On The Needles 5/4/16

This is on the needles right now.  It is Gentle Rain from the Love of Knitting magazine.  I have both the front and back done and they are seamed together.  I don't know if you can see but I have started picking up stitches around the neckline so I can start garter stitching it. 

It was really funny last week when I started picking up stitches.   I got a little way around and then I decided I didn't know if I was doing it right.  So I took a little time to watch 3 different YouTube videos and discovered that I was doing it the same as all three.  So this week I will be picking up the rest of the stitches and knitting the neckline in the round.

I wanted to show the lace panel again: it shows so much better when it is hugging "her" hips.  This was my first attempt at anything lace and also the first time I have knit with a "slub" yarn.  And, it is cotton and something, again something new to me. 

I have started a new pair of socks but there is nothing to look at when all I have is a little tip of the toes.  But it was all my two at a time sock knitting that allowed me to knit the front and back of the above sweater at the same time.  I guess it is all coming together.

Now I better get busy and get that sweater/shell done so I have a finish this month that is not a mug rug.  And I have lots of BOM blocks to complete/start, most leftover from last year.  Anyone want to come over and clean up my studio so I can work in there?

This Weeks Projects

 I am getting really excited about this shell.  I have been knitting both the front and back but I will shortly have to work just on the back while I knit in the arm holes and then the neckline.  I decided to do the back first as it seems to be easier and will prepare me for the front.

I have been doing a little on these socks but because I won't be wearing socks for the next 6 months my interest has flagged. 

I also need to knit a new hat as my last one was stolen and my head got cold this past winter.

I did make the top of the second Pat Sloan mug rug.  It is all appliqued but still needs to be sandwiched, quilted and bound.  I can't tell you how much fun it is to be working with fabric again.

 So much fun that I have started working on Esther Aliu's mystery quilt, Sweet 16.  Here I am with pieces of the block #1.  They are supposed to be something like éclairs but right now they look more like hamburgers.

But now we have three sets of three red velvet éclairs, chocolate éclairs, and vanilla éclairs.  They will eventually be piled up on a plate and kept under a glass dome.  Mine are a little mundane but I just couldn't make multicolored cakes like Esther's original ones. 

I will try to make up for it with the lace I found to attach to the bottom of the cake platter.  This is the leftover lace from a quilt I made several years ago called Baskets & Lace.

The only thing that has been hindering my sewing time is that we are having such wonderful Spring weather.  And I frequently find myself sitting on the deck, knitting.  The puppies love it that I am out there as they can play in the fenced in area and bark at every car that passes.

That being said, I'll close and knit a few rows before I turn in.

Night ....... Gari

PS: Linking with Patchwork Times: On The Needles.

Busy But Not Overly Productive

This is how far I have gotten on Gentle Rain.  I have the bottom band (32 rows, a garter stitch band (8 rows) and the beginning of the body of the shell (maybe 2”) of SS knitting.  I will be doing this for about 9” before I get to the beginning of the arm holes.  I am doing  some decreasing to make a fitted waist area (4 rows per decrease).  Anyway, I am on my way up, when I get a chance to work on it.

Monday we took my HQ 16 to be serviced, first time in the 10 years I have had it.  Just prior to my getting sick last Spring it started cutting the thread about every 20 – 30 stitches.  I was 3/4 of the way through a small lap quilt and got pretty frustrated.  About that same time I found that I couldn’t stand for very long so even taking the bobbin out and cleaning the area was difficult.  Then I just found myself spending my days sitting in the living room and eventually in the hospital and bedridden.

Over the past couple of months my strength has begun to come back, I can walk better and I think my standing strength will eventually return.  So I decided I better get that quilting machine up and running as I have some tops that need quilting, some blocks that need putting together and some ideas than need to be showing up in fabric.  And, of course, I have a studio that really needs to be cleaned up, especially the cutting table and ironing board.

Oh, and I forgot that Wednesday I got a call that the HQ was cleaned and oiled and stitching so she was ready to come home.  It is a 180 mile round trip each time but well worth it.  My machine is now back on the rails and all I have to do is plug in the stitch regulator and reattach the bottom of the quilt and I think I will be ready to finish that little quilt.  I do need to thank our son in law who came over both times to help carry the machine from studio to car and then from car to studio.  

In addition to quilting, I hope, I need to find something I can make and finish before the end of the month.  I didn’t finish anything last month and nothing looks like it will be finished this month unless I get to it.  I think I am going to get back to doing some machine embroidery.  I have several shirts that need embellishing, maybe even with applique.  Oh, the ideas that are buzzing around in my head. 

Our weekend will again be graced by our oldest son and his wife.  They have been coming to see us monthly ever since I got sick.  Initially they came to see how I was doing but now I think they come just because they like us.  They arrive on Friday night and leave on Saturday afternoon: they have major responsibilities at their church so they have to be there every Sunday.  And they drive 500+ miles monthly for these visits.  You know that makes us very grateful.  So we will be having a wonderful weekend, how about you?  Gari

Linking with Patchwork Times.

Gentle Rain Shell

 I have started a new project.  It is going to be a shell and I have already knit the first 16 rows.

 This shows the first 32 rows plus a garter stitch band.  I really do have the holes but my knitting is compressed because I am once again doing the front and back at the same time. 









                                                   I will work both until I get to the neckline and then I will have to work each separately.  But I have a while to go before I get to that. 

This is the yarn I bought.  It is so soft.  And it is quite "nubby" with a lot of different thicknesses.  I think this is going to make a very interesting sweater.

I am showing the label because I would like to know what this yarn is made of and I don't read German.  Any help would be appreciated.

This project is going to be a studio project because at least while I am knitting the last 16 rows of this band, where I have to do a lot of counting and I need to not have dogs jumping on my lap.  After this I have the garter rows and then flat stitches until the neck.  There is a little shaping but I am not concerned about that part so it may be brought back to the house and evening knitting.  I guess we will just have to see how it goes.

And now I am off to clean off my craft table so I can learn how to use a new toy.  When I have mastered it, insert laughter here, I will review it here.

Have a great weekend.  We will be visiting with our grandson, his wife, and their terrific son, one of our great grandchildren.  Should be lots of fun!   Gari