Getting started with Camp Loopy

I decided to participate in Camp Loopy this year.  Are you?  For June, July, and August, you knit or crochet one project each month.  I'm working on my first Camp Loopy project - which has to be done by June 30 - and I don't like the pattern I chose with the yarn I'm using.  I really, really like Henslowe (my original pattern) and I'm into the first straight section and I don't like the way this colorway and the pattern is working up....I think that it needs a bolder color or something.  I like the pattern, but I decided to frog it last night.  I think that I will revisit it with different yarn at a later date...

So, late last night I went perusing Ravelry for a pattern that uses (1) at least 375 yards, (2) is easy to knit, (3) will travel to Alaska well, and (4) is easy to memorize for the craziness in the few weeks ahead.  I decided on the Knotted Openwork Scarf.  It's a 4 row repeat, looks great, and I can continue until I run out of yarn.  Tonight I am going to restart the Camp Loopy project...

Spoiled Rotten

My pen pal Sharon is awesome!  Look at all of the project bags and skein of Hazel Knits yarn she sent!  I received the first one just before I left and the camper project bag was waiting for me when I returned home this week.

 

I'll be sure to put the camper bag to good use with my Camp Loopy project - which I need to get started...in between.....

...here's the big news...a new apartment in a month!  I'll be moving to a slightly larger apartment right around 4th of July, so I forsee a lot of packing in my future.

Return from Radio Silence

It's been a whirlwind few weeks!  I had two bridal showers to attend, a trip across the country, and things are work are picking up.  This past weekend, I finally had time to get back to a little bit of crafting.

First up, I used the remaining self striping yarn from The Loopy Ewe's Spring Fling goodie bags from 2 years ago to make a tube scarf.

I originally planned to make a pair of socks, but fate had other plans.  The sock machine and I couldn't hit it off and keep the stitches on the needles yesterday, so it went from socks to scarf in a matter of a few hours.  It's a little short for an adult, but would make a great kids scarf - especially with all of those colors!  The color combo reminds me of Dr. Seuss for some reason.

I'll try another pair of socks on it soon...but maybe we need a bit of a break from each other right now...

Giving it another go

I'm giving the sock machine another go today. 

<insert deep breath here>

<practice patience too>

From the deep stash, I found The Plucky Knitter 80/10/10 MCN blend sock yarn in the colorway Pallisades.  The base has been discontinued, but considering this skein has been residing with me since July 2010, it is time to put it to good use.

Waiting on the trees

While we're waiting for the trees to bud here in central IL, I am working on the Frick Frick Beret.

I had time over the weekend to make progress.  Only half a repeat to go before I can start the crown decreases.  We've had some warm weather, so I hope I get to wear it before spring comes around the corner.

First Attempt

May I present the Summer Moss socks:

 

...my first pair of socks made with the Auto Knitter circular sock machine!  I may finally have the perfect excuse to buy self striping yarn.  I loved working on them, but they are not the prettiest pair of socks that I have ever knit.  See what I mean:

 

I was warned that there is a learning curve, and there most definitely is.  I struggled a bit with the ribber.  Once it is attached, you can't view the sock down the center or anywhere except the stitches that are currently being knit.  I dropped a few stitches (see photographic evidence above) and had a difficult time getting the sock back in shape.  I'm going to call this a learning experience, so it doesn't bother me too much and you can't really view the goofs from a little farther away. 

 

Moral of the story?  I think I'll need more practice but I don't think I did too badly for my first attempt.

Tube Scarves

 

First projects with the Auto Knitter Sock Machine: tube scarves!  It was a great learning experience to get to know the machine, it's settings, and it's quirks.  I think I'm in for a large learning curve, but it will be a good time.  Hopefully I'll have a pair of socks to show soon.

Bayard Hat

Last night I finished the decreases on the hat to match my sky scarf.  I finally have a hat and scarf set that matches!

The pattern is Bayard by Bristol Ivy.  I used leftovers from the Sky Scarf to complete: Cerulean Blue and White from The Loopy Ewe's Solid Series.  The hat took approximately 114 yards of the blue and 84 yards of the white on US 3 needles. 

 

Not many modifications - I knit fewer rounds of ribbing at the beginning and went up two needles sizes to a US 3 from the recommended US 2.  With all of my curly hair, I prefer my hats to be a little looser and more beret-like.  It's a clever design - the slipped stitch section helps to hide the row color changes and a great way to use up sock yarn leftovers. 

 

Next on the needles - the Mayrose hat by Woolly Wormhead.  I've pulled some hand spun cormo from the stash to knit it.

 

 

The best part?  It's going to match the Shaelyn Shawl.

Close to home

The middle of winter is central Illinois is normally a little bleak - cold, windy, and lacking in the green fields I've come to adore and appreciate. Occasionally sunny days help, but living in a rural area, sometimes you want to jump ship. To counteract some of the winter gloom, a few friends decided to put together a mini retreat close to home. So, this weekend, I grabbed my knitting and headed out the door...to here:

Isn't it lovely?  Okay, wait.  Before you start to wonder, this is no normal Midwestern barn.  It's amazing - brand new building and outfitted to entertain!

See what I mean?  A full kitchen, multiple bathrooms, plenty of comfy seating, a sleeping loft, and a roaring fire kept us warm all day.

When you needed a break, you could take a brief stroll outside or bird watch through the windows.

 

I worked on my Bayard Hat and would have made more progress, but the conversation was  entertaining and friendly.  In the meantime, I'm back to work and hope to finish the hat tonight or tomorrow evening.  Until then, here's a WIP shot:

 

 

And a hat to match

This...

 

needs a hat to match. 

 

 

Don't you think?  Started the Bayard Hat.

Sky Scarf: End of the Year

As the year came to a close, so did the Sky Scarf 2012 project.  It came off the needles yesterday after a year of knitting.  The yarn is The Loopy Ewe's Solid Series in the colorways: White, Cerulean, Dove, Slate Blue, Cornflower, and Smoke and I ended up using 1,178 yards total. 

 

While the scarf was a fun knit, I am glad to have it off the needles.  In spots, it could have been neater carrying the yarns up the side, but it is hard with 4 colors being carried up instead of just one or two.  I rarely have more than one or two projects going and to have a WIP that last for a year - well, it was starting to get to me that it was sitting in the basket and I couldn't finish it up.  It's done now and I have a wonderful record of the year.

 

 

I used every last bit of the white and cerulean blue from the first skeins. I ordered extra of these two colors, so I think I need to make a hat to match...

Color Affection

Finished the Color Affection Shawl yesterday and gave it a good wash.  It's huge!  I made the fingering weight version and it measures 88" long by 18" deep.  It fits snugly around your shoulders and won't fall off.  Despite the large amounts of garter stitch, it was a delightful knit and one of those garments that I can easily see myself reaching for time and time again.

I used The Plucky Knitter's Primo Fingering is the colors: Hope is a Good Thing (blue), Shades of Pemberly (green), and Memories (purple/gray).  It counted as my November personal sock club project (finished late) and toward the Plucky Knitter's Moderator Madness KAL.

It's cold outside today; time to wrap up.  I might have to make another one...

Secret knitting

Since a few of my Christmas gift recipients read the blog, I had to keep a few knitted objects secret.  And since you know that I didn't start my holiday knitting early in July, I enlisted some help with socks this year:

Check those out!  Don't they look lovely?  Five pairs of socks out of Cascade Heritage sock for family and close friends.  These colorways were loving picked out by me, but knit on an antique sock machine of a friend.  Since they are handmade, I think they count.

A hat for my friend K's fiancee - he's knit worthy guy!

 

A woven dish towel experiment for my mom which turned out okay.  Next time, I might try experimenting with different cotton and possibly a different reed size.

Last Minute Weaving

I finished a few items on the loom this weekend.  Scarves for holiday gifts!

First up, the Vintage Icebox scarf in The Plucky Knitter's Traveller Sport.  For the warp and weft I used The Plucky Knitter - Traveller Sport in the Vintage Icebox colorway.  Since this is a sport weight yarn, it is also counting for my December personal sock club project. 

Stats: Start: 194 grams / Remaining: 33 grams / Used: 161 grams
161 grams = 585 yards
10 dent reed / 96 ends
8” x 85” with fringe
8” x 78” without fringe

Second, I finished the Pola scarf.  The warp and weft are both The Plucky Knitter Merino Lite in the Pretty Pretty Pola colorway. 

Stats: Start: 206 grams / Remaining: 35 grams / Used: 171 grams
171 grams = 425 yards
8 dent reed / 76 ends
7.25” x 88” with fringe
7.25” x 80” without fringe

These were my last Christmas presents to finish making (aside from a few dishcloths), so I am back to knitting on the color affection shawl.  With any luck, I will have it finished by the end of the week.  If not, that's fine too.  I have a lot of gift wrapping and chores around the house to tackle before the holidays!

Sky Scarf - November

Through November knitting on the Sky Scarf.  I can't believe that I have just 29 more days of knitting to go!  As you can see, I should make it with one skein of each of the colors.  I have extra white and medium blue on standby though, in case I need them to finish the last week or so. 

Three colors

Working on the color affection shawl and I've started the last section.  Third color of stripes was started over the weekend!

 

Mid November Sky

I worked on the Sky Scarf earlier today and am currently caught up.  Looking at the scarf, it seems this year has flown by quickly - I only have about 6 weeks left to go.

 

More stripes!

Halfway through the second section of color affection.

First Stripes

I added the first stripes to the color affection shawl over the weekend.  It will be a lot of fun to see them develop!

Sky Scarf - October Update

Sky scarf is up to date through today!  It seems like the year has really gone by quickly - just two more months to complete it.  I've already bought back up skeins of the white and medium blue and I anticipate breaking into them this month.  I hope that I have enough of the rest of the colors without having to purchase more skeins to complete it come December.