Available for Hire

I have been doing test knitting for Alpaca With A Twist yarn for a couple of years now and I just got a new project.  What is test knitting you may ask...this is when you take a newly designed pattern and knit it up for the designer or yarn company so they have a sample to send around to your favority lys.  You are also looking for any errors in the pattern so they can be corrected before it gets printed and made available to the general public.  My new project looks very cool and I am excited to get the yarn next week and start on it.  It is a Sharon Winsauer pattern titled American Brilliant.  A really cool looking throw knit in blocks.  And if you know of Sharon, you know it includes lace.  The perfect traveling project for this coming fall and the sports seasons that will be here before I know it.  Come back next week and check out my progress...current plan gets me and the yarn together on Tuesday.

Back from Vacation

We are back from the family vacation in Tennessee.  I can report that summer weather does exist and we found it 10 hours south.  90 - 95 degrees every day.  We had a great time hiking the trails and doing the tourist thing and are now happy to be back home.  Weather this weekend looks like rain and cool (only in the 60's tomorrow --eek).  Perfect weather for me to stay inside and do the final check on the new pattern.  If all goes well the Freddie Mac vest should be available via etsy and ravelry sometime this weekend.

Thanks Maggie

Last night I took a trip over to knitting buddy Maggie's place with shovel in hand.  She has a beautiful and peaceful little slice of heaven next to a creek and a massive stand of deep purple lilac bushes.  (They were no longer blooming so I had to search the internet for an appropriate picture to show you what I would eventually have blooming in my own yard.)  The runners dug up easily and are now planted in my yard.  Weather report for today says to expect some rain which is perfect for my newly planted friends.   Then, to treat myself for a job well done, I stepped over to the strawberry patch and picked a couple quart.  These were quickly washed, smashed and served over shortcake and ice cream which was eaten while we watched the final period of the hockey game.  Bummer, we are going to have a game 7.  At least the food and company during the game was good.

Blogging via email

Just stumbled across the feature in blogger that lets you email messages to your blog.  Thought, hey that's cool, lets give it a try and see what happens.  We can tell the blogging world that the Shedir hat is done and was sent off in the mail prior to getting a picture of the finished product.  But that's ok because it needed to get to its new home.  And the leftover yarn has become a vest that demonstrates splitting a cable.  The pattern in my head has become reality and is even scribbled on paper.

Moving on - the final part

What could have sidetracked me from those bright green socks you ask? What could be more interesting? Several things...




First there was the offer of paid knitting. This is the back and start of the front of a sweater being designed for Alpaca with a Twist. The designer needs it knit and has no time to do it herself.




And then of course there was spring weather. We had a waterfall that needed to be reworked and Dave decided to start one day while I was at work. I came home to all the rocks pulled off the hill and re-digging in progress. Couple of trips to the landscape supply place and several evenings of hauling and stacking resulted in a waterfall we are both quite happy with...finally.

Lastly, there was the email from a friend. Breast cancer had been found and surgery was done. Chemo comes next. What better use of a knitters time is there than to make something for a friend in need. Pattern is Shedir from a special breast cancer awareness issue of Knitty and prayers for good news are being knit into every stitch.

Winter/Spring 2009 - part 2

What else was I doing instead of blogging you ask...



This is 1/3 of a scarf to match my thrummed mittens. Going pretty good now after I got past the lace pattern at the beginning. I reknit that several times and finally just made it work. Not sure if it was the pattern or me but I couldn't find any corrections online and I didn't care anymore. Now it is a mindless knit. Great grab and go project which will probably not get done until next fall. And I have the other end of the same lace to look forward to yet. Pattern is the Qiviuk Webs Scarf from 2007 Interweave Knits Holiday issue.


It was also time to attempt toe up socks. While I was at it I threw in working them both at the same time on one circular needle. Found a pattern I liked online (Naga Socks by Abigail Welbourn) and went to it. Since I didn't bother to check gauge I was half way to the heel (on both socks) before I admitted they were just going to be too wide for my foot. Checked the pattern, decided I wasn't going to get gauge given the needles and yarn I was using even though I really liked the pattern. Ripped back to the toes and meditated on my options. Looked at the pattern and did lots of math. Started again. Less stitches round, pattern from Naga Socks running on 2/3 of both socks (on the inside), small cable pattern running up the side on top of the little toe. Just turned the heel on sock 1, working heel on sock 2 when I got sidetracked by a couple of other projects I will share next time. If all goes well with these when I get back to them I might have my first sock pattern to share with the world.

I also expanded my knitting skills by taking a cable class from Melissa Leapman. I will be sharing a bit of the knowledge I gained this coming July at Sip N Knit. We will be splitting a cable and running it up a neckline in what I hope will be a beautiful and pretty manner. A doll sweater pattern to help us learn is in my head right now but needs to get to paper in the next month.


Finally, daughter number 1 was confirmed into our Church in March and daughter number 2 is working her way towards the same next spring. I am a reasonably intelligent person but it never registered (and no one pointed out to me) that having your kids practically on top of each other would mean all these major events in life would also occur on top of each other. Too late now, guess we just hold on and enjoy the ride.

For Mary and Maple - part1...

OK...I'll update the blog with everything I have been doing other than blogging. But considering we are looking at 3 months worth of knitting and things I'll break it up into multiple posts so you don't have to swallow it all in one big gulp.





First up the Cobblestone sweater. It was questionable a few times there but it has been completed and worn. He likes the fit and says it is quite warm. He wore it once before winter stepped aside for spring.

I also finally put the cuffs on the slippers I was working on before Christmas when Travis showed interest in wearing them. These are perfect for him because there was yarn for three slippers which means he has an extra one in case of loss. Being 9, this tends to happen to him occasionally. Pattern was from the 2008 Interweave Knits Holiday Issue.












Next, Cary from Serenity Farms taught us how to make thrummed mittens one Saturday morning at Sip N Knit. I am really happy with how mine turned out and they were a lot of fun to make.











Finally, the east side of the barn now has steel on it. Dave had a down week and a neighbor who works for GM had time on his hands. One more side to go.