Episode 54: When Did Fall Happen?

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Here are the show notes for Episode 54:  

On the Needles: 
Knitting Projects - 
FO's:  
Agleam by Lisa Mutch for Camp Loopy August project.  Ended up buying and using a full 3rd skein and I like the size better.

WIPs:
Syncopation Socks.  Using Andromeda sock yarn in Smoke to make socks for Brian.

Magical Thinking by Casapinka.  Loving it. Yarn, pattern, stitches.
Stalking:  summer weight cardigans

Summer Sanctuary by Sarah Gresbach.  Cotton/linen blend by Cascade Yarns Hampton.

Prayer Shawl #5 in Lion Brand Homespun on K hook.

Acquisitions - Salida Fiber Festival haul

Spinning Projects - "A Cornfield" art batt from Spinning Mermaid Fibers.  Spun the singles and I'm going to ply with a coordinating thread.

Under the Needle:
Sewing Projects - 2 blocks for the Quilts for Valor BOM
Needle book I mentioned last time.  Workshop about the Mariner's Compass block.  Project bags for some friends.
Beading more stitch markers, still having fun, need to decide what to do with them.

In the Garden:  Had the tree professionally trimmed.  Can't believe it's already time for fall cleanup.

In the Beeyard - They went from alive to dead.  Pulled the equipment and getting all cleaned up.  Takes a lot more time than I think it will.  Made a solar wax melter and am cycling through the bucket of goop.

Off Topic:  Countertops fixed, tile picked, now just waiting on installer for backsplash.
Watching/Listening:  I Thought I Knew How, follows the Master Knitter program.

Thanks for watching!

They Might Be Finished

Well, they might be finished, but they sure as hell don't fit.  (silent scream)  That's right, I'm talking about my Camp Loopy project 1 Skew socks, the ones that were supposed to be finished in June.  Hah!  I knew when I started the heel I'd gone too far in the foot pattern.  I should have stopped at 6.5" and instead I went 7.5" before I'd noticed.  Instead of ripping back like I should have (banging head into desk repeatadly) I told myself it would be ok, my fat feet would take up some of the length, I wasn't quite on gauge anyway, it would all be good.  Well, it's not.  It's about 1/2" too long in the foot.  Since the toes and heels are designed to fit snugly, that's not a good thing.  No, they won't shrink in the wash (unless they felt, which is BAD).  So instead of fitting size 6 feet, they are more around a size 8.5.  

I am nearly heartbroken.  Nearly.  I love the yarn.  I love the pattern.  But they are just socks, after all.  

The almost finished socks

Into the gift box they go.  So who wears a size 8, 8.5 shoe, anyway?  Anyone?
   
Turns out, my little sister does!  Yeah!  So I made them a Christmas present for her.  Of course, I forgot to get a picture of the finished, blocked socks.   Typical.

Campfire Games

7/15/13
The August challenge for Camp Loopy is out, and I'm still working on July!  THIS ONE I WILL FINISH!  No, really.  I'm on track for this one.  I've finished 4 triangles and am halfway through my Wingspan. 

From The Loopy Ewe blog:
The Challenge for Project Three – The project needs to use at least 800 yards, single stranded. That’s the only requirement! So you can knit a sweater, or a vest, or a blanket, or a bag, or a shawl, or anything that uses 800 yards in one project.

For those of you who don't knit, 800 yards is A LOT of yarn.  The scarf I'm knitting now is only 500 yards, and I've been working all month on it.  I don't think I've even done a project which used 800 yards before.  Nope. Not so optimistic about this one.

8/15/13
The Wingspan was finished!  Final count was 13 triangles, and I think it turned out beautiful, if I do say so myself.

Ummmm, I haven't even cast-on for my third project yet.

Did I Finish in Time?

NO!  Camp Loopy Project One was not completed by June 30.  FAILURE!  I'm continuing on with camp though.  

Camp Loopy Project Two runs from July 1st to the 31st, and consists of the following challenge:
"Has there been a popular pattern that passed you by? This challenge is to knit a pattern that has been popular with other knitters, that you haven’t knit before. The project needs to have at least 1000 projects listed (or 1000 queued up) on Ravelry, and it needs to use at least 500 yards, single stranded."

Well, Wingspan has 7698 projects, and is in 7814 queues. I think that qualifies. I've had this pattern in my Favorites, but have been putting it off.  I tend to not like knitting the patterns EVERYONE's done, such as Clapotis, or the Hitchhiker.  But I really do love the look of the Wingspan, and well, if Camp Loopy is making me knit it . . . 

 

© bonewoman

After spending HOURS looking through The Loopy Ewe’s yarn options, I went with the Wollmeise Pure, a 100% superwash merino, in the "No Whale Watching in CO" colorway. I inadvertantly started it, and decided to continue going with the yarn colorway names having a Colorado reference. It kind of makes it more personal that way. This is also my first time using Wollmeise, so I get to see what all the fuss is about.  There are entire fan groups dedicated to Wollmeise yarns.  I hope it lives up to the hype.

For Project One all 'campers' were assigned mountains (Go Mt Fiberopolis!), and for Project Two we were supposed to be assigned to Tree Houses.  But I didn't get one!  I guess I can pick any of them to join, but it's just not the same (if I sound whiny here, it's because I am)! 

Off to wind my yarn so I can cast-on!

No Whale Watching in CO

Knit-A-Longs and Camp Loopy

I was drawn into doing a Knit-A-Long (KAL) in March for the Eden Prairie Shawl by Nancy Whitman.  I couldn't help it!  It's beautiful!  And for some reason, I'm on a shawl kick right now.  I know, it's spring, and I should be putting my knitting out of the way (yeah right!) and washing my bike and planting my garden.  However, those of us in Colorado just came out of the snow two weeks ago.  My bike is dirty and my garden barely planted.

I fell in love with the Eden Prairie Shawl because I've always been a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright's designs and the Prairie school, the Arts and Crafts movement, and the Mission style.  I love the idea of straight, clean lines, combined with the sweeping movement Nature provides.  I immediately recognized the familiar in the Eden Prairie shawl, and had to create it. 

I chose a picture of a stained glass window as my inspiration, and made my color and fiber choices from there.  Can you see how I'm using the slightly variegated yarn to pull out the colors of the window?  I'm thinking of adding a slight "spot" of red, too, I just need to figure out how to work it in.


 Inspiration window from Stained Glass & More, Inc

I had a great time casting on and following along with the KAL group on Ravelry.  The helpful hints and instructions for making it through the more difficult parts of the pattern came just when I needed them.  I didn't finish with the group at the end of March (actually, I'm still on stripe 6), but I had so much fun I'll definitely do another KAL.  I made a major mistake on where I started stripe 6, instead of picking up from the diamond, I started from the stripe end, so I took it to knit group to solicit suggestions.  I was looking for ways to fix it without having to rip back. While suggestions were provided, the concensus was I wouldn’t be happy (especially with the color changes) if I didn’t rip it out. Since I didn’t have the heart to do it, Linda very kindly frogged it for me, and picked up the live stitches.  MJ bought me a chocolate cookie to ease the pain.  I love my knit group!  I’m almost back to the row I was on before ripping out, only this time with the full stripe length!

Initial start of stripe 6.  Can you see where I made a mistake?

My Current Knitting Status
WIPs (Works In Progress): Eden Prairie Shawl, Montego Shawl (stalled), My First Socks (travelling along with me and slowly being worked, I'm about 2" past the heel of the 2nd sock), and my PrimaDani socks

FOs (Finished Objects): J's Navy Cabled Sweater Wrap and A's Summer Tank (of which I need photos of both from you little sis!), Converse baby booties, and my Ashton Shawlette (see previous posts)


PrimaDani sock in progress!

As if I don't have enough WIPs, I got dragged into joining Camp Loopy!  It's a summer program offered through The Loopy Ewe in Fort Collins, CO.  Project One begins on June 1st, and then a new project begins on July 1st and August 1st, finishing up at the end of August.  There's prizes for everyone who finishes.  Yeah!  My first project is going to be the Skew sock out of Biscotte & Cie Felix in Loopy's Mountain Hike colorway.  It's gorgeous!  I'm swatching now, and will be casting on Saturday!

My Loot!  Yarn, pin, and project bag