30 Day Sweater: Update 1

Here is my beautiful yarn for my 30 day sweater.

It is Malabrigo Worsted in Jacinto.  It is so incredibly soft.  My friend said it felt like a cashmere blend.

I am so excited to be finally using this yarn.  I bought it this spring when my local yarn store was having a flood sale as the Illinois River threatened their doors.  My basement flooded too. Instead of thinking about the damage, I am focusing on the fact I got 20% of yarn and am thinking happy thoughts.  I am also using my swift (Christmas present 2012) and ball winder for the first time, with some help from D.

Whenever starting a knitting project that should fit, I actually do swatch.  Many knitters skip this step, but I just can't bring myself to skip it.  I spend a lot of money on yarn (yarn is expensive, it makes me wonder how clothes are so cheap in comparison) and a lot of time knitting; I want it to fit and look good.  I diligently knit my little square, then wash and block  it, so I am able to make sure I am getting the correct number of stitches per inch.

Done and done, right? Then, I further read the instructions and realized I made the swatch wrong. (Insert grumbling and cursing.)  Often times a swatch is stockinette stitch, but not this time.  I was supposed to make the swatch in the cable pattern of the sweater. Lesson learned, read all of the instructions before starting.

I am a bit behind, already, but now I am all ready to get started on the actual sweater.

Stormy is learning to read, so that should keep him occupied.

Lots of time for knitting now.

End of September

I said I would finish the blocks to my blanket for August and September and even start October's before the end of September.  So I did just that.

I still have to finish October's while working on my 30 day sweater challenge in the next few weeks. October is going to be a great month.  I have big plans.

30 Day Sweater

Oh no...

This is a thing!  I a great, big thing.  They are looking for 5000 knitters to take the challenge here: http://30daysweater.com/brownsheep

Oh crap.  This encompasses my love of a challenge, my need to knit and I just happen to have a sweater's worth of yarn and pattern picked out waiting for something like this.  But this would take all my knitting time and more.  What about all the cute little baby things I have planned?  That beautiful blue yarn I just bought  But the desire to enter a challenge is so great.

Can I do it?  Maybe more importantly, should I do it? Is it strange that my mind just keeps saying "crap," because I know I cannot resist. I'm totally making this: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rocky-coast-cardigan

Squared

I like challenges.  There is just something deep within me that craves a challenge.  Not a crazy challenge like "I bet you can't eat all these pickles in 1 minute," but a challenge that I some how deem helpful for my life, in promoting its goodness.  Challenge pervades everything I do.  Despite popular belief, being a librarian at a community college is a huge challenge.  Being a mom of two and working full-time with a husband that travels is a challenge. Being a runner is a challenge. I make reading goals to add challenges.  Overall, I like the feeling of accomplishment and accomplishment is all that much sweeter with a harder challenge.

So as I have mentioned before, I like a knitting challenge too.  I love knit-a longs.  Right now, I am working on an all-year knit-a-long.  This knit-a-long is knitting a monthly square to then become a blanket, it is called Building Blocks.  I am so good a knitting squares.  I can knit circles around squares.  If anyone asked me what I am best at in knitting, it is making square things.  This challenge is right up my alley. Each block/square is designed to develop a new knitting skill.  I have to say that the skills are not new for me, but I am using them in new ways and honing my skills (double plus).

Due to my pregnancy hand issue, I was not able to knit for a few months, so I am a bit behind. However, since Stormy was born I have finished three or four blocks bringing my total to 7. I just started block #8 which only puts me only one square/month behind.  I am sure with football season upon us I can get #8 and #9 completed this month maybe even get ahead and start #10.  Just another challenge to make thing more interesting.

What are your feelings on a challenge?

 

Knitting is like that

Part of my 2012 challenge for The Fiber Universe is to knit gloves...

Done and done.   I decided to make child size for D. 

The yarn is Jojoland Baritone (loved this wool! first time using it.) and the pattern is Gloves for Kids.

Only there is one problem...

They are not the same size.  I seem to have forgotten some important step in the palm area on the second one making it smaller.  Knitting is like that, very unforgiving if you, you know, forget to do something.

I have enough yarn to make a thrid.  Maybe then I will get a matching pair.  Or maybe I will just throw these in the pile of knitted objects never to be used.

Still on a teal kick....

Next project might still be teal.  But after that no teal..........

 

Finished!

I finished my Ravellenic Games challenge!!!!

I will tell you all about it... later.  I have to get ready to sell my wares at the Peoria Riverfront Farmer's Market tomorrow.  Stop by if you are around. Look for the yarn.

New Yarn Part 2

This yarn purchase is for an exciting "un-named" project.

 

Cascade 220. 100%  Wool.

I am test knitting.  Test knitting is when a pattern designer gives the pattern they made to someone to test it out and make sure it makes sense and is not missing any steps before making it available to the public.  I am very honored to be test knitting for MunchkinMama @ Everything...All at Once.  She is a very good technical knitter so I am surprised she thinks I am good enough to knit for her.  I feel quite special and a bit over-estimated. 

The project is flip-top mittens; a hybrid of mitten and fingerless-gloves.  I love wearing my store-bought pair; that is how she chose me to test knit these. 

This is what MunchkinMama's look like

Photos from MunchkinMama;'s Raverly Project Page

The little "v" pattern look like thrums, (like my slippers) but they are not.  The yarn is held, so it is more like fair isle. I guess I am just jumping into the land of knitting color work.  Not sure what color I will make my little "Vs", I have a bunch of yarn in my stash to choose from.  Something that goes with lime green, I guess.  Any suggestions?

I will also make these two-at-the-same time, a technique I have never before tried, but am dying to learn.  By making both at the same time I will not run into the issue of the pair being different sizes or having different tensions (like I did with my husband's socks).  It is also helpful because once you are done, you are done.  You don't have to then start the second pair. 

What are you learning to do in February?  Is your weather crazy warm?  Do you think the groundhog will see it's shadow tomorrow?  Does it really matter?

Thrummed Slippers

I finished the thrummed slippers I fist blogged about here.

These thrummed slippers are a part of the knit-a-longs at The Fiber Universe. Every month, the store selects a pattern that helps us knitters fulfill the 2012 challenges.  The challenges are lists of 12 things to do: techniques (like thrums) and projects (like slippers).  Completing all 12 equals a free skein of yarn.  I am going to complete 3 of the 4 challenge sheets: projects, knitting techniques and crochet techniques.  The other challenge list is spinning and I am just not good at that nor do I own a spinning wheel, but in February I may learn to drop spindle spin.  So maybe I can do all 4, maybe.  

I started and finished this January KAL in the correct month and everything. I am off to a great start.

I made them for someone special.   I hope to see that person soon so, I can give them away.  Here my daughter is modeling them; they are just a bit too big.  I probably could size the pattern down and make a pair for her, but I have other things to make to complete the challenges first..

As I stated earlier, this pattern is not especially easy to read., but I made it through.  The second one is so much easier than the first.

You may be wondering why my bunny slippers don't look like bunnies.  I decided to just end with the slipper part and not add the bunny features.

I get to start my next KAL on Wednesday. Februrary's project is Teknika Gloves.