NecessityKnits

My design process

Yesterday when I posted I talked about designs that are running through my mind. I decided last night to sketch them out, so here is the beginning process.

And this is the swatch that goes with the multicolor sweater that I have in the back of my mind.

Last night I worked on the Ultra Alpaca sweater sleeves and did some photography. There is a climbing vine that makes the most wonderful seeds. I will post them tomorrow.

Yarn sale, Stitches and too much yarn

My favorite yarn store is having a sale and I am not sure if I will be going. Yup, the world must be stopping, the dead are turning over in their graves, and knitters across the globe are gasping. Yarn and sale, what's not to like. Oh, don't get me wrong, I love yarn, and I love a sale. However, in trolling through my stash this weekend I realize I have a lot of yarn that simply put, needs to be knitted. The types of yarn that I am always looking for are the basics. Good hearty yarn. Yarn to knit a simple cable sweater, cardigan, socks (the thick kind). Now I know that most if not all my yarn IS that very kind of yarn I am talking about, cascade 220, lambs pride worsted, selkirk, yet, for some reason it isn't being knitted up. It is me. I want to find the perfect pattern, I want to stop gaining weight and I want something that is truly beautiful and flattering. That's a lot of ask of anything. So why not go to the yarn sale and see if anything calls to me? Well there are lots of reasons not to go. I have a closet full of yarn, several sweaters that need to be completed, a feeling of being overwhelmed by having so much yarn. (yes I have given quite a bit of it away to friends, charties etc) Stitches East is a few days away and I will be hitting WEBS and a few other places, I'm cash poor at the moment, and of course I can ALWAYS find a yarn that I like.

However,as I change from my summer clothes to my winter clothes I realize I don't have a sweater that I can pull over my head on cold days that looks nice and is a comfort sweater. You know the type, it is the sweater that takes you to the store, so you can run in and get what you need. It is the sweater that you have on when you have to get wood for the fireplace and you are going to the BIG wood pile not the one on the front porch. It is big and colorful, a cute design and flattering. Yes that one! It is missing from my wardrobe. But why can't I sit and knit it. Designs are swirling around my head and there are not enough hours in the day. Between looking for another job, cleaning the house, feeding animals and hubby, then doing a little bit of this and that, it's time to go to bed. There are so many ideas in my head:

*There is a black sweater that has a brown stranded design, knitted in the round
(not started but swimming around in my head.)

*There is a cable sweater that needs sleeves (I need to frog part of the neck)

*There is hubby's sweater that I worked on most of the weekend and I think I am close to starting the
sleeves.

*There is a red sweater that I started but now realize that there is too much red in my closet and part of
me can't bear to rip it out.

*There is a lace shawl in beautiful autumn colors that needs my full attention and I just haven't been able
to do that at the moment.

*There is the blue Ultra Alpaca sweater that is just the basic sweater I need, but I am unsure if it will look
nice on me because I am a pear shaped individual and this is a raglan.

*There is a saddle shoulder sweater, it has a twisted stitch pattern on the lower half of the sweater and on
the sleeves up to the neck. But should it be in purple so that I can use up some of the massive yarn that I
have or should this be a purchase of light colored yarn to highlight the stitch pattern.
(not started but swimming around in my head.)

*Then there is the odd ball sweater. The base yarn is a pretty blue, the odd balls all compliment the blue,
green, fushia, bright blue, purple and yet I don't think I have the right mix yet.
(not started but swimming around in my head.)

*There is also the black sweater that I have swatched, is also an odd ball sweater that uses up the knitpicks
yarn I bought a while back and all I need to do is is wash the swatch, it is currently at 5.5 stitches to the
inch and there is something bothering me about the swatch.

So, I will not be going to the sale today, I will miss out on whatever she has, but I will be able to attend Stitches with less guilt. I also plan to be very selective about my purchases at Stitches. I am going to think long and hard about what I want to accomplish this time. I will photograph my purchases but they might be really small, who knows, take care.

Patty

head colds and other excitement

Yes, I have been away for a couple of weeks. I got a headcold and from there it was catch up and other stuff just happens. I have been plugging away on John's sweater but because you have already seen it, it doesn't look any different except that is longer.

Another project I have picked up is my Ultra Alpaca sweater from this past winter. It is a lovely blue green and promises to be a nice warm sweater. As our house is always on the chilly side, I think I might be living in this sweater. I am still trying to warm up to the yarn I bought at the Webs sale and we are at a standoff. I think it just might knit up into something that looks old before its time. It may just have to sit in the stash because I am really disliking the feel of the yarn.

Stitches East.
Yes I will be going and I am taking classes. One with Nancy Marchant on Brioche knitting and the other is with Melissa Leapman, Celtic Cables. Last year was an overload of yarn. This year I have a plan (Ha!) I have limited dollars to spend. I want good basic yarn so that I can knit a variety of sweaters. I plan to hit Webs of course, Socks that Rock, Habu, and then just wander around. I'm looking at sweater patterns and trying to figure out what Webs will bring as that will determine just how much I spend there. I am hoping that Ultra Alpaca comes back along with its lighter weight sibling. I also hope to find Soak there this year, I really want to try out this wool wash.

Sorry that there are no pictures but what I am knitting just isn't photo worthy.

The weather

Today the weather is beautiful. No doubt about it. It is beautifully sunny and its is cool enough to wear a sweater. Nice weather for a knitter. The days are getting cooler now, and where I live really cool. Living out in the sticks does have a different weather set. John has brought down the wood rack and it's about 2/3rds full. I expect in October we will start our first fire. (It may be started while John goes away for the weekend in late September.) As the seasons change there is always one thing that I really want. It is a major blizzard. That's right I am one of those people who want a HUGE blizzard. I want it snowing for 4 or 5 days straight. I want to be totally snowed in with food in the house and fire burning. I want to see the dog chasing snow flakes catching them, and running around. I want to see the dog rolling in the snow and being all frisky. I want the big breakfast that all the neighbors have decided to have. We are all going to meet up at my house, eat bagels, pancakes, bacon, hashbrown, french toast and drink Irish coffee. We are going to laugh (not that we don't now) goof off and in general waste time with one another with no cares. That's what I want. Know any God(s) to get me my bizzard? Any offerings I must make? Let me know.

My Shawl...

This is my first attempt at lace. It is one of the Fiber trends pattern and the yarn is from Clover Hill and is a hand-dyed originial. I haven't seen anything like it before or since. I love it. I also like the challenges that lace provides me. I really have to focus on the stitches and really look at the repeats. I want to do more with lace and that is the part about knitting that I like. You see, when I was younger I couldn't imagine knitting lace. Now that I am a bit older, wiser and somewhat adventuresome lace is something intriguing and fun.

That's what is so wonderful about knitting. There are so many avenues to pursue. You can start a scarf, then move to a sweater, on to a cable vest, a shawl and felting and dyeing. You also can explore color and textures, what's not to like.

Patty

Where to buy yarn

In my time I have bought a lot of yarn. (See my previous post) I have had a lot of good experiences buying yarn locally and via the web. Here are some of my favorites

www.yarn.com
This is the infamous Webs. They have one of the largest stock/supply of just about anyone I know. They have sales frequently and there is a discount on everyday stock. While I like their website, it is easy to navigate, easy to order. My monitors always are off so sometimes my choice isn't quite right. I have yet to return anything to them.

www.elann.com
Just an internet site. Right now it seems that all the manufactures are getting rid of all their glitzy, eyelash, yarns. They also have their own line which seems fairly good. Nice prices, and I have had to talk to them about a problem with my order and they are always friendly.

Locally
A Good Yarn
Fells Point, Baltimore, Maryland
While this shop is limited in size that have nice stock. Atmosphere is really nice and staff friendly and helpful

Cloverhill
Catonsville, Maryland
Larger selections, particular yarn on sale for a month. Nice atmosphere and reasonable in prices. Nice selections of sock yarns, and has a wide range of price points. I shop here frequently, nice staff and will special order for you.

Fiber Fantasy
Glyndon, Maryland
This shop has a HUGE INVENTORY. A little more expensive, but interesting selection, and they have close to everything that a knitter could want.

That's all for the moment. Have a nice rest of the week.

Patty

flashing my stash

As many knitters know showing one's stash makes others feel better. One can point out to one's spouse, significant other, "look my stash isn't as big as hers." Let it be written, let it be said.

What I like about this abundance is that at just about anytime that I want to knit something special, try out an idea, knit a swatch, I probably have the yarn to do it.

That doesn't mean that I am immune to the call of a good wool, great alpaca, or the siren call of silk. Oh no, resistance is futile.

I have also given away huge, and I do mean HUGE bags of yarn to keep friends in the "good stuff." We knitters look out for one another.

Trying a bit of lace

While I have been dutifully knitting my hubby's sweater I also have been trying my hand at at a little lace. I am working on the fern lace pattern and want to do it in a worsted weight yarn so that I can knit it quickly and have something beautiful to throw over my shoulders. I'll post some pictures once I get a definable pattern. I would love to use up some of the yarn (lace weight, fingering weight and sport weight) that I have stashed away. My mind is working on all different styles of sweaters to knit. If only I had the time and the hand strength to do this for the long haul.

Patty

Just how hot is it?

Summers here in Maryland are always interesting. One minute it is just right, a gentle breeze blowing through the house, the next 96 degrees, heat index of 106. Not nice. But it is traditional for Maryland. This leads to very little working on knitting things, lots of washing of clothes, stripping the bed and putting cotton sheets on because flannel is just to hot. It also means thunderstorms that can get pretty intense...at 2 am in the morning. It also means the dog goes on alert to protect us from the thunder and lightening. Getting him to calm down takes time and patience at 2 am.

So there is no knitting on Saturday but tons of knitting and mystery! on Sunday. There is also the stash room that I was suppose to clean, but that never happened. Yes I have a room that is my own where I watch old movies, scfi, or whatever on my computer and knit. There is yarn all over the place and various projects laying about. Pictures will be uploaded tonight or tomorrow. This week will be a busy one. Haircut, interview, cleaning the septic tanks (not me, a professional) and cleaning of the chimney (again, not me but a professional). I purposely took off Friday to have a nice long weekend, and hinted to hubby that it would be an ideal time to get this stuff done, while one of us was off. I expect to be cleaning, knitting and loving life.

Patty

pictures of knitting

another swatch of John's sweater

Sweater sleeve long time project

This is my skye tweed swatch