Got Gauge?

The Story of Two Mittens:

1. One mitten (on the left above), knitted, so cool! With thumb, fit perfectly... very proud.  Needed a second, but...
2. The second was knit within days of the first, yet it was bigger/wider.  Too wide. 
3. Put together, they weren't a pair, nor did I like the way the black showed through between the white stitches.  (See below)
4.  All decorated with duplicate stitch pink, they are sweet, but you'd have to have (really) big hands, especially the left hand...Now the left one above is the right one below.
5. There was teeth-gnashing, and an hour later I had (un)raveled the bigger one, on the left below.
6. I wanted to make sure the third mitten wasn't too big, so I decreased my needle size (2.5mm to 2.0mm) AND I was firmer with my yarn tension.  
7. Third one is on the right in the above picture.  But what about that wide cuff, you say?  Got me... I didn't (un)ravel the cuff from the white stripe. (Boring!!!  Who sees the cuff anyway?)
8. What I didn't expect was the length to be so diminished, so I'm 3/4 done.  Fourth Mitten is in my mind.  Dang!! I hope I can get two alike...

Gifting

Time for secrets, and gifts to be made. It's hard to share without giving too much information, but besides:
This, for a little girl.
Using up stashed yarn, and getting dangerously short on white yarn, so the thumb is very colorful.

  

And:

Pies!  From a pumpkin!  Never did this before.  Six pies total.

In two shifts/days:

And:

A Sock;  someday there will be two... Again: ran out of yarn for the very end of the toe.  This is a great selling point for knitting socks "toe-up".  I'll have to decide whether it's worth it to undo the leg and remove a bit.  

And:

Something for Norway in January!  Stunning!  Pattern is Kilm Gloves from Interweave Knits, Winter 2007.  (Again, awaiting a mate.)

And a LOOONNNGGG term project:  A cardigan for myself.  No rush to finish.  I enjoy the mosaic color method.  The sleeves have a different design than the body.  A true knitter's dream project.

Happy Early Winter!

A newborn baby

Robert, born in Denmark a few days ago, is the nephew of my daughter!  Hmmm.  Never thought of that... her "other" family.  I found this Norwegian pattern at Jorid's webstore.  Really great patterns.  I haven't tried any of them in English, but the Norwegian patterns are basic, and best for intermediate knitters.  She specializes in animals and colors... I love her designs.

They are large for a newborn, but hopefully they can be tied on this winter, and used again next year.
What does the cow say?  Mø

P.S. Jorid's blog is on the right, called Muffins Verden (Muffin's World)

Can't Weave ALL the time!

Meanwhile, I've been knitting my shawl in my cotton "wolle" with the g-r-a-d-u-a---l color changes.  At first, or until two days ago, I thought I might not have enough shawl to get as far as the peach color, but now I've started a second ball, and am working back to the darker color.

Yes, it started at the right point, and I'm not sure how it will end!

Pattern: Charybdis by Kerry Milani from Creative Knitting, July 2012

Yarn: Color Changing Cotton 100 gr by Wolle's Yarn Creations Fingering / 4 ply
100% Cotton 480 yards / 100 grams

And what about THIS cutie!?!  No comment necessary...:)

For Those Grandmas

I want to direct you to a blog post.  Alas, in Norwegian, but a brief translation would be:  "What to knit for your "teddy bear" grandson, when he's no longer a little kid."

Hope you enjoy! Here, or for more click in the sidebar under Muffins Verden.

Mitten Disaster Averted

I wish that was true, but since the first mittens WERE a disaster, I felt compelled to redeem myself.
"What are your favorite colors, Juju?"
"Purple"  "Pink"  "Purple, pink"
"How about these?  Do you like these colors?"
"Yes, sure."
(She says "sure" a lot, in place of yes... and we found ourselves using "sure" ALL the time.  Let that be a lesson!)
So I found this cute animal... Totoro... that none of us are familiar with, but it makes a cute animal... and then I added a certain name on the cuff, instead of repeating Totoro (which is on the back side).  And a cruise later...

The hot pink makes the purple turn blue, but really, they are 3-year-old pleasers!  Off to Norway!  

Covering Ground

Because I've been Wildly Busy, and out for the good-time, I haven't blogged, but I've thought of it! In fact, when I sat down a few minutes ago, I was shocked that my mental capacities hadn't transferred to my list of blog posts...I expected to see at least 10 topics since January 1, yet there are none.
Here is a list of possible posts, and if there's something you'd really like to hear/see, send me a comment.  otherwise...it's a great day to knit!
Upcoming posts:
Reprieve of the mittens (All New)
Life as Grandma (Ducks and Deer in the park)
Air Travel (It's Not for Sissies)
Cruise Travel (No dishes!)
Ruins and Snorkels
New Orleans
Finishing Socks a day late (one pair out of 10!)

Welcome, 2013!

What can I say?  It all ended with optimism, creativity, carefree, innocence... (2012), and when I awoke this morning, I proceeded to recognize disaster, ruin, and ... another lesson in learning from my mistakes. (2013)
It started more than a year ago, with itchy fingers, and a search for a fair isle pattern.  The pattern: Hearts and Flowers.

Although my Ravelry page lists this project as "frogged", it was really thrown set aside, hoping that it could be used for something... originally it was to be the body of a pullover for a little girl, growing too fast.
That little girl is now 3-1/2 years old and staying with Grandpa and Grandma for a week;  it's a week of cold temps, and occasional snow, (tempting to be eaten snow), and since big puffy mittens are a bit cumbersome, Grandma thinks that this little girl needs some flexible knit mittens.  After some discussion about color (purple/lots of colors) Grandma thinks she has the answer.  And what could be easier?  Put your little hands down on this, and let Grandma trace!  Willingly done.

 Yay!  Off to the sewing machine... but gosh!  Why is that first one so tiny?
Lesson 1:  Tracing the outline of a hand is not the way:  I discover that mittens are 3-dimensional... hmmm.
Soldiering on I make the second larger.  And it turns out pretty well.  Now, will Miss Princess accept a mitten that is so tiny that it squeezes her fingers together?  Of course not!
Lesson 2:  Just knit, knittinglady!  Instead I pieced together the third one, which involved (but not limited to) seaming by machine, trimming, kitchener, and a bleeding wound on my index finger from getting too close to the screw that holds the sewing machine foot etc.  The biggest problem was finding enough cuff to make a third mitten.
Results?  Probably a throw away.  I have 4 more days of cold to get one use out of these... The inside is a disaster:

 I'm not proud, but hope someone is more intelligent than I, and will realize: START LARGE!

Gosh, they could have been SO cute... I better get knitting...

So many things! Tie up and stuffing!

You might think I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving, but no.  This has to do with smart people!  Makes me feel almost... Smart! LOL
Two things that I stumbled upon this morning:
1) Scarves:  I have some lovely non-knit scarves lurking in my closet.... and often feel so dorky when I try to wear them.  Besides wearing all black and gray, here are some tips:  Tying Scarves  Very clever!
If you see me wearing a (non-knit) scarf... you'll know I'm working on the new me!
2) Mittens:  I bought a "thrumming" mitten pattern while in Canada, but this one goes further.  It's called Stuffed Mittens.  What a surprise!  Alas, NM is not the place for such except for that one night a year when we gather at the river with luminarias.  It's always the most frigid evening of the year...
Just sharing!  Better get that turkey thawing!

Cats and Birds

The tale of two mittens:  One originally knitted two years ago.  Birds (Fly, fly) designed by Jorid, an inspiring young woman in Northern Norway.  She has a wonderful collection of mittens and hats in many animal patterns.  I wouldn't mind knitting all of them... but I chose her first free pattern to give it a go.

Did I mention that, ahem... I didn't knit the thumb two years ago, just the hand.  And then I thought, I don't need mittens.  But this year, I decided I DO need mittens.  Well, I need them in the evenings, when I take the dog out for walks... so I pulled the one mitten out and before I knew it, I was back at Jorid's shop and purchased a companion:  Cats!  My cats love birds...  Her patterns are in Norwegian and English.

I finished up the new mitten, with thumb, and knitted the other thumb, and discovered that the first one was shorter in the cuff.  I picked up stitches at the bottom and knitted a cuff and now:

 Not a tight fit in the cuff, but they are super long...10 1/2" long so they cover a great deal.  I used Rauma 100% wool (fin ull) making them lovely warm.

 Honestly, I just checked them... the above picture makes it appear that the right hand thumb is way too high, but they are exactly the same.  It's an illusion!  The thumb starts a third of the way up the fish.

I think Jorid is extremely clever with her designs.  Who wouldn't like cat paws in the snow!  (You can find Jorid in my right side column under "Blogs I Read":  Muffins Verden which translates to "Muffin's World", and she writes solely in Norwegian.  Her pictures tell quite a story.)

Pattern Alert

I'm not advertising, but just wanted to share!  Very cute idea of a scarf and mittens in one:
Find it HERE.  Not a free pattern: $5.95.

Cupcake Mittens

Do I dare blog one more time about these mittens?  Comment all you like, but they will be finished WITH a funny crease across the back of the hand.

Instructions:  Pick up stitches across the back and knit.  This is the beginning of the mitten flap that covers the fingertips.  I don't know why the pick up bit is so pronounced... Here's the other side.

The ribbing gets sewn to the side seams.  There's really no 'seams' but it gets sewn where the seams would be, if there were side seams...

Fine

Meanwhile, I watched Roy demonstrating Navajo rug weaving at the Totah Festival annual event.

Lightning-fast wrist action as he beats the wool into place.

My keen eye picked up the familiar pattern, and he admitted that it's the same rug as last year.  It's been rolled up and put away since last September.  It confirmed that projects do not need to be finished.  SMILE!!

Many sticks and wool

Beginning of the semester... starting lots of new things.  Where did retirement go?  I guess I got a little crazy this past month with the realization that I would be 'home' for the rest of 2011.  So I signed up for all of the things that I've wanted to do, and some that others have wanted me to do.  Kind of fun as long as I get a few long knitting days, too.
Here's a recap of my last week.  (I have many more things on needles, but these have been in my hands during the past 7 days.)
A toddler pullover to use up leftover yarn:

 A topsy-turvy doll.  I'm stuck 'thinking' about a face...  The skirt was created by my daughter more than a year ago.

 Something NEW for me:  Dahlia pattern for the back of a light-weight cardigan. (This will be the MOST fun part.  After the back, it may languish in line behind my other cardigans...)

 Mittens, really mittens, with a flap over the fingers.  (Started last March/February?)

The cow, socks and vest are closer to being done...  Maybe this weekend!  Have a great one!  Pow-wow pictures are next.

Back by popular request:

Here's a link to that infamous video we keep referring to:
It's Eunny Jang demonstrating how to do jogless stripes, and amazing everyone with her speed knitting. (This time I'm going to label it properly so it SHOULD turn up in my search blog feature.)

I'm working on "jog-less" cupcakes;  I've really got it down now. Last night at Knit Nite, someone commented that it shouldn't be possible to work on colorwork and talk, too.  True, but this being technically my 5th mitten in cupcakes, it works.  Works so well in fact that I knitted too far, and had to pull out 2 rows.
  I'm leaving off the riff-raff edge stitches which don't line up (because of the above mentioned "jog") and making it purely cupcakes.

Mitten Picture

The third time knitted mitten is a fast knit.   :)  
Fewer stitches!  And I have changed up the colors and am finally happy with what I see.
Mitten on the left is the newest edition.  Mitten on the right is too narrow in the cuff and too wide in the hand (therefore, frogged).
Cupcakes, in my dreams!

Let's Start Something!

Yep, it's that time of year/month/day... I finished two projects recently and now I feel entitled to start more than 2 things.
Here's what's on needles (that I'm actively knitting on):

• Socks (of course):  Lacey Socks from Vogue (first one)
• Powell Pullover in Pink for my little one.

Quite plain with cable down the front.

• Tiered Cardigan in Sublime yarn (a great feel after all of my cotton projects)

White sleeve and bottom tier in blue.  (See my Ravelry page for pattern)

• Sonia the Cow (yarn bought a year ago)

One side of body started.  Orange muzzle, red spots and ears, orange variegated for udder, and white for horns.

• Cupcake Mittens (re-started-I almost forgot about these)

There are other projects languishing... someday...lol

Thanks, readers/friends, for letting me acknowledge my lack of dedicated knitting!

Remember back then?

I had a contest... back in March.  Details HERE.
And here's the short story version... Three contests in one, I invited everyone to guess how much knitting on the three projects I would get done while my daughter and granddaughter were visiting.  The results?  I finished the hat, the mittens and the scarf were partially/far from finished.
Today, I finished the scarf and ripped out the mittens.  (One of those mixed days...)
The scarf is super.

Pattern:  Hönkä by Eeva Saviranta from Ulla 1/07; Yarn:  Wool 8/2 Effektgarn by Kauni, Sport / 5 ply, 100% Wool, 656 yards

I can't get enough of those colors!

So off to Norway it goes.
The mittens... I knitted a bit on them last night, did a row of cupcakes and when I had to look for more bits of yarn, stolen from other projects I realized that the pile of yarn I "inherited" from Norway would be perfect for them.  I also have been having pangs of guilt about using yarn I specifically bought for a cardigan.
Today I felt justified frogging the whole thing, and will start with a thinner weight of yarn which will be pleasing to the touch and eye.

Cupcake Mittens by SpillyJane from SpillyJane Knits

.

And the winners are...

Thanks so much for reading and entering my contest:  Denise, Kay, Celina, Pattie M and Patty W, Jenny and Marija.

Marija guessed all three correctly, even though I'm not finished...  She guessed that the finishing order would be Hat, Scarf and Mittens.  The Hat is indeed finished first, and I intend to finish the scarf before the mittens.
My plan:  Too late in the season for mittens, and/or scarf in wool, so the mittens will be put aside until I think Norway has cooled down in the Fall or until a certain birthday occurs.  The scarf... I love knitting the scarf, so I expect that to be finished without depending on the weather.
Everyone else guessed that the hat would be done, so in a run-off eliminating the other three winners:
Pattie M, come on down!

The Scarf:  16" on March 16th.  Denise is the winner with 17".  Congratulations!!  You had competition close behind you with Pattie M at 18".

The Mittens:  Does this look like "done" or 1-1/2 mittens?

I think so too. Patty W wins with the only guess that I wouldn't finish!  She said 1-1/2 mittens... Smart she is!!  (Does she know about black hole of toddler time?)

The prizes:

Prize winners, if you have a definite favorite, let me know.  That and $20 (just kidding; a la Car Talk) may be YOUR prize!  Otherwise, expect a surprise package in a few days.

Time with a Toddler

For the next few weeks, a toddler will be living at my house!  How much knitting do you think I'll get done by March 16?  I have three things that I would 'like' to get done by that date. And by 'like' I mean I intend to send them off with their recipients that day.  Is this craziness?  If you would like a prize of your own, I'm running a contest!  I have 3 lovely tea towels from around the world that I will send to those who guess correctly the stage of each project on March 16th.
Contest #1:  The Mittens.  Cupcake Convertible Mittens as seen on Ravelry. (All links are to Ravelry.)  This is using the colorwork from the cupcake mittens and with the knitting pattern Broad Street.  Here's what they (er, only the first one) look(s) like today:

First mitten up to stitches being held for thumb

Contest #2:  The Scarf.  A double-knitted scarf with Kauni.  This is going to be tricky, but guess how long it will be by March 16.  (I don't know myself, yet!)

4-1/2 inches long

Contest #3:  Hat.  Newly started (last night), this is knitted flat as a head band and then a knitted disc top.  Pattern:  Braid & Bobble Hat.  The theme for all of these is the purple color and (in my demented knitter's mind) intended as a set with different patterns and yarns.

Shows 2 of 10 repeats for the headband.

Contest rules:  You must make your guess-timates by midnight Friday, March 4th, and the closest to correct wins!  There will be three winners, one in each contest, even if I have to have a run-off in case of ties. (Unless NO ONE enters.)
Good luck!

Projects finished!

Given as gifts, now exposed in full:

Fingerless mitts are so simple and for those who don't knit, they are sooo cool!

And we have snow here in New Mexico!

Fingerless Mitts pattern by Ann Budd, published in Weekend Knitting;  Yarn:  Encore Colorspun Worsted by Plymouth Yarn Worsted / 10 ply, 75% Acrylic, 25% Wool

And the finale of the slippers.  (Can I gear up for one more pair for me?)

Felted Slippers by Midnattsol from Midnattsol's Blog;  Yarn: Classic Wool Merino by Patons Worsted / 10 ply, 100% Wool, Merino  (Discontinued: Replaced by Patons Classic Wool. Some colors still in stock in some stores are made partly from Merino fleece and do display the “MERINO” designation. No new yarn is being made with the Merino designation however.)

Toasty!!
Happy New Year, everyone!