Knit and Learn

Long Shanks Strides

2012-01-25T23:42:00.001Z

Finished!

Finally finished my first selfish project. It is very warm and I love it already.

On to my next project, the Shocking Sweater from Interweave Knits. I think I will call this one Shocking Round as I will try to make this sweater in the round. We will see!

In the mean time keep knitting and learning!

Slight Change Of Plans

2012-01-23T11:49:00.000Z

Well ... After a two hour conversation with my sister over Skype, I have decided to change a few of my selfish projects. Instead of the Freyja Sweater, I am going to knit the Oranje Sweater with a few mods. Also instead of a blue striped sweater I will be making a sweater of my own design with the motifs from the Corrie Fair Isle vest from Knit Picks. The black sweater is also out. But I did decide on a design for the Purple sweater, Amused. I have also added three secret projects for this year.

My sister is an awesome artist. She has a good eye for design and fashion and helped me pick knits that will flatter my figure and coloring. She is like my own personal What Not To Wear crew.

The rest of the projects stay the same. I am nearly finished with the Strider Cowl, which I have named Long Shanks Strider. At first I had planned to do the long version of the cowl, but I think this will be too much fabric around my face. So I am going to stop with the short version. It looks great and I love the knitting. (even the cables which are normally not my cup of tea.)

My sister also put a twist in my knitting plans with some news. I can't share yet but it will rearrange some things.

This change of plans is exactly why I called my blog Knit and Learn. So keep on knitting and keep on learning.

Freedom Socks

2012-01-17T22:23:00.001Z

Just finished the first project of the year, Freedom Socks! These were made for the middle child of my adopted family. Her birthday is close so I finished them right on time.

I used the Ariana socks pattern and modified it for a child. The heel was a new one for me. I like it so I will probably use it somewhere else.

There is also a hint of what else I am working on. This will be my first selfish project. I am looking forward to getting this one done so I can start on all the other projects in my to do list.

Keep on knitting and learning!

2012 - The Year of Selfish Knitting

2012-01-11T11:41:00.001Z

So why selfish knitting? Well, the last couple of years I have collected quite a stash of yarn with projects for myself attatched. However, I have not been knitting those projects. Instead I have been doing a lot of gift knitting. Don't get me wrong I love to knit for gift giving. BUT, Those projects really need to be started and finished. I am beginning to feel overwelmed by the stash I have. I have not yet reached the point where my stash is at SABLE (Stash Acquisition Beyond Live Expectancy), but it is mounting and looming over my head.

So hence the concept of the Year of Selfish Knitting. This year I am determined to make some of the projects that have been lurking in my stash. They include but are not limited to:

Freya - Interweave Knits
Isengard -
Strider cowl -
Evenstar shawl -
Mithril vest - all by Susan Pandorf (love her designs)
Nutkin - Beth LaPensee
A black sweater with colorwork
A blue striped sweater
A brown merino sweater
A Purple sweater

All told about 12 projects. Plus I will still be getting in some gift knitting with socks for my adopted family. WHEW! I have set quite a challange for myself. We will see what gets done and what gets set to the side. If you would like to keep track of my progress, the progress bars from Ravelry at the right should have all the info. I will also try to blog about my progress from time to time. (With pictures even!)

Have a great 2012 and keep knitting and learning.

Christmas 2011

2011-12-05T16:14:00.001Z

I know it has been a while since I have posted anything. With my New Year's resolution for 2012, I hope to change that. However, I could not resist sharing these cute angel wings that are drying in my livingroom. They are for this year's Christmas play. I have garland for the halos and have made the wings from card stock. I added glitter along the bottom feathers for a bit of a pop. I hope they turn out ok. I will try to share pictures of my cute Christmas angels.

Yarn Karma

2010-11-05T13:01:00.000Z

I have been listening to a few podcasts and have heard about yarn karma. According to many it is when you knit something for someone and are angry with that person. The theory is that those feelings are locked into that knitting. They are then transfered to the person.

Here is my take on the subject. I sometimes use my knitting time to pray for the person for whom I am knitting. My prayers are not locked into the knitted fabric, but God hears and answers the prayers I have prayed for that person. When you pray for someone you cannot stay upset with that person. So I think that praying while your knitting even if you are upset with that person is a good thing. It lets you get out the frustration you are experiencing because of him or her and you are praying for them. God understands frustration (remember the Pharasees) and He will help you not only deal with your upset feelings, He will also lead you to a better understanding of that person.

Your emotions can have an effect on the knitted fabric. That is when you are upset your gauge tends to tighten. And when you are relaxed your gauge is looser. So if you knit and pray for someone and you are upset with that someone, be prepared to have to frog (rip out) your work. ;).

As for me I have been super busy since August. I have been working on Christmas presents and various knitted items. Because I would like for the presents to be a suprise I do not have pictures of them at this time. However, I do have picture of some of the things I have finished in the last few months.

The frog was a present for a Boy's birthday, the pink hat a gift for the lady who watched my cats while I was away, and the lace doily was a wedding present for a friend of mine.

Someone recently asked me where the name for my blog came from. I comes from the phase 'live and learn.' I was talking to someone on the Knitpicks Community and I said that instead of live and learn it was knit and learn. So I took the idea and ran with it.

So until next time I hope you have time to knit some and learn some.

Something I learned and taught to others

2010-08-15T10:01:00.000+01:00

I have been so busy lately that I haven't had time to blog. I have finished several projects since my last blog and started several more. I will post about them soon but for today I wanted to share with you something I learned and taught to someone else.

This summer I finished my first lace shawl with laceweight yarn. I brought it to summer camp with me where I was a counselor. I used the shawl as an illustration of the Christian life and how God views us. We are like an individual stitch. We cannot see the complete pattern as it is being made but the Knitter can. He sees the beginning and the end of the knitting piece. He places each stitch with care and unlike us He does not make mistakes. However, without that one stitch the whole piece would suffer. I know how I feel when I have dropped a stitch and I can imagine how many of you feel. God has placed us in the great knitted design of time for a specific purpose. First of all to praise Him and bring Him glory. After that He has some other purpose for us that is specific to who we are. A completed knit project brings glory to the knitter and each stitch has a specific function in that piece (even if it is just to hold up the next stitch). So next time you knit, think about your Creator who loved you enough to die in your place and the special purpose He has for your life.

Finally I can show you!

2010-04-10T11:30:00.000+01:00

I can finally show you what I made for my Nephew. My sister had her Baby Shower this week and I called her through Skype and showed her what I had made. So now I can show you.

I had so much fun knitting these things that the time went by quickly. The blanket and the Turtle are meant to go together and the little shoes and the jacket are a set. I also made some more practical items, burp clothes and wash clothes. These will keep my Nephew warm and clean. I can't wait till he gets here to try them on. Not much longer now.

On my needles I have the second pair of socks for my Brother-in-law (my Nephew and Niece's dad). The first time I started them, I used a number 2 needle, but the fabric created was very loose and I was afraid they would wear out very quickly. So having turned the heel and started up the leg, I frogged them and started over with a size 0 needle. (all needle sizes are in American sizing) The fabric produced is much tighter and better then before.

I also have the rest of my gift for my Grandmother. It is coming along nicely and I have trouble putting it down to do something else. However, even though my Grandmother is not connected to the internet, I will not be posting pictures until I give it to her. I will just tell you that I am learning a lot of techniques with this one.

As this is supposed to be a blog about knitting and LEARNING, I will fill you in on some of what I have been learning lately. When we were still living at home, I asked my sister, who is an awesome artist, how she could be so patient about getting the smallest details right in her work. Recently, she reminded me of what I had asked her and said she had the same question for me about knitting. I understand how she could be so meticulous now, but then I was amazed. Knitting sometimes requires a lot of patience. (See above about frogging the socks) I have learned that you are more apt to be patient with something you enjoy doing than with something that is a chore. However, the patience I learn with knitting is beginning to translate itself to other things I do.

Something else I have learned is,the time I use to knit a gift for someone is an excellent time to pray for that person. My friend, Nina, once told me that she prayed for her family while hanging out the wash. As she came to an article of clothing that belonged to that person she would pray for him/her. I have no one to do laundry for other than myself so I find myself thinking of the person I am knitting for and praying for that person.

That is all I have for now but birthday's are coming up soon so you will be able to see more of my secret projects. Until then keep knitting!

So much to do and So little time to blog

2010-03-20T12:02:00.001Z

I have been so busy knitting and doing that I have not had time to catch up on my blog. I finished the mitts for my friend and she loved them. Since then I have been busy starting and finishing a few projects. So here they are.

I finished a baby set for a friend of mine who is expecting a Girl. Arn't those shoes adorable! The sweater called for the eylet on the sleeves as well but I decided to go with plain sleeves so that the baby would be warmer.

My brother-in-law is being deployed so I am also in the process of knitting several items for him. My problem was finding 100% wool yarn over here in Portugal. (that was the color I needed for the military) I have finished the helmet liner and started on some socks. I decided to do them one at a time, so you can see where I marked the sock so the second one matches the first.

I am also in the middle of making a pair of socks for a friend's birthday. The birthday was at the beginning of March so I had best get these done soon. Poor guy has to wait on the knitter. These where also made one at a time but this sock has a distinctive repeating pattern that makes it a lot easier to keep track of what I am doing.

I started a shawl for my Grandmother. She is in a nursing home and I wanted to give her something that would remind her that she is loved. It is made of merino wool in a lilac color that I think will be just what the doctor ordered. The knitting is coming along nicely and the pattern is fairly simple to do. I am having a lot of fun with this one.

I am still working on one of the gifts I mentioned last time but it is nearly completed. I just have to do the ... opps I am not supposed to tell you that. Guess you will just have to see the pics when I post them. Until next time keep those needles busy.

Ok I will give you a hint.

2010-02-06T13:33:00.000Z

Ok Here is your hint at what I am making for my Nephew. Just a peek now. When I actually give the gifts to my sister then you can see the whole project but until then NO other hints.

I am working on a pair of fingerless gloves that I am making for a friend. She gets cold hands in school so needed something to keep her hands warm but still be able to write. I only have one done so far but I am working on the other. I started out with DPN's but then switched to magic loop for the upper half of the mitt. I am starting not to like dpn's the needles always get in my way, especially when working a small circunference. Oh well you can't have everything because I do like them for larger projects.

I have at least three or four projects going at any one time and have added some gifts to my knitting lineup. Oh dear, more pictures I can't share. But maybe along the line I will give you more hints. For now happy knitting and don't let the moths bite.

What a busy month!

2010-01-30T12:13:00.000Z

After Christmas I seemed to get into a knitting mood. I have completed almost all of the projects that I had planned for my Sister's new baby boy. (he is due in April) I have also completed a pair of socks for a friend to give, an edging for a shawl, a hat for a friend and a purse for a little girl's birthday. The friend liked the hat and the girl was extatic with the purse. She likes little things (pads of paper, pens, Polly Pockets, cute little things you can put in a purse). I have many things planned for the coming months and hopefully I will have time to complete them. I am sorry not to post pictures of the things I have made for my Nephew but my sister looks at this blog and I don't want her to see them yet. (So Sorry Sis)

Some of the things I have planned for the coming year will stretch me as a knitter. I want to do several lace shawls, some socks for myself, two fair isle shawls, and a sweater. Some of these are for me and some are for others. I also have planned a sweater for a friend's baby. This is number two and will be a girl so I have let myself go wild looking at frilly, lacy cardigan patterns for the baby.

I learned something with the edging for the shawl. Good thing it was for me. I learned to add more rows of knitting than there are stitches in the shawl sides. If you don't then you end up with a bunched effect that even blocking can't remove. Oh Well, back to the old drawing board. One of these days I will go back take it all out and do it right. Until then I will just have to Grin and Bear it.

Christmas Socks and more

2010-01-02T12:06:00.001Z

Well I finished just in time for the holidays. I even was able to finish the hat I was giving to my friend for his birthday. It fits!! Isn't it great when something works out just right. All the recipients loved the socks that I gave them. I even have a picture with them on their feet. All of them fit and I am happy to have that worry out of my life.
I have since made another pair of socks for a friend (worsted weight so they knit up fast) and a little bag for a little girl. I am now starting on all the projects that I want to do for my new nephew coming in April. I am working on a blanket and some burp clothes and wash clothes. I also have planned a sweater and a stuffed animal. Maybe I might even throw in some socks to keep his feet warm and a small hat. Have to see what time I have to complete the projects.
I also have the Mystery KAL project from Knit Picks that I was working on. I know what it is now but I set it aside to do Christmas presents. So it is time to pick it back up and finish it. I am changing the back side a little but still keeping all of the background colors. Then it will be time to (Gasp) Cut (Gasp) my (Gasp) Knitting! (Gasp)(Gasp)(Gasp). This is the first time I will be doing a steek so pray for me. (I really don't want to go crazy from this, hehe)

I hope you have fun knitting.

Christmas Socks

2009-12-23T23:44:00.001Z

I have almost finished the socks I am making for Christmas. Here are some of the other socks that I have finished. I have had a lot of fun with the sock making but I am already making plans for next year and thinking about what I could give to my family. What are your opinions? I have also included the hat I am making for a friend's birthday. Poor guy, his birthday is two days after Christmas. I am also making him a pair of socks. I am almost done I only have to complete the leg. Only one day left to work so I must get them done tomorrow. Work work work or is that play play play. Anyway it is knitting however you put it.

Christmas Socks

2009-11-17T13:53:00.000Z

Well, here is another pair down and only four more to go. I used the Shifting Rib design from the Sock Cocktail pattern from Knit Picks. I made it with a gusset heel and finished it off with a picot cuff. They look so cute.

I am having so much fun working on the different socks for Christmas. It is teaching me so much about sock construction. I just hope that they all fit.

I like the yarn for these so much that I am going to try to make a pair of fingerless gloves or gauntlets out of the leftover yarn.

Hats

2009-11-10T08:59:00.000Z

Hats are cool things. They help keep you warm by traping the warmth normally lost through your head. I recently made a hat for a friend with cancer. I fell in love with the hat and have started another one only for me in 'girly' colors. I also plan to make on for a friend of mine for Christmas. (he recently cut his hair so short he is practically bald so he is a bit cold right now.) I learned making the one for my friend that the cuff was a bit long in my guage so I downsized the needle and I am going to work less rows for the brim. What happened to the hat for my friend with cancer you say? I shrank it till it fit. That is the wonderful thing about working with wool. It shrinks. Of course that is also the worst thing about working with wool. Oh well my friend now has a warm hat to keep him warm and I have a new pattern to add to the favorites pile. I think that is a good trade off.

Christmas Socks

2009-11-06T14:29:00.001Z

Finished another pair of Socks for Christmas. I started out using the Berry Season pattern from 2-at-a-Time Socks by Melissa Morgan-Oakes. However, about half way up the foot I realized that the pattern on the front was much shorter than the back stockinette. So I switched to the Twilight pattern from the same book. I used the short row heel and a twisted rib cuff. The yarn is Felici from Knit Picks in Cochineal. I used the leftover yarn from the sweater I made for my neice. These are made for the daughter of a friend one of my 'adopted' nieces. She is a girly girl so the pattern and the color are just right for her.

Frog and learn and knit again

2009-11-02T00:35:00.001Z

As I said in the second post, I am making a pair of socks out of Felici from Knit Picks. I was using the Berry Season pattern from 2 at a time by Melissa Morgan-Oakes. However, as I knitted the pattern gauge was shorter than the plain stockinette stitches of the sole. So I had to frog and redo the sock with another pattern. I used another pattern from the same book, Twilight. The socks are coming along well. I am going to use the short row heel instead of a gusset heel.

I learned that sometimes socks do not always turn out the way you think they will. Sometimes they take on a life of their own. I set out this year to make socks for my family and adopted 'family'. When I started out I had certain ideas about how the socks would turn out. Boy, was I wrong. As I knitted sock after sock, I started to understand sock construction better, and I also started to use parts of one sock pattern that I had learned in another sock that was completely different. It has been a stretching experience. I have learned more about knitting and have loved every minute of it. I have now added sock knitting to my knitting 'arsenal'. Next up colorwork and lace.

Hat for a friend in need

2009-10-30T16:32:00.004Z

I have a friend going through chemo and because of the treatments he has lost his hair. So I made him a hat for winter to help keep him warm. I used WotA from Knit Picks that I had leftover from a potholder I made for my Mom. For the inside liner I used a merino wool from Miltons (something I picked up here in Portugal). The WotA was Bare and Winter Night and the Miltons a gold color. The pattern is David's Hat. I particularlu like this pattern and I am already dreaming up other color combinations and not just for guys either. I have some lovely merino in brown and several pinks that I think would make a lovely hat for someone. I also have some yellow and blue colors that would be nice. I will have to see what I can come up with. Guess you will see when I do.

Christmas Socks

2009-10-27T15:31:00.005Z

I just finished a pair of socks for Christmas. I am making socks for my coworkers and family. This is the first pair. I used elements from differnt sock patterns. The heel is from the Sock Cocktail pattern from Knit Picks, the gusset from the Diamond waffle pattern from Knitty and the stitch pattern from the Hedgerow socks. I used Berroco Comfort Sock Yarn. I really like how they turned out.

I am working on the next pair of socks. I am using the Berry Season pattern from 2 At a Time Socks by Melissa Morgan-Oakes.They are the pink ones. I am using Felici yarn from Knit Picks.

Knit and Learn

2009-10-21T19:29:00.000+01:00

This is a blog about my adventures in knitting and what I learned from the experience. There will also be patterns and such available for download as I write them.