Stormy

Isn't this adorable?

So it's been awhile since I've posted. I'm going to blame good ole' Irene for this one. Yes, I know, I was technically on my computer in my house all weekend, but I was too excited about the big cane to do anything too productive. Of course, it ended up being an anticlimactic event. The most exciting thing that happened was a bit of howling wind at around 5pm this evening, but that was short lived as well.

Another reason it's been awhile is that I have been hard at work on Martha's Knitted Neck Scarf, which takes a lot longer to do when you have to restart it multiple times because you keep losing stitches and getting sloppy.

After a few attempts, and a few sore fingers, I finally prevailed! I think the scarf collar looks great: I am not sure how I will wear it exactly, but I am excited to have something new for the approaching fall. After this hurricane, I am in a winter weather state of mind... as sad as I am to say good bye to my favorite season of all.

Instructions: from Martha Stewart http://www.marthastewart.com/how-to/knitted-neck-scarf#slide_0

Introduction
When instructed to rib in the pattern below, knit 1, purl 1 alternately across the row. To wear the scarf, slip one end through either of the loops at front.

Step 1 Cast on 3 stitches.

Step 2 Row 1: Knit 2, slip last stitch purlwise.

Step 3 Row 2: With yarn in back, knit 1, increase 1 (see how to increase), knit 1, and slip last stitch purlwise.

Step 4 Row 3: With yarn in back, knit 1, increase 1, knit to last stitch, slip last stitch purlwise.

Step 5 Repeat row 3 until you have 24 stitches. (Piece should now measure about 4 1/2 inches wide.)

Step 6 Continue to knit across every row, still slipping last stitch of each row purlwise, until piece measures 4 inches long.

Step 7 Divide (see how to divide). When you're finished, half the stitches will be on double-pointed needle and the other half will be on your working needle.

Step 8 Rib across the stitches on your working needle (leave the stitches on double-pointed needle as is), still slipping the last stitch purlwise. Continue for 1 1/2 inches. Transfer these ribbed stitches onto stitch holder. Break yarn, leaving a tail long enough to weave in later.

Step 9 Rejoin yarn, and rib across the stitches on double-pointed needle for 1 1/2 inches.

Step 10 Transfer all stitches onto 1 needle as follows: Slip 1 stitch purlwise from double-pointed needle, then slip 1 purlwise from working needle. Repeat across row until all stitches are on 1 needle.

One day, I'll be able to knit like this. Or not.

Step 11 Knit every row, slipping last stitch purlwise, for 15 1/2 inches. (To adjust the size of the scarf, knit fewer inches for a child or more for a large adult.)

Step 12 Using same method as in step 7, divide the stitches between the 2 needles.

Step 13 Repeat steps 8, 9, and 10.

Step 14 Knit every row, slipping last stitch purlwise, for 2 1/2 inches.

Step 15 To finish: Knit 1, decrease (see how to decrease), and knit to end of row, slipping last stitch purlwise. Repeat this sequence every row until only 3 stitches remain. Bind off. Using tapestry needle, weave in ends.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Knitted Neck Scarf - Martha Stewart Crafts

Never-ending winter

I've just had it. Are you done yet, winter? Can I show my legs again? Will my toes ever see the light of day?

The current answer appears to be no.

Yet another day of dreary rain and wind and everything is damp and miserable and terrible and why won't the sun come out?!

In the meantime, I made an awesome knit hat. As I don't believe in umbrellas (I find them dangerous and unwieldy) so this comes in handy when the rain is coming down and it's still cold out.

Martha had a super simple pattern to knit a beanie. I bought some fairly cheap yarn at Joann's and got to work. I cast on 40 stitches and knit two rows. I then worked in stockinette, knitting one row and pearling one row. One every knit row, I decreased one stitch by knitting two stitches together at once. When it looked like it was the right size, I cast off and wove the end into the existing work.

I then folded the project in half and sewed up the side with yarn to close it up and make a hat form. Simple, fast, and it works as a basic hat. As it is going to rain for the next few days, I'm sure I'll have plenty of use for this.

Pattern: (from Martha Stewart @ marthastewart.com)
 
Finished size: 20-inch circumference (adult medium); gauge: 8 stitches and 12 rows in stockinette = 4 inches.
You will need: U.S. size 15 needles, 1 skein chunky wool in red, 1 skein mohair in beige.
To knit hat: Cast on 40 stitches, working with both yarns together. Knit 2 rows. Work in stockinette (knit 1 row, purl the next; repeat) for 6 inches. Next row: Knit 3, knit 2 together (see "Decreasing" below). Next row: Purl. Next row: Knit 2, knit 2 together. Next row: Purl. Next row: Knit 1, knit 2 together. Next row: Purl. Bind off. Snip yarn, leaving 8-inch tail. Thread tail through yarn needle, and pass needle through bind-off stitches and tighten; sew up seam as shown below. We used contrasting yarn to make the seaming visible, but you should use the same yarn you knit with. Begin at the top, using a yarn needle to pick up the horizontal bar between the first and second stitches. Cross to the other side and pick up corresponding bar. Continue from side to side until finished.

Decreasing

There are many ways to decrease, but this is the easiest. The method is the same as the knit stitch, except two stitches are knit at the same time.
1. Insert right needle upward and into two stitches on left needle, entering lower stitch first, then upper one.
2. Wrap yarn behind right needle and then forward between the needles, as when knitting.
3. Tip right needle downward, catching wrapped piece and drawing it down through the two loops on left needle. Use right needle to slide this loop upward and off left needle. You have now decreased one stitch.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Knit Hat - Martha Stewart Crafts

Where your gloves at?

I am still unaccustomed to the time-honored east coast tradition of putting on gloves or mittens when one leaves the house in the winter. Perhaps tradition is the wrong word for it. Suffice to say, that I rarely remember to put mittens or gloves on in the morning, if I even own a pair in the first place. A few of my friends immortalized this east versus west glove conundrum with a song lovingly entitled "Gloves." The resulting music video, at the link, it definitely worth a watch.

In honor of the blizzaster that has been striking the not-so-fair east coast this winter, I decided to attempt to knit some fingerless mittens, anticipating that I might wear them in the coming months. One of Martha's staff members had just the recipe, in the form of an easy knitting pattern on Martha's craft blog. I chose fingerless gloves because I have a touch screen blackberry, and I get endlessly annoyed when I can't press the buttons because it doesn't recognize my fingers through fabric.... oh, the problems of contemporary society!

The knitting pattern essentially called for me to knit a long strip, like a scarf, and then cast off. The blogger used a simple knit pattern, but I did one row knit, one row purl, so I could create a slightly different effect. I also used much larger needles (sized 10), so that it would have a chunkier feel to it. I then just folded longways and sewed up the side, creating a tube. I put a safety pin where my thumb would stick out, and made sure not to sew over this part. I folded down the top of the glove before I did this, so that the part of the glove on my hand would be warmer. Then flipped it inside out and voila!

I was able to knit these in record time, and, in my opinion they look pretty awesome (I apologize for the awkward pictures!). I made them nice and long, figuring that they might keep me even warmer.

Infinity scarf: 1, Me: 0

There is something about this weather than makes me want to wrap myself from head to toe in knits. Maybe that its because it's 30 degrees and snowing or because it's constantly gloomy but knitting has become extremely therapeutic for me.

A particular obsession of mine has become the infinity scarf. Half necklace, half winter accessory there is nothing better in the entire world then a soft and fuzzy infinity scarf. There is something so cuddly and warm about a giant tube of fabric that you can wrap a bunch of times around your neck. Plus... they look kind of cool.

Thankfully, Martha has a recipe for a knit cowl (pictured right) that translated well into a infinity scarf with some modifications. Instead of casting on 44 stitches, I cast on 124 and knitted out from there. The result was a much skinnier but longer scarf.

As it turns out, infinity scarves are not super easy to make. Because they are circular, they require knitting in the round which I had never tried until today. It looked so easy! You just knit with circular needles, which are essentially needles that are attached together at the ends with a skinny piece of rubbery plastic. I thought it would be just like knitting with normal needles. And it is... with one exception: you have to be extremely careful of twisting the part that you have knitting and accidentally knitting in the wrong direction (note: this is hard to explain if you are not familiar with knitting).

Every tutorial I saw and read emphasized this. Don't twist it. Don't twist it. And guess what... I twisted it. I don't know how, but the resulting scarf, while it is cuddly and warm, is definitely twisted and cannot be untwisted. It has a sad, slightly folded-in look that I am sure will bother me to no end even though I will definitely be wearing this in the coming months.


You may have won this battle, infinity scarf, but I'll see you in the next round! I vow to knit a perfect infinity by the time this little experiment is over.

Damn you, wintry mix.

It happens every winter: the dreaded wintry mix. How can something so pleasant-sounding be so miserable? It's the same every time - circa 29 degrees, but feels like 10, snow, sleet, hail, ice blowing into your face until it stings. The ground is covered not with soft snow, but hard, slippery ice that and intermittent puddles and only the best Hunter boots can prevent a klutz like myself (or a "fall risk" as they call us at the hospital) from flying face forward and taking an ice bath.

Aside from the traditional winter staples that I have slowly started to trust since my move east (i.e. floor-length mummy-sleeping-bag-like down coat, scarf, winter socks), there is nothing like a warm wool headband to keep the snow off your face.

Thankfully, Martha had just the knitting project to keep the wintry mix at bay. Less thankfully, my knitting skills were really rusty when I began. The project was a cabled headband (cabled matching mittens to come once I master this whole cabling thing). The whole thing took me 8-10 hours of hard labor and in the end, my fingers are definitely burning and probably will be for quite awhile. That said, I was pretty impressed at how easy it is to incorporate an I-chord and cables into a normal knit-pearl repertoire. For those of you who don't speak knitting, suffice to say that even an impatient knitter who always loses count can do this.

Although I definitely don't look like Martha's model (or Martha), I have to say that my project is pretty close to Martha's. Day 2... look at me go! More ambitious knitting to follow? It's a good thing.

Mine (tied to a chair):.....................................................And Martha's: