On the Edge

Beading on the edge of the Evenstar Shawl!

 I don't know if the edge I am refering to in the title is the edge of insanity or the edge of the shawl I am working on. They seem to be very similar at the moment. I am almost done with the Evenstar shawl. I just have the border edging to finish. The beads I chose look great with the yarn. They are dark beads against the light of the yarn and pop off it nicely. I enjoyed knitting this shawl but I underestimated the amount of time it would take. I was not sure I would get it done in time. I will probably need a few days in August to complete it, but with one week of camp in the middle of July, I think that is acceptable. Especially as there is no one standing over me telling me I must finish it on time. I am looking forward to blocking it and seeing it in all its glory, so to speak. I will need to purchase some bigger blocking boards, however. The ones I have are not large enough for this shawl! It is supposed to be 5 feet in diameter, mine might be a bit larger. I used a size 4US needle instead of the 3 called for in the pattern. We will have to see how big it is when I block it!

POV Socks

I have finished two pairs of socks in the mean time, the POV socks and the Gentlemen’s socks. The POV socks look great and feel better. I have noticed, however, that they need to be reserved for winter as they are very warm. That does not bother me though, I love wool socks in the winter and am looking forward to using them.The Gentlemen’s socks are very soft and look great. I have not seen the gentleman they were knitted for so I still have them. I am sure I will see him before I leave for the States though and they are a weight off my mind. I had taken them to camp to try to finish and they were the only thing I knit on. It was very hot at camp with temperatures over 100°F. With limited time to knit, I am proud of myself for finishing them with everything else that was going on. 

Gentlemen's Socks

I am working on a set of laminated cards for myself. These cards will be used for sock knitting. They contain various styles of heels, cuffs, and toes as well as charts for the number of stitches used for which shoe size and how long I need to knit them to fit a certain size foot. Basically, I condensed a lot of my sock books into a set of cards for knitting socks. The only thing they will not have is the pattern for the instep and leg. There are too many options to choose from to do that and if I did, I would have a stack of cards that would reach the ceiling. They will allow me to choose a leg and instep pattern and make a pair of socks without having to lug around a lot of books or charts. I am thinking of making a set for various sweaters as well, for the sleeves, at the very least. I like the set in sleeves from Knitting Workshop by Elizabeth Zimmerman and the set in sleeves from Knitting from the Top by Barbara Walker. They are both easy alterations to make to any pattern and fit me very well. Set in sleeves are the best type of sleeves for my body type, but I don’t like carrying around the books. As I am trying to keep my luggage to a minimum on furlough, the card system will be better and easier for travel. Best of all, I will have to means to make either a sweater or a pair of socks at my fingertips without having to carry heavy books with me. 

Work sheet for Socks Cards

I am still working on Green Feet and will test-drive my new sock card system with these socks. I also am planning next month’s projects. I have a tiny sweater planned for my new niece/nephew, a present for Christmas and the Green feet birthday gift. The next couple of months may be a bit sparse in regards to blogging. I am getting to the part of the year where I cannot talk very much about my projects, but I will try to at least blog about what I am learning with each one. Some of the recipients read my blog and I don't want to spoil any surprises.

This month, I learned that a slow consistent knitting pace will accomplish more than hurried knitting. That some socks are not meant to be blocked (they turn out too big to wear if you do). And that books on tape make great knitting companions. So, until next time, keep on knitting and learning.

Done At Last!

Argonath

I have finally finished the Argonath stole! It only took me three week longer than I thought it would. However, I will have to say that all the work was worth it. It turned out beautifully. The cables look spectacular. I have left the fringe at the edges uncut. I like the look of the loops rather than a cut fringe. The second border at the top gave me a bit of trouble. I started out and it seemed to pucker, not laying flat like the bottom edge. After frogging it three times, I finally figured out how to make it lay flat. The last little bit seemed to take forever but with persistence I was able to finish.

Starlight

I started on the next project, the Evenstar shawl. I have called it the Starlight shawl in my projects because the yarn looks like spun moonbeams. I have knit to the start of the first chart and hope the work on it goes fast. I have one week marked out for camp this month and am not planning to take this with me. Since lace seems to knit up faster for me I expect that I will be able to get it done by the end of the month using what I have learned this month. Use every little bit of time you have wisely. 

As far as camp knitting, I will be taking a birthday project with me. I also hope to finish the two pairs of socks I have left. I am on the second sock for both pairs. One is at the heel turn and the other is almost to the ribbing on the cuff. They should not take a great deal of time to complete but you know how it is with the best laid plans of Mice and Men. 

Green Feet

I found out that although I did not win first prize in the Mithril KAL, I was eligible for another prize. The person who won deserved it. Her vest was made with a gradient yarn from the Unique Sheep. She started with one color at the bottom and worked her way up to another at the top. All who participated did a great job and every project inspired my creativity in some way. That is what I love about being in touch with other knitters. They inspire you in so many ways. 

I love the cabling in this shawl!

This month I learned to make the most of small moments of time, always have something handy to knit and don’t sweat the small stuff. Until next time, keep on knitting and learning.