The Resurgence of Knitting: Worth a Listen

A knitter from my knitting circle told me about this radio broadcast on NPR exploring The Resurgence of Knitting. You can listen to it by going here. Two of the guests are Franklin Habit a.k.a The Panopticon and Susan Strawn author of Knitting America: A Glorious Heritage From Warm Socks to High Art.

It spoke to me as a knitter. It's worth a listen.

Happy Knitting!

Tea and Cables This Fiber Arts Friday

Only two projects have been occupying my time lately. My knit tea cosy for the Ravelry Swap is well underway.

I hope my fellow swapper does not visit my blog. I won't reveal the final product until it is sent and received!

Hubby's Urban Aran Cardigan is coming along. I was hoping to have the back finished eons ago, but I'm half-way there.

When my swapping is over, it's full steam ahead on this sweater.

That's it for me this Fiber Arts Friday. Andrea has more fiber blogging waiting for you at Wisdom Begins In Wonder. See you there!

Happy FAF!

Knitting In The Sun: No Sand Involved

Early morning knitting in my pajamas, in the sun and in good company.

My tea cosy is progressing.

Happy Relaxing Knitting!

Accidental Felter: Sock Disaster!

My first ever pair of knitted wool socks ended up in the washer and then the hot dryer with the rest of the sock and undie wash. The result...socks for very small feet!


The Horror!

 All I have left now are my Mitered Socks which have been in limbo for quite some time. At least now, I have an incentive to take them out of hibernation and finish them.

Happy Knitting!

It's A New Knittin Year!

I hope you all had good times with family and friends over the holidays. My new year is off to a slow start where fiber arting is concerned. I am determined to finish hubby's Urban Aran Cardigan and will be knitting away on it tonight. There will be no photos posted until serious progress has been made!

My tea cosy swap will soon require me to buy yarn. I'll be knitting Grannie's Traditional Tea Cosy. The colour combination will be determined by the limited selection at my small LYS.

Oh, the Ribbed Stitch Vest I knit for my mom as a Christmas present fit her! I was so happy.

Happy New Fiber Year!

Ribbed Vest Complete For Christmas Giving

I did it! My marathon knitting to finish my Rib Knit Vest is over.

All I need to do is wrap it for Christmas morning. I hope my mom likes it. After years of her knitting me sweaters, I have finally knit her one.

Andrea is waiting for you over at Wonder Why Alpaca Farm. Enjoy Fiber Arts Friday.

Happy Knitting!

Christmas Crunch: Trying to Finish My Ribbed Vest

I've been busy all week with everyone else's life and trying to finish this ribbed vest by Patons before my Mom arrives for Christmas next weekend.

Not much to look at yet. This is the front. I'm just about finished the back. Then I'll have to sew in the ends and block both pieces. The finished vest should look like this.

I'm hoping to be knitting the collar, knitting the armhole bands and seaming (not all  at once!) this weekend.

My hands are getting sore from knitting. I promise I'll never wait this late again to knit a present even if  the pattern is in chunky yarn and has no sleeves.

There has got to be more Christmas knitting this FAF over at Andrea's at Wonder Why Alpaca Farm. Or, how about at Creative Friday?

Happy Finished Objects!

Robin's Egg Blue Hat This Fiber Arts Friday

My Robin's Egg Blue Hat is finito! While it's not Robin's Egg Blue, it is the hat.

Easy to make in Patons Shetland Chunky for a quick Christmas knit. The free pattern is here on Ravelry.

I'm off to see what other fiber adventures are being blogged about this FAF at Wonder Why Gal's or at Creative Friday.

Pinwheel Blanket Is Finished

Knit, blocked and done! I'm pretty happy with the results.

This Pinwheel Blanket was a KAL for my knitting circle which meets tonight. We'll be donating our blankets to charity.

Happy Knitting!

Knitting for Christmas: Can I Finish It By December 25th?

My mom maybe wearing this ribbed vest knit from Patons' Classic Wool Roving on Christmas day.

It was a last minute decision to knit this as a Christmas present. I figured it would be a quick knit. The pattern is easy. There are no sleeves. Knitting using a bulky yarn would be fast work. Well, you know what they say about the best laid plans.

I've already ripped it down twice. The gauge was way off with an extra five inches in width. Gauge in the pattern is given for stocking stitch not the rib stitch used in the pattern. My swatch knit in stocking stitch was right on gauge.

What to do? First, I was knitting a size medium. Then, I was knitting a size small. Finally, I'm back to the size medium. Even knitting tighter, the gauge is still off by about one inch.

Over the years I've had to learn to loosen up my knitting. On this project, I have to revert to bad habits. It must be something to do with the roving which otherwise is a delight to knit with.

This thing better fit my mom!

Happy Christmas Knitting!

Hot Off the Needles: Pinwheel Blanket

I just finished my Pinwheel Blanket which is a KAL for my knitting circle. I have yet to block it.

Patons Canadiana was my yarn of choice. The colourway is Morocco. It was easy to knit becoming a teeny bit tedious at the end. But, it's for charity and well worth it!

Happy Thanksgiving to my American fiberistas!

The Votes Are In And The Winner Is...

The Robin's Egg Blue Hat is the winner by a landslide! Thank you all for taking the time to check out the projects and give me your opinion. I casted on earlier today.

I'm knitting this using Paton's Shetland Chunky in Denim Jeans Variegated which is an acrylic/wool blend. The seed stitch band for the hat starts on straight needles. The body of the hat is knit in the round.

Knitting this for a friend makes the knitting so much more meaningful.

Happy Knitting!

You Decide: What Will I Knit?

My next cast on will be a gift for a dear friend. I'll be using Paton's Shetland Chunky yarn in this color.

I've whittled it down to three possibilities: a hat, a cowl or a hat!

I want you to decide which of these projects I will knit. Will it be the...

1. Slouchy Beehive Hat by Flora Cheung of  Flower Pot Designs.
2. Burberry Inspired Cowl Neck Scarf by Julianne Smith. 
3. Robin's Egg Blue Hat by Rachel Iufer.

Sorry there are no photos of the choices in this post. I'm being a good fiber girl and respecting the copyright.

Vote with your comment. I'll tally up Sunday and start the cast on for the winning project! 

Now, vote for more Fiber Arts Friday fun at Wonder Why Gals.

Happy Voting! 

Shaking Off The Cobwebs: My Urban Aran Cardigan Revived

Hubby's Urban Aran Cardigan was suppose to be finished this fall. HA! If I turn it into an apron, it might make that deadline.

Now I'm projecting a conservative mid-winter finish. Hubby is patient.

It kinda got lost amid my square and potholder swaps. The summer heat didn't help. My knitting circle's Pinwheel Blanket KAL hasn't aided the effort either.

I do love knitting this sweater. The next time you see it, this back piece will be finished.

Happy Knitting!

Pinwheel Blanket Update

My Pinwheel Blanket is getting bigger. It's now on circular needles. This is a KAL for my knitting circle.

I'm finding this a satisfying knit, at least since I got beyond the first few rows. You cast on 5 stitches in the round on four needles! After many tries on three needles, I was able to get beyond the initial row. Others seasoned knitters have experienced this too. I think the pattern needs a warning: It's not just you...

Happy Casting On!

Happy Halloween: Witch's Socks

Happy Halloween to all you fiberistas!

I want the pattern to these witch's socks. Maybe I could use this Ravelry pattern as a starting point (or not!).

Happy Trick or Treating...

An Actual Finished Object: My Jamaica Pouch

This fun project used the Brown Sheep Serendipity Tweed Yarn that I won from an Ally B blog contest.

I couldn't help thinking about a pumpkin when I photographed this pouch. Really it's more like a pumpkin Salvador Dali might paint. If I made it again, I'd use variegated yarn which would accent the spirals.

Like the pattern? Want to try it? Here's all you need to know via Ravelry.

It's great to be back with all you Fiber Art Fridayers!

Now, get on over to Wonder Why Gals to see some talented people.

Happy FAF!

My Knitting Circle's Knit-Along: Pinwheel Blanket

I am so excited to belong to a new knitting circle in my small town. Tonight is our second meeting. I'll be bringing the beginnings of my Pinwheel Blanket by Genia Planck.

My knitting circle is doing this project as a KAL. The finished blankets will be donated to children in need.

This is my first non-cyber space KAL!

Happy Knit-Alongs!

Jamaica Pouch This Fiber Arts Friday

This little project was being ignored. The past couple of days I gave my Jamaica Pouch some attention. Now it is half way to it's full height.

It's a free one-skein wonder pattern by Sandra Clockedile on Ravelry. The sides spiral up from a circular bottom.

Variegated yarn shows off the spirals best. But I'm happy with my coral Brown Sheep Serendipity Tweed.

Check out all the other fiber bloggers this Fiber Arts Friday at Wonder Why Gals.

If you're not already part of this blog carnival, join us each Friday with your fiber art updates, FOs and stuff!

Happy FAF!

Simplicity Knitting Pattern: Who Dah Thunk It?

Look what I found rummaging around in my mom's old pattern books.

This Simplicity knitting pattern is from 1973. I remember my mom making me this knitted and smocked vest. I seem to think it was knit in brown.

Does anyone know if Simplicity who are known for sewing patterns still produce patterns for knitting? If so, I wonder if they still include this sage advice:

Simplicity was serious about simplicity. If only lace shawl patterns were this clear!

We can dream.

Happy knitting!