the Soxophone Player

New Address

noreply@blogger.com (Soxophone Player) — Wed, 01 Jun 2016 03:19:00 +0000

If you were following my blog via www.soxophoneplayer.com you would be automatically directed to my new location at www.meafordwool.com

But if you've been using the soxophoneplayer.blogspot url you wouldn't be getting that redirect. Oops. Sorry!

Hope to see you over there...

Please set your bookmark to https://www.meafordwool.com and you'll see my blog is now a tab in my farm shop. (www.soxophoneplayer.com will still take you there for the next while as well but will cancel that re-direct in a few months or so.)

moving (again)

noreply@blogger.com (Soxophone Player) — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 18:26:00 +0000

I'll be relocating my blog host (again) soon.

I originally started in blogspot, then left for Wordpress when I found blogspot problematic. After a happy time on Wordpress there came big changes to Flickr, where my photos were saved. Flickr changed there display page so that very large photos came up on my account page - and since they ALL came up when I opened the page it took a VERY LONG TIME to work with a picture because of the slowness of my country-high-speed.

Now I'm getting disgruntled with blogspot again - it seems google might be letting it die a slow death on its own. And they are migrating their photo storage with instructions that I am unable to follow with any success.

So, I'm going back to Wordpress, but this time I'll be hosting it and my photos on my own server where my farm shop is located.

The timing is right for this move as I'm just finishing up a rebuild of the farm store to upgrade the software to newest high compliance standards.

When I'm done I'll re-direct this url directly there, so if you have me bookmarked you won't have to change everything. (Just don't be surprised that the page looks different!)

I hope to see you there...

tick tick

noreply@blogger.com (Soxophone Player) — Fri, 08 Apr 2016 21:31:00 +0000

It's really hard to believe lambing is supposed to begin in less than two weeks.

Argh!

Noro Taiyo S10B

noreply@blogger.com (Soxophone Player) — Sat, 02 Apr 2016 17:11:00 +0000

In a fit of flagellation I wound up (untangled) a ball of Noro Taiyo, in colour S10B, from stash.

50% Cotton 17% Wool 17& Nylon 16% Silk

Size Medium, knit with the 72 cylinder and 36 ribber on the Verdun 47.

I don't mind wrestling with the devil, as long as I win...

Dropped Rib Stitch Tip

noreply@blogger.com (Soxophone Player) — Sat, 26 Mar 2016 12:34:00 +0000

Here's a small tip that may explain the 'mystery dropped rib stitch' that you discover when you remove the ribber.

When transferring stitches to or from the ribber needles, you have to stop after you do x number of transfers and advance your yarn carrier before you can continue.

I find it can make a big difference exactly where you stop the yarn carrier with each move.

The red arrow above shows, where I stopped the yarn carrier re the position of the latch on the last rib needle that prepared to knit. If I happen to bump the handle of my crank while fussing about with the subsequent stitch transfers is it very easy for the yarn to slip out of that rib needle by the red arrow, and the latch drop to boot. Then when the yarn carrier is advanced, that stitch will drop.

Much safer - is to always stop the yarn carrier so that the last rib stitch engaged has the latch fully closed and the yarn well under the following cylinder needle.

Between my general klutziness and outdated tri-focals, bumping the crank handle is fairly common for me. By paying routine attention to where I stop the yarn carrier with the ribber on I save myself a lot of grief.

Easter Saturday

noreply@blogger.com (Soxophone Player) — Sat, 26 Mar 2016 12:20:00 +0000

The moon sets (in the trees) as the sun rises on this crisp morning. Bella, Bess, and Bonnie waiting patiently for breakfast.

FUNYM?

noreply@blogger.com (Soxophone Player) — Sun, 20 Mar 2016 16:36:00 +0000

It seems the small butchers have been run out of the smoking/curing business by new regulations. Of course those regs seem to be written by the big packers with the intent to run the little guys out of business.

In any event, when I got my two pigs butchered I couldn't get back any cured hams.

Maybe a blessing in disguise.

This uncured pork roast from the hind leg weights just under 5 lbs. Its in a freezer bag with a mixture of water, brown sugar and curing salt. I put this in the fridge for 48 hours, and turned the bag every time I walked past the fridge.

Then I made a dry rub with pepper, garlic, cumin, fennel, chili powder, coriander, allspice and some more curing salt - and rubbed this into all sides of the roast and put it back in the fridge for another two days.

For a final treatment, I mixed a glaze with Jack Daniels, honey, and black pepper and smeared this on just before putting on the smoker with charcoal and hickory chips.

I smoked it real slow - just over 200 deg F - until it reached 155 deg internal temperature - then let it rest for about 10 minutes to finish cooking up to 160 deg on its own. It took about 6 hours, but it was -5 deg C outside - I expect it might have cooked faster if it had been warmer out.

This was my first ever curing/smoking meat and it was SOOOOO good, I can't believe it.

SVFM!

End of snowshoeing season. Again.

noreply@blogger.com (Soxophone Player) — Wed, 09 Mar 2016 20:04:00 +0000

Usually snowshoeing is for pleasure, for exercise, and with Jonah.

This week its for work - frost seeding two hay fields with clover seed. Best done in snow so I can see my tracks while spreading the seed. Also best when snow just about to melt but still cold temperatures at night - the freezing and thawing on the surface of the ground helps work the seed into the soil.

Of course the 15 acres I'm doing are on hilly land and the snow is actually 18" of slop - so hard slogging. The red bag holds about 25 lbs of seed, enough for 7-8 acres.

Stomping while turning the crank is sort of like patting your head while rubbing your belly.

DGB Confetti 1001

noreply@blogger.com (Soxophone Player) — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 00:48:00 +0000

From my stash of DGB Confetti - two 50g balls of colourway #1001. 75% Wool; 25% Nylon.

Cranking up on the Verdun 47 with the 72 needle cylinder and 36 needle ribber (already removed from doing the 1x1 cuff).

In the picture above I've just completed knitting the leg and have raised half my needles in preparation of knitting the short row heel.

This pair is a Size Medium (Men's 7 - 9; Ladies 8.5 - 10.5).

After a beautiful summer's day on Sunday, a return to blistering winter on Monday, and hell seeming to freeze over on Tuesday - it was nice to knit some cheery bright colours of socks!

-28

noreply@blogger.com (Soxophone Player) — Sun, 14 Feb 2016 20:47:00 +0000

This morning it was -28 at the farm. Same as yesterday.

Yesterday I decided it was too cold to go for my usual snowshoe hike out back. Jonah was not pleased and was squirrely most of the day.

I don't mind the cold because I can layer up for it. But I wear my all-year hiking boots and can only manage thin socks without getting them too tight. As the years go by my circulation isn't what it used to be, and the past few years anything colder than -15 gives me very cold feet.

I have these great winter boots that I wear to the Farmer's Market, and in the truck driving in bad winter weather. They are rated to -50. But they're bulky and fairly heavy. I've never tried them on my snowshoes.

Until today.

Really wanting to get out there, and Jonah with his big sad eyes, I decided to see if the boots would even fit in the snowshoe bindings.

Lo and behold they did fit. So after layering up, off we went.

We got a lot of snow the last few days so we were breaking new trail. The the boots are heavy, so it was like snowshoeing with a 5 lb bag of sugar strapped to each foot.

Turns out I didn't need so many layers - I was roasting by the top of the first hill.

And my feet were toasty warm.

Yay.

Clean, crisp air. Blue sky. Deer all over the place.

The heavy clouds in the distance are over the water - probably another snow storm brewing itself up.

5 km through deep snow with heavy boots. I don't know what's for supper yet, but it will be BIG!

Honey Bees

noreply@blogger.com (Soxophone Player) — Sat, 06 Feb 2016 17:58:00 +0000

I learned at a course yesterday: tomato plants hold their pollen tightly. It takes a vibration wave length equal to the note 'C' to shake loose the pollen. The vibration wave length created by a honey bee's wings is equal to....the note 'C'.

(photo credit: The Travel Foundation)

Ugh

noreply@blogger.com (Soxophone Player) — Sat, 30 Jan 2016 18:03:00 +0000

Deep freeze and howling winds yesterday gave way to above freezing today with huge, deep, wet, heavy snow drifts all over the farm. Snow shoeing wasn't much fun today, and even Jonah was ready to call it a day when we'd done only half of our 5 km trail.

He's sleeping/melting on a pile of old towels now. Seems like a plan!

Strange Sun

noreply@blogger.com (Soxophone Player) — Sun, 24 Jan 2016 12:36:00 +0000

The sun didn't really set last night. More like it exploded and fell from the sky.

Photos captured by GD Maddy at their farm down the road.

Sing 'em out

noreply@blogger.com (Soxophone Player) — Sat, 23 Jan 2016 16:02:00 +0000

Besides regular choir work I participate in the Requiem Choir at my church, often as Cantor. I like to think that everyone should be 'sung out' when their time comes and so I take great satisfaction from participating in this act of community.

The other day we had a huge funeral for a very successful man who grew up in Owen Sound, owned many private businesses across Canada, but never forgot his roots.

The antique truck in the photo above is from one of his many Canadian paving businesses, started in the 1970s and now operating in over 40 cities. The truck was part of the funeral procession.

I was pleased to be Cantor for this service, though admit a bit intimidated upon finding out the family had hired professional video and sound crews.

It's nice, when canting, to look out over a packed house.

It's not always thus.

I remember one funeral where there was only one person in attendance - a nurse from the home where the deceased resided. I was particularly glad the Requiem Choir was there.

The packed crowd the other day also reminded me of a funeral a few months back. The choir director sent a message asking choir members to sit in the front pews instead of the usual position in the loft at the rear of the church - this because they feared empty pews.

The guy who died had dealt with alcohol problems most of his life, but in later years had managed to get his demons under control. He was very poor - lived in a run down small trailer out of town, and did odd jobs whenever he could to get by. The church became an important part of his life and and he became an usher.

Long story short - the church was packed. And more, some of the ushers had passed that hat to raise enough money to engage a funeral home to do things up 'right'.

Billionaire. Pauper. Sing 'em all out!

Br-r-r

noreply@blogger.com (Soxophone Player) — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 17:53:00 +0000

Certainly not a record cold, but at -14 degrees its the coldest its been for a while. Must admit I'm debating about Jonah and I hitting the bush today. But that's just us; er, mainly its just me - I'm sure Jonah wants to go no matter how cold it is.

The rest of the critters around the farm are just carrying on in the cold...

New Staff on the Farm

noreply@blogger.com (Soxophone Player) — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 17:32:00 +0000

New additions to the farm staff. Bella (with bit of pink on the nose) and Bess (all black nose). Born Dec 1 2015. These girls were born into a sheep farm and will now join Bonnie as interns in the guardian department.

My Almond Butter

noreply@blogger.com (Soxophone Player) — Thu, 14 Jan 2016 15:34:00 +0000

Here's my first kick at making almond butter.

(Mmmmm. Almond butter.)

2 cups whole almonds

weight of almonds

warm in oven at 325

for 12 - 15 minutes

when cooled put in hopper

place dish to catch butter

crank, and crank, and crank

about 15 minutes

weight of butter

residual in mill

residual cleaned out

residual saved or mixed in butter

done!

My net loss from beginning weight was 20 grams (the part of residual I didn't manage to scrape out of the mill).

I had a TBSP of my new almond butter in my morning oatmeal along with my usual spoon of Muscavado (unrefined) brown sugar.

I bought my almonds at bulk barn for CAN$14.99/lb. My (meagre) saving for making my own was about 55 cents over what I pay for my favourite brand at the grocery store, including the cost of my waste.

I like the taste of this batch of almonds. Now what I look forward to is trying different varieties of almonds from different countries.

All on my quest for the perfect taste!

Baby, its cold outside

noreply@blogger.com (Soxophone Player) — Tue, 12 Jan 2016 14:02:00 +0000

Fingerless Gloves - Part II

noreply@blogger.com (Soxophone Player) — Tue, 12 Jan 2016 14:00:00 +0000

Carrying on with the Fingerless Glove Project: in the last tutorial we knit a pico hem top. The next step is to knit the tube/body. In this case I am making 'under the elbow/mid arm' length, so I knit 90 rows. To prepare for knitting the thumb, I stop the yarn carrier at 6 o'clock and raise out of work the needles I won't be using.

I start by raising the 4th needle behind the left red hash mark, and raising all the way around to the right yellow hash mark. That leaves 22 needles down and ready to knit. Then knit/move the yarn carrier to the 12 o'clock position.

So this is just like preparing to knit a heel or toe, except we've raised different needles out of work.

Raise the main weights and then put on heel fork and weight as for a heel or toe. But for a thumb I put on TWO heel forks, each with a single weight. You can see the forks sticking through the knitting - this is approximately where I put them. If you have those heel weights made with old forks, those would probably be even better. You can probably also get by with a single heel fork and weight if that''s all you have, but in that case I think you will need to move the weight more frequently as you knit.

With the two forks and weights I can knit 10 rows before moving the forks up.

In a heel or two, we take one more needle out of work with each pass to make our decrease. But to knit a thumb, we are going to knit a rectangular 'flap', so there will be no decreases, and hence the need for extra weights/hooks.

As I start to knit back and forth, I find it works best to put a finger against the first stitch I will pass. This keeps that stitch from loosening (getting big) and makes for a tidy selvage. As soon as that stitch is knit, I move my free hand down to the heel weights where I apply a gentle pressure as I finish knitting the pass.

This may seem awkward at first, but soon you get a nice rhythm going of touch the stitch-touch the weights.

After 10 rows (5 back, 5 forth) I raise my heel weights and carry on until I knit a total of 28 rows. (This is for an open thumb.)

Watchpoint: keep an eye on the first and last stitch of each pass. It is easy to have a stitch not knit, especially if your weight placement isn't just tickety boo.

Finish with the yarn carrier at 12 o'clock having just knit counterclockwise. If you change the number of rows in your thumb, keep it to an even number so that you end up with the yarn carrier finishing with a counter clockwise knit (passing from left to right).

Cut the yarn, leaving a tail of 18" or so. (This is probably too long, but better than being too short!)

As an extra step, I thread the tail through a darning needle and put it through the loop of the final stitch, pull it snug, then pull that through and park it inside the cylinder. This is optional, but I like to do it because it keeps the knitting snug and I don''t have sloppy stitches to sort out later.

Now, we'll knit a few rows of scrap yarn....I''m using bright red for high contrast.

I hold the leading tail of the scrap yarn inside the cylinder, a few needles back of the first needle that will knit. Be careful that the very important first stitch catches!

Another little optional twist....on the second row I grab that leading tail of scrap yarn and lay it under the second to last needle to bind that scrap in nice and snug - again, so I don't end up with loosey goosey stitches to deal with when finishing.

I knit a dozen rows of scrap yarn. You can probably do with fewer but I like a little extra. And remember to move the heel forks and weights up as necessary.

I snip the scrap yarn and with a darning needle pull it through the loop of the final stitch as I did with the tail of the good yarn.

And now, remove the heel forks and weights and run the work off the needles. When doing this I push very gently against the work from the top of the cylinder - just enough downward pressure to make sure the stitches slip off their needles as the empty yarn carrier passes by.

Summary

Knit thumb strip - 28 rows

Knit scrap rows, and run strip off the machine.

Next time.....completing the gusset and thumb.

Fingerless Gloves - Part III

noreply@blogger.com (Soxophone Player) — Tue, 12 Jan 2016 13:59:00 +0000

To review....the bright red yarn on the end of the thumb strip is scrap yarn. Recall that we knit 28 rows (14 in each direction) to form the thumb strip.

After removing the heel forks and their weights and running the thumb strip off the needles, we begin to form the gusset. To do this, take stitches from the selvage edge of the thumb strip and hang them on the empty needles. The stitches on the selvage edge look like chain stitches (not sure if they really are, but they look like them!) each containing a loop and a knot. It is the loops that we hang.

Grabbing the first loop on each side is the trickiest part, as the loop may be hiding. If you click to enlarge the above photo (or if your eyes are much better than mine) you will see I've marked the first EXISTING stitch on the raised needle immediately adjacent to the first lowered/empty needle. When you grab the loop of your first stitch from the selvage edge that loop on the existing stitch should snug up. If it doesn't, you have grabbed the wrong loop!

So now we pick up loops along the one side....hang a loop, leave a knot, hang a loop, leave a knot.... until we cover half the empty needles. (We knit the strip on 22 needles, so half is eleven, which will bring you to a yellow hash mark.)

And then we do exactly the same on the other side.

But on the second half I hang 12 loops instead of 11. This is optional, but that twelfth loop - which will go on the final needle from the opposite side - will lock the two edges of the thumb together where they meet the gusset....IMHO this gives a tighter, tidier finish.

TIP In the above picture you can also see that I am pushing down the first raised needle. I do that on each side.

This is another optional step - I grab the bar of the first stitch beside (on the thumb side) of the needle I just lowered - and hang the bar on the lowered needle. This makes a little 'x' and this will snug up the knitting where the hand meets the gusset.

The gusset is finished, and now we re-join the working yarn to knit the open end for the fingers. Hold the yarn with one hand, leaving a tail of 8 or 10 inches, and slowly CAREFULLY crank....make sure that first stitch will catch! Sometimes you have to coak the yarn under the hook of the first needle. When you get about half way across the thumb needles STOP and lower all the raised needles back into working position.

You can re-hang the heel forks and weights on the thumb area, or, I just push down against it with my man hand from inside the cylinder as I pass that section. (Remember - your main weights are still on - through the entire project.) But do one or the other as the weight will be uneven because of the gusset and you risk running the whole thing off the rails!

Now.... another little TIP:

That leading tail of the working yarn....you can just leave that and weave it in later. Or, if you've given up on the toe fairy ever coming to help with your finishing work, you can knit it in while still on the machine. I lay the tail under the first needle adjacent to the needle that last knit it, and hold it so it will knit in on the next pass. One needle only. Then on the next pass, I lay it under one more needle...and so on for 8 passes. That gives me a diagonally woven in end which is very secure and which will really snug up your work.

I usually knit somewhere between 25 and 40 rows in total after the gusset....more with a finer yarn like Anne, and fewer with a heavier yarn like Kroy or a sport weight. In a fingering weight, 25 rows will take my fingerless area approximately to the knuckles....a little less when the finished edge rolls a bit.

When I''m done those rows, I tie on scrap yarn, knit a bunch of rows and the job is done. Be sure to leave a generous tail on your working yarn so you (or the toe fairy) can finish the outside edge.

To finish the open thumb:

One method is the Two Steps Forward - One Step Back method....put darning needle through stitch one and stitch two...both from underneath, pull yarn through till snug but not tight, then go through stitch two and stitch three, then stitch three and four and so on, always from the bottom up.

(Recall that in the first part of the thumb I ran my tail through the loop of the final stitch before tying on the scrap yarn. If you don't do that, you need to run your tail through that loop before starting the two steps forward.)

When I get across the top edge of the thumb I turn the work inside out and blanket stitch the the two side edges of the thumb together, beginning with the top stitch on each side (where the tail ended up). Then weave in your final end.

The same Two Steps Forward - One Step Back method can be used for finishing the finger end of the work, and I would also weave that end in. You will get a bit of curl on the end of the thumb and finger sections, so when you weave your ends in, take them down far enough that the tip of the end won't show in the curl.

If you didn't weave in the end where you reattached the working yarn after the gusset, then you have that end to weave in now.

Rip out your scrap yarn; wash and block....and away you go!

(Note: I also use an alternate method for finishing the edge of the the thumb and finger openings - I'll cover that in a future tutorial.)

Let 'er rip

noreply@blogger.com (Soxophone Player) — Mon, 11 Jan 2016 20:15:00 +0000

A nice snow storm clobbered the area beginning yesterday afternoon. I'm happy to get some serious snow.

I was way organized for the storm this time. It was only raining in the morning so I made it to church and then hit the grocery store to bog in enough supplies for a long haul. When I got home the snow had started but I still had time to get out several round bales of hay to tide the flock over for at least a week. And for good measure I rolled a bale into the barn and pulled it apart to make up some deep cozy bedding.

Of course once the storm hit full tilt the sheep were quick to choose eating bedding in the barn over eating hay outside.

Mature Ewes breeding group

Ewe Lambs & Goats breeding groups

Not everyone hid inside though.

Jonah and I went for a hike when the wind eased up. The snow was almost knee deep today. I took this bleak shot from the top of the knoll which is about half way back on my regular trail. The deep snow is a lot of extra work on the snow shoes - especially these newer kind that are so much smaller in the surface area. So that's as far as I got today. If it doesn't snow and blow too much more overnight I'll at least have a partial packed trail to head out on tomorrow.

Or not.

It's all good!

Things with cranks

noreply@blogger.com (Soxophone Player) — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 15:12:00 +0000

I must be addicted to things with cranks.

I ordered myself this Christmas present, which arrived to my great excitement yesterday via the nice FedEx guy.

Its a Wonder Mill Junior. It looks like plastic but its actually very heavy cast, just like a sock knitter. It comes with two sets of grinding wheels - one set for milling flour and the other set for making nut butters.

I've been trying to eat very healthy these past few years (um, recent booze laden Christmas Cake notwithstanding). Almond butter is one of my favourite good-fat foods. But I've noticed a huge difference amongst the different brands that each claim to be 100% almonds with no additives. My fav is from Nuts to You that I get in the health food section of my local grocer. Sometimes they are out and I've tried the store's own Blue Lable product and also the offering at the local Bulk Barn. Seriously, its hard for me to believe they are all made from the same nut. Or food group.

And since I like to be as self sufficient as possible, I've decided to give making my own a go, with hopes it turns out to my liking.

The bonus is the other set of wheels for making flour. I don't use a lot of flour, but I'll be chuffed to try making my own whole grain versions.

Puppiversary

noreply@blogger.com (Soxophone Player) — Sun, 03 Jan 2016 21:59:00 +0000

One year ago today I brought Jonah home to the farm.

Jan 3 2015

Jan 3 2016

Fingerless Gloves - Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Soxophone Player) — Sat, 02 Jan 2016 16:47:00 +0000

This is a tutorial on the various parts of one Fingerless Gloves Pattern I use.

I'll be working with Patons Kroy - colour Summer Moss.

In Part 1 I'll demonstrate making a Pico hem I use for this pattern. This hem topper can of course be used for socks as well, and likewise, you can substitute your own favourite topper for your fingerless gloves. Part II will demonstrate one method of thumb construction, and Part III will deal with finishing that thumb and the project.

Here I've got my 54 needle cylinder set up at 2:1 (every third needle removed). I place my needle spacing so that I have a pair of needles straddling the red hash mark at three o'clock position - where I begin all knitting. (My camera is positioned about 2 o'clock on the cylinder....not ideal but the only place I can knit and click!)

For this Fingerless Gloves pattern I use a pico hem for the non-finger end: I do a 10 row hem top. You can use as many rows as you prefer, but just remember to do the same number of rows after the pico as you knit before.

Here I've stopped my yarn carrier after 9 and a half rows, so I can begin hanging stitches where the 10th row begins (at the red hash mark).

(Say it with me.... "everything begins and ends at the red hash mark"!)

The first stitch that knit was counterclockwise from the hash mark, so the first stitch me move is the next needle after that.....in other words, the first needle of the pair after the hash mark. With the pic tool, lift the first stitch of each pair, and hang it on the needle containing the second stitch of each pair. When you get as far around the cylinder as you can before hitting the yarn carrier - advance the carrier to the 12 o''clock position, and finish hanging the stitches until you are back to the 3 o''clock red hash mark.

Knit one row around (the pico row) and then knit the same number of rows as you did in the beginning....in this case - 10.

BUT...stop two rows before the end (so in this case, stop at 8 rows - meaning a half turn before you get to 8).

Replace all the missing needles - starting with the first gap AFTER the red hash mark (which is the beginning of row 8)

Replace needles until you get near the yarn carrier, then advance the carrier to 12 o''clock and replace the remaining needles.

Then finish knitting your last two rows, stopping again at 6 o'clock, just before competing row 10.

You can see the first row knit after replacing the needles knits only half a stitch, and then the the second row completes the stitch...so we now have all the needles knitting and we are ready to hang the hem.

With weights removed, carefully pull up the first row of knitting and hang each stitch from row 1 onto the needle that originally completed it. So - hand the first stitch on the third needle past the hash mark - ie the first stitch was begun on the first needle after the hash mark, and completed on the first needle of the following pair.

Then continue hanging all the stitches from row one. Remember that in row one you had every third needle missing - so when hanging the hem you are hanging on two stitches THEN SKIPPING ONE NEEDLE.

Here I am half way around and I've advanced my yarn carrier to 12 o'clock so I can complete hanging the hem. The white yarn you see on the right side of the picture is the scrap yarn I knit before starting the glove.

When you advance your yarn carrier while hanging a hem....don''t forget that you took the weights off...so grasp the work from underneath and hold firmly so that there is tension on ALL needles, before advancing or it will all go off the rails!

And here the hem if fully hung and I've begun to knit the first round of the body of my Fingerless Glove.

EXTRA PICO TIP

I like my pico edges to be as ''full'' as possible. To emphasize those little picos... I reduce my tension one row before I do the hang-the-stitches, so I'm hanging those stitches with a looser yarn. I knit the pico round at that same reduced tension, then put the tension back to normal at the beginning of the first row after the pico. My normal tension includes having the yarn full time in the heel spring, so to reduce the tension I just take it out of the heelspring. I don't think you would get the same immediate effect by turning the tension knob as that seems to take a few rows to effect the change.

SUMMARY

set up 54 cylinder 2:1 and knit x rows of scrap, then begin with good yarn

knit 10 rows (reduce tension for 10th row)

hang stitches from first needle of each pair onto 2nd needle of each pair

knit one round (pico round)

(replace tension)

knit 8 rows; replace missing needles

knit 2 rows

hang hem

Finally

noreply@blogger.com (Soxophone Player) — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 21:20:00 +0000

Winter finally arrived at the farm.

Lots of snow over the past 48 hours.

Two happy boys off to the woods.

Some of the snow remains in the bush.

The rest is in the house, stuck to Jonah's legs.