Long Time, No See

It's been since October since we've had another finish. Stephanie completed her Farmer's Market Cardi, and it looks spectacular. Way to go, Stephanie!

Drum Roll, Please

Jane has finished her Montana Tunic, and it's lovely!  Nice work, Jane.  

Cut Across Shorty

Jane is a fast knitter. Have you seen how far she's gotten? I'm feeling a little regret that my project was done so fast now. I may peruse the magazine to see if something else catches my eye.

How are those Farmers Market Cardis coming along?

Every Way Wrap Two Ways

You may have seen this one on my other blog, but I'm adding an alternative view. It's nice enough, but I wish I'd made it wider.


Every Way Wrap
Fall Interweave Knits
Size: Smallest with no variations to pattern
Needles: Addi US Size 9
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran (8 skeins)

Pattern Comments: The cable and moss patterns are difficult to notice in the darker shades, but they are lovely. With careful weaving, this piece is truly reversible. I'm hopeful the finished piece will grow on me, and I think it will. It's nice to have something that can double with ease both as a scarf and a shoulder wrap. I wish I'd made it wider, but the length as written is perfect. As I fooled around with it last night, I thought, hmmm, with a shorter border and two seams, this would make a really cute shrug...

The Home Stretch

I'm on the final border of the shawl where I noticed a wonky stitch on the side--and not the side that would have the buttons, but the buttonhole side where it'll show. Darn it. It was from where I joined a new ball of yarn and don't ask me how I did this, but I wrapped a loop around 3 stitches. Unfortunately, it looks irreparable, so I'm going to frog it back to the scene of the crime.

Philosophically speaking, it wouldn't be a perfect project if a little tinking wasn't involved. It's only 225 stitches back...

And that new ball of yarn I added on? It had a knot in the middle. I hate that. When we pay so much for yarn, I expect it to be perfect, don't you?

Halloo!!!

I'm kind of curious where everybody stands today.  I have three cable repeats and a border to go on the Every Way Wrap.  I'm dead on with gauge and have to say, I love this yarn (Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran).  The only thing I've ever made with this before were Fetching mitts.  This yarn would make a gorgeous Aran sweater, or a scrumptious Great American Aran Afghan.  It  was born for Aran stitch patterns.

So Rose, did you repair your wonky stitches?  Or did you frog? Or did you just figure the hell with it?   You probably won't have a chance to reply before heading to see U2 (I'm so jealous).

Did Jane finally get the circs she needed to cast on?

Is Stephanie contemplating her next project already, or is she in the throes of the testy part of her cardigan?

Enquiring minds want to know.

I'm back to work after my short break.  Last night wasn't so bad, but it's rainy and gloomy today.  In short, not a great day to be a hospice nurse working out of her car.  At least after tonight, the weekend is here.  I feel positively spoiled with all this time off.

Progress Report

I have 2 projects next to me that need attention, but the siren call of casting on for a new project was too alluring to ignore.  The border as of 2 PM is half done thanks to Aran weight yarn and US size nine needles.  Can I make myself crazy by finishing this in no time?  It would be great to have it as a wrap to show off next weekend in Virginia.

That said, one of the women at my local yarn shop knit a  full length below knee coat in 21 days.  There were 21 skeins of yarn, so she made herself a promise to knit a skein a day and stuck to the plan.  I have 9 skeins to knit (100 yards per skein), and the pattern calls for 8.  It's possible.  I think it's doable if I knit at least 1.5 skeins a day from now until the time my plane takes off on Friday.

Oh.  Who am I fooling?  I'm quite prepared for both the cabling section and the moss stitch section to trip me up more than once.  The cable row repeat has one section that needs to be repeated 16 times.  I foresee at least a bit of madness.

How about you?  Do you have a plan for completing your projects in a specified period of time?  What time limits have you set?

Who Is Knitting?

I'm ready to cast on. Are you? I haven't had an opportunity to have my pattern enlarged, but I did get new glasses this week. I should be good to go with that.

I know we all agreed to start Monday, but is tomorrow OK for a new beginning?

I'm experiencing some laptop interuptus right now, but I can still log on here and there using my son's computer when he's here. I won't know the extent of my Mac's problem until sometime next week. With less internet canoodling, I should get in plenty of knitting time.

Most likely, I won't be available next weekend, but we'll see. My sister should have a computer I can borrow just to check on how things are going here. I plan on knitting on the wrap while I'm in the mountains of Virginia. Saturday, we're taking a class on mitering. I've never done that (mitering, or taken a knitting class). It should be fun.

So if we're in agreement, start knitting!

Congratulations, it's a Swatch!

Finally! I fell in love with this deep red color of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, but it isn't what I bought. I bought the blue. Dark blue. I know it's hard to see stitch definition in darker shades, but I don't mind; I love the color and think it'll look perfect paired with jeans.

A big thank you to Stephanie for pointing out what was clearly in print, but I was too blind to see: the correct directions for the set up row! I'm grateful. The help that naturally comes with a KAL is why they work so well. This will be fun.

For anyone pondering Rosimund's Cardigan pattern, I saw one completed this weekend. It was gorgeous.

Damn That Swatch

I've strayed a bit from my desire to knit the Every Way Wrap. It's not that it isn't pretty to me anymore or something simple like that. No. My problem is that I can't conquer the swatch. I'm almost certain that I'm being punished for swatching in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, but I couldn't help myself--it was just laying around the house after I knit a pair of Fetching mitts--and it was calling me.

I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong when reading the cable chart pattern (and yes, I downloaded the corrected chart from Interweave). I need a bit of help here because, not that I expected them to, but the directions just aren't speaking to me. I must be a complete idiot, because believe it or not, even though this magazine just hit the racks, MANY people on Ravelry have already finished this wrap. Knitters amaze me.

I've tried to swatch the chart for the wrap and ripped back 6 times. My problem is that the knits and purls don't line up for me after the set up row. When I go to cable following the chart, I'm knitting the purls and purling the knit stitches. It's enough to make a girl throw in the towel yarn.

So please look at the chart and tell me if you agree with my very obviously simple minded interpretation:

I will knit the cable set up row (wrong side) from right to left, correct?

I will then start the cable chart with row 1 (right side) reading right to left again and then row two reading left to right. Do you think this is right? Or do you think in order to save my sanity, I should just cast on something simple like another Ruby shawl?

Yarn Up

It would seem that for Rose, the cost of knitting the sweater she chose has just gone up. She needs to buy a swift to deal with all of that yarn!

You won't regret the purchase, Rose. Promise!

I think the pink is so pretty, and I know that alpaca will be smooth as a baby's bottom. Now get back to swatching!

Welcome

Sticks on Fire was developed as a site to host informal knit alongs (KAL). The goal for this room is to be a place where we can work on our projects and help coach one another along--a virtual knitting circle. Knitters of all skill levels are welcome.

For a blog site kick off, I'd like to see a KAL begin with a pattern from the fall issue of Interweave Knits Magazine. If you haven't seen this issue yet, I think you should get yourself down to the bookstore or your local yarn store as soon as possible. It's stunning. If you decide to join this KAL, the pattern and yarn will be of your own selection. Photos can be emailed to me at rudeek45atgmaildotcom (you know to substitute at and dot with their symbols) and I will load them up for group ogling. Once you let me know your interest in the KAL, I will add you to the sidebar as a participant and if you have a blog, I'll link you. The kick off date for casting on will be September 21st, 2009 but I understand if you simply must cast on sooner!

I've chosen to knit the Every Way Wrap. I'm not committed to the yarn yet but I'm considering fishing out something from my stash. Although I love the pumpkin shade as shown on page 48 of the magazine, I'll try to be frugal and use what I have. It'll either be Sisik in a speckled black colorway, or more likely, the red Galway in order to see the stitch definition.

Come out to play. And hey! Bring your pointy sticks.