KnitCrit

More Knippets: New ... Hats ... Boys

These little Knippets have captivated my blogging attention, ever since I first posted them.  So, here are some more ideas and thoughts and things to share:

• My neighbor, just three doors down the street, messaged and friended me on Ravelry.  This wouldn't be such a big deal except that we've never really met one another before now.  She read my blog and Ravelry posts, put two and two together, and sent me a message.  A new knitter friend - squee!
• And speaking of new, I have a new knitting and spinning room.  What was once the guest bedroom is now "my" room.  Well, my husband is "allowed" to share it with me for playing his guitar and banjo. 
  
• Barbara, my best knitting friend, gave me the cutest soap for my birthday.  Can you see the mold of a ball of yarn?  
• I'm a huge fan of the Stash and Burn podcast.  So far, I've knit one hat for their 7 Long Project.  I hope to get another hat knit before the October 1 deadline.
    
• And speaking of hats, I finished "The Boy Hat" for my oldest son's 26th birthday.  It was a nice gift check container, too.  Here's the hat and the boy modeling his hat: 
                  
• The other boy passed a teen milestone yesterday.  He got his braces off!  Here are the before and after shots:
                  
• Now I'm off to plan my knitting for our 16+ hour car trip tomorrow through Monday.  Should I pack the shawl that needs a gazillion stitches picked up?  Probably not.  But yes to two of the sock projects, and yes to the Sausalito jacket, and this will be a good opportunity to start Katie's shawl (as soon as I decide which pattern).
  
• Until next time.... 

Pattern Critique #34: Shetland Triangle Shawl

Pattern Name: Shetland Triangle Shawl
Source: Wrap Style, Pam Allen & Ann Budd

Designer: Evelyn A. Clark
Pattern Yarn: Jaeger Cashmina (discontinued)
Images:



 

Pattern Review:

Why would I post a pattern review on a shawl for which there are 1233 projects already on Ravelry, 295 blog posts, and 173 forum posts?  Because this shawl was knit for someone very special and thus is a tribute to her. She is the woman who spent more time with my father than my mother, his assistant.  Janice worked with my father for over 30 years and when he died, she has served as a co-executor of his estate.  She often tells people that she knew all of his secrets. I believe her, so as his oldest daughter, that's kinda scary!

The Shetland Triangle shawl is, as the name suggests, a triangular shawl.  It is worked from the top down, beginning with an invisible cast on of two stitches.  The stitch pattern is a classic fir cone lace one, also known from the popular Fir Cone Square Shawl in Cheryl Oberle's Folk Shawls. 

There are three sections of the shawl: a twenty row Neck chart knit first; followed by eight repeats of a ten row Body chart; completed with fourteen rows of the Edging Chart. All even, wrong side rows are purled, except for the two edge stitches that are knit throughout.  The stitches worked are ones considered as the basic lace stitches - knit, purl, yarn-over (yo), knit two together (k2tog), slip-slip-knit (ssk) and slip-one-knit-two-together-pass-slip-stitch-over.  This shawl can be simply enlarged or shortened by adjusting the number of pattern repeats of the Body chart.

Although the pattern yarn is fingering weight, I chose a DK weight yarn for this - my favorite, Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk DK.  The colorway, #52, "Tease," is a luscious pink.  It is a rich pink, not too light or dark.  I used a size 8 needle with the heavier weight yarn, which also increased the size of the shawl. 

While the knitting of this shawl was in process, the texture of the back side resembled one of those foam rubber massage mattress pads with the dimply looking things, like this:
Blocking totally transformed this shawl. I had invested in blocking wires a couple of years ago, and it's projects like this that make me glad that I did.  Wow!

Personal Notes:

It was important to me that on the anniversary of my dad's death, the shawl would be on Janice's desk when she walked into her office. Everyone in his firm has been so incredibly kind to my sisters and me, that it was only a matter of deciding who to contact.  Michelle met me in the lobby the day before and from then, I only had to wait to hear from Janice the next day.  Later in the afternoon, I received this email, with the subject line "speechless:"

I came in this morning and this beautiful pink bag was on my desk and I said to myself, where did this come from?  Set down, log on and etc and then open card and between the tears it was hard to see the most beautiful shawl in the perfect color.  I have never seen anything done in such a soft, tender stitch and the feel to the touch, words can not describe.

Knitting this shawl for her was my therapy for preparing for the sadness of the one year remembrance.

Rating:

Like all of the knitting pattern books published by Interweave, this pattern was clearly written and included very easy to read charts. Even for those who may not like to use charts, this pattern will change your mind; I promise.  There are four photographs of the shawl, from a variety of angles, so you are fully able to know what to anticipate in your final product. I will definitely knit this shawl again.  The pattern is simple and quick and will work in a wide range of yarn weights and fibers. It is the perfect FIVE:

            

If you have knit this pattern, please rate it and submit as comments. Thank you!

Knippets

Allow me to introduce "Knippets," the newest segment of my blog.  The idea came about over the last few days as I struggled over my next post.  I have finished several projects in the last few weeks; ones that I will eventually post for pattern critiques.  But, I have just not been in a creative writing mood, at least not what is required for a pattern critique.  Meanwhile, there have been so many ideas and thoughts running through my mind to blog about, but not a single one worth an entire post.  Hence, "Knippets" was born.

They are simple one to three sentence thoughts of my fiber world at that particular moment in time.  I'll throw in a photo here and there, and some cycling, too.  I plan to post more Knippets as time goes on, so let me know what you think!

(Oh, and I Googled "Knippets" and it seems that this is the original debut of the word.)

Here goes:

• I need to remember to pay closer attention to garment length.  Two of the sleeveless projects I finished recently are really too short.
• The look of my blog is in desperate need of some upgrading, so I have to set aside some time to do that in the near future.
• I bought a wheel, took lessons, but haven't focused on spinning yet.  I want to.
• Jenny and Nicole of the "Stash and Burn" podcast have a charity project going on for the benefit of kids on the oncology ward where Nicole works.  I think I'm going to knit some hats for that.
• I broke down and bought more buttons for the Sonnet cardigan.  The ones I bought in California have disappeared.
• I want to join the Five Rivers Fiber Guild, located near the Northern Neck.
• Barbara attended the Golden Gate Fiber Institute in California and boy, was I jealous.  The good news is that she brought me back a present - yellow yarn!
• Stockinette socks - I need to always have a pair on the needles and in my purse. With my DC commute, they're good for stopped-at-stoplight-and-in-backups knitting.
• A new knitting group in Chevy Chase?  That would be cool.
• Hopefully, I'll get the rigid heddle loom warped soon and get the table runner done. I need Bruce's help for that.
• Today I spent many hours sifting through my stash and better organizing it through the use of Ravelry.  This is definitely my favorite use for Ravelry.  Thank you Jess and Casey!
• I'm so excited that Lime finally came back to do a podcast with Violet.  I haven't listened yet because I'm saving it for the perfect time and place.  I am SUCH a groupie!
• I miss Amy O.  Thankfully, I can keep up with her and James and the kids through her blog.
• There was a time when I read one to two books a week and now, with knitting, I just don't read very much.  I have a stack of books by my bed that call to me every day; the stack keeps growing.
• I have been taking a "Boot Camp" fitness class and wow, has it improved my cycling!  I had an awesome ride today, keeping up with (3) guys who were fast!

I'll close with some pictures of my stash and other miscellaneous pictures from our Northern Neck vacation:

              
           
           

Pattern Critique #33: Lace & Cable Scarf

Pattern Name: Lace & Cable Scarf

Designer: Debbie Bliss
Pattern Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmere
Images:

   

Pattern Review:

Due to some issues that I won't get into here, I end out developing very close relationships with the administrators at my son's school.  These last two years were no different and in fact, the assistant principal and I were on a first name basis.  She became his greatest support, and mine, too.  Since this was his last year at that school, I knew I wanted to knit something special for her.  My son helped me select this pattern for her.  I picked out the yarn - Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk DK - and he chose the color.

The pattern repeat consists of ten rows, knit a total of 22 times.  Every wrong side row is purled across all of the stitches.  Four of the rows are a series of knit stitches, yarn overs/forwards and decreases via k2tog+ pass slip stitch over combinations. 

What makes the stitch pattern unique is the use of 6-stitch cables with a twist, incorporated into only one of the rows.  Three stitches are first put on a cable needle and held at the front of the work. Then, the next three stitches are knit, as a traditional cable.  However, before the cable needle stitches are knit, the needle holding them is twisted 180 degrees clockwise. This twisted technique beside the yarn overs provides the depth and design of the lovely lace and cable pattern.

Personal Notes:

The only weakness to the pattern is that I found the twisted cables to be a bit of a pain.  I guess it is comparable to a technique such as intarsia, where you really have to pay close attention.  You cannot take your eyes off of the project as you knit.  In fact, I loved the pattern design so much that I envisioned it making a lovely shawl or wrap.  That concept ended when I thought about that many twisted cables.

This scarf was rewarding for me to knit because my son was so interested and followed my progress along the way.  He was very excited about giving Ms. B the gift and carried it with pride to her on the last day of school.  Believe it or not, I am really going to miss our weekly - sometimes daily - talks next year.

On Ravelry, there are only six finished projects of this scarf, including mine.  That surprises me a bit.  This appears to be akin to the popular Irish Hiking Scarf, with its 1850 projects, but with a lacy twist (literally).

Rating:

It is, after all, just a scarf.  The instructions for the pattern are written perfectly and the photo in the book is an accurate image of the real thing.  What's not to like?

             

If you have knit this pattern, please rate it and submit as comments. Thank you!

My "Fly to the Finish"

You devout Tour de France followers have probably seen (too) many of the Saab "Fly to the Finish" Sweepstakes announcements over the three weeks of viewing the race on Versus.  Although I did not play the game this year, I had my own "Fly to the Finish."

Yesterday's stage was the time trial for the riders - and me, too.  As fast as I could, I knit away on my Tour de France Knit-a-long project, the Aleita Shell.  Early in the evening, I had knit about half-way up the back. I stopped for dinner, a meal that had a French flair to it, with a medley of asparagus and mushrooms as an accompaniment to broiled salmon.  The wine selection was one that we stumbled upon during our trip to France several years ago and have been thrilled to find it in local wine shops from time to time:

After a couple of glasses of the yummy vino, I couldn't see the stitches any longer, so opted for sleep and an early rising this morning to watch the final stage into Paris.

While the boys in the CSC-Saxo Bank car were sipping their champagne, I was shaping the front sides and knitting like a mad woman/sprinter.  And just as the yellow jersey was being put on the back of Carlos Sastre, I bound off the final stitches at the shoulders!

As I do every year, I cried as the coverage ended.  Another Tour de France has come and gone.  What an amazing Tour this was, with surprises and no clear winner up to the very last stage. 

Our celebration of the Tour concluded with a French themed brunch - poached eggs with Manchego cheese (for the Spanish winner), raspberries tossed in honey, almond croissants and mimosas.  The XM radio was, of course, tuned into Sur La Route.  

Congratulations Carlos!  Kudos to CSC-Saxo!  Garmin-Chipotle and Columbia, you all are amazing! 

And here is the completed Aleita Shell.  I certainly picked the correct jersey category with my sprint in the final days...
 

My Intermediate Sprint

As a member of the Tour de France KAL, I am way behind.  I'm lagging in both my project (the second one cast on) and in reading the blog entries of other participants.  However, I have not given up.  Yesterday and today, I have been knitting like a sprinter.  Today, I made a personal commitment to the second intermediate sprint competition.

This sprint emphasizes regions.  One of three choices for the sprint entries, the "cycling option" and the one I selected, is to "get on your bike and show us something special about your own region where you live and cycle!" 

I live in a DC suburb, Chevy Chase, Maryland.  Four blocks from my house, I can access the Capital Crescent Trail.  It's tagline, "the outstanding Washington Area Hiker-Biker Trail," could not be more accurate.  It is a primary reason that we chose to live where we do.
 
Unfortunately, the trail is in trouble.  The new "Purple Line" of the area's mass transit rail system is expected to be built right where the trail currently exists.  Because the cost of building an underground tunnel for the subway is prohibitive, and because the area desperately needs the line to connect the ends of the existing system, there are simply not many reasonable alternatives. I "get that," to some extent, but the thought of losing the trail saddens me. 

Recently, one of the tunnels on the trail became the target of a hotel developer.  It pours out into downtown Bethesda, Maryland, with its many shops, businesses and residences. 

Bethesda also has a subway station, thereby making it an attractive setting for a hotel.  Routing trail traffic around the tunnel will mean that trail users will have to cross the very busy and congested Wisconsin Avenue.  This controversy threatens the trail immediately.  A large building beside the tunnel has already been abandoned.  I have been a part of a large group who reject the project and hopefully, our words and concerns will be heard by the officials who will make the ultimate decision.

Moving down the trail from Bethesda, about 3 miles later, you leave Maryland, entering into DC.  Almost immediately, the Potomac River is on your right and the C&O Canal on the left.  The towpath of the canal runs from Georgetown to the far western corner of Maryland, in Cumberland.  In fact, I once went on a weekend ride between Georgetown and Harper's Ferry, a distance of about 50 miles each way.  The trip was magnificent; with peaceful and beautiful spots all along the path.

Here, at Fletcher's, situated just above Georgetown, a variety of fun activities are available, from canoes and kayaks to fishing and picnics.


For us on this very hot DC day, the $2 bottles of very cold water were a godsend.  About a third of the water got poured on my head and down my shirt!

The trail ends just below Whitehurst Freeway, one of the thoroughfares between Georgetown and downtown DC. 

Also from this spot, you can see an underside view of Key Bridge. 

Not far beyond the end of the trail, you emerge from under the freeway and onto a trail that runs beside Rock Creek Parkway.  This road takes you next to Watergate and then under the Kennedy Center patio.

Growing up as a child in DC, recreational activity on the river was prohibited because of the pollution in the Potomac.  Although it is not fully clean today, it is wonderful to watch the kayakers and boaters out on the river.  I drive (and sometimes ride) this route to work every day and there is almost always someone out on the river.

Once beyond the Kennedy Center, we went to and over the 14th Street Bridge to Virginia, via the road to Hains Point.  This is the area next to the Tidal Basin where the cherry blossoms bloom each spring.  In fact, cycling there during cherry blossom time is a test of patience and cycling skills, with the thousands of tourists who flock to DC for them. 

Our quick cycling tour of DC ended in Virginia, where we turned around and rode the same route back home. 
 
There is never a time that I ride the route we did today that I don't fall in love all over again with Washington, DC.  I grew up in the area and then was away for over 20 years.  Almost 11 years ago, I moved back and I believe that you can come home again.

This post was not begun as a plea to save the trail.  But, if you are in the area yourself, or just want to be a part of the contingent to save it, please go to the site and help.  Hopefully, you will be able to enjoy the trail ride into and/or around DC sometime, yourself.  If you are in the area and seeking cycling pals, let me know.

PS#1: It was very, very hot while we rode and my little digital camera got wet from sweat and some of the pictures didn't turn out; the really good ones, of course :-|. 

PS#2: For those of you who watch the Versus Tour coverage, you no-doubt know about the Saab commercials, ad nauseum.  We needed a new car and I guess the commercials became so ingrained in this family that look what we bought - a Saab Sport-combi!

No TDF Ritual

The Tour de France is, simply put, my favorite sports event of the year.  I really get into the Super Bowl and NCAA Basketball finals, but it's the Tour that I anticipate for weeks in advance.

For the past few years, my husband and I have done the same thing on the first day of the Tour.  We sit in front of the TV in our little get-away house.  I knit while he stays glued to the tube, usually with the Tour Edition of Velonews in his lap.  Everything else in the world stops.

This year's plans were no different. 

The night before, while cooking dinner during a thunderstorm, there was a brilliant flash and then a noise that sounded like an explosion.  This was followed by the smell of electrical burning, and then the power went out.  Three hours later, it came back on, and we surveyed any damage.  As you can probably guess by now, the lightning strike affected the TV; it zapped our satellite TV box.

We tried to figure out what options were available.  I called hotels in the area to find out if Versus was on their channel listing.  Nope.  We considered calling the one couple we know there who would understand.  It was too late and they probably had family visiting for the holiday weekend.  We even considered going home.  I cried.  It became more and more obvious that our ritual was not going to occur and that we would miss the first day, and likely the second day, too, of the Tour de France.

You may be wondering at this point, why we didn't consider just streaming online.  Well, we only have dial-up Internet there which is useless. 

I did, however, cast on my Tour de France knit-along project on Saturday morning.  This is going to be a Category 3 climb, for sure.   It's doable, without much pain, but I have to pay attention.  Each row is charted, with decreases, increases or other design features throughout.  This may be asking Robbie McEwen to get to the summit of Alpe d'Huez first.  More to follow in the next week.

In closing, how about that showing by Will Frischkorn on Stage 3?  He's a kid that I've watched race since he was about 13 years old.  I was going nuts throughout the entire stage! 

p.s. I have been trying to get this post completed for four days.  We are having Internet connectivity issues, on top of serious Typepad sluggishness problems, and having to use the desktop, not the fast laptop that I dropped onto the floor last week.  I don't know how the next few days are going to go.  So far, though, no crash.

Bethie, You Blew Me Away

I was all set to post another pattern critique when my sister threw me a curve.  First, please allow me to supply some background information.

I am the oldest of four; with two sisters and one brother.  How four people who are so totally different were produced by the same parents has always been a total mystery to me.  All four of us have different coloring, even.  I, with my brown hair and brown eyes, am the more obvious offspring, since Mom and Dad both had brown hair and brown eyes.  Next in line was my brother, with blond hair and brown eyes.  My sister, Beth, has very dark brown hair and very dark eyes, with olive toned skin to match.  Then, there’s Annie, with her flaming red hair, and brown eyes, and pale skin (cousins on my father’s side actually have the last name Redhead and yes, they all have red hair).

My mom was very crafty, which is a surprise to a lot of people, because her interests in sewing, knitting and tapestry waned in her later years.  I not only remember her craftiness, but she taught me how to do all of it at a very young age.  Honestly, I cannot think of a time that I did not know how to knit or do needlework, and I sewed clothes for friends, children and myself for many years (recently, I’ve been actually thinking of buying a new sewing machine).

Beth got the knitting bug for awhile and knit some of the most beautiful Fair Isle sweaters I have ever seen!  One, for my son, has been set aside as a true heirloom.  I wish she had kept it up, so that we could knit together now, but she got into open water swimming and that has been her focus in recent years.  How many people do you know who swam around Manhattan Island?

This week, she emailed me a link to her Flickr site and I finally got a chance to open it today.  I cried.  Her photography skills took my breath away.  So, instead of posting my next pattern review, I am introducing others to her amazing photography.  Enjoy!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/earwdigitalphotos/

Pattern Critique #32: Neckdown Summer Cardigan

Pattern Name: Neckdown Summer Cardigan
Designer: Diane Soucy
Pattern Yarn: Not Stated
Images:

    

Pattern Review:

This is a pattern that I bought last spring, the spring of 2007.  I soon thereafter purchased yarn for two of the cardigans, just knowing that I would love it.  What's not to love about a combination of top down and raglan?

Personal Notes:

Normally, for my pattern critiques, by the time I get to this section, I have gone step by step through the pattern.  I am not doing that for this one.  Why?  Because it was almost a year ago that I began this pattern and then it sat.  I could hardly bear to knit it once I got to the neck band and front bands.  That should have been a clue.

I really do not like the way this cardigan ended out and I think it's due to a combination of things.  First, it may be too big.  It kind of looks it, doesn't it?  I thought it might be the stretching of the cotton (Debbie Bliss Pure Cotton), especially because it hibernated in a bag for many months.  But, I washed it and put it in the dryer long enough to re-shape it.  I ironed it after that, but still, it just sags. 

I then let the pattern sit here by my laptop for the last week+, while I conjured up enough motivation to write my post for the pattern critique.  However, tonight, I sat down and started it for the gazillion-th time and just decided "fuck this."  It's not worth it.  I hate it and I loathe the idea of reliving the agony through the review of the pattern.

What's funny is that I might knit it again, but in a wool or wool blend.  A review of the finished projects on Ravelry shows 20+ of these, though most of them appear to have the same fullness, sagging issues.  So, maybe it is the pattern and not me and not the yarn.  Okay, so there are plenty of other top down raglan cardigan patterns out there to try.  Perhaps I will.

Rating:

One ball for the fact that the pattern is written very completely. I just never got to the point of sharing that with you.  Sorry.  But now that this is behind me I can look forward to posting my next pattern critique that it is in the queue.

            

If you have knit this pattern, please rate it and submit as comments. Thank you!

Tagged by Barbara

"The rules of the game get posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer."

 1) What was I doing 10 years ago?

In summer 1998, I was divorced and living in Columbia, Maryland with my two sons.  My older son was having a fabulous bike racing season with Team Snow Valley.  I was also job hunting because the company who had moved me to Maryland had been sold. 

 2) What are 5 things on my to-do list for today?

1.      Take son to 2pm doctor appointment

2.      Ride an hour

3.      Blog post (thanks Barbara for the topic)

4.      Work on a special knitting project

5.      Make sure that Debbie and Chuck get an invitation to next weekend’s Scholarship Ball

 3) Snacks I enjoy:

I’m addicted to Nature Valley fruit and nut Trail Mix bars and therefore call one with OJ my breakfast every day.  Lately, I’m enjoying the 100 calorie Lorna Doon packs as mid-day snacks.  Put potato or tortilla chips in front of me and my addictive behavior goes wild.

 4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire:

I would retire hastily and haul ass to the Northern Neck and buy a nice, comfortable house on the water.  My fiber store there would be next.  At some point, I would travel to Belgium, France, Denmark, Sweden, Spain and Italy; not necessarily in that order.  I would buy my son and his fiancé a house, too.  And then there’s that college thing for the other son.  There’s also a Colnago frame somewhere just waiting for me to ride it!

 5) Places I have lived:

Virginia, North Carolina and Maryland

 6) Jobs I have had:

Before graduating from college: retail mostly, but I was the bookkeeper for the National Athletic Trainers Association my senior year.  After college, every job has been in Finance and Accounting Management; including a Medicare auditor, controller for a real estate developer, department finance manager at Duke University and now VP of Finance for Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation.  Hopefully, this is my last real job!

 
I'm going to tag:

Jennifer

Lisa

Cate

Roberta

Dana