Christmas is less than 6 months away

On June 25th the "task" alarm rang on my BlackBerry. The little window read, "Make Christmas Crafting List." I was in the throes of the last "regular" week of my teaching schedule, but spent a few days trying to be realistic, yet thoughtful; economical, yet not cheap; reasonable, yet not slothful. So, I came up with a list of the gifts I plan to knit, crochet and sew as Christmas presents. For the most part I will make the gifts I give. I did pick up some small books on clearance for particular people, who I hope will enjoy them.

I have a prototype of something I have not previously made, almost finished. I have a little swatching to do and then I can begin. The projects I have planned are interesting but not extremely complex. If I hold to a schedule and don't get "lost" over the summer, I think I will actually get to enjoy the autumn and winter, rather than stressing over not-yet-completed work.

projects in progress

A couple of the projects I have knitted for gifts have already been given and several more await on my needles.

My in progress stuff is:

• a Wedge scarf in self-striping yarn
• a masculine scarf (I have only cast on) to match a cap that is completed

What I have not begun but need to make and finish:

• fingerless gloves -at least 1 pr - I'm hoping 2
  
• spa sets (face cloth & head band) - I'm hoping 2 or 3

I'll get photos up some time after Christmas, I hope.

knitting daily tv!

This is just a quickie post about Knitting Daily's new TV series which will air on public television networks nation-wide. Read all about it. I expect it will be more interesting to me than Knit & Crochet Today's show - which I watch when I can. (Not lately.)

By far, my favorite knitting tv show was way back in the 80's or maybe early 90's, with EZ. It was called Knitting Workshop and the DVD's are available all over the Internet. I learned how to knit in the round on multiple needles and on a circular one. That may be where I learned to knit backwards - if not, I learned from one of EZ's books. That show was the informal instruction in knitting that is the basis of my understanding of knitting to this day.

I hope new knitters will be offered more than a parade of interesting yarns, but real instruction in knitting and finishing techniques.

ok, i'm convinced!

I have finally surrendered. I give up. I have seen the light. Oh, the folly of my ways!

Now, I have embraced the eternal admonition to block one's knitting. I have not consistently resisted swatching. That, I do. And when I forget to swatch, the sting of having to frog what I have done - because it never just works out ok when I don't. But blocking??? I am ashamed to say that with all the socks, sweaters, hats, scarves, gloves and wristers I have knitted, I have never blocked a blessed thing. Somehow, they have been wearable and have survived washing and wearing time after time.

The final nail in the coffin came last night. Kelley Petkin of Knit Picks Podcast (to whom I listen every week) convinced me. I like Kelley and I listen to her so regularly that she is just a whisker away from being an honorary Material Girl DKnJ.

Last week, Kelli went on and on about blockink and even wetting ones' swatch. Her justification -- read "logic," was so sound, I can no longer overlook such an important step in the process of successful knitting.

But where shall I block my knitting? I'm moving into a wee small place. Knitter's (sic) to the rescue! (I think the ' should be after the s but it isn't on the cover of the magazine.) I came across an ad for something called Knitter's Block, which is a modular blocking surface. Parts fit together like a puzzle. The versatility is great. The blocking modules can be connected in a row to block a scarf or a couple socks or wristers. They can also be connected in an equal length and width for a sweater. I'm ordering it as soon as possible. (It's out of stock right now.)

saturday: wwkip!!

Saturday is Worldwide Knit in Public Day. Yarn shops and knitting groups all over the world will be knitting in public to enjoy each others' company and to be seen. Knitting and crochet are yarn crafts that are not only a genre of fiber art but are also seriously social practices during this current resurgence of these media. I think it's good -- not that anyone really cares what I think. I know that part of my enjoyment of machine sewing and quilting is the sharing part with my Material Girls DKnJ and I'm sure yarn crafts are likewise. I haven't had the time to join a knitting group but there are tons of virtual knitting groups doing "knit alongs" (KALs) or who don't knit the same thing, but communicate online with great regularity.

My LYS will be having a WWKIP get together in the park across the street from the Ho-Ho-Kus NJ Post Office. I won't be attending because I need to pack etc. However, I will likely be going to Barnes & Noble with Bern for a couple hours Saturday night. If I do, I'll take knitting and knit in the cafe -- so I will have participated in the WWKIP. :-)

toe up progress is regress

I've been trying, unsuccessfully, until last night, to get a little knitting done at night, for its therapeutic calming effect and to be creating something. For the last week or 2, every time I sat down with my knitting, my eyes closed and I just couldn't do it. Last night I actually allocated time to knit. Well, in this case, it was to come to the realization that I needed to re-start my socks.

I know you're thinking I was just so overwrought with the day's happenings plus moving that I just lost my cool. That's not why I ripped them out. I have been making notes for myself as I have knit this first-time-ever toe up pattern (which I like a lot.) As I have been knitting and trying the socks on, a consistent concern has been that they are more loosely fitting than will fit properly into shoes -- even Birkenstock clogs, which are loose shoes. At first I thougth I'd just wear them around the house because they aren't the highest quality yarn nor the most expensive. I had to rip back a little way the last time I knit them. I have been thinking that although they are a great learning pair, don't I want to actually wear them as socks? Of course I do. Then, I recalled that the easiest way to tighten up a knitted garment/project is to decrease the size of the needles. So, I thought I'd rip back to just where the garter toe was done and change needle size there, so the foot and led fit better. As I thought about it, I concluded that the change in gauge wasn't going to be sufficiently smooth so I went all the way and unraveled them entirely.

My problem for those socks, was that I was impatient in my swatching, so I only swatched a small piece instead of 4". I already know that a swatch on straight needles is not usually the same on circs, so I did swatch on circs. I just didn't knit long enough to give myself an accurate measure of my gauge.

So, I'm happily, mindlessly, wisely knitting a tubular swatch that will give me truer gauge and therefore, socks that will fit with shoes. I'm still using the now discontinued, Lion Brand, Magic Stripes yarn in a blue, white, black and brown pattern striping colorway.

I think I understand the pattern well, too, which is going to make this 2nd try more rewarding and not too challenging. That's fine. I have all the challenges I need right now, thank you.

new maizy yarn from yarn diva

It's been a while. Packing has put a dent in all my activities except work. I just wanted to post a photo of this very cute sock yarn I bought in Hillsdale, at Yarn Diva. The shop is tiny but the owner is very nice. The location is 430 Hillsdale Ave, Hillsdale, NJ 07642 (201) 664-4100. A web site is under construction.

There were a few knitters there when I went in to kill some time. A student nearby had to cancel a lesson at the last minute. (Wonderful) I decided that I would shop, since I foolishly went out without knitting or a book to read. I could have listened to something on my BlackBerry, but I was in the mood for something more pro-active than that.

I ogled all the yarn. First I was going to impulsively buy some fine lace weight yarn to make a shawl that would come in very handy in air conditioned venues all through the summer. But I snapped out of that line of reasoning when I realized I thought of it because I had been listening to so many podcasts and reading so many web sites and blogs that were talking about shawls.

Then I decided that more sock yarn - not that I needed any - was a better idea. I like knitting socks. I could also use it for gloves or mittens or fingerless gloves. I justify buying sock yarn, when I already have a stash, by never purchasing the same brand until I have knit it up and decide if I really like it or not. So, among the brands in the shop that I did not already have, I found a Crystal Palace yarn called Maizy. You Latin and Spanish speakers know that maiz is corn. This yarn has a nice texture and hand AND is 82% corn fiber. I assume it's corn silk or husk but I don't know. The colors didn't really send me but the colors I chose, though conservative, are pretty. The creamy looking one is called corn and the multi is called brick bark.

It feels like the socks will be very comfortable. This is thinner than usual sock yarn, more appropriate for warmer weather. If I finish my first toe-ups soon, I'll try Maizy so I can wear these socks in the summer or early fall.

As for the progress of the socks currently on my needles, I have ripped out some rounds on 1 sock. I was quite impeded with the eye problems I have had for the past several weeks. I'm hoping to get back to them tonight for at least an hour or so. I miss not knitting nor sewing for these past weeks since we learned that we are likely moving.