Books or Knitting? Take Them Both!

One of hardest things about working in a library . . . and being a knitter . . . is having sooo many books on my 'I'd like to read this' list. Because of course, the 'I'd like to knit this' list is just as long. So what do I do when supper is over and the dishes are done? Sit and read? Sit and knit? 

Thankfully the library has a compromise available for me . . .not the one I really want, which is to sit and read at work!! But now there is Hoopla. I can now instantly (and yes, I mean instantly!), download or stream an audio-book to my phone, plug in my earbuds, listen to a book and knit away. The best part? It's quick, easy, and of course FREE with my library card. What could be better?! (Yes, you are right - pour a glass of wine before you sit down.)

Give it a try. If you don't have a Duxbury Free Library card, see if your library offers Hoopla. If they don't, suggest it to them and then ask what other audio options they have in the meantime. Start knitting and listening.

Until next time, keep your nose in a book (or your ears!!) or your fingers in fiber.

Monday Night Knitting

Hand surgery, weddings, and expectant mothers kept some of our knitters away . . . but we still had lots of friends to chat with and projects to view!



There was roving to touch and feel . . . the white is merino wool and feels like you are holding a cloud in your hand . . . the cranberry/green/brown is yak and silk and feels like . . . well it feels like nothing you have touched before!! (So soft!!!)

And still more roving . . . 
this one looked like autumn. Nancy joined us and started in with 'autumn' using her drop spindle . . . makes me want to try it again!!












Dinah brought in her skein of yarn that she was spinning last month. It's gorgeous. All I can think of is a field of lavender on a hillside in Scotland . . . with a castle in the background. (I don't even know if lavender grows in Scotland . . . ).

More beautiful colors! 

Linda finished a scarf/shawl made of sock yarn. 
It's like a sunset . . . reds and a little orange showing too.









Joan finished her ornament and is starting another one.















Marguerite finished her afghan. OMG . . . it makes me want to grab it from her, make a cup of tea and sit down with a book.

Peggy is working on a scarf.
















I love Monday nights. A wonderful group of talent and support . . . all under one roof!

Until next time, keep your nose in a book or your fingers in fiber.

When Is It time to Stop?

When I went through one of my baskets of stash yarn the other day . . . (yes, you read it right, one of my baskets!) . . . I found two skeins of Manos del Uruguay (two different colors) that I forgot I even had. In the same basket was a pattern for a cowl that takes 1 skein. Okay, my next project was picked out!

It worked up quick . . .  there is a 5 row ridge of garter stitch, then two rows that are repeated for about 9 inches, and then another 5 rows of garter stitch and then you bind off. 


Easy enough, right? Wrong. I have this compulsion that I have to use all the yarn in the skein. If I get to the end of the last garter stitch ridge and I have too much yarn left over . . . . well, I'll feel wasteful. 

See . . . here is my cowl all done and I have all that extra yarn. I could have made it longer. For shame, for shame.



Then I had an epiphany. I could dig out my Weight Watchers food scale from the bottom of my cabinet. (This probably sheds some insight into how actively I am counting points lately!!) All I would have to do is weigh the skein of yarn and then weigh the needles . . . and of course write down the two weights . . .  since I will never remember them. Then I'll knit the the garter stitch ridge and weigh that. Since the needles will be attached to the project I'll subtract the weight of the needles . . . and then I'll know by weight how much yarn I will need to save in the skein for the last garter stitch ridge. I'll be able to come a lot closer to using the whole skein . . . and an added plus is I will be getting some use out of my food scale!!

Until next time, keep your nose in a book or your fingers in fiber.

Keep On Learnin'

I decided that since I just learned the crochet cast-on, well . . . maybe it's a good thing to keep learning and trying new things. Please note: even with this attitude something like sushi or cauliflower is still way too out of the box for me. But another method for casting-on? Sure I can do that!

So I got out my trusty Vogue Knitting (my go-to-reference-book), and started looking at some options. I settled on 'the crochet cast on for knit one, purl one rib'. 

It seemed easy enough. 

Start by crocheting a length of chain with waste yarn.

Here's a hint - it's easier at the end if you use cotton waste yarn.







You'll use the back of the chain to pick up stitches.




Using your needle and the yarn for your project, pick up two stitches in the first two bumps on the chain.









Then skip a bump and pick up a stitch in the next one.

Keep going, picking up a stitch in every other bump on the chain.

When you're done, it will look like this. The length of chain will look a little wonky . . . but that's okay . . . you're going to get rid of it in a bit.











Next purl one row.

Then knit one row. 

Easy enough so far, right?

Here's where it gets a little tricky.

With the purl side facing you, insert your other needle into the first stitch purlwise.

Then go down and pick up the loop from the first stitch you picked up from the chain. Purl the two together.

That's what the directions said to do. Go ahead and try it. I did and I found it as close to impossible as you can get!






So instead, with the yarn in the front,  I slipped the first stitch purlwise . . .  then I picked up the loop with the right needle . . . then I slipped them both back to the left needle . . .

and then I purled the two stitches together. Much easier and less stress involved.

Sorry for the blurry photo . . . I wasn't even drinking wine.

Move the yarn to the back and knit the next stitch on the left needle.




Repeat the last two steps across the row . . . (it suddenly became clear why the directions had me pick up in every other chain bump since you are only going to lift the  loop when you purl a stitch . . .).

Work as many rows of K1P1 rib as you need.

You'll end up with something that looks like this. 



Now comes the fun part. 






Take the tip of your needle and gently take out the knot  and undo the chain stitches. 

(I didn't follow my advice at the beginning so some of my little white fibers wanted to split or stick to some of my little navy blue fibers. So make it easy on yourself and use cotton waste!)





When I started to remove the chain I was a little nervous. I had only used waste yarn and chain cast-ons in the past for a provisional cast-on . . . I was so sure I was going to have live stitches at the bottom.


But look at it . . . it was kind of like a little magic . . . it leaves a nice rounded edge that is also stretchable . . . perfect for a sleeve or waistband!!

I realized now that using navy blue yarn wasn't the best choice. It's too dark for you to really see the nice edge. I was going to re-knit it in a lighter color so you could see . . . but then I thought you should do it . . . then you can try it and see for yourself! Go ahead . . . give it a whirl . . . learn something new.

Until next time, keep your nose in a book or your fingers in fiber.

Monday Night Knitting Group

The temperatures are finally making it feel like Fall!! Good thing all the 'Monday Night Knitters' have been busy!!




Lizzy's husband will have a warm head.

(I just hope he isn't shoveling the same amount of snow we got last year when he is wearing it!!)

Margaret is working on her afghan . . . even though it's not done, she'll stay warm with it sitting in her lap while she is knitting away! 
















Peggy, aka 'the human knitting machine', finished this gorgeous cabled shawl. It's a donation for a cancer support group . . .it will keep someone who needs an extra hug warm . . . I bet it will warm their heart too.

'The Human Knitting Machine' has also finished all these adorable sweater sets for the many future moms-to-be that she knows. 


Did I mention that she also works?? How DOES she do it??













Pat will stay warm with this Norwegian hat.

It makes me want to start a two-color project! 

We even talked about steeks . . . I freely admit that I am a chicken. The thought of cutting my knitting. I know, I know . . . it's done all the time . . . but . . . gasp!

Linda is making a 'football' scarf . . . or is it a cowl? 

It's a pretty cool concept. You start it at the beginning of the season using your team colors and knit while you watch the games. For every touchdown you knit a certain amount of rows . . . using one color for the home team and the other for the opposition. If there is a touchback (and other footballish terms) you knit a certain amount of rows, etc. When the game is over you knit a white stripe. . . then pick it up again the next week. At the end of the season you will have a creation that will keep any football fan warm!






Joan is working on Christmas Tree ornaments. 

I think she has the patience of a saint to be doing these!!













Martha is using this awesome yarn that . . . yes, she spun herself!! (I think that makes her kind of awesome too!).

I wish you could feel how soft it is.














Speaking of spinning . . . Dinah's fleece is a blend of greens and purples and it's pretty much just to die for. (Or is that to 'dye' for?!)

Carol's fleece is gray . . . also really nice!!

Monica is making an I-cord with a pretty nifty device. Makes me think of a great way to edge a sweater!!








So much talent . . . so many warm items!


Until next time, keep your nose in a book or your fingers in fiber.

New Beginnings

FINALLY . . . I have finished my peach sweater! While it sits in my closet awaiting the cool weather, I had the quandary of what to start next. I decided on a Sally Melville pattern - L'Envelope. Got out the yarn I'll use, got out the needles and worked a swatch. I also decided I would be a good girl and since the directions cautioned to not only work a swatch,  but to also launder it as you would the sweater . . . well, I always have dirty clothes so in to the laundry it went.

The swatch came out with perfect gauge . . . so I'm all set to go. I check the directions again to see how many stitches to cast on and the directions recommend using a crochet cast-on. What?! I always use the long-tail or the cable cast-ons. EEEK!! . . . Am I going to have to learn something??!! 

I did some research and here it is . . . and . . . it couldn't be easier.

Start with a slip knot on a crochet hook.


(Pick a crochet hook size that will correspond to your knitting needle size.)






Then pick up one of your needles and holding the yarn in your left hand, place it under the needle.


Try and anchor the tail between your ring finger and baby fingers.






Reach over the needle with your crochet hook and pick up the yarn.


Bring it across the needle and through the slip knot on your crochet hook.











Then use your left index finger to bring the yarn back under the needle.













Repeat . . . bringing the yarn across the needle and through your crochet hook.












When you have the correct number of stitches . . . 
minus one . . .on your needle, place the one on your crochet hook on the needle.


Pretty easy, huh?









Here they are . . . .all lined up.













Here's the edge after I worked a few rows.










The pattern also calls to slip the first stitch purl-wise.



I can see why Sally recommends this cast-on . . . it blends in nicely with the edge.





I think I like this cast-on. A definite advantage is that similar to the cable cast-on, you just use the working yarn . . . no estimating needed . . . unlike the long-tail cast-on. How many times have I called it too short with the long-tail and had to start all over again!!

In fact, this makes me want to try a few other different cast-ons.  I'll keep you posted on which ones I try.

Just goes to show ya . . . you can teach an old dog new tricks!  

Until next time, keep your nose in a book or your fingers in fiber.

Monday Night Knitting Group

Look at us!! Who wouldn't want to come and knit or spin with a group like this??!!














Plus the library is air conditioned - always a plus when it's 92 degrees!

Peggy's afghan is gorgeous! All those cables!

Joy's scarf is coming along . . . 

Janet started a swatch for a sweater she's going to make . . . the color is great . . . coral? peach? . . . not sure, but I love it!


Marguerite is still working on her afghan . . . hers also has lots of cables!

There's always lots of baby sweaters . . . and with so many 'future grammies' . . . I bet there will be even more!













Joan is working on Christmas Ornaments  . . . 















. . . and Pat is weaving a necklace . . . little-tiny-beads-onto-thread-with-a-sewing-needle. YIKES! Talk about tinkerish work. (It's really pretty awesome).














What a group. Join us next time. We have plenty of chairs and there is always room at the table for another fiber friend.

Until next time, keep your nose in a book or your fingers in fiber.