Back to Knitting

I was shocked to see that it was 46 days since my last post.

I have not been knitting as much as I have been making jewelry. Earrings and necklaces galore. Oh look, here is a necklace now -


I donated a necklace and earrings to The Harbour. A friend is on their board. The word I got back was that there was active bidding and they were sold for more than their set value. That made me feel good.


There is a good amount of knitted goodies to send off to Dulaan. The deadline to be included in this year's shipment is rapidly approaching so I'll try to get them packed up and out this weekend.

I recently made another scarf out of the recycled sari silk yarn. Amazing stuff. Much like Chicago weather, if you don't like the color you are knitting, wait a few stitches and it will change!

Ugh, Chicago weather. A very undecided proposition. Warm weather, bulbs popped, snow fell, heat happened, cold, then rain and to keep you on your toes, tornadoes in the southwest suburbs.

Thought of retirement are percolating through my head. Some downsizing, some disencumbering ourselves of years of possessions. It is a big job, but it must be tackled eventually. How do you decide?

Meanderings

Patterns, I don't need no stinkin' patterns. With that in mind, I started a hat for my son. I've made many hats, I know what size things will be. I sat through a Book Club gathering and blissfully started to knit a hat that may have fit him when he was ten. I really like the yarns I used and didn't want to rip it, so it is now my current Dulaan Project project. Skip ahead a few days and I started another hat, smaller needle, many more stitches. It fits me, so I'm sure it will fit him.

So now I have two hats on the needle, one at my computer to work on while things download or while watching TV and the other in the bedroom, so I can knit while I watch TV there or while just seeking some quiet.

I have been going gangbusters making jewelry. I can really see progress when comparing older pieces to what I'm making now. Of course it doesn't hurt to have an ever growing stash of beads and findings.

Cousin Eve liked the earrings sent to her. She wrote a glowing thank you note. I may have to send her some more, just to get the very positive feedback!

H N Y

Welcome to 2007.

Well, here are the promised photos of hats. And more than just getting around to taking the pictures, I also worked in all the ends so they are all completely finished.

The Red & Blue Hat

Next on the hit parade is the aptly named Star Top Hat







This is the promised Blue Hat. I had fun with the patterns, the swirls are just knits and purls, but the illusion is neat.


I liked the multi-colored yarn, so I knit a another hat.


And here is a group photo of the four Dulaan hats and one for me.


There, that task is done.

Over the holiday weekend, I went to the local bead store and with the ones that I bought and the beads in my stash, I made a bunch of earrings, a pin and some pendants. But that is for another photo session.

R*Y*F*M

After FIVE failed attempts to get the shaped side panels on my Sandy Cardigan for the KAL, I finally sat down, with a minimum of distractions and carefully read the instructions. Amazing what you learn when you RYFM. I'm eager to get this sweater finished so I can move on to another major project.

I now have two hats done for the Dulaan Project. Great fun. As someone pointed out, when you are knitting items that are being distributed to a large group, size is not too important. There is always someone that the hat will fit. I designed both hats. Someone asked for the pattern for the baby earflap hat. This will require more thought and careful counting than it did to make it.

The Knitting Guild & Book Club

Tuesday night, with encouragement from some members of the Ample Knitters Group, I went to the monthly meeting of the Windy City Knitting Guild.

What a wonderful bunch of people. There is something empowering to be in a room full of like-minded people, with NO ONE bent out of shape because you are knitting during a presentation. In fact, non-knitters were a very small minority. The group is friendly, well-organized, open-minded, cheerful and encouraging. I look forward to joining and attending regularly.

The presentation was of the most amazing knitted lace. The designer showed us shawls, scarfs, stoles and a duster, all her own designs and her own lace patterns. She had a magazine article showing the bridal veil that she knit for her daughter. Spiders would be envious of the sheerness and beauty of her work. Speaking of spiders, on piece featured spiders. Who says lace knitting has to be serious?

Wednesday night was the regular meeting of our Book Club. (When I clean up its web site I'll link to it.) We had a very pleasant discussion of The Samurai's Garden by Gail Tsukiyama. Everyone enjoyed the book, which is unusual. Joy, our hostess, followed the Japanese setting of the book and served wonderful Japanese snacks and sushi. Yum. During the meeting I worked on my hat for the Dulaan project.

I am having trouble joining the fronts and sides of the Sandy cardigan. Garter stitch is clearly the way to go, stockinette was just too curly. I am not pleased with the line formed by the picked up stitches. Back to the pattern book. I've ripped out the sides four times and I do not want to do it again.