audioknits

Candy Stripes hat

Here is the hat I knit for my grandnephew for Christmas, the only Christmas knitting for this year.  It's the Candy Stripes Hat from Sharon Turner's book, Monkeysuits.  It calls for Tahki Cotton Classic, and I used leftovers from the Floral Border Jacket.  Unmodeled, the hat looks like a blob, but the photos in the book remind me of a newsboy cap or train engineer cap.  (Shown below, top left.)  On my daughter's grownup head it resembles a Rasta hat, which is a good look too.  I should have knit this in the round to avoid a less than stellar back seam. 

I've finished the back border pattern of the Raglan Rib pullover; "only" 9 inches of 2X2 ribbing now before the armhole decreases.

Happy birthday Ella

My grandniece Helena, called Ella, celebrated her first birthday.  Baby cousins were in abundance, as was a delcious Korean spread by her maternal grandma.  There was also a two part traditional Korean ceremony.  During the Toljabee ceremony several objects were placed before her and the item that she first touched would predict her future.  Ella touched two items just to confirm that she will be a little genius: a pencil and a book.

We left before present opening time, so I am hoping to hear soon whether the "Helena" cardigan I knit for her will fit her, at least for a short while. She is in the 90th percentile for height.

I've gotten a good start on the Raglan Ribbed Pullover which is very easy.  The little knitting slump that has ensnared me since school started has eased somewhat since finishing the Hogwarts Scarf and attending the inspiring Stitches.  I've also started a toddler hat for Christmas.

Stitches East 2009

My friend Barbara and I went to Stitches East in Hartford on Friday and Saturday and had a fabulous time.  Neither of us had classes on the Friday.  We scoped out the overwhelming market first.  I bought nothing that day but jotted down items that caught my eye which I would return to the next day.  I was only able to check out 8 of the 10 aisles of vendors before the market closed that evening, after which we attended the fashion show and dinner.  In that order, which I thought was poor planning.  It was a good thing Barbara and I had eaten a late lunch before hitting the market as the dinner did not start until nearly 9:00 PM. 

 

Saturday was spent in classes.  I went to a 6 hour class on customizing patterns.  The instructor was Gwen Bortner of Knitability, and she was an excellent and knowledgeable teacher.  Our pre-class homework was to knit a 6" square swatch in the pattern stitch of a pattern you would like to alter in some manner, along with the pattern and schematics.  My swatch and pattern for the Bar Code pullover are shown in the previous post.  As I suspected, everything boils down to math.  In my case, where the pattern is written for only one size and I would end up casting on at least 30  fewer stitches  than in the original pattern, Gwen told me it would be easier to 'rewrite' the pattern rather than just plug in the formulas we learned for simpler adjustments.  Sigh.  I knew I couldn't avoid getting into math.  I won't be tackling it any time soon, but will probably make it a summer project. 

Back to the market.  I finished perusing the remaining two aisles and then made final decisions.  I got some fun items, including three funny knitter's pins from the Mannings booth; a Stitches tee shirt (which I wore to work today for Wear Red/Say No to Drugs Day); some pretty flowery pink buttons that kept drawing me back so that I knew I must have them; and a chicken kit!

Also, a kit for a curly brim hat and one for a cool braided wrap, and a skein of pure white super fine Skacel Merino Laceweight for a wedding shawl.  My splurge and absolute favorite purchase was the Shona Vest by Jane Slicer-Smith  from the Trendsetter Yarn booth.  The sample vest took my breath away in its cabley goodness; the Merino VIII yarn really makes them 'sproing'.  I tried the sample on on Friday and knew I would make a beeline for it next day.  The sample was in what I will call pistachio green, which I was tempted to buy but didn't want to be a complete clone, so I chose an equally delicious curry color. 

Our room was only on the 5th floor of the Marriott but it was a nice view.

I'm already planning to attend Stitches 2010, which will also be in Hartford.

HOGwarts scarf

I have so been waiting to use that title.  My husband's requested chill-chasing Hogwarts Scarf, in Gryffindor scarlet and gold, is finished.  It made its first commuter trip on the bike in 32ish degree weather and has been deemed 'perfect'.  High praise indeed!

Stats:

Pattern: Hogwarts Scarf

Designer: Lauren Kent

Source: Ravelry download (free)

Yarn: Berroco Vintage Wool, 2 skeins each color

The scarf is knit in the round, yielding a double thickness.  I love the yarn, a soft acrylic/wool blend that is warm and soft enough to pass the neck test.

I knit up, washed, and (badly) blocked a 6-inch square swatch for my Stitches class on altering patterns. The yarn is Rowan Felted Tweed, and the pattern is Brandon Mably's Bar Code Pullover from this issue of Vogue Knitting Winter '02-'03.  It's a great issue as you can see from the multiple sticky markers.  I would like to learn how to downsize a pattern like this which is written for only one size, 45".  I took a color/intarsia workshop ages and ages ago from Brandon Mably at Sakonnet Purls.  There was another great design of his in a VK from the '90's that I really wanted to knit, can't remember the issue, but as with the Bar Code PO, there was only one ridiculous size, something like 55".  When I asked him about it he responded something to the effect that that is the style.  Unfortunately swimming in a tent is not my style.

Charlotte

We had to put our good old dog Charlotte to sleep this past week.  Adopted at about 1-2 years old, she had been with us over 14 years, the longest I've ever had a pet.  We walked thousands of miles together in our walking days.  It will take some time before my  internal Charlotte-routine clock winds down, as currently I need to remind myself when I glance at the clock at her scheduled walkies times that I don't have to get up and bring her out.  I don't need to be careful when coming downstairs in the dark in the morning that I don't trip over her snoring form, etc.   She put up good-naturedly with the cats, who get the majority of the blog limelight, but she knew she was the alpha pet.

The Harry Potter scarf will be finished today, and none too soon as it's been pretty cold the last few days, with even a brief appearance of sleety flakes.  I also need to get started on the swatch for my Stitches class.  Stitches next weekend!  Who else is going?

Biker chick(en)

Luckily my camera was in the car when I got home from work greeted by Biker Chicken, and I could grab it and take a picture.  I took several pictures actually, instead of chasing it off and wringing its neck as D would have done if he'd gotten there first to find it on the sacred Harley (which was unscathed.) These girls are bold as brass- after dropping my bags off in the house I came back out to find another chicken had taken over the car.

We are now getting at least 4 eggs a day in the henhouse.  On Thursday I discovered 15 eggs on the floor of the outhouse!  (No, we don't use it, but it is original to the 1920 house and is used for storage.)  The bottom of the door had fallen apart over the winter, and at least one of the chickens was laying there regularly.  I blocked up the opening in hopes that they will all learn to lay in the nesting boxes.  However this morning I heard loud Buck-buck-buck-baGAWK-ing from the neighbor's yard (yes, they really say that) and discovered one skulking about in the neighbor's open shed.  I grabbed her like a football , strode across the yard, and set her in a box, where eventually she did her duty.

I missed another guild meeting this month, but am hoping to be organized enough with my school prep by November so that I can go.  Library knitting group has started up again on the third Thursday of the month, and as it is just a short drive, or even bike ride in the daytime, it is easier for me to attend.  I am still working exclusively on the Harry Potter scarf - sheesh.  I did buy the Interweave Weekends magazine, with some nice stuff featured, and wonder why they don't include it in the subscription price.

This long weekend we are having family over for my dad's birthday celebration.  I'm looking forward to my sister meeting her namesake chicken!

With knitting content sorely lacking and me blathering on like a parent/grandparent over you-know- whats, I'm thinking maybe the blog should be changed from audioknits to audiochickens.

A fungus amungus

Saturday's rainy weather brought out the orange glow in these gorgeous fungi in the backyard.  It reminded me of the colors in the first Tie One On I knit a few summers ago.  You can never have too much orange.

Look at the size difference between two of the eggs gathered this morning.

'80's style

I picked up a McCall's Needlework magazine at the library book and bake sale today.  It was published in October 1987, an auspicious date, being the month my son was born.  There are familiar knitwear designer names, including Deborah Newton, Norah Gaughan, and Helene Rush. Some of the styles appear a little dated, but for the most part I think knitted designs withstand the test of time better than runway fashions.

Thanks to more meetings, the Harry Potter scarf is at the halfway point.

Those darling chickens are starting to crank up egg production even though the days are shorter.  Laying is supposed to cut way back in the winter months.  The first few days there were 2 eggs daily in the coop, then 3, including ones that somebody was laying in a corner on the floor.  On Tuesday I noticed a chicken looking suspicious around the bike shed, the doors of which do not close completely anymore.  I discovered a clutch of 4 eggs in some leaves in the shed.  I took the one that was freshly laid, the others must have been there a few days so were composted.  D pushed the lawn tractor up against the doors to hold them closed.

Today there were 6 eggs total!  Unfortunately 2 must have been dropped from the roosting bar as the girls responsible were sleeping or too inexperienced to head into the nesting boxes when they felt the urge, and were broken on the floor.  The other 4 were safely in the boxes.

Congratulations! It's...

Two eggs!

I went out to see "the girls" after work and to toss them their afternoon treat.  I almost didn't bother looking in the two nesting boxes D put up in the henhouse a few weeks ago.  All that is ever in them are the 3 wooden eggs I placed in them, which are supposed to turn on the lightbulb in a chicken brain - "Oh, that's what this box is for!"  I periodically placed chickens in the boxes so they would get the idea. 

I gave a perfunctory look in the first box- 3 wooden eggs.  Another perfunctory look in the further box- 4 eggs!  Wait, 5 eggs!  Two of which are real!

Maybe it is silly, but I was so excited.  I only call my husband at work if there is an emergency or something of great importance, and this qualified!

The eggs would probably be graded 'small', but they are perfect, smooth and cool to the touch.  I wonder who laid them?  And when?  Are they both from the same chicken?

At least someone around here is producing something.  And tomorrow we will have the first of our chickens' free range organic eggs for breakfast.

Broken record

Sorry to sound like a broken record but: there is still precious little knitting going on, school and school prep takes up a lot of time; the kids keep revolving in and out of the house.  K was here this weekend for an early celebration of her fiance's birthday.  J was originally coming home today but will continue out in CA and OR for several more weeks.  He really wants to get home and drive his new truck!

Since the local factory that had been polluting some wells in the neighborhood closed down two years ago, our community action group has not been meeting.  However tomorrow night there is a big meeting with DEM, DOH and others because grant money is available to install a public water system.  Yesterday we went door to door passing out flyers. I will be sure to bring a knitting project along to the meeting, which promises to be long and boring- a good thing for making progress on the Harry Potter scarf.

I stopped in the Job Lot by my school and found they had stocked Lion Brand Felting Wool in lots of delicious colors, $3 a ball.  I hadn't seen this wool before.  Job Lot often carries LB yarns but mainly the novelty stuff which I pass by.  I waited to go to the store in town to buy some of the Felting Wool.  I got enough deep red and gray for a slip stitch vest (which will not be felted).