Little Blogger

I was sitting out on our back porch writing the other day. I went inside to grab a drink and came out to find this.

Isn't she cute?

She's one of two kittens our outside cat has. I might as well call her ours; we've been taking care of her since she gave birth to a litter of four beside our house.

Her sister is a gray tabby, and my husband has dubbed the O and G (orange and gray). Over time, those have developed into Oh Boy and Gee Whiz. Goofy names for cats, right?

Unfortunately her sister is much more shy. Unless we catch her, she won't let us handle her at all.

First Dyeing

I dyed some yarn today for the first time. I have to say it was easier and less messy than I expected and overall, pretty fun! If you're interested, here's what I did (and what I might do differently next time.)

You'll need...

• One skein of yarn. I used KnitPicks bare 100 percent peruvian wool (fingering weight).
• Kool Aid. 2-3 packs of each color you plan to use. I used 3 lemon lime, 2 orange, 2 lemonade, 2 strawberry, 3 ice blue raspberry lemonade
• One quart glass jar for each color you intend to use
• Some dish cloths/towels
• A large pot or pan that all the jars will fit in
• Scrap yarn
• Rubber gloves
• Paper towels
• Collander

First step is to wind your yarn into a larger skein. Mine was about 12 feet in circumference (roughly.) Some people measure out some sock yarn they already have and like and figure out the length of each repeat that way. I just wound my yarn around the backs of two kitchen chairs and used the scrap yarn to tie it in 5 sections of unequal length.

When your yarn is tied off and ready, put a towel in the bottom of your pot and put your jars in the pot, on the towel (it will help keep them from breaking). You're going to heat the jars double-boiler style, but that comes later. For now, fill each a little over half-way with tepid water and add the koolaid.















Fill the pot with tepid water so the jars are surrounding. Now, get your yarn, decide which colors you want where and start shoving sections down in the koolaid water. Note, this is where rubber gloves will come in handy!

If you're like me and forgot that part until it was too late, a sugar/oil scrub will remove most of it!

Use a spoon or your fingers, and push the yarn down into the koolaid mixture. Turn on the stove and heat the water (slowly!).

It took about half an hour, but most of the dye will be absorbed by the yarn when it's finished. For mine, the yellow and orange finished in about 15 minutes. The water turned a milky shade, but it was obvious that the yarn had most of the dye, not the water.

The green and blue took a little longer, and the red (strawberry) never did clear up. Next time, I may try just one pack of that rather than two since it's such a strong color.

When the yarn is finished, take it off the heat and let it cool back down to room temperature.

When the yarn cools, give it a quick, gentle rinse under tepid water. Hang it to dry, and there it is!

Yarn Teaser

PDRM0093
Originally uploaded by cornerscribe

Here's a little teaser pic of the yarn I dyed this weekend. The navy is the scrap yarn I used to tie it off, so ignore that.

The yarn is red, yellow, orange, green and blue. Very bright!

Yarn Dyeing

I dyed my first skein of yarn this weekend. I'll post pics tonight, but let's just say it came out pretty. I think it'll make a nice pair of socks!

Scarf Finished!

I finished the scarf for the ravelry scarf exchange. Sorry, no pics or details right now.

I'm going to get it in the mail next week, and I'll post some details and pictures when it has arrived and she's had a chance to be surprised.

In addition to that, I've got a sweater going for me and a pair of socks for hubby. Pics of those soon, I promise.

There's been an interesting (and rousing!) discussion on Ravelry lately about acrylic vs. animal fibers. I never realized people could get so wound up (pardon the pun) in their yarn.

I'll knit with just about anything, though wool is my favorite. I have acrylic in my stash, and I find it useful for some items. I usually put no acrylic on exchanges though, simply because it isn't something I prefer. However, I don't have anything against it. I use acrylic for blankets, rugs, etc. and I use some acrylic blends as well.

I have a king size afghan I crocheted for my husband about three years ago in acrylic. It's fuzzed up quite a bit, but I can't imagine caring for something that large in wool!

At the risk of opening up a firestorm, do any of you have a strong preference one way or the other?

SP12 question

This week's question is what we liked most about summer vacation.

I enjoyed having the summer to do what I wanted, for a change. Although I was good in school, I tended to be pretty bored as well, especially in the lower grades. I spent the year doing lessons and then waiting quietly (yeah right).

When summer came, I checked out stacks of books each weekend. We'd drive to the library, and I remember how cold it was inside. Our car didn't have air conditioning, so the building was an absolute haven. Quiet and cool, it fairly beckoned.

It was a wonderful Saturday afternoon ritual, and we still keep it in a manner of speaking by heading to the bookstore.

Froggin'

I'm working on a sweater in Knitpicks CotLin. It's very nice yarn, but I've found one thing about it that surprised me. Maybe I just haven't worked enough with cotton or linen. The yarn shows decreases. I mean, it really really shows decreases. I thought that after I had done a few rows it would resolve itself, but it looked just as bed.

So, it's frogged.

I had intended to do a little waist shaping to account for a slightly too-wide sweater at the hips, but I just decided to start over with fewer stitches. This also means that I doubt I'll be able to do any kind of short row shaping for the neck as well -- the decreases are just too glaringly obvious.

Has anyone had similar problems? Maybe there's something I can do to make the decreases less obvious?

SP12 Question of the Week

I think the question of the week is a great idea. My favorite summer drink is iced tea, made with splenda, not sugar. Lemonade is a very close second, also made from splenda. I like real brewed tea and lemonade from lemon juice, none of those mixes!

If I want something alcoholic, I like the bottled fruit wine coolers and malt coolers and even an occasional Corona with lime.

Forgive the lack of updates, I got a case of food poisoning early this week, and I'm trying to get myself pulled back together.

Secret Pal 12

Secret Pal 12 is getting underway. Here is my questionnaire.

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

I like just about any animal fibers. I don't like acrylic.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

A bag for small needles, a vase for long ones.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I've been knitting about five years. I learned the basics in a class, but I've taught myself most of it. I'd consider myself intermediate.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

Not really.

5. What's your favorite scent?

Citrus scents and lavender.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

Dark chocolates.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

I'm just learning to spin.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

Autumn colors, especially orange, yellow, rust, brown, etc. I don't like pink.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

We have several pets.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

Scarves, hats and mittens - yes. I don't wear ponchos.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

Just about anything really, but I keep socks on the needles practically all the time.

13. What are you knitting right now?

Scarf, socks, sweater.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Yes.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

Circular. Bamboo.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

Yes, my husband!

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

About 10 months old.

18. What is your favorite holiday?

Halloween.

19. Is there anything that you collect?

Gargoyle and sheep figurines. (My husband got me started on the latter)

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitting Workshop. I don't have any magazine subscriptions.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

Button bands for cardigans.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

I wear a size 8 1/2 shoe. Yes, I knit socks.

23. When is your birthday?

May 6

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?

jkay

Shawl FINALLY finished

I think I spent about four months knitting this shawl. It really turned out pretty, and I'm happy to report that my mom loves it, even though I didn't make the Mother's Day deadline.

The pattern is North Sea from Folk Shawls. It's a super easy pattern, but it turns out looking a lot more complicated that it is.



This picture gives you an indication of the size. That's a queen size bed, and it easily stretches across it.



This is a better representation of the colors. If I can talk my mom into it, I'll get an action shot too!

Charity Knitting

I just knit my first pair of sock for Warm Woolies. Check out their site for details, but they provide knitted garments for orphans overseas and for poor children on two reservations in South Dakota.

They ask that items be knit either in bulky weight or double-stranded worsted weight. I chose the latter for these socks, and I think it gave it a cheerful color scheme. Items should also be mostly or all wool since it does so well in cold wet weather.



If you have some extra time or yarn on your hands, what better way to use both up? This is a great cause, but you can always find something else if you like. Just google "charity knitting" and you'll find plenty to keep you busy.

Ravelry Scarf Exchange

I'm participating in the Ravelry Scarf Exchange. My knitter was Boldly. The scarf is really pretty, as you can see.



I've finally chosen a pattern and yarn for the one I'm knitting, and I've even done about four inches. Woohoo!

If you get a chance to join a swap like this, I'd highly recommend it. It's fun to knit for a stranger. You get a chance to "get to know" someone and work on doing something they'll like. I've tried about half a dozen patterns so far before settling on one I like, and I think she'll like, as well.

Of course, one great benefit is that you do get some knitted goodies. Who can complain about that?

Miscellany

I’ll finish the shawl today, and I plan on getting up in time to block it tomorrow morning before work. I think it’s going to be really pretty, but I’m also pretty sick of working on it too. I usually don’t work on just one item at a time like I have with this one, so I think that’s made it even worse for me.

I’ve got several projects clamoring for attention. Three pairs of socks, a sweater I’m dying to start, a sweater that needs ripping back (the im-perfect sweater, it turns out), and I want to start a shawl for myself. Looks like it’s going to be a busy summer.

I promise (honest, really) to post some pictures. I’ve been so busy with the shawl, I haven’t taken time to do anything. I’ll remedy that. Promise.

Still here, or back, or whatever

I'm still around. I've not been gone, really, though I haven't felt particularly inspired to write for the blog. We do have new kittens (pics later).

I very nearly finished the North Sea shawl for my Mom's Mother's Day present. It's still in my purse, getting all the attention I can spare. That's one reason for my slacking here, so at least it's a partly good excuse.

I think I can finish in three or four days, and then I'll have plenty of pictures of the finished product.

Are you a keeper or a user?

I've been reading the Yarn Harlot's book, Stephanie Pearl McPhee Casts Off. Although the book doesn't seem to have been generally well-liked, I thought it was good.

One thing it made me think about was how we approach knitted items. Do you store them away, like an heirloom, or use them as you would anything else?

I'm most definitely a user. If I knit something for myself, you can almost bet I'll be wearing it tomorrow. To me, putting it in a drawer to "save" isn't any fun. And what am I saving it for anyway? My husband tends to be the same way. He wore his bright red and yellow knit socks to the grocery store recently -- with shorts. Can you imagine the looks he got?

When he got home, he proudly told me people were looking and admiring his socks! Heh...

My mom is just the opposite. She rarely wears what I knit her. She has a tendency to put away anything she really likes to "save" it. I have trouble understanding that; it just doesn't seem like she'd get any enjoyment out of it at all.

Anyone care to enlighten me?

New Blogger Feature

I'm trying out Blogger's new feature that allows you to write a post and schedule it for a future time. I'm writing this Saturday night and scheduling it to come up Sunday. We'll see if it works as smoothly as Wordpress does.

This is one of the features I think Blogger was really lacking. If I'm going away or know I'll be busy, I sometimes schedule posts to publish on my wordpress blog, but I never could do it here. If this works well, then I can see this helping me to keep a more regular posting schedule.

Shawl update

First off, here's the obligatory spring flowers shot. Aren't they pretty? I have no idea what they are, but they were blooming last weekend at the hotel where we were staying.


Speaking of hotel, that's it.

Okay, a shawl update. It's coming along really well. The pattern is North Sea, from the folk shawls book I've mentioned here before.

I'm using Knit Picks Gossamer, which is a lace weight yarn. The color is trail, which is a nice mix of earth tones (rust, tan, green, brown). Like I said before, the pattern is super easy, but it's knitting up to look more complex than it really is.

Here are some pictures of it (thanks to my husband, who's much better with the camera than I am!) Try to imagine that it's blocked already. Lace does look a bit crappy while it's on the needles, doesn't it?



The pattern is hard to see unblocked, but the color is pretty accurate. I'm pleased with it.

We almost had a disaster right after the shot. Our dog got her foot tangled in the yarn and we had to do some quick grabbing and untangling. She has a tendency to flip out a bit if she gets into the yarn, and I had visions of all this work getting unraveled and dragged all over the house.

I need to lie down.

At least someone can relax

That's actually a picture of TWO cats. They're almost the same color and curled up together. She wasn't terribly happy that I woke her with the flash.

We've been down with a cold, after being out of town for a couple of days. It was a trip I'd been looking forward to, and I was lucky not to get sick till after we got back, but still.

I'm still working on the shawl, which is coming along nicely. It's the North Sea shawl from the Folk Shawls book. I didn't realize it when I picked it, but it's a simple pattern to memorize (one line!), and it's turning out very pretty. I couldn't stand it; I had to show my mom to be sure she liked the color. She does. If you've never done lace before, then this is a perfect one for a beginner. Not only is it an ultra simple pattern, there's also no edging to do, so that's even simpler. It's a rectangle (which I prefer anyway). The only downside is that two panels have to be grafted together at the end. If you don't like doing that, then that might be an issue. I'm a really slow grafter, but I can do it.

Here are a couple grafting links (also called kitchener) that might help. I have very little patience, and if I can do it, anyone can.

Knitty
Bagatell

Both of those sites have great pictures and cover grafting stockinette.

Grafting stockinette and garter

This one doesn't have as many pictures, but once you get the idea, you shouldn't need them. The nice thing here is that it covers grafting garter stitch as well as stockinette.

I'll try to get some good pictures of the shawl not that it's no longer a secret. My daffodils are gone, but my consolation prize is that my lilac bushes are almost bloomed. I promise pictures of those too when they're fully out.

The Things I Say

So far today, I have said all this to my dog....

Don't eat the trash!
Don't eat the rabbit turds!
Do NOT drink out of the toilet!

I sound like a blithering idiot.

Unreality

Wow, it's been a while since I wrote. Sorry about that; things just got away from me.

I finished my husband's first sock and started the second, but no pics for now. I'm too lazy to run upstairs and grab the camera. I promise pics later though.

I decided to do a shawl for my mom for mother's day. I did a little figuring last night, and I'm only about 1/6 of the way finished. I have only a little over a month to finish it, wash and block it. Am I being unrealistic? Let's hope not.