Knitting behind the glass

It's fall now. The season is marked off for us by the beginning of the competitive curling tour. Since our daughter has been competing I have knit many, many garments sitting behind the glass. I began again on Labour Day weekend, a couple of weekends back, knitting the first of the many garments I will knit this year at curling rinks watching Team Flaxey play.

My husband is holding up the Top Down Ridges sweater in a new Cotton Tweed colour, Rose. It's very pretty but not tooo, tooo pink.

Just back from a second weekend of curling spectating. I have a sock in Comfort Sockenwoole going.

and started a hat and scarf in Red, White and Black Norspun. Garter Stitch is easiest in a crowd sitting on bleachers.

Go Team Flaxey.

Deb

Neatening Cast Off GAP

I'm sewing in ends and I have a method to show you that I learned a long time ago which seems to work for me. There is always a gap your cast off edge (and cast on edge too) between the beginning and the end.

It can be closed nicely as you sew in the end.

Begin with the yarn on a needle and held to the back of your work. You can see that my yarn is attached to the Right Side of the gap. Bring the needle through the first stitch on the other side of the gap, from Back to Front.

Now bring the yarn to the back of the work again. Thread the needle through the first side of the gap (in my case the Right side of the gap), from Back to Front. That "Back to Front" part is important.

Now take the yarn and needle to the back of the work again and repeat threading the needle through the stitch on the far side again. Pull the thread snug and see how it looks. I hope it looks great. Mine does.

Thread the end through the wrong side to finish.

By threading the end through from the Back to Front on one side and then from Back to Front on the other side you are making the yarn do a figure 8 with the crossing going into the gap and filling it up. Let me know if you try this. It totally works for me.
Deb

Sewing, ugh.

Not my favourite job - sewing buttons on. But here I am set up with my handy sewing kit ...

which I probably bought in high school, hence the happy face. Although why I don't take it off is question that I can't answer. Maybe it has significance that I have long forgotten.

I'm always amazed when I get to the button sewing part. Can you thread a needle easily? I wear reading glasses, strong ones, and mostly I wave my thread at the needle where I think the hole is because I can't actually see it and it always astonishes me that the thread actually goes through the hole. Not the first time, ha, or the second either but eventually with patience, lots of patience, it all works and I can sew on the buttons.

Success. This is the Top Down Ridges pattern in a lovely new Cotton Tweed colour, Rose.

Would you like to see this as an adult pattern? Would you wear a garter stitch cardigan in DK weight yarn? I'm think that I would.
Deb

Getting Ready

It's going to be a busy week. The Kitchener-Waterloo Knitter's Fair is a week Saturday and I'm already awake in the middle of the night trying to think of a good way to do the show. It's one day so set up is critical and needs to be fast. I'm also working the booth solo so I'm trying to make it as easy as possible for people to choose a kit and cash out quickly so I can service everyone as best I can. I also like to have a chance to talk to knitters but there are a couple hours in the middle of the day where this is hard to do.

This year I'm doing a Cabin Fever Kid's booth. All children, all the time.
I'm sorting and kitting up some of the little sweaters now. I feel like I have some sort of handle on this.

My new thought for the knitters is to have a section where you can choose a pattern and then pick up a package of your favourite colour of Cotton Tweed. Pick and choose. These are the sweaters I have choosen to take so far. Have I missed any of your favourites?

Top Down Ridges

Baby Waffle Vest

Sophia's Cardigan

Buttons Cardigan

Tiny Top Down

Baby's First Top Down

I have lots of packages of 2 & 3 balls in a wide assortment of colours. As a shopper I would enjoy doing this. What do you think? A good idea? Would you like to shop this way?

I'd be happy to hear your comments. Setting these shows up is always tricky and I'm thinking this might be a fun way to do it.
Deb