Destination Featherweight, Day 5

Since I worked at Gate City Yarns, I spent some time at Destination South Park Henley today.  Featherweight is knit from contraband yarn that we don’t sell at Gate City Yarns.  I knit about an inch on the body of South Park Henley and about 2.5 inches of sleeve on the Featherweight.

The colorway for Featherweight, Stonechat,is variegated on the body but is striping on the sleeves and doing some interesting pooling.  I hope to finish the stockinette part of the sleeve tomorrow and maybe start the ribbing.

Till next time, no frogs, no tinks, just knits.

Destination Featherweight, Days 3 and 4

Due to Festival of Lights, I didn’t work on Featherweight much on day 3.  I did work on South Park Henley because I was at Gate City Yarns and bought the Cascade Eco Duo at the shop.

Day 4 I finished and bound off the body ribbing. I have decided that I will work the collar and front bands in stockinette stitch.  I think that 1×1 ribbing will take too long and be too tedious for 3.5 inches.

Some friends from the Year of Stash Socks group on Ravelry are doing stash inventories and calculating how many miles of yarn they have.  While I have no intention of doing an inventory and entering stash on Ravelry.  I do plan beginning with the Afterthought Socks to calculate how many miles of yarn were required to knit each project.  I think that will be fun.

Till next time, no frogs, no tinks, just knits.

Destination Featherweight, Day 2

I started the body ribbing and worked about an inch.  I’m finding the 1 x 1 ribbing very slow and tedious so I also started working on the sleeves.  I also think that I’m going to be at this destination until December 15.  I want to work the collar in 1 x 1 ribbing also and will require more time than I thought.  I’ll continue to break the tedium by working sleeves and possibly casting on the Afterthought Heel Socks.

Till next time, no frogs, no tinks, just knits.

Destination Featherweight, Day 1

Just a quick progress report, I worked about 1.5 inches on the body of the Featherweight today.

I ordered buttons for several projects from Gail Hughes Art Buttons and from Tessa Ann. From Tessa Ann I ordered dinosaur buttons for my great-nephew’s Whitfield Shorty and buttons for a couple of my queued projects and buttons that I just liked.  From Gail Hughes I ordered a set to go on one of the Bohemes as the original sweater I picked called for 3 buttons and Boheme needs 5. What can I say–I’m a button ho.

Till next time, no frogs, no tinks, just knits.

Departure from Boheme 2 and Arrival at Featherweight

Boheme 2 was finished Tuesday and rework of Boheme 1 was accomplished Wednesday morning. Here’s a photograph of Boheme 2 unblocked. I ordered another set of buttons and will post a final picture once buttons are attached. 

I’ll arrive at destination Featherweight about mid-afternoon on Wednesday.  Featherweight has been on the needles since July but has hibernated quite a bit of that time.  I started it when I was multi-task knitting which I’ve struggled to stop.  I find that I make better progress when focused on one or two projects at a time.  Featherweight is the last on-the-needles project from my multi-task days, and lately I worked it only when I needed a work-in-public project.  I’m knitting it in Malabrigo Lace Stonechat colorway and have about 2 inches to knit before starting body ribbing. My plan is to departure from this destination by December 7.

Till next time, no frogs, no tinks, just knits.

Day 4 at Destination Boheme 2

Monday was the fourth full day of work on Boheme 2.  I’ve completed the third tulip lace repeat which means that I should finish this sweater on day 5. I also will frog and rework Boheme 1 as I realized that it will be too long.

I’m right on schedule and hope to reach Destination Featherweight either this evening or Wednesday morning. I have completed about 8 inches of body so should be starting the ribbing on this by the weekend.  The plan is to finish it by December 7.

I’m resisting the urge to detour down the Christmas knitting path. I thought I had passed that path but I keep crossing it. I really like to have Christmas knitting completed by November 30. Also I would have to make yarn acquisitions which I don’t want to do right now so hopefully I’ll stay focused.

Till next time, no frogs, no tinks, just knits.

En route to destination two

Yesterday–Sunday–I worked at Gate City Yarns. Since knitting lace and serving customers don’t work together, I worked on my South Park Henley (previously referred to as Eco Duo Henley) which is the second official stop on the quest. I rearranged the queue to accommodate the Year of Stash Socks deadline and will knit Afterthought socks first.Both these socks and my Featherweight are knit from contraband yarns (yarns not available at Gate City Yarns).  So I won’t work on them while on duty at the yarn shop.

I did work on Boheme when I returned home. I’m right on schedule with my plan to finish by November 30. While tossing and turning last night, I realized that Boheme number 1 will be too long for the twins so I am going to frog about an inch and a half.  I think this will be a better length and even with the frog pond detour I should finish on schedule.

Hopefully blocking will occur on Thursday. I still have assembly and finishing on my great-nephew’s Whitfield Shorty. Hopefully that will occur on Saturday or Sunday at the shop.

I will probably work on Featherweight cardigan at knit night. Sometimes the Danville KTog crew gets so rowdy, a knitter just can’t count.

Till next time, no frogs, no tinks, just knits.

Destination One Reached, on to Destination Two

I have destination one has been reached and am questing on to destination two. The first Boheme is finished. I’m knitting both in Berocco Vintage, making a size 10 and using size 8 US needles.  Here’s a picture of the first Boheme unblocked.

Also I’ve finished the yoke of the second Boheme. The plan (notice I didn’t use the word goal) is to finish this sweater by November 30. Provided that I don’t detour I should reach this destination on schedule.

Until next time, no frogs, no tinks, just knits.

Goals and Multi-tasking–Windmills to Tilt?

Yes on this glorious quest, there are windmills to tilt.  The issue of my setting goals for a hobby meant for fun has been raised.  I’ve very goal/deadline-oriented to the point of having meltdowns a couple of times because self-imposed knitting deadlines were set.  I don’t set firm goals or deadlines anymore.  The goals set here are very attainable for me.  I realize that I may only knit one project a month when it’s an intricate lace pattern.  Some months I may knit three projects.  The main goal is to reduce the stash.  The two-project a month goal will hopefully prevent adding unnecessary projects to the queue.

Multi-tasking…I’ve in past been a multi-task knitter.  Lately I’ve found that this is frustrating because I have several projects on the needles and am finishing nothing. At least, it feels that way.  Then I’ll finish several things at once.  For the most part, I’ll be single project knitting with the exception of the Oregon Cardigan which I discussed in an earlier post.  I knit in public a couple of times each week and can’t knit intricate pieces that require counting in public.I was at knit night Monday night increasing every other row and had to frog back to the first row I knit there because I missed increase in 3 places…does that give a clue?  So if the current on-the-needles project can’t be worked in public then I’ll cast on the next queued item that can be.  Also, when lace knitting, I will need to have a knit-at-night project.  I tend to sleepknit which means lace knitting at night is a no-no.

Progress report Boheme number 1 is rocking right along.  I had to frog about two inches but am “caugbt up” and hoping to stay away from the frogs. I’ll be meeting an out-of-town friend for some public knitting and will probably work on my Featherweight which has been the knit-in-public project for a while and will be finished prior to beginning the quest.

Now that I’ve tilted at the windmills, Rocinante Debit, Izzy and I will continue the quest.

Happy Thanksgiving. Till next time, no frogs, no tinks, just knits.

Yarns for December Projects

Here are the yarn selections and patterns for December projects.  First is Cascade Eco Duo in Koala colorway.

I plan to make a henley of my own design with the help of The Sweater Workshop by Jacqueline Fee.

I hope to work this sweater first but since Year of Stash Socks has a deadline I may make my plain vanilla socks using Vesper Sock yarn Round and  Round colorway before I start the henley.

Then I plan to make Acer in Cascade Pacific. Now I’d better get busy knitting my Christmas gifts so I can start the quest.

Till next time…no frogs, no tinks, just knits.