I have so many project in the works that it's becoming overwhelming. So I finished one thing, the Toe-Up socks. I feel better now, as long as I avoid looking at the pile of UFOs.
I loved knitting these. They are for a friend. I'm going to make another pair for myself in orange.

 I worked a slip stitch heel with double wraps, my fav.

And I cast off at the 1x1rib cuff with this wonderful sewn cast off which I now totally love. Similar to the kitchener stitch but a little more involved. It's really stretchy and worth the effort. I have to look at the video every time I do it tubular-bind-off by Knittinghelp.com.

-Deb

Contiguous

I'm looking for new top down constructs with set-in sleeves. We must be able to do this. Has anyone tried this one? Contiguous method by Susie M. You set up 2 shoulder stitches and work increases on either side of these shoulder stitches on both the Right side and the Wrong side until the Back of Neck plus the two shoulders are the right width for the Back. Then you work a set-in sleeve in the round. Very intriguing. There's a short sample you can knit to try it out on the Contiguous site. I'm making the Driftwood in Cotton Tweed Silver and Flannel to try it.

I'm doing some small alterations but it's working out very well.
-Deb

If you don't know much about curling, my cousin Dean (told you we're a curling family) did a short video Curling-how-hard-can-it-be?
P.S.:
Thanks Robin. We're very excited.
Brenda, I know you watch curling so that was partyly for you.
Sharon, TSN will be carrying the games so no CBC coverage any more. That's sad isn't it?

Big Dreams

I know that some of you know that my family and I play Canada's big game, no not hockey, but curling. Although you may not know it, quite a lot of the knitting you see on this blog, including the last couple of posts, has been worked on in curling rinks. Actually, lots and lots of the knitting now that I think of it. Not while I'm curling but behind the glass watching my daughter compete.

Dreams can come true. My daughter's dream, held steadily since she was a child, has come true. It's taken 14 years of competition and lots of work, especially in the last few years.

For those of you who are curling fans, my daughter Morgan and her teammates, Team Flaxey, are going to represent Ontario at curling's Scotties Tournament of Hearts in February in Montreal, QC. We are so very proud of her. Lots of our friends are excited for us. Robert who does our book photography, put together this collage for us from photos at the Provincials. We'll be there and I'll be knitting.

Go Team Flaxey!

Circular Yoke II

Second Circular Yoke sample. This one is for the same sized person, me, but in finer yarn. This is worked with Cotton Tweed DK weight yarn and lace stitch patterns. Because this yoke is in finer yarn, with more rows per inch, I can fit 2 Bands of Pattern in. It also has a larger neck opening with a ribbed pattern which I would also put on the cuffs and bottom edge.

Same Basic Circular Yoke sweater as in the last post, different look. I think I'm going to like wearing this one. What do you think?

-Deb

First CircYoke sample

Moving a little slowly these days since I have a post-Christmas cold, yucky. But work progresses on the Circular Yoke book. I am busy writing a couple of hours every day to get it into some kind of shape. Of course each day I take out some of what I wrote the day before but that's the way it goes. I do have one sample to show you.

This is just one of the ideas. It may look exactly like something I showed before but it has improvements in it. I have added raglan shaping underneath the circular Band of Pattern. This will allow some adjustments to be made to the body and sleeves.

I'm working on another sample yoke in finer yarn to show you some more options we will be adding for the yoke.
Comments on this one?
-Deb

Get "knitting fit"

Happy New Year. At midnight we start again, 2014, wow. Do you have any knitting resolutions?

Mine is to take better care of the parts of my body I need for knitting. To this end I'm including advice for keeping "knitting fit".

10 exercises for knitters:  From Pam Allen

ICE is your friend. I know it might feel better to put heat on sore muscles but ICE does a better job. After knitting, or at the end of the day, place a cold pack across the back of your neck. You might have to bundle up a bit but it really does help. Also put a cold pack on your wrists. They take a lot of the strain when you're knitting, all those repetitive movements are hard on them.

I do an exercise that a physio therapist told me about. It really works for me. This helps to loosen the muscles between your spine and your shoulder blades.
Stand with your back against a corner of a wall. Lean your back against the corner so that the corner is placed between your spine and your shoulder blade. Move your feet about 2' away from the wall. Comfortable? Roll your back up and down along the corner, by bending & straightening your knees. Don't rub, just roll. When you reach a point that hurts, hold it there for several seconds, then release and roll to a new spot. Now do the other side of your spine.
The theory, as I understand it, is that pressing and releasing stimulates blood flow and relaxes the muscles. These muscles in the upper back are very difficult to stretch yourself. The corner of the wall helps.

Hope these exercises help you knit for ever and ever,
Deb

Happy Holidays. Hope you have a great one. I got most of my knitting done but you may have noticed there are a couple of needles still engaged. I was soooo closed this year.

Deb & Lyn