2012AdventCalendarScarf Day 23

Hello,

I should almost name this:  The one where my 2012 Advent Calendar Scarf becomes a cat bed.

It is 12:20 pm and I have finished today's section and am ready to move on to the next and LAST section of the scarf.  I haven't checked Kristen Benecken's blog,  von-stroh-zu-gold,  where she posts the pdf's for each section, but my guess is that the last section, for Day 24 is up.  After I finish this post, I will check.  If I get the whole thing finished, spacer section - day 24 - spacer section, tonight, I will post again, though it will be another bad photo with flash.  I have bought some lighting equipment and hope to put together a light box when I am finished with all of this lace madness.  My photos should improve in the New Year.

Anyway, on to Day 23.

Another super easy pattern.  I had absolutely no trouble keeping track of the YO's today.  It's interesting, some days, when I knit back on the even rows, I find I regularly forget YO's.  Today, there were 0 misses.  Another thing, this pattern has instructions for both odd and even rows. This makes it "Knitted Lace."  I found a decent explanation of the difference between Lace Knitting and Knitted Lace at knitting.about.com

...some sticklers for tradition make a distinction between "lace knitting" and "knitted lace," saying that lace knitting is what you get when you have pattern rows only on the right side of the work, while knitted lace has pattern rows on every row.

The Knitted Lace sections often use the 2, or purl 2 together.  Although Kristen does not make a distinction, I try to figure out which way the stitches should lean, and purl together accordingly.  Today, it seemed that all of the 2's should lean left on the right side of the scarf, so I used the Slip knitwise, slip knitwise, transfer both back to the left needle, then purl two together through the back loop that is beautifully illustrated on the TechKnitting blog.


Here is today's section:

The YO's on both sides, as well as decreases on both sides, make the section extra airy, almost as if I had dropped a stitch.

I don't have very much yarn left.

I just know I am going to need to dip into my last skein.  Boo Hoo.  Hope I make it without doing that.  Winding that last skein will take T-I-M-E.

Peace,
Yours,
f1bercat
shaping the planet with Day 23

12:47  Edited to add that I just checked Kristen's site and Day 24 is NOT up.  I will knit the spacer and check again.


1:50 pm  Edited again.  I have finished the spacer section except for the last row (because it might need to be increased or decreased for the next and last pattern).  Day 24 is up!

2012AdventCalendarScarf Day 5

Hello,

Tonight at midnight, the State of Washington, my great state, will begin issuing marriage licenses to all couples "without regard to gender."  Congratulations to all of my lgbt friends and all people in Washington wanting to live in committed loving marriage.  I love my husband of almost 30 years, and wish the same chance for such a relationship for all of Washingtonians,  ok, all people, but let's celebrate one state at a time.

My daughter, Moogie, is home.  Clouds are chasing across the sky.  It's 7:40 am and my stitching group meets tonight.  Also, my new washer/dryer will arrive and be installed sometime today.  I need to get to work on my Scarf.  I have laundry piling up.

Scarf comes first, of course.

It is about 1:40 pm and I have finished my scarf, eaten both breakfast and lunch, and knit and photographed a bit of a tutorial/exploration of 4 different decreases for 3 stitches.  And my new washing machine and dryer are NOT here.  Ugh. 

First, the scarf.

Very easy pattern again today.  At first it seems a bit cumbersome because the repeats are pretty long, but they make sense, so are not that hard to memorize.  I am not sure if I have written this yet, but I usually don't print out my patterns.  Instead, I just bring them up on my computer, and then enlarge them so they are really easy for my near-sighted eyes to see.  Then I keep open a partial window that frames the pattern.  I scroll as I go, with the row I am currently on always the bottom row.  I often keep a Word Document up as well, very small and on the side, for taking notes.  Usually, my notes are about when and if I have to take a break so I always know where I left off.  I have not tried highlighting parts of the patterns, but usually, they are simple enough that I haven't felt that was necessary. 

One thing about today's pattern though, on the final row, there was a 3 stitch decrease.  Kirsten, the designer, used the symbol ∆.  Interesting thing though, she did this same decrease on Day 1 but used a different symbol, X:   That's just in case anyone got confused.  (I did a bit, obviously since I went back and checked).

So, here is today's section:

And here is what my scarf/shawl looks like now:

Now I am going to talk a bit about those 3 stitch decreases.

There are 3 different 3 stitch decreases that Kirsten has used so far:

K3Tog  =  :X  (/₃) Knit 3 stitches together

Sl1 k2tog psso =  X: (₃\) slip 1 stitch as if to knit  knit 3 together pass the first slipped stitch back over the knit stitches

sl2 k psso = Ʌ (↑ ok, this isn't the real Craft Yarn Council symbol, theirs is an inverted triangle with a center leg) slip 2 stitches together as if to knit knit the next stitch pass the 2 slipped stitches together over the knit stitch.

Today she used a new symbol, ∆ for sl1 k2tog psso, instead of X:.  I double checked with the Craft Yarn Council site, and they use sl1k2togpsso and sssk (slip slip slip knit) interchangably.

So here are brief photo tutorials of all three (four including the sssk) decreases and what they look like.

k3tog  = Knit 3 stitches together :X or /₃

insert the needle into three stitches at the same time just like a regular knit 

knit the stitches 

this decrease leans to the right

sl1 k2tog psso = slip 1 stitch as if to knit, knit 2 stitches together, pass the first slipped stitch back over the 2 knit stitches  X:  ₃\

slip the first stitch as if to knit

knit 2 stitches together 

pick up the slipped stitch

 

pass it back over the k2tog 

This decrease leans to the left 43, 44

sl2kpsso = slip 2 stitches together knitwise, knit, pass the slipped stitches together back over the knit stitch Ʌ  ↑

slip 2 stitches together knitwise 

knit 1 stitch 

pick up the two slipped stitches with the left needle

and pass them back over the knit stitch 

This decrease does not lean. It is sometimes called a Centered Decrease.  

This next decrease can be used interchangably with sl1k2togpsso, Kristen does not use it.

sssk = slip 1 stitch knitwise, slip 1 stitch knitwise, slip 1 stitch knitwise, slip all 3 stitches back to the left needle, knit 3 stitches together through the back loop  ₃\

slip 3 stitches knitwise one at a time:

slip 1 stitch knitwise 

slip 1 stitch knitwise

slip 1 stitch knitwise

slip 3 stitches back to the left needle (they will be seated differently on the needle)

knit 3 together through the back loop 

the stitches lean to the left

Here are all 4 decreases knit in a row with YO on either side of them to help you see them:

from left to right:

sl2kpsso, s1k2togpsso, sssk, k3tog

Ok, that's all for now.  The men are here to finally install my new machines, and tonight is Stitch Night at Crossroads Mall with the Eastside Stitchers.  I will be back on after that with an update of what everyone is working on.

Peace.

Yours,

f1bercat

shaping the planet with Day 5.

2012AdventCalendarScarf Day 3

Left - Honeycrisp, Right - Pink Lady

Good Morning!

I woke up late again because of my darling cats.  Muffin got the great idea to go outside at 3 am.  Of course, Beena had the same idea (only about 1 minute later).  But because Beena is small and has short fur and it is COLD and rainy, she only stayed outside for about 5 minutes.  When Beena wants to come in, she knocks on the door.  We have french doors that lead from our bedroom to the back deck, that have floor to ceiling windows on either side of them.  So Beena has many possible windows to scratch at or actually stretch up on her back legs and knock.  

Well, Muffin stayed outside for about 2 hours, but she didn't leave the railing on the deck that is right near our bedroom (as far as I could tell).  Now, when Muffin wants to come in, she usually just sits patiently outside the door and waits for someone to notice her.  This is not true for the door by the TV room in our basement where there is a window with a screen.  When Muffin wants to come in down there, she leaps up onto the window screen and hangs suspended on the screen, outlined and backlighted in a hilarious way.  But, since there are no screens on the windows to our bedroom upstairs, she sits and waits patiently.  Usually, the first person to notice her is Beena.  Beena, being a good older sister, comes to get someone with meows if you are in the kitchen, and brings you to the door where Muffin is waiting.  When I am in the bed sleeping, Beena jumps on me and hits me until I get up.  Really.  Also, she has started a new thing where she hits my face.  With her claws just slightly out.  Last night, Beena knew Muffin was nearby, and told me so about 5 times.  

Unfortunately, Muffin did not want to come in yet.  So I got up repeatedly from 3 - 5am, opened the door, waited for Muff, gave up, and then got back in bed and dozed until woken by Beena in my face to repeat the action.  Really, this happened.  Of course, right now, both cats are in my bed sound asleep.  THEY don't have a lace scarf to knit.

Finished row 8, and have to take a break for Weight Watchers.  I kind of want to skip to stay home and finish this section of the scarf, but I made a promise that I would attend EVERY week possible, and really I am making good progress with my weight, so I will go to the meeting and then pick up when I get back.

I'm back, down 2 lbs =), but EEK!  it's noon and I'm only on row 9 of 33 rows!  Time to get a knittin'!

I finally finished knitting at 6 pm.  Wow, this took me forever.  Why?  you might ask.  Well, I was cruising along at about row 26 when I noticed that I was not seeing the YO at the beginning of each repeat.  This pattern ends each repeat (on the odd rows - which is the pattern row) with a YO.  I hate that.  It is a pain to YO and hold it in place while slipping my stitch marker.  In fact, I often forget to put that YO in.  It is a very easy fix though when you are knitting and purling back.  When I noticed that I had not seen a YO in a while, I was almost at the end of the row.  Well, again, it is not too difficult still to fix that problem.  You just pick up the yarn from between stitches 2 rows down and then knit it.  But, as I looked closer, I noticed that the right leaning decreases (K2tog) were missing too... or, EEK!  on the wrong side of the repeat.  I had knit two odd rows with no even row between them three rows back.  Tink tink tink.  I knit backwards until I had a fully correct row, and began knitting forward again.  Then, wow, when I started the final row, Row 33, I noticed THE SAME THING.  Ouch.  Luckily, this time I only had to tink one row.  I guess I was feeling good about finishing and just got ahead of myself.  I am using the tail of my cast on to signify the right side of my scarf, but now, I am thinking of having a special stitch marker as the first one.  I got 2 sets of really nice stitch markers from fellow Gryffindors this term.  I think I will use one of them.

Anyway, I finally finished today's section.  This is what the pattern looks like:

And, this is what the whole scarf looks like now:

I get to take a break for dinner (very yummy meatloaf), and then Chockelet and Hvrdmnky are coming over to spin.  Skeinherder can't make it (boo hoo).  After they leave, I will get going on the spacer section for tomorrow.

Peace.

Yours,

f1bercat

shaping the planet with day 3 finished.

FO Tuesday

Hello!

Knitting

I finished my Capricious Cowl.  Yay!  The pattern and yarn were from the 2012 Puget Sound LYS Tour, and this makes the 4th project I have finished with yarn bought during that wonderful weekend.  See!  I was INVESTING, not just spending.  This whole project came from Churchmouse Yarn and Teas on Bainbridge Island.  That was our last stop on the Tour.  We took a ferry from Seattle, ate lunch there, and celebrated our successfully visiting all 24 stops with a glass of champagne offered by the wonderful people at Churchmouse.  The 2 projects they featured were both cowls, one for knit and one for crochet.  I was tempted to buy yarn for both! but made myself just get the beautiful Rowan Kidsilk Haze for the knitted cowl.

It was a super simple knit.  The only tricky parts were the beginning and the ending.  It starts with a Provisional Cast on.

At the end, you take off the locking stitchmarker, and "unzip" the crocheted chain, picking up stitches as you go.

Once I had unzipped the whole string (I only had to cut twice), and picked up all of the live stitches, the fun began.  KITCHENER!

You start by purling the front stitch and knitting the back stitch, but leaving both on the needles.

Then you start the pattern:

Front needle, Knit slip off, Purl stay on, pull yarn through:

Back needle, Purl slip off, Knit stay on, pull yarn through:

So it is Knit Slip off Purl, Purl Slip off Knit.
Knit Slip off Purl, Purl Slip off Knit.
Knit Slip off Purl, Purl Slip off Knit.
175 times.
EEEK!

But when you finish, it is a lovely seam, pretty much invisible.

Life

All is pretty quiet this week at my brother's house.  The exciting news for us is happening in New York State at Cooperstown.  My nephew, Nino's, baseball team is there this week for a 12 year old tournament.  It is both a happy and sad experience to watch my brother through all of this.

Four years ago, Mark was in Cooperstown at the tournament as the coach of his oldest son, Mo's, team.  Since he had also been Nino's coach all of these years, he was fully expecting to join Nino when Nino was old enough for this once in a lifetime experience.  Well, the ALS has put an end to Mark's attending the tournament in person, but through many texts, and phone calls from the other coaches, and of course Nino, and live streaming of one of Nino's games, we are doing our best to be with the team in New York.

Nino has hit 2 homeruns so far, and his team is 5-0 with one more game to play in the Round Robin Tournament, before the big tournament begins.  Go Nino!

Stay safe and well.
Yours,
f1bercat
Shaping the planet with a reversible cowl.