I'm Ready Houston

I've gone over my class notes, I've selected sweater samples and put them in my brand new suitcase, I've got my clothes out of the closet and I've almost picked my knitting projects for the trip. I'm ready and very excited.

Tomorrow I'm flying to Houston Texas to teach at the Houston Knit At Night knitting retreat.

We are going to be designers for the weekend. With some guidance from me the Houston knitters are going to make a Top Down sweater plan on Saturday. Lots of talk about fit and variations which can be done as you work.

I truely believe that any knitter can design. Techniques are your tools but understanding how a sweater construction works means you can change it to accomodate your body shape and your knitting style. Knitting style is important. Are you obsessed with small details? Do you just plow ahead over all obstacles? Do you need symmetry?
I am particular about increases. I want my knitting to flow. If a lovely increase stops me in my tracks every time I come to it, I don't use it. I will use a 'good enough' increase that keeps my knitting flowing. I also like to read my knitting on the needles. I don't want to have to consult a chart for every single line of the sweater. It must have some sort of logic that makes sense to me so I can knit along on my own. I recently designed a lace cardigan which requires charts but I only have to check the beginning of every line to make sure the edge is correct and then I am off and know what I am doing. A glance is all it takes. That makes the knitting experience good for me. Have you given any thought to what makes it good for you?

I'm looking forward to seeing what makes these knitters tick. It will be fun,
-Deb

In The Bag

What's in your knitting bag?

An inventory of my bag contents:

Needles: 18 circular needles, 9 sets of dnp, 2 crochet hooks

Projects: 3 individual socks in progress, 1 lace cardigan, 2 hats.

Notions: 1/2 lb. of stitch markers, 2 pr. folding scissors, 2 measuring tapes, 2 calculators, several elastics, 2 boxes of safety pins, 5 sewing up needles, 1 bulldog clip,

Books: 1 Button Up Your Top Down, 1 Kid's Knitted Hats.

Patterns: 1 sock pattern in progress, 1 lace cardigan pattern in progress, scrap paper, graph paper.

Camera + 4 batteries.

Emergency supplies: 1 granola bar.

I was astounded to see it all out. I hope my massage therapist isn't reading this. She'll reeeally hurt me next time for carrying all that around. But how can I part with it.

And why is it out anyway? I found a squashed banana at the bottom of the bag last night. Yuck!

-Deb

P.S. Yes I'm going to put all of it back in.

Door Number Three

I've been polling knitters and sock #3 won.

The lace design closer to the toe seems to look better. I started the lace pattern 6cm/2 1/4" from the very tip of the toe. Sock #1 is now being reknit into a sock #3.

A short post just to keep you informed.

-Deb

Three

One more sock and I'm there. The pattern is in a rough state but the beginning is there. It's terrific working on such a small project because I generally reknit everything including the sweaters I am designing. The Spring Breeze pullover was done in walnut brown, navy, red and finally turquoise. The lace cardigan I'm working on is being knit a second time in denim just because I love the colour.

Sock number 3.

You were expecting a little more?

Patience is a virtue. But you don't have to have patience, you just have to wait.

-Deb

Closer

I'm getting closer to some design my unconscious started knitting. It began with a plain Toe-Up sock. As I was knitting I thought I would put a pattern in it just for fun.

Going along with this to see where it would end up and not thinking about it too much, I knit a second sock putting one more repeat in the foot.

I like it but maybe one more repeat? I have lots of wool and very small feet. According to Ann Budd's chart I have feet the size of a large child (8 1/2" foot). I shop in the senior boy's section of the shoe store quite regularly.

It's time to get to work. Subconscious, out of the way. You gave me the idea and now it's up to me to make it work. I'm on it.

-Deb

Plain Socks?

I was getting ready to go to a get-together where I would be listening to music and sitting for a couple of hours. And since I just finished a pair of socks I am now entitled to begin another pair. My fingering wool and needles go into my bag. I'll just knit a plain pair of toe-up socks so I can work on them when I have a moment.

That lasted for 4 inches. Now I am back home and looking at my socks and thinking that I would put a little pattern in it to make it interesting. Another inch worked. The pattern isn't working as easily as I had first thought. Out comes the graph paper. Knit, rip, knit, rip, I've now worn down a 1/4" of my eraser and I have one sock made.

Hmmm. Now I think the pattern should start earlier on the foot, one or two repeats earlier. And I'm going to change the star toe to a regular wedge toe since the V shape will mimic the beginning of the pattern. I'll try all that on the second sock. It's looking very much like I'm not going to have a matching pair.

Reminder to self - try to take photos when it is still light out.

-Deb

Precious Little Knitting

Not much knitting going on at present. I am painting, painting, painting. I have 3 orange walls in my livingroom now and there is a certain glow to the room this morning. I have yet to do the wall with the bookcases on it. My knitting magazines are in there and it will be hard to empty the bookcases and not look at a few or more in the process. A weekend job obviously.

I did finish another pair of Sock Ridges in Soft Touch Ultra by Shelridge Farm, in colours Storm and lime-olive green variegated. The second pair is by Buffy of Shelridge Farm, one sock with green as the main colour and the other sock with rust variegated as the main colour. A sort of matching pair.

I am going back to the orange and when that's done I WILL KNIT.

-Deb