Year of Projects 2: Merike's Gloves 03

Folk Knitting in Estonia: Aino's Gloves • Anu's Christmas Gloves • Anu's Mittens • Anu's Stockings • Avo's Mittens • Ellen's Stockings • Helgi's Mittens • Hilja's Mittens • Ilmar's Socks • Juta's Stockings • Kalev's Mittens • Kristi's Mittens • Laila's Socks • Landra's Gloves • Liidia's Gloves • Liivi's Stockings • Maarja's Socks • Maimu's Mittens • Marko's Mittens • Meida's Mittens • Merike's Gloves • Rita's Stockings • Sander's Mittens • Tiit's Socks • Ulla's Gloves • Virve's Stockings

I haven't done a thing on my Year of Projects in the last week. Not. One. Thing. In fact I've managed less than one sock altogether for the entire week after ripping it out and restarting it twice. And that was supposed to be my easy, mindless knitting! It's just the kind of week it's been. For the first part of the week it seemed nothing would go right. Through the weekend I've emerged from under that dark cloud, after all, that first sock is almost done, it fits perfectly and the pattern is exactly what I hoped. Finally, some good news.

And the worst part is that it's my own fault, at least as far as these socks are concerned. It was me who decided not to use the recommended needle size. And it was me who decided to alter the primary stitch count. Really I was kind of asking for it, wasn't I? One more set of mods later and things are back on the rails. Have I learned my lesson? Will I just knit patterns as written? Probably not.

So, sorry; not much to see here. Hopefully in the coming week I can play catch up, and have lots to show you this time next Sunday. 

out of sorts

Some days it seems that nothing goes right ... and I've been having a few of those days lately. Two particular examples come to mind.

First I hatched a plan for Gavin to make custom boxes for some of the kids for Christmas. At the store I asked the guy for some nice wood that wouldn't scratch or dent easily, but was soft enough to cut and finish with hand tools. He recommended maple, so that's what I bought. Turns out maple's very hard and finishing it with my palm sander was impossible. Grrrr.

Taking a deep breath I went to Home Depot to investigate my options. They do sell ultra coarse sanding discs but they do not fit my sander. Worse still, they do not fit any sander that Home Depot sells. How frustrating is that?

I think I've got this sorted out now. I bought the discs, bought a new sander and jimmied up an adapter to allow me to use the sticky-back discs on the hook and loop sander base. I tried it out last night - works perfectly!

Similarly I've been fighting with my knitting. I cast on a simple pair of socks only to find that when knitting the pattern as written my yarn pooled badly. Okay, I thought, I'm knitting on smaller than recommended needles; it's not a bad idea to increase the stitch count anyway. Problem solved, right? But then, after knitting most of the first leg, I asked Gavin to try it on for a photo only to discover that it was almost impossible to stretch the knitting over his heel. Grrrr.

I think I've got this sorted out now too. After a brief time-out I ripped out the sock a second time and reknit it once more replacing two of the six pattern repeats with ribbing. Oh it's stretchy now!

I guess things are starting to look up. But don't they say that things happen in threes? I'm almost afraid to start anything else.

Year of Projects 2: Merike's Gloves 02

Folk Knitting in Estonia: Aino's Gloves • Anu's Christmas Gloves • Anu's Mittens • Anu's Stockings • Avo's Mittens • Ellen's Stockings • Helgi's Mittens • Hilja's Mittens • Ilmar's Socks • Juta's Stockings • Kalev's Mittens • Kristi's Mittens • Laila's Socks • Landra's Gloves • Liidia's Gloves • Liivi's Stockings • Maarja's Socks • Maimu's Mittens • Marko's Mittens • Meida's Mittens • Merike's Gloves • Rita's Stockings • Sander's Mittens • Tiit's Socks • Ulla's Gloves • Virve's Stockings

A week later and the first glove is done. Don't be fooled by the photo - it's just the front and back of the same glove (the right hand) shown together; the second glove is still to do.

I'm very pleased with the first glove, although it is very fiddly and there are more than a dozen ends to weave in after the knitting is finished. It fits nicely and I think it'll benefit from a wash and blocking to flatten out those fingertips a bit.

For the next couple of days I'm going to work on another pair of socks for my Christmas knitting - socks are a lot more straightforward and less intense than knitting this glove has been - but by mid-week I should be ready to cast on a second glove and with any luck I'll have a finished pair to show next Sunday. If so, that would be 5 of 26 patterns finished in the first three months. I'm starting to think that maybe this book was too ambitious for a Year of Projects? I guess time will tell!

fiddling with fingers

I couldn't be any happier with how these fingers are turning out. Taking suggestions from other Ravelers notes I thinned down the fingers by reducing the number of stitches between the fingers by two at each side. The fit seems ideal now.

Unpicking the thumb gore and putting the thumb stitches on waste yarn before starting the fingers was a big help. Determining finger size and placement is much easier when you can try the glove on. That's what I should have done with Meida's mitts; it would have saved me from having to rip back a few inches of the hand.

The pattern is pure genius. The five sections of the main pattern on the back of the hand divide to flow seamlessly up the fingers and thumb. Ah, Nancy Bush, you are a marvel! Now I think I'd better get back to fiddling with these fingers ... maybe I can manage a finished glove by tomorrow?

Year of Projects 2: Merike's Gloves 01

Folk Knitting in Estonia: Aino's Gloves • Anu's Christmas Gloves • Anu's Mittens • Anu's Stockings • Avo's Mittens • Ellen's Stockings • Helgi's Mittens • Hilja's Mittens • Ilmar's Socks • Juta's Stockings • Kalev's Mittens • Kristi's Mittens • Laila's Socks • Landra's Gloves • Liidia's Gloves • Liivi's Stockings • Maarja's Socks • Maimu's Mittens • Marko's Mittens • Meida's Mittens • Merike's Gloves • Rita's Stockings • Sander's Mittens • Tiit's Socks • Ulla's Gloves • Virve's Stockings

The patterning of these gloves is worked with Vikkel stitches which are tiny pairs of stitches crossed to create traveling patterns of zigzags and diamonds. I've done them before on another Nancy Bush pattern - Estonian Traveler's Stockings from Knitting on The Road. Somehow or another they feel easier this time. Maybe because this yarn is less splitty? Or maybe because with these Blackthorn carbon fiber needles I can knit without fear of snapping them?

After a couple of hours of knitting time here and there over the last few days, the cuff of the left glove is done as well as most of the thumb gusset. I'm adding almost half an inch to the gusset length as I'm guessing that the woman for whom these are intended has almost as large hands as mine. Not bad progress so far, but I suspect that the fingers are going to be fiddly. More than one Raveller has noted that they adjusted the stitch counts for the fingers to thin them down. I guess I'd better plan on some lifelines until see how it works out for me as written. With this much time and effort invested I want them to be perfect!

Work-in-Progress Wednesday

Several hats to the good and I'm still feeling pretty committed to knitting more. After knitting one pair of socks after another on size 0 needles, it's a treat to knit worsted on nice big needles. Especially when your intention is to stash-bust because you can knit through the chunkier yarns sooooo much faster :)

Today's hat is dark blue with light blue stripes. Same pattern as the one from the other day - this Watch Cap - and same modifications to make it long enough for a rolled brim. It's a really comfy, warm and well-fitting hat. Yesterday's hat was grey with alternating dark green and dark blue stripes ... three more oddballs of worsted used up!

My enthusiasm for 2x2 rib is sure to wane pretty soon, though. I'm figuring on completing a couple more hats by the end of the week and then pack them all up to post them to their destinations.

With the idea of casting on something new at the end of the week I'm off to check the links at Tami's Amis to see what everyone else is up to. Maybe I'll find some inspiration for my next project there?

a plan for hats

In the last few days I've knit a handful of hats. As I previously mentioned, I've committed to sending hats to two different charities this month. Half a dozen have been knit using the Miranda Hat pattern, and now I'm switching to an old favourite, this Seaman's Watch Cap. I think it's a bit more masculine and likely to be preferred by some of the boys and men. Following the notes of other Ravellers I've made the hat 9.75" before starting the crown decreases to allow for a generous rolled brim. It covers the ears and forehead nicely and it's definitely warm!

But that's not the only reason for the pattern switch. The watch cap pattern lends itself more readily to stripes, and if I'm to use up a bunch of oddballs from my stash, it's gonna be stripes!

Our weather has turned much colder in the last week - it was just 10°C (50°F) when I got up this morning- so it's perfect hat knitting weather. My goal is to knit as many more hats as I can for the end of this week and hopefully work through most of my acrylic worsted stash. Wouldn't that be awesome?

Year of Projects 2: Meidas Mittens 03

Folk Knitting in Estonia: Aino's Gloves • Anu's Christmas Gloves • Anu's Mittens • Anu's Stockings • Avo's Mittens • Ellen's Stockings • Helgi's Mittens • Hilja's Mittens • Ilmar's Socks • Juta's Stockings • Kalev's Mittens • Kristi's Mittens • Laila's Socks • Landra's Gloves • Liidia's Gloves • Liivi's Stockings • Maarja's Socks • Maimu's Mittens • Marko's Mittens • Meida's Mittens • Merike's Gloves • Rita's Stockings • Sander's Mittens • Tiit's Socks • Ulla's Gloves • Virve's Stockings

One more project done and off the list. These are Meida's Mittens, and thanks to ripping back just over a week ago they now fit me perfectly. Of course I have much bigger hands than most, so I wouldn't recommend this pattern for the average woman :)

Today I'm debating which project to cast on next. I still don't have 1.75mm for Aino's Gloves and Ulla's Gloves so they're definitely out. Rather than ordering the needles, I may add them to my Birthday or Christmas list and see what happens. Yarn choices have been for Anu's Mittens, Kristi's Mittens, Landra's Gloves and Merike's Gloves. At the moment I'm leaning towards that last pattern ... maybe it's weaving-in-ends fatigue? Besides, I haven't done any gloves yet so that's another point in their favour. Oh, and one more thing? If they work up nicely they would be just perfect for one of the names on my Christmas gift list. I guess it's pretty much decided, eh?

Work-in-Progress Wednesday

It's September now, so it's time for some discipline about my knitting, starting with this long-time wip. It's Smitten (a Holiday Garland) and I've neglected it for several weeks. But no more. Last night I cast on a fourteenth mitten in purple. If I can make three or four of these little mittens a day for the next few days - and that seems pretty do-able - then I can finish it up this weekend. Although I still need some sort of plan about how to number the individual mittens.

Later today I think I'll cast on another Miranda hat. Before the end of the month I need to send a bunch to a shelter in New York State and to a school in Connecticut. Maybe I can work through a whole whack of acrylic worsted in my stash this week?

Lots going on all around blogland. As usual on a Wednesday, check the links at Tami's Amis!

Surmount the Stash September Update

Hmmm... Surmount the Stash ... about that .... Sometimes these challenges are helpful because they keep me accountable. So it's in that vein that I confess to all my sins over the past month :(

Monthly budget of $50 for all knitting related expenses: Last month I bought four skeins of Hand Maiden Sea Silk. FOUR. Enough said. Add to that a trip to the Purple Purl to the tune of $40 and an online order at Wandering Cat Yarns for three skeins of sock yarn. Apparently $50 a month is not realistic for me.

if it ever stops raining
I'll get a better photo!

Manage my WIPs: My Smitten Advent calendar has languished unfinished for months now. That's gotta stop. At the moment there's nothing else on the needles so I'm going to give that my undivided attention until it's done. And then I'd better knit a handful of Miranda hats to fulfill my obligations to the two charities I've pledged them to. Probably best I send them before hat weather arrives, right?

Plan projects to work through my inventory of yarns in my Stash: It's not that August wasn't productive. I started and finished a Clapotis for the Ravellenic Games, and then another for a co-worker's Mom. Speaking of which, if you buy yarn and knit it right away, does it even count as stash? I finished two pairs of socks as well as a pair of mittens - all from stash. I've worked through most of my little sock yarn leftovers and have plans for the rest. But before that, it's all about worsted for the next while...

And, congratulations to ALittleBitSheepish who won a copy of the Morning Glory Socks pattern!

Year of Projects 2: Meida's Mittens 02

Folk Knitting in Estonia: Aino's Gloves • Anu's Christmas Gloves • Anu's Mittens • Anu's Stockings • Avo's Mittens • Ellen's Stockings • Helgi's Mittens • Hilja's Mittens • Ilmar's Socks • Juta's Stockings • Kalev's Mittens • Kristi's Mittens • Laila's Socks • Landra's Gloves • Liidia's Gloves • Liivi's Stockings • Maarja's Socks • Maimu's Mittens • Marko's Mittens • Meida's Mittens • Merike's Gloves • Rita's Stockings • Sander's Mittens • Tiit's Socks • Ulla's Gloves • Virve's Stockings

The first mitt was done earlier this week but when I tried it on it was obvious that I'd made the hand too short for my fingers. For a couple of days I pondered this ... did I know anyone with hands as big as mine, with freakishly long thumbs like mine, but with considerably shorter fingers? Really?! Why did I waste time thinking about this, grasping at straws to avoid ripping back? By Thursday evening I reached the inescapable conclusion that most people's fingers are in proportion to their thumbs, and that ripping was the only answer. Five minutes after that I had ripped back to the row before the top decreases and was well on my way to fixing it. FIVE MINUTES. Sometimes I am my own worst enemy. After adding ten more rounds to the hand the fit is pretty darn good. And after a machine wash and dry it might just be perfect.

The second mitt should go swimmingly, right? I just have to match what I've done on the first. This weekend we're headed to Blue Mountain to share a suite at a resort with my sister's family. With a couple of hours travel time each way the second mitt should be done by the end of the weekend. It's Saturday morning as I write this - I've scheduled my post to automatically publish on Sunday - so fingers crossed it all goes according to plan. Now I better get some shopping and laundry done!

I hope everyone's enjoying a great weekend. Ours is a long weekend with the Labour Day holiday on Monday, and the weather is brilliant, so it's sure to be great. I'll catch up with you all when we're back on Monday!