Taking My Knittin On The Road

My sweetie has decided that he doesn't feel like working a whole lot this month so we're off on a bit of a road trip. We're starting with a couple of days at the cottage and then heading both north/west and then further north to visit other friends cottages. Should be fun. I have lots of stuff to take with me including that darn log cabin blanket that doesn't want to get any bigger no matter how much I knit. I seem to be stuck on the square that is 132 stitches for 132 rows. I think I'm half way through that block but it's tough slogging. Meanwhile a finished project...

Forest Canopy Shawl


I liked this pattern so much I'm doing one more but in a lace weight yarn. What I like so much is that the instructions are both written and charted. Those who know me know that I'm a total dummy when it comes to charts. I think that part of my brain just simply doesn't work. The pattern is for a shoulder shawl and I did about 6 extra repeats because I wanted it larger. I also ran out of yarn and had to dye some more. I didn't get it quite right but it doesn't look too odd. I can't decide whether to keep it for myself or take it to Germany for my elderly aunt.

These socks in progress are knit with Noro sock yarn. I love the colors hate the way it's spun. It's a single ply yarn an has very thin and thick areas. I've had to cut some of the very thin stuff out because I don't think it will wear well. In spite of the lovely color it's not a yarn I will buy again.
The pattern is from Knitty.com called Broadripple and is easy to memorize.



And last but not least, I found a lovely sock yarn in pretty colors that I'm anxious to start. I haven't decided on a pattern yet but they may end up just plain vanilla.


So that's it for now. There will be no Internet access where we are going so for the next ten or twelve days or so I'm out of the loop...ciao for now

24 Hours

Just 24 hours from now the cast and wires on my foot will disappear, I hope. It's not guaranteed though really, first there will be an x-ray to make sure everything is healed. If it's not then the cast goes back on. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

If the cast does stay off then some of these knitting projects will stop for a while so I can concentrate on doing other stuff.

Out of boredom I have started too many things one of which is the Forest Canopy Shawl. I used some yarn I had dyed myself and unfortunately I don't have enough. The pattern says 100 grams, 350 yards and that would be good for a little shoulder covering but it's not what I want. So I'm going to have to dye up some more and hope I get it right. It's a pretty easy pattern and it has both written instructions and charts. I'm not very good at reading charts so this suits me. I don't really know what it is about charts that freaks me out but they do and I don't bother fighting it. I may do this pattern again using lace weight yarn.

Yesterday my options needles arrived from KnitPicks and I was able to transfer the log cabin blanket to a longer cable which makes it easier to handle. It has grown quite a bit.


The blanket...

There are still socks happening as always but they are not ready for pictures yet.

Somewhere In That Pile

You'd think that somewhere in that pile of circular needles I'd have the right size and the right length for the log cabin blanket wouldn't you? You'd be wrong though...I went through that pile three times to reassure myself that my wonky eye (yes it's still not good) didn't miss anything.

Alas, I did not and I'm frustrated. There's a ton of money invested in those needles and not one was the right size and length combination, including two new very expensive Addi turbo's, sigh...

The blanket is now at the stage where 132 stitches on a 24 inch needle is crowded and makes it hard for me to handle. After hinting for the last two years to all and sundry about the options needles from KnitPicks, that I wanted to be gifted to no avail, I finally ordered them for myself. Now I just have to wait patiently for them to arrive.


Meanwhile, the blanket grows slowly. It is pretty mindless knitting, just a plain old garter stitch. But it is a good stash buster.

There are as always socks on needles but I'll save those for another post. Oh yes, I think I saw a moth this morning and we all know what that means.

I've Been Led Astray - Again

First the finished stuff. Another pair of socks of course, they are so easy to knit while waiting for medical appointments and trust me, I've done a lot of waiting recently. This yarn was gifted to me for my birthday and my photography doesn't do the pattern justice.

The little Henley Tank from the Interweave Knits Summer 09 issue. That's now two things from the same magazine I've knit which is amazing. I don't usually find more than one thing in a magazine that I like. The Spidery Tank also comes from this magazine.

As for being led astray, well below is the beginning of the Log Cabin Blanket as per the Yarn Harlot. I have tons of Patons Classic Wool hanging about from previous projects and decided to put it to good use. It's also pretty mindless stuff, just plain old knitting so it's ideal for the car, at least until it gets too big.


Only 16 days to go before the cast and wires are removed from my foot...