash, and then I taught her the long-tail cast-on and how to knit continental. Why continental? Because when she was in 2nd grade in Poland, she learned to knit! She just hasn't done it since then. And that's how her mom knits.

I started her off just knitting back and forth, and then started her on Bejeweled*. It's a garter stitch scarf, and it has inc (I taught her kfb), yo, and k2tog. No perling! And I gave her my copy of YNotKnit, which has everything she needs to know, with step by step instructions with pictures. I'd bought it for myself to figure out continental, but I think she'll get more use from it. She was getting the hang of the pattern when they had to leave.

I have mentioned before I'm a great believer in beginning knitters choosing their own projects, and while I think she liked this project, I feel a bit bad that perhaps I pushed it at her. We talked about the kinds of things she'd like to make, and she said she wants to make large, long stoles and shawls. I cautioned her about starting a big project- because I wanted her to succeed and finish her first project, so we went scarf. And I hope she thinks it's stylish enough to wear. On the positive side, however, she had no qualms about pulling out the first 4 rows or so and starting it over when she got a bit lost in the pattern! She's a smart girl (she has a Ph.D. and a black belt in I forgot which martial art) and if she enjoys the knitting process, I'm sure she'll succeed and perhaps get into designing things herself. And the best part? She works in San Francisco right near Art Fibers! How lucky is that?

In two weeks, I'll see SIL and MIL, and we can see how the knitting is going. Two new knitters this year! One more woman in the family (Sweetie's sister) and then I can start in on the men!

*I bought another copy. I'm have no intention of violating copyright.

Spring 2007 Interweave Knits preview is up!

Looks like Eunny has another challenging project - and a technique article to go with it: Intarsia socks.

I got nothing.

Well, I've peaked too soon. I have little news, other than I'm making steady progress on my Red Scarf Project. I still have a bunch of yarn left, and I've reached the point where I can stop anytime, as the scarf is scarf-length. I think it will be better a bit longer (in case it gets sent to a tall, or thick-necked person) so I'll do what I can into this weekend, but this weekend is the last opportunity to block it, so whatever is done will be done. Then - on to baby sweaters and fun fur hats! Can I handle knitting bigomy?


How is your Red Scarf Project going?

And, just in case you missed it:

This is not my kitty. My kitty wouldn't stand for this sort of nonsense, and would claw his way out of the sweater and then go hunting for whoever did it to him. My kitty is a no-nonsense kitty.

UFOs Part II: The Ones that Didn't Want To Be Finished

These are... well, they're not quite as old as the Old UFOs. All but the lace scarf were begun in 2006, in fact. They're just sitting around, waiting to be finished. Which I consider a worse affront than those set down years ago.

The first is this lace scarf. It's a simple lace scarf pattern - herringbone - from Cherry Tree Hill. On my way to Tahoe for 4th of July in 2004 (or was it 2003?) I stopped at Lofty Lou's. My MIL (who didn't at the time knit, but I started her on it this Christmas!) was with me, so I made it a super fast browse. And there was this scarf, and a basket of Possum Lace yarn. I don't think CTH sells it any more (it's not on their web site) but it's from Down Under (Australia or NZ) and not made of American possum fur, but their possum's fur, which is super soft. And I got it in this colorway, Peacock, and started it over that weekend. Then, I started commuting on a bus, and knitted it during the ride. But then my work moved so no more bus for me! The pattern is so simple, it's almost boring, really.

The next is the Heirloom Aran sweater. This was in the Spring 2004 Interweave Knitsbut is also available directly from Lisa Lloyd's web site. It was originally intended for a friend's baby, but the sweater took a long time to make, and I decided to save it for myself (for an eventual baby) or at least for later. I bought my friend a gift instead. This was my second project made with Schaefer Anne, and it's just wonderful. The red bled when I blocked it, but I emailed Schaefer and they suggested rinsing in a vinegar solution, which I will try when I block it when it's done. It needs sewing together, then picking up around the neck and finishing it, and then 3 buttons on the shoulder.

Next, we have the Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino baby bolero. I started this as perhaps a replacement for the Heirloom Aran sweater, but it went so slowly I ended up buying the gift, as I mentioned. This is the cover project for Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino 2. The pattern seems a bit wonky - sometimes imprecise or unclear. I love the yarn, but I might skip the DB patterns for a while. These need sewing together and then you have to knit the edging perpendicular to the edge, while attaching it at the same time. Sounds hard and fiddly.

Finally, my Green Gable sweater, in KnitPicks Shine Sport. I love this yarn. It's soft, it's machine washable, it comes in lots of bright colors. It's great for baby knits. I followed the pattern as specified, but I did add waist shaping as some described on the KAL. Did a fiddly bind-off because the Knitter's Book of Finishing Techniques recommended it for ribbing. It's in time-out because I went to finish the sleeve, and I didn't like it. I think it needs some more rows first. And there was a big hole in the armpit where it needs some assistance.

So there you have it. The 4 contemporary UFOs, and the 3 old UFOs. I think for the Bustalong challenge I will resolve to finish the 2 red baby sweaters. That's in addition to the Red scarf project (due January 31) and the Pea pod sweaters (due March 1), which don't count; they're WIPs, and at least one chemo cap in fun fur (due February 28).