Beach Knitting

Just knitting a dish cloth today. Maybe tomorrow I will do something more complicated. 

What nice mittens

I love this pattern! It is "New England Mittens" designer Amanda Lilley. I had a question about the pattern when I was making the gray pair for Taylor. I emailed the designer and she wrote me back immediately to answer my question. She even gave me a pattern. So nice.

These mittens (like the gray ones I made earlier) are made with Bartlett Yarn. Due to the bulky nature of the yarn I cast on 33 stitches instead of 39. I did use the recommended needles 3 and 5. Because there are fewer stitches the decreases at the top are done the same way except the knit amounts between the decreases are 12, 10, 8, and 6. I know this sounds a little strange but if you get the pattern you will see what I am talking about.

Love them! Gifting them to Morgan (:

Can I have too many scarves?

This one is made with Noro yarn -- Kereyon Sock Yarn. I saw the pattern  and purchased the yarn at Country Woolens in Lebanon, NH. The pattern seemed intimidating but when I started it and followed the set up carefully it was not hard at all. It is a free download on Ravelry -- Gaia Shoulder Hug. The color changes for the stripes are based on the color transitions in the yarn. How clever of the designer, Anne Carroll Gilmour.

A few notes:

-- I used a bamboo needle

-- I used two small stitch markers on either side of the center stitch 

-- I stopped at 137 stitches total on either side of the center stitch (I was running out of yarn)

-- Need approximately 15 grams (or 45 yards) to do the picot bind off. The picot bind off is wonderful!

Hat for Don

I had some left over yarn in my stash -- Knit Picks "Wool of the Andes." Don picked out a hat pattern on Ravelry -- Ribbed Watchman's Hat. I was worried it would be tight and scratchy but it came out perfect. I must make another. I used a size 8 needle and knit the hat in the round.

Mittens

I love the pattern "New England Mittens" purchased from Knit Picks. I used Bartlett Yarn purchased at the Yates Farm yarn sale this fall. The yarn I used is a heavy worsted so a little bit bulky for the pattern. I had to scale it down a little but the results were wonderful. I made them for Taylor. The heart is done in duplicate stitching that is not easy for me but I do like the results. I want to make a plain (thanks Beth!) white pair for Morgan (sshhh -- don't tell her).

EZ Jacket

I took a class before Christmas at Country Woolens to make an Elizabeth Zimmerman Surprise Jacket. I got a lot done in the 4 week class but still more to do.

Love self striping yarn

I have done a lot of knitting but not a lot of blogging. I found this great yarn in my stash and made Morgan a pair of socks using my old standby Yankee Knitter sock pattern. If you don't have it -- invest in one. The pattern is for baby, child, women, and men and includes directions for finger, sport, and worsted weight yarn. After you buy the patten make a copy (or copies) and circle or highlight the numbers you need.

I sometime struggle with "pick-up and knit" usually getting some gaps I am not happy with. I have tried a new technique using an extra needle to pick up the stitch then knitting through the back of the loop I picked up. This puts a twist in the yarn and takes up the slack I sometimes get in the picked up stitches. I like the result.