Ariannah's Knitting Journey

It's official!

2006-10-05T16:20:00.000-03:00

Please feel free to visit me at my new home at ec.lecti.ca

It's a multi-categoried blog, so those who only want to follow the knitting journey may do so by clicking on the knitting category.
Please update your bookmarks, links, and bloglines subscriptions.

See you there!

Update....

2006-10-02T09:22:00.000-03:00

Haven't posted much knitting, because much of it is for presents for people who sometimes read this blog.

I am moving, and stay tuned for my new website at http://ec.lecti.ca

Smiley Happy People

2006-08-26T16:29:00.000-03:00

Update: People have been asking where these puppets can be dropped off. Aside from the locations at the IWK which Dorothy was kind enough to answer in the comments, you can also drop off your finger puppets at The Loop, on Barrington Street in Halifax (click on the link on the side), and IWK staff will also pick them up there.

Calling all HRM knitters, crocheters, and those talented to make something similar to what you see on the right. IWK has a shortage of finger puppets, and they called the fine staff of The Loop to ask some of their customers to make finger puppets for them. They give these to outpatients of their clinics and I think this is a very worthy cause.

The two multicolored crocheted puppets you see on the right were made by my 8 year old daughter, the yellow and blue/green puppets were knit by me, and the bottom 3 were crocheted by me.

All you have to do is knit or crochet a tube just a bit bigger than your own finger, and decorate accordingly. I don't have a pattern, as we just made these up ourselves.

pictures from a yarn trade

2006-08-23T10:29:00.000-03:00

A good friend of mine from a sock knitting list participated in a trade with me. The 3 balls of yarn are rowanspun 4 ply. The skein is Jo Sharp DK yarn. The dark yarn is a gorgeous deep green that almost looks brown, but it's heathered with flecks of light brown in it. The purple and grey are also very lovely too. I received far more than is pictured: 3 skeins each of the purple and green, 2 skeins of grey, (enough to make a pair of socks each for my husband and myself, with grey heels and stripes or colorwork) and 4 skeins of the Jo Sharp. The yarn all feels so soft and gorgeous. As usual, if you desire to see the picture full-sized, simply click on it.

I'll say I am in yarn heaven these days.

The Big Cone of Yarn

2006-08-21T08:27:00.000-03:00

Thank you all, and especially Frozen Extremities (another local knitter from KOL) for the comments and advice on the cone of yarn from my previous post.

My plan is that it will become a sweater. Still waiting on a few things to determine which member of our household will be the intended recipient. :) Seeing how my swatch turns out after washing will greatly help with this decision.

For the Yarn Voyeurs

2006-08-18T09:44:00.000-03:00

Isn't it purdy? I'm going to make a sweater with it. It's a nearly 1200g cone of what I think is Rowan Donegal yarn. I purchased it at LK Yarns.

Socks from the road trip...

2006-08-14T22:28:00.000-03:00

Yarn: Opal Gems sport weight, 2 skeins
Needles: Kertzer Collection 2.75mm bamboo needles
Pattern: My own
Recipient: My husband.
Gauge: 7 stitches per inch.
Level difficulty: easy.

Socks from the Road Trip is a variation of the basic sock patterns knit from the top down. The stitch repeat I used for the leg is k5, p2, k5 per needle (48 stitches). This centers it in the front of the leg.
I will write out the whole pattern when I have more time, and post a link on the side of the blog.

I was able to make this so that even knit from the top down, as these were, I used one entire skein per sock, from the casting on, to the kitchenering of the toes. Given my relaxed knitting style, I likely could have achieved the same gauge on 2.5mm needles, but didn't have any handy at the time I started. I did have to knit fairly tightly, but the end result is worth it, as my husband says they're a perfect fit for his US size 7 foot.

Current Sock in Progress

2006-08-14T11:23:00.000-03:00

I designed this sock using a lattice pattern from the Harmony guides and stuck it on a sock. This is mosaic slip-stitch colorwork. I am using Briggs & Little "blue jean" durasport and "Natural" sport. Needles are Clover Bamboo size 0 (2.0 mm).

Gaspereau Valley Fibres at last!

2006-08-08T08:52:00.000-03:00

If you live in Nova Scotia, and are into yarn crafts, they say you have to visit Gaspereau Valley Fibres. This weekend I finally got that long-awaited opportunity. DH and I were able to take a day trip to Wolfville with the family, and this was one of the stops.

Upon our arrival, we were warmly greeted by Brenda, and she showed us around the whole store, and patiently showed our children how she spins yarn. Our daughter got to spin a couple of meters worth and take it home.

In spite of having previously seen photos of this wonderful yarn shop on other people's blogs, I was unprepared for how big it actually is.

My husband took some more shots from different angles...

I had a hard time deciding on anything, as I was so overwhelmed with the immense variety of yarn. The picture below represents only one of the many shelves of yarn this place has.

While I was fondling all the yarn, my children were taken with the sheep, and pet them. The sheep seemed to enjoy all the attention:

After windowshopping practically the whole store, and imagining driving home with a vanload of yarn, I finally made my decision and bought this yarn:

I am looking forward to knitting with this. The trip was very much worth it. We also took a side trip to Oaklawn Farm Zoo. I had never been to a zoo in my life (that I can remember) - and I am 39. It was one of the best days this summer.

Purple Birthday Socks!

2006-06-08T10:50:00.000-03:00

Well, at last they are done! Several of my readers have asked me what pattern I've used. I didn't use a pattern as I made it up on the fly using different techniques for the various components. I will, however, explain how I did it, so that if you like it, you can make it too. It's a variaton on toe-up patterns. Also, I have been asked what yarn I used. The toe, heel and cuff are worked in deep purple Celestial Merino. The body of the sock is worked in a beautiful yarn I picked up at Tangled Skeins (A yarn store in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia), and I think it is Fleece Artist. The deep purple turned out to be a bit thicker than the Fleece Artist yarn, but it suited the need of the heels and toes (more sturdy of a knit).

I used 2.25mm bamboo double pointed needles. The stitch gauge was 8 stitches per inch. I worked the toe only, from the top down. I used the provisional cast on to cast on 72 stitches (this pattern works out divisible by 4, so adjust accordingly for your foot size) divided evenly on 4 needles (18 stitches each). I worked my favorite toe, a standard wedge toe as shown in this pattern. After that was done, I carefully picked up the provisional stitches as I unravelled the crochet chain. The center back should be where the round begins. In the variegated blue yarn, I knit the back of the sock in plain stockinette, and the instep stitches were in a k3, p1 ribbing. I did this until I got to the heel.

For the heel, I used the double-wrap short row heel, but this link will lead you to a great many variations on heels if the short row heel isn't your cup of tea.

After I finished the heel, I cut off and wove in the ends of the heel and continued on in the main color, this time doing k3, p1, all the way around. The cuff was done in k2,p2 all the way around and I used the Russian bind-off (also linked in that website). While it's not my favorite look for a bind off, it did the trick for stretchiness which is what my friend needed.

Needless to say, the socks were well received by my friend.

Birthday Stash Enhancement

2006-05-31T08:43:00.000-03:00

A couple days ago was my birthday (39th - I'm not age shy). Combining birthday money from my in-laws and my usual yarn budget, I purchased the following yarns. I also bought the bamboo needles in the sock pictured in the post below. As usual, clicking on each photo will give you a larger image with more detail, if you wish.

I've used the DG Confetti before and liked it, so I bought some more!

Briggs & Little was recommended to me by a friend on the Socknitters List.
Its official name is "Denim" but looking closely you can see the many colors that make up this gorgeous color.

The Opal Seide is for Father's Day socks for my husband. Don't worry, I can't keep a secret, he knows! ;)

Responses to readers

2006-05-29T09:43:00.000-03:00

A few posts back, I received some comments which deserved a response, but I wasn't too prompt in answering. I shall answer these now.

Catty Contessa said: "I love the ribbing on the socks. Did you do 2 rows of 2x2 and 2 rows of purl?"

My response: I did 4 rows of 2x2 (k2,p2) and then 2 rows of purl.

Kelly said: "I am amazed with 5 children you find the time to knit! I love that pattern though. Where do you get your dpn bamboo needles? I'm in Dartmouth and have had difficulty finding a pair. I'd rather buy locally than go on line if possible."

My response: I don't really have time to knit. I'm more of an "opportunistic" knitter. I carry my knitting with me literally everywhere, and seize the moments as they come, and it all adds up. Add that to evenings and weekends and it works out ok.

I purchase my bamboo dpns (and other knitting needles) from The Loop Craft Café here in Halifax on Barrington Street. Also, LK Yarns on Young Street.
In Dartmouth you can also find Tangled Skeins on Portland Street.

"heel up" socks

2006-05-25T08:00:00.000-03:00

I did these socks as an experiment. I did the provisional crochet cast-on for 72 stitches, and then knit the entire foot on 2 mm needles, starting with the heel flap . Then, once that was done, I picked up the provisional stitches and did a very tedious knit one, purl two ribbing (in retrospect it should have been k2, p1, but I was NOT going to frog it, as I wanted these done!). The socks are cozy and comfy, and I did it mostly for the experience of it all.

Playing Catch-up

2006-05-25T07:26:00.000-03:00

Wow, long time no blog... I suppose it's time to catch up on a few things. I've made a pair of socks and have one pair on the way. Here is my most recent venture. I am a toe-up convert. I used the Turkish Cast-on using worsted weight Patons Classic merino. This is the start of the Star Toe increase. The needles I used were 3.25 mm circulars for the Turkish cast-on, then I switched to my Clover bamboo double-pointed needles.

I then knit to the point of the heel and used a double wrap short row heel. As you can see, the sock itself is nothing fancy, but it is very comfy and I am happy with the results.

World Wide Knit in Public Day

2006-04-28T17:03:00.000-03:00

World Wide Knit in Public day is June 10th, and the photo above links to more information about this day to celebrate!

Sport weight socks

2006-04-23T13:04:00.000-03:00

This is a sock I just made up. One thing I lack, is the imagination to make up "names" for designs I compose myself, and this is one of those times. The pattern is very easy and probably not very profound, a 2x2 knit purl ribbing, followed by a couple of rows of plain purling, and generic heel and toe :) Given that it was sport weight, it didn't take too long to make. I'm really pleased with the way it turned out. It's for my husband. (Click on it to see better detail).

Anyway, the yarn is Opal Gems sport weight, Clover Bamboo double pointed needles size 3.25 mm, 18 cm in length (7"). As you can see, the mate is on the way.

Today is one of those beautiful spring days, and wound up putting my needles down for a little while to stretch my legs and get some fresh air.

Stay tuned, next on my list of things to blog - is my lacy knitting with some of my lace weight alpaca - I'm loving it!

Really Pink Socks and bad weather

2006-04-19T08:57:00.000-03:00

Well, this is enough fooling around with the template changes for now, before I really mess it up (grin).

The picture to the left shows a pair of socks I completed a few days ago. The yarn I used was Lucy Neatby's Celestial Merino. It's done in a k2, p2, ribbing all the way down. In real life they are really really pink, and I'll try to see if my husband can take a more true-to-life picture. I liked the look of the yarn in the skein, but as I progressed in knitting these socks, I decided the colors were a little too bold for my own personal wearing taste. My soon-to-be 16 year old daughter, however, likes them a lot and now is the proud owner of these socks.

Today we have a blustery, snowy day here in HRM district, and Moe has shown some pictures on her blog to prove it. I don't mind bad weather days, as nobody seems to question why a perfectly healthy adult with a sizeable brood of children would want to stay indoors on such a day. I can contentedly do indoorsy type activities with my children, knit, putter around the house, and it's default acceptable "bad weather activity". On lovely gorgeous spring and summer type days, one must go out and enjoy it, especially with children.

Isaac Asimov's short story collection, Nightfall and Other Stories contains a story (which I highly recommend) entitled It's Such a Beautiful Day. In the preface to this story, he writes about how his idea of a good time is to sit at home and type up stories (as is easily evidenced by the number of books he churned out)

He writes (regarding staying indoors and writing in bad weather):

No one has any particular objection to this as long as we have the sleet of a typical New England late fall day darting through the air....

But then comes a beautiful day in May-June or September-October and everyone says to me, "What are you doing indoors on a day like this, you creep?" Sometimes out of sheer indignation they pick me up and throw me out the window so I can enjoy the nice day.

So, since I have some time, and the children are content doing indoor activities, I think I'll take more pictures of works in progress, and blog about those too, a bit later on.

A Pair of Latvian Socks

2006-04-04T11:18:00.000-03:00

I finished these socks a few days ago. They were a pleasure to knit, even on 2 mm bamboo twigs. (I used clover bamboo double-pointed needles). I know for sure I will be knitting these again, perhaps in another color. I think solid colors are definitely the way to go on these, as I think stripey, or self-patterning types of yarn would hide the lovely stitch definition of these socks. The V-shaped eyelet pattern was a good way for me to practise remembering the yarn overs where they needed to be. I'm wanting to venture into knitting something pretty and lacy with my Misti Alpaca, which I showed earlier. Oh, by the way, for any Folk Socks enthusiasts, there is a Yahoo group called "Folk Sock Knitalong". I am a part of this group, but I've not yet participated in the knit-alongs in real time.

An edit: responding to those who wish to know the yarn I used. I used regular fingering-weight sock yarn. It was Scheepjes Invicta extra. Here in Nova Scotia, Lewiscraft was going bye-bye to make room for craft giant Michaels, and I was all too happy to help Lewiscraft liquidate their stock (smile).

The yarn's weight is 50g=210m, and it is 75% virgin wool and 25% something else (I forget, nylon perhaps?).

Various projects and a bit of stash enhancement....

2006-03-27T08:37:00.000-04:00

I've done more knitting than blogging lately, so I decided today to give you an update on where I'm at with my knitting. This picture to the left is my latest project, the Latvian sock from Nancy Bush's Folk Socks. I've read various other knitting blogs and have seen them do it, and since I have a lot of creamy colored sock yarn, I thought I'd love to jump on the bandwagon with this great project. I am currently working on its mate, and enjoying it. I am trying not to rush it. It's a very easy pattern, which practically explains itself after getting used to the patterns of yarn overs and decreases. I added a couple more pattern repeats to the leg length to make it almost a knee-high sock.

This picture to the right is a sock I am working on from Lucy Neatby's Celestial Merino Sock yarn. I wanted to do a plain ribbed pattern because I like the colorway. I generally don't go for terribly bright colors, but was pleased with the way this pattern
worked itself out. I've started on the toe, but based on how long the foot turned out on the Latvian sock, which fits me perfectly, I need to stop pretending to have tiny feet (grin).

I went to The Loop in Halifax, where I've become acquainted with one of the owners, Mimi, who knits lace very beautifully. Although I've never actually done much lace work before, I really love the look of knitted lace scarves and shawls. Mimi's enthusiasm for lace-weight yarns has proven to be quite catchy. These are two lovely balls of lace weight Misti Alpaca, which they've recently added to their inventory. I plan on making a shawl with this, and I have several design ideas in mind. Doesn't this yarn look gorgeous?

Spring is almost here (a ramble of sorts)

2006-03-16T11:11:00.000-04:00

And my renewed love for knitting is not letting up. My dreams are filled with socks and garments, awaiting serious design; I am discovering new yarns and needles to which I was previously oblivious.

I've known how to knit since about 1972 or 1973, but never before has my desire to knit and grow in my aptitute for the craft been so concentrated as it is now. Back when I was 5 or 6, my mother taught me how to knit on a pair of pencil crayons, and with the exception of a few patterns, I am self-taught for most of my other techniques. I read everything I could get my hands on and did a plethora of wild experimentation and unfinished projects. I became quite a skilled knitter, but a very disorganized one. I'm sure many long-time knitters can relate to the UFO (unfinished object) syndrome, with the tingling eagerness to start new projects, but not so tingling to finish them. Well, those were the times when "UFO" would have had my picture beside it in a knitting dictionary.

Somehow I have turned over a new leaf this year. I've set new goals. The reason? I suppose it's a growing experience. I've looked back on my life and hobbies therein, and realized that I've been blessed with the ability to knit for over 30 years, yet possess very little evidence to show for it. I've done more reading, and "knitting theory" type of self-education, interspersed with many grandiose attempts, than anything. I also used to bite off more than I could realistically chew, project-wise, even though if I had stuck to my guns, I could have indeed finished things.

This year, I've approached this beautiful craft from a new angle. I have more eagerness to finish things I start, and feel a sense of accomplishment when I can snap something with my digital camera and show my work here.

My latest knitting needle adventure is bamboo double pointed needles. These needles are winning me over, as they are lightweight and strong, and it feels so good and earthy and old-worldish to be knitting a sock with them. I still do love my Addis, but for different reasons. I suppose picking a favorite needle for me would be like trying to pick a favorite child. I just love them all.

Mosaic socks finished

2006-03-09T13:22:00.000-04:00

Here are the socks with my 8 year old daughter's feet modelling them.

"Simply Lovely" complete

2006-03-09T13:07:00.000-04:00

Here are the socks I made for my friend, finally got the ends woven in.

A new creation

2006-03-03T15:35:00.000-04:00

This sock is one I am quite proud of. It is a design I made up to teach myself both mosaic slipstitch colorwork and the garter stitch short row heel. My daughter picked out the colors she liked. Its sibling is on the way.

Simply Lovely Lace Socks

2006-02-26T21:04:00.000-04:00

This is my current project in progress. I am using the lacy version (60 stitches) of the pattern found in the current issue of Interweave Knits (spring 2006). I have worked the heel differently (a Dutch heel) and the gusset somewhat differently.

The yarn I am using is Lucy Neatby sock yarn. I jokingly call this my "I'm not worthy" yarn. It's so luxurious and gorgeous. A lovely pair of socks I am making for a friend.

This picture to my left shows the left side of the sock and the way the variegation differs slightly. You can see that the heel doesn't really "curl in" like it appears it does on the right hand picture. I was able to flatten it out better for this one.

A Blossoming Knitter

2006-02-24T07:34:00.000-04:00

This is my dear 8 year old who is practising knitting on some nice fat yarn and some nice fat circulars. She's making a blanket for her Webkinz.

2006-02-24T07:13:00.000-04:00

Here they are. My husband's feet model these socks. I had plenty of yarn left for a second pair of socks, so I am almost finished those, as well.

Finnish Socks in progress...

2006-02-19T20:38:00.000-04:00

My husband is interested in Finnish language and culture, so I found it quite fitting to start these socks from the book "Folk Socks".

This is a bit of a belated Valentine's day gift. I am just working on the gusset now and it won't be long until sock #2 is complete.

The yarn I used is Scheepjes invicta extra in cream and red. The needle is my Addi 2.5 mm circular, 40 inches long. I didn't buy the yarn with this pattern in mind. I flipped through Folk Socks after I bought it, and decided to make it.

It's a gorgeous, unisex sock, and the narrow double decrease toe fits my husband's narrow foot really well.

Kroy socks finished

2006-02-15T14:45:00.000-04:00

The socks are done. They're a tad fraternal, but they fit nicely on my daughter and she likes them.

I like self-patterning yarns somewhat, and really like how these turned out. However, I am drawn more to the Fair Isle, stranding technique to make my own designs, and am going to be doing that style with my next project, which is a pair of socks for my husband.

A sock in progress...

2006-02-09T11:29:00.000-04:00

Ever since I discovered how to knit socks a couple of years ago, they have become my favorite thing on earth to knit. Who can argue with an item that is knit in the round in one piece, requires no seams, and is ready to wear in a short time? Certainly not me. Hopefully the art of handknitting socks will be one that will be enjoyed through many generations.

This is the beginning of a sock done with Paton's Kroy yarn that simulates a faux-Jacquard pattern. I'll be giving this one to my oldest daughter.

I'm knitting it on a circular needle because I had no double-pointed needles in the preferred size. This needle is a bit shorter than the recommended length for the Magic Loop Technique, therefore making it a bit of a tight squeeze. But it is working for me.

Here it is a couple days later, just doing the foot length now, until I get to the toe.

Hat and Scarf

2006-02-09T11:04:00.000-04:00

Last week during a Nova Scotia blizzard I made this scarf and hat for my daughter (who is modeling this).

I used Bernat Denim Style for this, and 5mm needles. The pattern is on the label of the skeins. I changed the hat pattern so I could work it seamlessly on circulars (Can you tell I dislike seams?). It was my first attempt at a hat, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There will indeed be more hats in the family next winter!