VariegatedKnits

Ravellenics 2024 Shawl Before Blocking

2024-10-15T18:20:00.000-07:00

Although I finished knitting my Adventurous Shawl by the end of September, I did not complete all of the weave-ins until this last Friday. As I love how the colors work together, I didn't mind doing the weave-ins. I did most of that last week during a hectic work week and found it completely soothing.

I wish I could say the same for the blocking process. After all this time, I dislike blocking. I do think this will be easier as I need to keep a straight edge and don't have to use pins to relax a lace pattern.

Well, I'd better get blocking...

Squares for Martha

2024-10-04T18:09:00.000-07:00

Aside from Raynaud's preventing me from posting much in the last year, I have a final confession to make:

I was making squares for my friend Martha. She lost her mother last November, and our motley crew of friends decided to surprise her with blanket made by all of us.

For some reason, we kept needing more squares every time we talked. I had planned on making 4, and thanks to life events happening to the group I ended up making 11.

It doesn't seem like much - but all of these required multiple starts. Either I didn't like the way the pattern looked either knit or crocheted, or my gauge was off. One square ended up taking 11 tries to get done - which I should have realized was a foreshadowing of how many I would make.

We finally gifted her the blanket last month, and now I can reveal the ones I made. Not pictured are the ones that I did a border on, but's OK as that did not take as much effort as making these.

I'm glad we were able to gift it before the 1st anniversary of her mother's passing - should she need us, she has a part of all of us for comfort.

Ravellenics 2024 Finale

2024-08-13T15:34:00.000-07:00

It may not seem like a lot of progress was made during the games for my shawl. Unfortunately, my second week was also filled with migraines which held me back.

However, I managed to end with the beginning of the tenth color for my shawl. As I'm using a set of 29 colors, this is roughly one third done. Given my challenges this time around, I am glad I got this far.

I'm also past the neutral colors of this set, and am really enjoying how well they flow together.

Ravellenics 2024

2024-08-05T17:05:00.000-07:00

It has been longer than I intended since my last blog entry. The good news is that I'm fine, and I can mostly blame Raynaud's and work for my absence.

I could not think of a better way to start up again than by choosing my next epic project - Ambah's Adventuring Shawl. It took me longer than expected to pick this project, and after I finally did I had to deal with multiple migraines during the first week of the games.

I knew this was ambitious of me, knowing that it will take me longer than the 16 days of the games to complete it. My goal was to work with one of my mini sets instead of saving them for the perfect project. It seems silly, but these are sets that may not be dyed again. I have been putting too much pressure on myself to find the perfect pattern for them. I also realized that in my decision process, I was rushing to just start something. Knowing I would regret this too, I found this 29 skein set from Teton Yarn Company that I purchased in January 2020. This was before the world shutdown during the COVID pandemic, before I knew the pain that year would bring and how long it would be until the world made sense again.

I have chosen to start with black and the neutral colors and will end with the blues and purples. In some ways this shawl will chronicle my 2020. much like my Temperature Blanket project of that year did.

Festive KAL 2023

2023-12-20T10:07:00.000-08:00

For the past several years, I've watched from the sidelines as Ravelers participated in Ambah's Festive Knit-Along. I have not participated in the past as Decembers tend to be hectic, and this one is no exception. I have really missed being part of a KAL, so this year I decided to change that.

As I'm in need of neutral garments and knew that I would not be able to tackle a KAL with fingering weight yarn, I settled on the Euphorbia shawl in dk weight yarn. I managed to stay on track until the 12th. Knowing that this was a possibility, I'm not at all stressed about completing this project by the 25th of this month. If anything, taking a pause on this shawl was helpful. This mini-skein set came with 12 colors with each skein at 100 yds, and I had a decision to make after reaching the half-way point - do I continue in the order Miss Babs specified by repeating colors 1 through 12 again, or do I reverse the order?

Because I was able to see the colors in different lighting, I've settled on reversing the order for the second half. I'm confident that I will have more than enough yarn to finish it, and maybe it will be done by the end of 2023.

My Friend Mary

2023-10-01T15:37:00.001-07:00

By now, it's apparent that I've not posted much since November. The reason for this is that my friend Mary passed away on November 15th, 2023. Since then, I've been having a difficult time writing and have not been able to get past it.

I've been reflecting on this as of late, and I have finally figured it out why. My friend Mary made me laugh, and the joy she once brought into my life is gone.

The best way to remember her is to think of those memories and laugh again.

Vacation Knitting

2023-08-28T16:28:00.003-07:00

A few days before my vacation, I decided to start a new project. As the weather has been warmer than expected, I thought it would make sense to start a summer top in a cotton blend.

I got through the 4 sections of ribbing fairly quickly and was able to knit the bulk of the body while I was away. I was concerned that I would get a Raynaud's flare but that did not happen.

One nice thing about this project was how compact it was and how I could continue working on it while spending time with my family. Except for a couple of rows, the stockinette stitch section was mostly knit during the trip.

Christmas Advent Shawl

2023-08-08T16:55:00.003-07:00

I have been greatly enjoying knitting my Christmas-inspired wrap. I love the colors, and every so often a bit of sparkle catches my eye. I have found that this is an addictive pattern and do foresee making it once more.

This is a lovely, straightforward lace pattern that works well with these colors. I'm glad I tried to keep it simple - I wanted a pretty, lacy, sparkly shawl that I can wear up to New Year's. And I may just finish this one on time for December 2023.

One Row Blanket The First

2023-07-22T11:22:00.007-07:00

During the second year of the Covid-19 pandemic, stock of one of my favorite work-horse yarns began to dwindle. I knew that I wanted to knit at least 2 more blankets for my household, so I bought this Peace Fleece yarn in color Desert Tundra. It's a terrific heathered neutral with specks of color, making it perfect for its intended purpose.

Almost 2 years later, I have finally started the afghan. That was not part of the plan, and because of that I picked a simple pattern. If you're a fan of the Yarn Harlot, you may have recognized this as the One Row Handspun Scarf. It's ideal for a double-stranded project, and it happens to be reversible.

Another Project, Another 3 Tries

2023-07-15T15:13:00.002-07:00

I'm still here knitting away, still with each project taking 3 tries to get underway. This time it wasn't because I misread the pattern. This is a very simple, garter stitch shawl, in which every other row has an increase. The directions did not specify what type of increase should be done, so I used the knit into the front and back of a stitch. That resulted in the curling inward of the edge of the shawl, which was not what I wanted.

On my second attempt, I used Brooklyn Tweed's Invisible Garter Increase. This eliminated the curling on the edge. However, I noticed that my shawl was a bit small. Sure enough, the gauge was too tight. I had overly compensated for my loose knitting gauge.

I increased the needle size, which again is smaller than the pattern suggests. The gauge is spot on, and I like the feel of the knitted fabric. I've gotten further on it than on my previous 2 tries, which I now deem blog-worthy.

The only downside is that because the garter increase can be finicky, I can no longer work on this while DH drives. Oh well, it's still a good project for when I need to keep my hands busy without motion.

Blogging with Raynaud's

2023-05-27T18:23:00.002-07:00

You might have noticed that as of late, I have not been posting regularly. Any time I've attempted to post, I've been hit with a long lasting Raynaud's flare. By the time it's over, it's too late in my schedule to post.

So yes, I'm still knitting. I've also spent a lot of time ripping things out. In a way, maybe it's better that I don't have countless pictures of frogged projects. With the warmer weather, I hope my hands stay warm enough for more frequent posts.

And to make up for the lack of posts, here's a picture of a project I started when I need something to keep my hands busy. This is the third attempt to this pattern, and the final one. I now accept how loose I'm knitting and as long as it's consistent, it will be fine.

Knitting with Raynaud's

2023-04-16T10:04:00.006-07:00

This past January, I was looking for something to knit that would not aggravate my Raynaud's and would work well with bamboo needles. Considering that my preference is to knit with metal needles, this was a tall order. This is also the time of the year I default to working with Peace Fleece, and as much as I tried I just could not get into the rhythm using bamboo needles with it.

I then received a newsletter from Heavenly Yarns showcasing the Briza Breeze poncho in Rowan's Kid Classic. The timing was perfect - the yarn is a mix of lambswool, kid mohair, and a small amount of polyamide. The pattern was very straightforward, and I thought it would be a good match. It turned out that it was, and during the cold NETA Spa 2023 weekend it was the perfect project to sit and knit while hanging out with my friends. This has also been a good project to take along whenever I need to keep my hands busy and expect a flare. It has grown slowly but since this picture was taken I have made a decent amount of progress.

Relaxed Knitting

2023-03-21T17:31:00.002-07:00

Whenever I've needed a break from my cardigans, I've picked up my shawl in Christmas-like colors and worked on it. I didn't think I would like to knit with these colors early in the year. There's enough variety in the colors that I am not growing tired of them.

I remember at this time last year I was in a rush to finish the Seascape Shawl for my friend who had recently retired. As much as I enjoyed knitting it, it has been more enjoyable to knit something with a much longer deadline that can be altered if need be.

Raynaud's Silver Lining

2023-03-10T19:27:00.005-08:00

Unlike my migraines, I have been able to find a silver lining with my Raynaud's. I may need bamboo needles to knit, but I can at least continue to knit with worsted or aran wool weight yarn. I have noticed that I do knit more slowly with bamboo needles. I find it aggravating, in particular because I love knitting Peace Fleece with metal needles.

It does help that from time to time, I measure my progress. And there is actual progress, even if it's small. It sure beats not being able to knit.

I will have to remember to have an aran or worsted weight wool project this summer. I bet I can knit those now without overheating.

Gray Cardigan - So Close

2023-03-08T17:32:00.003-08:00

I finished the knitting of this cardigan last month, but have not woven in the ends. I've delayed this because I continue to have Raynaud's flares, and weaving with a metal needle does not appeal to me then.

Instead, I've started another cardigan using the same pattern while this one is fresh on my mind. And since its Peace Fleece, it's helping to warm up my hands.

I should try to finish this one soon while it's still cold enough for me to wear it.

Of Color & Sparkles

2023-02-04T09:33:00.001-08:00

I had a plan last December that I would knit my Christmas inspired 24 mini skein set into a shawl that I would finish by the end of the month. That did not happen - all I managed to get done is winding all of the skeins.

While visiting family during the holidays, I decided to start the shawl. I'm glad I did. I've been frantically trying to finish my gray cardigan but I needed a break with brighter colors. The yarn also has stellina in it, which sparkles every so often and makes me incredibly happy.

I will continue to work on this every so often - my Raynaud's and the last 2 days of Artic windchills are not a good combination for knitting with metal needles. Perhaps this shawl will be ready for Christmas 2023.

Gray Cardigan Take 2

2023-01-14T14:33:00.005-08:00

I was able to complete most of the body of this cardigan over Christmas break. I give credit to the changing weather, which left me feeling cold most days. As the sweater grew, the warmer it kept me. This made it difficult to stop working on it.

Now that I'm past the body, I'm feeling more confident about finishing it this season. I like the color and I do need this cardigan, but I will admit that knitting this color is a bit dreary during winter.

It's all the more reason to finish it, and then I can concentrate on the other colorful project I started during the break. That's a post for next time.

Moving Forward

2023-01-07T09:17:00.004-08:00

Right before Thanksgiving, I managed to finish the body for my Orange Ease sweater. This is the sweater that I ripped out in October. I'm glad that I did this, as this is a nice shade or orange that makes me smile. It may not be finished, but I do feel a sense of accomplishment getting to this point. There is nothing wrong with the pattern - as mentioned in other posts, my mild Raynaud's has made knitting superwash wool with metal needles challenging. So much so that I experimented with bamboo needles, and although I was able to knit I felt that it slowed me down.

As Raynaud's will be my companion for the foreseeable future, I will try knitting the sleeves on bamboo needles. Perhaps I just need time to get used to them, and I look forward to completing this sweater in 2023.

Knitting Challenges

2022-12-18T10:16:00.002-08:00

I'm on a winning streak as of late of ripping out sweaters. I admit that this is getting tiring, however, having a sweater that fits properly is worth the hassle. Part of the reason is that I've gained some weight and am now in between sizes. My current size is new to me and I'm still trying to figure it out, as well as the yarn I'm knitting with has either changed or I prefer a different gauge for its fabric.

In this case, this latest batch of Peace Fleece blooms less than the original before Harrisville bought out Peace Fleece. That is not the only change based on my experience - this yarn is softer and has more elasticity. As my observations are not scientific in nature please take that with a grain of salt. This newer version is working out well with my mild Raynaud's - I moved onto this project during Thanksgiving as the cold weather hit and knitting the superwash wool from October become uncomfortable.

Believe it or not, this was the cardigan right before the ribbing that I ripped out last week. Yes, the body was almost finished. As this is a layering cardigan, it should be fine if it ends up being more loose than expected in its next incarnation.

The Fiber Festival of New England 2022

2022-11-19T10:01:00.005-08:00

Because my go with the flow approach worked well for me at Rhinebeck, I decided to do the same thing for the FFNE. That was a good thing, as I arrived to the festival an hour and a half later than planned. As I walked in, the smell of lunch hit me and as I've done for other festivals, I chose to eat lunch - my usual lamb stew and pumpkin bisque soup. As I ate, I had to remind myself that this visit did not need to be as strict as last year.

I was able to soak in the atmosphere and enjoy myself. I followed my list of my must-see vendors, and bought yarn for 2 projects I had in mind. I also discovered a few new to me vendors with their samples and indulged.

One thing I did do differently is I bought premade fingerless alpaca gloves and mittens. I don't usually buy premade wares at this festival, but with my mild Raynaud's it made sense as I could try them on and confirm their fit. As the weather was in the mid 70s and sunny, I was rather happy that I remembered.

Without further ado, here are the acquisitions:

1) 6 hanks of Zodiac yarn, 80% Superwash Merino/10% Cashmere/10% Nylon, worsted weight, 210 yds each, colorway One Off lot 11219, from Seven Sisters Arts

2) 1 hank of Celaeno, 72% kid mohair/28% silk, laceweight, 459 yds, colorway Alexandrite, from Seven Sisters Arts

3) 2 hanks of Lillian, 100% Superwash Merino, fingering weight, 400 yds each, colorway Fog, from Dirty Water Dyeworks to mix with Bundle #6 I bought last FFNE for a Fruit Tingles Shawl

4) 3 hanks of Lillian Sport, 100% Superwash Merino, sport weight, 328 yds each in colors & Beet Red, Pearl, & Juniper, from Dirty Water Dyeworks for a Joyful Shawl

5) 1 hank of Sprout Sock, 90% Superwash Merino/10% Nylon, fingering weight, 510 yds, colorway Rainbow in the Dark, from Fiber Seed &

6) 1 hank of Sprout, 90% Superwash Merino/10% Nylon, worsted weight, 250 yds, colorway Rainbow in the Dark, from Fiber Seed to make a matching Depth pooling hat and cowl set

Top Row:

5) 1 hank of Sock Yarn, 70% Superwash Merino/39% Nylon, fingering weight, 437 yds, colorway Jamberry, from Sassy Black Yarns

6) 1 - 4 ounce 100% Superwash Merino Combed Top, in colorway Shantih, from A Hundred Ravens

Bottom Row:

7) 3 hank of Merino DK Single Ply, dk weight, 218 yds each, colorways Wild Roses, Celestial Sky, Aurora, from Heirlooms/Yarn Hygge destined to be hats

8) 1 Yaksha set, 70% Superwash Merino/20% Yak/10% Nylon, 2 ply fingering weight, colorway Quoth the Bard, from A Hundred Ravens

9) 3 hanks of Tyche, single ply 100% Superwash Merino wool, fingering weight, 400 yds each, colorway Hummingbird, from A Hundred Ravens

10) 1 hank of Flocksock, 75% Superwash Merino/25% Nylon, fingering weight, 400 yds, colorway Bacon from Holiday Yarns

11) 3 hanks of Twinkle Toes Sock Yarn, 75% Superwash Merino/20% Nylon/5% Twinkle, fingering weight, 438 yds each, colorways Roller Derby & Basic B*tch from Fiber Stash Dyeworks to make The Ghost Knitter's Shawl

12) 3 hanks of Mill Spun Yarn, 76% Shaniko Wool/24% Stellina, sport weight, 316 yds each, the blue and pink are unnamed colorways but the middle is Cupcake Sprinkles, from Four Hearts Farm Mainely Fiber

13) 2 pairs of Alpaca Mittens, adult small, from Silver Oak Farm (this size fits me and it's hard to find)

14) 3 pairs of Alpaca Fingerless mittens, adult small, from Roaring Acres Alpacas

And last but not least, this year's festival tote bag to support the New England Sheep and Wool Growers Association.

Rhinebeck 2022 - Day 2

2022-11-09T21:20:00.001-08:00

Adding to the list of mishaps on this trip, I woke up to a severe migraine early Sunday morning. As it was on the day we had to check out, I did not waste any time and took my medicine along with some caffeine. Although I managed to get it under control, it unfortunately forced me to arrive at the festival much later than planned.

My friends and sister understood my predicament and were very supportive as I recovered. And unlike the year before, the medicine worked on the first dose making the post-drome stage bearable. Like last year, I did have some trouble making a couple of decisions on my purchases. I did notice that this time around, I struggled less.

Despite the difficulties, I managed to have a great second day of the festival and had a great time bonding with my sister and friends.

And without further ado, the remainder of the acquisitions:

1) My first purchase of the day: 8 hanks of Mewesic, 100% Fine American Wool, 180 yds each, dk weight, colorway Purple Rain, from Green Mountain Spinnery for a Cranberry Gose

From left to right:

2) 1 hank of Estrellita, 92% Superwash Merino Wool/8% Lurex, fingering weight, 400 yds, colorway Almost Paradise, from Miss Babs for a Catawba Falls Cowl

3) 3 hanks of Organic Studio Sock, merino fingering weight, 400 yds each, in colorway Mondawmin from Neighborhood Fibers for either an Ariel or a Summer Dawn sweater (would be converted to a pullover)

4) 1 hank of Lillian, 100% Superwash Merino, fingering weight, 400yds, colorway Pavement from Dirty Water Dyeworks and

5) 1 mini skein Lillian bundle Set, 480 yds total, fingering weight, colorway #8, from Dirty Water Dyeworks to be combined together for a Confectionary scarf.

Missing from photos - snarky coffee mug from Pawley Studios.

Rhinebeck 2022 - Day 1

2022-11-08T21:45:00.010-08:00

The only concrete plan I had this year for the NYS Sheep and Wool Festival was to relax and enjoy my time with my friends and my sister. In terms of purchases for planned projects, I had some loose plans for yarn this time around. I remember that in the past I have spent too much time trying to find the perfect yarn for the perfect project. I have found that it took away from my enjoyment, so I wanted to go more with the flow this year.

I found that this helped me make better decisions with my first purchases. If something caught my eye, I quickly determined if I would feel regret not buying it. Without a strict plan, I wasn't worried about having to choose a planned project over something impromptu.

This also helped me relax, soak the atmosphere of the festival, and allowed me to spend quality time with my sister and our friends. I was happy to have time with some knitting friends - the last get together I had of this kind was exactly a year ago in Rhinebeck 2021.

The Acquisitions:

1) Top Row - 1 wedge bag from Stitched by Jessalu in a Hocus Pocus inspired print

Left to right, Second Row:

2) A 3 hank at 250 yds each Celtic Yarn Set in worsted weight from Avalon Springs Farm, 1 hank Round Table babyloop mohair/wool/nylon, 1 hank Morgain brushed mohair/wool/nylon, & 1 hank Merlin 2 ply mohair/wool destined for a Morrigan Shawl Knit version

3) A five hank sweater set in Pixie Yarn, 430 yds each, single ply superwash merino, from Dragonfly Fibers to make a Le Pouf set, inspired by their booth sample

4) A 12 color Yummy 2-ply Vacation Vibes set colorway Lake Retreat from Miss Babs, 100% Superwash Merino and a total of 1596 yds

Clothing:

1) Top Row - 1 2022 Festival sweatshirt and one fleece zipped pullover from Rhinebeck 2019, both men's small

2) Bottom - 1 t-shirt & 1 zipped tote with the 2022 logo, and a pair of fingerless mitts that I bought the first day of the festival as I had an unexpected Raynaud's flare in both hands.

Rhinebeck 2022 Mishaps

2022-10-30T09:40:00.001-07:00

I usually post about my Rhinebeck experience within a week or so after the festival. That did not happen this year - not only was work busy, but I managed to catch COVID-19 and nearly wreck my camera.

Within 5 days of the festival, I tested positive for Covid. I am thankful that it was a mild case, no doubt because of my vaccination and boosted status.

As for the camera, I managed to get it completely soaked when I forgot to close my water bottle. Once home, I placed it in bag full of rice and waited several days before testing it. It appears to have survived unscathed and so far no issues have appeared.

And the sweater in this post? That is how much I was able to get done prior to Rhinebeck and during my visit. Once I realized that I misread the pattern and made a size too large to fit me, I undid it. Given the circumstances, I found it therapeutic.

Now that my camera is working, I should have that post done in the near future.

Rhinebeck Sweater 2022 - Pre-blocking Edtion

2022-10-08T08:47:00.002-07:00

After a long month of work, thanks to two unexpected events, I was thrilled to have completed this sweater on the last day of September.

Here it is, in all of its un-seamed and unblocked glory.

I could not be more happy with how it turned out and how I managed to finish it in less than a month. This was a much needed mojo boost.

I'm looking forward for this yarn to return to Rhinebeck - I bought it in 2018 and it had been sitting in stash until I found the perfect pattern. In this case, it was warranted. 2018 was the last festival I saw this vendor before she closed up shop.

Rhinebeck Sweater - 2022 Edition

2022-09-17T09:44:00.003-07:00

I started my Rhinebeck 2022 sweater the first week of September, thanks to being able to wind the yarn during my vacation at my parents' home. I reviewed the pattern, knit a sample in stockinette stitch, and was pleased with the gauge I started with.

As I reached the point where I have to separate the sleeves, it occurred to me that it seemed a bit small. I removed it from the needles and tried it on, and discovered that I was knitting a bathing suit for a second time.

After some careful measurements and checking the fabric I had produced, I decided to go up one size. My gauge is tighter then what the pattern uses, but I really like the fabric at this smaller gauge. It will also guarantee that it will fit me without being too oversized. And in case it is, I am doing some waist shaping which should help.

I was able to quickly reknit it in the larger size this week as I now as familiar enough with the pattern. I was able to check the fit with a Knitting Barber Cord, an extremely useful gift I received last Christmas. It fits well enough.

I think I am finally on way way with this project.