Winter knitting

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Carolla

Carolla

wondering & wandering
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She/Her/Her
So - who's doing what this winter? Did you knit some Xmas gifts this year?

I received a gift of 3 wonderful skeins of yarn - so I've been pondering patterns. I think I'll have to up some test swatches to help me decide which pattern to do. The yarn is Noro Tennet - wool, silk & alpaca blend, variably spun so it's a bit textured (DK weight I think) in the Merlot colourway - blends from ivory through mid burgundy tones. I think I may make myself a special shawl from it. With all the texture & colour in it, a simple pattern is likely best, maybe with a nice edge treatment on it. Still pondering that.

I knit two shawls as gifts this year - one for my dtr and for my son's gf (who's like a d-in-law after 5 years). They both loved them, which I'm happy about. They were very different patterns and yarns - but suited each. Included a 'stick' with each to pin them closed.

So what's everyone up to? Northwind, did you settle on patterns for your campground knitting project?
 
I knitted a lot of socks this year. I think I've done 10 or 12 pairs since July. I knitted socks for a 9 and 5 year old. I knew I'd have a bunch of yarn left over so I bought 12" teddy bears and knitted sweaters for them. I was delighted with the results. I can't upload a picture. There are two pictures on my Ravelry page. Ravelry: KathrynFSJ's Socks and Sweaters

I haven't decided on a campground knitting project. Someone said the teddy bears and socks would be a hit with the grandmas at parks. Also anything dog related. I have a few things percolating.
 
Very nice! I love Ravelry ... time sure does fly when you're looking at mere thousands of patterns!

I knit a sample swatch tonight of one shawl - it has a wonderful cabled edge along one side - I think this might be "the one" :) Now I have to finish up another project so I can start that!!
 
I'm going to participate in an MKAL called the Sisters Shawl by the Cozy Up Sisters. They are friends of mine and have some nice designs. The shawl takes three skeins of fingering weight yarn. I imagine DK would work too. They are on Ravelry.
 
I no longer knit. For quite some time now I have been wondering what I should do with my collection of patterns!
 
Check at your local yarn store or maybe there's a knitting group or two in your area. You might find someone who wants them. I was just reminded how easy it is to use Facebook to sell things or give them away. Your local buy and sell groups will be a spot. I had an old quilt that I couldn't throw out and couldn't use. It was obviously hand sewn. I posted it and a lovely quilter came to pick it up. She said it would be repaired and would be donated to an elders shelter because they would appreciate the fabrics. I'm glad it went to a good home.
 
Northwind said:
Mystery knit along. (Along) is both the a and l
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I've never heard of this - sounds intriguing! I will look them up on Ravelry. So I'm guessing the just dish out the pattern a bit at a time? You don't know when you start what will emerge? Have you ever done it before?
 
Just looked - will think seriously about joining in too! I love the Jamie's Shawl pattern - so many patterns, so little time!! Note to self - must work on that retirement plan!!
 
Last night I knit up a sample of the Gentle Yew Shawl - but used stockinette rather than moss stitch. I LOVE the cabled edge - I can see using that on other projects too. It's only one one edge of the shawl, so asymmetrical.
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There are a couple of other patterns I'm also considering - will do a swatch of them too, then decide ...

But first I should finish another one I'm about 2/3 done - 'Crest of the Wave' also from Ravelry, worked in a beautiful variegated blue/blue-green sock yarn that has a lovely drape to it. Quite a simple pattern actually - which I appreciate!!
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@Carolla Jamie's shawl is even prettier in person. I think the Sisters Shawl will be lovely. They start tomorrow and a new clue comes out once a week. I've got some really pretty yarn that I'll have to wind today in preparation. I havr a raspberry pink, a navy that has purple tones and a variegated. It will be pretty
 
@Northwind - Well I decided to jump in & give the MKAL a go! Thanks for telling me about it. I got a bit of yarn on sale today & got the first two sections done this evening - looks good so far! I was a bit intimidated by the cast on at first, but soon got the hang of it - they posted an excellent video for those of us who didn't know how to do it. My yarn is a very pale gray, a pale mossy green, and a tweedy sock yarn with lots of bright colours in it - so I hope it will look good! The plain yarns have a bit of mohair in them, so nice texture I hope.
 
Yay @Carolla. I'm so glad the sisters are getting so much support with this MKAL. They are just as awesome in person as they are on their podcasts and group. I should be able to finish clue one tonight. I am almost done the second section with CC2 now. The cast on took me a couple of tries but it has worked well. It is always fun to learn new things. :)
 
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@Northwind - I was amazed at how many people had signed on to it! I was excited to start 'clue 2' tonight - I'm at about row 8 now, so getting the idea of how the pattern works up. I'm really enjoying it! And had I looked at the pattern beforehand, I probably would have declared to myself it was too complex for me to do ... so I'm happy to be stretching my brain and my fingers - and so far so good. I've put in a 'rescue row' every so often ... just in case! And I've been using stitch markers at the repeats tonight - helps me keep track and keep my count correct too.
 
I went to knit night on Thursday night and several of us were knitting the shawl. It was neat to see it in different colours. I got to the end of row 12 and didn't have the right number of stitches left. Somehow I've ended up with an extra. Now I'm doing it over. All part of the process.
 
I learned about it a a little workshop I went to - you take some other scrap yarn & draw it through all the stitches parallel to the needle & just leave it there while you continue working. If you make an error further on, you can easily unravel back to this 'rescue row' point & simply put the stitches back on the needle - no worries about dropping any stitches or twisting them getting them back on the needle. Works well. When I get to the next logical row to insert a rescue row - I usually just pull out the prior yarn & thread it through the next designated row. I like it if I'm knitting a lacey pattern with lots of yarn overs etc which I find really difficult to undo or fix when I've made an error.
 
Northwind said:
I went to knit night on Thursday night and several of us were knitting the shawl. It was neat to see it in different colours. I got to the end of row 12 and didn't have the right number of stitches left. Somehow I've ended up with an extra. Now I'm doing it over. All part of the process.
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oh boo - I don't think I could do this in a group situation - I'm too easily distracted and would be making all kinds of mistakes!!
 
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