MaggieBKnits

Apologies all round, but I leave for almost two weeks' vacation shortly, with no laptop or internet access, and posts will be not rare, but non-existent. So sorry, but my techno status is not there yet. Here, to tide you over: The Cuff to Cuff sweater body done. Above is the back. Below-- shoulders shaped (this is the front neck, striped steek in the middle): Another view of the shoulder shaping, this time from the back: Here is the front after the neck steek is secured and cut: And this is the armhole steek, just after sewing it in on my ancient machine. I did not crochet the steek, though I prefer it, as Meg mentioned that Joyce Williams' crocheted steek in this yarn (Berrocco Ultra Alpaca) did not hold. The yarn has some slickness due to the alpaca content. (At least, that's my theory) Armhole cut open: Stiches at the shoulder placed on a DP needle for the three needle bind off: Shoulders done, ready for the sleeves. Odds are that I will finish the sleeves *(wait,...

Sitrep is a term from an old career of mine, an acronym for "situation report." It seemed appropriate today. This is where I am on the Camp Sweater (also known as Cuff to Cuff, see Spun out 47 from Meg Swansen). (Originally Wool Gathering 72) As you can see, I am almost done with the second repeat of the front diamond, which means only 3 or 4 more rounds until the neckline decreases/bindoffs/neck steek. I am going to shape my shoulders, which was not done on the original, using Janine's wonderful "Shaped Shoulders in the Round." She describes it wonderfully on her blog. If you are a Fair Isle loving knitter, you probably already are acquainted with Janine. This is the Mommes Lysedug doily that languished, utterly forgotten, for an unknown period of time. (I remember why-- fall arrived and children and husband needed sweaters mittens hats etc. ) I have been doing a few rounds here and there (it sits next to my bed). This next photo is of the Merino Silk ...

Sorry for the slack reporting on this end. When you have a knitting blog, and you have very little time for knitting, it's a bit hard to post. Or, perhaps I should say, it's a bit embarrassing to have to say, well, another day, no discernible progress! Actually, there is some progress, but it's pretty hard to see. This is my Icelandic shawl, which has its edging about one third done. I know, I know. Molasses in January around here. Here is my Camp sweater: Again, not much discernible progress. I am now a bit more than halfway up the two color yoke section, to the shoulder. I did pick up and knit a hem, even sewing it down-- so I managed to do some knitting over the weekend. However, the Crrrrrazy Weeds had taken over part of our yard and it called for drastic action on Saturday--so that (sadly) came first. Especially since I am the Official Poison Ivy Remover (being the least allergic in my family) and lots of that pernicious weed had insinuated itself into various places....

After 4 1/2 days of non-stop (or almost non-stop) knitting, it is quite odd to have gotten so little knitting done in the past couple of days. However, let me share where I am on a few things. First, this is the Icelandic/mohair mix yarn, being knit into a shawl. A week ago I indicated I was going to finish it before camp. Um, right. It's not finished. Yet. But one advantage this project has is that the lace involved is largely quite easy to do while doing something else. Like watching baseball games (which I am doing a lot lately) or flying on airplanes when my body wants to be asleep. I am actually down to the bottom edging, and although I now have 300 plus stitches (and growing), it is officially in the Smell The Barn state. (And no, that does not mean that I live in a barn, nor that I am secretly a horse.) While at Camp I started something new. (And bought yarn for it.) Lest I am accused of ignoring my own rules on knitting from stash, no new projects etc etc, let me s...

Sorry for the long hiatus, but I did not post at all while I was at Camp 2.75. I intended to post a lot of photos, but in retrospect I think I'll just show you a few. This is Meg, with Amy and Marilyn, during our party to celebrate the release of Meg's new Lace Knitting DVD. Of course I got one, since I am truly Addicted to Lace, and love to listen to Meg talk about knitting-- so Meg talking about lace is even better! She is utterly and amazingly humble about her knitting knowledge and skill, which is quite disarming. I will post here an embarrassing photo of me with Meg-- I'm the one who looks star struck and like a deer in the high beams. Just in case you weren't sure. The last day was a contest, "The Devil Wears Zimmermann." My contribution was the Ribcooler. For those unfamiliar-with-Elizabeth-Zimmermann (though if such is the case I really don't know what to say-- other than "go and read her books!!") this is a lacey play on the Ribwarmer s...

33 hours until departure for Wisconsin and Meg Swansen's Knitting Camp! Yee-hah!

As promised, here is a shot of the icelandic/mohair mix swatch. It opened nicely, but still has an odd, stiff hand. Since I am looking for sheen and drape, I decided against it for this particular shawl concept. Also, this photo doesn't do justice to the swatch, and I don't know why-- in person, the pattern edges are way more smudgy, and the distinction between lace motif and solid ground is harder to discern. But what is this?!? It looks remarkably like the icelandic mix, being knit up into *something*! This, perhaps is a small clue-- Uh oh. Here's my plan, and no laughing please. I am going to finish this small shawl (it's from the Icelandic book I showed you yesterday ) * before * I go to Camp. Yes, really. What's that? When do I leave? Oh, this Thursday morning. Why do you ask? Hey, I said no laughing!! I can do this! I finished my contest entry (no you can't see it yet) and I have a sort of a packing list and just endless hours of knitting time. ...

I am narrowing in on a shawl design. First, I think I am anatomically incapable of knitting someone else's design without at least tinkering with it. Sharon Miller ( Heirloom Knitting ) says that is a good way to break into designing: changing this or that on someone else's design. I sometimes do this. I used to do it more, so perhaps she is right. Now, however, I am more likely to envisage what I want, loosely or precisely defined in my mind and on paper, and go after it step by step. Sometimes I take bits and pieces from somewhere else, and sometimes not. For instance, I'll briefly show you the process of design I followed on a shawl I knit this spring. I took a shape I like (Faroese); I tinkered with an edging I liked to make it suit the picture in my mind, and knit a bunch of repeats for the bottom edge of the shawl. If you have the book Victorian Lace Today , by Jane Sowerby, you might recognize part of this edging. I chopped off the top, which did not fit my plan no...

July Fourth there is a parade in our town, to which all but I want to go-- usually. Today I intended to go, but there was this project I finished last night and it needed to be blocked and, well... here I am. At least I'm wearing red, white and blue. In honnor of the Fourth, I give you " America " My country,' tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing; land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrims' pride, from every mountainside let freedom ring! My native country, thee, land of the noble free, thy name I love; I love thy rocks and rills, thy woods and templed hills; my heart with rapture thrills, like that above. Let music swell the breeze, and ring from all the trees sweet freedom's song; let mortal tongues awake; let all that breathe partake; let rocks their silence break, the sound prolong. Our fathers' God, to thee, author of liberty, to thee we sing; long may our land be bright with freedom's holy light; protect us by thy might, grea...

Overall not much knitting accomplished during yesterday's baseball games. It was too hot, and too stressful. (I prefer to relax and watch my sons wow everyone with their prowess; that was not happening yesterday ;) Today I am imagiknitting a shawl, but since it is really in infantile stages and I don't have graph paper big enough to hold all my details, it remains vaguely in my head, or mostly so. I would like to to incorporate mostly traditional Shetland Shawl elements (using Hazel Carter's book Shetland Lace Knitting from Charts as a springboard). But not traditional shaping. We'll see if I can produce anything before school starts up again. But look- I was trying to figure out how to photograph my large pink circular shawl, and hit on stuffing. Stuffing it with a big black thing (in this case a cotton skirt). I think it shows up better: Well OK it doesn't look better, it just looks goofy. But the lace patterning shows up better! (humor me on this one) So my...