More Mittens

I guess mittens were the gift of choice this year. The following are pictures of mittens I made for Christmas gifts this year. The lighter ones are made with Brown Sheep mohair blend yarn. The yarn worked wonderfully and they are very soft to the touch.

Puddin in Iowa

I am visiting a good friend in Iowa this weekend. I drove Friday night in the dense fog, it was like driving in a tunnel. The blizzard came to Waterloo Saturaday afternoon, glad I was here already. Got to shovel and snow blow Sunday morning. Here are pictures of my new friend Puddin, not really, she doesn't seem to like anyone except her owner. I have never heard a cat hiss before!!!

Elizabeth Zimmermann Mitten

Yes this is actually a mitten knitted by the one and only Elisabeth Zimmermann. We think it is around 40 years old.

It's here!!!

My Aunt brought it today. Here in front of me is an actual mitten knitted by Elizabeth Zimmermann. My aunt only found one of them, story and pictures to follow.

My first seamless yoke sweater

Once I got my first Elizabeth Zimmermann book I wanted to try the seamless yoke sweater. The time has come, and in time for Christmas day. I learned a lot about my knitting ability and to just let it happen and I can think any issues through. First I could not decide what to do with the yoke, I think I have 5 different drawings/charts for this project and I finally took the design from Megs Norwegian sweater for Cully in Knitting Around. I rearranged the pattens. The decreasing was a concern for me, I actually have 6 decreases. Once I got to the neck I was close to the 40% according to EPS. I tried it on the neck hole was to big so I did another 25% decrease in the neck ribbing starting with 2 k 2p rib then p2tog the p's to a 2k 1p rib. These pictures are before the neck was complete. I am almost done, now all I have to do is bury the ends. I finished the neck with cast on/cast off method. The grafting on the underarms went well. There is something to be said about casting off the neck and the sweater is basically done.

Christmas pictures and me and sweater to follow. I am sure another seamless is not far away in the future.

Someone is thrilled with the snow.

Max is in heaven!!!

Weds

I am still here. Christmas has always been a busy time for me, my past life as a retail monkey always kept me away from home. Now I work a second job during the holidays to keep that spirit alive. Soon I will be posting my lastest project, my first seamless yolk sweater. I have had a couple commissioned knitting projects over the past couple weeks keeping me busy, my friend(agent) in the Chicago area is doing a great job. I have one more Christmas gift to make and gifts are done.

Candy Cane Gloves

Looking through my fairisle and norwegian pattern books they show gloves, but no real pattern to do the fingers. So the adventourous type I am I decided to take EZ's mitten pattern and adjust to gloves with a little help from a Patons winter accessory patten book. They turned out well. I kept the finger pattern easy incase I wanted to rip them out or something. Next time I will be more creative with the finger patterns. I really like EZ's thumb method, doing as a after thought. I have done sock heels with the same method. This was the first time I have ribbed in two colors, it seemed to knit faster. Using two hand color knitting I wasn't wasting time moving the yarn to front and back. I will be wearing these gloves a lot, they are thick and warm using worsted yarn with size 3 needles.

Warm Hunting Socks

Once I got my 12" turbo needles I knew I would be more willing to knit socks. I really have an issue with using DPN's and the ridge that I get when I knit. I have used Meg's hints and it kind of helps. Anyway, I can whip out mittens in a weekend with these little needles. I broke down to do a pair of socks. I roughly used a sock pattern I got with some previous yarn and set off. I used fisherman's wool and Patons for the green. I knitted ribbing in the middle of the foot so they won't bunch or slide, just like you see on sport socks. They fit great on me, but they are a gift so I have to wait to hear their response.

Carousel Hat

Here's a hat I made last weekend. I am starting to get requests, which is great. I hope the new owner enjoys it. I call it a Carousel hat because the top reminds me of a carousel roof.

It's done?

Like I said I would finish my "What will it be" sweater. The collar and front took longer than I thought. I tried EZ's button hole technique, it worked but I did something wrong or it is because I knit left handed, I had an extra little hole next to the button hole. I notice it, but I know no one else will. I changed my mind on the buttons, I guess I am not being green and recycling. The fabric store had buttons on sale. I am still deciding on the cuffs, I don't like the ribbing and I could still use a half an inch in length.

Buttons found

I guess I am being green recycling buttons from some wonderful garment from days gone by. I found these great toggle buttons in Grandma's jar o' buttons. These will work great for my "what will it become sweater". The sleeves have been added to and ready to be sewn back on. I hope to have the whole thing done by Sunday, the only thing in the way is the start of UWSP hockey on Friday night, go Pointers!!

What will it become?

I think it was a day after I received "Knitting Workshop" by Elizabeth Zimmermann for Christmas I was knitting in the round. I had this wonderful wool from Australia so I set off a knitting. I thought I had a good gauge going about half way it felt small so I did add some stitches. Finished the sleeves, loved EZ's way of adding stitches, no holes! Got the sewing machine out, sewed and cut. Sewed the sleeves in. I tried it on and that was it, it was on with no room to spare. I had just lost 10 pounds and planned on losing another 10 so I left it unfinished in a bag. Ten months later I run in to the bag. Well the 10 pounds really didn't happen, but in EZ fashion I am not discouraged. The sleeves are off for an additional inch in length and width. The hem was finished last night. The sewing machine is ready to cut the front open to make it a cardigan with a little more room. I still need to decide on collar and buttons. I think I will dig through the quart jar of buttons my grandmother has saved, nothing went to waste in her world, once you out grew your cloths or the hole is in the wrong place the fabric was quilted and buttons put in a jar. Stay tuned.

EZ Fairisle Vest

This vest has been done for months. I just needed to neaten up the cut steek edges inside. This was from a Spun out pattern that is also in the Knitting Workshop book. I used Paton's Merino wool, it came out thicker than I expected. I used broken rib for the ribbing. This was my first project with steeks and was fun to knit. Thanks to Gabrielle for the great pictures.

Sunday Walk

What a great weekend in Wisconsin! I gave up some knitting time to bike and walk this weekend, about 40 miles over the two days. Here are a couple pictures of the scenery.

Blue Norwegian Sweater

Finally got pictures of this project. It has been done for awhile, finding a zipper long enough was a challenge. This is a wearable practice sweater, I wanted to work on my two color knitting and pattern design before I worked on a full size wool project. The yarn for this sweater was a reasonable cotton acrylic blend I have had forever. The collar took a couple tries to get the roll and decrease right. I used all the techniques from EZ's book. I even knitted a lining over the sleeve seams. One I-cord finished the front cut line then I sewed the zipper in between the I-cord and the sweater, then another I- cord attached to the original I-cord to cover the zipper, it worked out well. It is keeping me warm today with the weather finally changing in Wisconsin.

Warm Hat and Mittens

Here are the mittens I made with my new Turbo 12" circular needles, each one only took a day. I designed the patterns from Fairisle knitting. The warm hat idea is from EZ, the brown side is looser since it is only one layer of yarn, but it fits inside without bunching.

A Surpise is coming

Just a little teaser about an up coming photo. It has to do with Elizabeth Zimmermann and my aunt and uncle in Babcock WI.

No photo to show update

I am actually busy knitting, but my current projects are Christmas gifts. I always like to be done early. I do have some relatives that take a look at my blog and I don't want the ruin the surprise. Secondly, I spent the best $15.00 of my life. Reading EZ's books I realized there are 12" circular needles out there. So I went to my favorite yarn and notions store and found a size 4 12" needle, well many of the smaller sizes were there. I wanted 4 for EZ's Norwegian mittens instead of dealing with double pointed needles. WOW, I am sold I got the first mitten done in about a day and the second is half way done (work gets in the way). I think I may even enjoy knitting socks now.

Norwegian Mittens

Here is my first go with mittens. The wool is Reynolds Lite- Lopi made in Iceland. I used #3 needles and without testing gauge they fit me, but my hands are not big. I did have to make them a little longer than the directions said, so I had to add a couple more motifs. Next time I would use #4's to offer a little more room. The directions were great in Knitting Around, they are little different from the pattern in Knitting almanac. You just have to think it through like EZ would.

They came!!!

My collection of EZ books is complete. I just got "Knitting Around" and "The Opinionated Knitter". I have read most of "Knitting Around" already, but you know you have to have your own copy. I have never seen "The opinionated Knitter", my library didn't have it. I know I will be up late reading and dreaming of my next project.

Nine Mile Forest

Like my new bike computer/GPS?

Spent a nice Sunday afternoon at Nine Mile park in Wausau, working on my single track skills.

EZ Baby Surprise Jacket

Here is my first BSJ. What a fun and quick project. I found little baseball buttons to make it a perfect gift for my friends little boy.

Baby Sweater

My EZ inspired baby sweater. I used Patons merino wool, size 6 needles. This is the second one I have done in the round and cut. I used I- cord for the front and neck, just skipping 2 stitches for the button holes. It was intended for friends having a boy, but decided the coloring was more for a girl. So I did my first BSJ, picture to follow.