Another Stash Project in the Queue

On Monday a friend of mine sought my advice on a lace project that was not going well. She is working on the Birch shawl in some really pretty Rowan Kidsilk Spray. I believe the color was Vino. Some where after the first repeat the lace pattern had gone off by 1 stitch. This doesn't seem like a lot but it was really messing with the lines of the pattern. She was on row 3 of the third repeat and it was going to need to be pulled out to the end of the first repeat. I could tell that she was not too happy with this so I offered to pull it out and take it back to where she left it. I suggested she do a small swatch of the pattern with some less fuzzy yarn so she could get a feel for you the pattern flowed.

It didn't take me too long to get Birch back to were it was. It is a very simple lace pattern and since I have done a few lace items in the past I could see what it was supposed to do and didn't have to study the pattern every row. I definite time saver!

While I was working these little leaves I started to think that with the red yarn they were almost like flames. That lead to the thought that maybe I could write up something similar that would be flames. This required a trip to the stash!

I found this.















Perfect flame material! I have no idea where or when I got this stuff. It is Filatura Di Crosa "Kinair" (76% Super Fine Goat Hair, 24%Nylon). This doesn't appear to me made any more, but it is very similar to Rowan Kidsilk Haze. The yarn shop on the price tag was in Berkeley, CA from 1971 - 2001 when it moved to Richmond, CA and became wholesale only. I could have purchased this in Berkeley but I don't remember doing so. I did notice they had a lot of free patterns on their web page.

I tried several different ways of making flames. I used some wool I had leftover from another project. I think the stuff was ripped and reknit 5 times before I got a design I liked. Once I had my pattern I made a small sample with the red.



I like it! I going to put the sample in with the yarn and this project is going into the queue right after the blue cardigan and the Civil War shawl. Can't wait!

Time for an update.

The back of the blue sweater just needs one more repeat on the oak leaves and acorn pattern. Good thing too because I am getting mighty tired of it. It will be nice to move on to simple sleeves where I don't have to look at a chart all the time.

Also in progress, pomatomus.

I love this yarn and I love this pattern. I just wish I could get a picture that shows it better. I can't seem to get the color to photograph well. Oh well, I just hope I love it as much when it is time to do the second sock.

Joanna Learns to Knit!

Now that she is a big girl of 4, Joanna thought it was time for her to learn to knit like mommy. We went to the local large discount chain store where she picked out a set of Red Heart US 13 plastic needles, in yellow of course, and a ball of brightly colored Lion Brand Jiffy Thick & Quick.

I cast on 10 stitches and taught her the rhyme

In through the front door

Down around the back

Out through the back door

Off jumps jack

I started guiding her hands and she told me to stop already with the rhyme.

By the time we got to the third row she had a pretty good feel for it and just need some help holding everything. At the end of the third row she had enough and it was time to get ready for bed.

You can see her total progress. She says she is going to make me a scarf but I think it will be a while before that happens. She likes to pull the needles out and use them for other things. Fortunately the yarn really sticks to itself and the stitches do not drop easily. I would really recommend this yarn for a beginner. The needles are ok. I thought the nice long point would be good for learning but they tend to split the yarn. Oh well, Joanna had to have yellow so what can you do?

Small Victories

It was just too hot to work with wool today so I thought I would finish up some socks I kept in my bag. Here they are.

I like them but I don't think I will do another pair in striping yarn. I am much too obsessive about getting them to match. I was very careful about finding the same starting point on the second sock. Halfway through the sock there was a knot and the pattern changed after the knot! Bad Word! Very Bad Word!

I ended up having to do three different joins just to make them match.

Progress update

I've been plugging away at the blue cardigan. I now have two front pieces and I have started the back.



The end of school picnic was supposed to be this weekend but it has been postponed a week due to the weather. I'm hoping this extra week will be enough for me to finish.

Joanna's new teacher asked me if I could make a poncho for her to purchase. I have a lot of trouble selling my work. No one really wants to pay a decent amount for the time I put into a project. I have no problem giving stuff away but I can't see myself selling it for less than minimum wage. I decided I would go ahead and make the poncho as a gift. Besides, I needed something mindless to work on when there were too many distractions to work on the cardigan.

She asked for something that was not too warm in an autumnal colors, predominately green. I decided to combine a strand of the wool leftover from Rob's vest and a strand of metallic green and gold railroad yarn in a simple lacey pattern.



I finished tieing on the fringe this evening. I took a picture of Joanna wearing it and then she took a picture of me wearing it.



Not bad for her first try with the camera.

I still need to block it and trim the fringe but I will declare it done.