picking new projects

Wow, what a day it's been! I have 4 days off and just getting started with all the neat things I want to do. Yesterday was devoted to getting a colonoscopy... what a pain in the ... oh pardon me [G]

I woke up early today knowing that I had to keep moving around and get rid of the gas the doctor put in me. Well, do you think that 6:30 AM was early enough? For an afternoon shift gal that is way too early for me. But tell my body that!

So what do people do at that time of day? Well, I didn't have to ask. I just started my regular routine - just 3 hours early, that's all. So, with coffee in hand, I started making a list of what all I wanted to do today. 1st thing laundry... scratch that. I only have 1 load left and its in the drier. Can do that on Sunday. Hmm, then there IS cleaning out the cat litter box... No. that would mean going down the basement. Noone in their right mind does that before 11, right? So, that leaves ... KNITTING!! Wahoo!! Now you're talkin'

Now I can write down a wish list of all the projects I want to do. Goal being to wittle away at that huge stash in my knitting room. Alas, it is all acryllic and the Troop Helmet Liners must be 100% wool. So now what can I make?

5 hours later, I have a plan. Print out all the patterns, put each one with the appropriate yarn and needles, upload the patterns to my Palm T5, figure out what supplies I need to buy to do them.

Ready to Knit
Knitfest2005 Teddy Bear - Lavendar Baby soft
Charity Stocking Cap - red and white Red Heart with #8 (16" circular)
Candle Flame Shawl (errata for row 19 & 20) - natural Berella worsted from stash
Irish Hiking Convertible Mittens - Red Heart from stash

Waiting for Yarn
Troop Helmet Liners - ordered yarn from Knit Picks
Clapotis Scarf - Lorna's Laces Lion and Lamb $31 is too much

Supplies I Need
Tons of Stitch Markers
Additional points for my new Denise needles - 2(16"), 40" & 52" cords & needles (#6 & #8).

Charity Stocking Cap Pattern

A lady in my neighorhood is collecting hand knitted hats and sweaters. She gave me a sample hat and the pattern. She also gave me the sweater pattern I'll talk about later. Here is the Stocking cap pattern that she gave me:

Stocking Cap for Charity

Knitted on straight needles, but can be knitted in round.
Skill level: Beginner
Size: One size fits most

Materials:

• Knitting needles #7 US (4.50 mm) or #8 (5.00 mm) (no smaller)
  OR same size needle with 16" cable circular and DPN


• 1 skein Worsted Weight acrylic yarn (MC)


• Small amount of Worsted Weight acrylic yarn (CC)


• 1 large eyed darning needle

Gauge:
11 sts and 12 rows = 4” (10 cm) in K1, P1 Rib unstretched.
BE SURE TO CHECK YOUR GAUGE.

CAP
Cast on 80 (100) sts. with MC
All rows: *k2, p2, rep. from * across row
row 1 MC
row 2 CC
row 3 CC
row 4 MC
row 5 MC
row 6 CC
row 7 CC
continue in MC til measures 8 or 10 ½ inches

Shape Crown with MC:
Row 1 *k2tog, p2, rep. from * across row
Row 2 *k2, p1, rep. from * across row
Row 3 *k1, p2tog, rep. from * across row
Row 4 *k1, p1, rep. from * across row
Row 5 repeat row 4
Row 6 repeat row 4
Row 7 *p2tog, k2tog, rep. from * across row
Row 8 *k1, p1, k1*, rep. from * to * across row
Row 9 *p1, k1, p1*, rep. from * to * across row
Row 10 repeat row 8
Row 11 *k1, k2tog, k1*, rep. from * to * across row

Finishing
Bind off in pattern. Leave about 20 inches for darning needle With Break off yarn leaving an 18” end. Draw through rem sts and fasten securely. Sew center back seam, reversing seam at cuff.

(When decreasing, the number number of stitches on needle is approximate. Depending on how many stitches you first cast on, the decreasing rows will start with either a P or K stitch.)

Abbreviations:
k: knit
p: purl
K2tog: knit next 2 stitches together
P2tog: purl next 2 stitches together
rep repeat (s) (ing)

M1, K2togBL, SKP & Knitty.com patterns

I was having trouble doing the M1 and K2togBL stitches. First I had trouble taking the cast on of 6 and putting it on the 3 DPN's. After 3 tries I got that part right. Then I realized that I was doing the M1 wrong and had to rip it out. While I had it at the beginning, I checked my reference books. There are several M1 directions. I reread the directions that say, "Make 1 st by winding the yarn round the needle once". To me that sounds like a YO. But if she wanted a YO, she would have said so, right... Thing is that the picture shows holes. I guess I'll have to make it and see what I end up with.

I found a wonderful site that explains the 2 stitches in pictures and words. Knitty.com archives has all their patterns and towards the bottom is the techniques article "Increases and Decreases".

Now I can start the doily with confidence. I know how to make both the increase and decrease in the pattern.

As I reread the pattern for the 3rd time, I realized that I wasn't sure how to do the Sl 1, K1, PSSO stitch. I found great instructions (with pictures) at Knitting.About.com --

Sl 1, K1, PSSO (sometimes abbreviated as SKP) is a left slanting decrease.

Slip one stitch knitwise.
Knit the next stitch.
Insert left needle into front of slipped stitch on right needle.
Pass the slipped stitch over the knit stitch and off the right needle.

Mugg's Meet Up

Had a great time at the monthly knit meetup in Commerce Township today. While there Merrilee was knitting a top down V-neck sweater for her husband. That is exactly what I need for John. It was an Ann Norling #60 sweater pattern.

Then stopped by Knitter's Kove before going home. It was wonderful. Debbie and her daughter were there. Seems there was a "sit and knit" type of class going on. Tarah was great. She found the sweater pattern I wanted. That is going to be great for John. Then she showed me around the yarns to help me with the other projects I want to do – the lacy doily, mittens and just getting to know the yarns. I bought the socka yarn for the lacy doily.

While looking for Jewish patterns, I ran into a lace doily and WOW it's just what I wanted. Being 15" around, it's the perfect size for a challah cover. If I get the hang of it, I'll make another one for the Pomegranate Guild for their display. I never knit in the round before where you only start with only 6 stitches. Also her M1 was just doing a twisted loop. I had heard that a M1 was picking up the bar before the next stitch. Of course, I got to round 12 before I found out I was doing a YO and not a M1. So there was a hole and had to rip it out for the 4th time… But I will get this done.

In the meantime, I'm still knitting away on the scarf. I measured it and I have 36" done. I measured one that I like and it's 58". So I'll have plenty of knitting to do when I want mindless knitting. By the time I get the scarf done, I'll have yarn for the sweater. Boy, I sure do love knitting!

Irish Hiking Scarf Hat & Convertible Mittens

I am having so much fun with this pattern. I only had 2 skeins of yarn so I stopped the scarf and working on the hat. I didn't want to run out of yarn in the middle of the hat. Turns out that the hat doesn't take a whole skein. I'll have plenty of yarn. I finished the hat and now to finish the scarf.

For the hat I used #US 8 and 9 needles (instead of 7 & 8's) to give me a larger size without increasing the stitch count. It's big but then I can pull it down to cover my neck and forhead and alot of my face.

I am going to adapt the convertible mitten pattern to make them for the Irish Hiking Scarf pattern. The author is updating the pattern right now. The pattern calls for DK yarn. She said that I can 2 strands knitted together of sock yarn to get the same gauge as the DK. Now that's an idea. Will have to check out my stash before heading to the LYS. But then, I what a great excuse to get more yarn. I'll post a link As soon as I get the pattern.