It seems to be the summer of inflammation for me.  Everything hurts.  Just not enjoying things at the moment.  

A Different Direction

Things went in a slightly different direction than I planned yesterday.  

I picked up my needles and dug to find yarn colours to start with

And away I went.  I cast on 75 stitches because I would rather have to cut off the felted end product than find I made it too small.  I knit three rows and started to worry.  My thumb thingy was gently starting to make me face up to a problem.  

I am quad stranding this so my fabric is thick once felted.  My hands were never going to manage the weight or the needles.  What to do?  

I went to look for my largest remaining crochet hook.  I once had a 9 mm hook but got rid of it years ago.  My biggest remaining seems to be a 6 mm needle.  Oh well.  It will work.  

It went fairly well though I found I got bored of the browns fairly quickly.  I picked out some purples.

The chair pad will be striped and that is okay by me.  

This is where I am at this morning.  Nice wide stripes and nice loose crochet will make a decent chair pad.  It will also use up a fair amount of a yarn I don't really have a plan for.  That matters to me.  Plus after the first full day of use, my leg feels much better.  No more chafing.  This yarn is now the chair pad yarn and is suddenly useful and important to me.  

At one point, I was going to sell this yarn or give it away.  And suddenly it has become a big part of things that matter to me.  Funny how that happens.  When your direction changes you just never know what will be the right thing.

Maybe knitting

Big needles.

Big bin of wool.

Let's see what sort of wool chair pads we can come up with.

Felted wool

More not normal knitting.  Again!  

Old sweaters.  What to do with them?  When a sweater is worn out or I am bored with it, my usual treatment is to felt it.  I usually cut it into squares of various sizes depending how I will use those felted squares.  They make great hot pads and coasters.  The last batch of old sweaters had no specific use planned though I was leaning to using them together for a blanket.  I cut squares of various sizes to get the most fabric out of the garments.  

And they sat for months.  Which I'm glad for now.  I could use some chair pads to make life more comfortable.  I made a small one a few weeks ago to alleviate some pressure on one spot, and it has made a real difference.  Maybe wool chair pads are the answer and that's what I am using all these squares for.  

I start with larger squares and make a well sewn together base.  Then I layer 

smaller shapes on top.  They get sewn on and are attached on all sides.  You can see there is a bit left to do on the center square.  I would like to knit a nicer looking top layer and have stash yarn in mind to do it with.  In general though, I just need a good thick wool pad.

That's the woolly stuff I have been doing lately.  It's not much but it will make a big difference in my life.  

I do have some fun stuff too.  Remember how I spoke of spending time looking at stitch markers and progress keepers?  I said I was going to make my own?  Ha.

I fell for some from an Ontario maker.  Cupcake cuteness and stones.  They aren't stones, just acrylic or resin faux stones.  But they are a reminder of so much of my life with Brian.  There is beauty in all the small things including ordinary stones.  Thse would be more than ordinary if they were real but as a stitch marker, these are the perfect weight.  It's just what I was looking for.  

There is so much to do today.  In the heat things have seemed to pile up.  Oh well.  One chore at a time and it will get done.

Goofiness

This weekend was full of  goofiness.  And it was not my fault.

One of the little things I had to move through the floor replacement was my Lego Botanicals.  Keith gave me a set for Christmas a few years ago and they lived among the blue and white china collection.  It always bugged me that they weren't displayed with the focus on them.  

While they were stored, a couple of the individual pots were broken.  I brought them out and Keith found instructions online to rebuild them.  And then he grouped them on a shelf.

He also tucked in the wee squirrel that a friend made for me a few years ago.  I loved it and jokingly said "He needs a watering can."

And that's when Keith got ... well, odd.  His eyes lit up and he went for the lego box.  

He  couldn't find what he was looking for so

It was like watching him at 6 and 7 and 8 years old again.  I just laughed.  And before you know it

Watering can.

I had to add a bit of something so I used some extra pieces from the kit and made a few flowers.

Pretty soon, Mr. Squirrel has his own complete garden and I am utterly charmed.

I may have to make him a rake and a hoe or maybe a trowel.  It was just fun.

Lots of water

I got all my planned chores done yesterday but for the blue and white china.   Yay for me.  There is still so much to do though.  I did pull out a pair of pants and am partway through pinning the waist band on too.  That was an extra thing I had not figured on.  I did some yarn things but no knitting.  

Today will be another hot day according to the weatherman.  I am wearing lightweight clothes but my head is all about winter sweaters.  Seriously.  In fact I'm wondering if my decision on Lunan is because its time to start finishing up the winter sweaters I have on the go.  

I pulled out my Hiraeth sweater.  

 

I want to knit on this so much.  It got set aside for all the summer knitting.  In a way it's a bit like my Shalom.  Hiraeth has the same round yoke and I am planning for my Shalom to have bands of the twisted rib at the bottom and at the cuffs in a similar way to Hiraeths bands of corrugated rib.  Everything is different and yet a wee bit the same.  

I was also digging my fingers into the bag with my Staffin sweater.  I can't wait to get working on that gorgeous deep red.  It will be a total restart to resolve some errors but I knew that going in.  First try was just practice and now that I understand the set up, and what she is doing I can go ahead and enjoy the knit.

I am also looking for a speedy finish to my Kauni sweater.  

Some progress but not a lot since spring. It's the sort of sweater I will wear a lot as summer turns slowly to fall.  This sweater is nice straight forward knitting.

Today I am going get the pants finished.  Both pair just need the elastic waistband and as I mentioned, one pair is already half pinned in.  I do have a hemming project to do.  That's more fussy work than anything else but it's something I am looking forward to.  And then I hope to get in a bit of knitting.  My hand is feeling much better so I will give it a go.  

Add to this, lots of water.  Lots and lots of water.  

Stuff

I got some sewing in yesterday. I almost have pants!  It's a bit of a mess in there.  The post flooring mess remains though all the furniture is back in place.  Nothing is in order.  All the things that were out in spring so I could work on miniatures and sewing is buried under the bits and pieces from the living room that need to be put away or go back on the bookcases.  I need to spend a day just putting things in order before anything else happens.  But not today.  

Today, the books get finished sorting.  I am going to be mashing two shelves into one.  Maybe.  It's my plan but we shall see how that works.  Then Keith has promised he will help get the blue and white China collection back in place.  That takes care of some of the sewing room problem as well as getting all of my living room back.  

I am going to try to get to some knitting or sewing today too but they will be low on the list of things to do.  I think my Musselburough is going to get some work.  

My time will otherwise be taken up with having a nap in the heat of the day and a cool afternoon shower.  I hope you can find ways to keep cool too.  

Books and a Treat

I did not knit yesterday.  I have a bit of a hand thing happening that I didn't feel till now.  It's on the top of my hand and feels a bit like when you have foot trouble, in that I think the problem is more from the palm.  Resting felt like a good idea.  I think it comes from the tablet and not knitting.

I have decided to frog my Lunan.  I didn't gauge swatch and as much as I like the fabric, what I have is not going to work. It would be fine in wool, which blooms a bit but this cotton wool won't work.  I need a smaller gauge to make the top I want.  

And that is it.  I have been busy reorganizing my library and that is taking surprisingly long.  I move slowly, I guess.  The knitting library is finished.  It's not in order by subject but in order of height of the books.  This is a crappy way to organize a library but if you are short on space, it does work.  I try to get subjects close to each other but that's as much as I can do.  

I am starting on the other books today.  Which reminds me, the town newsletter always has a library update.  Today they talked about the bill the government put through to ban a bunch of books.  They gave a few sample books, a short list of four, and I am thrilled to say I own two of the four they named.  I am going to go find the whole list and may buy more on the list.  Because I am snarky that way.  

I have a treat for you this morning.  I am watching a new vlogger today and she is really enjoyable.  Knit2KnowMe is her YouTube handle.  I caught her first episode and she is just genuinely lovely.  She is out of Cambridge New Zealand and I encourage you to watch all of her episodes.  Ep three is amazing.  Enjoy.

A good weekend

We had a week of hot and I did not do well.  The last couple days of cool and I am feeling a lot better.  We finally have all of our cooling the house strategies in place.  Fans in windows.  Emergency blankets on windows.  Doors open in cool parts of the day.  It works.  Thank you full roll screens for doors.  

It was a good weekend of knitting too.  I knit on the yellow Lunan top.  I love the way this fabric feels. I did not quite get as far as I hoped but it's OK.  I will get there today.  

I spent lots of time on my Shalom sweater.

I have a half row to finish this garter stitch section before a third section of twisted rib.  And by the looks of this picture, I think my increase rate is looking good.  And in case I forgot to say, this is going to be a pullover.

I wore my new fully complete Geddy Tee this weekend.  I think it's going to be a really good part of my wardrobe.  The fabric is warm enough that it's going to be a great vest with a shirt for all season wear.  I took some bad photos of it on.

I really love the front neckline.  She has the most interesting neckline instructions that I will be using again.  It's just a wonderfully clear section of pattern writing.

And a shot of the shoulder fit.  

Perfect fit and a really nice length for how I want a drop sleeve to fit.

This morning I am wearing my dishcloth cotton Lusk top.  I.  Love.  This.  Top.  The pattern is superb and the fabric this cotton makes is really great.  It's warm enough for cool mornings and breathes well enough that I've worn it through some of the hot days.  I find myself contemplating knitting another of these in some of my multi colored kitchen yarn.  It's awfully comfortable to wear even if I find the multi makes a not pretty fabric.  Stop me please.  

Lunan is the work of the day.  And maybe a wee bit of knitting on a sock just to keep my hand in.  

Finished?

With all the fuss and bother of the last few days, I have been putting off weaving in my ends on my Geddy Tee.

There are a lot of ends. Or so I have been telling myself.  It really no worse than any other garment.  It just looks bad because I left all the ends nice and long so I could weave them in well.  Plus, the double stranding.  It's a mess.

Since it is so hot today, I am dressing easy.  I did have a minute where I felt a chill as the fans started up, so I grabbed this tee and slipped it on.  Goodness I like this tee.  A lot.  It fits me so nicely.  And that is how I finally started weaving in ends.  

I am really hoping to get in some knitting today.  It's three days now since I knit.  I am feeling twitchy, so it's time.  I am going to work on the yellow till I get the back of Lunan done and then I will set it aside to work on the Shalom pullover.  That has a lot of visual interest and is fun to work up.  That's my weekend work unless I cast on something else that is new and fun.

Settled again

There was absolutely zero knitting yesterday.  It was the day to restore order to my house.

This is a library on its way to reconstruction.  I had two helpers and it took all day.  We took short breaks and one of my assistants went walking to our downtown to pick up lunch.  We worked steady and not too fast but fast enough to get the job done before their mom came by to pick them up.  They did a great job and I am so thankful they helped.  By the end of the day, we had this.

We shifted the TV a bit.  It's been in the same spot for 10 years and now that all we need is a plug in, it was time for a shift.  I'm not going to put all my foo faraw out again.  Some yes, but a little less is fine with me.  It just needs to feel homey to me.  

The other thing about getting things back to order is that I can now get to my yarn again.  The bookcases were standing in front of the wool closet and you cannot imagine how it feels to be able to get back in there.  It is not that I needed anything there.  It's just that loss of a small freedom of access that was surprisingly hard to bear.  

The other thing mostly cleared out is my sewing room.  I am going to finish my two pairs of pants that just need elastic and hemming, today or tomorrow.  I will be so happy to have them.  They are light weight airy fabrics and should be perfect for summer wear.  

I did get to the underarm shaping on the yellow Lunan sweater and hope to get that done as well as the sewing.  So it will be a busy day ahead. 

Good knitting

I'm free! I'm free!  The floor is done and looks good.  It's is an almost perfect match for what we had before and yet it is oh so different.  

I had a great knitting weekend.  

I knit to the middle of the first multi colour band...and then I ripped it back.  Too many stitches too soon caused the whole thing to ruffle up.  A ruffled top is not a good look on a person.  Not when it is supposed to be smooth.  Real ruffles are great but look very different.  

The restart looked better immediately.  

Much nicer.  

I have just finished the second round of increases and I am ready to move on to a longer needle.  Once I do that, I will be able to see if this second round is right or if I need to do another pullback and do a different rate of increases.  

It's close I think, but I want better than close.  I love how it looks.

I will be working on the yellow sweater today.  I want that just as much but a solid single colour sweater needs a bit more determination and stick to it  than a many colored joyous thing.  I want it so I must knit it.  

Cheats and an answer for Jen.

The story of yesterday was I cheated. Let me start at the start.  

I picked up early in the morning and all went very well.  

It's going well.  I put in a couple of inches and am pleased with how it's going.  It's a fun knit.  

But I was heartily sick of it by noon.  I am quite sure it has to do with being stuck in my room while floor work goes on.  It was just that antigens that creeps in when you can'tdo more than anything else.  I put my pretty yellow away.  

I thought I would knit on my Kauni sweater.  I searched through the bags in the WIPs bin and couldn't find it.  It's somewhere in here but when I opened a bag with some navy Cascade 220 and some multi colored yarn from a maker called Yarn Love ghat I purchased from someone's stash a good long while ago, I threw all thought of sticking with knits on the go aside.  I needed to cast on something new. That was exciting. 

I am making a Shalom with this.  Shalom is an oldie that I made four times before as a vest or a sweater.  This version is going to be a pullover.  

And now for an answer to Jen, who commented yesterday regarding gauge issues.  Simply put, not anymore.  There are no patterns I will not knit if I have a gauge issue. That's the simple version but the truth is way weirder that that.  

I rarely follow patterns completely.  Right from the start of my knitting journey some almost 20 years ago.  I struggled as a new knitter and still struggle now.  The difference is I now understand why.  When I see a line of type with letters and numbers they pile up at the end of the line.  Literally.  A knitting pattern can be a nightmare for me.  I have to break it into today smaller bits in order to understand what is going on in a pattern.  Once I understand it I can usually make something that will fit me and that will kind of look like the design I want.  

To get to this point, I read and played around lots.  I highly recommend reading everything by Elizabeth Zimmermann, Knitting In the Old Way by Priscilla Gibson Roberts,  Knitting From the Top Down by Barbara Walker, Knitting Rules by Stephanie Pearl McPhee,  Little Red in the City by Ysolda Teague for starters to encourage you to be in the drivers seat of your knitting.  

Longer ago, I could purchase what I wanted to suit a pattern but now, with a ginormous stash, and little spare cash, I play gauge games.  I also play gauge games because my one hand has a shaking problem that makes fine yarns very difficult.  That is what happened with the Geddy Tee.  

I wanted that tee. I bought the pattern to read how the designer built the design.  I carefully read the schematics.  I made a swatch of what my gauge with my yarns was.  Then, I rather blindly made my crocheted granny squares.  I knew I wanted to use only two for the shoulder saddles because that looked nicer and two were wide enough for how I wanted it to fit.  And then basically, I picked up the number of stitches that I would need based on her schematics and my granny squares measurement.  

As you can see at the shoulders, the main body ruffles a bit but the picture shows the unblocked sweater.    After that it's all about my gauge and her schematics.  I rarely read the pattern except to confirm her details.  I try to keep to the details of the design, the shoulders, the collar, all the little bits that make her design the sweater I want.  

So I sort of wing it.  Because I can't do anything else.  Would that I could.  Would that 9 year old me could have done those train math word problems or that slightly older me could have done algebra.  

Do I need patterns? Not really.  That is both blessing and curse. I struggle with patterns that are too line by line and where numbers are perfect on every row. But can I knit to fit me?  Yes.

I hope this helps answer your questions Jen.  It's all about gauge and the designers schematics.   If you don't have my issues with letters and numbers, the reasonable thing is to do the things you describe to get the size you want.  

That's it for today.  The little bits of rain we are having is nice and the air smells Grand.  All the really heavy stuff is south of us.  So far.  So far.  

Interesting times

Interesting times I think.  I am now, more or less living in my substantial bedroom.  It is really much too large for a bedroom unless you are of the school that the master bedroom is a retreat and must therefore be enormous.  This room is of that school and I am thankful for it. All the things I use daily are able to fit in here.  It's a bit of a squeeze but it's okay for the hopefully few days that it will take to get the new floor in.  

I had a great day knitting.  

  All the increases are complete and only the length to the underarm remain to be knitted.  I hope to get everything of that done today.  It's kind of fun knitting, because of the rib. It's never going to feel like a long slog.  

New day, new project and plenty of tea.  Not a bad way to spend the day. 

 

Ordinary time

What a lovely day yesterday.  Maybe a bit warm, but it was great 9verall.

Plenty of interesting knitting.

A new cast on!  I am so excited.  This is Lunan by Rebecca Clow, The Creabea.  I noted it a couple years ago as she was knitting first sample.  I had to wait till she took it to testers and through the process till it's release date.  And since the release date, I have been waiting to knit it.  

I knew exactly which yarn I wanted to knit it with.  The yarn is Elle Elite, a long discontinued cotton and wool blend out of South Africa.  The lovely soft yellow is a perfect colour for spring and fall.  I have knit with the griegey green I have in this yarn several times.   My first Tolsta was made using leftovers from a greigy green sweater I made years ago when I lived in my wee house on the west side of the city.  I still have both and wear them often.  It's just a good sound fabric.  I think I have a brick red colour of this as well.  I will knit that up sometime soon.  Ish.  There are lots of other yarns to knit through.  

I am really enjoying the Lunan pattern.  It's more than stockinette with the tiniest bit of a rib but my most wanted thing on this top is the Polo collar.  I have always wanted to knit a Polo collar top and here it was.  I do have Elisabeth Zimmermann's books and have read many times through her patterns and advice on Polo collars.  I have a Vogue Knitting book that has a Polo collar design.  I have several other patterns that have Polo collars like  Sari Nordlund's North Wind sweater.  I want to try her version of European shoulder construction.  

For now, Lunan.  Interesting knitting.  

Today is going to be busy.  The last preps are happening for the floor guys.  Doing flooring really is best done in an empty house.  With a bit of luck all the mess and stress will be done soon and my little world will be back to normal.  Or what passes for normal here.  What is  normal really?  Life is about flux and change and adaptation and then a couple of ordinary days before it all starts again.  I am lucky that I have knitting to get me through whatever flux there may be to get back to ordinary time.  

Happy Happy

Yesterday was a very good day.  I experimented with mostly hanging out in my room.  That went okay.  Mostly that's about sorting out the issues and what I need in here while the floors are curing out there.    

It was a good day knitting too because

It's done!  I am so pleased.  Are there things I would do differently if I was to make it again?  Sure, but that is experience.  It's could use a good blocking but otherwise I am very happy with it.  If I was to change anything, it would be that at the bottom hem I would have done 7 rows of the colour, not five.  I also would have gone straight into the rib rather than do the few rows of stockinette.  But that's it.  I love how it looks and fits, and that is what matters.

I also started something new.  I know I have things to work on that I can't wait to wear.  The Hiraeth sweater 

It's gorgeous and I have only a few rows of coulourwork to go.  I'm not fond of the fit of circular yokes on me.  I am very hopeful for this because it is a combination of styles.  After the round colourwork, there are additional raglan increases to help you get a great fit for your body.  There is more colourwork at the hem and at the sleeve ends.  So lots of gorgeous colour offset by my beloved brilliant sunshine yellow.

And my Kauni sweater.  

 

I love this.  It's in one of my all time favourite yarns, Tove, sadly long discontinued.  I adore the way the Kauni is changing.  It starts very subtly a few rows before the Tove bands.  And that grey?  Blue.  Just this wonderfully dusty blue.  That brown?  A rich dusty purple.  It's wonderful.

Now the new top?  That will wait for another day.  

Not Quite

Not quite there yet, but I have to say, I am thrilled at what I did get done.  

I'm really pleased with how it looks and fits.  I debated doing a long hem ribbing but I kept measuring and it was there already.  It's exactly right and that is not always how it works.  Yay me.  

All that remains is sleeve ribbing.  And guess what!  I found another ball of teal yarn in the bag.  I thought all that was in there was two more balls of the STR but down at the bottom hiding beneath swatches and wee tail ends of balls was another ball.  I will easily be able to complete this top without waiting to get at the stash after the flooring is done. 

This week, one day or other is flooring week.  The day is maybe Wednesday but more likely Thursday or Friday.  Keith and I decided that after Wednesday, we are in flooring mode come what may.  Everything is emptied and cleaned and we are ready to go even if the flooring people are not.  

We also had a bit of lovely company on Saturday.  One of my sisters and my brother came up as they played car games in the city.  My sister bought a car and my brother did too.  I am laughing at him because he did not mean too.  It was just a good deal.  Lol.  I understand it though, because yarn.  They have to come back this week to pick up my brothers car.  

 The day feels odd with all my stuff mashed into my bedroom but it's not that bad.  Just crowded a bit.  Never the less I should finish the Geddy Tee today and then maybe, just maybe get started on the next good thing. 

Picking up and knitting the neck ribbing went great too.  I knit it with the larger needles too and I am so happy that it worked well.  I switched to smaller needles for the last round and the bind off so it would hold its shape as well as to prevent the neck from growing. 

Ribbing and Fit and Fashion

Some yarns look so good in ribbing.

There is a crispness that is unexpected in a double stranded yarn.  

I don't go to a smaller needle ever for a bottom ribbing.  The last thing I want is for the bottom of a sweater to pull in.  I didn't like it in the eighties and  I see no reason to change it now.  I rarely change needles for sleeve ribbing either.  The only place I do often choose a smaller needle is on collars.  Collars often stretch and open. I perfer a closer fit on collars and the stability a smaller needle gives.

I remember when I was young and bell bottoms were a thing and my mom saying for her they were old fashioned.  I understand this now.  This is the third time in my life that wide legged pants are a thing.  And leggings?  They wore very very slim fitting pants like that in the early 60's.  Anybody else remember how they had little straps at the bottom to go under your foot so the pants stayed at the bottom of your leg?  They were a 60s fabric version of leggings.  

The thing I like now about fashion that has significantly changed is that skirt lengths don't matter.  There are people wearing minis and knee length and long maxi length skirts for whatever time of day or season.  There are high waists and low waists at the same time.  Wide legs and leggings are both available.    When I was younger, there were no options.

I like that blending, that easing of 'styles' so that all of us can wear what we are comfortable in.  It's the same as how there was fashion for the wealthy through history and clothes for the rest of us.  If my shapes and styles are not what you feel good in, that's great. It is all okay.

I personally like a more unstructured fit.  Less fitted has always been what I was comfortable in. My idea of a perfect sweater is Joji Locatelli's Elton sweater.  I love that those styles are available to me and that I can make them by sewing or by knitting.  

Historically, the very biggest fashion advance in the last century has been pants. It is and has been socially acceptable for most of my life for women and girls to wear pants.   I do recall in grade one, in bitterly cold winter,  how the teacher said the girls were allowed to wear pants on the bus for warmth.  And before very long, nobody said anything if you were a just kid in pants at school. By the third grade girls were wearing pants as often as not.  I also remember that my mom said girls were not allowed to wear jeans to school and that shortly after she said that, even the principals daughter was wearing jeans to school.   That  was about grade four or five.  And now, holy cats, women and girls even get pockets on their store brought clothes.

My personal fashion is clothes for the rest of us.  Clothes that work for the way we live.  I like watching fashion and the blogs and vlogs of what the rich wear as much as anybody  but wear it?  No.  I'm not art.  I'm just me.  And so it is.  

It's going to be dicey to finish the Geddy.  The floors are going in on Wednesday so access to the other bag of the teal yarn is a no go.  I will need two more balls of the yarn so I will knit till the teal is gone.  Then I will have some fun and knit on something entirely different.  A new cast on is in the wind.  

Perfect

It was an utterly perfect day yesterday.  I had no trouble with my hands at all.  I just worked!  It was so good. 

I completed two rows of the filet crochet border and I am moving on to the last section. Remember, this is my variation on a Geddy trim inspired by another Raveler.

I will do a few rounds of stockinette and will then slip into the ribbing to finish the body.  

Perfect.

Always Canadian.  Always will be Canadian.