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Drum roll, please. . . .

I have just completed knitting my very first scarf. Amazing, isn’t it?

Well, if you don’t think so, consider this: I first learned to knit in high school way back in the late ’60’s. An acquaintance taught me how to cast on using the backward loop method and then how to do the knit stitch. I was so thrilled with this new skill, I knit a gazillion headbands each from 4-6 stitches wide, all garter stitch (though I didn’t know that’s what knitting every stitch was called), and finished off by threading the tail through each stitch on the needle and pulling them tight. I didn’t know how to bind off. That was the extent of my newly learned skill.

When my daughter was about 18 months or 2 years old (I can’t clearly remember) I found a booklet with cardigans knit from the top down. Using the booklet and a how-to-knit book (from the library), I knit her a cardigan sweater and one for myself. I didn’t try knitting again until just a few short years ago.

Now, I’ve knit umpteen pairs of socks, a couple pairs of mitts, a shawl, several vests, several cardigans, and even a two-color stranded hat. Most newbie knitters that I’ve heard about knit a scarf as their initial project. Knitting a scarf never interested me; I never even thought about it. As a general rule, I don’t wear scarves. But, I saw a pattern for a little neck scarf that appealed to me as being reasonably quick and easy to knit, and as being something I might actually wear. What do you think?

Bow Scarf

I found the pattern on Ravelry. The only changes I made were minor. I used Calmer (less than 30 grams) with a size 5 needle. I also slipped the first stitch of every row because I wanted a neat edge. Not only did this little scarf only take me a couple of days to knit (I knit very slowly), but I’ve already worn it once.

Now, I feel like a real knitter.

The fog is beginning to lift. . . .

I haven’t felt like myself since we returned from our October trip to Tampa, Florida. I don’t know why, but I just haven’t seemed able to pick up the threads and continue from the point I dropped them as we were leaving the house for the airport. Life is slowly coming back into focus now.

I finished the Mountain Colors Bearfoot socks in the Bitterroot Rainbow colorway.

Mountain Colors Bearfoot Bitterroot Rainbow socks

My husband seems pleased with not only the fit, but the colorway, as well. Surprising, as I always think of him as preferring more subdued colorways. It’s nice to be surprised. . .sometimes.

I finished the Sivia Harding shawl while we were in Tampa, but I have no photos, as of right now. I need to find a suitable space around here to block it properly. I’ve been wearing it around the house in its unblocked stage and have found it to be extremely comfortable and warm.

Kazillions of knitters have already knit the “We Call Them Pirates” hat, but two color knitting has always scared me. It seemed too complex for my meager skills, but I finally took the plunge with this hat.

I couldn’t decide whether to strand or wind the carried yarn as I knit, but then decided to play it safe and wrap it every two stitches. The finished hat is thick, and so, should be very warm. The main hat is knit using Dalegarn Falk in black and white, but for the lining I used a cotton yarn from Regia so it wouldn’t be too itchy over the ears. This makes for a triple thickness over the ears and should keep them very warm.

I presented the hat to my grandson at Thanksgiving. He seemed to like it fine. I’ll have to ask his mother at Christmas whether he’s actually worn it or not.

Currently, I’m working on yet another pair of socks, but also a pair of fingerless mitts. Photos to follow the final stitches on both.

Still here

It’s been a number of years since I caught a cold or had bronchitis, but both caught up to me this past week. Since I couldn’t knit and blow my nose at the same time, the knitting was put down for a few days. I feel more like I’m going to live now, so knitting has commenced once again.

I’m mostly a sock knitter. Why? Because socks are simple, easy to knit, and a pair take about two weeks to complete if I’m diligent. Two weeks is about the length of my attention span for knitting projects. I get bored with the current one and start dreaming of the next. Sad, but true.

However, I’ve been wanting to try knitting a shawl for quite some time, but have never found a pattern that appealed on all levels. That has now changed. I found the perfect beginner shawl for me. Garter stitch and no point down the back. It is designed by Sivia Harding and it’s called Follow The Leader. (Once on her site, click on patterns and scroll through.) I’m knitting mine using KnitPicks Palette in the cornmeal colorway. The needles are the new Zephyr interchangable circulars, also from KnitPicks. I like the needles because they have absolutely no weight whatsoever. The only part I’m not overly fond of is that they’re clear. It’s difficult, sometimes, to see the tips against a lighter colored yarn for me.

KnitPicks Palette Cornmeal - Shawl

I’m still knitting on the Mountain Colors socks. Concerned that I might run out of yarn, I stopped the first sock after I finished the instep and cast on the second sock. When they are both the same length, I’ll have a better idea of whether I’ll be needing a second skein, or not.

Behind in knitting

Mountain Colors Bitteroot Socks

I’ve not worked much on the Bearfoot socks, but here’s a pix of my progress so far. I’ve still got several inches to go on the leg before I start the heel. This is wonderful wool to knit up. I got mine from Jimmy Beans. Even though they are in Nevada and I’m in Virginia, it only takes a very few days to receive an order from them. Excellent service!

So what have I been doing instead of knitting on those socks? Trying to talk myself into knitting a shawl, but I can’t find a pattern that meets my needs: simple, no point down the back, mostly garter stitch, big enough to cover my shoulders and upper arms. I’m not much of a designer, but it looks like I’m going to have to give it a try, if I want a shawl that works for me. Darn! I wanted to be able to wear it when we go to Florida next month. I’m such a slow knitter that I rather doubt that’s going to work out now.

More Sock News

I’m still knitting away on the Mountain Colors Bearfoot socks, but thought I’d post a photo of a pair of socks I completed some time ago, my own pattern: Spiril Column Socks. I know I bought the yarn from KnitPicks, but I can’t seem to find it on their site now. It’s a “bare” tweed sock yarn. It washes beautifully in the machine using cold water, but I dry them using sock blockers. They dry quickly if I leave them on top of the dryer while the rest of the load is drying.

Day One

My first public blog and my first post to that blog. Both are (or should be) special. I want this to be mainly about my adventures within the world of knitting, so I’ll start with my current project.

I’m knitting a pair of socks. To those who know me, this will come as no surprise. There is nearly always a pair of socks on a circular needle somewhere near me, if not in my hands. Socks are surprisingly easy to knit, they’re portable, it only takes me about two weeks to knit a pair, and they’re useful. Nearly everyone wears socks at one time or another so there’s always someone who needs a pair.

This current pair of socks is being knit from Mountain Colors Bearfoot in the Bitterroot Rainbow colorway. It’s a rather dark combination of reds, greens, blues, and oranges. Very autumny feeling and very wooly. The fiber content is a superwash wool, mohair and nylon so they should wear like iron. I started to make this pair for myself, but the yarn feels a little scratchy, so my husband volunteered to wear them when they’re done. Since they need a masculine appearance, I’m using a 2×2 rib that will transition into a 6×2 rib down the leg and top of the foot with plain stockinette on the sole and toe.

I’ve always used The Yarn Harlot’s basic sock pattern and have adapted it to suit myself. There’s barely any changes from the original, honestly, but it feels more my own now that I’ve used it to make umpteen pairs of socks. I’ve tried several times to make toe-up socks, but can never get the heel to fit comfortably. Toe-up makes sense, in that it would be easier to track yarn useage, but I’m getting by fairly well with guesswork and top-down construction. I haven’t run out of yarn too early yet.

Once I have this WordPress blogging down a bit better, I’ll figure out how to post photos of my work. For now, simple words will to suffice.