Here's Dale of Norway's Kashmir in Tiur. The first photo is pretty true colorwise. You can see the striping which isn't obvious in the pattern photo but is quite obvious in person. I am not sure what I'll do at this point although I figure I'll go ahead and finish the first sleeve before I decide. So what would the rest of you do in this situation? Just keep knitting?



I've been corresponding via email with Wanda who did Kashmir in an unusual colorway of blue and green and yellow. She saw it on a Dale ready wear sweater and Bea Ellis got her some of the discontinued green color. She sent me a photo of her sleeve and the colors are just beautiful. I'll see if I can get her permission to post it here on the blog. She also was surprised by the striping and also wasn't sure she liked it at first but she's close to finishing it now.



Unfortunately it looks like we won't be able to make it to Taos Wool Festival this weekend. sigh We took Snickerdoodle the rabbit to the veterinarian today and the vet said I need to give him his meds hourly for a while. I'll wait and decide for sure after he sees the vet again Thursday morning. I was hoping to take photos for the blog but mainly planned to buy books which I can buy anywhere. Maybe I'll take photos of the Balloon Fiesta instead. My sweet brown bunny is definitely enjoying all the extra attention and treats.

Stash Photos

THE STASH






These hold my yarn stash (other than yarn used in works in progress). I have a container of worsted weight yarns (Nature Spun, Cascade 220, Classic Elite Tapestry), one of DK weight yarns (Dale Heilo, Country Garden DK), one of fingering weight yarns (Stahl Baby Merino, Pingouin Laine , Nature Spun, Wildfoote, one container of sport weight yarn (mainly Nature Spun), one container just for a ton of Nylamb (long-gone fingering weight sock yarn) I purchased on Ebay, one container with odds and ends for future Spontaneous Scarves and one finally one with non-wool yarns.





And here are my two containers of fleece and fibers for spinning.

Not much to report today. Still knitting on the Dale baby cardigan. I'll have a photo of Kashmir tomorrow so you can judge for yourself whether or not it resembles the pattern photo. Snickerdoodle my bunny is sick so I'm giving him lots of TLC before he's off to the vet tomorrow am.

Here are the sleeves of the Dale baby sweater before blocking. The photo accurately shows the colors I chose in Norwegian Sport wool although I probably shouldn't have used my salmon colored yoga mat as the background. I hadn't yet managed to duplicate stitch the the top sleeve.







I feel like I haven't finished anything in 100 years. At least this cone hat from Anna Zilboorg's book in Cascade 220 is finished. Strangely enough it looks really good on DH although I was thinking of giving it away. I did the little knitted ball on top in lieu of the pompom. Anna really excels in providing fun new techniques - I liked the interesting slip stitch garter border I used.







Time to go clip Snickerdoodle's claws. He thinks if he hides under his stuffed bunny I won't be able to find him.

Here's a photo of the cuff on my Sanquhar glove and the three patterns I have. I think Michelle was searching for the Sanquhar pattern from an old issue of Cast On - here what it looks like. I'd estimate it was in Cast On as a winner in their design competition sometime between 1989 and 1994 if that helps you find it.



There's always a week or so lag between my photos and my actual knitting progress. I finished the Sanquhar glove today. The little gussets between the fingers (there are three) do help the fingers move a bit better. The Shirl the Purl pattern says Sanquhar gloves should fit loosely and this one does.



Lots of interesting things going on in blogland. Mare's shadow knit cousin hats are multiplying at a rapid rate. Jan is designing her own gansey with a cat on it - quite nifty. Sarah has started a beautiful colorwork cardigan called Snowfall that I want for myself. Roberta has a Fair Isle hat on her blog in some great colors and if you scroll down you can see a photo of a beautiful naturally-colored cardigan she designed herself.



Mary has some beautiful photos of her intarsia Lighthouse socks - I am definitely going to make a pair for myself. Kathy is making a terrific Colinette throw in all white yarns. I really love designs where you use many variations of the same color yarn. And Katherine, who must be related to me somehow, has an excellent post on startitis. I agree with everything she says.



Finally, Louise has bravely shown photos of her gorgeous stash on her blog. I will do the same on Monday although mine is much more boring.

MY BIG FAT KNITTING ADVENTURE



Okay so tonight I'm sitting on the couch minding my own business knitting my Sanquhar glove. DH is in the kitchen being a good spouse and washing the dinner dishes. I feel something drop on my arm. I look down and it is a squirming 5 inch long centipede. Sanquhar goes flying, size 00 dpns go flying, centipede goes flying, cats freak out, and I start screaming bloody murder. DH comes in from the kitchen to see what is going on with dish towel in hand. I'm practically apoplectic. DH thinks the whole thing is hilarious. The centipede vanishes into thin air and I have to go lie down in a dark room for a few minutes to lower my heart rate. Ewwwwwww.



A few minutes later I do a web search on centipedes because my arm is bleeding a bit. Fortunately on closer inspection my arm is scratched, not bitten, so I guess centipedes have some sharp body parts. Ewwwwwwwww. DH says he knew it was another centipede when he heard me shrieking. Yes I've seen them before and gently sweep them outdoors but this is the first time one was actually on me. Ewwwwww.



Who was it that said knitting was relaxing?



Here's the yarn I purchased on sale to make Na Craga. It is Nature Spun worsted in Meadow Green and it changes colors depending on time of day.

I actually don't knit that many sweaters. I prefer knitting accessories. It's not just the almost instant gratification. There are only so many sweaters I really need and I am sad to think I've only managed to wear Ringblomst once since I finished it several years ago.







Here is my awful photo of the gorgeous stitch markers Stasia made for me. They have blue beads and little rabbit charms. Two of them are already in use on a work in progress. Thanks again Stasia for such a thoughtful gift!







Snickerdoodle thinks Stasia is terrific also.



I've started my fourth knitting project in a week. (Can anyone say extreme startitis?) It was time to finally start the Sanquhar gloves I've been thinking about doing for so long. I'm mainly using the online pattern HERE but have already made quite a few changes. I'm using laceweight Jamieson & Smith in black and white (I think the traditional colors look the best) and size 0 needles. At first I was worried because the J&S yarn breaks quite easily. But it has worked out for the best because it is keeping me from hurting my hands (I'm a tight knitter) with the small needles and thin yarn.



I was too lazy to do a cuff of K2P2 corrugated ribbing on size 0 needles so I'm using the Cast On Sanquhar pattern for a more decorative cuff. I'm to the point of adding my initials on the top of the first cuff and I really like the way these are turning out. I will need to purchase more yarn - maybe four more skeins because I can tell already there is no way one skein of each color is going to work.

Here are the colors of Norwegian sport wool I'm using for the Dale baby cardigan with the bunnies, carrots, ducks, and garden tools. I'm done with both sleeves and am waiting for needles to finish the body. I'm planning on doing the steeks differently this time - wrapping the yarn around the needles several times at the steek areas and then knotting the yarns together. I figure this will hold up through any kind of treatment.



I heard that at the end of Sally Melville's new book she lists 10 things about knitting she wished she learned earlier. Here's my list - I hope other bloggers compose a list also.



10 THINGS I WISH I LEARNED EARLIER ABOUT KNITTING



1. How you finish an item matters as much or more than all the rest of the knitting put together. Do not get so excited about finishing a project that you rush the seams and yarn ends and do a bad job.



2. Never be afraid of any new knitting technique - jumping out of an airplane is scary, kitchener stitch is not.



3. Don't get caught up into knitting on demand for others. You won't be happy if someone wants you to devote all your knitting time to knitting plain socks for their sock drawer.



4. If you ever see an Alice Starmore book you don't have for a good price, buy it immediately!



5. Knitting done very late at night always means a lower-quality product. Save the fancy stuff for during the day when you can see better and you're well-rested.



6. Do everything you can to make reading charts easier - enlarge them, get an Ott-Lite, buy a music stand, get a magnifier, etc. There is no knitting design worth destroying your eyes over even if you start to feel like an old lady with all the remedial gadgets.



7. Almost everything in knitting can be redone so you never have to worry about screwing something up and wasting a nice yarn (except for mohair).



8. If you get the impression while you're knitting something that is is going to be too short, too big, too tight, bad color combo, etc., rip it out immediately rather than wait. Trust your instincts - they're almost always right.



9. Don't get hung up by what people say about your knitting. It is something you do for yourself, a way to express yourself, that not everyone understands or cares about. So what?



10. If a project is bugging you, take a break or abandon it. It is wrong to force yourself to knit something you aren't enjoying. You should ALWAYS enjoy the process of knitting.

I've been noticing some fun projects other bloggers are working on lately. First of all, check out Mare's Cousin Hats. She says they are done in shadow knitting which is why you get certain sections of colors peeking out at you like that. Very cool and she kindly told me the pattern was HERE. I definitely have to make one as I love learning new techniques.



Krysta has also made a nice hat called the Ireland Mists hat from Flor's web site. Check out the great colors Flor is using for her Starmore Oregons sweater.



Larry has made the cutest Noah's Ark Christmas stocking (Larry let me know it was a Baabajoes pattern and I found the pattern and/or kit for sale HERE ) and Joanne is making a gorgeous Poetry in Stitches sweater. Lately I'm really into orange and Joanne's sweater in progress is quite striking.



I think Kashmir and I have made up. I knit about half a sleeve (one entire pattern repeat) and blocked it on the needles to see if the Tiur got even more fuzzy. It didn't. I can't say the yarn colors or texture look at all like the pattern photo but I think it will be a good-looking sweater in its own right. I have no idea if I'll ever wear it though.



I have also almost finished a cone hat from Anna Zilboorg's hat book in various bright colors of Cascade 220. And the baby bootees book arrived so I think I'll knock a pair off while I'm waiting for the needles to arrive to finish the Dale baby cardigan.



Here is a cabled mohair mitten done in Frivoli by Jeanette from the small VK mittens & gloves book.

I won the first door prize contest in the KBTH Virtual Conference now being held. My prize is a neat kit to make the Bearly Knits teddy bear sweater kindly donated by Caroline Laudig. I can't wait to make the sweater, find a bear it fits, and donate it to DH's place of work. DH works is Clinical Director of an agency that does outpatient counseling and treatment foster care for kids. There is a play room with toys for the kids and the Bearly Knit sweater and bear will be quite welcome there.



Here is the list of 10 favorite non-Starmore knitting books I used for the contest.



1. Elsebeth Lavold's Viking Patterns for Knitting - This book is essential for anyone interested in texture work. The designs are the author's interpretation of Viking artifacts such as rune stones and swords.

2. Janet Szabo's The "I Hate to Finish Sweaters" Guide to Finishing Sweaters - I'm particularly impressed that the author teaches you how to read a knitting pattern and adapt it for the best finishing methods BEFORE you start knitting.

3. XRX Books - Socks, Socks, Socks - I haven't found another sock knitting book with this variety. There are so many sock patterns

fascinating for advanced knitters in here from the all three-colors-per-row Best of Show socks to Debbie New's garter swirl socks. Where else can you find patterns for free form socks or socks made of licorice?

4. Kaffe Fassett's Glorious Knits - Fassett really revolutionized the knitting world with his colorful intarsia sweaters. This book is full of eye candy for those who enjoy working with colors.

5. Intarsia: A Workshop for Hand & Machine Knitting by Sherry and Keely Stuever - There is no other book that details explicitly how to do intarsia well. It includes pattern for a sampler to learn the techniques along with some excellent information on doing duplicate stitch properly.

6. Priscilla Gibson-Roberts' Ethnic Socks and Stockings: A Compendium of Eastern Design & Technique - The first book I've seen that even discusses knitting intarsia in the round along with an excellent chapter on the historical roots of knitting and some gorgeous folk socks.

7. Vibeke Lind's Knitting in the Nordic Tradition - On the back of this book there is a quote from Elizabeth Zimmermann that I agree with 100% - "One is strongly tempted to call this all-embracing book the ultimate in historic Northern knitting." The book includes patterns for all types of garment along with hundreds of photographs.

8. Anna Zilboorg's Magnificent Mittens - Even if you have no need for gauntlet-style mittens knit fingertips down, this book has a wealth of charted designs. Zilboorg is hugely talented at using colors and she

often shows alternate colors for the patterns.

9. Linda Ligon, editor - Homespun Handknit - This is a book every new knitter should have as it has a wealth of excellent patterns

for knitted accessories.

10. Nancy Bush's Folk Knitting in Estonia: A Garland of Symbolism,

Tradition and Technique - This book includes patterns for traditional

folk knitted designs. The Events in Life chapter is fascinating reading and her techniques section is worth the price of the book alone. Color photographs show original historical garments that inspired the patterns for gloves, mittens and socks.







I finished both sleeves on the Dale baby sweater and needed to order a needle to do the body. So I started the Dale Kashmir sweater in the Tiur yarn shown above. I'm reserving judgment on whether or not I like it until I finish an entire repeat of the chart. I did have to go down a needle size to get gauge.

Dale of Norway Whiteface Mountain Sweater

64! I have 64 knitting books. I only counted books with bindings that had titles you could read when they were stacked in a bookshelf so that leaves out pattern books like Ron Schweitzer's Appalachian Portraits and self-published spiral books. Of the 64 books, 8 are Starmore books (my precious babies!), 19 are technique books, and 8 are sock knitting books. I rarely even knit socks anymore.

I have one more book on the way (the Zoe Mellor baby bootee book, bought after those kindly folks at the Crafter's Choice book club told me they'd charge me for a book anyway if I didn't order one immediately) and several more I need to buy for Level III. It is a disaster in the crafts room.

Poor Larry managed to stab himself with a knitting needle - there was even blood involved! I live in fear of sitting on a tiny metal dpn. I can only imagine that trip to the emergency room.

Here's Jeanette's chef d'oeuvre (i.e., masterpiece - I only used that term to impress Louise in France) which was her first colorwork knitting. She knit it when she was 15 years old. The sweater is Dale of Norway's Whiteface Mountain sweater knit in Heilo yarn.

I started the Dale baby sweater from book 124 - the cute many-colored cardigan with the bunnies and ducks and carrots and garden tools. I'm using Norwegian sport wool bought at Elann which is actually giving me a gauge slightly lower than the recommended Baby Ull (a fingering weight yarn). It does seem like a rather thin sport weight yarn. Like most of the Norwegian yarns I've used, I get the sense this one will never pill. It is superwash but doesn't feel like plastic.



I had to change colors slightly from the original colors used but I figure it will all come together in some sort of harmonious whole. The pattern uses 16 colors so I am working on keeping up with the ends during the process rather than taking a day or two after I finish it to do this task. I'm almost done with the first sleeve and there are a few three color rows.



I brought the spouse into my yarn room last night and showed him all my yarn. I asked him if he agreed with me that my yarn stash was huge. Surprisingly he said no, it wasn't that huge. Of course he says exactly the same thing when I ask him how my posterior looks in my new jeans. So I guess I can go spend money at Taos now without the slightest amount of guilt.



Blogger won't let me upload photos now so I'll try to get photos of Jeanette's Dale sweater tomorrow.

I'm working a bit on the blog today. I added an email link under my tag-board per request and also added comments to discuss issues at length. I tried to add a feature where a Milky Way bar would pop out of your computer every time you accessed this blog but alas I couldn't get that particular HTML code to work.

Fringed Latvian Mittens

Here are Jeanette's fringed Latvian mittens from the book of the same name by Lizbeth Upitis. Aren't they absolutely gorgeous? I got her the kit for Christmas from Schoolhouse Press - unfortunately they don't offer the kits anymore on their web site. The yarn is Satakieli from Finland and it was really nice stuff. The kit came with a really large photo and great instructions so Jeanette didn't even need the actual book.

Organizing my stash the other day made me remember I have two future Sanquhar glove projects planned. I came down with a serious case of glove envy when I saw Krysta's beautiful Merike's gloves from my favorite book, Folk Knitting in Estonia. She did them in Koigu (which Theresa the yarn enabler has told me is totally addicting to work with). They would also be gorgeous in a cashmere blend, wouldn't they?

Also, check out Stasia's gorgeous Bea Ellis moose hat and also the fun fair isle Starmore mittens she photographed at a wool festival.

I'm starting to get excited about the Taos Wool Festival. It is Oct. 4 and 5 this year in Kit Carson park in downtown Taos (you can't miss the park). I highly recommend it and will be taking plenty of photos for the blog. We also plan to return via the "high road" to Taos which means Chimayo and the miraculous sanctuary there. Chimayo is also home to some great weavers so I'll take plenty of film. I think the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is usually the same weekend so perhaps I'll get some balloon photos as well. I know for sure I'm going to buy some more whiter-than-white Cormo yarn from Elsa Sheep & Wool and Sweaters from Camp and the new Elsebeth Lavold book if I can find it.

I fully blame Theresa for my latest yarn purchase. Yes, I did manage to buy yarn only 2 days after complaining I have too much. (Remember the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results.) Anyway check out Theresa's beautiful Koigu cross-stitch scarf which motivated me to order the kit. It was designed by QueerJoe and is sold HERE.



Some other neat projects I've noticed from other bloggers - check out Flor's beautiful fair isle vest HERE and Lou's cute Debbie Bliss kid sweaters HERE.



I took a roll of photos of knitting progress and FOs yesterday so they'll be available in about a week. I can't wait any longer to show you the beautiful Norwegian socks Jeanette made for me so I've pilfered her photos. (Jeanette is a 16 year old knitter. I taught her to knit 3 years ago and after her first obligatory garter stitch scarf she made a pair of socks, then a VK mohair twin set and I think her 3rd project was Dale of Norway's Whiteface Mountain sweater. There's no holding her back!)



These are the Nancy Bush Norwegian Stockings done in Nature Spun worsted weight. They fit great and I can't wait until it gets cold enough here to wear them.

UPDATE - I think I'll continue blogging Monday through Friday after all. I have decided to discontinue my cooking blog and I will send off my last batch of rabbit charity knitting. That will help me have more time to focus on fiber and this blog.

Here's the Jackie Schweitzer rabbit hopping away. It is done from a simple square and the pattern is online HERE.



I organized the stash today. This is always a depressing experience and I probably shouldn't have done it so near to Taos Wool Festival. After seeing all my yarn I am now thinking I shouldn't buy any at Taos. I also found that I have yarn odds and ends for several more Spontaneous Scarves. I plan to start them as soon as I'm done with this current shipment of rabbit-related knitted stuff. I have a few folks who might like Spontaneous Scarves for Christmas and it is nice mindless knitting.



Since January I have tried to update my blog every Monday-Friday but I am going to start doing it Monday, Wednesday, and Friday instead (3 times a week instead of 5). This way I'll get to have better knitting content and more knitting photos. I'll be back on Wednesday.

For some reason I'm still on the Knit U list and have been reading about many Knit U member's fear of knitting charts. It almost seems fashionable to say "I can't do charts" but by saying that you're pretty much giving up fair isle and intarsia which is a shame. I wonder if there is a way charts can be made so they're less fear-inducing. I've certainly seen some charts that looked as if they were done by hyperactive monkeys so perhaps knitting publishers could do a better job of printing their charts out?



There are all sorts of little additions I like in charts - for instance, I like charts that number each row. Also, it seems to me that if the chart was for a pattern done flat the publisher could put a little symbol, perhaps an arrow, on the wrong side rows to alert knitters to do that row the opposite direction. Universal symbols for charts would be a good thing and I like charts that are printed out well and are large and legible. I've done colorwork from charts that were done in black and white instead - now that is just silly.



I wrote here previously about the Aran knitting class with Alice Starmore. At the time I was a beginning knitter but she immediately went about showing us all how to follow a chart, essential for doing any of her patterns. After my initial learning curve, I felt it was a much more intuitive way of knitting.



My exciting news is that I have finally finished a knitting project. I don't know if this means my knitting slump is over but I'm just happy to have accomplished anything in the knitting department. I made some fun bunny slippers out of size 8 dpns and Nature Spun worsted. I used the same ear pattern and embroidery as I did in the bunny mittens. Snickerdoodle doesn't really care about my knitting for the House Rabbit Society - he just wishes he could open the container of raisins.

More Santa Fe shopping photos...





















Today I received the current issue of Dawn Brocco's Heels & Toes Gazette. I rarely make socks anymore but I really enjoy the technique info in the article. There's a neat solution to baggy ankles on socks in this issue and some socks in a modular design. You can find out more about this newsletter at http://www.dawnbrocco.com .

Here's the link to the patterns and yarn from the new Elsebeth Lavold book at the new Yarn Barn web site. I am definitely going to make the Gram hat and mittens with Silky Wool.



I was at the Santa Fe Opera House this weekend to see the Prairie Home Companion Rhubarb Tour and was kicking myself for not having a camera. It really is a wonderful building surrounded by more wonderful scenery. I have about a week's worth of photos left and promise to take another roll of film in a month or two so you can all see more of Santa Fe. Here is the Sanctuario de Guadalupe which was also built by Archbishop Lamy.