Fiberuary 22-28

22:  Different ballpark, same Sidewinder Hat.

23:  Knitting on the trip home.  Checking size of hat against the length of my book, because the instructions said the hat should be about 8" long before the top decreases and my book is about that size.

24:  Home!  But not quite, stayed at my mother's due to the late hour our flight arrived home.  Busy with helping her unpack, sort mail, and of course work was heavy.  So not too much more knitting.

25:  The Sidewinder Hat is at the point of decreasing.  But it's late so I will do that tomorrow.

26:  All day conference, took a shawl I began out of a skein of handdyed yarn purchased at last year's Carolina Fiber Fest.  It's the Tiny Kerchief pattern but continuing until I run out of yarn.  I didn't have the pattern in the bag (ooops!) so had to hunt as I wasn't sure I remembered it correctly.  Luckily I finally found it, and it's free, so now downloaded to my phone.  A couple people asked what I was doing, and one said it was a "baller move" to bring it - I pointed out it's just a fidget item that helps me focus.  After I returned home I finished the Sidewinder Hat, adding a fluffy pompon purchased at Michaels.  I debated white or black, hope I chose correctly.

27:  I took a garter stitch scarf to a concert at the community center tonight, and got a bit done.  The yarn has long passages of spotted, then a bit of solid, so it feels as if you're not making progress then it goes very quickly.

28:  I worked on the scarf a bit at a community brunch (helps to prevent unnecessary nibbling), then remembered I need to finish a friend's embroidery - begun by her husband, and my friend doesn't stitch.  I did a bit but realized one colour is missing, so I'll have to pick up another skein if possible.

Ending the month by working on the UFO Blanket.  And I finished the February puzzle:

   

Baseball Knitting.

As one does:

Started at Sloan Park - we saw two Cubs games, they lost both.

White Sox winning at Camelback Ranch

The group is scheduled for Cubs games on Friday and Saturday.  Opening Day game is against the White Sox; two years ago the Cubs won, this year the White Sox won.  On Saturday the Cubs lost again.  Sunday the group doesn't have a plan, so people can golf, go to the spa, lie around the pool, or pick up another game.  My tradition is to go to the White Sox home park, which is older and smaller and a very different experience.

I continued working on the Sidewinder Beanie on the way home, measuring progress against the book I am reading, which I'd started on the previous trip two years ago and somehow never finished:

I started the knitting craft-along for this year's Carolina Fiber Fest on the trip out, and made no other progress, so I'll have to work on it in the next week:

A couple non-knitting photos from the parks:

Fiberuary 15-21

15:  I had insomnia so finished the replacement hat and decided to give it to the person who'd flown in for the memorial, and who had commented about it several times over lunch.  Then in the bustle of everything, I forgot.

Second MTI hat, with two braids for Alex Pretti and Renee Good.
Replacement hat on the right, Chemknits Creations alpaca yarn.

16:  Busy day at work, despite being a holiday.  I want to start something new but am focusing on finishing items first.  I need to figure out what to take on this week's trip, and I saw that a pattern I've been thinking about is on holiday sale, so I bought it.  I've nearly finished Row 30 on the UFO blanket.

17:  A little more done on the UFO Blanket, but work has been busy, and Mom and I decided to vote before going out of town, so that took up a bit of time.  I had a BOGO at Paris Baguette so we stopped on the way home and the counter clerk apologized that they only had savory items left since it was end of day.  Perfect for supper!

18:  I finally wound yarn for the Carolina Fiber Fest knitting Craft-Along, and packed it along with two other projects.  Because I'll be gone for five days, with three baseball games and two long plane flights.  I'd debated whether to use fingering yarn doubled for the pattern, but in the end selected a thin worsted weight that I think will work up as the DK the pattern requires.  I didn't want to knit the fingering weight alternative!  The yarn is pale, which should show the cabling and other pattern stitches better than a multi that the designer used.

19:  I took the CFF knit CAL pattern and yarn on the plane, and have done most of the starting border.  I need to count the number of repeats but haven't had time - I also had to work on the flight.

20:  Baseball begins!  I knit the border of the Sidewinder Hat, but didn't pull out the pattern to start the sides/top because it was too close to end of game.

21:  I continued knitting on the Sidewinder Hat, having shifted to the body pattern before we left for today's game.

Fiberuary 8-14

8:  I worked on the replacement hat a bit, and finished adding straps and buttons to the sleep sack I bought at The Scrap Exchange.  The straps are long pieces of double crochet with a border of single crochet; the spaces between stitches make a nice snug buttonhole and it can be anywhere on the strip to adjust for the baby growing.  I forgot to take a photo before delivering it.

Then during the Big Football Final (plus a bit of the Winter Olympics) I worked on a baby blanket UFO I'd found whilst looking for the sweater.  I had marked the copy of pattern so knew where I was, and made a slight adjustment to the additional rows on top and bottom to elongate the rectangle a bit.

9:  Back to work!  Very busy day, I did get a bit more done on the ribbing of the replacement hat.  I decided to do a deep ribbing that I can turn up for extra thickness over the ears when wanted.

10:  More work, more ribbing.  I am figuring out yarns for another sweater for me - which pile, which pattern?  Leaning towards the Elizabeth Zimmerman Tomten in some heavy handspun and yarns of similar weight, or thinner handspun held together.  I replied to a question about the Triangle Fiber Guild's participation in the Carolina Fiber Fest; we've been asked to run a community contribution event.  Originally they wanted a relay race but I pointed out that we don't have time (one month) to publicize it properly, so they agreed to a gaming-style event.  Now I have to locate my dice, which are scattered.

11:  Switched to the plain part of the replacement hat just in time to go to the dentist for my annual cleaning and to have a tooth checked.  It will have to be removed.  I've decided the replacement hat is not "me" and will give it away or sell it or donate it once done.  I decided to pull out the UFO baby blanket and get back to it.

12:  Worked on the blanket after my final mini-MBA class.  During class I knit on the current charity scarf, of Lion Brand Fair Isle.  I like the yarn.  Blanket is at a point where I need to keep count so I am adding a safety pin to mark the larger loops on the border, to be sure I can find them.  Then I start working the next row, and the instructions are confusing and the counting isn't quite right, so I'm fudging.

13:  More progress on the blanket.  Now on Row 30 of 35.

14:  Worked on the charity scarf during Torah Study, and the replacement hat (for which I may have found a new owner, if I get it finished by tomorrow) while out on errands and an unexpected lunch date.  I checked out three stores in a chain that was advertising items that people think are from Joann's end of bankruptcy sale, and found some crafts items in two, no fabric, and a little bit of yarn in one.

Fiberuary 1-7

In the past, some people have celebrated February as "Fibruary", with adventures in all things having to do with the world of fiber: dyeing, spinning, knitting, crocheting, weaving, and so on.  Or, posting about things you're doing with no specific requirements of a craft.  I haven't seen any prompts or challenges for this year, so am making my own record of fiber-related activity.

1:  Finished the scarf for Carolina Fiber Fest's Crochet Craft-Along.  Many, many ends being woven in require bright light because the colours are Red Heart Super Saver in "Turqua" (turquoise) and Big Twist Value in black, my only yarn purchase in January.  Started a Melt-the-Ice hat for bestie in Patons Classic Wool in "Bright Red".  Online meeting of KnitTalk people.

2:  Continued work on bestie's hat.  LOTS of 1x1 ribbing, and it's a work day, plus the first day of a mini-MBA program.  Not much time for knitting, but I managed to get the ribbing to 5".

3:  Ribbing on red hat to 6.5" and two inches of the top part done.

Finished hat.  I used twisted ribbing instead of plain
so it twists a little.  Hat was photographed unblocked.

4:  Red hat for bestie finished, and mailed.  Started a second hat, about 1.25" done during SciFi book club.  I am using a different pattern for this one, but flipping it because I didn't want to do something fiddly during book club.  By bedtime I'd finished 2" of ribbing and started on the plain part.

5:  Second red hat is past the 6" of body and I did the second round of decreases (every fourth row) before bedtime.  I also found a skein of handdyed yarn to wind and knit at the Twisted Threads Guild meeting on Saturday, since I feel awkward working on acrylic items there.

6:  Second red hat done but I'll have to get a photo after it's out of the wash.  I keep faffing about deciding on a yarn to use for the Carolina Fiber Fest knit Craft-Along pattern.  I thought I had a good yarn, a tonal instead of the multi used for the model, but it's rather dark and then I decided it coordinates well with a DK sock set from M1 Yarns so........

7:  I located the UFO sweater!  And wound an extra hank of yarn so I could start alternating.  At the fiber group meeting, I realized I'd fastened (with a safety pin) the end of yarn on the body, so I could work the sleeves then use the remaining yarn for the body.  I started and about ten rounds in I realized the colour was spiraling on the sleeve, so I decided to alternate the two balls and see how it goes.  Less obvious.  So I will continue, and maybe make bracelet-length sleeves.  I also realized that while the sweater fits nicely across the back, there is a gap at the front, so if I want it to close I'll have to add bands to each front,  I'll see how much yarn I have after making the sleeves.

Of course, while looking for the sweater I kept finding other yarn possibilities, and want to start other things, but other than the replacement hat I'll try to keep focused on the sweater for a bit.

More things finished.

Good thing I got the rainbow cardigan finished when I did, as I couldn't focus on yarning for a while.  I did take "emotional support knitting" to the hospital and hospice, but couldn't pull it out.  Part of the time we were busy with details, part of the time I was holding my father's hand as we took turns letting him know we were there.  And then there were all the details afterwards, and exhaustion, and mostly I petted the yarn.

When I could focus enough, I finished a few items:

Hat of sock yarn scraps, knitted in a half-and-half
style with no seams.  Scarf of Red Heart Super Saver
Jumbo Speckle in "Bubblegum", made-up pattern of
mostly alternating rows of single and double crochet
with a fancy granny square on each end.

The hat and scarf were in progress and set aside so that my first FO of the year would be something I was keeping for me.  Both are charity items.  The hat is a solid sock yarn worked with striped or ragg-style scraps.  I made the scarf because I'd ordered White Speckle, and the label said that's what it is - but clearly the yarn is Bubblegum Speckle.  It would not work with what I have and I'm not fond of pink, so charity items it will be!  There's almost as much left in the skein as is in this scarf, so it may well become another scarf in some pattern.

Then my mother mentioned that the wife of a friend needed a chemo cap, and I grabbed the blue ball of yarn and knit one quickly and delivered it - so quickly I didn't get a photo.  So I am showing the remainder of the ball of yarn.  The recipient was grateful, including that I made it while dealing with grief.  Well, having somebody and something else to focus on for a bit helped, for my mother as much as for me.

After this I turned to some items I picked up in the "FINISH ME" rack at The Scrap Exchange.  All were ready except for running in ends and adding buttons and some cleaning.  There was also an item that resembles a bag in royal blue and white, which you see in the bunting's "before" photo.  I'm not sure whether it was meant to be a sleep sac or another bunting or a tote bag.  I thought that if it wouldn't be useable in the current state I would frog it and use the yarn for something else, but the person to whom I delivered the finished items said it would be fine, so it's in the finishing queue.

The bunting was finished except for ends and buttons.
Not sure what the blue-and-white items is; we decided it's a
sleep sack which I will finish, and maybe add shoulder straps.

Bunting finished.  Close-up of buttons below.

I chose very classic buttons.  The only other
ones I have in sufficient quantity and the
correct size are deep blue flowers.

Pink set before.  Needs some sewing and buttons.

Also, an unknown black stuff on the hat.
Luckily, it washed out with a bit of scrubbing.

Pink set finished.  I attached the items together with a piece
of leftover yarn.  Note the strap on the hat, one side has a
button loop but there are buttons on both ends.

Close-up of the buttons, pink with a white flower.

The third set was the most difficult to finish because there was a definite stain on one sleeve, and only one bootie.  I decided to use the bootie to replace the stained bit of sleeve - which meant I had to figure out the pattern and gauge.

The label was on the package at The Scrap Exchange.

The stain, and unlike the one on the pink hat, it did
NOT wash out,  Removal was necessary.

I simply crocheted from the bootie to the sleeve.

I was successful, and found some cute blue buttons to use on this set.  Like the pink hat, I made a strap for this one with a button on the sewn end as well as on the working end:

Finished set with the leftover yarn from sleeve and bootie.
I attached the hat and jacket to each other for donation.

Close-up of the blue buttons - bunches of grapes.

After delivering the items, I received an email complimenting me on the craftsmanship.  I had to explain that I only added buttons, the real work was done by some other person, unknown.

A contented day.

Family celebration of Christmas today, part of it was happiness that none of us were "on call" for work, nor felt an obligation to sidle off to work for a bit.  We ate a reasonable (vegetarian and gluten-free) brunch, complete with snacky bits of cheese and multiple desserts.

Most of the gifts we exchange are donations to favourite charities.  I had token gifts for the family: dark chocolate covered apricots for my parents; socks with the Hot Wheels® logo for my brother, who owned and played with many as a boy; compost for my sister-in law, who directed it to a local farm; National Parks water bottles for my younger niece and her partner; and for the elder niece, a hat:

When I mentioned to my mother on Tuesday that I was struggling to find a token gift appropriate for my older niece, my mother suggested a warm hat because my niece's job includes working with students in a community garden, and it's been cold.  I sent a message to my niece asking for her three favourite colours, because I know she has a black coat and didn't want to make a black hat, especially on short notice.  She responded that evening.

Then I had to dig to find enough yarn in her choices of black, green, and pink.  I found a skein of handdyed yarn in pink with bits of black, and some leftover green.  I decided to use a pattern I've knit many times, doubling the pink/black to get the correct thickness.  I started on Wednesday morning, and spent the evening watching holiday videos and knitting.  I woke early and managed to finish with plenty of time to wrap the gifts and arrive at my parents' house with time to help set up.

The hat fit, it's soft enough to suit my niece, and she's happy to have it when the weather gets cooler again.  Today was unusually warm, especially for Christmas Day.

There went the days.

The Days of Awe finished last week, with Yom Kippur.  I've had two crazy weeks because I went to the NAMWOLF Annual Meeting, then DFW Fiber Fest, got home just in time for Rosh Hashonnah to begin, and then last week did a cybersecurity test development workshop for three days, followed by Yom Kippur on the fourth day, so Friday was my only full day at work.  And unusually for a Friday, it was loaded with meetings, many of which had been pushed out from an earlier day.

So posting was sidelined.

I was able to work on hats, since they are simple and portable and much needed for two charitable donation projects.  Some are using up leftover yarn, and some are using new balls or skeins.  One is a skein I received in a yarn exchange, which turned out to be very tangled:

I should have taken photos of the tangles.  I wanted to wind it on the speed winder, but couldn't until I'd pulled out about a fifth of the skein.  Then it kept jamming, and this was when I realized I couldn't do any more as the yarn wove in and out of the remaining rounds.  So I finished by hand.  Then knit a hat:

I knit it using the yarn doubled, because it was thin, so this is a thick and warm hat.  I might crochet the remainder into a second hat, but there isn't enough for more than a newborn size, so I'll have to use it with something else.  I didn't know the yardage or weight since the skein was untagged, and I think it's sportweight instead of the expected fingering.  Usually I can get a hat and a half or a couple hats out of skein of fingering, depending upon pattern and method.

Speaking of method, I need some crocheted hats for a demo class at the Triangle Fiber Guild meeting next week.  So I worked up a few from a jumbo skein of yarn:

There is yarn left, which might be a knitted hat as I want to do a couple in other weights of yarn to show how the basic pattern adjusts.  That is what I thought I'd do with the leftover autumn coloured yarn.  I'll see what the stash suggests.

It was redone.

That started bit of a hat in the top left of yesterday's photo?  It became clear that the yarn would make only 2/3 of a hat that size, and I didn't have anything close enough to finish it nicely.

But I could start over, integrating a yarn that is different but coordinates enough to look intentional:

Bernat "Forever Fleece" in "Croton Green" and
Big Twist POSH in "Blue Raspberry".

Done and Done.

I finished the scarf I mentioned last week, and a hat from an oddball of Big Twist Lollipop Twistie in a colour called "Clownfish Coral".  I didn't like the Lollipop Twistie (so I am not sad that it is discontinued) and decided to use it all up, hence the little topknot on the hat:

I started another scarf of chunky, and very soft, chenille yarn that a neighbor gave me when she decided her hands were too arthritic for knitting.

I also finished a book, which was fine, and turns out to be part of a series, but I don't know if I need to read any of the others.  I do need to read the book for the library's Science Fiction Book Club.  I picked up a form for their summer reading program - fill in a space for every ten minutes you read, turn in the filled sheet, and get a token item (last year it was a choice of some cool bookmarks) plus entry into a prize draw.  I decided that given how much I read, I would just record every session where I read for at least ten minutes.  That way I don't have to keep adding together reading sessions.

From June 14th to morning of June 23rd.

More art: I decided to try different media to complete each chart.  This one is watercolours.  I have not used those in a very long time, many years, except a token bit as part of a book art piece.  I wanted to practice a bit and this is a very low-pressure way to do it.

I went to the gallery for another round of putting things together to fuse, adding to one of the pieces I did two weeks ago and creating another for this four-panel light box I'm creating:

I've done some more practice pieces for the DFW Fiber Fest class.  I may be doing a variation of it at the gallery.  One of the owners is really interested; she's the one who encouraged me to try fabric also, because she thinks it will be more useful to people.  Since cellulose fibers need a more toxic mordant (soda ash) to prepare, which means people may not be able to do it at home, I searched and found a lightweight 100% wool in a light enough colour to dye, but it turns out to be a deeper beige than I thought it would be from the online photos.  Well, that happens.

First, I did some testing of single-serving beverage powders:

Light blue ReVive and the three options I chose.

Not too much water because I wanted the dye to stay put
and not float all through the pot.

I sprinkled half of each tube, then flipped the yarn and 
sprinkled the other half of the tube.

Simmering.  I wasn't sure how much the dye would spread.

Final result, after drying. You can still see some of the
original colour.  The grape is unimpressive.

Then I did a quick test of the fabric, one piece tied and one loose, with two different dyes in the pot:

I need to remember to photograph the final results.  I showed it to the owner and she liked the effect, so that may be what I offer to the students at the gallery.  Now, what to do with the pieces?

Small accomplishments.

This has been a week for finishing projects.  First, the wee green cardigan for a friend's cleaning lady:

When my friend noticed the lady is pregnant, she offered (through an interpreter, because my friend does not speak Spanish, despite being a native Texan and Dallasite!) to knit something, and the lady asked for a sweater, which my friend does not do.  So my friend offered a blanket and booties.  When I heard this, I thought that I'd knit a sweater, especially to try a pattern.  The teddy bear buttons make it supercute.  The cleaning lady chose the colour because she doesn't know if it is a boy or girl.  They don't know it's coming - the sweater, I mean!

This is the Yoked Cardigan and I may knit an adult size for me.

Next, my current carry-around hat, a simple 3x3 rib in leftover chunky superwash yarns:

I knit the first row when I changed colours, to
smooth out the transitions.  3 rows each.

And the second strip for an afghan, probably a donation to Warm Up, America!

That may not look like a small thing, but there wasn't much left to finish on the second strip.

I started the shawl I am planning to wear in Paris in May:

It's the Tour Eiffel Shawl out of a miniskeins pack from Destination Yarns of their multicoloured "Paris" colourways.  There isn't enough yarn for the full shawl, so I will do as much as I can.  Maybe in Paris I will buy enough yarn for the whole shawl.  The pattern requires attention so it's not something I can carry around, at least not yet.  I'll see once I get past the startup section.