Chat Back for February 28

Answering questions from comments and email.

Lone Star Needler asked . . .

What would we do without that dose of will-I-run-out-of-yarn excitement?

The excitement has turned to major concern on my current project. It's not a good feeling.

I just sent this email to Harmony Yarn in Idaho:

Hello from Michigan.

About a month ago my son (tall guy with a cute three year old daughter) bought some Happy Feet sock yarn in your store and sent it to me to knit him some socks for his mid-March birthday.

The socks are partially done to the point I can tell there isn't going to be enough yarn to finish. To make matters worse, I accidentally "cleaned up" the tags you had so nicely tucked into the wound up skeins, and I don't have a color number or a lot number.

I've attached a picture of the color. It's an olive green blend.

Do you have another skein? Do you mail out? If not, could you email me the color number so I can find it somewhere else online?

If you can send me a skein, my fondest hope, I can either mail you a check or call with my credit card number. Let me know what works best for you.

Thanks for any help or advice you can offer.

Regards,
Marguerite

(I'll be blogging the details on these socks within the next few days.)

---

Phoebe asked . . .

How are you doing with the trumpet lessons?

On a good day, I feel like I'll be ready to play with a band eventually.

On a bad day, I wonder if the long ago instrument advisor in grade school who suggested I play a reed instrument knew I wasn't cut out for brass.

Trumpet is very different from clarinet, my school days instrument fifty years ago. With a clarinet, the keys determine the note. If a nice sounding note comes out, it's the right note. With a trumpet, there are only three keys and the lips determine which note comes out. It requires an ear for tone and ability to sight read. I'm challenged but seem to be able to master it with practice.

After eight months of lessons, I'm hanging in there and not allowing myself to wonder if I'm too old for this. I have no idea how my progress matches other beginning brass players. I'm guessing it's somewhere in the middle of the average learning curve of those who are eventually able to play.

The past few weeks I've been playing duets with my teacher. It's fun. That is my goal, to have fun with music, so I guess I'm doing OK.

Peace Fleece Gansey Finished

Last week I finished the Peace Fleece Gansey for some child in Akkol, Kazakakhstan.




It was a fun knit. No seams. Interesting little stitch patterns to keep me going. The excitement of wondering if I was going to run out of yarn.


Pattern: Making it up as I knit using the techniques from Knitting Ganseys by Beth Brown-Reinsel, a most excellent tutorial on knitting gansey style sweaters. There are no seams, no sewing, in this sweater.

Yarn: Peace Fleece, heavy, coarse worsted weight 30% mohair, 70% wool. A gift from friend Sherry.

Color: Blueberry Borscht.

Needles: Options #8.

Gauge: 4 stitches/inch, 6 rows/inch.

Since I didn't run out of yarn, I decided to continue the excitement and see if I could get a hat out of the leftovers.

Success! There's no flap to fold up, but this yarn is so heavy and warm it isn't going to stop some child from having warm ears.

Picking Up Stitches

Kate asked . . .

Sometime can you explain gauge ratio?

This is actually simple, but it sounds complicated and some people tune out because they think it requires math.

Here's an example.

I'm knitting a sweater. The gauge is 5 stitches an inch, 8 rows an inch.

That tells me for an inch of vertical edge I need to pick up 5 stitches for every eight rows. (Five stitches to eight rows is the ratio.)

Now I need to pick up stitches along a mostly straight armhole with a curve to the underarm and an underarm section that's straight across.

For the vertical, straight, edge plan a pickup pattern. To pickup five stitches in eight rows: pickup, skip, pickup, skip, pickup, pickup, skip, pickup. Repeat until done.

Other skipping patterns work just as well if skips are kept to one at a time. Try to space the skips as evenly as possible and then don't worry about it. It will look fine as long as the pickup doesn't pucker up or spread out, which it won't if you're picking up five stitches an inch (8 rows).

If it doesn't offend the style of what I'm knitting, I like to purl the first two rows after the pickup row. The purl stitches make a neat looking edge ridge and they pop up over the picked up stitches to cover the pickup pattern.

The curve to the underarm is a bit more art than science. Eyeball it and guess how many inches it is. I usually pick up a few less stitches than I think I need just because it's a curve.

The underarm is horizontal. Pick up every stitch.

I often leave the body underarm stitches on a stitch holder so there are live stitches to knit into. Why have bumpy bound off arm pit stitches when there's no need? But caution doing this. It works great for a firm fabric, maybe not so great if the garment is knit loosely.

Wednesday Wings - Hawk and Spots of Yellow

This bold and confident hawk sat in a tree top about twenty feet from the feeder I was filling. I was sure it would fly off before I could get back in the house for the camera, but it was happy right there and never moved.

I only have a guess for identification. It is too small to be a Red-tailed Hawk. It's probably a Sharp-shinned Hawk or a Cooper's Hawk.

The Sharp-shinned and Cooper's are identical except for some obscure difference in their tail feathers. The Sharp-shinned is smaller than the Cooper's, but there is size overlap. This hawk fell in the overlapped area, so I'm stumped.


Look, look. See, see. (I learned to read with Dick, Jane, and Sally who said "Look, look. See, see." on a regular basis.)

The male Gold Finches are just starting to change into their spring mating yellow color.


In other springy news, the foot of snow we had last weekend is melting and should be gone by the coming weekend when the temps are going back down and more snow is forecast.

The daylight hours are increasing and the birds have turned their thoughts to finding mates and staking out nesting territories. Woodpeckers are drumming for mates. The Cardinals are sitting in their favorite bushes singing their spring song.

We've reached the point now where each snowfall can be considered a temporary inconvenience. Spring is on the way.

Sydney's Socks Finished

Granddaughter Sydney sent this yarn and asked for a pair of socks. How could I refuse that request?


Yarn: Trekking XXL, 75% Superwash wool, 25% Nylon.

Color: 133

Needles: Options 2.5mm circulars.

Gauge: 8 stitches/inch, 10 rows/inch.

Pattern: Basic cuff down sock on 48 stitches.

The stitch pattern in the cuff is a simple knit/purl ribbing. I think it looks best on self striping socks with wide stripes, a solid color, or a kettle dyed color.


Pattern multiples: 6 stitches, 5 rows.

Row 1: k5, p1
Row 2: k2, p1, k2, p1
Row 3: k1, p3, k1, p1
Row 4: p2, k1, p3
Row 5: p1, k3, p2

End cuff by knitting Row 1 four times before starting heel.

XXOOOX
XXXOXX
XOXXXO
XOOXOO
XOOOOO

Chat Back for February 21

Answering questions from comments and email.

Maureen asked . . .

Are you counting birds this weekend for the national bird count?

I confess to being too lazy to do this. We have feeders on three sides of the house and so many birds that it didn't sound like fun at all.

---

Kate asked . . .

Sometime can you explain gauge ratio?

This is actually simple, but it sounds complicated and some people tune out because they think it requires math.

I'm going to save this question for a separate blog post, hopefully next week, and I'll attempt to explain it in simple English with no math required.

---

Diane asked . . .

I'm a very slow knitter, but I was wondering how long does it take you to make those socks?

There are some things I just do NOT want to know and how many hours it takes to knit something is right up at the top of the list.

I also don't want to know how much we spend each year keeping three dogs happy, healthy, well groomed, and well fed.

A slightly more serious answer: I'm a medium speed knitter. I think a worsted weight kid sock takes about six hours to knit. But, I really don't know.

---

Diane asked . . .

I like the ribbing pattern. Is it one you can share?

Sure. It's a two row variation on a k1,p1 ribbing with a six stitch multiple.

These instructions are for knitting in the round.

Row 1: k3, p1, k1, p1
Row 2: k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1



Here's the best chart I can manage in Blogger.
O = Knit
X = Purl

XOXOOO
XOXOXO
XOXOOO
XOXOXO

---

Janna asked . . .

And did she like the socks?

AND
Lynn asked . . .

Did she like the matching socks?

We left for lunch without trying on the socks, so I don't know for sure.

I'm guessing she'll like the socks alot unless there's a problem with the fit. Mom is one of my biggest socks fans.

All the pictures with Mom holding the socks were taken with the camera flash on. Notice how the vest cables don't show up? I've never been able to get good knitting pictures with a flash.

---

Renna asked . . .

I'm not sure what you meant about crossing those stitches, but I sure like that look!

Pattern: Basic cuff down socks knit on 56 stitches. Stitch pattern is k2, p2 rib with the k2 stitches crossed every 4th row.

The cross is a two stitch cable crossed in front every four rows. The cables are staggered so alternate cable columns get crossed on a cabling row.


Multiple of 8 stitches, 4 rows. Instructions are for knitting in the round.

Row 1: p2, k2, p2, k2
Row 2: p2, C2 , p2, k2
Row 3: p2, k2, p2, k2
Row 4: p2, k2, p2, C2

C2 = Slip one stitch onto cable needle and hold in front. Knit next stitch from left hand needle. Knit stitch from cable needle.

Picture and info on finished socks is here.

---

Lynn asked . . .

More snow huh?? And heavy snow?!?! I hope you have a well stocked pantry!!

For most of the day it lightly snowed to the tune of about three new inches. I happily assumed they overestimated the storm and things were going to stay reasonable.

This evening we're getting heavy snow. The wind has picked up and visibility is poor.

Our National Weather Service forecast calls for 5 inches today, 3 inches tonight, and 3 more inches tomorrow. They like to break up the amounts into smaller units so we don't all freak out.

I can add. That's 11 inches. Make it stop!!!!!

Since it probably isn't going to stop, I'm happy to report the pantry is well stocked especially with the important things like dog food, dog treats, bird seed, and yarn.

Mom in Pink

It was cold and breezy today, but the roads were OK so I headed for Kalamazoo to deliver Mom's vest and take pictures.

It fits great and the color is perfect on her.


The picture taking made us hungry, so we went out to lunch after we were done.

Pattern: Cabled Vest, a Martha Hall design exclusively from Patternworks. Free with Bretton yarn purchase.

Yarn: Patternworks Bretton. 70% superwash wool, 25% nylon, 5% alpaca.

Color: Pink Diamond.

Needles: Addi Turbo #6.

Gauge: 6 stitches/inch in pattern.

Modifications:

• Knit in round with purl column fake seam up each side.
  
• Mirrored side cables.
  
• Using moss stitch instead of seed stitch on the side. The moss stitch matches the center of the middle Vs and it doesn't pull up as much as the seed stitch.
  
• Picked up 6 out of every 8 stitches for neck and arm ribbing because that was my gauge ratio.
  
• Purled two rows after neck and sleeve pickup row for a ridge between body and ribbing.

Pink Socks and Snow

These socks weren't on the list of things I was planning to knit, but there were two skeins of pink Bretton left over from the vest and I couldn't resist knitting Mom a pair of matching socks.


Pattern: Basic cuff down socks knit on 56 stitches. Stitch pattern is k2, p2 rib with the k2 stitches crossed every 4th row.

Yarn: Patternworks Bretton. 70% superwash wool, 25% nylon, 5% alpaca.

Color: Pink Diamond.

Needles: #3.

Gauge: 7 stitches/inch in stockinette.

Winter is back in SW Michigan.

Once again we're below freezing. Lows are in the teens, highs are in the mid twenties.

It snowed most of the day today and dumped another inch this evening. More snow in the forecast starting after midnight. The forecast for Friday is snow. The forecast for Saturday is 100% probability of "heavy snow".


Hey honey, do you think this snow is ever going to stop so we can make some baby birds?

Mom's Vest Finished and More Simple Socks

It's finished but unblocked.

If everyone is healthy and the roads aren't slippery, I plan to deliver it Friday, blocked and wearable. There will be pictures of Mom wearing the vest.

I'm hoping to have the matching socks done by Friday as well.

Pattern: Cabled Vest, a Martha Hall design exclusively from Patternworks. Free with Bretton yarn purchase.

Yarn: Patternworks Bretton. 70% superwash wool, 25% nylon, 5% alpaca.

Color: Pink Diamond.

Needles: Addi Turbo #6.

Gauge: 6 stitches/inch in pattern.

Modifications:

• Knit in round with purl column fake seam up each side.
  
• Mirrored side cables.
  
• Using moss stitch instead of seed stitch on the side. The moss stitch matches the center of the middle Vs and it doesn't pull up as much as the seed stitch.
  
• Picked up 6 out of every 8 stitches for neck and arm ribbing because that was my gauge ratio.
  
• Purled two rows after neck and sleeve pickup row for a ridge between body and ribbing.

Another pair of socks for the kids in Akkol, Kazakakhstan.

I used an orphan skein of worsted weight wool from my stash and my basic Winging Worsted Weight Socks formula with 42 stitches.

Chat Back for February 14

Answering questions from comments and email.

After I wrote:

Eye of partridge is a prettier heel than the standard heel flap, but I think the standard heel flap has more sideways elasticity and gives a better fit to the foot.

Susan asked . . .

Ok, what do you define as a standard heel flap?

Good question since there is really no such thing as a standard heel flap.

My standard heel flap is the first one I learned when I started to knit socks:
Row 1 (right side): Slip 1, knit 1, repeat these two stitches across row.
Row 2 (back side): Slip 1, purl the rest of the row.

This results in a cushioned heel flap that pulls in to snugly fit the heel. The man sized sock in the picture is too big for my sock blockers to stretch, so the pulling in of the heel shows nicely.

All the people I knit socks for have narrow heels so the pulling in is important to a snug fit. Without a snug fit the heels would quickly have holes in them.

For someone with a wide heel/wide foot/square shaped foot this may not be the best heel to use.

---

Megan asked . . .

Do you graph the stitch patterns on paper first or do you have enough experience that you can wing it?

For a simple kids sweater like the Peace Fleece Gansey, I pick out stitch patterns that are charted in one of my gansey books. The only thing I write down is the pattern width to make sure I have the right number of stitches for the sweater and to guide in knitting the first several rows until the patterns are visible in the stitches. After that, I usually don't need the charts anymore.

Once I know what size sweater I want to make and the gauge, I know the number of stitches for front and back. Then I look for a center panel of approximately one third that number and pick a few smaller panels to flank it.

The sides of the sweater are usually about 20 stitches of something super simple like seed stitch or even stockinette with a fake seam up the center side to eventually flare out and become an underarm gusset.

The stitch markers visible on the sleeve at the top of the picture are the sleeve decreases. Instead of writing down the sleeve decreases and losing the paper or not being able to figure out my notes (which were perfectly plain when I wrote them but somehow got incomprehensible when I wasn't looking), I just look at the markers in the first sleeve when knitting the second sleeve.

---

Dani asked . . .

If I may pick your brain a bit:
What is the secret formula to converting patterns with stitch motifs like that to work in the round?

The stitch patterns I'm using for the Peace Fleece Gansey are charted out in a gansey book where the sweaters are meant to be knit in the round, so there's no problem. Just start on the right side of the chart for each row.

When knitting in the round all rows are right side rows. For written out (uncharted) stitch patterns with wrong side rows, the wrong side rows need to be knit in the reverse.

For stitch patterns that aren't charted, I chart them, converting the wrong side stitches to their reverse equivalent, and then cross off the edge stitches that I don't need for knitting in the round.

Once they're charted, it's usually easy to see how they need to go, but I've found a few that are so challenging I decided to use something else.

The Third (yellow) Barbara Walker Treasury of Knitting Patterns, Charted Knitting Designs, has a nine page chart of stitches and what they are in reverse. It even includes some cable crossings.

A super simple example: A purl stitch on the back side needs to be worked on the right side when converted to the round, so it becomes a knit stitch.

Another example: A p2 together through the back loop on the back side needs to be worked on the right side when converted to the round, so it becomes a slip, slip, knit. There's a note that k2 together through the back loop or slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over will also work.

She also gives excellent, detailed instructions on how to execute the stitches.

---

Sheila asked . . .

Your sweater is looking good. Why would you not normally use tweed for a gansey?

Normally for a traditional gansey with intricate stitch patterns, a knitter wants a solid color, tightly twisted yarn with excellent stitch definition to show off their work.

Even when knitting a more modern gansey with a less harsh yarn, the stitch definition is usually important to the knitter who wants the stitch patterns to be the outstanding feature of the garment.

For my Peace Fleece Gansey, the tweed effect and the nubbly yarn both distract from the stitch patterns. That's one reason I chose a simple stitch design. It's more to entertain me while knitting than to be showcased. The tweedy, nubbly Peace Fleece would be just as attractive knit up in stockinette. Maybe more so.

February Melt Off

With daytime temps above freezing for the past week, we've made great progress with snow melt off.

A few days we've even had a 60 degree high and some rain. Still, there was so much snow to start with that some remains. Especially in the shade and where the snowplow piled it up along side the road.

Since it started snowing last fall before the oak leaves fell, they didn't get raked up. Now they're packed to the ground waiting for spring clean up.


Pushing the oak leaves aside, I found this.

While some of the world is showing off their bright yellow spring daffodils, SW Michigan has one to two inch daffodil leaves emerging from the semi frozen ground.

No doubt these daffodils will soon get re buried with snow and the ground around them will freeze, but they will persist and bloom about the second week in April.


Sunny is excited about this break in the weather.

She'll be disappointed when she learns there is still more winter to come.

Peace Fleece Gansey Started

This is my birthday gift Peace Fleece from friend Sherry becoming a boys sweater for some child in Akkol, Kazakakhstan.

When Sherry learned I was going to use it to knit for the Akkol kids, she gave me two more skeins bringing the yardage up to 800. I calculated that would be enough for a 30 inch sweater and cast on.

The sweater is knit in the round with no seams, no sewing. Not only does that make me happy, but I think it makes a more rugged garment with less places to fall apart as the sweater is worn and worn and worn.


Peace Fleece is coarse, nubby, and tweedy colorful. Not the type of yarn one would normally pick for a gansey sweater. The gansey stitch patterns are my way of staying interested in the knitting.

Since cables suck up yardage and my yardage is limited, there are no cables. Just knit/purl patterns.


Pattern: Making it up as I knit using the techniques from Knitting Ganseys by Beth Brown-Reinsel, a most excellent tutorial on knitting gansey style sweaters.

Yarn: Peace Fleece, heavy, coarse worsted weight 30% mohair, 70% wool. A gift from friend Sherry.

Color: Blueberry Borscht.

Needles: Options #8.

Gauge: 4 stitches/inch, 6 rows/inch.

Simple Woman's Daybook for February 9

These writing prompts are available from Simple Woman's Daybook where each Monday we're invited to join in celebrating the beauty of everyday moments around us.


FOR TODAY February 9, 2009 . . .

Outside my window...
The days are getting longer as we get into the last few months of winter.

I am thinking...
I really need to update my blog look. It's been years. So why do I hesitate? Because it has never gone smoothly in the past and I have no expectation of a blog update going smoothly in the future. Still, it needs to be done.

I am thankful for...
Clear roads and no new snowstorms in the forecast. We've been having daytime temperatures above freezing since last Friday and they're forecast to continue through the entire week.

A much welcome break before the rest of winter commences.


From the kitchen...
My stomach is regaining strength after being upset. I'm finding honey on a toasted bagel to be soothing and satisfying.

I am wearing...
Brown corduroys, a green store bought embroidered sweater top, hand knit socks, and black New Balance walking shoes. Ready to take Sunny to doggy school this evening.

I am creating... A pair of socks to match Mom's vest which is done but not washed and blocked yet.


I am going...
To doggy school with Sunny this evening. After we get home I plan to sit and knit for a few hours before going to bed.

I am reading...
Knit Two by Kate Jacobs. An OK book, but I'm not loving it. In fact it's been several days since I set it down unfinished. I do plan to finish it, but without enthusiasm. I'm just not in the mood to appreciate the people in this book.

I am hoping...
To find some reasonable air fares for an April trip to Idaho.

I am hearing...
Dogs happily crunching their food. They just got fed.

Around the house...
Things are messier than usual. The vacuum needs to be run and the laundry is almost ready to overflow the hamper.

Why did I think I would be on top of all these chores when I retired? If anything, I let things go even more now because 1) I'm older and care less and 2) There's always tomorrow.

One of my favorite things...
The Cardinal, not the snow.


A few plans for the rest of the week:
Doggy school tonight and Thursday. Grocery shopping and errands on Wednesday with a trumpet lesson in the evening.

Friday I'm having lunch with a friend in Kalamazoo. We used to work together and both lost our jobs when Pharmacia was acquired by Pfizer. It was her idea that we set a day each month to meet for lunch and we've kept the monthly date for five years now.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...
Snow is beautiful in moderation.

Flashback Friday - Sunny Picture Story

This was previously posted February 17, 2004 on my first blog Seasons of Violet in response to a Blogger Idol theme ‘Picture this'.

---

Guest Post by Sunny, Princess of Violet Acres
We all know that dogs can't talk. Bet you didn't know that dogs can write Blogger Idol entries. Well, picture this . . .


Hello. I'm Sunny, the Princess of Violet Acres.

I'm a very small dog. My favorite place to be is somewhere warm and comfy, like Mom's lap.

When people ask Mom what kind of dog I am, she just laughs.

I came from the pound, so whatever kind of dog they have at the pound is what I am.


Sometimes I have a wonderful dream about warm sunny days, green grass, and open fields.

Life used to be that way a long time ago - before all the leaves fell off the trees and the cold, white stuff started falling out of the sky.


I think I hear Mom calling to go out for a walk and I'm not sure I want to go.

It's warm in the house. I like to be warm.

See my curly chest hair? It's a snow magnet. I have to wear a stupid looking coat when I go outside or I get covered with ice balls.

When Mom says it's "around zero" I know that I can't walk very far without my feet hurting.

Dear God, this is your faithful canine Sunny.

You are a great God.

Thank you for my wonderful home.

Where did the leaves go?

Where did the grass go?

Where did the flowers go?

As soon as it pleases you, Lord, little dogs with curly chests need the snow to melt and the sun to shine and the earth to return to normal.

Amen.

Until then, I think I'll go back to sleep.

Snow and Simple Socks

Sunday when I pulled into a parking spot at church, this is what I saw out the windshield and all along the edge of the lot. We have lots of snow and don't want anymore.

We also don't want it to warm up and thaw so fast that things flood, especially our basement.

The weatherpeople (very unpopular people this winter) don't care what we want. We're scheduled to get more snow in the next few days with temperatures in the single digits. Then the weekend is going to bring the tardy January thaw with temps in the 40s.


Lately I've been feeling rather blah, typical for this time of year. I've heard some people call it "cabin fever". I don't mind the cozy in the house part of winter, but walking outside is like being on a hostile planet.

I felt like some mindless knitting, a basic pair of worsted weight wool socks for the older Mittens for Akkol kids.

I have various skeins of wool to make plenty more of these socks, but they make a very uninteresting blogging topic. This pair was knit 40 stitches around on #5 needles. The cuffs and instep are a plain p1,k3 ribbing.