How much?

Remember how I listed all of the knitting I would take with me to the mountains?
Well, I certainly didn't live up to my expectations... I put the finishing touches on ONE item,.... after I got home.
What got in the way?
Beautiful weather, monstrous mountains, inviting geocaches, thin air, comfy hotel, and lazy days.  Those first three items were confined to 6 hours of sunlight a day... the sun didn't shine until it cleared the mountain (a 14,000 ft'er) at its peak about 9:15 AM and disappeared behind another peak... (I wondered how it could be so exact, and not go down at a lower elevation or valley...) at 3: 20 PM.
Somehow, I/we wiled away the hours days and I "only" accomplished one project, but it's a good one!
I used leftover yarn from a pullover (in February):

And made this:

It may be a bit on the short side... but we'll see in a few weeks, when it gets modeled.
I used a Norwegian pattern for both of these and Dale of Norway "Falk" yarn.  (Click to enlarge.)
Ahhhhh.  A week of R&K.  I could get used to that!

More Art Forms

This isn't like me, but tonight I stumbled upon two great areas... (I'm not in the least enticed to attempt them, but I like looking!)
First, I follow Astronomy pictures.  Here's an astronomy Quilt!  Fascinating use of colors and shapes... and the next solar eclipse?
Second, I did something as simple as "Next Blog" when viewing my own last post.  And I found this:  Jewelry, which doesn't interest me in the least, yet somehow I couldn't stop myself from scrolling down, picture after picture.
Is this cheating?  Showing off the work of others?  Hope you don't feel cheated...

Less than perfect

The maximizer in me just won't let it go.  The continuing saga of "Sojourner."
First, you can see what happens when I re-knit with yarn that has been kinked from blocking. And it "almost" looks like I twisted the stitches I picked when continuing the stockinette.  (I don't think I did...) The stitches have a different shape. Fingers crossed that will resolve itself with a second blocking.

By the way, you are seeing the back neck edge with seed stitch continuing from the front button bands. Big question:  How do you make a decent, discrete join where they meet?  (It's not in the instructions, my friends!)
I took a tip from Nancie Wiseman.  She wrote in The Knitter's Book of Finishing Techniques which is my go-to source of "how-to's".  She doesn't address seed stitch, but there was a kitchener method of using waste yarn that I thought might be helpful.  I added an extra row to both ends using waste yarn, and attempted to duplicate stitch over it.  Here's what it looked like (not a pretty sight)!

Loose ends EVERYWHERE!  And what I got? That's in the first picture.  It looks OK at the top edge, but I must have missed something at the first few stitches.  (Yes, lavender is difficult to photograph... every picture is a different color.  Really, it's all the same.)

Here I am, modeling my sweater, which is totally wearable, and feels YUMMY WONDERFUL on this chilly day, and I don't WANT to take it off (WAAAHHH!) to undo the "messed up kitchener"... (pout).

Can't wait...

Every day for a week, I think, blog-sojourner-blog-sojourner-blog-sojourner...  Quite consuming!! Yet I have a class to prepare for (four days a week), and rehearsals and laundry and meals and... 

I really WANT to finish my Sojourner Sweater and I really want to show it off in my blog post.

It's SOOOO close now, and I'm running on fumes here, so here it is:  Incomplete.

Decided to block before seaming:

 The sleeves...

 After I seamed the shoulders, I discovered that the back was too long.  I ripped out down to the stitch holder:  !!  Quite a lot, but it fits nicely.

 Next worry:  Will the sleeves fit?  Maybe...

It's a nice dk weight... I'm motivated!  I want to wear it!

Can Cozy!

After everyone was stressed out by cables, there was a request to have a go at color work.  I put together a little project to use two colors at a time.  For some, it was a snap!  Others found they weren't THAT interested, and that's ok!
A couple of comments about stranded (two-color knitting):

• We used 100% wool, so if the 36 stitches weren't quite right for your container (can or bottle), try swishing it around in hot water, and letting it dry on the container for a perfect fit.
• I forgot to mention that I learned the hard way to keep track of which hand is holding which color.  For example, if you hold the red in your right hand, and the blue in your left, keep it that way.  I found that by switching part way through a project, there was a noticeable difference. (I have to write it down... I'll old.)

Of course, your can or bottle won't be offended!

We also learned a new cast-on:  Estonian Double Cast On, by Nancy Bush.  You can find it on youtube.  And I finished mine off doing the Estonian Double Bind Off... They almost match.  Here's where I found those instructions:  Cindy's Sock Knitting

Stocking stuffers, anyone?

Cozy Cable!

I'm teaching again!  And again...
I can't believe it... after "feeling" like I'm retired, I got hooked/called/snagged/whatever into teaching a brand new class (to me: unknown content) which meets for 8 weeks, 4 days a week, 3 credits.  However, you may point out, who said yes?  All I have to do is look in the mirror.
In addition to that class, I've been running a few sessions of "Knit Doctor" which was intended to teach tricks about fixing and avoiding mistakes. (Maybe that's something I should take to the personal level, but I digress.)  I had a great group of 6 women who were quite accomplished, and we shared many stories of knitting tragedies, while grumbling about picking up stitches.
In addition to fixing things, we explored cables one week.  Off the top of my head I created a little cable project that went like this:  (Green= cable to right/front, Purple= cable to left/back)

Cable practice:  Cast on 18 sts.
Row 1:  k2, p2, k4, p2, k4, p2, k2
Row 2 (and ALL even numbered rows):  k4, p4, k2, p4, k4
Rows 3 & 4:  (as Rows 1 & 2)
Row 5:  k2, p2, sl2, k2, grab (use left hand) last 4 stitches from right needle, remove right needle, with right needle pick up stitches 3 & 4 from your hand (skipping over 1 & 2), with left needle pick up stitches 1 & 2, k these 2, p2, yarn forward, sl2, yarn back, k2, yarn forward,  grab last 4 stitches from right needle, remove right needle, with right needle pick up stitches 3 & 4 from your hand (skipping over 1 & 2), with left needle pick up stitches 1 & 2, k these 2, p2, k2.
Row 6:  (as Row 2)

 No cable needle necessary.  And clear as day to me!  Maybe it needs the visual demonstration, too.
While searching for one that matched my style, I realized how many variations there are!   Here's one that is closest to what I do:

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!