Knitting

Revelry and New Projects Galore

stargrace October 17, 2015 No Comments

I have very little patience. I’ve been that way for as long as I can remember. Waiting for parcels in the mail can be a physically painful process as I run out and check it from the very first day I’ve ordered anything. I’ve been waiting for one parcel for 8 weeks now even though I know it won’t ship for at least two more. Because of that I tend to want to work on very quick projects that won’t take a lot of time. Projects that take between one week and four weeks are best. They keep my attention while I work on them but I don’t feel overwhelmed. A good example is the blanket that I started working on a few weeks back. Where is it? Tucked safely away in a craft bag. Those socks that take approximately 1 week or less to knit up? Almost done the second sock. That’s how I ended up finding the pattern for the ‘all in one baby top‘ pictured to the left. It took me only a day to knit up, and it’s so cute. This one in specific was for the 0-3 months age group. There’s no sewing required, it’s all a single piece.

Ravelry is a fantastic site for knitters and crocheters alike. You can find free patterns along with paid patterns, and a huge forum with many active yarn loving groups. You can find me there (of course) as Stargrace if you happen to want to friend up. It’s a great place to keep track of your projects, patterns, needles you own, your stash, etc. I’m using it mostly as a place to document my progression through knitting (aside from this blog which also serves this purpose).  Remember I’ve only been knitting for about three months now, so I want to see the new terms I’ve learned and my growth over time. Starting from flat pieces like my fingerless mitts, and moving forward to items like this baby top. Next I’d like to explore colour work, so there’s a hat in mind I’m going to try. I believe it uses stranding, and it’s very pretty. Of course I don’t have the faintest idea how this works, so it’ll be an interesting experiment to see if it turns out.

I learned a new term while working on the baby top above, too. I’ve been bookmarking all of the knitting videos I use into just one location on YouTube so I can browse them easily and come back to them. While working on the baby top I learned the m1 instruction, which stands for ‘make 1’. Basically there are two methods of doing this (technically I suppose there are three). The method I learned was to take the bar between two stitches, pull it up with the right needle, then slip it onto the left needle, and stitch into the back of it (so you don’t leave a gap). This “makes one” new stitch. It’s basically a fancy increase. Now that I feel secure with the basics, I like adding more and more information to the knowledge I already know. A lot of reading patterns (for me at least, so far) is just about trying to figure out what the pattern writer actually meant. Sometimes they’re very clear with what direction the pattern is flowing in, and other times they’re more confusing. I’m still not able to read charts and I’m not sure that I’ll ever be able to, but the written instructions work well for me.

On that note, it’s time to start the next project (maybe I should finish those socks, first). Happy knitting!

Motivation for Round Two

stargrace October 12, 2015 No Comments

I took a bit of a break after completing my first sock just to switch things up. I finished off a few books, played some video games, and made plans for future projects. I know that when it comes to other hobbies I can get burnt out, and I didn’t want that to happen with knitting, especially since the colder weather is slowly creeping up on us. This week I decided it was time to get started on the second sock to my pair, and things started moving along much quicker than the first. I’m about half way done now, finishing off the heel flap so that I can begin the short row heel and then bring everything back into the round and then I’ll start the instep. I’m still not happy with grafting, and I’ve been looking at alternative methods of doing toes so that I don’t have to graft. I understand the logic behind it, linking your stitches and all the rest, but when I do it I end up missing stitches and then before I know it half of the sock has come undone. Not good.

I know it takes practice, and so that’s what I’ll have to do. I think part of my issue was it was my first sock and I was using a very fine yarn, makes it hard to see the stitches in order to graft them. Still, the rest of the sock was really easy and if grafting the toe is the only difficulty that I have, I can’t really complain about that.

I ordered some new needles last week to go along with my interchangeable set as well. I needed a size 17 for an upcoming project, and decided I may as well. Since I expect my interchangeable set will last me for some time I don’t mind adding to the collection. I also picked up an extension to the set so that I can make the cord longer for larger projects. I wish the default set had come with it, but for the price I got them at I’m not really too upset. I was just looking at knitting supplies in Michaels the other day and noticed that their bamboo interchangeable set was $230 (Canadian) where as the nickel plated set that I bought were only $45 (USD).

Of course since I was in Michaels I had to pick up a few more skeins of yarn. I ended up buying one more skein of a blanket type yarn for a blanket I’ve been working on (slowly), and I bought two skeins of sock yarn (really lovely colours, purples and reds) and a third skein that’s worsted weight but could be used for a number of projects. It’s very soft, so I may turn that into a pair of socks too. That skein looks like fire, strips of bright red and yellow that blend together. Absolutely beautiful. When my needles finally get here I’ll be starting a prayer shawl for a friend in-need. I’ve got a few skeins of a bulky royal purple colour that I think would be perfect and she has been going through a rough time so I want to make her something. I’m not sure what else I want to knit. I want to keep learning, of course, but making a decision on what to do next is difficult for me. I do have a few Craftsy classes for knitting mitts and gloves, I wouldn’t mind making a pair or two of that. Of course the other issue is that I don’t tend to keep very much yarn on me, I have many smaller skeins but not a lot of the same colours for larger projects. I also keep seeing people crocheting these awesome granny square blankets for their children and friends and I keep thinking that I should give that a try. Granny squares and me don’t really get along though. I’ve tried to make them a number of times and they always end up so weird. I’m not sure why. I’ve made stuffed animals out of crochet before and other items without issue (a hat, a scarf) but for some reason granny squares are the one thing I get stuck on.

Anyway, that’s what I’m up to these days. I hope to finish the second sock this week so the pair will be completed, begin another pair of socks for a friend, and begin the prayer shawl. What I’ll work on after that is anyone’s guess.

One Sock Down, Lets Make it a Pair

stargrace October 4, 2015 No Comments

After one week of knitting and pattern reading, I have finished my very first sock. Honestly, there are so many emotions I’m feeling it’s a bit odd. Of course now I need to begin the second sock but I’m hoping that I find it even easier than the first one. Maybe I won’t need to reference the video so many times and I’ll be able to just use my pattern.

It’s incredibly comfortable. So comfortable in fact that I slept with it on last night. That’s right, I slept with a single sock clinging to my foot.

I used size US 3 DPN to knit this sock, along with 50g of Patons Kroy Socks FX yarn, in Cadet colours (I believe). The yarn is a mixture of wool and nylon with just the right amount of stretch.

I thought the hardest part of the sock would be the heel, but that was actually one of the easier parts. There were only two ‘hard’ parts. One was picking up the instep stitches to bring the work back into the round. The second and most difficult part was the toe. I absolutely hated doing the toe. In fact I messed it up big time. That being said, I honestly don’t care, the rest of the foot is lovely. The toe method that was in my pattern was a grafted one, and I ended up dropping a lot of stitches and having to figure out which ones I had dropped so that the whole sock didn’t unravel. I’m thinking of just adjusting the pattern to my own liking when I reach the end of the toe in the future, maybe just plain stitching it up or something. I haven’t decided. One thing I’ve learned and I really enjoy about knitting (and enjoyed it a lot during my sock progress) is that knitting is flexible. For example, have too many stitches or do a left slanting decrease when you meant to do a right? That’s absolutely fine, in the grand scheme of things (like my sock) you won’t even notice these things. I’m sure there are other pieces of knitting where a mistake like that is unforgivable, but in my sock the only person who knows there’s an issue will be me. Especially because no one is going to be looking so closely at these.

Did I mention I’m proud? I know, it’s a bit silly, but I really am. My experience with knitting has been so different over the past few months than it had been years previously. I’m honestly not sure why I find that I am able to pick things up now compared to my previous attempts, but I AM glad that I’ve managed to get somewhere this time. I’ve owned my Craftsy courses on how to knit socks for years now, and as I read the patterns my eyes would glaze over and I’d lose track of what it all meant.

Coming up next on my needles will be the second sock to this pair (of course). I’ve got a few other projects in mind while I’m working on that. I’d like to do a prayer shawl for a friend (these don’t have to be religious, they’re basically shawls knit with good intentions and thoughts along with prayers, and given to a person who is going through a rough time in life) as well as some mittens or gloves. There’s also the second baby blanket I want to do for my other cousin (remember two of them are pregnant) and we’ll see what else. I’m hoping to continue learning new techniques and to improve the more I knit. It has been an amazing journey so far (and incredibly relaxing).

It’s a Sockdate

stargrace October 2, 2015 No Comments

This week I started my very first sock. Socks have been an ‘end game’ goal for me for years now, they were the reason I wanted to learn how to knit at all. I don’t know what I found so appealing about them, something about actually wearing an item you’ve created that doesn’t take a lot of yarn and you could work on it almost anywhere. To the left is my progress so far. First I started with a k2p2 ribbed cuff, then I worked plain for the leg of the sock, then the heel flap was done in a reinforced stitch, I decreased the instep, and now I’m working towards the toes. I’ll stop around the beginning of my baby toe, and then start decreasing again to shape the toes. Then I’ll be using a chimney graph to close the toe up. The heel flap was done using short rows, and it was my most stressful thought before I started doing it, but was actually the least stressful step out of all of them. The most difficult part so far has been when I attempted to bring the heel flap and the rest of the foot back into the round. Making sure I had the proper amount of stitches and then making sure I was decreasing at the appropriate places was a bit of a pain.

Over all, the sock progress has been going very well and I’m really pleased with how I’ve taken to it. It fits well, it’s comfortable, and I am excited to start the second one so I can have a pair. Once I’ve done both socks I have some gloves and mittens I might knit up, or I might try that shawl I’ve been meaning to do, or I might take a break and try some crochet and work on a blanket. Or maybe I’ll take a break from the fiber arts for a bit and do some reading. The wonderful thing is that it’s October now, and fall has landed in full swing already. It’s cold outside, the leaves are falling, and I am in my element. I feel incredibly blessed.

Though harder to see, my heart still has sadness in it. I keep thinking about Nette and how much life she brought to everyone, and it hurts. It hurts that I was supposed to send her some of my knit items and that I never got a chance. That she commented on all of my pieces and was just so very enthusiastic. I know time is supposed to ease the pain but it’s still a very surreal situation. I think part of my motivation to do a good job and learn knitting so quickly has been because of her. I miss her so much.

It’s time to Knit Socks!

stargrace September 26, 2015 No Comments

This weekend I decided to take the plunge, and start learning how to knit in the round on my way to learning how to knit socks. I’ve said this a few times (and I’m sure I’ll say it a few times more) that socks are my ‘end game’ and have been for years now. I’ve always wanted to learn how to knit them, but I’ve never been brave enough and I didn’t have the right know-how.

I know there are quite a few methods to learning socks, involving dpn (double pointed needles), and circular needles. I decided I would go with the traditional method and learn on dpn, not only because my instructions are for dpn, but because I’d rather work with this method for now. I purchased some wooden dpn from KnitPicks a few weeks back and so far they’re perfect. The yarn doesn’t slide off my needles, which I think helps most of my frustration.

Until now I’ve mostly done crochet. Crocheting in the round is COMPLETELY different from knitting so learning how to do this has been quite the learning experience for me. Working with dpn is a bit awkward, but not nearly as awkward as I thought it was going to be. I’m working on 4 needles and using a 5th to knit onto, rotating my stitches. I’ve got 68 stitches on size 2 needles in sock weight yarn, and I’ve split the stitches between the needles. I’m working the ribbing in a k1 p2 k1, k1, p2, k1 pattern as you can tell by the image, and it’s nice and stretchy. I tried the sock progress so far on my foot to see how it fit, and I think for my next pair I may go down a size in needles, I’m knitting a bit looser than I had done on my gauge swatch. For my first pair I think things are moving along at a comfortable pace. So far I’ve only worked the cuff, next will be the leg, and then the heel flap. Then I’ll have to turn the heel. That’s when things start to get tricky. I’ve been following along with a class on Craftsy, and that has helped a lot. I’m really excited about potentially finishing my first sock. It will take some time and I’m trying not to be impatient about it while I go through each step. Of course this is also only one sock, and I’ll need to knit the second. I know some people like to knit both pairs at once because they don’t want the tension to change between the socks, but I think for my first sock it’s probably best if I just knit them one at a time.

I’ve also been looking at some lacework shawls as perhaps a side project. I don’t own a shawl but I do work beneath the AC and it can get sort of chilly. I usually end up wrapping a blanket around my shoulders, but a shawl would be much better. I haven’t settled on a pattern yet, but one ‘easy’ one I was looking at is this one from Ravelry. It’s a pretty easy pattern to follow, and still looks pretty and delicate. I haven’t decided yet, but I imagine I’ll pick one pattern sooner or later and then do the project in the royal purple yarn I purchased a bit ago.

In the mean time, wish me luck with my socks!