A Shawl Experience

 Not much to write about today but I just felt like posting something even if its about nothing.   So I thought some eye candy would be fun and wondering how you all sort your yarn, store it and play with ideas for your next projects.   I loved the little sugar canisters to hold balls while you knit, very clever knitters are.

So I mentioned a shawl experience, and I am still experiencing it with great delight - they are warm and comfie on my achie shoulders.  I think they will have to become part of my daily winter attire.   They are so fashionable and fun.  I know you all have mentioned how cold the restaurants are and so I tried this out last week and I didn't need more than this little wrap around my shoulders and neck to keep me quite comfortable.
Arms are free to move around, nothing extremely hot and cumbersome.   Well, now that I have discovered this revelation that has been known for ages, I will have to make more!

 The daylight savings is due to change, and wanted to remind everyone that while Tues night knitting so far is still a GO, there is also Friday Morning from 10 to Noon so you can still come and sit and plot your next knitting adventure.

I spied a new knitting magazine at the shop yesterday, it looks like its just Christmas knitting, but the projects in it are some of the nicest I have seen in awhile.  One cowl really caught my eye in a winter white with beads! 

Next week some of us are on vacation, company coming and other things that might keep us from our gathering time but don't let that stop you from coming and enjoying all there is to offer.

Everyone Has Been Busy!

 This Friday morning was full of eye candy and lush fibers.  Boy everyone has been so busy its really exciting and we all are in a fuss about wanting to finish our existing work to begin something new.

I really can't remember the name of this pattern but its a very interesting scarf using short rows done on one of the yarns at HNT called Denali by Pagewood Farms.  Love this in person much better than my sad photo, its really delicious.

 After a year of saying NO No No I will not pick up spinning again, here I am again tinkering with a drop spindle and a bit of hand spun yarn.  This is beyond squishy and delectable. I got a little drop spindle that came with 3 ounces of fiber and I spun it up in no time.  Drat its not quite enough to do anything with except to drool over.   I am guessing another wheel will eventually find its way to my house but the price of wheels now as compared to 20 years ago about threw me out of my chair.   Gulp...

 My Andrea Shawl is almost done, this is so pretty and I made size medium, should have done the large, however its so pretty I am sure I will do another one.   Next post it will be finished.

 Candice finished her Multnomah, I wish the photo showed off her edging better, its like the froth of the morning ocean tide, boy the color is so like blue jeans and comfie relaxation.   You did good girl!

 We all just had to step back and take in this lovely yarn that will eventually become another Summer Waves Cardi.   Its a Berroco yarn from HNT shop, a type of linen feel and its going to be outstanding!!

 Another Multnomah shawl being worked in the Blossom Street yarn - I think Jessica is going to work this into a larger size by adding an extra row of repeats.   Pretty muted colors.

 This odd yarn is called -Oh the name just slipped my mind...I hate it when that happens.  Its what Rebecca is working on and another Summer Waves Cardi project.  This has some cotton in it and the ball of yarn does not even suggest this outstanding striping effect.  These yarn companies should send swatches - Who Knew!   Really pretty knitted up.   Oh the yarn is Kudo.  You can actually look that up on Ravelry and see what others are knitting with it.

Cofmie feet make knitting more relaxing, and so here are some comfie hand knitted socks!  

We are a relaxed group this morning, no death grips, only a few dropped stitches and upside down yarn overs...life is good.

Show And Tell

 Lots to share on this early morning.  Gathering up my photos from the last couple weeks to share and comment on.

An announcement from Ripley yesterday is that she will be teaching only "new" people who come into HNT and they will learn the basics on the beginner scarf:  which is how to cast on, knit, purl, a few stitches like YO and M1, decrease and bind off.  Reading simple patterns.  So no more Group KALS (KnitAlongs) The group has grown to overload and people do not knit at the same speed or comprehension.   Now that you all know how to knit and are reading simple patterns you are fledglings and ready to fly.  Utilize the tools and tutorials on Ravelry and You Tube and Craftsy.  The answers are out there!

Above in the rainbow colors are two of the Multnomah shawls, one is Ripleys' and the other is mine - they appear so different in size but we measured them and they are the same! The colors do make the eye preceive them as different sizes - intersting.

Jessica finished a clasp purse - its amazing how this knitted up and now its ready for its liner.

 Another amazing accomplishment from Jessica who has finished up all the sides of her purse project and another liner is ready for the finishing touches.  By the way, Jessica is 13, self taught from books and a few little coaching helps from Ripley.  

 A couple Friday's ago one of our newer friends came in with a clip board that just took my eye.  All decked out in beads and odd buttons - this is so lovely I just had to share it - I want one!   Time to begin a little collection adventure so I can make one.

 Rainbow Multnomah with beads.  Some of our friends are adding stripes to their shawls and I cant wait to see them.  I think you could knit 10 of these and none would look like the same pattern by changing out the yarn and colors.  I got asked again about the beads - the tool I posted on the blog a few weeks ago and its called Fleegle Beader from Gossimer Webs over on Etsy along with a tutorial on how to use it.   I love the beads and plan to do MORE eventually.

 I almost frogged this little Cowl.  Its a pattern on Ravelry called Zuzu's Petals.   The color is called Guppy, and Deacon is modeling it for me.   I thought it was to small, didn't block right and didn't like the edge then.......

 and then it blossomed!I love it, and to think I almost didn't finish it up.   I wanted to say that its a good idea if you can to weight your yarn.  I used less than half a ball knitting this up, so I know that I have enough to make another one out of the same ball or something that I can use 62 grams of yarn with.   You can weight with ounces or grams, I have a weight watchers scale but a postal scale will work too, or a dyers scale.  Mark your finished and half used balls so you know what you have left to work with for stripes and smaller projects.

 Gloria finished her Downton Hat!  Its SO pretty and guess who bought more yarn for another hat!  You guessed it, Gloria is on to #2!

 Wazie brought in one of her UO's  -  that is Unfinished Object, of her hand spun yarns.  Drat I got a bad shot of this...this is all one batch of spinning fiber that has knitted up like this, she has not changed colors. 

Another FO or Finished Object and another Multnoma.   Again you would not know its the same pattern with all the different colors.  Nice job!

Last:  I am not sure I will keep writing this blog.  First off its a free labor of love.    It started as a way to help get Ripleys class info out regarding patterns and projects.    Now with so many people knitting at such different skill levels, different interests in yarns, patterns and time available to work on something to completion  the original objective has been lost.   

I wonder if the blog is useful?  I wonder why when I ask people if they read the blog they say no, and why when I ask if they go to Ravelry or You Tube for answers they say no and I just keep asking myself why?     So if the blog is not useful, what would be, and why am I spending so much time on it?     Oh the questions of the Universe are upon me!
Keep the needles busy.

Block The Swatch, Seriously!!!

 I have taken several workshops over at Craftsy.com and never really thought much about blocking, just something you struggle through at the end of your project.  Right!   They are offering a workshop now on blocking and reading the intro, I found that its a craft in itself and worth mentioning.  

Most of us OddBalls are just knitting along from one project to another, some get finished, some frogged and some are finished but are they blocked!  That is the secret of finished.

 Not sure where to get blocking boards but these come as sets of interlocking squares, much like a jig saw puzzle piece that you can make into a square, or a triangle for a shawl etc.  Then with T-pins you measure your work and pin it out so your lovely stitches show off.  Then let it dry.  There is more to it than that, however you might be interested to know that swatches come into play here big time!

The dreaded phrase "did you knit a guage swatch" plays over and over in my head, I love throwing that back and forth because don't we all HATE knitting a guage swatch!  

Here is why its so important to not only knit it but to BLOCK it!   The one unblocked will measure different than the blocked one!  Once your gauge swatch is knitted and blocked you can more easily measure your stitches for your project, that is to say how many stitches per inch using a certain size needle.

I bet you all have seen the quilting journals where die hard quilters put the info on their quilts, the fabric, thread, swatches etc and these are great as reference for future projects that are similar.   This is such a wonderful idea for our knitting to keep those swatches, and add the needle size and yarn so you will not have to knit that darn swatch again!     Now I hope you all get swatching and blocking, bring it to class so we can all learn from you!.