Knitting Shows – Knitting Is So Fun

2022: Wk of 9/4-10; Cast-ons!!!

September 10, 2022 by knittingissofun, posted in Knit, Knitting, Knitting Shows, Project Bags, Sock Knitting, Sweater Knitting, Yarn

SOCK CAST-ONS

Between finishing my Autumn cowl and my Dragonfly socks recently, it was time to cast-on more projects. With a week of beach knitting coming up, socks were a logical choice. Both are going to be vanilla socks. The first pair is going to use the leftover variegated yarn (Deep Dyed Yarns) from my Autumn cowl. I think a plain pattern is called for to let the yarn itself shine. Plus the matching cowl is mainly vanilla stockinette. I may do a stripe of the pumpkin colorwork on the leg portion. The second pair is more of my beloved Fixation DK yarn which is great for knitting while walking. Since the bride and her maid of honor (her sister) are VERY health/exercise conscience, there will be a 5K as part of the wedding festivities. Plus my husband and I enjoy starting our mornings at the beach with an hour walk.

HUBBY’S SWEATER CAST-ON

Ugh! The reason I hate swatching is that it takes me so long!! 5000+ stitches takes a lot of time. I’ve used this yarn before and have swatched but unfortunately that didn’t help. I started swatching with a size 8 based on my previous swatch but I’ll be knitting Continental since it’s all stockinette. I ended up with a size 5 and still didn’t match gauge. I’m just going to knit a size smaller. I like the fabric and I’m already worried I’ll be playing yarn chicken so I don’t want to go to a smaller needle size. I’ll check my gauge as I knit and adjust accordingly. It will be easy to add stitches if needed. The swatch did allow me to try out different stripe patterns so my hubby could pick – alternating stripes of light grey, dark grey, white, and red or split up the red stripe so that there is a small stripe of red between each stripe of light grey, dark grey, and white. He chose the small stripe of red between each stripe. I totally agree. I’m using Berroco Summer Silk, one of my favorite yarns.

This is my first bottom up sweater. I will do my best to never knit another one!!! I have ripped it out already because I find it nearly impossible to keep from twisting the 250 stitches as I try to knit the first few rows! I did learn a new cast on technique since I needed a stretchy cast on. I used Tillybuddy’s cast on. I have also reviewed jogless striping videos. Fingers crossed I am successful on the second attempt or hubby has already agreed I will switch to a top down crew neck pullover despite his preference for a V-neck.

PROJECT BAG

With all the new cast-ons, I needed a new small(er) project bag. The fat square material I had bought over a year ago limited how tall I could make the bag. This one “is fine” but I’d probably prefer not as wide. I will do that with the next bag I make. I can get away with a small bag on my sock projects. This bag could hold 2 skeins and a small notions pouch. It’s actually a good choice for colorwork socks where I need multiple balls of yarn. One of my goals for the year was to make a project bag with some fabric inspired by local artist Charlie Harper. I didn’t use that fabric since I’m out of practice making project bags. I’m glad I didn’t use it since I would indeed make the next project bag different. I’m going to consider this new bag as meeting my 2022 goal of making a project bag even if it isn’t the Charlie Harper fabric.

Hope you have a wonderful week of crafting. This is a year of projects (YOP12) update. YOP is a Ravelry Group – make a plan for the year ahead for all your fiber activities, then update your blog each week. Plans can be calendar year (like mine) or mid-year start (like many). Following the plan is optional and creates some of the fun of posts. YOP started it’s 12th year in July and I’m starting my third year in the group. I’ve been knitting for six years.

2022: Wk of July 3-9; Shawl and Sailing WIPs

July 10, 2022 by knittingissofun, posted in Knit, Knitting, Knitting Shows, Shawls, Sock Knitting, Stephen West

SPIRALING CABLES SHAWL #2

So close but not quite finished. I have a little more rows of trellis to knit and then to knit the roughly 1″ of border. This will have to wait until I return from my trip. I’m super happy with how it looks. Blocking will stretch it out very nicely to better show off the stripes and the trellis section.

SPIRAL SOCKS

Apparently I’m into spiraling at the moment. My Simple Spiral Socks got a lot of attention on my flights to Maine. The pattern is a very simple lace pattern that I could easily memorize and follow making it perfect for knitting during my long day of flying to Maine.

I also plan to get a lot done on my Ladybird Shrug. The schooner has a beautiful table in the middle of the deck under a shade canopy which will be perfect for knitting!!

LETTING GO

I definitely suffer from sunk cost syndrome or “if I bought it, I need to use it”. 3 years ago I liked Patty Lyon’s Roselle Tee so I bought the pattern, bought the yarn, and put it in my Ravelry Queue. Now I have to admit there’s a reason I never got around to knitting it; I don’t like it so much. I want to wear more fitted tees. The yarn is not “wasted”. I already have ideas for the basic cream color yarn I bought. It would be great paired with colorful minis for the Sea Glass Tee I want to knit or by itself in the Breakwater Tee. So I need to let go of my despair for buying a pattern I probably won’t knit. I need to be okay with buying a new pattern that I’m happier with. Rip the band-aid off. I deleted the project from my queue!

MAINE

I’m “schoonering” this week. I arrived safely Saturday afternoon with no major flight delays. I got to enjoy my first lobster roll with my friend and his wife. I’m sending this post with my phone Sunday morning. My friend’s wife is a knitter so we are visiting a local yarn shop before we board the schooner tonight and depart Monday morning. MUCH cooler here than Cincinnati so a nice break from the heat. I’ll be getting to wear some of my hand knit sweaters and socks!! Feels weird to be without my hubby but he would not be able to tolerate Maine’s colder temperature. It got chilly while we ate our dinner outside and he would have been in pain. Absence makes the heart grow fonder right!?

Hope you have a wonderful week of crafting.

This is a year of projects (YOP) update. YOP is a Ravelry Group – make a plan for the year ahead for all your fiber activities, then update your blog each week. Plans can be calendar year (like mine) or mid-year start (like many). Following the plan is optional and creates some of the fun of posts. YOP is starting it’s 12th year. I’ve been knitting for five years and I’m starting my third year in the group.

YOP Wk of 9/12-18: Wool Festival Purchases, an FO, and New WIPs

September 19, 2021 by knittingissofun, posted in Knitting, Knitting Shows, Knitting tools, Notions, Sock Knitting, Sweater Knitting, wool festival, Yarn

Wool Gathering – Yellow Springs, OH

It was soooo nice to get to attend a yarn festival again. Not that I have much experience. My first was this one 2 years ago. I can’t afford to attend very many – too much temptation. More than the Vogue Live Marketplace I visited once when it was in Columbus, OH, a festival like this really makes you feel you are helping small businesses. The festival is held at a family run dairy instead of a downtown hotel like the Vogue Live Events. Can you tell I’m not a fan of Vogue Live and have no intention of attending another one??

That means 462 grams of yarn got added to my stash. Not looking good for ending the year with a net minus in my stash. And it’s not even like it’s email alerts to sales that are my downfall. It was a knitting friend letting me know a yarn I like was on 50% sale at a LYS, a yarn swap with my knitting friends, and this festival for the most part. Hmmm, I need to add to my knitting tracking calendar where I bought/got the yarn if I ever really want to get a handle on decreasing my stash.

I went to the festival knowing of 4 venders I wanted to buy from and indeed I bought from all four. Deep Dyed Yarns out of Nicholasville, KY makes the most vibrant yarns with a glittery metallic thread woven through. One skein, Starry Night, I’m splitting with a friend. While one skein is called Black Hills, it’s perfect as a Halloween sock yarn – again with glittery thread. The third is just gorgeous fallish colors.

Redbird Yarn Studio from Columbus, OH had a much more limited supply of yarn this year although she promised to have more Christmas colorways on her website in October. So I left the Christmas skein for another customer and bought a skein with beautiful browns, golds/oranges, and grey which I think my son will like with a bright orange contrast for the toes/heels. Indeed she was almost sold out of self striping yarns by lunchtime Saturday.

I have several project bags from Twisted Yarn and Fibers. She has the cutest fabrics!! I managed to resist buying more bags but did find a circular needle holder that I want for transporting my circular needles and cords to Florida in a few months.

I did end up buying the ball winder that I’ve had my eye on for 2 years. I can’t wait to wind the remaining skeins I need for Sara’s Sailormoon and to split the skein of Starry Night I just bought.

The final purchase was a cute t-shirt that is embroidered instead of printed. I love the reddish color of the t-shirt and the saying fits me well (my son loved it).

Swirl E Socks Got Finished!!

I did get my Redbird Harvest yarn socks finished in time to wear and show the shop owner. I got several compliments on the Swirl E pattern as well as the beautiful striped yarn.

NEW WIPs

Finished FO means it’s time for casting on!!! I cast-on for the third time my Advent 2019 colorwork socks. I had finished one cuff before I realized I should have gone down a needle size. So since it was only the cuff I frogged it and am now half way through the first cuff.

We have a bunch of thermal tumblers which are perfect for summer and Florida. They do get hot in the heat so I’ve been saying it would be easy for me to knit cozies for them. Well, I finally have gotten started on one. It’s the perfect project to take to the soccer game for before, halftime, and after game knitting since it’s straight stockinette. My leftover Fixation yarn is perfect for making cozies since it’s cotton and spandex.

I did get the swatch for Sara’s Sailormoon blocked so I’m ready to start her sweater. My priority for the coming weeks will be her sweater and the Advent 2019 socks. That’s a lot of happy knitting.

This is a year of projects (YOP) update. YOP is a Ravelry Group – make a plan for the year ahead for all your fiber activities, then update your blog each week. Plans can be calendar year (like mine) or mid-year start (like many). Following the plan is optional and creates some of the fun of posts. YOP is in it’s 11th year. It’s my second in the group.

YOP: Wk of 9/5-11; Frogging and Socks

September 12, 2021 by knittingissofun, posted in Brioche, Knitting, Knitting Shows, Knitting tools, Notions, Sock Knitting, Sweater Knitting, Yarn

Sailormoon Redo

Thankful the light bulb finally went off before I went much further on my daughter’s Sailormoon sweater. I wasn’t sure she would like the hot pink speckles so I sent her a picture of the stripes. Indeed she admitted she probably wouldn’t wear the sweater a lot because of them. So I frogged her sweater and I’m restarting with some Madelinetosh Light in Cinnamon Dolce and Silver Lining that I had in my stash for a sweater for me. She loves the new colors.

I will use the blue and hot pink speckled yarn for a sweater for me. I’m really loving Joji Locatelli’s Newspaper brioche sweater. This will definitely be on my 2022 plan.

Swirl E Socks

I’m in the home stretch on my Swirl E socks as I’ve completed the foot and heels and just have to do the legs. While I still want them to be short, I’ve learned I need to make the leg a bit longer if I want the stripes to show above my sneakers.

I want to have them done by Saturday so I can wear them to the Wool Festival and show them off to the vender that I bought the yarn from 2 years ago (Redbird Yarn Studio). She has been “missing in action” the past year due to “life stuff” so I’m thrilled that she did not give up on yarn making.

New Row Counters

I love the row counters from Twice Sheared Sheep and I already have several (uhh 4 to be exact). I have wanted both a shorter counter for things like 4 row sock patterns and a counter set for flat work (one counter is only odd numbers – usually the pattern rows – and the other is only even numbers – usually the purl row). Dawn offered a sale last weekend so I finally bought them. I was so close to free shipping that adding the cute (honeycomb, carbon ring if you are a chemist like me) markers in essence only cost me $3. I love using those cheap 7 day pill holders for my knitting notions. This one only holds row counters. I have others to hold my multiple sizes and colors of 0-ring stitch markers.

Looking Forward

The coming week is exciting. I will have yarn to share next week as I will attend the Wool Gathering festival next Saturday. I already have three venders that I’m committed to buying some skeins of yarn. I have too many sweater projects waiting for me to knit them so I’ll be buying fun sock yarns. I have plenty of people that will be happy with a sock gift as well as socks for me. I will also likely be buying a high end ball winder as I wasted an evening winding a ball on my cheap plastic one. I usually visit my friend that owns the expensive one but I thought “I only need to wind one ball to restart the Sailormoon sweater”. A whole evening spent just getting one ball wound!! Grrr. But it’s a lot of money to spend when my friend is only too happy to let me come over to wind yarn.

I hope you have an exciting week coming up as well.

This is a year of projects (YOP) update. YOP is a Ravelry Group – make a plan for the year ahead for all your fiber activities, then update your blog each week. Plans can be calendar year (like mine) or mid-year start (like many). Following the plan is optional and creates some of the fun of posts. YOP is in it’s 11th year. It’s my second in the group.

’21 YOP Week 11

March 21, 2021March 21, 2021 by knittingissofun, posted in Knitting, Knitting Plan, Knitting Shows, Knitting tools, Sock Knitting, Sweater Knitting, Yarn

This will be a quick update. I have started my Sailormoon sweater for me. I do love the Madelinetosh yarns I chose, Medieval and Found Pottery. I know I’m going to love wearing it. I need to pay a bit more attention to patterns I pick as this one has lots of picking up stitches and I hate picking up stitches. Oh well. Good practice and maybe I’ll change my mind. Glad this sweater is for me so that when I make it again for my daughter, fit issues should be figured out. Since it’s mostly stockinette, it should be a fairly quick knit even though it’s fingering weight (of course).

This did result in my purchase of a second yarn butler. I found I really like using one with a large cake of yarn when pulling yarn from the outside. With this sweater, I’m switching between the two colors of yarn every 4 rows which made it a pain to constantly take the cakes off and on the one yarn butler I had. So I bought a second one so the cake can just stay on its butler. This is going quite well and leads to smooth unwinding of the yarn.

I did cast-on a pair of anklets with the leftover yarn from my AGirlAndHerWool sample sock knit and knit the toes. These anklets were not on my 2021 plan. We are down to our last week in Florida. Three months seem to have zoomed by. I can’t believe it’s already time to head back north. On the off chance I get to do any knitting on our drive back home I wanted a simple vanilla sock on needles. Juggling the two balls of yarn on yarn butlers for the Sailormoon sweater would not work in the car. I am usually the driver due to my husband’s health issues. Occasionally I get an hour or so break on our 10 hr/day drives. I am looking forward to spending the weekend with our daughter and her fiancé as a break in our 20 hr drive back to Ohio.

I was excited to learn that our “local” wool gathering will indeed be held this year in September. My knitting friends and I have a day of shopping for yarns and gadgets to look forward to this fall. We are all trying to adhere to a “yarn fast” until September. But I did order some more Fixation yarn this week for anklets to use up leftover yarn and will be picking up yarn I bought from my Cincinnati LYS for hubby’s sweater once we return to Ohio. Funny how leftover yarn leads to more yarn purchased which leads to more leftover yarn, etc. How do you stop this endless cycle of leftover yarn leading to buying more yarn to use up the leftover which leads to more leftover yarn, and on and on?

This is a Year Of Projects (YOP) update. YOP is a Ravelry Group – make a plan for the year ahead for all your fiber activities, then update your blog every week. Plans can be calendar year (like mine) or mid-year start (like many). Following the plan is optional and creates some of the fun of posts. YOP is in it’s 10th year although I’m in my first in the group.

#41. Vogue Live Columbus

November 13, 2019March 1, 2020 by knittingissofun, posted in Knitting, Knitting Shows, Sweater Knitting, Yarn

Went to my first (last?) Vogue Live knitting convention. There was one in Columbus so it was very close. They have about three a year and usually in big cities like New York and San Francisco. We made a girls weekend out of it. Four of us came back on Saturday evening while two others stayed till Sunday morning.

I took 2 classes. Many others took 3 classes. Most everyone enjoyed their classes and felt they were worth the $90 cost for 3 hours. I took a class from “knitting rock star” Party Lyons about adjusting patterns to fit your gauge rather than trying to find the right needle to make guage. I basically did this when I made Sara’s shellseeker sweater because I used a smaller weight yarn than the pattern called for. So the class really didn’t teach me much. Plus I’m not intimated by basic math. But the ergonomics class had lots of good suggestions. Others who took a knitting technique class were satisfied. The marketplace was okay but I actually liked the Yellow Springs Wool Gathering back in September better, and it was free.

So it was a fun girls weekend. It cost about $300. I’m not anxious to do it again but once in a while is fun. I ended up buying two sweater projects so that was another $200. One I will be a KAL with Kim and the other will be a KAL with Colleen and Lise. Now I need to focus on knitting all the yarn I have and stop buying new yarn!!!

#40 Yellow Springs Wool Gathering

September 25, 2019March 1, 2020 by knittingissofun, posted in Knitting, Knitting Shows, Knitting tools, Sock Knitting, Yarn

I attended my first Yellow Springs Wool Gathering with some knitting friends Saturday. There were 6 of us that made the 1 hr trip. It was two huge tents filled with booths. Some were yarn shops that brought their wears. Some were indie yarn dyers. Some were indie yarn spinners.

I was on a quest to find Christmasy yarn for a pair of socks. Sadly no one had any although two yarn dyers said they would soon. I got the business card from one, Redbird Yarn Studio, so that I can order her Christmas yarn once she makes it. Her colors are so vibrant!! I couldn’t resist her fall Harvest skein. Her skeins make self striping socks. I’m already making a fall striped sock but it’s acrylic and nylon. I’m looking forward to making a pair with the Redbird wool and nylon yarn.

I was also looking for some cute yarn bobbins. Colleen taught us a way to make yarn bobbins for our argyl socks but a) I still need a way to distinguish between the two bobbins of main color and b) the bobbins seem to pull out if I drop them off my lap/table. I wanted to try to see if yarn bobbins would help keep the yarn short. I didn’t find much on etsy or yarn websites like webs or knitpicks. I was tickled to find cute sheep bobbins in different colors at one booth. Teresa, Ruth, and I bought different colors so we could exchange.

So my first wool gathering was a success. I found beautiful yarn for a pair of socks as well as a contact to get vibrant colored Christmas sock yarn. And I got some reasonable priced and cute yarn bobbins. It was fun to go with a group. Not sure I feel it’s a “have to go” trip but I would go next year as part of a group. I’m probably less excited because of the big yarn show that will be in Columbus for Vogue Live Knitting the first weekend in November. That’s a “once in a life time” event in Ohio so next year the Wool Gathering will be the only yarn event.