Pending Title

I can not come up with a title! That is OK I guess if I can come up with something to write about.
I had promised I would not start another mteen things at the same time. Thing is there are portable, non-portable and portable by stage projects.



Princess: is not portable. She stays at home by my bed in her tin box. I have completed the 72 edge points I had planned and half of the 864 stitches are picked up. Fleegle came up with a "side lifeline" but I figured it was too fiddly for me.
I unvented my own way: I need 12 stitches out of each 10 bumps. Count 10 bumps, insert plastic safety pin, pickup stitches and insert thread stitch marker. Count again and continue. It is an easy way of doing it and coming out even. The hardest part if making the thread stitch counters. I should have made "semi-permanent" ones by inserting a few seed beads on each. But I did not. I know I will loose these and will have to do it again next time. Maybe then I will make the seed bead ones.




The tin box works great. The lid holds the pattern at the exact angle I need it to knit. I put a plastic bag in there because even though I could not feel any rough edges I was afraid the tin would end up cutting the yarn. Everything fits in there and is safe from 4 legged critters. They usually don't get into my knitting stuff but I rather not push it.



Socks: portable by stages. I had one sock and one leg. Turning the heel is the one stage that is not portable. Finally last night I turned it and now it is ready for the next car ride for the foot to be finished. The toe is another non-portable stage, when I get there it will return home for finishing. Isn't that yarn just ugly?



Medieval Tapestry cardigan: non-portable. The pattern is by Jade Starmore from the Collectors Items book. In the book it is a pullover but I like cardigans better. I started this one to rest my hands from the tiny lace knitting needles. I like the color combination and it is coming out nicely. Yarn is Classic Merino by Patons. I know this yarn tends to pill but the sweater shaver thing will do its job. Plus I had the yarn.



Salt Lake City Olympics sweater by Dale: portable by stages. Since I live in the SLC area I figured I "had" to knit one of these. I had a hard time finding the pattern. I gave up on the Foolish Virgins cardigan after a saw a close up picture of one in Ravelry. Ugly faces that spooked me. So I decided to use the yarn for this one (Knit Picks Telemark). Amazingly I got gauge with the suggested needles and the colors are just about right. The ribbing and the body are completely portable but the charts are not. Hopefully I will knit the body and have it ready for the "in house" stage" shortly. I love the little people in the back of the sweater.



English rib scarf: portable. I met someone that has Mohair Goats. She came to our spinning group meeting with lovely Kid Mohair fleeces. I bought half of one fleece and traded my alpaca fleeces for two more. The curly locks enchant me and they are so soft!



I blend and carded 2 ounces of wool with 2 ounces of mohair. The original plan was a pair of socks for G. When he saw the carded fiber he said he wanted a scarf. So there it is. The singles came out way too thin so I Navajo plied it. The yarn is heavy ...about sport weight but knitted fabric it feels very heavy. With US 7 needles I cast on 41 stitches for the Moss Ribbing. I used to call this "English Ribbing" It creates a very stretchy fabric ideal for scarves and hats. Don't use it for sweater ribbing it will not wear right. I have used 1 ounce of yarn and have 10 inches. That means the finished scarf will be 40 inches long unwashed. I will pull on it length wise when I wash it to achieve the desired length. G is very tall so he needs at least a 45 inch scarf. He said he wants a hat too, I'll spin more yarn for that.

I still have to wash the Lap Throw. I will do that today. Gentle cycle in the washing machine and tumble dry in cold setting in the dryer for a few minutes. Then press and hang to dry. That last stage of wet finishing is a bit scary. It has to be fulled but not too much. Hopefully it will come out just right.

So much for not having too many things going at the same time!
PS: My camera is not back yet. I went to the store yesterday and they told me they do not have the parts in yet. It is beginning to sound like brain surgery to me.