Project Photos

One of the things I couldn't get to lately was posting some photos.  There are some knitters who are kind enough to email me pictures of projects.  I enjoy looking at them, and know you will, too.

Joe DeRoche made a cardigan from the Goldilocks book, then added a hat to make a set.  Love the cheery colors and the sports buttons.  

Note:  If you need to get past the buttonhole barrier, this is a really easy one-stitch-transfer buttonhole. 

Marius Brusdal in Norway knitted these booties, a first project with turned cables.  She needed a baby gift, and said that after having worked the picot cuff, the stitches that are not in the cable were moved over to the ribber, with the tension on the main bed to number looser than on the ribber. The foot is worked using "my" method with circular knitting with the ribber (I didn't invent it, just used it in the sock book). Gorgeous, huh?

Katy Hill made this Entrelac tote.  She also added clever twists to my pattern.  She put cables on the side gussets and along the handle, and she used a library tote bag to line it, since it had a nice polished-cotton look in a sturdy synthetic.   

This is not a fast project, but looking at Katy's photos made me want to knit another.  There's something about doing the Entrelac that becomes almost hypnotic.

Tom Panciarello in Las Vegas is knitting for the troops, and he invented this hat pattern.  It's completely seamless, knitted circular on a bulky with ribber, very generous in size, and super warm (4 layers over the ears).  Tom also has a clever way to shape the crown to reduce bulk.  It doesn't take much yarn, and when you take it off the machine, you only have to gather the top and hide two ends.

Here are some Tom knitted:

I got fascinated with Tom's ingenious hat pattern a week or two ago and knitted several myself.  Tom gave me permission to film the technique.  We are recruiting a few good volunteers to knit for the troops!  I know it will be more fun if I can share some interesting patterns, and this is a really great one.  Tom and I have been experimenting with good ways to weight the knitting, and I'm hoping to work on the video this weekend.

I like Tom's striped ones, but I didn't do stripes because the yarn I had on hand was a slow variegated (Impeccable from Michael's).  It did an interesting spiral thing on the actual hat.  Here's a photo of one of my hats with Tom's pattern:

One of the reasons I've been so quiet lately is a big work project with a looming deadline.  We're moving to a new office - and a new server.  The network is my responsibility, and I've been doing some weekend and evening duty to change things while people weren't trying to work, plus working during the day, and still not getting nearly enough finished.  I came home one day this week, just worn out from not quite enough sleep for several days and the emotional wear-and-tear of not getting the project done nearly as quickly as I expected, even as the deadline is coming at us.  The IT consultant is perfectly cool about it, but I am just not used to this sort of thing.  

I decided to knit, even though I was tired.  I had a slipper in my head that needed to get designed.  John might have preferred some company, but always the good sport, he said, "So, you're going to the 'knit pit'!"  He has renamed the guest room where I have the bulky machine.  I trotted up there and knocked out a slipper.  The first slipper attempt was surprisingly decent, considering that I was a mental turnip and didn't even do any math, and afterward, I worked out corrections, gauges, sizes and all that jazz.  Sometimes, you just need to doodle!  Tom had been corresponding with me about soldier hats, and he volunteered to test the latest soldier slipper pattern.  Here's his slipper photo (he's wearing it over a sock he made):

I like to test all the sizes, and make little tweaks to my patterns, which gave me an excuse for a trip to Hobby Lobby for more yarn.  I was pooped out that evening, too, but I threw a big bag on the stairs to go up and felt all warm and fuzzy because I had new yarn.  I don't really like to shop much, except for yarn.  My mother had a similar affliction - she didn't really like to shop much, except for plants!  The way I used to moan, "Oh, no, not the garden center!"  Is highly similar to the way my boys moaned, "Oh, no, they have yarn there!  Keep her out of the yarn section!"  

Here are my first few samples - as usual, I like to test all the sizes:

I hope to get a video up soon on this slipper, as well.  This is the fastest slipper I have ever knitted, and it's thick, squishy and warm, as well.  Takes about 4 oz. for a pair.

See the slipper on the far right?  That space-dyed yarn that was so awesome for a hat was not nearly so pretty in the slipper with that tucked rib.  But second-from-right is Lion Brand Tweed, which is a very slow color changer, and it's marvelous in the slipper.

Also working on, for the troops:  an afghan pattern and a scarf.  Tom has been working out scarf ideas, as well.  Stay tuned!