Sisterly Shenanigans

Kelli and I had such a fun day yesterday!  I want to start off by saying that this:

was most definitely NOT MACHINE MADE and that every stitch was painstakingly and lovingly done by Miss Kelli, contrary to what anyone else may think, and she was very deserving of the ribbons she received at the Skagit County Fair this year.  So there.

Back to the beginning of the day yesterday......

We entered a few things in this years Evergreen State Fair and boy, do they know how to do things right!  Very organized, welcoming, friendly and encouraging, and we're both really excited to see how we did and to participate in this years Knit-In during the fair.

Then it was off to Kirkland for a shopping spree at Serial Knitter's.  That is a great shop!  We both highly recommend it and if you love Madelinetosh like we do, it's the place to go!  Here's what I came home with:

Tosh Sport in Tern for a sweater

Tosh Merino DK in Wild Mushroom for a capelet

 We met up again later in the evening at the Skagit County Fair to sit, knit and visit:

and to pick up our entries when the fair closed last night.  We both did really well but hope for many more participants next year, and I think we're going to try and get involved and see what we can do to increase entries in the future.  It's a shame that with knitting and fiber arts in general seeing such a boom in interest, that every year there seems to be less and less interest in getting your work out there and trying to encourage more people to try your craft.  We're going to have to work on that!  I'll leave you with some better photos of my entries and how I did.  It was a blast and we really encourage anyone with the slightest interest to check into the fair next year!  It's a super easy process and requires very little time or energy and it is FUN!!!  We would love to walk anyone through the signups next year if they need help.....you know where to find us!    ~ Melissa

Morgen's Photo Update

Well, here they are in all their "glory." These photos are the best examples yet of why I could never have a successful blog. I am lazy when it comes to photographing my knits. I see other people who have documented their work in beautifully artistic ways that in-and-of-themselveves are works of art. Me? Not so much. You know those gorgeous photos some people are talented enough to take of their handknit laces??? (Melissa, Kelli?? I mean you as well as others...) I actually made myself giggle out loud the other day contemplating my own photographic skills, or lack thereof. Instead of sunsets, flowers, chocolates and pearls that comprise the setting of successful lace photographs, I mentally picture mine surrounded by empty Slim Jim wrappers, pork rinds and beer cans. Oh well, I claim to be a knitter not a photographer!

So here are the photos of Days 14-21. I have completed the spacer section for Day 22 and hope to have the whole thing wrapped up and blocked on Monday. We'll see!

I have learned several things: while I love the colors of the Alpaca Sox yarn, I really don't like knitting with it that much, at least not for lace. I can feel the nylon in it, and it just disappoints me somehow. There have been days' patterns that I have loved and some that I have hated with a passion. A few have spurred my brain on to some design ideas (yay!) Overall, I really enjoy the piecemeal approach to doing these scarves, and I have LOVED every minute of chatting with new friends near and far about the process. Thank you all for keeping my nose to the grindstone and making sure that I completed this one!

I have been toying with dyepots this week trying my hand (I have no clue what I am doing) at dyeing yarn for my next shawl project, "Shipwreck" from Knitty. The shawl is actually supposed to be dyed post-knitting for a more weathered look, but it calls for 5000 beads, and I am a little nervous about how successfully one can dye a shawl and not mar the surface of the beads. Good thing too, because while my dye trial turned out beautiful in its own right, it didn't turn out the color I want. I have tried three additional overdyes and still have a beautiful but wrong color. Have ordered more yarn and will try again. In the meantime...I shall finish the calendar knit which my son has dubbed a car cozy because we think we could wrap our Highlander (the car not the Celt) in it!

How goes it with all of you?

A New Scarf For 2011

Guess who's wearing their new scarf to work... don't you just love when you've put all the work into something like this and nobody notices. I'll find out today.

I love it. That's what matters.

Now I can't wait to knit with big yarn and big needles.

Melissa, this scarf might not even be here without you.~Thanks

HOW 'BOUT THOSE HAWKS!!!!!

That was an amazing game ~ 'NFL's biggest postseason upset ever' ~ yup, that's what they're saying.  The buzz here all week has been so positive and I guess we all had some sense that even though they stunk it up this season, they're rebuilding right now and things could click anytime.  Definitely the most fun game all year!

On the knitting front, I managed to finish Day 9 without messing up ~ my attention was a little divided today!  Day 7 & 9 look similar in the photos but the patterns are different.  Almost to the halfway point!

errata day 10 - the spacer section has you increase to 87 stitches (which is what I did) - I then counted the first row of the chart & the math doesn't work - I'm adding 2 extra k stitches at the beginning of every right side row after the edge stitches (so right side rows 1 thru 13 will start with k9 instead of k7 before the repeat section, and right side rows 15 thru 27 will be k2 & then the repeat section) - now to go see if my math works this way!  If you look at the written instructions, it looks like that's what was intended anyway.

Day IX

Day VIII

Day VII

Chugging along.....

Day IV

Day V



Day VI

Day 6 ~ Usually I love a more compact vs. spiderwebby lace but I think this would definitely look interesting on larger needles. I love this stitch ~ wish I knew if there was a name for this lace pattern ~ it's given me an idea for a project I may put together once I put more thought into it.....


I'll try and get better pics in the daylight but it will have to wait since the sun only shines when I'm at work these days.....

Game ON!

Day I

Day II

Day III

This is (so far) my favorite of all the sampler shawls I've knit.  I hope everyone is enjoying knitting this one up as much as I am.  I love the pattern, the yarn, the beads.....everything!  Can't wait to see your progress!

Nupps: I didn't like the 7-stitch in my lace weight (too much like a giant bobble) so I tried a 3-stitch (couldn't see) and finally decided on a 5-stitch.  I think they look the best with my yarn and will also save me a little yardage since I don't quite have the recommended amount the pattern called for.  Hopefully I can squeak out day 23 and 24 now?

I'm also bumping Morgen's comment about her experience with nupps into my post so it will be easier to find for anyone that maybe hasn't done them before.  She has some great tips if you're struggling with them:

"For anyone who hasn't yet done Day 2's pattern, here are a couple of hints. I have taken a number of Estonian lace classes from Nancy Bush. One thing she always emphasizes about the dreaded nupps are that it is just about impossible to make the (in this case 7 out of 1) stitches too big. In other words, as you are drawing the yarn throught the front and back for the 7 stitches, pull each loop of yarn through towards yourself as far as you reasonably can. This makes it very easy to pick up all 7 stitches on the return row and purl them together. You can also neaten the nupps up if necessary by tugging gently from below to align all their loops.
On this particular set of nupps I have noticed that on the return row, the 7 stitches are purled together, and then the next stitch to be purled is a yarnover. It is very easy to accidentally purl that yarnover together with the nupp thereby messing with your stitch count. I have found it easier to hold that yo out of the way with my lefthand thumb as I purl the nupp. Quite honestly, I find nupps really easy if you just know ahead of timewhat to watch for. I hope this info helps someone!"              thanks, Morgen!

Karen has decided to post progress photos on her own blog so if you want to check hers also, here's the link.  She's already got a photo up, and also one of her finished shawl from last year's kal.  If you want to see everyone's finished 2010 shawl , they are all on this blog in the January & February 2010 postings.  Better get back to my knitting ;)

day 4 errata! ~ heads up ~ day 3 ends with 88 stitches ~ the first row of day 4's spacer section says to 'decrease by 1 st' to get the necessary 86 stitches for day 4....I counted chart stitches, you do need 86 stitches for day 4 so you'll need to decrease the first row of the spacer section by 2 stitches

Winding down

Quote of the day: 'Look Dozer, Mom made me a hat to match you!' Nothing like a boy and his dog ;)....if they look exhausted, it's because they are ~ they just got home from 12 hours of fishing in freezing weather!

What a great way to finish off an incredible 2010 ~ my husband finally said he would wear something if I knit it for him (it's been 4 long years but he finally succumbed!). Of course, he had to choose the most challenging thing I've ever made ~ 'We Call Them Pirates' ~ yes, I found this entirely more difficult than any of the lacework I've done. I'm really pleased with the results since fair isle, even tension, and then the added struggle of double-pointed needles the last 10 rows had me worried this thing would end up so binding that a 10-year old wouldn't be able to squash it down over their tiny noggin. It fits the hubby perfectly and he loves it (bonus!).

Now Kelli & I and a few old friends are getting ready to cast-on our 3rd annual New Years KAL on January 1st.  We've chosen the Advent Calendar Scarf for this year's project and I'm staying true to my ongoing promise to use stash yarn as much as possible going into the New Year.  I was surprised on Christmas Eve with a care package from a Ravelry friend (6toknit4) that contained a handknit pair of mitts (I love them!) and this beautiful skein of madelinetosh lace in 'Rose'......

I haven't knit anything in this colorway for myself so I'm excited ~ it will be a lovely shawl to wear on Valentine's Day this year in a dusty shade of pink.  Thanks, Lucy!  You knew I would put it to good use!

Anyone that wants to join us for the knit along is very welcome!  The more the merrier!  Happy New Year to everyone and I can't wait to see what wonderful things all our friends create in the coming year that will inspire us to push our own boundaries!

Finis....

Day Twenty-four...


done ~ just need to block but the blocking wires I ordered from knitpicks are MIA (or quite possibly sitting at work where I had them sent ... where I haven't been for a while)

will post a final photo once blocked and dry ~ hoping the cast-on edge straightens out ~ don't like that one finished edge is scalloped and the other is straight

Homestretch....

decided to skip day 21 ~ my scarf is so long already and one more panel with nupps just didn't appeal to me so I've left it off

Day Twenty-two....


Day Twenty-three....


really like these last two panels ~ one more to go ...

...she's back...sort of...

nursing a doozy of a cold this week ~ can't seem to shake it and it keeps getting worse ~ thanks for the funny notes Kelli & Andrea ~ haven't felt like blogging (or doing much of anything really) but I have been following every ones progress & appreciate the well wishes ;)

I've had some panels done but haven't posted them so here they are ~ had a really hard time photographing day 19 ~ it's really pretty but for some reason I couldn't get it pinned down to show the pattern (I think lack of patience more than anything)

Day Eighteen....


Day Nineteen....


Day Twenty....


hope to get back on track here soon ~ it's really hard to knit when you haven't been sleeping and you're all hopped up on cold meds!

Day Seventeen....

row 17 should end with 'ESK3' and not 'ESK4' ~ other than that, fun day ;)

Day Sixteen....

glad this day is over ~ a little tedious ~ I like the more involved panels better

Day Fifteen....

would like this day better if the bobbles were evenly spaced vertically ~ it bothers me that they're not ~ there's that Virgo thing again .... gotta be me ;)

also, the pattern ends with row 31 BUT you do need to do one more wrong-side row (row 32) to be on the correct side to start day sixteen....

which looking ahead, seems really boring after the last few panels!

...and on a lighter note, the hubby and I decided that these bobbles look like nipples and he worried that I was posting my nipples on the internet for all to see, but I told him I'd only show you 4 of them so it's ok .... hehehe

'Drops'....

...aka bobbles! that's all they are ~ I did the first row this morning before work ~ easy and cute so definitely worth doing (I was worried they were going to be bulky but they are small)

they use 1 stitch only from your left needle ~ knit in the front, back, front and back again without removing the working stitch from the left needle (puts 4 stitches on your right needle), and then remove the stitch from the left needle (so your 1 stitch has now become 4 on your right)

then you turn your work (stitches now on your left needle) and purl all 4 st back to your right needle

then you turn your work (stitches now on your left needle again) and knit all 4 st back to your right needle

then you turn your work (stitches now on your left needle again) and purl all 4 stitches back to your right needle (a bit looser will aid with the next row so don't purl this row too tightly!)

finally, turn your work back to the right side again and knit these 4 stitches together (which brings your stitch count back down to the 1 you started with)

this makes a cute little bobble ~ hope this helps

I'll see if I can find a video I can post a link to later.....

Day Fourteen....

...still (barely) managing to keep up...only because I got off work a little early today and took a short power nap when I got home~ there's a new dog somewhere in our neighborhood that has been left outside the last 3 nights and has NOT been happy about it ~ poor thing ~ poor me ;)

Day Thirteen....

...I obviously did a lousy job pinning this down for a pic...this pattern is really pretty but doesn't look so in this photo ;(

Day Twelve....

1/2 way done ~ whew! decided against blocking before I'm completely done ~ length so far unblocked is about 32" and I've used almost 550yds

it looks like I've missed some YO's but they're there ~ this really needs to be blocked!

Day Eleven....

...reminds me alot of a panel from last year...

Day Ten....

....like this day alot!

Day Nine....

...are you ready for some football?... guess what I'm doing today? watching the playoffs and knitting ... yippeee!