Two Xmas Pressies in Progress

I have two Xmas pressies in the works. One is for grand nephew who will be a year old in February. The other is for my sister-in-law.

Tomten Jacket

Cast On:
Sunday, Dec. 2nd.

Pattern:
Modular Tomten Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann
From Knitting without Tears http://www.amazon.com/Knitting-Without-Tears-Easy-Follow/dp/0684135051/
Need to buy this book (and probably all of Zimmermann's books). Took it out of the library.

Yarn:
TLC Heathers Teal (though really looks blue) & Barn Red
http://www.coatsandclark.com/Products/Knitting/Medium+Yarns/TLC+Heathers.htm
Picked up at Smiley NJ sale. Was $4 for 3 skeins. Cheap, but hey, it is machine washable. Good for a baby

Needles:
US 9 Knitpicks Options 32"

Made for:
Denny aka Littlest George

Size:
Aiming for around 2 years old, but plenty of flex on size

I am making as an Xmas present for Littlest George who will be one in February.

The pattern doesn't have a lot of seaming which definitely appeals to me. It is pretty straight forward yet cute.

I am using blue for the body & red for the edges. The label on the blue says teal, but it really isn't. It is pretty blue.

I cast on the 112 stitches as the pattern says. I decided to just use 6 stitches on each side in the red rather than having to add a button band or such. I like the way it looks.

It is my first time with intarsia. It is interesting doing two colors. This is pretty straight forward. Though I wasn't doing it correctly in some spots. So the yarn peeks out where it shouldn't. Live and learn.

I didn't think anyone would notice other than me. However, Paul did. So I am overstitching it along the bad edges. But on the bright side, I have learned how to do intarsia now. Not sure I want to do it much. But it is good to know I can.


Modified Rushing Rivulet Socks

Cast on:
Saturday, Dec. 1st

Pattern:
Generic Sock Pattern
Pattern taken from Rushing Rivulet (Riverbed Architecture) by Cat Bordhi
http://www.amazon.com/New-Pathways-Sock-Knitters-Book/dp/0970886969/

Yarn:
Sarah's Yarns 100% Bamboo - Hand dyed Undertow
http://www.sarahsyarns.com/SY100PctBamboo.html

Dye:
Dharma Fiber Reactive Procion Dyes
http://www.dharmatrading.com/html/eng/3796-AA.shtml?lnav=dyes.html

Needles:
US 1 1/2 / 2.5 mm Knitpicks Options & Harmony
2 socks on 2 circs method

Made for:
Jennifer

Size:
7.5

I am taking the Rushing Rivulet stitch pattern from the Bordhi book. Given I don't have Jennifer's exact measurements, I figured it is safer to work from a more standard pattern.

I was going to do a toe up sock so I could use all the yarn. However, Jennifer has a high arch. So my sister-in-law, Tee, who has made Jennifer socks suggested doing cuff down with a heel flap. She said it fits better for a high arch. So I am going with her suggestion.

Also, I am still not sure how much stretch/memory the 100% bamboo yarn will have. It feels like it will work well given the swatches I have done. I really should have made a pair for myself first in the 100% bamboo yarn to check the elasticity. But I want to complete these for Xmas.

I cast on 56 stitches. My swatch was 8 stitches per inch. So it should be 7 inches wide.

The weird thing was that it seemed smaller. So I figured I would increase my needle size. But after two repeats, it looks to be right around 7" wide. So I think it is okay. *crosses fingers*

I really hope they turns out well. I definitely like the yarn and I think she will too.

Dyeing & Reskeining Issues

I am consistently having some of the same issues when I am dyeing. I really need to figure out if it is something I am doing or if it a product of the dyes I am using.

I had been using Dharma Fiber Reactive Procion Dyes. I think they are working very well.

The problem is they seem to take forever to rinse out. It takes several hours. I am soaking them for 15 minutes, then swishing them around, trying to work the dye out for under the tied points. I empty the sink and do it again. I generally have to do that 5-6 times before the water is light enough that I can wash it.

Then I wash it with Synthrapol. I have to wash it at least twice with this. Again, there is even more color coming out as I rinse it.

Then I wash it with Milsoft. This softens the fibers and gives back some of the feel the yarn had. But there is still color coming out during this part of the process as well.

This all takes 4-5 hours. So if I want to dye, I have to have a complete weekend at home. Saturday is dye day, Sunday is wash day.

So all that is done, right. It is done. Right? Nope.

Now comes the nightmare of reskeining/making balls of the yarn.

Thing is, I haven't had an easy time of this either. I had hoped the swifts would really resolve this issue. It didn't.

I suspect part of that is about the way I have been tying up the skeins. I have been tying them all together. For instance, with this last batch there was 3 different pieces of yarn. I think it is a big problem that I tied them together. So they get tangled into each other. So it makes a mess. I suspect that is part of the issue. The next batch each length of yarn will be tied off separately.

I also fear that part of it is about the way I wash the yarn. I am trying to get the dye out from under the tie points. I think that by moving it around with my fingers, it is tangling the yarn under the tie points. Thus making a mess of it.

Here is a pic of the tangles:

This only happened at the tie points. Not at the parts where the yarn was loose. So I think that by working at those points, it is making things worse.

I really want to make this process better. I do love dyeing yarn. I love creating interesting colorways and playing with the colors. It is very free form and a lot of fun for me.

The problem is that I am not sure it is worth all this time and frustration. Every time I am pulling out my hair by the end of the reskeining/ball process. I spend hours untangling yarn. And it doesn't seem to make any sense.

I keep wondering if it isn't something in my process that is doing this. I can't imagine anyone would dye yarns in small batches to sell if they go through all this.

But part of me just keeps wondering if this isn't more about the fiber reactive vs. acid dyes. And also wool yarn vs. cotton/bamboo/etc.. I am hopeful that there is something in my process I can change so that this doesn't continue to be such a headache.

Hand Dyed Yarn Batch - Undertow

This is the batch of 100% Bamboo yarn I dyed.

It is in different greens with a bit of blue. So I named it undertow. Just reminded me of seaweed & the water.

I should have taken some pics before I tried to wind it into balls. It would show all the colors. Ah well.

Tangled bits after dyeing:

Yarn:

Sarah's Yarns 100% Bamboo

Dyes:

Dharma Fiber Reactive Procion Dyes

Skein:

Large skein made with swift. Given I had it on the largest size I could get, it should be around 12' I think.

Color Length:

Colors are in 2" to 6" sections. Random. Not self patterning.

I dyed this yarn for my sister-in-law who loved green. I used the forest green dye as well as mixing two other greens & a weaker mix of the forest green. I also added azure blue.

I like the shimmer/shine that the bamboo has. It doesn't take the dyes as deeply as the cotton. But they look really good.

Overall, I really like this batch of yarn a lot. I am hopeful my sister in law will like it as socks.

I admit I am nervous about making her socks. I am still not sure about the bamboo yarn having enough stretch. Though the swatch I knit had a lot more give than I figured it would. So I am hopeful.

I am leaning towards a simple rib for this. Mainly because I am not sure what else would have enough elasticity to it to be sure it will stay up on the calf. Open to ideas though.

I will probably do these as toe up shoes to make sure I have enough yarn to complete them. I keep wondering if I should make my bamboo socks first to check out the yarn. Or if I should just dive in on Jennifer's. Decisions decisions. *grin*

Superwash Wool & Allergies

My allergies are about itch factor. I find it itches and I get red bumps in the area where I am wearing something that affects me. I don't have hives or trouble breathing. It isn't that sort of thing. It is mild. But it is too irritating to actually want to wear anything made with wool.

When I posted to a dyeing group about my allergies, a woman told me that superwash wool should not set off my allergies. She explained they are treated with a polymer to coat the wool (thus making it machine washable). This coating should allow me to use superwash without the response I normally have.

I was certainly willing to give it a try. There are some beautiful superwash wools out there, especially a lot of hand dyed ones that are amazing.

My mother-in-law was kind enough to give me some Sockotta yarn. It was leftover from pair she did. I made a swatch in the round a couple days ago. I wore it around my wrist for all of about 10-20 minutes before I took it off. I found it was scratchy and not good for me.

I check online and read some reviews. It seems that people without wool allergies have also had some trouble with that yarn. A lot of people complained it was rough, scratchy & hard to knit. One woman even said it was so scratch she threw out the yarn. So it may not have had anything to do with allergies.

So I knit a test swatch of Sarah's Yarns Superwash Merino/Bamboo/Silk Blend. It is 65% super fine grade merino, 20% bamboo and 15% silk. Machine-wash-and-dry which has so much appeal. I wore the swatch for about 3 hours yesterday and another 2-3 in the evening. It didn't seem to affect me at all! Woohoo!

So it seems I may be able to wear some superwash wools. But it seems to come back to *some*. Not all. So I need to feel it & do a test swatch before committing to it.

On the plus side, I can always check out some of the superwash wools at NY Sheep & Wool this weekend! Woohoo! I definitely want to feel the Socks That Rock yarn after hearing so much about them. I don't know if I will buy any there. I will see. I have heard the Fold is the place that sells them. And last year the wait to pay was 30-60 minutes! That seems way too long to wait if I can order them online. But I will see.

I suspect I should limit my superwash purchase to enough to make 2 pairs of socks for me. I can always pick up wool yarn for others. But in case it doesn't work for me, I would rather not have a bunch of yarn I can't knit for myself.

*wiggles happily* In less than 24 hours I should be there!

Drops Socks with Cables in Alpaca

I cast a new pair of socks on last Sunday, the 7th.

Pattern:

Drops Socks with Cable pattern in Alpaca

Yarn:

Catalina Baby Silk in Claret

4-ply Worsted

70% baby alpaca/30% silk

2 skeins with 100 grams (3.5 oz)/218 yards each

Needles:

Knitpicks size 5 & Boyd size 5

Doing it two socks on two circs method

Front:

Back:

I am hoping to complete these for Raverly Sock Knitters Anonymous Oct. sock knit along. Hope to finish in time. Though the good news is that the deadline for the knit along is Nov. 30th. Just has to be cast on during October.

The pattern is definitely interesting. It is originally in Danish or another Scandinavian language. It took me nearly an hour to transcribe the chart & lay it out in Excel. I think it will be worth the time.

I was a bit intimidated but the complexity, but once I got used to it, it wasn't as bad as I thought. Though the cabling in the pattern on the front is a bit odd. I have never done single stitch cables with it moving between knit and purl. So that has been interesting.

The pattern is really beautiful. I really hope mine will come out well.

I think there are a couple flaws in the pattern. In the M.3 chart, it says 16 rows. In fact it is 18, just like the M.1 pattern right beside it. It also appears that in the 11th row from the top of M.2, one of the knit stitches is in the wrong spot. It should be one over from there.

I should post the chart & the written out directions I made soon. It might be helpful to others. Though I am guessing that if a knitter doesn't bother writing out charts, they would probably be fine with the pattern as it is. I just don't work that way. I like it written out.

I have about 21 1/2 cm out of 25 done for the leg. They are close to knee high. Something I hadn't done before, so it is interesting as well doing calf shaping. Though it doesn't require as much as I feared. So that is nice.

I am going to change to a size 4 needles for the heel flap & the bottom of the foot. I do worry that these won't wear very well. I am hoping the silk will help the wear, but I am not certain if it will. But hey, they are attractive and I like that they should be warmer.

Best get some things done for work. I hope to post more later today.

Ravishing Socks

I am still working on the ravishing socks. These are out of the hand dyed yarn I did. It is Elann Esprit Cotton w/Elastic yarn.

I am happy to say I have turned the heel and completed the gusset. So now it is just the foot to complete.



The yarn has some nice give. The elastic gives it some great spring. The only downside is that they are handwash. *pout* I wish I knew why they aren't machine washable. I am not sure.

The Milsoft made a huge difference in how soft the yarn is. I am definitely a fan of the Dharma Fiber Reactive Procion Dyes. They really seem to be vivid. And so far as I can tell, the color holds well. It has so far with my bruise socks.

Don't think the colors are as bright and vidid as they seem. Problem is that I took the pics with my phone so they aren't as good. I really need a new camera.

It is the basic sock pattern from Ann Budd's Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns.

I am using the basic pattern, but doing it 2 socks on 2 circs. The needles are Knitpicks Options Size 5 & Boyd's Kit Size 5. I figured since I had two size 5 Knitpicks, I was going to do them on two Knitpicks needles. But I am finding with the socks I am doing for Paul that it is way easier to mix up the needles when they are the same. So despite the join not being smooth on the Boyds, it is worth knowing which is which very easily.

I feel like these socks are taking longer. Not sure why I am feeling that way. I just checked! I started them on the 23rd. It hasn't even been two weeks yet. Doh.

I am loving Ravelry. If you have access, here is the project on there. And note the shiny Works in Progress in the side bar!! I am so thrilled I was given a spot to test the code. It is so cool.

Books I Want to Live In & Other Babble

A few of the knitting podcasts talk about books you want to live in. Not necessarily books you want to knit the patterns, but they look great. I think I want to live in Scottish Highland Knits. I suspect Paul would love most of these items. I suspect in reality they would be too scratchy for me, so the fantasy is better. *grin*

I have to pick up some Knitpick needles. I need size 1s for the bamboo yarn so I can cast on those socks. And Knitpicks has some great prices on their needles. Debating if I need anything else from them.

I keep thinking about getting enough yarn for a cardigan. I really want to make a black cardigan. But I keep coming back to the price. *sigh* So far, I can't see doing it for less than $40 with any yarn I want to use. While that is reasonable, I just don't know about that right now. On the flip side, I have next week off. So maybe I could get started on that which would be very cool.

I might just wait for the NY Sheep and Wool Festival on the 20th. Problem with that is that as the name states, it will mostly be wool. And while that is great for knitting for other folks, it isn't great for me. But I can always see. I think I am good with alpaca, so I might find some stuff I like.

I still need to knit up the superwash wool to see how I respond to it. I have been told that most people with wool allergies can use superwash wool because of how it it treated. I am not sure honestly. But my mother in law was sweet enough to give me the leftover sock yarn she had from an present she has completed. If it doesn't irritate me, it will open up a lot of possibilities.

I did go to the Smiley sale in NJ this week. It wasn't 1/4th the size of the Manhattan sale last year. *sigh* So I am disappointed with that. But the Manhattan one is the week I am at conference. So I can't make it.

I did get some cheap yarn. But most of it is largely for using for tying up stuff for dyeing. And the remainder will work well for baby items & charity stuff. It is mainly acrylic stuff. I only got one bag that was wool. That is for some mittens. But it is for a fair isle pattern I want to try. So I need another yarn to go with it. Ah well.

I am hoping to get some dyeing done while I am on vacation. I ordered some more bamboo yarn as I love the feel. I am debating doing up a batch for my sister-in-law Jennifer to make her some socks for Xmas.

Though I am also trying not to take on too much Xmas knitting. I am only about 2/3rds done with Kyle's Xmas scarf. And Paul's socks aren't anywhere near done.

I also have a cupcake purse for my niece that I haven't started yet. But that one is really a quickie project. I am probably going to knit it at work with a coworker. She wants to learn to knit. I offered to teach her and she picked up a cupcake kit as well. So I can do it with her.

I need to get some things done. Back to work for me.

Warping Board Birthday Pressie & Dyeing

My darling hubby Paul made me warping board for my birthday. Woohoo!

He worked off the pattern on Scout's site.

I really love it. It was cool of him to make it. He did a great job on it.

Though it is funny, I was talking with him about ways I think I would want to modify a warping board to make it more adjustable. Of course, this was *after* he had already started this one. Oops. He did mention he would still be willing to do that which is very sweet of him.

I did a batch of dyeing this weekend with the board. The board makes skeining the yarn for dyeing so much easier. It took longer to layout. But it also meant things where all measured out and tying off sections was faster. So I think it worked out well. I also suspect I will get faster as I get use to it.

With the first batch, I had to wind it between 2 chairs to create a 40" loop! It also meant that the yarn stretched a lot. So the socks I am currently knitting do not line up right. Some of the areas are longer than others. I still love the yarn and it was great for my first time. I also don't think anyone but me and fellow knitters will notice the dyeing issue.

I dyed two batches on Saturday. I did the second batch of the Elann Esprit which is nearly identical to Cascade Fixation. It is cotton with 2% elastic.

I really like it for dyeing. It takes the color really well. The first batch was kinda stiff after I dyed it though. So this time I used Milsoft from Dharma Dyes. I think that really might have helped.

The new batch is red & black. Going to my gothy roots. *grin*

The second batch is the 100% bamboo yarn from Sarah's Yarns. I decided that I wanted something less formal with this batch. I am not sure if the yarn will have enough stretch for socks. So I decided to go with a pattern that was not self striping. So I just did different colors. Red, purple, deep blue. Though there are pieces that aren't so deep. I am very curious how it will knit up.

I need to take some pics of the yarn. I didn't take them yesterday. I will wait til it dyes. It should be dry tonight.

And I got a ball winder! It arrived today. So I should take pics tonight and make some balls.