Last Week of the Month Already!?

This has been a very busy month for me. I have had total knitting/weaving ADD and have been jumping from one project to another as a result. Any time I've thought of updating this blog, I've started to do something else.

The fall is a very knitterly time of year with festivals, retreats, knit/spin nights, etc.  A couple of weeks ago at my spinning group (Whitby Spinners) discussed participating in our local red scarf project about which I noted in my last post. I took the opportunity to weave a scarf which not only enabled me to contribute to this worthy cause, but also allowed me to finish a scarf in much less time than I could knit it, and also gave me some more practice warping and weaving on my Leclerc Dorothy loom. One of my spinning buddies, Alexa, came over last week and got an introductory lesson to warping the loom and beginning weaving on one of the scarves.

She really got the hang of it and accomplished a lot.

Here is the hemstitching I did on each end of the scarf before cutting it off the loom.

Skip got a shot of me twirling the fringe.

Basically if you make the number of twirls the same, the fringe will look uniform.

I finished that scarf and made another with the yarn Alexa provided. Then wove one more last night and today bringing my grand total of scarves for this project to 4 (which included the ripply scarf from the last post).

Here are the last three ready to drop off at the donation centre.

If I think of it on December 1, I'll drive around Whitby and Oshawa to see if I can see any tied to posts or signs around town.

Changing gears --- I started the cardigan with the yarn I brought back from Ireland two years ago. It took me this long to find a pattern that I felt was worthy of this yarn. It is the Shalor Cardigan designed by Penny Straker. A woman at Rhinebeck had one on that I admired

so she gave me the info. and I began the hunt for the pattern. (That's one the the things I LOVE about knitterly events - it is perfectly OK to go up to a perfect stranger and fondle their knitwear or ask them who designed the item). I first heard her say it was a Penny 'Striker' sweater. After some futile googling and Ravelrying, I determined the correct name of the designer and her cardigan. On her website I noted that Patternfish carries her patterns but alas, not this one in particular. I contacted Gayle Clow of Patternfish and she said she'd look into it. In the meantime, I mentioned it in a Ravelry group, and some kind soul told me of a retailer that sells the pattern and that it was indeed in stock. I ordered it online and short order I had it in my hot little hands. I did the recommended swatch and adjusted for the correct needle size so began the left front.

The knits in the 1 x 1 ribbing are through the back loop, this twists the stitches, as well as all the knit stitches on the right side of the elaborate cable. The cables are written out line by line so I charted them with my software and printed them out for my reference. I also had to plot out the patterns across the row to keep them straight. I have internalized all the patterns except the braided cable and am easily following the chart. The safety pin is holding the buttonband stitches which will be picked up and knit after completing the front, then sewn to the honeycomb edge using a 'serpentine' stitch, definitely NOT a whip stitch. I'll have to have a closer look at that part when I come to it.

As a result of my weaving experiences this fall, I really want to obtain a folding floor loom that is at least 36" wide. I'm willing to wait until I find one in my price range.

Skip and I just booked a tropical holiday in Cuba at a 5-star resort (in Cuba, the more stars the better the food) for the not-to-distant future. Now that our temperatures have plummeted to below freezing, we're both really itching to get the heck out of this icebox.

Today, however, it was about 8C - warm enough for me to do a last outdoor window washing of the season. I only had a fleece jacket on and was plenty warm in the sun. Here's hoping we get lots more days like today before winter sets in.

And finally, I received an email last Friday inviting me to submit proposals to teach at a big knitting event next spring. I'm hoping at least one of my proposed classes will be accepted. I love teaching and I love knitting so I hope to be able to infect others with my enthusiasm - knitting missionary that I am. (LOL).   I'm hoping to know by the end of December. Keep your fingers crossed for me.