MaggieBKnits

Hi. Yup, me again. Really? What is going on here, Maggie? Three posts in as many days? Well. It might have something to do with the fact my husband and two of my children (aged 18 son, aged 16 daughter- yep- the one who just spent a month off the grid backpacking in Wyoming, that one)-- anyway, that those three are in Guatemala City on a missions trip. Now, mostly this is great: I can knit freely; fling my closet contents all over the place to figure out what really needs to be in there, or not; spread my stash around without fear of that face my husband gets when he sees its extent; overdose on Fixer Upper (my secret obsession); read without that nagging sense of the mess waiting for me in the kitchen/laundry room/refrigerator-- whatever. But also, since this town is pretty quiet in the summer, I can get wicked bored  ... OK, maybe lonely-- perhaps that is why my dog dragged cardboard under the dining room table to gnaw on-- boredom/loneliness?  She's an Australian Sh...

A shout out to all you experienced lace-in-the-round Pelerine knitters-- just exactly how many wheels of unspun Icelandic yarn did you use in your Pelerine, and how long did it wind up being? Do you like the length? Where does it hit when you wear it (or when whoever you knit it for wears it)?  And is that the straight edge or the pointed corner? Did it grow appreciably when you blocked it? I feel like I should already know the answers to some, at least, of these questions (eg- yes of course it grew, Maggie--! It is lace, after all) but I guess I am interested in some exactness. See, I have been thinking-- First ---the lace Pelerine has 4 lines of increase-- some of the longer ones I see in photos seem to be maybe just a bit too full.  It could be the photo.... The garter version has only 3 lines of increase-- way less full- and I find that desirable.  The less fullness I mean. So, this past alternate row I skipped the increases. I think I will start skipping the...

Oh, the joys of unlimited knitting that Camp affords... and the woes of massively limited knitting once one returns to the daily routine! My Pelerine has advanced, but no, it is not finished.  I keep measuring it, like it will have miraculously grown overnight after only one or two rounds knitted the day prior.  I think this is how I occasionally wind up with a too-short sweater/sleeve/mitten/scarf/what-have-you. At Camp, Janine had a wonderful gauge measurer that prevented the dreaded if-I-stretch-it-a-bit-the-gauge-will-be-what-I-want-it-to-be syndrome.  (I need this tool.) My variation is, if I keep measuring and stretching it, it will be the length I want it to be. Sadly, this never works, but my self-deception grows as my desire to finish a project climbs.  Perhaps because, with lace, stretching is what will happen to the object, eventually, when it is blocked and the lace opens up.  Hm, is this why I love lace so much?? Here is Miss Pelerine, relax...

First, an apology. I have been so consumed with other things (e.g., a son graduating from West Point USMA , another son graduating from high school, another son home for only a couple weeks, and launching my daughter to a month long trek at NOLS )  (And let me just say, sending my 16 year old daughter across the country by herself, to spend a month in the Wyoming mountains hauling everything on her back-- well, it was rather emotionally wrenching.  One would think it would call for voluminous knitting, perhaps...) And there was some knitting- I progressed on several things but this post is going to have to restrict itself to the past long weekend, which I spent at Meg Swansen's Knitting Camp (technically Retreat 2.75). As always, Camp went way too fast-- and it boggles my mind trying to determine just how to explain and describe the experience.  Here is one thought, inspired by a fellow knitter: imagine you have an interest about which you are passionate, or find ext...

My "Alaska" cardigan progresses, albeit slowly. I believe I mentioned in my previous post that I didn't like the way the bottom was flipping up, just above the Latvian braid.  It got to annoying me enough that I decided to go ahead and knit in a hem. I also knit in the name-- -- and my initials.  Also, possibly overconfidently, the year.   I would like to finish the knitting of this before Camp (July) but unless my speed increases dramatically I don't see that happening. This is incredibly addictive knitting but, boy, I wish I could knit as fast as Hazel Tindall .   (I hope that link works-- it should go to a short video that Amy Detjen posted (last year?) on her facebook page.)  So amazing.

First, a couple pictures of my project, a self-designed Fair Isle, which I call Alaska-- they are in order of knitting, increasing in size. This is the lower section of the body-- The braid is causing a little folding issue (grr) so I am taking a break from the color work to knit an anti-bend repair.  Blocking might fix it just fine but it is driving me bonkers and I just want it to stop. OK so the real topic I want to discuss is-- knitting needle storage and organization . Over the years I have accumulated quite a few knitting needles. (ahem) The double points were in a box, still in their wrappers (many of which are pretty darn battered. Some had no wrappers so every time I had to pull out my needle sizer to check which needles were the size I wanted.  (the angst 😉) I finally broke down and bought a DP roll from Della Q .  Mine is red and I totally love it. I love Della's labels, and the little pockets hold at least 2 sets-- and there are tw...

Today felt like spring around here- very nice- except when the hawk swooped (I believe the official term is "stooped") onto a flicker and killed it - right in front of me. I know, he needs to eat-- but I love flickers. I do have some photos but not sure how much any of you care to see that sort of non-knitting focus.  Bird world and all... OK, just a couple.  Feel free to skip over them to get to the thrilling knitting content! The good news is, my knitting has been on a roll.   On. A. Roll.  I ordered the yarn for my Designed-by-Me Fair Isle sweater, from  Janine Bajus , last night. I call the sweater  Alaska , for the stunningly gorgeous photo of an area of Alaska that inspired my color choices.  If I knew where it is I might show you. Wait, here it is: Alaska inspiration photo I know, seriously girl, it is ripped in two pieces?? I'm sorry... It was in a magazine...   but aren't the colors totally gorgeous? Most of the...