Gridding

I got a good start on my Sea Turtle piece yesterday. I ordered the kit from mybobbin.com and paid with PayPal. The company is vased in Kaliningrad, Russia but the kit was shipped from The Netherlands. It was a seamless transaction and being able to use PayPal gave me pease of mind. 

I opted not to use the 16ct Aida cloth so raided my stash for an appropriate fabric. I found this antique white fabric in my stash. I checked the thread count one way then the other. This was a tip I learned from one of Jean Farish's FlossTube episodes. I probably should have used my metal ruler.

The warp (threads running parallel to the selvages) is 30 threads per inch.

and the weft threads are 31ct. 

Anything stitched on this will be slightly bigger in one direction than the other. I decided I wanted my sea turtle picture to be slightly taller than wider so have oriented it that way. with the smaller tnunber of stitches per inch going vertically.

Some stitchers start 3" in from a corner. I prefer to stitch from the centre, folding the fabric in half one way then in half the other, fingerpressing a crease at the fold junctions. Then I work out from there.

This is how far I got yesterday. 

I found it annoying to have to count so much so decided late last night to grid the fabric and got started on that. I found a nicely contrasting dark sewing thread. I find it easier to grid in a zig zag out from the centre, technically over 8 sts and under 2. I actually go over 8 then turn the corner and go under one stitch down and one stitch over then over 8 perpendicularly. Gridding takes a lot of time so this way saves me a LOT of counting because I go from where I've already been.

As I stitch those areas, I'm careful to not pierce the sewing thread. I snip out the grid threads as I finish each section. Any that do get caught are easily pulled out with tweezers. 

This way I can also jump around to different squares more easily than just stitching out from what I've already done.

Compared to the 2 over 2, 40ct piece I just stitched for Teresa, this is much easier to see.

Sock Progress

 While I procrastinate about what stitching project to start (or continue), I finished my first camo sock.

I cast on 70 sts. The K3, p2 ribbed cuff   is 7 1/2" long. I and used Eye of Partridge heel.

I continued the EOP heel on the bottom stitches of the heel. I decreased in the gusset to 65 sts which is close to my foot circumference minus 10% - for negative ease.

And I have cast on the second sock.

In scrappy sock news, I have most of the legs done. The two-at-a-time thing is going well. I use the beginning and end of the same ball of yarn to achieve identical twins. If the yarn runs out, I just change colours. 

You can see that not all yarns are the same density. That's OK. It all averages out. I just make sure that there's nylon in every yarn I use (rather than 100% wool) so the stripes won't shrink or felt. Side note: I wash my socks in a lingerie bag with a regular wash load and drape over a drying rack to dry.

Here's a closeup of the ribbing. I elimiated the dashlines by knitting all the stitches of the first round of every new colour, then do the ribbing for each round after that. 

Inside the sock you can see the dashlines (purl bumps) from the knit rows on the outside. Better the dashlines be inside the sock than on the outside.  I learned this technique* knitting a Dale of Norway sweater pattern for Skip. It was written right in the pattern. Also, I don't start and end the yarn on the same edge. I try to alternate so all the loose woven ends won't be on the same side every time.

I don't knit the same number of rows of each colour. Usually 4 - 6 rows. Then I go for a contrasting colour for the next stripe.

I plan to do the heels flaps in one colour and change colours for the heel turn, then resume striping so as to not interrupt a striped pattern on the beginning of the arch.

I'm happy to be using up even more scraps of yarn and look forward to showing off my colourful socks.

* this knitting technique (knitting first round of ribbing) won't work well on any ribbing you intend to fold back like on a sleeve or brim of a hat as the dashlines will appear on the folded back part, unless you plan for the foldback in the knitting. That is, knit the first half of the cuff like the inside of the sock shown above, then a purled fold round, then continue the technique on the right side.

I'm Still Here...

I've been working on another model cross-stitch sampler for Teresa Kogut so haven't done any of my own stitching for a while. I can tell you it's Hallowe'en-themed in a Quaker style. Not sure when she will be releasing it, although she does plan to do releases fairly frequently this year so she and her husband aren't overwelmed with filling orders with big, infrequent releases. 

I did finish the second Excavation blanket 

and got the fringe twisted and trimmed.

I took two strands from one colour and two of the other 

and twisted them clockwise with the fringe twister. I counted it out so each fringe would have the right amount of twist.

Then I took the two twisted strands and tied them together with an overhand knot near the end

When I let it go, the two colours twist around each other in the other direction. 

After doing all that twisting, I went knotted the strands higher so they were all knotted in the same place, the knot being 3" away from the edge of the blanket. Then I trimmed the excess off, making the fringe even the whole width of the blanket. 

My fringe twister had 4 clips but I only ever imagine using two of them. They do come in 2, 3, or 4 clip versions. Any weaving supply shop will have them in stock.

The pattern makes a square blanket (plus the fringe). To make mine rectangular, I didn't leave a fringe on the right side and actually decreased on the right edge and increased on the left edge. I did this for 20". Then I rotated the other fringed triangle onlo the first one with the extension making sure there were the same number of stitches on both sides first. Then grafted them together.

That way, my entire garter stitch blanket has a right side and wrong side (that shows the purl bumps). 

I have continued working on my camo, ribbed socks and have about half of the foot done.

I used an eye of partridge heel and continued the EOP slipped-stitch pattern on the bottom of the foot in the gusset area. I wear my socks out in that area and wanted to give it double thickness there.

It doesn't interrupt the pattern on the rest of the sock. If you wear your socks out on the ball of your foot, you could also do the EOP stitch in that area as well. 

I also started a pair of two-at-a-time scrappy socks. It's quite the juggling act but I do like my socks to be identical twins. I achieve that by knitting one sock with one end of the yarn scrap and the other sock with the other end. 

I'm not keen on having non-ribbed legs because I know these will fall down and bag around my ankles but if I ribbed them, the unsightly purl bumps (aka dashlines) would show. I could have ribbed then and done the trick where you knit the first round of the new yarn then purl the next rows, thus hiding the purl bumps but, of course, I didn't think of that. Hmm. Maybe I'll rip these back and do that after all.

I have a sea turtle kit I want to start stitching and need to raid my fabric stash for the appropriate fabric as I intend to swap out the 16ct Aida cloth that came with the kit. 

I also want to do some punch needle. It goes so fast! I have tons of patterns, I just need to pick one, get the floss, and get going.

Apple Green Malabrigo Rios

 I received two lovely skeins of Malabrigo Rios yarn in the Green Apple colourway for Christmas.

I knit Kate Gagnon Osborn's February Hat - a free download on Ravelry. It was a pretty quick knit. I did modify by adding one more pattern repeat - 8 stitches - after knitting almost the whole thing and finding it way too tight. 96 stitches seem to be the magic number for my head and worsted weight yarn. I also used the 4mm needle for the ribbing instead of the called-for 3.5mm needle. I probably should have only gone up to 3.75mm but with the doubled ribbing, it does fit my head OK.

The 3" pom pom almost used up the rest of the yarn from the skein. I used this tool to make it. 

With the other skein I knit another Bandana Cowl - another free pattern on Ravelry, and designed by Purl Soho. 

This time I followed the pattern exactly. When I had finished it, I didn't like all the bulk up at the neck so I ripped it back to the first decrease and instead of knitting 3 plain rounds between decreases, I only knit 1 plain round. I did a stretchy bindoff but it's too stretchy so will probably redo it using a stretchy bindoff with a smaller needle or a regular bindoff using a larger needle.

I have been beavering away on my cross stitched model for Teresa Kogut. As it's a Hallowe'en silhouette piece, it's mostly stitched with one colour. I did order an extra skein just in case. I'll know when I'm done if the extra skein was necessary - allowing for some boo boos, picking them out, and re-stitching.

I took the car in for a factory recall today. As we are on lockdown, I wasn't permitted to wait inside so I walked home - only a 20 min walk. On my way home, the dealership called to say it had been inspected and didn't have the flawed part and I could come and pick it up. Skip was surprised I got home so soon (I'm a fast walker). On our way to pick up my car in his car, we stopped into our shiny new A & W just east of the corner of Glen Hill Drive and Hwy2/Dundas St. Coffee is free for a week or so. We ordered coffee and hash browns (Skip) and an apple turnover (for me). Then Skip dropped me off at the dealership 1 block away. That was all the excitement for this morning.

Today's announcement from our Premier was that we will be under a stricter lockdown as of Thursday. It's still quite loosey-goosey in some ways: no more than 5 people can assemble outside but we are to stay home, non-essential folks should work from home, teachers will teach online until at least the last week of January or later. We are to stay home except for grocery shopping, going to work, attending medical appointments, or picking up prescriptions. Big box stores must close by 8pm. Other stores must have pick up only and all stores must only permit 50% capacity. These measures should have happened long before this as our numbers began skyrocketing weeks ago. It is very irksome that the COVID-19 situation was allowed to get so bad.

The stricter measures really aren't going to make much difference for us and most of our friends who've been isolated for months because of our ages or medical conditions. 

We really need more vaccines, quickly, and a system set up to get them into our arms. Until then, our economy will founder, and families will suffer. 

New Year, New Sock and Digression

As I mentioned in the previous post, Barb and Marilyn are starting a New Year's Sock so I thought I'd do the same. I am making a simple sock with a  7.5" long, K3, P2 cuff, eye of partridge heel, and 10% negative ease. I wanted it simple so I could obsessively watch YouTube videos and Netflix and not have to concentrate on the knitting too much.

I found this non-descript yarn in my sock yarn stash. It was a dyeing failure from a few years back. Tan and spruce in a couple of shades. But it's good quality sock yarn so what the heck.

I got quite a bit done last night. It kinda looks like mid-autumn colours, almost a camo look. Only 1 more inch before I start the heel.

I have so many stitching and knitting projects on the go. I found a cool project bag to contain this one.

I did some work on the background of my sea turtle painting. 

Unfortunately, I can't really watch TV while I do it so will have to reserve doing it whilst listening to an audiobook. 

I'm not sure what I'll do with the painting once I'm done. It would be cool to cut the shape out and glue it to something - maybe the front of one of my lower file cabinet drawers?

Speaking of audiobooks, I have become quite interested in listening to espionage non-fiction lately. On one of our knitting cruises, the cruise line had a panoply of lecturers on interesting topics to keep the passengers entertained on those at-sea days. One of them was a retired CIA agent. I don't remember a lot of what he said. But one thing that stuck in my mind was the way some double agents get caught in the US.  Evidently disgruntled ex-wives report them for defaulting on spousal or child support, as the double-agents don't usually declare the income from the enemy state that also employs them. Most of these agents don't get convicted of treason - probably because the trial would reveal too many secrets. They usually are nailed for tax evasion - as was Al Capone back in the 1930s.

After one of his lectures, I went up to him to ask him about WWII espionage and if he had ever heard of Camp X. I was surprised that he had not. I explained that it was a British training school for covert agents and a radio communications centre on the north shore of Lake Ontario just east of Toronto in a town called Whitby and it was reported that William Stephenson (code name Intrepid) , author Roald Dahl, and Ian Fleming (author of James Bond novels) were directly affiliated with it, although Ian Fleming's involvement is disputed according to Wikipedia. The camp opened on December 6, 1941, the day before the bombing of Pearl Harbour. Over 500 agents were trained in the 'art of spycraft'.

Until recently an exhibit of Camp X artifacts was on display at the Region of Durham's Whitby headquarters. 

Part of the Camp X and Bowmanville German prisoner of war camp display - photo courtesy of the Toronto Sun

The display was packed away a couple of weeks ago because some were offended by the display of the Iron Cross - a Nazi symbol. The artifacts have been moved to Casa Loma where they will be displayed when a Canada's first spy museum will open at a future date.

Happy New Year 2021!

 Happy New Year!

Skip and I celebrated quietly at home.

At one point I didn't think either of us was going to stay awake 'til midnight but we soldiered on. Watching Rick Mercer on CBC, and Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen on CNN kept us laughing and awake. I recorded Don Lemon's show that was going to air at 1am Eastern and will watch it today - if only to see him in his black silk pyjamas with the purple pocket square.

I had celebretory snacks planned for the evening but we both were so full from the steaks I barbecued for dinner we decided to not bother. I don't believe we've ever used the barbecue grill this far into winter. Instead, we had the snacks for brunch after I finally got up at about 11am. 

Last week I knit the Bandana Cowl from Purl Soho. Here's the photo from their Ravelry page:

It's a free pattern and perfect for a small amount of yarn. I found a lone ball of Malabrigo worsted in the cuarzo colourway in my stash and whipped the cowl up in a couple of evenings.

It is so warm and cozy against my neck and because it is v-shaped, it covers anything above the zipper. If you have a random skein of lovely, soft worsted weight yarn, this would be a great pattern to do. I do recommend using yarn that is very soft - test the skein against your neck first.

I'm now rooting through my handspun for an appropriate skein to knit another one. 

I used German short rows instead of wrapping and turning. With German short rows you turn then wrap. However I think I misinterpreted the pattern so my bandana length is double what it should have been. I think I was supposed to knit one more stitch before turning and wrapping. This would have consumed an extra stitch in each row making it the length called for in the pattern. Oh well. And the back of my cowl isn't as long as the one in the photo. Regardless of my mistakes, it turned out great.

A couple of my stitching buddies are casting on socks for New Year's Day. Never one to miss out on a group trend, I will be doing the same. I will find a simple pattern so I don't have to concentrate too much whilst watching TV.