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I finished this fourth chemo cap in a luxurious new yarn at Knitting Central called Nashua by Naturaal Focus - Ecologie Cotton. It was a joy to knit up on US Size 3 needles in a basket weave pattern.
Unfortunately, my shoulder is still acting up from too much knitting, so I've had to give it a rest. This is the only FO for the entire week. The good news is that my computer and all my files are restored. Yippy! I was so worried that everything was gone forever.
for a non-knitting photo. Here's Wilma playing dress-up with her boys
It's kind of a hectic week here. I'm guessing that you're experiencing a similar back to school rush. I have finished one and a half more chemo-caps-of-the-day and will try to post pictures later. In the meantime, look at Wilma's tongue. That's a sure sign she's having too much fun. She's been eating ice cubes continuously to cool down.
I'm on a roll! This simple stockinette roll brimmed cap was quick and easy.
It was made with Gedrifra Maroko and knit on US Size 5 needles in plain stockinette.
Canada was very productive for the Chemo Cap of the Day plan. I finished the SWTC ribbed watch cap. I like the way it turned out. It's so soft and I think the colorway gives it an interesting look.
We're back home. I have to tell you that my computer caught a nasty virus and I'm on tenterhooks waiting to hear back from the IT folks about its prognosis. My entire life is on my computer and I discovered that I had not properly backed up my data, much to my chagrin. Please say some prayers for me, my computer and my data. We need all the help we can get!
Since I couldn't blog, I decided to to get out and treat myself to the Tuesday Knitting Club at my LYS - Knitting Central. Susan, Joanne, Susan, Mary, Sophia and others were there and we had a lovely time chatting and knitting. Cynthia and Danni were there, too. It was great to catch up with everyone.
I managed to finish the black chemo cap that I was also working on during the Canada trip. Here's a close-up of the textured cap
It's a slanted seed stitch knit-in-the-round with 89 stitches (repeat of K2, P1) +2 on US Size 5 40" Turbo Addi's. Once you've got the pattern going, it automatically creates the slanted seed stitch. Since there is one less stitch than needed for the 3 repeat, every time you start the new round you are automatically creating the interesting texture.
Barry, BF and I decided to take the afternoon off after the time trials and head to Quebec City. It was about 90 minutes away. My shoulder was aching from all the fine knitting on the Crayon and Chalkboard vest, so I decided to read The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls instead. I loved the book and highly recommend it. We were only in Quebec City for about 2 hours, but it was enchanting. Here's the view.
We walked around the downtown tourist spots. I was delighted by the French Canadian history.
In fact, there was lots of Canadian French history to be had underneath the hotel. See the archeological dig?
Here's the picturesque hotel
I loved the hanging flowers on the lamposts with the street signs in French
This red roof caught my eye. I found the architecture of the Latin Quarter to be charming and inviting.
What would a downtown plaza be without a street entertainer? This one delighted the children - young and old alike with his balloon art.
Look! A Quebecoise Ferrari. It's the perfect t-shirt for a bunch of race car drivers in Canada.
Just as we were heading back to our car, look what we happened upon. God is smiling down at me, don't you think?
Wool socks just blowing in the wind. This demanded further exploration.
Not only did they sell sheep, but machine knit socks as well.
So, they weren't hand knit socks and they didn't sell any wool. I still felt compelled to purchase a pair of socks in the itchy wool (is it some sort of sacrilege for a knitter to describe wool that way?) Except for the Wal-Mart Red Heart yarn purchase, this was my only other knitting related purchase in Canada. Maybe if I go back to Quebec for more than just two hours, I'll have time to research knitting shops and visit a few. That's a good reason to go back for more of this lovely town.
Au revoir Quebec.
Trois Rivieres has some interesting architecture. I like the French Canadian influence. I like the restaurants. I like the shops. Can someone please explain to me why there are NO drug stores or places where you can buy food (fruit, snacks, etc), but there must be at least 2-3 beauty salons or barbers on every single block? Did I go off topic? Sorry. I LOVED the fact that there were hardly any chain stores in Trois Rivieres. No Starbucks! It meant going to an artisinal coffee shop and some wonderful Mom & Pop restaurants. While we walked along the city streets, this building's name caught my eye.
Is this building named BLOG PAGE? Gotta love it.
Before hitting the road, I got out my Philospher's Wool fair isle DVD and book and tried to learn how to knit the steeks for my abandoned Crayons and Chalkboards vest for my nephew. During the eight hour road trip, I managed to knit the chalkboard strip. That's it. Here I am at the racetrack trying to get started on the red crayons.
Just so you know how exciting Mazda MX5 racing can be, guess who drives this car
Did you guess Patrick Dempsey? You'd be correct! But let's get back to truly exciting stuff. Here's a close-up of the Crayon & Chalkboard vest.
The bad news is that when I knit my swatch, I was not knitting loose enough (see how tight the first chalkboard and crayons are?), so instead of being a size 6 vest, this will actually be a size 10. That's not so bad, except it means I'm less than halfway done. Drat. The good news is that I'll get to add more colors from the Crayola box. Red is next. Then I think purple, orange and yellow.
BF and I tried to go to a knitting store in Trois Rivieres. Unfortunately, there wasn't one. The concierge sent us to an upholstery store as it had sewing supplies. To be specific, it had sewing supplies if you were going to reupholster your sofa by yourself. There was nothing that even remotely resembled knitting, so we went down the road to the Wal-Mart and I purchased some Red Heart Luster Sheen acrylic yarn. I knit up a swatch for a lacy chemo cap during the time trials of the Alara Racing Team.
Here are the Alara Mazda MX5 racing cars ready to go.
Here's my speedy swatch of the Luster Sheen. It's a bit tight on this US Size 1 needle that I had handy. I also tried the US Size 5 (which is the recommended size per the label) but I will probably need a US Size 3 in order to get the best gauge for myself. I am amazed at how soft this yarn is. It doesn't really feel like your average acrylic. It has more of a microfiber feel. Have you used this yarn before? What did you think? How did it hold up?
BF and I went to Trois Rivieres, Quebec, Canada this weekend to watch our friend Barry race at the Gran Prix de Trois Rivieres (GP3R). It was great fun. BF and I enjoyed our mini-vacation. I got to use all the passenger time in the car for reading and knitting.
The eight hour drive left us famished, so when we got to Trois Rivieres, we found a fun looking Italian restaurant and ordered some lunch with a great calamari appetizer. Yum.
I loved Main Street and even managed to show off my progress on one of the three chemo caps precariously perched beneath a man-eating plant. Good thing I'm not a man!
I forgot to show you my purchases from the Knitting Central annual sale. Oh. I didn't buy anything that was actually on sale. Why would I do that? I went in looking for a book for a gift and I found it. Vogue Knitting - the Ultimate Knitting Book is one of my favorite gifts to give to newbie knitters.
I also picked up The Crochet Stitch Bible because I need a primer on crocheting. This one seemed to be the best all around book to have in the reference library. I hope to take a basic crochet class with Danni at Knitting Central before the end of August so she can help me expertly finish assembling some Warm Up America blanket swatches that are hiding in my stash.
Finally I decided to look through some lace books - at your recommendations - and see if any shawl patterns had edges that I'd like to use for my huppah. I picked up Meg Swanson's A Gathering of Lace and immediately fell in love with many patterns.
I might actually be enticed to knit a full-fledged lace shawl for myself. Danni - you Lace Goddess from my LYS - I'll definitely need your help and encouragement!
The best treasure I found was Lace from the Attic - A Victorian Notebook on Knitted Lace Patterns. This one has hundreds of patterns for lace edges. It's exactly what I was looking for when I thought of adding handknit lace to the edges of my huppah. Now I just need to pick a pattern and knit a sample. That will have to be next week's project.
I realized I had a half sock waiting to be finished. So despite my other WIPs, I decided to take a half hour to finish these socks made from unlabeled wool. I think it's Jamieson's wool.
I also managed to finish a 5th sock for little Brianna at Boy Scout Camp. I figure at 3, she's bound to lose one of the other four socks, so she might as well have a spare sock, just in case. I ran out of yarn for any more, so there you have it. The final Magic 28 Socks for now. I'm sure I'll revisit them in the fall. But I think I'll be working on some other projects in the near future.
A little knitting everywhere. I'm not sure what happened, maybe I can blame it on the Leonids. My knitting projects are proliferating. I was working on Danni's lovely Lacy Spring Socks at the Stitch N Pitch last week. Then we went away and I continued to knit them.
Then BF informed me that I need to start making chemo caps for someone special. We went to Saybrook Yarns last week and my mind started racing. I cast on not one, not two but three chemo caps projects. I actually am planning seven projects. I hope the recipient doesn't read my blog because I'm HORRIBLE at finishing things (as if you didn't already know that). I get paralyzed when I have a deadline for knitting. I'm actually thinking of making "Days of the Week Chemo Caps" sort of like Days of the Week Underwear. I can hear Meg Ryan saying "They don't make Sunday" from one of my favorite movies When Harry Met Sally. You already saw the SWTC Oasis cap. I also started a black cap in Tahki Cotton Classic with a slanted purl swirl to it.
I also cast on a simple white cloche. Maybe I'll add a flower embellishment to it?
I'm thinking about making the Hallowig in yellow or hot pink - just for fun. I'm sure more ideas will flood my brain. I just hope I can knit fast enough before I lose momentum. If you know the recipient - Mum's the Word. You know. Just in case I only manage to finish one single lonely hat.
Kate wrote to me and asked me if I might be able to help her figure out a cable pattern for a scarf she found at a store. I thought this would be an easy-sit-down-and-knit sort of solution. Boy was I wrong!
The best I can tell from the picture, it's a 36 st scarf with a K8, P4 repeat. As you can tell from my swatch, I wasn't getting the crossovers to go in the right direction. I am really out of practice with cables. I didn't see anything in the Stitchionary II - Cables to help me out with this one. Do any of you know of a pattern that might help Kate?
Thanks for all your great tips and explanations about the SWTC Oasis yarn and pooling. I decided in the end to frog it. I really like this Oasis yarn and want to make the perfect item with it. I considered alternating yarns like many of you suggested, but I wanted something so mindless that I didn't even have to think. Just Knit.
I'm going to knit it into a chemo cap. I think the soy silk fibre will be the perfect light weight combination for indoor wear year round. This time I even like the pooling. It's actually giving the knitting a spiral effect.
I really do love these colors together. I never in a million years would have combined them, but I find them to be pleasing to the eye in a surprising sort of way. Since the company name is South West Trading Company - I can almost picture the Mojave Desert with a brilliant blue sky set against some purple mountains with the desert sand. Are you feeling the heat?
When BF and I were in Las Vegas last month, I purchased one skein of SWTC Oasis yarn. I thought it would knit up into a luxuriously soft sleeping sock. I like the turquoise, purple and gold color combination in the skein. But look what happened when I knit it into a sock:
Ugh! I really don't like this pooling. What do you think? Should I rip it out and make a hat and hope that there is no pooling? Or should I just knit some pooling socks?
Why does this happen? How can I fix it? I'll take any suggestions or wisdom anyone cares to impart.
I finished another pair of Magic 28 socks. These are actually made with 36 sts. I finished them while riding into the city the other day. They might be ski socks for Secundogeniture. I'll have to see what he has to say about the matter.
We had a great mini-vacation. But I had to get on the road early this morning. I said good-bye to John and Julie - and their three dogs. Here they are. Rafael - aka Rafey - was my favorite. All three dogs are rescue dogs and are simply adorable. Don't you agree?
Rafey - the Puerto Rican street dog
J.A.C.y - rhymes with Stacy. She's quite a lady.
Lucy - "treat me as if I were a cat" Oh. They have a cat, too, but he was not interested in being photographed.
What's a mini-vacation without a trip to the LYS? Julie gave me the Yellow Pages and I looked up knitting. Lo and behold I found one knitting shop in the area. So we all piled in the car and did some sightseeing followed with a trip to Saybrook Yarn. I fell in love with these adorable Mary Janes in Sandnes Lanett pattern book #0114 and bought the pattern for them. Now I need to find the right black and white yarn combination to knit them up into baby gifts.
As I often do, I asked Cindy at Saybrook Yarns what her favorite sock yarn is. She steered me toward this scrumptious Mountain Color yarn made with wool, mohair and nylon. I immediately purchased a skein in a blue/green/purple combination
I also purchased 2 skeins of Cotton Classic and 2 skeins of Debbie Bliss Pure Silk for a few surprise projects.
After a delicious lunch near the knitting store, we settled down for an afternoon of Boggle and laughter. Is it just me or is it always about Y-A-R-N?
BF and I spent several wonderful days in Madison, Connecticut with our friends John and Julie. While the boys golfed, Julie and I took my sock on a little high sea adventure with Captain Dave to tour the Thimble Islands.
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After all the fresh air, we were ready for a New England summer lunch - Lobster Roll
We ate our lunch overlooking the marina
My LYS - Knitting Central - is having a huge sale this weekend.
The sale runs from Friday, August 10th to Monday, August 13th
BF and I had a great time at the Mets game. We got some awesome shots. I never found the group seats for the Stitch N Pitch, but I was with loved ones, knitting and at a game. Good enough for me. Here are some pictures of the big game.
Mr. Met ran by me tossing Mets t-shirts into the stands. I didn't get a t-shirt, but I did get a blurry shot of my favorite bobble-head mascot.
Meet the Mets - Everybody sing-along!
I was busy knitting my Lacy Spring Socks - an original pattern by Danni. It's a wonderful design that is both fun and easy to knit. Get your pattern today! I'm knitting it with the New Zealand wool that James sent to me last year.
I couldn't resist the Blue and Orange cookie. Here's a close-up of the sock.
Here's my sock watching the game. Reyes is up next.
Finally, after the game, here are the Mets souvenirs I shipped to KimW for being the first to correctly guess that I was going to be at the Mets game for the Stitch N Pitch on Wednesday night. I hope you like your mementos Kim. I don't think the cookie will arrive in the best of shape, but it was so cute, I couldn't resist.
I hope you have fun at your Stitch N Pitch game this summer.
I didn't forget to post about Boy Scout Camp. Here's a little something from my great adventure of camping, scouting and knitting with the Troop.
I spent most of the week carrying around some Magic 28 socks. I used US size 5 dpns and had some donated worsted weight merino wool for some socks - just about the right size for a 3-year old.
It just so happens that while we were at Boy Scout Camp, we took part in a worldwide celebration of the 100 year anniversary of the birth of Scouting. We had a wonderful celebration and I even took a picture of the Magic 28 socks sitting on a commemorative stone bench to mark the occasion.
Of course, what would camp be without tie-dyed shirts? The whole Troop made some for our Class-B shirts. Here are Primogeniture and I sporting our bullseye tie-dyed shirts at the Friday night campfire.
It may be dark, but I was still knitting. I managed to knit 5 Magic 28 socks during the course of the week.
Saturday morning, our Troop, though small in number, showed a great deal of spirit by dressing up the now outlandish spirit stick with handknit socks. We also presented Ranger Dave's daughter with a handknit pair of socks of her own. She was fascinated by my yarn and knitting all week long, so I naturally knit her a pair of socks of her own. One of the Scouts even sang a song to the tune of Black Socks
Pink Socks
Hand Knit for Brianna
They show all our spirit
Each time they are worn!
OK. Now that I have a big ceremony planned, I need to figure out how to incorporate knitting somewhere, somehow into the Big Event, without becoming overwhelmed. So before you send me suggestions and patterns about knitting my own dress or knitting an entire huppah, please keep in mind that it needs to be simple. I'm thinking about making a huppah with some sort of white airy material and trimming it with a lilac lace. Then I think I'll find someone to machine embroider Faith, Hope, Love on the four sides of the huppah. I'll adorn the four poles with bouquets of flowers and purple ribbons. Here's a sketch of my idea:
Here's where I need your help. Somewhere in my knitting library I have a pattern for handknit lace to edge pillowcases, etc, but I can't find it. I can't even remember which book it was, which eliminates the option of purchasing a new book. Do you know of some great patterns for this type of lace? I'll take any idea you might have. Also, what yarn should I use? I'm currently thinking of a Koigu in a variegated purple/lilac mix to match the purply/pinkish flowers planned for the Big Event.
It will be so wonderful to include all of you in the planning of my Big Event since you are all such a big part of my life. I know I couldn't do it without you.
I traipsed into the city last night. BF met me at Grand Central and we walked down to Borough Food and Drink at 12 East 22nd Street in Manhattan where we met Judy for dinner. Of course, I had to make one quick stop at The Yarn Connection for a quick knit fix. I asked the owner what her favorite sock yarn was and she quickly spouted out Trekking. So I picked up a skein in this blue jean speckled colorway before we continued our walk to the Flatiron Building.
Of course, I was busy finishing up some powder blue Magic 28 socks on my commute - so I snapped a picture of my work in progress inside the restaurant by this marvelous montage of Subway signs
No - my knitting is not upside down - the subway sign is upside down in the center of this collage. I thought it was a brilliant piece of art. The socks agreed. It was a wonderful evening of good friends, good food and great conversation.
I have finished the pink, orange and cream baby sweater. I used Zara yarn and US Size 5 needles and generally followed the pattern on the cover of Zoe Mellor's pattern from this book. I made this graph for the heart and used it in place of the star. Feel free to use my graph as well. Download iverson_baby_heart_pattern.xls
Since I started working on this sweater while traveling, I didn't really have an option to switch needles, but I think I would have prefered using US size 4 needles to give the fabric a tighter stitch. I don't care for the unevenness of the stockinette stitch in this sweater. I tend to knit loosely, so I generally go down 1-2 sizes from the recommended needle for the yarn. I am going to try a US Size 4 on the second sweater. Wish me luck!
KimW correctly guessed that I was going to the Stitch N Pitch on August 8th. She was the first person to send her correct guess to me. Thanks to everyone who submitted a guess. Please watch the Mets game and look for me. I'll be wearing my traditional orange shirt and orange Mets hat and will have my knitting with me. I'm also going to see if I can come up with some sort of Stitch N Pitch sign for the cameras. Wish me luck.
Let's Go Mets!
Sorry I didn't post the comments or the winner sooner. I was actually out of town all week at Boy Scout camp so I prepared several posts to publish over the course of the week. I'll have some pictures to share from my adventures at Camp Sequassen in the next day or two when I finish unpacking and getting rid of all the dirt.
BF and I always go for our traditional walk to Compo Beach. I decided it was high time I took you along. Ready? Here we go.
The Longshore Golf Course is nearby. The town pool is here as well as ice skating rink, sailing school (you can rent kayaks and sail boats by the hour), tennis courts, Splash restaurant and the Inn at Longshore. Lots to do just minutes away from my house.
The Minute Man statue - made famous by Lucille Ball.
The Compo Beach Marina
A house on Compo Beach road with a baseball mural painted on the fence
Compo Beach!
Joey's By The Shore is the best burger in the sun in town. It's right on the beach. It's a great walk - time together in the fresh air getting some exercise. Wasn't that relaxing?
While I was in Carlsbad, California, Nancy asked me if it was better to pull from the center of the skein or the outside. I have always believed it was a matter of preference. Nancy told me that in sewing, there is a right and a wrong, because the thread wraps around itself when pulled the wrong way.
This got me thinking. Is there a right and a wrong way? What do you think? I'd love to hear your answers. I generally prefer a center pull, but Nancy got me paying attention and sure enough, the yarn wraps around itself when I choose to knit from the center.
Did you guess that my awesome adventure was going to be the Stitch N Pitch?
BF and I are going to watch the Mets play the Atlanta Braves. Watch the game and keep an eye out for us. We'll be seated behind home plate. It should be amazing. Go Mets!
