Embellish Your Knits with Duplicate Stitch

Sometimes you don't want to do a big fairisle design and sometimes you might want to add a little something to your fairisle design.  Or maybe you have a special picture you want to add to your knit but you don't want to go to the trouble to program it into the machine.  Well, in those times, Duplicate Stitch may be your answer.   Its easy.   Look at the diagrams below and read the directions, easy peasy!

1. Bring the needle up through the point of the beginning stitch and insert it behind the point of the stitch above it.
2. Put the needle down through the beginning point and bring it up through the point of the next stitch.
3. Pull the thread through and insert the needle behind the point of the next stitch on the row above.
4. To begin the next row insert the needle into the base of the stitch directly above the last stitch made.
5. It is easier to do this row if the garment is turned 180 degrees. Duplicate this stitch as you did on the previous row.
6. To complete the first stitch on this row, your needle is inserted behind threads that have already been stitched.
7. Work from right to left starting at the lower right. (opposite for left handed peole). The graphics are placed on the page in the manner in which you will be stitching. The numbers here coorespond to the numbers next to the graphics.
8. We've found for best results, use DMC threads. Presoak the darker colors in white vinegar and water, allow to dry.
9. On a standard (7 sts, 10 in) garment, 6 strands of DMC work great. Before you start, separate the 6 strands and then put them back together, this makes them stitch fuller. Krenik metallic threads work great also. (We haven't tried the new DMC Metallic Floss yet)

HINTS FOR DUPLICATE STITCHING

1. Use cotton embroidery floss for your next duplicate stitch design, you'll be thrilled with the results.
2. To make the floss fuller, separate the 6 strands, wet your index finger and thumb and run down the single strands. Then put the 6 strands back together again. This will make them fuller and the wet finger method will keep them from twisting.
3. Make sure you have room in the designated area of the sweater to actually duplicate stitch your design. In other words, make sure there are enough stitches and rows.
4. If you want to use a cross stitch pattern on your sweater, remember that cross stitch is square, knitted stitches aren't. To get the graph correct it's best to use knitters graph paper. Any variation in knitting gauge will change the picture but not too much if you stick to a standard gauge machine sweater but be sure to rechart again if you want to work with a bulky sweater.
5. Before starting make absolutely sure your cotton floss doesn't run. To make sure, soak the floss in white vinegar and cold water and then rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse in cold water.
6. Make sure you have enough thread to complete the picture. Floss comes in dye lots just like yarn. I once had to start completely over because of this little omission.
7. Don't stick to just duplicate stitch. You can use French knots, running stitch, beads, buttons and charms to further enhance your sweater. You can even design a motif around charms or buttons.
8. If you are going to make your own sweater, try making it textured but leave the section where you want the duplicate stitch plain. For instance a purl lattice design surrounding a blank section would look great combined with a flowered embroidery design. If you don't have a machine that will do textures, try using baby cables (1 x 1 twisted cables). Try separating the textured area and embroidery area with garter stitch, using the garter stitch as a border.
9. Try combining duplicate stitch with machine embroidery stitches. This will look OK as long as the machine embroidery design is fairly open.
10. Don't wash and dry or steam your finished garment until AFTER you've duplicate stitched the design. Machine washing and drying acrylic yarn sets the stitches and you want the duplicate stitch to "set" with the garment.

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Copyright © Rosalind Porter, Piney Mnt., 1997-1999.

The information, patterns and images contained on this page are for personal use and may not be altered, converted nor uploaded to any electronic system or BBS nor included in any compact disk (CD-ROM) or collection of any type

New Garden Flag

Its been a while since I've sewn anything but I decided I needed to make a garden flag for the next Holiday, Labor Day.  I checked my files for the Tweets (birds in a tree doing Holiday things) from Embroidery Library.com but there wasn't a Labor Day Tweet.  Oh well, I found one called "What I'll Be When I Grow Up" and thought, perfect, it shows workers, a fireman, astronaut, pop singer, cowboy...and I added Biscuit at the bottom, wearing a fireman's hat.  Well, when I got it finished I liked it so much I didn't want to wait till Labor Day week to put it out so I put Happy Day at  at the top  instead of Happy Labor Day and put it out.
I made this one a little different from the others I've done.  I like the sterling chain at the bottom to hold the flag down in the wind so made a little casing at the bottom.   I did a rolled hem on the sides instead of sewing a doubled hem and I like how it looks.   I made the top casing wider so that I didn't have trouble threading it onto the flag holder which is a royal pain.   Then I tried to iron a fusible stabilizer to the back because the flag fabric is fairly thin and really needs more than the medium weight tearaway I have always used.  Also I didn't like the idea of a wash-away stabilizer because I didn't want to have to soak it when it was done but next time I hope I remember, the fusible stabilizer doesn't fuse to the flag fabric well.  You can't use a lot of heat on these things because hot heat will melt the fabric so I couldn't get it hot enough to fuse.  Doggone it.  I ended up leaving it half-way fused and hooped the tearaway, sprayed the fusible with sticky stuff to hold it to the hooped tearaway.  When I got done I had to cut the fusible out around the design in the back.  Pain in the neck but it looks ok so that's all that matters.  
The casing that holds the chain is a good idea, it holds down better than the chain I put on the last one (which I just tacked on when the flag was done).   So in all, I like this flag, every one I make teaches me something new.    The additional stabilizer was a good idea, maybe next time I'll use Badgemaster which is a washaway and I'll soak it when finished.  Obviously its the easiest way to go.
BTW, the flag looks a little wacky, the wind was blowing just a bit when I took the picture, hence the crooked sides.  Really, its straight.

Next project---I'm making another pair of socks once again trying the Interweave sock book called Favorite Socks, I'm learning with this project too, it calls for 5 double pointed needles, 4 in the circle and 1 to knit with.  I'm making Retro Ribbed Socks, one of the first in the book.   I had a heck of a time casting on with 4 needles but did manage to get started last night while I watched Housewives of New Jersey. Since its raining and humid out today I may just sit under the ceiling fan and knit all day.  This project requires a little concentration until I memorize the pattern.

New Multidirectional Scarf

I knitted a multidirectional scarf in November (2009)  and loved it but gave it to a friend.   So I found some hand dyed yarn in my stash of yarn as I was trying to clean out the closets, etc...and decided to make myself one.  I love the scarf.    The other one was pictured in another blog note here: http://rozspot.blogspot.com/2009/11/multi-directional-scarf.html

Towels are done, sweater's coming along

I managed to finish 35 of these and made the sign late last night.  I have 7 blanks left and may get some more to make for Christmas presents.   People really do like them, they're lint free, prewashed (by me), washed once again after sewing to remove the stabilizer and the iron and my arm got a workout, getting the wrinkles out after the second wash, for some reason they are sooooooo wrinkled its almost impossible to iron them although if you pay more for them, you get pre-ironed.   Oh well....it didn't kill me.    Hopefully the church will sell them all and that's my part for the Bazaar.

I have yard work to do, dead flowers to get rid of and hoses to get in.   It was pretty cold this morning when I walked the dog at 7:30 so I really need to start getting out some warmer clothes.  Also have to finish putting the film on the bedroom windows and the door in the sewing room.   Why is it I always am behind in everything I do?  I could have been working on these towels for a year, I knew they have a bazaar every Oct.  Well, I might go ahead and start soon, I would have liked to make knitted dishcloths to go with them and package them up with raffia ribbon, a towel and washcloth as a set.  Might do that next year, I have some really nifty paper ribbon that is red and white polka dots   I think I bought it once for this very purpose.

Meanwhile, my sweater is progressing, I've knitted 20 rows (I know that doesn't sound like much but remember I'm going around a humongous circle which is getting smaller by the decreases every 9 rows.  In fact after the second decrease row I was amazed at how fast I got back to the beginning.  I will have to make a swatch on the knitting machine to chart the sleeves although I have to wait till I get to the section of the circle where I put stitches on hold for sleeves to be inserted, then I can figure out how wide the top of the sleeve has to be.    I suspect the sleeve will be similar to a drop shoulder sleeve, straight across at the top (obviously I will look at the diagram in the pattern which isn't near the computer as I write this).    Anyway, I am convinced I can knit the sleeves on the machine which will make the whole thing go faster.    Our local LYS has shawl pins and I'll get one for this wonderful sweater but no sense rushing......

Border's done, now to decrease & decrease & decrease, etc....

I finished the border after I measured it against the HK'd one which luckily I didn't unravel yet and the MK'd one measured the same as the finished one with only 661 rows.  So then I had a dilemma, do I keep on going or do I go ahead and quit now.   Well, really that was a no-brainer, who wants to continue on for another couple hundred rows which seem to take forever when the thing was big enough already.   So I quit and started picking up stitches with my HK needles.   Now I can start another sweater on the machine while I HK this in the evening.  At least that's the plan.

I worried about how I was going to figure out how in the world to pick up 363 stitches on 661 rows, the pattern said pick up along the edge, every other row.  Well, I finally decided to just start picking up.  I counted out and marked every 100 rows and picked up evenly around.  When I was through I counted how many stitches I had and saw that I didn't have enough so joined it into a circle and knitted a row, increasing evenly around until I had 363.  Surely there's an easier way to do this but that's what I did.

After I had the proper number of stitches which I felt was important because the pattern calls for evenly decreasing so many rows until you come to the center and the decreases are really pretty if they are all lined up from border to center.   So in the picture above you see my finished border and the first 9 rows.  The makrers show every 10 stitches because I must decrease every so many rows at the markers.   This will go much faster than the border did even though its just plain knitting because I'm decreasing so many stitches often.   Once this is done I feel I might be able to do the sleeves on the machine although I guess I need to swatch on the machine and maybe chart out the sleeves with Knitware software.   That should work, right?  I hope so, I really want this done for Christmas.

Border will be done this week......

Hopefully I'l have this 858 rows done by the middle of this week but today I have a hair appointment so can't work on it although I have just done 25 rows this morning and will knit when I get home time permitting.   Here's a small record of my project since I started this border

510 rows

400 rows

600 rows

My Circular Cardigan

I've been working for over a year on this circular cardigan. I love the design and I love a circular cardigan. I bought one a few years ago when I was visiting my daughter in Tacoma. Loved the sweater, it was so comfy and cozy but it pilled savagely as soon as I washed it. To make it worse, it was a soft acrylic and stretched out of shape, making it narrower and longer. Anyway, I liked it enough to want to make one. Then I found Nigella, a sweater pattern from Berroco. It called for a super yarn spun from rayon and cotton. PROBLEM...the border is over 800 rows but a very easy lace pattern to follow. I got past that and then started the actual circle. As I knitted on this thing on and off I realized the yarn was actually stretching out of shape as I knitted. It was getting longer and longer and when I got down to the end of the circle, I realized, this was NOT going to be a sweater that I would like any better than the one I bought because of the properties of the yarn. This was a sweater that should be carefully folded on a shelf and worn only on special occasions.......not the sweater I had planned on wearing all winter when I needed something to snuggle into.   We all know a soft cotton will stretch out of shape as we wear it. Rayon is known to be iffy when washed so the combo is not my favorite for such a sweater. I finally gave up when I was supposed to be down to 17 stitches and still had 50+ on my needles (yes I was HKing this project and made a mistake or two while knitting).

I decided that as much as I loved the sweater I would have to abandon it.BUT I couldn't do it, I HAD to have that sweater so I went to my LYS and bought some wool yarn that I have knitted with before and like a lot. Shepherd's Wool by Stonehedge Fiber Mills. Its a soft Merino and should hold its shape. I also decided to change my needle from size 8 to size 7 after measuring, I think I was knitting it too loose. Then I decided, I just couldn't redo that border. I can't do it again...800+ stitches......until I realized I could probably do it on the machine. So I got out my LK 150 and spent half a day recreating that border pattern.

FROM THE FRONT

I'm now up to row 100 on the LK 150 and the results are great!  I must say, this pattern looks good from both sides.  Once the million rows are finished, I will turn it on its side and knit on another million stitches and start knitting circular which can't be done on the LK 150 but that's ok.  You are working your way down from lots and lots of stitches to around 17 stitches so every time you decrease evenly around you are working with less stitches, quite a bonus I think.

and BACK

I also think this pattern would be great as a peplum on the bottom of a pullover (with quite a few less rows of course).    See the pretty scallop?
I'm working furiously with the machine part of this sweater because I want to get it onto my HK needles.  I like to have something to HK in the evenings while I'm watching TV or traveling around.    MK is for day time for me these days.

What will I do with the tons of cotton/rayon yarn I bought?  I'm thinking it would be a super yarn to use for something like a bolero.  It can easily be machine knitted and its really a nice yarn for a smaller garment.   

Northwestern Michigan Fair

I spent a few hours each day for 3 days at the fair last week. Why? Well, the first day I went the kids were bringing in the 4H animals and I enjoyed looking at their animals as well as talking to the kids. One girl was rocking a sleeping calf's head in her lap and I asked her if she had just bought the calf or was selling it. She was selling it and said her last year's calf was being shown this year as a steer (ready for someone's freezer) She didn't seem sad or grossed out about it so obviously this girl lives on a farm and knows the difference in pets and farm animals. Still, it was nice to see she loved her calf enough to cradle his head in her lap. The kids had a hard time this year because it was sooooo hot last week, they had to spend a lot of time with their animals keeping them hydrated and hosing them down when they got stressed from the awful heat and humidity. I must comment, the barns were spotless every time I went through them, kudo's to the kids for their hard work.
The second day I went I wanted to watch the draft horse show, I love those gigantic animals.
The 3rd time I went though I went to see the needlecraft exhibits and what won prizes. I took pictures but we obviously weren't allowed to touch anything so there were times I questioned the lack of a ribbon but couldn't inspect to see why someone didn't get one, all I could do was marvel over the workmanship of the knits and the beauty of some of the entries.

I got myself a Rules Book and next year I plan on entering some knits, both hand and machine and I was thrilled to see Machine Knit was one of the categories although there were no machine knits entered. You'd better believe I came home, unraveled what I had done so far on that forever-project, Nigella, the circular sweater from Berroco. I did a gauge test on it and confirmed what I already knew, it was too loose and I am starting over with a smaller needle. I wish I could knit it on the knitting machine but its circular and would have to be grafted together later, I just can't graft stitches well enough to attempt it.

Here's some pictures that I took of knits that I would have been proud to enter, had I made them...enjoy!

OK, so I've neglected my blog

So much going on. I've traveled a bit, am busy exploring the surroundings in the Traverse City area and otherwise have occupied my time since Spring arrived. OK, now its summer and a nice fairly cool one. I've got bird feeders to fill, flowers to plant and take care of, tons of weeds thanks to the bird feeders and other things to keep me busy but I haven't forgotten my fiber addiction.

I'm still hand knitting the circle sweater from Berroco. I'm nearly finished with the body which is a huge circle, getting smaller and smaller as I get to the center. Then I have 2 sleeves to make and I'm done. Yaaay! I've been knitting it since before I sold my house in SC, The sweater is named Nigella and I love it still but wish it was finished. Its made with Berroco's Touche' which is a cotton/rayon blend and should be great for even now on cool mornings and evenings.......why can't I get with it??? Here's a picture of Nigella:

A couple months ago I traveled to Pontiac, MI with a friend to meet his sister and while on the road, we stopped at Frankenmuth, MI to visit Zeilinger Wool Co. I heard about Zeilinger's back in Asheville, NC when they came to the fiber fest every October to pick up fleece to take back to MI to process for people. I ended up bringing home fleece from Zeilinger's (naturally)...2 lbs of Alpaca to spin. Its yummy stuff and spins up soooo nice. Its soft and wonderful..here's a picture of the fleece and my sample spun up..I am planning a soft, warm jacket with the finished project, probably I'll make it on the LK 150 so that it can be made in a week instead of a year... While I was in Frankenmuth I picked up a Spin Off magazine and saw an ad for a wool processor in East Jordan, MI, Stonehedge Fiber Mill. Wait a minute---I had seen that ad before so I looked it up on Google. Son of a gun, East Jordan isn't all that far from Traverse City so one Saturday morning my friend and I took off for East Jordan. Down the lane (a long lane) we found a 100 yr old farm where the owner has spinning machines and processes wool. Her wool, Shepherd's Wool is beautiful stuff. I've bought it from the local yarn shop here in TC last Fall for felted hats and was very impressed at how nicely it felts. Anyway, I went into her little building full of all colors of yarn (why didn't I take pictures of that???) and found mill ends. Yarn that is almost perfectly spun by machine but maybe has a little slub in it or maybe its not quite the right color. (she dyes her yarn as well). She sells Shepherd's Wool to yarn shops all over the country and its featured in magazines. While I was there 2 more women came in to shop...I'm not the only one who travels that long lane. While there I bought a pattern for a colorful helmet hat, featuring her yarn and then bought the mill ends to go with the pattern. That, I gave to my DIL but there's enough ends for both of us to make more than 1 helmet hat (or whatever we want to make). I also got myself a lb of beautiful merino. SOOOO soft and luscious, here's a picture of that wonderful stuff: I also picked up a pattern featuring Shepherd's Wool, called Noni, a laptop bag with power cord pockets. Love the pattern and will probably dye some of my white (unknown origin) fleece and spin/knit the bag.

Also on my agenda is writing the pattern for my beaded bag, made on the LK 150. I have the pattern written but want to "perfect" it by making it one more time and then will get that posted. Shame on me for neglecting all this stuff for so long but what fun I'm having in my new life...........( my excuse and I'm sticking with it).

So you can see I have lots of projects going on and need to spend more time at home working on them....easier said than done.

Hat finished

Yesterday I put my helmet hat in the washer with very hot water and felted it slightly to make it fit a little more snug. I knew it wasn't going to felt evenly because I had used 3 different types of wool and I was right. The top (cream color) didn't felt as fast as the other 2 wools, the red felted the most unfortunately because its very lightly spun wool. The green did as predicted, its Brown Sheep wool and a great felter. So---in the end, I didn't make it through even 1 wash cycle before I had to get it out and stretch the red to fit my head. What to do....the cream was still too loose and big. Suddenly I had a brainstorm. I got out my Clover needle felting tool, put the hat on the hat dryer I have (which is a styrofoam ball) and felted it with the tool. Then I put the hat on my head and stretched the still-damp red wool. Now the hat fits like a dream. Its great. If you look at the first pictures (previous post) and these pictures, I hope you can see how smooth the top now is. Yaaaay for the Clover tool, it didn't take long at all to felt that cream down with it.

I also did a crab stitch crochet all the way around the outer edge of the hat with the green yarn and that helped shape the back edge where I actually stretched it some wearing it wet--and wanted it to fit a bit snugger there. And of course I braided 2 ties on the front. I really love this hat, too bad its going up to the 30's today and won't be cold enough to test the hat in windy 20 degree weather (and I'm complaining?)

Next? I'm going to go back and tackle the lined slippers on the LK 150.

Yes, I'm knitting

I have had a horrible case of bronchitis since Christmas and can't machine knit or do much else because the idea is to rest, drink water........etc...... So I decided to HK. My daughter in law made a cute helmet hat a couple weeks ago and I liked it so much I wanted one. I dug into my stash and found some green Brown Sheep wool, some red wool spun in a Third World Country and some cream colored hand spun yarn my daughter sent me from Tacoma. Perfect! The pattern is a freebie from Knitting On The Net, Ear Flap Hat by Leef Bloomensteil. I don't have ties on it yet and I think the ear flaps are a bit too long so will put it in the washer tomorrow to felt it just a little. Here's pictures of the hat so far......

Multi-Directional Scarf

So I took this class at the local LYS and when I got home I realized I had made a mistake the second multi direction so I took it all out and studied the pattern. Figured it all out and made some notes on the pattern and went to bed. The next morning I did something with the pattern--I have no idea where I put it but its gone!
At least I had studied it and remembered how to do it--as far as the basic scarf but there was an additional part of the pattern I didn't look at (yet)...that was...how to finish the thing. I need to know how to finish the last section so it looks like the first. I found the pattern on jimmybean.com. First I thought good grief, don't order the pattern again, you'll find it eventually but jimmybean also had some Lorna/s Laces Swirl on sale, The more I knitted on this scarf, the more I loved how it was turning out and the Swirl that was on sale was multi-colored just like the Plymouth Kudo that I was using. Couldn't resist, I ordered the pattern and yarn. So now here I am, almost finished with the scarf and awaiting the pattern and yarn. The pattern is Ann Norling's, Short Row Multi-directional scarf.

This scarf is so great because you can use any yarn, it probably looks best with a variegated yarn with medium to long sections of colors, any weight, any size needle that matches your yarn weight and knit till its as long as you want it to be. I like longer, thinner scarfs that I can fold in half and draw the end through. Love wearing them that way and this one is going to be exactly what I love. Kudo is 55% cotton, 40% rayon and 5% silk. Beautiful stuff and nice to knit with.

Oh, did I mention I also bought the Addi Turbo Click set at the LYS the day I took the class? I have always liked Addi Turbo needles, they have a smooth transition from cable to needle. That is one thing I don't like about some sets I've owned. These also don't screw onto the cable, they click and lock. No coming undone while you're knitting. I do believe I've found 2 of the best needle-systems on the market, the Addi Turbo Clicks and the Knit Picks Harmony Options. They rival bamboo in that you can knit slippery yarn and not have stuff fall off the needle. Well, a girl has to have needles for slippery yarn and for regular yarn, right? So I'm all set, my hand knitting basket is overflowing and so is the yarn basket (uh....cupboard(S) :-)

I think its time to share some yarn with my fellow club members. We have a box in the clubhouse here at the condo and we're rapidly filling it with books, supplies and needles for each other to use. I'm going to go through the yarn stash and add some yarn, there's just no way in this lifetime I can knit all this yarn. Its almost sinful to look at (and I have been known to say I was going to have to go to confession if I buy any more...but surely I'll be forgiven for buying that Lorna's Laces, especially if I share some yarn with my fellow knitters).

Traverse City and Area

Today I have to go register the dog at the County Treasurer's. Hopefully my GPS will find the place. Then I'm off to search for curtain rods and curtains for my new house.

Tomorrow the fridge and microwave arrive. My son says I should be able to move once they're there since I never cook with a stove anyway NOT moving yet Mike, I want my bed and some furniture to sit on first.

Yesterday we went to Cedar, MI which is really right up the road about 20 miles. Inish Knits Yarn - Needles - Spinning Wheels - Patterns and Books - Open Knitting and Spinning Nights - 9031 S. Kasson - Cedar, Michigan 49621

I really was interested in the quilt shop too because my friend Sammie just showed me a crazy quilt that is done in the hoop on the embroidery machine. Doggone her, I don't need another hobby I'm thinking I could make a wall hanging instead
of a full quilt but who knows what this will lead to. (not going there).
Who can resist that hummingbird?

Meanwhile, I'm dreaming of the day my sewing machine comes and I can make my first project, a herb clock for the kitchen.

Horray, this morning I can upload photos. This is the bottom band of Nigella, the circle sweater. After around 900 rows I'll bind off and then pick up stitches with a 36" circular needle and start the stockinette and decreases. I DO think this could be done on the machine and maybe I will make one on the machine next time but I'm enjoying knitting it by hand at the moment.

So you don't have to scroll down to look at it, here's Nigella. Its a Berroco pattern in book # 259 in case you'd like to get the pattern.

2 years ago my daughter and I found circle sweaters in Fred Meyer in Tacoma WA. Honestly that was the most comfortable sweater I've ever owned but it ws made out of crummy yarn that pilled almost from the minute we put them on. I said then that I would like to make one some day and wanted to figure out how that one was made but never took the time. When I saw Nigella I knew this was even better. The yarn is 50% cotton/50% Model Rayon (whatever Model means, I don't know).

This would make a great Christmas present but I'll have to do it on the machine if I want to make more than this one because it would take way too long by hand to make several, given there's 900 rows of lace before you start the rest of the sweater. Not sure the actual stockinette would go very fast by machine because it looks like you decrease across the rows often, that is do-able on the machine but takes time. Of course, thinking about it, the actual knitting wouldn't take all that much time.

While I was pampering myself, I bought a pair of Knit Picks Options Harmony Wood Circular needles. I like Bamboo needles for slippery yarn and this is slippery yarn so who can resist the Harmony Wood needles??? And while I was ordering I ordered their new blocking mats, only $19.99 and they're fabulous, they come as 9 9" square puzzle pieces, you use as many squares as you need for your project. How handy is that? you can take them apart and store them in their box when you aren't using them. I love it!!! I didn't get the case for the needles and all that stuff but 1 pair of circular Options needles comes with the stitch holder and the little screw to put the needles and cable together. I have a set of Boye circulars and broke the size 8 as well as the cable which really broke my heart. BUT you can replace 1 needle and cable if you want, however I have heard such good things about Knit Picks needles, I decided to go that way. This new one can be stored in my Boye case. Now all I need is a sewing/craft table to use as my blocking table, cutting table, hooping table, etc. I was going to go get one at Hancock Fabrics yesterday but got waylaid at Walmart where I bought a new camera for trips, its small enough to plop in my travel bag, my old one wasn't that small.

Enough money spent this month though and we're only half through the month.

Enjoy! While I have the luxury of my Internet Satellite's speed I'm going to put up some pictures of my yard but will start another post for that.

Satellites, Bears and Knitting

My Internet has been down since April 6 when the Internet satellite I use suddenly quit working. First someone from Florida called to make an apt to fix it. The next day someone from VA called to make apt and then someone from Iowa. WHAT? I live in SC, did anyone tell them that? or do they have an atlas or globe? Finally after calling day after day and threatening to go with another satellite company, the guy came. It took until Tuesday the 14th to get someone out here. He moved the dish closer to the house, said he didn't know how it ever worked as far away as it was originally installed. Well, it was put in January 2006 and its worked pretty good although not as fast as cable or DSL but 4 times faster than dial up so we were happy. As soon as the guy left, the thing went back to its shenanigans, on again, off again. Over and over, so that it was impossible to get on and stay on. Yesterday it finally locked on for longer periods and today its still on for longer periods although I don't dare say too much for fear it will hear me and quit again. XX fingers crossed.

Meanwhile, since I couldn't get on the Internet I started hand knitting my wonderful circle cardigan, Nigella. The pattern is written so that you start with a long straight piece of lace, almost 900 rows of it. Funny, I'm not a very patient person but when it comes to knitting, I can knit and tear out and start over as long as it takes to figure something out. After a couple of mis-starts I decided to study what I was doing each row so that if I made a mistake I could quickly fix it. That worked until I was up to 96 rows when I saw an error down the line and ripped back out once again but now I'm back up to row 46 and seem to be doing OK with it, its just a matter of concentration now (hard as patience for me but....) I tried to upload a picture of what I have done so far but the satellite, although its working won't let me upload anything. Bah Humbug! The pictures in the book and on the internet sure don't look like lace but lace it is. The yarn is 50% cotton and 50% rayon. the straight piece will be turned sideways and I'll be picking up stitches over those 900 or so rows, to start the circle. Its intriging to knit this thing, I am so anxious to finish it but not anxious enough to put it on the knitting machine although it would make those 900 rows go sooooo much faster. Maybe after I finish it I'll give it a try on the machine, the lace might be the part that can't be duplicated but where there's a will, there's a way, right?

Meanwhile, the other night, I was exhausted and went to bed before one of my favorite TV shows comes on (forget what it was, but I have DVR and recorded it). About 30 minutes after I hit the hay---the dog started to bark furiously. Good Grief, what now? I laid there and waited to see if he'd shut up but he wasn't shutting up, he was running around the living room like a maniac. Suddenly the motion light on my garage door went on and so of course, I was terrified, thinking there was a burglar. We've neve rhad anyone bother us before because we live on a very dark road in the mountains, what idiot would come up here and bother anyone? I peeked out of the curtains and there, in front of the garage, about 10 feet from my window, was a bear. A large bear. Now--DNR assures me that one doesn't need to be afraid of a bear here in SC. Just leave him alone, the dog barking will make him leave because bears don't want to be messing with people or dogs. Great! I watched and wished I had my camera close by but anyway, he left, going between garage and woods and heading for the "bear camp" next door which gave me a chuckle. I hope he left tracks, those bear hunters will croak when they see a bear actually came all the way to their cabin. Dog kept barking though until I knew it was safe enough to show him there wasn't anything in the yard. I opened the front door and held him up so that he could see through the screen that all was quiet and no one was there. Poor little dog slept the rest of the night in the bay window, watching I guess, just in case that guy came back.

Last night the same thing happened again only I don't know what it was he was barking at. The neighbor's 2 dogs were barking furiously all evening and well into the night and then mine started in again. This morning I went out to look and found tracks that resemble dog tracks in the mulch around my flowers. Doggone it, I don't want anything tramping through my flowers, I've put way too much work into them. I suspect it was a coyote which I've heard are coming closer and closer to our houses here in Pickens and can cause a bigger problem than a bear because coyote's can kill pets. I know I don't want to come in contact with one and I sure don't want Biscuit to meet one face to face because Biscuit thinks he's a lion.

Well, as soon as I can successfully upload some pictures, I will. I'm anxious to show off my azaleas, my new rocks and edging, all the work the landscaper did for me to pretty up the yard and of course, my knitting. Patience, my dear, patience--as my mother used to say to me, or was it the nuns in school?????

New Hand Knitting Goodies

I had the nicest time yesterday. I went to Hagood Mill in Pickens where the spinners and knitters meet on the 1st Saturday of the month. The weather was perfect, if you had a sweater on because it was 75 degrees but breezy and the cabin porch was mostly shady. I took Biscuit with me and he thoroughly enjoyed laying in the sun on the porch, getting up occasionally to greet tourists who came to talk to us and look at the cabin. There were only 3 of us there yesterday, Nancy, Dee and I. It was fun though, we admired each other's projects (Dee was spinning some unknown origin wool and Nancy was knitting a feather and fan project to wear on Easter Sunday. I was knitting on the second half of my beaded scarf, trying to get it finished before Nigella comes (see Nigella below). So it was an enjoyable day. When I got home and checked the mail box, I had a wonderful surprise.

A few months ago I had ordered the coolest new gadget for knitters, its called The Knit Kit, from theknitkit.com .

I also just ordered yarn from Jimmy Beans Wool Co for a circle cardigan that is in one of Berroco's book # 259, the cardigan is called Nigella. I have wanted to make a circle cardigan for a long time and actually downloaded a freebee from elann.com but people on Ravelry were having problems with the sleeves on that one so I was hesitant to try it. Meanwhile I got a newsletter from Berroco, talking about odd shaped knitting projects and Nigella caught my eye. It is knit with a Berroco yarn called Touche and I bought the color, Lemon Meringue. Sounds yummy? Look at the pictures of Nigella and the close-up of the patterning which I just absolutely love:

I can't wait to get the yarn and I can't wait to wear the sweater. The yarn is 50% cotton, 50% rayon. Perfect for my Hawaiian trip because I read that you need sweaters in Hawaii for restaurants and shops because of the air conditioning, you go in from the heat and freeze. Its the same here in SC actually, some restaurants are so cold I have to remember to take my sweater when I go to them. So--hopefully I'll have this done in time for the trip. Meanwhile though, I just ordered a skein of yarn from Ray at Knitivity. Ray has a contest going, its a One Skein Contest...you must use his sock yarn and make something unique. I already know what I'm going to make, just not quite sure if I'm going to machine knit it or hand knit it but knit it I will--before I start Nigella.

So much to do.......so little time!

Addi Turbo Clicks

I read this review in November when it first came out and remembered it because its about Addi Turbo needles. Addie's are my favorite needles, they are slick, there doesn't seem to be any yarn catching between needle and cable (I always knit with circular needles, even for something like a scarf so that's important to me). Anyway, I saw this review and today I found it again. I don't want to lose it and I want everyone who loves circular needles to see it too.

Here's the deal... my favorite needles are now coming out with a set, similar to KnitPicks needle set and Boye's needle set. I have a set of Boye needles, in fact I have 2. I love the idea of a set because you can screw any size needle onto the circular cable and knit away. Except, Boye's come apart sometimes when you are busy knitting so you have to forever keep your eyes and fingers aware of that. I don't know if KnitPick's needles have that problem because I only know one person who owns them (My daughter Natalie, I gave them to her for Christmas a couple years ago).

So here's an indepth review of the new Addi Turbo needle set (called Clicks) and to wet your appetite, here's a picture of the beautiful case that is included with them:


This picture came from the Addi needle shop site at http://www.addineedleshop.com/addi_click.htm Read what they have to say about the needles but for an honest review of a product and it even compares them to the Knit Pick needles, go here:
http://www.knittersreview.com/article_tool.asp?article=/review/product/081211_a.asp

I'm probably going to go ahead and pre-order myself a set for Valentines Day. After all, my husband always bought me jewelry on that day, what's this but jewelry for my fingers that I can cherish and enjoy forever.

Entrelac

I've always wanted to try entrelac (hand knitting) but never had the nerve to just jump in with a pattern. Well, now I have no excuse. Knitting Daily, the email newsletter from Interweave Press, has offered us a tutorial on entrelac written by Eunny Jang, the editor of Interweave Knits. Its entitled, Beyond The Basics:Entrelac Knitting Block by Block. To get the tutorial, go to http://tinyurl.com/connjv

Once we've followed along with the tutorial, there's a Basic Entrelac Scarf for us to try at http://tinyurl.com/d5tn9l . Just in case you wonder if this knit designer really knows what she's doing, the socks pictured above are her pattern, available for sale at the Knitting Daily pattern store. I think I'll try the free Basic Entrelac Scarf pattern first before I attempt something like circular socks in entrelac. You can get the free scarf pattern here: http://tinyurl.com/d5tn9l and here's a picture of it:

Before you can download these goodies, you may have to join Knitting Daily but believe me, its free and its definitely a great newsletter. I've gotten some fabulous patterns from their site, both purchased and free.

Now, just a little update on the beaded scarf. I have 200 more beads to thread onto the yarn and then I can start knitting the second side. WHEW! This seems to have taken forever but that's ok, it gives me something to do in the evenings while I listen to the TV.

Update on Beaded Scarf

This is the first half of my beaded scarf. I'm not sure I like the different beads, I think it might look better if they were all the same sizes but I'm not taking it out now. The scarf is a cross between Tiny Toes Beaded Scarf kit that I bought in Asheville NC and a beaded fingerless glove in a book I bought. What I learned from the first one was that its a bit heavy and they grow longer with wear, something I might end up taking some rows out of this before I join it to the other side (you make the 2 separately and then graft together in the middle.
ps I know it looks like I didn't put some beads on but I did put them on, they're white and don't show up in the picture.


To graph, since I'm doing a garter stitch, I'm going to Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitters Workbook for directions on grafting in garter stitch. I'm not real good at grafting so need all the visuals I can get.

Meanwhile, I'm working on a scarfvest on the LK 150. Its a scarf that you wear as a vest. You'll see, when I get it finished. I'm weaving it on the machine and have made a gazillion samples because it keeps rolling up on the edges. I think I have solved that problem now, more later about it once I know for sure its solved.

Meanwhile, if you love to look at knitting projects, have a look at this http://knittaplease.com/KNITTA_PLEASE.html

Traveling HK Project

This is my "travel" project. Its easy to take out in an airport while I'm waiting for a plane, its easy to drag out when everyone is sitting around watching TV. Perfect Project! When I'm done, I'll have a great looking scarf. The pattern was inspired by the Tiny Toes scarf kit I made last year. I bought Tiny Toes at a yarn show in Asheville and wanted another one but didn't go back this year so I decided to make my own kit. I bought some Bamboo yarn from Hobby Lobby and the beads are an assortment called "Mahogany". Then I decided to buy some purple beads as well, thinking I wasn't sure which ones I wanted to use. When I started stringing the beads on the yarn I found I needed around 4400 of them, 2200 on each side of the scarf so I ended up pouring the purple and mahogany beads in a shallow bowl and started stringing them on the yarn at random. The mahogany beads are all different shades of gold and brown and even a few white and unfortunately even though they were labeled 6mm, they seem to be all different sizes, some didn't fit. Pretty much the purple beads, which are also 6mm seem to all fit on the yarn.

So far I've only strung one ball of yarn. When its finished, I string another ball full and make the other side of the scarf. The idea is to cast on 5 stitches, string on 10 beads, 5 more stitches, 10 beads, across. Next row is the same, then 9 beads, 5 stitches twice, next is 8 beads, 5 stitches, etc....till you're down to 1 bead. I atually cast on 3 stitches on one edge and 2 stitches on the other edge. You knit till you run out of beads and then take off on waste. Knit the other side exactly the same way and then Kitchener stitch the scarf on the center back.

Next project is a scarfvest which is a scarf that looks like a vest in the front. I'm going to weave mine but more about that later.