Notes From a Small Town

inside

As we are in Florida, our winter attire is, uh, slim, at best. (It's difficult to find coats that are actually for cold weather). Add in a couple of sick kids and a sickness-adverse mama - it just means that we need to be properly attired to venture outside. So, on those days when we've been waiting until it reaches the 60-degree mark, we've found a lot of love for our indoor work.

 

At Ronan's request, we've been painting. Actually, he's been painting. I've been running interference for a very active 10-month-old.  His current painting medium is acrylic paint and printed out pictures of fish, alligators, crocodiles and snakes. (It might have something to do with the fact that he gets to "interrupt" Daddy's work to request more print outs).

I've been finding a little more time in the evenings to snuggle on the couch...and knit. (Listening to a guitar-practicing husband isn't too bad either).

 

That jumble of yarns is a sweater I am making using the intarsia method. That's right. I said sweater. As in a sweater for Ronan - which may or may not get finished in time for him to wear this cool season. (It's part of a class and I am not so good at finishing my homework on time). But, I'm having a blast and learning more about knitting than I thought possible.

Lots of indoor fun to be had, indeed.

Friday morning bliss

Knitting, coffee, and two brothers playing together while I sit at the table...there's not much more a mama can ask for. (Someone else to clean my house, maybe? I don't want to get too greedy, though)!

Oh, yes, there's been a return to knitting - and reading - now that my youngest has cut his first two teeth. There's a wee bit more sleeping and a bit more regularity around here. As the parent of two, I know it will not last, so I am enjoying it right now.

Have a great weekend!

knitting in the round

Well, I did it.

I made a hat - on circular needles - no stitched up seams for me. (Of course, I still goofed a bit, but that's a whole 'nother post). I was so nervous about taking this next step, but it was so easy...thanks in large part to a good friend and her gifted book. It told me exactly what to do. Why did I wait so long?

(photos taken by Joe)

It's a simple pattern from Blue Sky Alpacas - details can be found here. And, very, large needles (size 15) with very, chunky yarn. THE perfect way to gain some confidence when knitting in the round. I even had to finish it off with double-pointed needles.

 

But, alas, this hat is not staying on my head (or in my house). It is a gift for my sister (who rarely reads this blog - thank goodness)! My first knitted project was a scarf for her, knitted from the instructions in the Debbie Stoller book. My sister's enthusiasm for my handmade Christmas gift helped to keep the knitting excitement alive. Almost immediately, she requested a matching hat for the following year. And, well, if someone requests a handknit...then, I am more than happy to comply.

 

Of course, now my boys need hand-knitted hats as well...because there's nothing cuter than a baby in a wool hat when it's 75 degrees! Hmmm...maybe I'll try this one again.

Happy Wednesday!

My first hat!

So, I discovered something that more advanced knitters already know...decreasing stitches isn't that difficult. Funny, I was nervous about it, but once I tried it, well, it was a lot easier than I had expected.

It is still a cheater hat - a pattern based on this book -  and you'll notice that I didn't take a picture of the seam (cough, cough). The blue stripe threw me off a bit while sewing it up, but I already learned a valuable tip in the process, so I think the mistake is well worth it.

I made this hat for my lovely - the only one who could appreciate a slightly too big, very orange, first knitted kind of hat. He wore it proudly all day. (Don't mind the sweat dripping from his neck...it was still in the upper 80s when we went outside to take the pictures.)

And, oh, yes, he keeps me laughing.

Does yarn have a siren song?

Dear luscious yarn,

I'm not quite sure how you made it home with me. Please don't misunderstand, I meant to get some yarn - that's why I was at the yarn store and now that you are here, well, let's just say, you won't be going back. But, I was looking for a lovely yellow yarn with flecks of orange. And, well, you don't exactly meet that criteria.

I feel that you knew immediately how I felt about you. It seemed that your lovely strands hopped into my hands and before I knew it, the yarn was on the counter. I walked away from you - assuming that if I put some distance between myself and the fiber - the pull would not be so strong.

And, yet, you knew. Your soft fibers had me pegged me as soon as I walked into the store. Yellow yarn? Ha! We have nothing that you are looking for, but just look at me - I'm aquamarine. Oh, yes, I noticed the fiber content as well: 50% organic cotton and 50% merino wool. Size 7 needles - yes, yes, I can do that size needle.

And, then I picked you up. So soft...such a gorgeous color. It all happened so quickly. And, then you were in a bag and I had bought two skeins. Without a project in mind. I think I might be addicted to this yarn stuff. I am buying yarn without a stated project. Everyone I know will be getting something knitted for Christmas this year. Indeed.

So, does yarn have a siren song?

it's a start

That, my friends, is a swatch. My very first, actually. I have decided to try my hand at a cheater's hat - one with a sewn seam - from my very own-designed pattern (double-ribbed border) using this book . At some point two weeks ago, I had a moment of clarity and I re-read the section on hats - and actually understood it.

But, in order to follow the pattern, you need to make a swatch to determine how many stitches to cast on. Now, I must admit that this will be a slow project since I still choose sleep and cleaning over crafting time, but I know that soon I will have a bit more hands-free time to devote to yarn and fabric. I am certainly reading and dreaming enough about fibers to fulfill my crafty need. If only I could learn to sew while sleeping...

I'm not sure if it is the challenge or really - the portability - of knitting that has attracted me to this ancient art. Either way, one lucky husband will eventually be getting his very own hat - in an orange that only a Gator alumni could appreciate!

Of course, a possible future Gator came into the room and wondered what I was making. A scarf? No, a hat for Daddy. He then declared that he, too, needed a hat. After I promised him a hat (yes, it was necessary), he sat down on my lap and asked me to show him how to knit. We did a bit together and he attempted some on his own. Hmm...I might be getting this sooner than I thought.

book of yarn

Joe: "That looks like a textbook."

Me: "Oh, yeah, I guess so. It's really cool, though."

Joe: "Really? What's it about?"

Me: "Yarn."

Joe: "Oh."

After reading through this book, I now need some cashmere yarn. Never-mind the fact that I can barely keep my eyes open past 8:00 PM, or that I have a project that I've already started. Forget the fact that I live in central Florida. I must have some cashmere yarn!

As a new knitter, I feel a bit intimidated walking into the yarn shop and browsing. I've asked for easy patterns, but nothing strikes my fancy and easy patterns seem to be hard to find. So, I've been on a hunt for some general knitting books. I came across this one and it seems pretty self-explanatory.

But, this book has made me feel like an expert. Of course, I can't seem to retain any new information lately (ah, the joys of breastfeeding) so I'm afraid all of the useful information may be lost on me. However, this book would be a great resource to have on hand when trying to substitute yarn and while seeking out new projects for some yarn in the ever growing stash.

I've been catching up on some late-night reading and this is a great nursing companion. Not quite as good as my first nursing companion, but it does help keep me awake.  Of course, the best chocolate chip cookies don't hurt either.

It's finished - the knitted baby blanket

As a new knitter, I realize that making a blanket is kind of like making a very, very wide scarf. It's not the new challenge of a hat or socks (eek). You just keep knitting and eventually it will be finished. In fact, this was what kept me from taking up knitting during my first pregnancy.

I saw the seemingly never-ending project as tedious. At that time, I just didn't understand the peace and contentment that I could gain from such a repetitive and relaxing action.

It has taken me three months to finish this blanket. But, during that time it has gone everywhere with me. I've knit at music class, at the playground, and on the long drives. And, I have to say that I am now an addicted knitter (um, I think it's the yarn).

This pattern started out from Debbie Stoller's book, although, I have veered so far from the pattern that it could probably just be called a very large washcloth. It started out as the big, bad, baby blanket which had a seed stitch border and four-squares of knit/purl. I had to modify the yarn choice since this is Florida and even on our coldest days, wool is just too much.

So, I had subbed this yarn in quebracho and cubo (brown) and natural (as called for in the pattern - double yarns) and guessed at the needle sizing - size 8. The seed stitching went well, but when I got to the knit stitches, the yarn was tight and not very fun to knit with. My only (completely uneducated guess) is that I sized the needles right for the seed stitching, but for the knitting, they were too small?

So, you guessed it - I ended up working the entire blanket in seed stitch. For a more advanced knitter, I'm sure this is completely boring, but for me - it was exactly what I needed...an action that didn't require too much thought and would limit my frustrations.

Regardless, I love this little blanket and I love the feeling I got from working on it. Although, I would probably cast on a few less stitches next time to make it more square-shaped. As it is, I am very excited to cuddle our newest family member in some handmade goodness.

Tales from a knitting novice

Although, I was hesitant to post my utter ignorance, I think it is important to note my perseverance. Thus, onward with our tale. First, the background: I have never knit anything in the round. I vaguely know that for a hat one uses circular needles and for socks one uses double pointed needles (which are scary).

Act One, Scene One: A sudden desire to have a handmade hat on my newborn baby (ETA: mid-April) overwhelms all other instincts.

Act One, Scene Two: Witness me dragging my husband (on Valentine's Day, no less) to the yarn store to buy some yummy yarn for the baby's new hat. I found the pattern online and it looked simple enough. There were a few words which I sort of figured out (dpns = double-pointed needles). Eek!

Act Two, Scene One:  A happy, indie, young yarn store worker offers to help me. I ask for the natural fiber section and then see if I can get the run-down on the dpns usage.

Me: "I've never knit anything in the round before...why doesn't it call for circular needles."

Knitter: "Well, you could start on circulars, but then you would have to move to double-pointed needles because a larger circular needle would make it too hard to knit once you start decreasing." (Or, something close to that effect.)

Me: "Oh, I see." (I'm nodding my head, but I'm not really grasping the concept because I don't really have any reference point for the above-stated information.)

Act Three, Scene One: I get home that night and read through the pattern and cast on my 66 stitches thinking, "Wow, this 7-inch needle is kind of tiny for all of my stitches. Oh well...let's see - knit 10 rows. Great."

Act Three, Scene Two: After I've been knitting for a few hours and I'm feeling quite proud of myself for using size 5 needles (the tiniest I've used thus far), a feeling of doubt creeps in.

Me: "Hmmm, this isn't any different from using straight needles. I wonder why it calls for double-pointed needles. I mean, it says on the pattern to use a tapestry needle, I guess you sew up a seam at the end."

Act Three, Scene Three: Open the Stitch N' Bitch book which sort of explains knitting in the round as the immaculate conception and no pictures (quite unusual for such a great book). Start to get really depressed. Realize that there is not supposed to be a seam. The stitches should be connected. Rip out entire work after much contemplation and decision-making about above seam.

Act Three, Scene Four: Elation at remembering the knitting videos web site. Woo-hoo. The hat is back on. Well, sort of.

(the yarn is Rowan Purelife Organic Cotton. It's a brown color - not blue as seen here.)