Annual charity knit

I'm starting to get backlogged on things I intend to knit, and I'm probably fated to fall a little bit more behind. After all, it's the time of year when I contribute to a particular project, so I need to get cracking on that.

The Red Scarf Project is now accepting donations for this year's collection. I've knit for it for the past three years. I could probably stand to mix it up and not make the same pattern that I have the last two years, but the brainless quality of that pattern is what has been so appealing. Plus, I figure it's a safe design for an unknown recipient.

So, join me this fall in knitting for the Orphan Foundation of America.

Seasonal

I will freely admit that I am not a fashion plate or someone who puts a great deal of energy into determining what I wear. I know what I like and think I look respectable enough--I hope--but I do not, as the saying goes, dress to impress. I'm not concerned with being trendy and not sure I could pull it off even if I tried.

I suppose you could say I don't have much variety. For instance, I own four pairs of shoes: New Balance cross trainers, which I've bought over and over for at least five years; dress shoes; Timberland waterproof boots; and Adidas baseball cleats that may actually be soccer shoes.

Yet unwittingly I have spiced up my wardrobe with the products of my own efforts. I've been wearing my Noro scarf for most of the winter despite second guessing if it's right for me. It has replaced the Ruggles Reversible Scarf that I wore last year during the coldest season. Prior to that I would alternate the red and green garter stitch scarves I made in my early knitting days. I can even switch out hats if I so choose.

You say that accessories are supposed to be changed up? See, that's not something I've ever really thought about or done. Here's this one thing; stick with it until it wears out. That I've sort of adopted this idea of an annual scarf is unheard of. Does it make me more fashionable? That's highly unlikely. But I can see the appeal of shaking up the routine.

Red scarf redux

As promised, here are some better photos of my latest Red Scarf Project contribution. (Here are my 2007 and 2008 donations.)

Yes, I used the same pattern last year. With as uninterested as I was in this scarf, I think I'll have to try something else next year.

If interested, you still have time to knit something up yourself to send along to the Red Scarf Project.

Red scarf

Scrunchable Scarf

Yarn: Lamb's Pride Superwash (100% wool; worsted weight)
Colorway: SW01 (Red Wing)
Needles: US 7s
Stitches: 30
Size: 5" wide, 70" long

It's done, it's done!

My contribution to the Red Scarf Project is finally finished. I think it took me a little over two months, which is ridiculous but indicative of the slog that knitting this scarf was.

After being exposed to the cold for a good part of the afternoon at work, I would have never expected to feel up to working on this for a couple hours, yet I was drawn to getting it done and just plowed through what remained. Actually, I knit it longer than I was intending, if that tells you how much I zeroed in on completing it. Maybe my eagerness to finish was because the deadline for sending it looms, maybe it was because I have other projects I'm anxious to start. Whatever the case, I'm glad to have this done.

I messed up and did all stitches in pattern, so this doesn't have a border, so to speak. Does it make a big difference? I don't think so.

I'll snap some better pictures of it tomorrow. In the meantime I wanted to get something posted about this because it's my first FO since the end of September. Let's hope this indicates an the start of an uptick in my knitting productivity.

Cold Mountain

Cold Mountain

Yarn: Noro Kureyon (100% wool; worsted weight)
Colorway: 178
Needles: US 7s
Stitches: 28
Pattern: 1x1 rib (first stitch slipped with yarn in front, last stitch knitted)
Size: 5" wide, 78" long

The project I took up because I needed something to do and then ended up setting aside, leading to a months-long period of little knitting, is finished. Except for a difference in colors, it's essentially the same scarf I made for my mom last year. I'm happier with what I made her than this this one, but I think I'm pleased enough with this to wear it.

I've taken to using the names of films for projects that don't have patterns. Due to the rustic colors, which remind me of levels of soil with hints of grass and the sky, Cold Mountain seemed like an appropriate name. That film's crisp and earthy cinematography, or how I remember it, seems like a good match with this scarf. The colors are suited to the fall-like temperatures that have arrived this weekend, although I certainly won't be needing this until it gets a lot colder.

I have little yarn remaining from the third skein and would have used it all up if I hadn't already knit 78 inches. Kureyon had much less vegetable matter and fewer knots than Silk Garden, so it was easier to work with.

One improvement I made with this scarf is not flaring the ends, which has been a common problem of mine. I'm guessing that I cast on and bound off looser than usual to get rounded square ends.

More than anything, though, I'm just glad to have it done. It wasn't a bad knit, just kind of an uninteresting one.

Scarf in progress

I started this 1x1 ribbed scarf awhile ago. It must have been March because I figured I could work on it during downtime at the film festival in Cleveland. I didn't have much in the way of free time then, and I seem to remember the weather being warmer at film fest time. The urgency of finishing a scarf was pretty much nonexistent by the time April rolled around.

This scarf traveled with me as I drove around the south and midwest, but it's only been in the past couple days that I've finally resumed knitting it. I forgot that I'd been slipping the first stitch knit-wise until I noticed that the edge of the scarf looked a hair different than what preceded it. The change is essentially imperceptible, especially since I corrected course and went back to slipping knit-wise.

I'm on the second skein of Noro Kuryeon and have one more to go. I liked how the Noro colorway knit up in the scarf I made my mom for Christmas last year, so the idea here is to make something in colors I'm willing to wear. It may be flashier than what I'd typically don, but I think it is turning out acceptably. I haven't come up with a movie-themed name for it yet. All in due time. The scarf is probably just halfway to completion.

Rustic

When I went to the yarn shop today in search of something for a scarf, I didn't intend to get Noro. In fact, I wasn't looking for these colors. I was thinking of something green for the Scrunchable Scarf.

The scarf will be for me. That pattern is just the sort of simple knit that I feel like I need to get me going again. As I walked the aisles I saw a couple of nice shades in Cascade 220--Olive and Shire looked like potential winners--but I continued to look anyway.

I passed by the Noro and remembered that I'd considered making my own 1x1 ribbed scarf like the Christmas gift I knit for my mom. I doubted that I'd see anything that would be more subdued--I associate Noro with bright colors--but then I stumbled upon the yarn pictured above. It seems to be predominantly brown with shades of blue and green. I had to get it.

Since I hadn't been planning on getting this yarn, I ended up buying less than I know I'll need. I would have checked my Ravelry project page ahead of time if I knew this yarn is what I was going to get. If only I'd listened to the yarn shop employee instead of trusting my faulty memory. I don't expect I'll have any trouble getting another skein, but I'm mildly annoyed at having to make an unnecessary trip.

That goes away, though, when working with the yarn. My previous experience knitting with Noro turned up the knots and sticks and vegetable matter. Since I'm using 100% wool Kureyon this time instead of Silk Garden, I'm beginning to think that some of the stuff I initially pulled out last time was silk. Oops. Other than inconsistencies in the strand's thickness, this yarn has been free of problems so far.

I knit on the scarf for a couple hours tonight and felt some of the day's sluggishness vanish. Ah, so this is what I've been missing for recent weeks.

Stars upon stars

Holding Hands, Feeding Ducks scarf

Yarn: Misti Alpaca (100% Baby Alpaca Hand Dyed; worsted weight)
Color: EZ20
Needles: US 9s (US 11s for cast on row)
Stitches: 25
Size: 3.5" x 60"

If this scarf turns out to be my last FO of 2008--and it may well be--I'll have ended the year on a high note. This scarf looks pretty magnificent, if I do say so myself. My sister-in-law was very pleased to get it this afternoon.

Try as I might, the photos are making it appear more purple than it is. The base color is more of a deep blue. When I saw the yarn, I knew that it was the right choice for this specific project. The star stitch knit up beautifully.

It's a good thing I made this a skinny scarf--and a little skinnier than I intended. I have some yarn left over from the single skein of the soft, luscious Misti Alpaca but not a lot. I may not have had the patience for this if it were wider. The narrower size is better suited for where the recipient lives anyway.

So yes, it's worth the initial trouble of figuring out how to purl three together. The tips passed on to me were to cast on a couple needle sizes up and knit loosely. Now I've passed them on to you. (Thanks for pointers, by the way. And the recommendation to knit this scarf in the first place.) If you use the right yarn, I guarantee your result will be a stunning FO.

Lessons from a seemingly simple scarf

With some perseverance and focused knitting, I finished the Holding Hands, Feeding Ducks scarf today. I finally fixed the problem from the mistake I made two weeks ago. Repairing a dropped stitch wasn't that big of a deal after all.

Although the only thing I was supposed to be learning on this scarf was how to purl three together, it turned out to be a good educational experience for me in multiple ways. I learned to knit more loosely, which absolutely must be done if you're to have a prayer of sliding the needle into three stitches at a time.

I learned that undoing three stitches purled together isn't as bad as it might seem, although it certainly helps to have variegated yarn that sort of does the heavy lifting for you in helping determine what's what. I also discovered that I am substantially better at undoing knitting than I was a year ago at this time. I made enough goofs on this where I had to tink a few (or more) rows. In the end such situations were not worthy of panicking.

What else? Even if a pattern is four rows and the odd ones are knit, keep track of the blasted rows with a counter or suffer the consequences. Losing track of which row I was on happened far too many times to mention, even after I employed the counter. It doesn't do any good to have one out if you don't change the number after each row.

I'll have more pictures and the details on the scarf tomorrow. I finished it after the sun went down, so I'd like to have the showcase photos with some nice natural light.

On and off the needles

The secret project, an item of my own design, is finished. Overall I'm happy with it despite the knitPro pattern image looking squashed a bit when translated into actual stitches. I'm wondering if I should have used the landscape size instead of portrait. Now that I've looked at that option, I probably should have. Maybe a second attempt at the secret project will be made. I sort of know what I'm doing now. If I knew how to do do Fair Isle, it would make the finished result snazzier, that's for sure.

After mostly not knitting the Holding Hands, Feeding Ducks scarf for my sister-in-law these past two weeks, I made some good progress at knit night tonight. I'm probably halfway done. I lost track of rows the last two times I sat down with the scarf, so I pulled out the row counter to avoid having to frog this thing. I'm pleasantly surprised that I've been able to undo p3tog, but I'd rather not do it again if I can help it.

I can't believe that Thanksgiving was a week ago. The past few days, filled with awards screenings and the arrival of several screeners, means I have plenty to do work-wise and enough knitting-wise in the three weeks leading to Christmas. Time flies, doesn't it?

Fashion vs. utility

The Holding Hands, Feeding Ducks scarf is coming along nicely. It may turn out to be a much faster knit than I was anticipating, although its 3.75" width may have something to do with that. (OK, it has everything to do with it being a quick knit.)

Since all of a sudden having enough yarn becomes a non-issue, the question turns to length. This is where I could use some input. It's going to my sister-in-law who lives in the Dallas area. While it can get cold there, I expect they didn't receive their first snow of the season like we did today.

So I'm envisioning this scarf as serving more of a fashion purpose than a cold weather-inhibiting one. If being used as an accessory, how long should the scarf be? I'm thinking longer than usual, but I accept that I also have no idea what I'm talking about.

Try, try, try

By now you probably know I can be a pretty patient person. For instance, I tried and retried (and retried a few more times) to wrap my head around knitting the star stitch in the Holding Hands, Feeding Ducks scarf and picking the right needles. Purling three together, doing a yarn over, and purling three together again (and finally slipping those stitches off the needle) is as daunting in practice as it sounds in theory. I spent a couple hours trying to figure out how to do it. The tight cast on row presented an immediate challenge. Accidentally dropping stitches while doing the star stitch added to the frustration.

Nevertheless, I pressed on, trying various pairs of needles and casting on 21 or 25 stitches over a couple needle sizes up or two needles. I was excited to knit the Misti Alpaca Hand Dyed Worsted yarn, but my consternation with the star stitch and increasing aggravation with the slipperiness of the yarn on my Options needles was really pushing the limits of my patience.

I stopped my attempts after spending the better part of the afternoon in search of something to show for my efforts; however, all that time yielded zero stitches on the needles. I was ready to punt the project and find a different pattern that wasn't going to have me ripping out my hair.

Difficulty with the star stitch was definitely a big part of it, but finding the right needles factored in as well. I tend to get confused when switching needle sizes and yarn gauge as specified in patterns. I know that such things don't particularly matter for a scarf, but I can never remember if going up needle sizes means I'm using more or less yarn. (I think smaller needles means more yarn is being used, which seems kind of counterintuitive to me and is thus the problem.)

I received some good advice from those I asked about the project--luckily a couple of you have made this--so I gave it another go this evening despite my impulse to quit. Having done a fair amount of experimentation, I decided that the best tactic was to cast on 25 stitches with US 11s and knit with US 9s. This meant that the unyielding cast on row had more room for sliding in the needle. It also produced a scarf nearly four inches wide, which should conserve yarn well enough for one skein to give me all I need for the project.

I knit the first few rows slowly. At least they were going faster than my failed afternoon attempts. Gradually I began to find a steady, albeit overly deliberate, pace. On my last couple projects I've been trying to knit more loosely. This scarf is perfect for loose knitting because it's a necessity. I've discovered that I need to bring the stitches to the end of the needle and loosely do the yarn over to make purling three together doable. There's always the risk of bringing the stitches too far to the end of the needle and dropping them, but if I take my time, I'll be fine.

The variegated, hand dyed yarn is a must, not only because it showcases the star stitch to beautiful effect but also because it makes it easier to see if you're pulling the right piece of yarn through on the purls. I've knit enough that qualifies it as a gauge swatch. I'm thrilled with how the scarf-in-progress looks, if not exactly thrilled with how long it's taken me to produce such a small square. I was cursing it for most of today, but now that I have it down pat, I can begrudgingly admit it has been and will be worth the effort.

Back where it all began

Here's a better look at my brother's scarf. The natural light makes it look a lot better.

Maybe this shot gives a better idea of why the pattern reminds me of waves. Or not.

And one more for good measure.

I started knitting a hat for the Christmas at Sea program and was feeling pretty good about it. I'm nearly done with the cuff, and the color is perfect for its intended recipient, whoever that may be. I was also really glad that I cracked the problem of the Moebius strip effect that was plaguing me earlier in the year. I don't know how I did a bunch of hats without having it happen and now can't make one free of this issue until now...or so I thought.

Of course, there's a reason why I wrote about my positive feelings in the past tense. Looking at the hat now, I'm 100% certain that the 23 rows I've knit will all have to be frogged. I swear I'm not twisting the stitches. I'm going to blame the cable for twisting and making it harder for me to figure out what's happening. As good as I was feeling about the project, I've suddenly lost my taste for it. Ugggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggh.

Check

Mystic River

Pattern: What a Mighty Good Manly Scarf
Yarn: Cascade 220 The Heathers (100% Peruvian Highland merino wool; worsted weight)
Colorway: 2424
Needles: US 7s
Stitches: 28
Size: 5 inches wide, 72 inches long

Another Christmas gift can be checked off the nonexistent list. I underestimated how much time it would take me to finish this today, but considering I was cooped up at home for most of it, I had plenty of time to work on it between naps and TV viewing.

I'm crediting the pattern linked above because I followed it, but as far as I can tell, there's nothing particularly unique about this than if you start knitting in moss stitch. My usual method is to give the FO the same name as the pattern, but I couldn't bring myself to call this scarf that name. I've chosen Mystic River because the stitch pattern reminds me a bit of diagonal waves and the color reminds me of the blue-grey tint to the film's cinematography (or maybe the poster).

There's a row or two near the middle where I may have goofed up something. The pattern looks just slightly off to me, but it's only on one side, so maybe it's all in my head. I'm really happy with the scarf's square, rounded cast on end, so I'm disappointed that the sewn bind off end has my usual problem of curving out into a bell-like shape. It's not as extreme as others I've made but still...

I'll admit to getting bored with this on several occasions. Since the pattern is a four row repeat (which is really just doing one row twice and then reversing those stitches for the next two rows), it took more concentration than I expected to keep track of what row I was on. That got annoying. The only reason why I didn't weave in the cast on edge before finishing was so I had something that I could use to keep track of what row I was on. A row counter would have been excessive for this project.

I'll take better pictures tomorrow. I finished the scarf after the sun set. Taking photos in my place at night usually means the colors come out strangely.

I'm not sure what's next, although I'm thinking I ought to get the charity hat knit soon.

The Purple Rose of Cairo

The Purple Rose of Cairo

Yarn: Noro Silk Garden (45% silk, 45% kid mohair, 10% lamb's wool; Aran weight)
Colorway: 241
Needles: US 7s
Stitches: 28
Pattern: 1x1 rib (first stitch slipped with yarn in front, last stitch knitted; sewn bind off)
Size: 4" wide, 58" long

I didn't know what to expect when knitting with Noro for the first time. I wasn't sure how the drastic color changes would knit up. I'd read the horror stories regarding the extra "stuff" in the yarn. I was unsure if I'd get satisfactory length out of the two skeins I purchased. All those concerns turned out to be not such a big deal as the result says it all.

I'm thrilled with how this simple scarf turned out. I think I did a good job knitting it, but the colors in the yarn take care of all the heavy lifting to impress. There was no need to do a complicated pattern when a k1, p1 rib rendered the colors quite beautifully. I don't think I'd be so bold to wear something in these colors, but I'm certain my mom will love it. I wasn't entirely sold when I began.

Is Noro worth the trouble and cost when factoring in the complaints of knots, hay, and stick pieces in the yarn? In this instance I'm going to say that it was. I ran into three knots--one in the first skein, two in the second--but did what I probably shouldn't have done and just knit them in as is. One is at the end of the row, and the other two are hidden well enough. The vegetable matter, assuming that's what it is, wasn't much of an issue in the second skein but was all over one section in the first. I have to figure out if there's a way to get it out by soaking the scarf, but even if I can't, I don't think it diminishes the item's appearance.

The tiny pieces of sticks and bark were more annoying but also more easily removed. For yarn this nice and this pricey, I don't know what the deal is. Certainly it gives Noro an even more rustic feel, but I can do without the yarn earning some kind of natural street cred because of it. I don't particularly mind the yarn weight inconsistency that ranges from bulky down to possibly a lace weight at times, although one puffed up section widened the scarf when I was knitting one color.

Since I knit this at a narrow four inches, two skeins was barely enough for a scarf. I would have preferred to get a couple more inches of length out of it, but I came close enough to my target that 58 inches is sufficient. I intentionally knit this more loosely than my other projects, which was easier on my hands and wrists. That may be the most important lesson I learned on this scarf.

So I've finished a Christmas gift in a week. I don't know how many more I'll be making, but I'm pleasantly surprised this one came together so quickly and looks so fantastic.

A rose by any other name

The Columbus Blue Jackets had their home opener tonight, so I utilized some of the time before doors opened to do some knitting at the North Market. Can't say that I got a lot done, but I took advantage of the good light to take a picture that more accurately reflects the scarf's colors. You don't get much of the green, but at least I know that if I shoot this in natural light, the colors show up correctly in the photograph.

Maybe it's worth mentioning that I'm naming this 1x1 ribbed scarf The Purple Rose of Cairo. Typically I just slap the pattern name in the project name box on my Ravelry page. It's kind of antiseptic, but there has to be some art movement from which I can claim inspiration for this naming method.

Since I'm not working from any written pattern--and really, there's no need for one--I'm given a blank slate for which to name the scarf. I suppose if I wanted to stay true to form, I could put 1x1 Ribbed Scarf in the name box, but what fun is that?

Let's be honest. Naming stuff is fun. I've chosen The Purple Rose of Cairo because the green could conceivably be thought of, in abstract terms, as a stem. The purple then speaks for itself. And, oh yeah, it's also the title of a Woody Allen movie I like.

Keep on truckin'

It's been all about the Noro Silk Garden scarf this week. To answer my own question, this yarn can be spit spliced. (One realizes how crazy fast the web is these days when a Google search on this very subject produced my blog entry as the #7 result.)

I have around 40 inches of the scarf knit now. Considering that I'm just doing 1x1 ribbing, I'm not sure how I've been able to keep such sustained focus and high speed. I think the regular changes in the yarn's color provides enough variation that it seems like something new every few inches. Still, I may finish this scarf in record time, even for me.

The problem of Noro knots has been minimal. So far I've encountered one per skein. I considered cutting the yarn on the one I ran into tonight, but it seemed like it would be unseemly to stick the yarn in my mouth at knit night. Sure, everyone there would know what I was doing, but the rest of the restaurant's patrons wouldn't. (And I would have felt weird.) Anyway, the knot came at the end of the row, so I figured it wasn't really any different than if I had joined another skein at that point. I let it be and kept knitting.

The way this scarf is going, I suspect I will finish Saturday. (Tomorrow is too busy. Otherwise I think it would be feasible to crank out the rest.) I'm going to be tempted to send it to my mom right away rather than wait until Christmas.

In a jiffy

I've been exceptionally fast at knitting the 1x1 ribbed scarf I'm making as a Christmas gift for my mom. I finished the first skein of Noro Silk Garden this evening. I've knit about 28 inches. Assuming the second skein has about as much yardage, an FO will be slightly shorter than I was hoping. I'm aiming for at least 60 inches. I'll have to mull over whether getting a third skein is worth it. For now I'm thinking that it isn't, that something in the range of 55 inches will be acceptable.

I'm beginning to wonder if some of those early pencil shaving-like strands that I've mostly ignored might actually be the silk in this yarn. Perhaps it's a good thing I haven't been yanking most of those out. If that's true, the first skein didn't have nearly as much junk in it than I thought it did.

Before I start working with the second skein, I have a couple questions. Will the spit splice work with this yarn? It's 45% silk, 45% kid mohair, and 10% lamb's wool. My uninformed guess is that the yarn will be immune to the technique, but I suspect someone out there knows without me having to put the fibers in my mouth.

If it won't spit splice, any tips for how to do a jogless join? I'm really happy with how the scarf is coming along and would hate to have one row where the new skein starts and produces something akin to a dotted line.

Notorious

Since I wasn't sure if two skeins of Noro Silk Garden would be enough to make a scarf, I decided that I better start knitting so I'll know if I need to track down more. Although I've never used Noro, I am aware that the yarn is notorious for containing knots, vegetable matter, and inconsistent weight. Yet for all of the complaints I've read, Noro seems to be highly regarded. How bad can the problems be?

It didn't take long for me to find out. I encountered stuff that looked like thin pencil shavings. Separating it from the yarn wasn't too bad but kind of annoying. Then there was a knot which, wisely or not, I chose to knit in as is. A little bit later the yarn plumped up and had more of those fine shavings mixed in. I decided that I'd drive myself crazy if I attempted to remove all of it, so I kept knitting in the hope that there is a way to take it out once the scarf is finished. (Before I try to turn up an answer on Ravelry, does anyone out there have any advice on this matter?)

I've also discovered small pieces of bark or a stick, so I completely understand why some knitters think this yarn is more trouble than it's worth. I'm enjoying seeing and feeling how the yarn knits up (assuming I don't run my hand across more of that rough stuff). The combination of purples, tan, and lime green (!) has surprised me.

For this scarf I'm doing a simple 1x1 rib. I'm slipping the first stitch with the yarn in front and knitting the last stitch, which is producing really nice edges. The basic pattern allows the color shifts to be showcased and makes for a nice, reversible scarf. I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into when I picked this yarn, but the finished product should be something that will impress my mom.

On a photographic note, the yarn in the picture looks bluer than it really is. I'll try to shoot this in the natural light, which ought to render more accurate colors.

An orphan scarf

Scrunchable Scarf

Yarn: Cascade 220 (100% Peruvian Highland Wool; worsted weight)
Colorway: 9404
Needles: US 7s
Stitches: 29
Size: 4.25" wide, 72" long

Sundays have become good knitting days for me. I'm getting a lot done--about a foot and a half on this scarf today, for instance--and salvaging some enjoyment from the time spent in front of the TV watching my miserable NFL team.

This scarf has been made for the Red Scarf Project, so it will be packaged and on its way before long. I participated in this charity knitting last year and encourage those so inclined to whip something up before this year's deadline arrives.

The Cascade 220 wool knitted up thick and squishy without being too heavy. The scarf has enough weight to it to give it density, yet it feels fairly light. The pattern looks sleek and, at least to my eyes, more complicated than it really is.

I slipped the first stitch with the yarn in back (if I have that term straight) and knit the last stitch of each row. It doesn't make the same edges face on each side, but I made sure to keep it consistent when I saw this was the case. It still looks good, so I don't imagine anybody is going to notice.

I prefer to make narrower scarves. Most people end up folding wide ones in half anyway. Here you see me and my grizzled jawline taking the scarf for a test drive to demonstrate this preference and reasoning.

(For inquiring minds, it's a long weekend, and I'm lazy and haven't shaved for three days. The alarming amount of premature gray showing up in my facial hair--I'm blaming it on years of acne creams--means I usually don't go unshaven for more than a day. Might as well add that to the premature hair loss too. But no, I'm not growing a beard, just looking scuzzy for the weekend.)