Emptyknitster

" Swifter, Higher, Stronger " I'm just beginning to understand what the participants at the Olympics are going through. Weeks ago I signed up for Knitting Olympics - the unfinished objects division. Last March I started a Gansey Sweater for my nephew's Christmas gift. It's knit on size 2's (a small size needle for anything but a baby sweater or socks).  This sweater style is coveted on the British Isles for its warmth and resistance to the dampness that the island is known for. Within two weeks of starting the sweater, it had wrought havoc on my left wrist, arm and then up into my neck! I finally had to put it away and knit on other items. In November, when all my Christmas knitting had been completed, I lightened my knitting load and let the arm rest. When the Knitting Olympic opportunity came up, I felt I was ready for the challenge. The opening ceremonies began last Friday and I pulled out the half knit Gansey and begin. In the original two weeks last...

Yesterday's entry resulted in my first comment/question on knitting....how exciting!  Andrea said... These socks look great! But please, tell me how in the world you get the colors to line up! I can't seem to figure it out. Dear Andrea, This has been the topic of several discussions at the LYS. Should a person even worry about the colors in a pair of socks matching up? We finally decided that it is more the personality of the knitter making that decision than what is said in a book or what others think. I am very structured and need things to be precise - even if it means sacrificing yarn to do it! So, with that being said, first I like top down socks best because they allow the knitter to start exactly where they want in the color sequence that later will be showing above the shoe. Then, I take my yarn from one end of the ball of yarn, either the inside end or the outside end - BUT - you can't change or do two socks at the same time from the same ball. If you d...

It will be interesting to see if my oldest brother is keeping up with my blog.....because if he is, his birthday present will not be a surprise at all! It has taken a while, but I wanted to knit each of my siblings a pair of socks for their birthday and Steve's are the last pair!! I just finished the socks this morning which is a good thing because I'm also in the knitting Olympics and need to use every spare minute of my two week Olypmic time to complete a sweater I started last March, but more on that later.   Pattern: Peter's Socks by Nancy Bush Yarn: Knit One Crochet Too Ty-Dy Socks Needle Size: US 2 Colorway: Butter Blue I'll also be delivering some socks to my sister in law. They have been done since August, I just haven't gotten around to getting them to her!   Pattern: Jaywalker by Grumperina Yarn: Lane Cervinia Forever Needle size: US 6 Amount: 2 skeins

When I was a very young girl, and there were only black and white tvs, there was a man named Art Linkletter who had a variety show during the day called "House Party". My mom would often watch it and I remember enjoying the section called, Kids Say the Darndest Things.  Because I'm a teacher I often get a chuckle at school over the things I'm told. The latest story reminded me of Mr. Linkletter and his kids. This week a boy in my class was relaying to me the sad death of his friend's dog as we were going to lunch: "Mrs. G. my friend's dog died a few days ago. He had two dogs, Sunny and Joan. Sunny died and they took it to the vet. They disintegrated him...." The little guy was struggling here, using his hands to show me the small size that Sunny had shrunk to, and saying the word disintegrate over and over looking up at me not quite sure I was understanding the information he was relaying to me. I put a two and two together and gently said, ...

This little guy is about a month old. I sent the sweater with his Gramma Darlene when she went to see him for the first time. I'm so glad that it fits now - where Eric is at, they received over two feet of snow this weekend!   Pattern: Telemark Pullover Size: 12 months, this little guy is a month (the sweater is small, the little guy isn't large!) Needles: size 5 Yarn: Cascade Yarns 220 Heather Wool Amount: 2 skeins

Love this pattern! I didn't knit a pocket on the sweater this time. It's a size two - what baby would use a pocket?? Ribbing around the body often causes the sweater to bunch up around the chest and Mommy is constantly pulling things down. So I knit the edging in seed stitch with plackets on either side, adding a little color with some stranded knitting around the bottom. As always, I added an inch to body, sleeves and hood.  As you can see, it's so adaptable!    Pattern: Wonderful Wallaby Yarn: Cascade 220 Heathers Colorway: Cordovan Brown Amount: 2 skeins Cascade 220 Heathers Colorway: Tangerine Amount: small amount Cascade 220 Wool Colorway: Beige Amount: small amount

I started knitting this yarn as a cardigan called Miracle Drop Stitch Cardigan on Thanksgiving 2008. The sweater was nearly complete when I realized I just didn’t like it. The unfinished sweater was put away for a year (until I could bring myself to frog it “rip it, rip it”). Thanksgiving 2009 I started the Sandrine. This sweater is a top down and because that is my favorite kind of sweater I thought it would be a quick knit. No such luck – it must be a Thanksgiving curse. As I worked on the Sandrine I thought that it too, was a dud. Not until I washed and blocked the sweater this week, did its true beauty jump out! Pattern: Sandrine Yarn: Cascade, Bollicine Dolly Amount:9 skeins = 1377.0 yards Colorway: Ivory