Wednesday, August 31, 2011

What I Learned Wednesday: Another Lesson in Dye Lots


Another dyelot lesson learned. While I was knitting the Intentional Holes Shawl for the shop sample I discovered that all my hard work at the yarn shop to match dyelots had been for naught.

The ball bands said the same color and dyelot number, however, in real daylight, the shades were distinctively different. One skein was a darker, more dull shade of plum heather and the other, brighter and more cranberry. I reviewed the ball bands again - both said the same. Hmmmmmm...

At this point in the knitting I was into the fourth increase of six and decided to use what I had bought. I began knittin two rows of each skein, which started a subtle striping effect, and looks intended.

I used this technique through the last 2 increases and through half of the decreases and then dropped the original skein. I finished with the brighter one. This creates the ends to be different (if you really look) and the middle to be blended.

Next time: I will take the yarn to the window that offers more natural light or an Offlite, if available in the shop.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Camp Loopy - Time to Mod


The 11th repeat of the contrast color (purple) is complete and when I assessed my yarn usage, I realized it was time to modify the pattern or I would not make the required yarn usage for this challenge and have the shawl look like it is intentionally patterned.

I still have a full skein, unwound, of the grey, and am almost out of the purple. That will make the shawl only 600+ yards. So I decided to switch the grey to the wedge sections and use the last of the purple for the two row separation stripes until I run out. Then I will finish with the grey as the bottom calls for.

This is a really fun knit and easy to do once you see the patterning. I will be knitting hard this holiday weekend in hopes to finish this long before the deadline. By the end of the weekend I have to decide if this project goes everywhere with me or not. It is larger than I like to knit in the car, however I really want to get it done.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

What I Learned Wednesdays - Jogless Stripes

I have been experimenting with jogless stripes on a set of secret projects I am working on. (the pics here are to show the stripes not the project).

One suggested technique for circular knits,  I read it somewhere I cannot remember right now, is to start the stripe color by knitting the first stitch with both colors. After the first round, I do a little finger fiddling when I knit that stitch that is knit with the two colors. It is still noticeable if you look at it really closely, however I see that it does make a difference in the overall look. In the past, I have avoided stripes unless it was on flat knits, like a scarf.


Above, notice the lower stripe, see the jog, and above is the stripe done with a little more finesse to make it jogless. I guess the more practice makes the better and less noticeable attempt at jogless.

The other technique is one that I recently read in my Knitting Daily blog with Kathleen Cubley (the post about Knitted Hats)  Here is how it is described (from the blog, quoted here):
Working stripes is easy, but when you work them in the round, you get a little jog at the beginning of each round. This happens because knitting in the round is actually knitting a spiral, so the new round starts on top of the last stitch of the previous round, which puts it one row up. You don't notice this very much, if at all, when you're working with one color, but when you're working stripes, it's pretty apparent.

Here's a great method for working stripes in the round and avoiding the jog.

Jogless Stripes: When knitting stripes in the round, one of the downfalls is the jump in color where one round transitions to the next. Knit one round in the new color. At the beginning of the next round, insert the right needle tip into the left leg of the stitch in the row below the first stitch of the round (old color stitch) and place this stitch on the left-hand needle, and knit this stitch together with the first stitch of the next round to raise the color of the previous round to the height of the new round. Do this at the beginning of every round that involves a color change.

At the beginning of the next round, insert the right needle tip into the left leg of the stitch in the row below the first stitch of the round (old color stitch) and place this stitch on the left-hand needle, knit this stitch together with the first stitch of the next round to raise the color of the previous round to the height of the new round. Do this at the beginning of every round that involves a color change.


I will be trying this method on the next stripes in circular project that I do, so I can determine which one works the best.

I hope everyone is finding new and better ways to do things~!

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Camp Loopy - Stripes Galore



I am into the ninth of 12 repeats of the contrast color, in this case, the purple. I finished the first skein in this repeat, had to wind up the next one and keep going to finish the row.

I really like this knit, it is the Striped Study Shawl and I am knitting it in the Loopy Ewe Solid Series.

As you can see, Little Loopy thinks this is a super cushy yarn and makes a comfy seat for photos.

I hope everyone is ending their summer with something fun~!

Saturday, August 20, 2011

KWCG Sock of the Month - Vacation Announcement

I am taking a hiatus from sock knitting. I figure I can do this because it is a self-imposed club of one.

I am backed up with class projects and must-deliver-early Christmas gifts that have to be finished and mailed.


Some of these secret gift projects will make good car projects and when they are done I can return to my sock in the car projects without panic or fretting.

Friday, August 19, 2011

Entrelac Update


I finally finished the sample piece of entrelac I started in class at Loopy Ewe in April.

I really like the technique and hope to do a scarf out of Noro to see how that yarn works in this technique.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

What Have I Learned Wednesdays: Reading Lace Charts


I was a cross-stitcher during college (a great homework avoidance technique) and I still made the dean's list. :-)  So charts are not completely foreign to me. However, reading lace charts are a little bit diffferent. So, while I was waiting for the last Camp Loopy project to begin, I challenged myself to learn the basics of lace chart reading.

I am working on a lace shawl for a shop sample, the Oscilloscope from Knitscene. It was a challenge the first four times I started it and then ripped it out. I finally got smart and went looking for pattern errata. Guess what, I found some. Once I added that to the charts I got a successful start and have finished the shawl. It is knit end to end and looks great now that it is blocked.

I plan to knit a couple more for gifts this year. I hope everyone has learned a new skill this summer~!

Monday, August 15, 2011

Camp Loopy 3: Ready, Set, Go!



This is how far I have gotten with the last Camp Loopy project.

It is a very fun knit, at this point I do not know how I use up all 800 yards of yarn because I am already at the sixth repeat of the purple.

If I get to the twelfth one and see that I need to knit up more yarn I will be happy to have a bigger version.

The colors are not photoing well in house light so I will try to get an outside picture of it when I can. The purple is gorgeous and the gray a lovely contrast.

I hope everyone is wrapping up their summer with some fun~!

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Camp Loopy 3: Last Challenge

Here are my supplies for the last challenge. I have two skeins each of the colors, purple and grey, for the Striped Study Shawl. It will be over 800 yards of knitting over the next month. I can cast on tomorrow, August 15th and have to be done by September 15th.

The pattern reads very clearly and should be a fast knit once the pattern is established. It will be my house project for the next two weeks, and may have to be taken everywhere after that depending on where I am with it by September 1st.

I hope everyone has a fun challenge to end the summer~!

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Tunisian Crochet: Assembling to Finish


The panels are done in time for the final class session on this technique. I really had to push to get this finished. I discovered that this crochet made me look at it when I worked on it, so I did not read or watch TV while I did this. And it takes longer to make progress than on knitting.

I like the way it looks, and the assembly is interesting. I am glad that we were shown how it goes together instead of just trying to do it from the schematic. It made it a lot easier.

The finished product will be fun to wear over a long sleeve T or a collared shirt this fall. Even though it is cotton it will still be warm.

It is fun to have a finished wearable. The pictures I have taken do not do this justice so the finished project looks like the picture from Tahki Yarns who designed it. (Note: I do not look like this in it :-)

Monday, August 8, 2011

KWCG Sock of the Month - July Update



I am finally into the foot of the second July sock. I hope to have it done by next week. Currently, the last sock is not getting a lot of love because I had to drop everything to finish the Tunisian crochet vest. When that is done, I will be back to my standard house and car projects.

I really like this sock pattern. It shows off the yarn nicely and fits really well with the pattern acting as a ribbing all the way through. I think I will have enough yarn left over to make wrist warmers with the same pattern in it.

I hope everyone is finding fun projects to do~!

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Pirate Prince of Pasah

Pedro wants to lodge a protest that he did not get to go to the Pirate exhibit. This is his version of silent reminder that he is a pirate prince. Note: even the tag under his bell on his collar is pirate crossbones with Bad Kitty.

He lives a pirates life, even if in his own mind~!

Saturday, August 6, 2011

PIRATES - Going for the ARRRGGGH!



Today the folks and I attended the Pirates exhibition at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science in Denver. It was part of the month long reason to celebrate - dad's 91st birthday.

The exhibit is excellent. It incorporates items that were found at the site of the sinking of the Whydah off of Cape Cod along with history of pirating and the impression that you were on an interactive theme park ride. It was lots of fun.

We took advantage of the local hotels offering room and tickets for an overnight stay and that worked out great for us. It was far too hot to do it in a day trip for dad, so we stayed at the Fairfield, had dinner at Chili's and enjoyed the AC in the room.

I was not allowed to take any photos inside the exhibit so the ones here are of Loopy dressed for the occasion and snapped with a pirate, a sabre tooth tiger head and a very large chicken foot (errrr, T-Rex foot).

Friday, August 5, 2011

Camp Loopy - Mittens: The Final Photo Shoot



I had the opportunity to take some final pictures of the finished mittens for Camp Loopy Project 2. The mittens were joined by some friends that wanted to be a part of the photo shoot. These mittens have gotten a lot of pics and now they are on the side table ready for lots of wearing when the weather turns colder.

Both pictures were taken at the Parker Country Market in Parker. It is a very fun place with lots of yard ornaments and indoors is filled with a variety of little shop booths with anything and everything you can imagine. Definitely worth a stop when you are in the area.

Monday, August 1, 2011

Camp Loopy Project 3 is Announced



The news is out: the third and final challenge for Camp Loopy is going to be whatever we want to knit as long as we knit it with at least 800 yards of yarn. Wow! That is a lot of yarn to string together in one month.

I  chose the Stripe Study Shawl (picture from the pattern I bought) and ordered yarn in, I bet you cannot guess what colors, okay, I'll tell you, purple and grey. I can hardly wait to start it on August 15th. I  have two other projects to finish before then so I will have enough time to finish this one on time.

This has made the summer more fun~!