Sit and Knit

Most people would find it odd that I've lived here in Charleston since May and don't actually know anyone.   In fact, other than to say hi to a neighbor or two (of whom I have no idea what their names are) or speaking to the doctors or the dentist, I have said nothing more to anyone than whatever pleasantries you'd say to a stranger in passing.  How is that possible?  Well, to me it's easy.  Since I work at home I don't have much opportunity to interact with people and I actually like my peaceful alone time.   Not to mention I'm always weird around people so I tend not to be very social.  I've been thinking for a while now I should try to get to know people more and try to interact at least a little.  So in that spirit, I attended my first ever "Sit and Knit" last night.  Loops had to all but push me out the door to get me to actually go, but I went.  It was held at the new yarn shop in Summerville, the Village Knittery.  She has just opened this month.  I'd already been into the shop once before.   That's how I knew about the "Sit and Knit" she was planning to have for Third Thursdays (which, from what I gather, is a downtown Summerville thing held once a month to promote the refurb of the area by having shops open late and special events and such).  Anyway, I enjoyed my first visit so much and thought Emily, the owner, was so nice.  In fact, the thought of her not having a super turnout for her first event was what finally got me out the door and on my way to Summerville.  I arrived a little after 5pm.  I was aiming for 4:45pm, but I took a wrong turn and got lost.  That's what I get for going a new way and not at least jotting down directions.   The place was already filling up with knitters by the time I got there and kept a pretty steady flow of people coming in and out the whole time.  It turns out I had a really good time and met lots of nice people.  I'm actually looking forward to going back next month.  Sadly, I didn't get any pictures to share of the event.  To make up for that, I did get a cute shot of Moxie this morning.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="334" caption="Moxie Sitting Pretty"][/caption]

In other knitting news, I finally got the yarn Moxie tangled all sorted out and finished my arm warmers:

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="385" caption="Toast, complete and toasty warm"][/caption]

Pattern: Toast by Leslie Friend

Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Summer Sock

Needles: US 8

More details… here (ravelry link)

Sorry there were no modeled shots, but it's not easy to take a good picture of your own arms. ;)

One last picture, to make my mother jealous:

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="334" caption="Yummy Trinidads! :P"][/caption]

What do you mean I'm doing it wrong?

Since I started knitting small diameter in the round (I have yet to knit anything large, ie a sweater, in the round.), I have had a few problems.  I started with a sock using 5 DPNs (that's double pointed needles to my non-knitting readers).  It was going fine with that method except all those needles were annoying and no matter what I did, I still had ladders, or spaces, in my knitting where one needle ended and the next began.  I knew I'd have to learn some way to fix this or I'd never be able to make  sleeve for a sweater without having to make it flat and seam it. :(

Recently I tried another method for circular knitting.  It's where you use two sets of circular needles, which are two knitting needles connected together by a thin cord.  I did ok with this method.  I think I would've even liked this method had it not been for my cheap needles which had cords which were way to stiff.  Here is a progress shot of my knitting by this method.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="385" caption="Toast on 2 circular needles"][/caption]

The pattern is Toast.  It's a great, simple project and I love my first arm warmer.  Since I've only finished the one, I've just been wearing it around the house, rocking it Michael Jackson style.

Since I was unable to fix my ladder problem with this method.  I decided to knit the second using yet another style of circular knitting.  It's called Magic Loop and you use one set of circular needles that have a longer cord.  It's easy to do, but not as easy to explain.  So far, so good.  I think I've finally fixed the ladder problem and I should be finished with my second arm warmer in no time.

I'm not 100% happy though.  Today I came to a realization.  I'm doing all these methods wrong.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Does this look funny to you?"][/caption]

This is the inside of my arm warmer.  In the other picture I flipped my knitting right side out before taking the picture.  This picture is what it looks like while I'm knitting.  I find out today that when most people knit in the round it is NOT inside out.  All this time I just assumed inside out was how things went and when complete you just turned them right side out.   I pretty much figured out how to fix it and even did a round of this right side out, but I found the cord was all in my way and I messed up because of it so I just went back to my old way.  It works.  I suppose I should learn to do it correctly though just in case inside out will not work for something.  I suppose it serves me right for insisting on learning how to do everything myself.  Loops always tells me to ask people questions and have them show me stuff, but I always prefer to figure it out in my own way.

One more thing before I go.  I have a Print Store on deviantArt where all my photographs are for sale.  I haven't actually sold any, but I buy small versions of everything and since my kitties are so cute, I had to buy magnets of a picture of each of them.  I finally received them earlier this week and they're up on the fridge.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Awww! Cute Kitties!"][/caption]

Too Cute!!!

Believe it or not...

My chevron scarf is now complete.  I finished it last night before bedtime and took pictures today.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="334" caption="Chevron Scarf Complete! YAY!!!"][/caption]

Pattern: Chevron Scarf by Domesticat

Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport in Natural and Maple Grove

Needles: US 5

More details... here (ravelry link)

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Obligatory Scarf Roll"][/caption]

It was fun to knit, especially when I stopped doing the p2tog tbl.  I messed up with not paying attention to the pattern though.  While I was doing the  p2tog tbl, I was doing it at both the start and finish of the WS rows and even worse I was doing the double decrease wrong and it is obvious, but not bad enough that I would redo the first third of the scarf that I messed up.  I'm still happy with it though and so are the Lambies.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="385" caption="The Lambies Cuddle Up"][/caption]

Barely Going

So I've been hoping to get a lot of stuff done lately, but have utterly failed.  What's keeping me from progress?  Believe it or not... heartburn.  OMG!  It's been so bad lately.  I practically have to sit up all the way to even sleep and I still get woken up around 4 or 5am.  It seems it eases back to bearable in just enough time for me to eat a meal and then it's back again.   Hopefully it will get better soon.

Enough complaining though.  In good news, I should complete my Chevron Scarf soon.  It's already long enough, but I want it to be extra long so I'm still knitting on it.  I'll post photos and more details when I'm finished.

As for the Drop-Stitch Lace Tank...

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Lack of Progress"][/caption]

It's just sitting there, only 5 or 10 rows longer than when I first introduced it in the last blog.  After I finish my scarf, I'll jump back in on it though.  If you're wondering about my scribbles on the notepad, I have to write every detail down or I will not remember what I did.  It's sad how easily I forget.  Why in crayon?  I just couldn't find a pen or pencil on the 3rd floor and wasn't going to walk all the way down to the 1st floor to get one. :D