Socks and Shuttles!

I've made a tiny bit of progress this week on the Simple Skype socks. Both heels are done, and I'm working on the foot. I switched to magic loop, and it did make working on the heels easier. I switched because I kept dropping my dpn; my hands just weren't doing well this week and it was getting annoying crawling around on the ground looking for a tiny bamboo knitting needle when I was out in public. Although I'm getting used to sliding the stitches around the circular needle cable, I think I still prefer my dpns.

This was my big distraction this week. I saw a beautiful tatted bracelet on instagram, and decided to try making one (or three) for myself. Unfortunately, I found out the hard way that simply liking an instagram picture does not allow you to go back and find it again. Next time I'll actually follow the photographer. On fortune's side, I did recognize the bracelet as looking like the center of bracelet pattern by Jane Eborall. So I've adapted Jane's pattern to make my bracelet.

(There was a tatted necklace on instagram that I liked, and I'm hoping I can either find it again or remember the design, because that was going to be my next project. I really wish apps came with instruction manuals!)

I still haven't found my tatting bag with all of my shuttles, so I had to buy some this weekend. The bracelet is split rings that are woven as you tat. The split ring gave me some problems initially. It's really awkward, especially with three dangling shuttles (you use the fourth to tat the ring). After about half a dozen rings, muscle memory kicked in and I could move along much quicker.

  

I actually finished the first bracelet. In the picture, it's the one on the right. (The one on the left is also tatted.) I love the clasp. It's a magnetic closure, so the bracelet is easy to get on and off. And if you look at it up close (sorry, I couldn't get a proper photo), there are etched butterflies. I've already started a second bracelet, this time in teal and white, for my mom.

Wednesday's WIPs

 

I am almost finished with the Hecate shawl that I've been working on in the Fall Behind. I have a couple of contrast rows to do (you can see that I've started them), and then the picot bind off. Of course, I'll also have to block the shawl, but I have plans on how to get that accomplished. I will admit that the original plan was to beg one of my knitting friends to do it for me (well, she did say that she likes to block projects!), but I think I will be able to use an empty classroom in the church to lay it out. I'm getting excited to have this project finished. I really love working with my handspun, and I'm looking forward to wearing the shawl to show it off.

I wasn't going to cast on the next project until the shawl was finished, but I changed my mind. The Summer Tea Shirt KAL started in my Wednesday night group, and I didn't want this KAL (Knit A-Long) to turn into another Fall Behind for me. Unfortunately, it looks like it's going to be a Fall-Behind even though I cast on with the group, just because I'm having some problems.

My first attempt of casting on was using a pair of size 6-29" circulars. The circulars were just too long, and it was stretching out the cast-on stitches, making it very uncomfortable to knit. So I frogged it and tried again.

For my second attempt I used size 6 dpns. I prefer dpns, so this was good - except that I was getting some horrible ladders where the needles met each other. So I frogged again.

My third attempt was on again on the size 6 dpns, but this time I arranged the stitches differently. I had each section of the sweater (left back, sleeve, front, sleeve, right back) on a different needle. This helped me prevent the dreaded ladders, but it meant that each dpn started and ended with a yarn over. Yarn overs at the end of needles is not fun knitting, in my book. So I frogged.

My fourth attempt was back on circular needles. I went out and bought size 6 circulars, in a 16" length. This worked like a dream - and was actually what the designer recommends in her pattern. Go figure! I was able to make quite a bit of progress. Enough progress to realize that I didn't like the way the material was draping. It was just too loose, even though I had perfect gauge for the pattern, and I wasn't happy. So after a bit of debating, I frogged again!

The bottom sweater is on the size 6 needles, with perfect gauge.
The top sweater is using a smaller needle (size 5). I don't have gauge, but I'm much happier!

 I cast on a fifth time, using a size 5 circular. Now, I wish I could say that I had learned something from all of my earlier attempts. Unfortunately, I decided that since I didn't have a shorter size 5 circular, the 29" would work this time. It didn't. I frogged.

At least I skipped trying to do it on the dpns, instead opting to go ahead and buy yet another knitting needle. And the sixth time is a charm, because the sweater is coming out beautiful! Another two or three rows, and I can separate for the sleeves. 

 I really want to try it on, so I've ordered some Try-It On Tubing from Machine Knitting to Dye For. This is a narrow tube that is designed to easily slip through your stitches so that you can try on a project. Since the tubing is 2 yards long (it also comes in a shorter 1 yard amount), you don't have to worry about dropping any stitches off your circular needle. I hope it comes soon so that I can see how this sweater is going to fit! (Wouldn't it be horrible to have to frog it a 6th time because I made the wrong size?)

 I did start one more project. I picked up a couple of new tatting shuttles (I still can't find my tatting box anywhere!), and I'm working on a bookmark as a thank you gift for one of my church ladies.

Me, and the dead spider?

 

Congratulate me. This afternoon I finally mastered the split ring. (And shortly after that I mastered the skill of taking a photo one-handed while the other hand is tied up like a dead spider.) 

 In tatting, using a split ring lets you move the threads from one side of the ring to the other. For instance, in the daisy pattern I'm working on, the first seven rings are worked from inside the circle.The threads have to be moved to the outside of the circle on the last ring in order to attach the next daisy motif. For an experienced tatter, making a split ring is probably no big deal. But mastering this skill moves a beginner like myself  up to a whole new level. It's like a new knitter mastering cables or learning to follow a lace chart.

Recently I've finished a couple of tatted bracelets. The first one was very simple and delicate. The second bracelet was adapted from a bookmark pattern. 

                                            

Knit faster, she's naked!

Because of a staff meeting, I was still at the church when the choir started arriving for their weekly rehearsal. As I was gathering up my things to leave, the organist came into my office with a very odd expression on his face.

"There's a naked person in the sanctuary," he told me, clearly expecting me to do something about it. It took me a minute to process the sentence. After all, you don't expect naked people to wander into church. And if they do, shouldn't the pastor be the one to reach out to them? I really don't think nudists were covered in my job description. But obviously, something had to be done so that the choir could concentrate on their music.

From the back of the dimly lit sanctuary, I saw the naked woman sitting in one of the pews in the front of the church. As I went down the aisle toward her, I recognized her as a faithful member of the church. I also, thankfully, realized that she wasn't naked. The back of the pew had hidden her tube top from view, leaving her bare shoulders and back to give the impression of nudity. I imagine the organist, waiting in the back of the church, got a bit of shock when I slid into the pew to give her a hug instead of covering her up with with the shawl as planned.

Away from work, I've been spending a lot of time tatting. I am totally obsessed with the fun of flipping shuttles around to make rings and chains. I finished the second bookmark, using the spiral bookmark pattern I found on Threads of a Tatting Goddess blog. I clearly need more practice; there are a lot of sections that didn't turn out very well. But even with all the mistakes, I'm very impressed with myself.

I also found a pattern for a tatted bookmark using a jumbo paperclip, and for the past few days I've been obsessively making rose clips in various colors. I even got adventurous enough to try adding beads!

But don't worry, I haven't given up my sock knitting. I'm halfway through a pair of Cookie A's Crest socks using Knit Picks' Stroll in Dandelion. This has to be one of the most difficult patterns I've ever attempted to read. It's also one of the best designs I've ever had the pleasure to knit. I love Cookie A!