How The West Was Spun

WIP Wednesday - 07/09/2008

Some new stuff to list, since I cranked through several projects over my vacation long weekend.

Project #1:  Eleanora Socks

Making progress on these as well.  Not only did I get the leg knit and the heel turned, I started down the foot on sock #1. I would like to get the foot of these mostly finished up so my mum can try this on when she is here this coming weekend, and make sure they fit and I have the right length before starting the toe decreases.

Goal:  Work on the foot.

Project #2:  CeCe Cardigan

Here's a new addition - the CeCe Cardigan from Chic Knits.  I dipped into the stash for some Rowan's All Season Cotton in a very pale mauve color for this one.  I've gotten just under 7 inches knit of the body so far. (Can you see the lovely iridescent moonstone stitch markers Bea sent me?  Love em!)

Goal:  Finish knitting the body to the point where the V-neck decreases begin.

I haven't picked a project #3 yet, although I think it might be another pair of socks.  Or, I may throw the about half-way finished scarf I'm working on into the mix, just to see if that will motivate me to finish it.  I'll keep y'all posted.

All for now.....

FO: Purple Mountain Socks

Last FO for a bit, I think, although Bhen had a bit of an accident in the trailer this weekend and while he is fine, he does have some cuts on his foot that will need some time off to heal correctly, so perhaps I'll get a few more things done before my folks arrive on Friday.  No telling.

This FO was a loonnnggg time coming.  I can't even remember when I purchased the kit, although it must have been at some point when we lived in New England, because I know I bought the kit from Halcyon Yarns.  I got through the painful intarsia of the first sock, decided I would never wear these, even in frigid northern Vermont, and put the whole thing away in the steamer trunk until now.  (Estimated time of marination 4+ years!).

They are, however, done now, and will be another donation addition to my Akkol orphanage box.  Anyone who has cold feet in these is beyond help.  They are thick and warm and with the mohair content in the yarn will likely last until far past the end of the world as we know it.

Project Specs:

• Pattern:  Purple Mountain Socks by Lynne and Douglas Barr (website and pattern can be found here).  The leg/cuff is knit in intarsia, back and forth on straight needles.  This is then joined into a tube and knit down through the heel and foot on circular or DPN needles.
• Yarn:  Peace Fleece in 5 colors (white, gray, sky blue, lavender and purple).
• Needles:  Size 4 (3 mm) straight and DPNs.
• Notes:  No modifications.  However, I am apparently still burned out on intarsia.  I gritted my teeth the entire time I was darning in the bazillion and one ends.  There is just no easy way to do this.  I don't like the fit of the calf section.  It's not very fitted and I think if I were to knit these again (yah - when hell freezes over), I'd go down at least 1 if not 2 needle sizes for the ribbing and the leg.  I have also come to the conclusion that I am not not someone who enjoys socks knit with anything heavier than perhaps DK.  Even tho these knit up quickly for the foot, it's just too hard on my hands and I hate struggling with the stitches.
• However, the good news is - INSANELY WARM!  Perfect for freezing cold temperatures on teenage feet, so these socks are off to the Akkol orphanage as well.

All for now....

FO: Cobblestone Sweater

Here it is finally!

Project Specs:

• Pattern:  Cobblestone Sweater by Jared Flood, Interweave Knitts magazine, Fall 2007.
• Yarn:  Beaverslide Dry Goods merino, fisherman weight in "Marsh Sedge", a deep pine green with flecks of black and mustard and pale jade.  I can't say enough nice things about this yarn.  It's a bit rough while knitting it up, but it softens and relaxes nicely during wet blocking.  It is nice and wooly, and not overprocessed.  The colors are rich and warm.  I'm definitely planning on using this again for another sweater for me.
• Needles: Size 7 US (4.5 mm) straight
• Modifications:  I added another decrease round at the neck since D wanted the neckline higher.  I also cast on 48 stitches for the sleeves, and then added increase rounds to get back to the original cast on number (which I think was 54).  I also only did 6 rows of garter stitch to decrease the bulk of the garter cuffs.  D didn't want cuffs that would "flop in his soup."
• Notes:  This is a great pattern.  The use of the short rows to raise the back neckline and have the sweater fit better is brilliant.  There's a bit of a slog getting through the garter stitch at the yoke, but honestly, it wasn't that bad (particularly for a men's sweater!).  Enough detail to make the knit more interesting than plain stockinette, but not so fussy it might scare off male wearers.

Detail of the yoke/side section

Detail of the sleeve cuff

All for now.....

FO: Lace and Cables Cap

I am on an FO roll.  This is what happens when I have nothing but knitting planned and its hot outside.  Of course, this still is not the FO you thought you'd see, and I haven't gotten pictures of that yet.  D is out of town all next week, so while I hate to admit it, I think y'all are going to have to live with non-modeled shots.  Believe it or not, I have yet another FO (other than FO you thought you'd see) to show you, but it's currently drying/blocking right now.

Anyway.  (Ramble much?)

Project Specs:

• Pattern:  Lace and Cables cap which can be found here or, if you are on Ravelry, here (where it is listed as Lacy Cable Cap).  This is a free pattern by Jennifer Hoel and works up very quickly.  I don't think I'd recommend it for total newbies.  Knowing how to successfully knit in the round, AND some basic lace knitting skills are needed to get this one to come out correctly.  Advanced beginner or so.
• Yarn:  One skein (with about 3 yards leftover) of Elann's Baby Cashmere (60% baby alpaca, 30% merino, 10% cashmere) in a purpley/blue periwinkle colorway. The pattern calls for 150 to 200 yards, but I got this out of just 109 yards with a couple to spare.
• Needles:  Size 3 US DPNs.
• Modifications/Notes:  No mods to this.  It was a very quick knit for me and quite cute.  I love the decrease details on the crown.  Very nice and soft yarn, which has a slight halo, but not angora-y.  I'd knit this one up again, either as a gift or for myself.  I think with the cable details it is best served up in a mostly plain (i.e. not handpainted/variegated) yarn.

I've got this wrapped up nicely with a card to go off to our friend tomorrow and hope it will give her some much-needed whup-arse for her lymphoma.

I hope everyone here in the States enjoyed the 4th (and if not, wherever you are, you had a nice summer weekend).  Digger wanted to remind everyone to watch out for sunburns and be sure to wear your hat outside.

All for now......

FO - Rainbow Rib Scarf

I know - not the FO you thought you were going to see, but honestly......I checked the temperature a minute ago and it's reading 96 degrees Fahrenheit with the little arrow pointing up (indicating the temperature is going up) and I do not have the heart to make D put that heavy wool sweater on for photos. 

So content yourselves today with a small FO you probably didn't even know was on the needles.

Project Specs:

• Pattern:  Rainbow Rib Scarf from Louisa Harding's Hats, Gloves, Scarves book.  Did a need a pattern for this?  Well, no... not really, but this book has a bunch of really great charity knitting or gift knitting projects that are quick to work up and oftentimes great stash busters. Sometimes you need something extra-mindless; this certainly fit the bill. This pattern as written is for a HUGE scarf (9 x 79 inches).  It's a very simple pattern 5x5 rib with 2 edging stitches in chunky yarn.
• Yarn:  Rowan Plaid.  The original pattern called for 3 skeins of this (just over 300 yards), but I only had 2, so that's what I used.  Still came out plenty large (10 x 68 lightly blocked).  The marl is made of 3 plys - gray, turquoise blue and a very very pale gray. 
• Needles:  US 10-1/2 straight.
• Modifications:  None, except that I only used 2/3rds of the amount of yarn called for.

Overall, I thought this project came out perfectly for its intended purpose - the Akkol orphanage box.  They wanted very large (wide) scarves so the youngsters can wrap the scarf up over their face and ears.  There's plenty of fabric here to do just that.  The fiber is very warm (wool/alpaca blend with a bit of nylon), AND it's 2 more skeins out of my stash that would have been living there for a long while.

Today, we are taking it easy because of the heat.  D and I ran some errands early this morning, and Emma and I have been sitting together knitting since lunchtime.  Even the horse boys are all kicked back, standing in the shade of the barn, dozing in the heat.  Sounds like a good plan for tomorrow too.

All for now....

WIP Wednesday - 07/02/08

With a subtitle of "Mice and Men".

Project #1:  Cobblestone Pullover

This is finished except for a wee bit of finishing detail left, and I have not subjected D to a photo shoot in the almost-100-degree weather we've been having. Emma, however, has performed a full inspection of the FO....

and pronounced it extremely nap-able. 

Hopefully real FO pics to follow by the end of the weekend.

New Project #1: Lace and Cables Cap

A friend of ours is undergoing second-round chemotherapy for lymphoma.  I didn't want anything too warm for the summertime, but it is still chilly, no matter how warm it is outside, when they are dumping a lot of nasty chemicals through your system, so I decided on a cute little (Free!) Ravelry hat find.  It's a little lace cap with cabled sections and a very cool set of decreases across the crown.  I'm working this up in a periwinkle blue/purple fingering-weight baby cashmere.

Goal:  Finish "body" of hat.

Project #2: Eleanora Socks

I didn't quite get the leg finished, but close - 8 out of the 12 repeats.

Goal:  Finish leg and work heel.

Project #3:  Mountain Socks

I finished the intarsia part of these puppies, and joined into the round, and just started working the heel flap.  The rest of the knitting is pretty straightforward.  (Although I am not looking forward to darning in the vomitous explosion of ends produced on the leg, let me tell ya.)

Goal:  Knit the heel flap and work gusset decreases.

And now for the Mice and Men reference.  As in great plans usually go awry.  D and I are actually not going away this weekend.  (We woulda left already if we had been.)  Thursday I came down with a really awful viral bug that I think he picked up at the seminar he was teaching the previous week.  (College kids + International college kids + overworked/overtired = a plague-esque nastiness).  I finally bit the bullet and went off to see an urgent care doc on Sunday, as I had shaking chills and was in the house wearing a fleece jacket and huddled under a winter comforter and could not get warm.  So after a few days of antibiotics (which I think are probably not really helping the virus, but kept it from going postal becoming bacterial), I appear to be on the mend.  But not mended enough that spending 2 days trailering to Wyoming, 2 days riding 60 miles, and 2 days trailering back to Utah in record summer temps sounded fun.  So we bagged it and decided to stay home. 

We'll hopefully get a few things done around the house before my folks arrive next weekend, and we'll likely take the horse boys out for a couple of day rides, but lots of napping (Emma is a pro - see above) and some knitting are likely on the docket for me.  And lots and lots of time in the AC.

All for now.....

WIP Wednesday - 06/25/2008

Project #1:  Cobblestone Sweater

I appear to have reached the light at the end of the tunnel here!  I have finished all but about 1 inch of "knit straight" garter stitch for the yoke and a couple of more decrease rounds, and that's it. 

Goal:  Finish up the knitting!

Project #2:  Eleanora Socks

I wound up taking these along to Strawberry River and did a bit of knitting on them.  I got a few repeats of the leg chart finished up.

Goal:  Finish leg chart.

Project #3:  Mountain Socks

Alas, nothing new to report here.  I didn't even touch these this week. 

Goal:  Get halfway through the leg chart.

This isn't really a project for my WIPs, but I did sign up for Carole's brilliant 10-Minutes-A-Day group on Ravelry, to get myself back into the habit of spinning more often.  Look what it's done for me already!

This roving is from Spinderella's Mill here in SLC, and the colorway is "Enchanted Forest". It's a mix of dark brown/black wool, green wool, green mohair, white silk, dyed silk, angelina and probably a few other things.  It's fun to spin and going pretty fast - I've almost got an entire bobbin filled already!

All for now....

500 Miles and Counting....

We arrived home from the Strawberry River race to find a package from the govering body of endurance riding (the AERC) waiting for me.

In it, we got Bhen's 500-mile limited distance award certificate and his medallion.  He's got some other miles that are for 50-mile or longer races, so these are all miles he's done just in 25-mile races.  This includes his race in Idaho last month, but he's already got another 50 to add to this total after this weekend!  You go, buddy!

Edit to add:  AERC recognizes horse achievements separate from rider achievements.  All of these miles are Bhen's, but his previous owner, Sally, rode a lot of them with him.  However, since she is a really kind and dear person, she said "he's your boy now, so keep all his medallions and awards together with him".  Bhen's far and away ahead of me in mileage, but at least we get to do the rest of his miles together from here on out. Besides, he coulda done all 500 miles on his own without any stinkin' rider along to slow him down - just ask him!

All for now......

Strawberry Fields Forever

We are back from our Strawberry River ride this weekend!  Absolutely the perfect weekend to get outta town to the higher elevations (base camp at 8000 feet or so), because while it was 80 to 85 in the mountains, it was 96 on Saturday in the valley!  We actually put a blanket on Bhen most nights because it was chilly.

Base camp was off Utah Highway 40 near the Strawberry River Reservoir.  This is a great recreation area - lots of fishing, snowmobiling, trail riding, boating.  Ride camp isin a large grassy area near a group of cattle corrals, all on National Forest property.  We chose to camp near the stream, which turned out to be really helpful to haul water.

D was still teaching his seminar, but I drove up with MJ and Dean, and their ponies.  We got camp set up by dinnertime on Thursday and got the boys settled in with water and dinner.  (Yeah, Sam's still really tall!)

Friday a.m., Bhen and I set out to ride the first day's 25 miler.  He really did great, even though this is a technically challenging course with lots of downed trees and rocks, and probably 25 to 28 creek crossings.  There were several very boggy sections, as the snow is just finally melting from this area.  (It was still visible on north faces under the trees.)   He did great at his midday vet check, had some lunch and we went back out to finish the second half of the ride, which winds along the Strawberry River through an absolutely stunning canyon, with hawks circling overhead and a bright blue summer sky.  We came in 7th and I was really proud of Bhen.

Saturday, I was thinking about riding, but Dean had an accident on the trail the previous day (he and his horse had gotten kicked) and while I wasn't technically keeping an eye on him, if I stayed in camp, it meant MJ could go and ride without worrying about him, so I sent her and her #1 boy, Rum, out together that morning.  Here's Rum, looking rakish as usual:

D arrived on Saturday afternoon (fighting off a cold from a student from the seminar) and Sunday a.m., we took MJ's horse #2, Beau, out with us.  So, D and Sam, MJ and Beau, and me and Bhen went out for another loop.  There was some confusion about signage and trail markings, and we took a (brief) wrong turn, but got back on track and made up some time, and came into the vet just after mid-morning.  Poor Bhen was just frantic trying to keep up with two horses who are one full and two full hands taller than he is.  While they were just stepping over downed logs, he was having to full-out jump them.  He got wound up and I had to get him calmed down so we could vet check in. 

For the second loop, we put him out front for most of the ride.  I thought we should ride a little more quietly, since he had just raced on Friday a.m., and the trail had a lot of altitude gain.  (We live at about 5000 feet.  The ride camp was at 8000 feet and several of the climbs took us almost to 10,000 feet.)  I really didn't need to worry for him.  In the last 1/4-mile, he tried to race another horse and rider in, but I stopped him, got off and walked him in, so we came in already under pulse criteria for the day.

The boys were tired, but we fed them, gave them a cool sponge bath, made sure they had some water and got them loaded up and home Sunday night.  They've had a long day of naps and snacks to recharge the batteries, and we'll be off again in a week for eastern Wyoming for another 3-day ride!

All for now.....

WIP Wednesday - 06/18/2008

WIP Wednesday again!

Project #1:  Cobblestone Pullover

Considering that I am currently stuck in the garter stitch no-man's-land, I'm doing pretty well on this sweater.  I'm trying to knit, at minimum, a few rounds of the several-hundred stitches right now per day.  I finished up the decrease round 2 for the yoke, and I'm currently slogging through the "Cont even in garter stitch to 7-3/4 inches" part.

 

Goal:  Finish the "continue even" rounds and knit decrease round 3.

Project #2: Mountain Socks 

Now I remember why I didn't finish these socks - intarsia.  Blech.  Slow going here, as I am tied to the charts, and there are a bazillion tangled ends.  I did finish the ribbing and started the charted portion.  I'm going to try to get 5 or so rows more of the chart done, and that will put me at about the half-way point.

 

Goal:  Halfway point of the colorwork chart for the leg.

Project #3:  Eleanora Socks

I love these socks - the pattern is a very interesting knit.  It's not mindless knitting for me at this point, so I don't foresee cranking through these, but that's okay.  In this case for me, it's gonna be the process. I have completed charts 1, 2 and 3, and started chart 4.

 

Goal:  Finish chart 4 and begin chart 5.

I have sort of lightweight goals for this week.  Bhen and I are leaving on Thursday afternoon to drive up to the Strawberry River Reservoir area for another race.  Sam will go along with us, but D won't be available until Saturday afternoon - he's teaching a summer seminar on stable isotopes and will be there until after race-time on Saturday.  He and Sam will ride on Sunday tho.  We will be back on Sunday late, but I don't forsee that I'll have a lot of knitting time on these projects.  The 2 pairs of socks need charts, which isn't really camping-friendly, and the Cobblestone is at the point it's a big ol' lump of wool in my lap, and temps are supposed to be in the 90s here in the valley for the weekend.  We'll see what I get accomplished knitting-wise, but I'm not holding my breath for much.

All for now....