Projects & priority setting

Due to last year's semi successes in getting a few finishes in I thought I'd give it another go this year. I  found by actually targeting a few projects for completion I knew where to direct my energies. I belong to a Ravelry group called Quilters Knitting and have found it to be a great source of support online (which is great as I don't belong to a guild). For the Quilters Knitting Group I have posted the following picture for this quarter (quilting projects only):

1. (Top left) - Circle Game Quilt - 1/16 blocks completed - #2 in process
2. (Top right) - Chatter of Houses - hand appliqué - 20/48 centre blocks completed
3. (Bottom left) - Gypsy Wife - all blocks done - need to sew together
4. Middle right ) Hometown Picnic Quilt - blocks done - joining rows
5. (Bottom Left) - centre paper pieced Mariner's compass - what to do? what to do?

For my own UFO quarter I have included both quilting and knitting:

1. (Top) Hometown Picnic* 
2. (Middle left) Chatter of Houses*
3. (Middle right) Circle Game *
4. (Bottom left) Viking Owl socks
5. (Bottom right) Sandness Shawl

(*in both groups)

Well that's it for now - just thought I'd get my head in the game for where my priorities are!

Linked to WIP Wednesday Needle & Thread Network

To Russia with Love!

So for all you Sochi Fans this is a quick post for a few of my current "in process" projects. I belong to Team Canada - a knitting group on the Ravelry site which is competing in the once upon a time Ravelympics group (now called the Ravellenics after receiving a cease and desist order from the IOC - strange but true).

I am a big fan of the Winter Olympics. So much so, that I take a winter vacation during the Olympics, and immerse myself in all things related to the big event. This year to accommodate the time change I am PVR'ing events all night long and watching them all day long (no spoiler alerts!).

This is a picture of my Sochi interpretation of Peace Gloves by Nanette Blanchard for the nordic colourwork combined / mitten moguls event. At this point I am well into the gusset of the left thumb...

Sochi Peace Glove - front and back

I've also hauled out my sewing machine into the living room during the day so I can quilt and watch on the big screen. I had some matryoshka doll fabric in my stash - so I'm also working on a Lemoyne Star Sochi Scrappy Stars quilt...

Granted - I'm pretty sure I won't get the quilt done anytime soon - but I'm loving the fabrics and the process.

Get quilty and knit on!

- stitchcat -

Linked to WIP Wednesday on the Needle and Thread Network

To Russia with Love!

So for all you Sochi Fans this is a quick post for a few of my current "in process" projects. I belong to Team Canada - a knitting group on the Ravelry site which is competing in the once upon a time Ravelympics group (now called the Ravellenics after receiving a cease and desist order from the IOC - strange but true).

I am a big fan of the Winter Olympics. So much so, that I take a winter vacation during the Olympics, and immerse myself in all things related to the big event. This year to accommodate the time change I am PVR'ing events all night long and watching them all day long (no spoiler alerts!).

This is a picture of my Sochi interpretation of Peace Gloves by Nanette Blanchard for the nordic colourwork combined / mitten moguls event. At this point I am well into the gusset of the left thumb...

Sochi Peace Glove - front and back

I've also hauled out my sewing machine into the living room during the day so I can quilt and watch on the big screen. I had some matryoshka doll fabric in my stash - so I'm also working on a Lemoyne Star Sochi Scrappy Stars quilt...

Granted - I'm pretty sure I won't get the quilt done anytime soon - but I'm loving the fabrics and the process.

Get quilty and knit on!

- stitchcat -

Linked to WIP Wednesday on the Needle and Thread Network

The miracles of steam blocking ...

Blocking lesson 1

Well I have finally finished my first set of swatches (5 in all) for lesson 1 of the TKGA Basics course. I am enjoying it immensely. Primarily because for the first time in my life I am actually granting myself the luxury of thinking about my knitting, analyzing my knitting, researching, rethinking,re-doing, and finally appreciating unreservedly what can be done with two sticks and string. I am learning how to actually make increases lean left or right at my will. I'm learning how to make them invisible. I am using duplicate stitch to weave in my ends. All of this is new to me.

 I'm trying out new techniques and comparing them with my old standbys. I am humbly learning that some of my old standbys are sadly lacking. Case in point: Being the lazy so and so that I am (fully admitted) I taught myself to knit right wise and left wise so I wouldn't have to purl. "I hate purling" I announced. In Swatch 2 of my swatches, I did the requested stocking stitch dutifully turning my work knitting one direction and purling back on the next.  By the time I hit Swatch 3, I declared "I don't like this - and I'm returning to my lazy ways" and I knit back and forth. I was quite anxious by this, and wrote to my instructor asking for "permission". The response was a common sense one telling me it was not the intent to tell my how to execute the required task at hand - but that the tension must be even, the stitches not twisted, and the increases were to slant in the correct direction indicated in the instructions. Relieved, I carried on my merry way.

Today I blocked the swatches... and look what I discovered.

 A : Swatch 2 (back) - stitches look even. B:  Swatch 3 (back) - uneven stockinette stitches with gutters. C: Swatch 4 (back) more gutters! Needless to say Swatch 3 &4 are now in the do-over pile.

On a happier note, steam blocking did wonders for the appearance of my ribbing:

Remember this Swatch - with the awful looking ribbing?

Post blocking....

Yes! It really is the same swatch...

 I found a little video on YouTube a few years back when I was looking to block a fairisle afghan that I had knit for the Ravelry 2010 Winter Ravelmpics. The author is Annie Modesitt.  She had me so sold on the Scunci Steamer, that I found one on Kijiji and was rearing to go.

Well, time to revisit Swatches 3 and 4 -Swatch on!

Basics, Bascis, Basics - TKGA here I come...

Just got my BBB package (as in TKGA Basics course) last week and I  have spent a good deal of time doing "prep work." IE: finding a suitable yarn that I think will sustain me through the levels. I've decided to use Cascade 220 based on it's availability (my LYS carries it) price (seems reasonable) and it does a nice job of showing off stitch definition. It also seems to be a TKGA fan favourite.

I've made about 6  "first swatches" trying out various needle sizes (4.5 - 5mm) and types (plastic / bamboo / metal / circs / long / short). Having said that - my biggest decision has been around whether I'll knit Continental or English.  I started swatch 1 doing continental and was horrified at my tension and edges. Tried again (blamed the needle size) and not much better. Next - I resentfully tried an English knit swatch - which looked better. I was somewhat miffed because I didn't want to do my swatches English... (nothing to do with the whole English vs Continental business). Finally I needed to review why I am even embarking on this journey. Generally speaking it is to become a more proficient  knitter - more specifically however, I want to accomplish this proficiency using the continental technique. For some reason my "hand -brain" connectors seem to navigate more naturally  towards this technique. It feels like home (I guess home needs a little sprucing up at the moment).

And so all was frogged again - and finally swatch 1 was done. (Almost - still need to block it).

Swatch 1 - Sample A on 4.mm needles. Sample B 5mm needles. I've decided that B has a bettter hand. These swatches aren't yet blocked - we'll see what they look like post "finishing."

Bumpy side of long tail cast on - and uneven looking K2P2 ribbing

K2 P2 rib - I know a number of these stitches look twisted - but when I pull the swatch and look more closely I know they aren't. Also shown is the long tail cast smooth side.

Garter stitch selvedge - unfortunately - no slip stitches allowed!

K2 P2 selvedge

In looking at my tension with an analytical eye - I see one loose stitch. I am hoping with proper finishing  the fibres will relax and it will "disappear" into the fabric when the wool fulls a bit.

The bind off instructions were BIND OFF 12 stitches purl wise and the remainder knit wise. Interesting how it looks different - eh?

 Well that's it for today. Swatch on!

Fibre Week 2011 - here I come!

(This was to be posted on June 24 - but I just finished it now)

Well my much sought after annual sojourn into all things fibre-y has arrived. Fibre Week! Although I know I'm going and I have loads of time to pack ... I always seem to leave things to the last minute. And this time I'm not sure it has paid off... (Update: Brought a reading lamp sans light bulb - and a flashlight that was missing it's batteries. Forgot my toothbrush again.  I now have 5 pink toothbrushes at home - why pink? because in a house full of men if it's pink - it doesn't get touched.  On the upside I did not forget my bottle opener - though my plug-in cooler blew a fuse.)

 I decided to finally read my class supply list - only to discover the yarn I planned on using for my Sivia Harding "Harmonia's Rings" Cowl was definitely suboptimal. And a size 8 crochet hook doesn't act in lieu of a 0.6 one (I guess I'm using seed beads!)... and yes... seed beads? Hmmm - not a one in my stash. So I did end up making a few last minute stops along the way.

Although I left early - traffic was ghastly and it took longer to reach the city limits (over an hour) than it took to arrive at the college (just less than an hour). If I had known this was going to be the case, I wouldn't have treated myself to a Grande Iced Skinny Mocha Latte. I would have treated myself to one last pit stop at the gas station (if you know what I mean). As always - woulda - coulda - shoulda - didn't.

Homework to be done. Watch Cat Bordhi's Moebius cast on for class prep. Now - how great is that?