NYC {knitting class}

While we were in NYC I had the opportunity to go with Kristin the knitting class that she teaches at the Eileen Fisher Lab Store.  This class is a drop in class where students bring a project they're working on to get assistance and support.  Because there were only 2 students this particular Saturday, she was able to set up and share how a recently purchased knitting machine works.  This machine, purchased by Eileen Fisher Lab Store specifically for this group, is similar to the one that Kristin has at home so she showed us how to set it up and all the fantastic things you can do with it.

I didn't have a knitting project with me, so while she was helping the other ladies, I wondered the store swooning over all the wonderful textiles.

Thanks for letting me tag along Kristin!  Wish I could come every weekend!

perfectly imperfect

A while back I shared a crocheting project I've been working on and ran out of yarn...here's what knot to do!!  Well, despite a few roadblocks, I've finally completed it!!

This project was instantly a favorite and I was super bummed when I hit a roadblock.  The yarn I ordered online turned out to be a near perfect match in one color and a close-enough match in the other - however both yarns were a much smaller gauge.  I had considered starting over and using only the new yarn, but because it was a smaller gauge, it did not create the same look when knitted.

I decided to put the project on hold again and keep looking.  Because I was itching to knit, I went through my stash of yarn to see what I had to work with.  To my surprise, I had a decent sized ball of this lovely gray that was the same gauge as what I was using for the project and matched beautifully {I have no idea how much I had, or where it came from}.  I immediately got out my blanket and went to work.

You can see that the color and texture is slightly different, but because of the stripes, it's not extremely noticeable.

Once I had used up all that yarn, it still wasn't quite as big as I wanted, so I decided to double up the yarn that I had purchased, hoping to thicken it up enough to match the gauge of the first yarn.  I had to change the pattern just a bit to make it look just right, but I think I was able to blend the yarns well.

All in all, I think it turned out great...a little haphazard and imperfect, but I kind of like it that way - it's unique!  The size is just right for a baby, or even to be used as a throw blanket on your lap, very warm and fuzzy!

what knot to do...

start a crocheting project without the sufficient materials!

I started this blanket a few weeks ago hoping to use some beautiful alpaca yarn I bought this fall at the Johnny Appleseed Festival.  Unfortunately, when I decided to roll the skeins into a ball I had tossed the tag telling me the exact length, so I had nothing to tell me whether or not these yarns would be enough to make this particular project.

Oh well.  I'll wing it.  I decided to just go for it and would find a random similar color to create a chunky stripe on one side if I ran out.  I also opted for the baby blanket size vs. the throw blanket, hoping that by doing the smaller pattern I'd have enough yarn.

Now that I've run out, I'm kind of regretting this decision.


I LOVE the blanket, but it's not finished!

I LOVE the colors and the stripe pattern.

Yesterday I decided to get online and see what I could find to finish with.  I browsed Etsy for a while, ohhing and ahhing over the fabulous natural alpaca available, but nothing seemed to quite fit. {I'm also a little picky in my yarn selections}

With no success on Etsy, I headed to google and stumbled upon The Loopy Ewe.  Instant love.  They seem to have all things yarn - patterns, kits, roving, and of course beautiful yarn!  They even had the handspun natural alpaca yarn I've been looking for. Check them out here.

jet

oatmeal

I found two colors that I think are close.  They are each look to be nearly double of what I've already used for the blanket, so worse-case-scenario : I start over and have enough to actually finish the blanket with the new yarn and unravel the current blanket for a future project.


For now, the blanket is on hold - although not forgotten.  I look at it daily, loving the lines and texture...can't wait to finish it!

A Return to Knitting

Last summer I was a knitting fiend! I worked diligently as we drove around the country and planned for our trip to Taiwan - I was working on a pair of gloves that were to be a Christmas gift for my mother-in-law. They were finished just days before we boarded the plane to Taiwan. Packaged in a nice Christmas bag, they waited in amidst our boxes and bags of belongings packed away in my in-laws house. After arriving in Taiwan I thought little of knitting for many months. The heat and humidity didn't encourage me to wear anything made of wool, let alone knit with it.

It wasn't until the weather started to get cold that I picked up the needles and whipped up a quick hat for Dan. We began looking for some yarn shops, thinking we'd have a plethora to

choose from but were lucky to find one. Unfortunately, this experience led me to hibernate my needles again - what's the point in knitting if you don't have good supplies? But when I found this sweater tee, I began to think I might be able to find some summer tops that I could knit and add to my slim wardrobe here in Taiwan and got motivated! I printed the pattern and headed to the yarn shop near our usual Saturday lunch - “Mr.Toast”, and was able to find this beautiful green yarn and the needles I needed. They weren’t the exact size, but I’m finding that they work just fine.

Day 1: I started knitting on the bus ride to Taipei - the bus ride is an hour each way, so I got a good hour and half of knitting out of it (due to lack of light on the return trip, I didn't get much knitting done!).

Day 3: I’m quite impressed with the progress I’ve made in just 3 days!

After a few days of hardcore knitting, I took a break and did some reading. I needed to put it aside for a bit so that I didn't get bored. When I picked it up again, I worked like a racehorse, it grew so quickly.

Day 8: It's starting to look more like a sweater.

And just two days later...

Day 10: FINISHED!

I have a special "package" arriving in a few weeks that will bring my next knitting project! Until then, I'll enjoy my sweater in what little cool weather we have left for me to wear it; luckily it's short sleeved!!

Accomplishments.

Dan shot his first animal....a groundhog, right through the HEART!!

I finished my first pair of socks...it only took about 3 months!!