Fiber Friday: Old Dogs, New Tricks

As one of the yarn docs (fiber therapists? I help people with their projects) at the LYS where I work, I'm asked how to do many things, most of which I know.  The other day I was stumped and had to ask a co-worker to switch with me so she could do it.

I learned to knit socks with dpns (double pointed needles).  At the time it was the way to do knitting in the round, for sleeves, hats, mitts. Later someone discovered that you could use 2 circulars and do two at the same time.  I tried and liked using 2 circulars and I go back and forth between the two methods.  They have their issues, pulling out the wrong needle (dpns), using the wrong needle (two circs).

Then came Magic Loop. I've tried magic loop on hats (when I didn't have the right sized 16" needle) and it was ok, but pulling that cable just seemed to stop my rhythm.  So I never tried it for socks and since I generally am a 1 sock at a time knitter, I never tried 2 socks on either 2 circs or magic loop. For two circs it's pretty straight foward, cast-on half the stitches on needle 1, then the other half on needle 2, repeat with sock 2, Not so with magic loop. 

I used the instructions from Spinfoolish so I won't repeat them here.  What I do want to say here are my feelings on this new-to-me method of knitting.  Call me a curmudgeon (not the knitting curmudgeon, that's someone else), I'm all for progress and all, but I'm not so sure this is for me.  I can't help but feel like that guy that thought that cars were too fast, what's wrong with the stage coach? You get to see so much more of the scenery.  Bah.  Progress.

Seriously though, I'm glad I at least tried it and can now show someone else.  It's great that with this method more people can enjoy sock knitting, or any knitting in the round without hating dpns (they're not that bad really -- try the curved ones if you like, see last post).  For myself, I'll stick to dpns or 2 circs.

Happy Fiber Friday folks!

Fiber Friday: Curved DPNs

I got a new toy.  Introducing Neko Curved DPNS.  You only need 3 to knit in the round, 2 to hold the stitches and 1 to knit with.  The curve holds the stitches nicely (the needles don't fall out).

They're also easier to hold.  These are size 0, and because they're plastic, a little flimsy.  The bigger sizes are more rigid.  To knit, you slide the stitches to one side of the needle and knit them onto the spare needle.

  

They're made in Germany and there are a couple places you can get them in the States right now. Deramores US and Etsy.  I got mine on Etsy.  The sizes are limited, I'm not sure if that's because they're plastic or because they're made in common German sizes.  There are videos on youtube as well (in German, but knitting is knitting in any language).

  

Here's what it looks like mid-way through knitting a side. Sock pattern coming soon. Yarn is White Birches in Sparkle Pony.

This is my Fiber Friday post, you can join here.

Fiber Friday!

Finally a link party to join!  Okay, this is what I've been working on this week.  I bought the class Modular Knitting on Craftsy and am knitting the Four Triangle Taj.  It's starts out with one triangle

then each subsequent triangle is built from that.  It's done in two colors, so I decided to use a different color for each tirangle and a multi-handpainted color throughout. Ravelry link to my project above.

It's quite colorful, I'm on the last triangle which will be purple! I've purchased several classes on Craftsy, I think it's a neat way to learn.  I've done one on-line craft class before Craftsy and really loved how you can chat and share your progress.  I think it's great that you can fast forward, replay and go over anything you want at anytime! 

It's nice that both Ravelry and Craftsy store your purchases for you.  Over the years I've gone through many computers and would have lost it all!

Have you taken any craft classes on-line?  Do you have any recommendations?  Want to share your blog post to Fibre Friday?  Join here.

It's Just Another Manic Monday

I didn't know Prince wrote that song.  I spent Sunday knitting a beret, because "that's my fun day, my I don't have to run day". Here's the colors I picked in Lorna's Laces Staccato mini skeins.  Rippey for Purple Rain, Violin 5 for Raspberry Beret and Bold Red for Little Red Corvette.
 
Yeah, it's my tribute to Prince.  The pattern?  Luminara, which is mine.

The lace motif looks like a flame to me is from Stitch Definition by Annie Maloney, it's pattern #47.

My Manic Monday posts used to be all about planning.  Lining up your ducks.  I had a different career then which was pretty stressful and crafting helped balance things.  I'm without that particular career now and it's been a year trying to accept that it's over. Every now and then I toy getting back in but that thought quickly goes away.  I just don't want that life anymore.

So what am I doing now?  Crafting fulltime!  Living the dream.  But wait, before you get all excited...it pays nothing.  So I'm planning again. I need to figure out how this is going to generate moola.

Manic Mondays
Tech Tuesdays and Thursdays
WiP Wednesdays
FO Fridays

Not that I'll be blogging everyday.  But when I do that day will be devoted to the above themes. If I'm not blogging that day will still be devoted to the above themes. Mondays will still be all about lining up those ducks.  Tuesday's and Thursdays will be about either high tech and how it applies to crafting or techniques like brioche, mosaic, and designing. WiP Wednesdays and FO Fridays will be just that, working on stuff, finishing stuff.

Prince also wrote Nothing Compares 2 U, I didn't know that either. There's a line "Girl you better try to have fun no matter what you do" I'm gonna try that -- because Prince was no fool.

I'm back!

I haven't post in over a year, but I've still been knitting (and crocheting!).  I'll start recapping 2015
FOs and what I've been up to while keeping abreast with current projects. First up though is Caramel. This is the sweater I referred to in my last post.  It's still a little big, but I wanted more room in the arms, maybe not this much.  I like to wear things under my cardis  and I hate when my sleeves bunch up. The back neck could have been narrower too. Next time. Changes in the pattern, I added lace!  I love sweaters from Anthropologie, in particular those by Angel of the North.  Their sweaters always have some feature on the fronts and back.  I've got the same lace going down the back, although narrower.  Also, I added pockets with the contrasting color as the inside.




I still had a bunch of this yarn leftover so I gave it to my aunt.  Stashdown!  For awhile I kept thinking of other things to make, but the yarn served its purpose in my hands so it was time the rest go to someone else.

Lots of sweaters in the queue to help me hone my "fit" skills, but other things seem to derail me.  All in all I got a baker's dozen made in 2015 so, yes, I've kept busy.

Fiberarts Friday, FO Friday and WIP Wednesday blog-a-longs have all gone by the wayside.  If you know of other parties drop a link in the comments.