knitting olympic update

Ok, sorry there are no pictures. That is how I roll, I want to wait and show you the finished thing all at once. So far I have 13" done (I started at the bottom of the sweater) plus the pouch pocket is all made and grafted on. Another 3 " and I stop to make the arms. So far this sweater is going really well. Though it occurred to me that Hubby has been working out and thus has bulked up in the pecs. This might have changed his 40" chest size.

Oh well I am past the point of no return on the sweater so he'll just have to live with it if it is a little tight.

Random thoughts

Realizing that some days, lists and random thoughts just happen when blogging (see the Yarn Harlot)

1. At some point continuing on when the outcome doesn't look good could be a sign on character. Continuing on with a sweater which has already been proven to be more than 12" too wide with the hope that washing it will cause it to shrink up is possibly not the character I want to project on the world.

2. I'm still not ripping out the sweater (for the 4th time!)

3. Unschooling is a wonderful way to teach kids when Mama is sick with a cold.

4. Watching UK's "You are What You Eat" just makes me hungry.

5. Girlie's girl scout troop is hoping to go camping in the spring if we can raise enough money from the cookie sale. We are looking at going here- Plus go tubing on a local river.

6. Girlie has decided to be a songwriter, Boyo has moved on from wanting to be a policeman- I think.

7. At some point I have to buy more yarn for the too large sweater.

Mitten tree Mittens

I have been in a mitten mood. I guess it goes along with girlie's fun-gly socks. Might just be a knitter thing though. Anyway I adapted a pattern (Dullan Mittens). Really, I tried it her way first and while it is very easy, as a sock knitter I disliked her thumb design. Plus, I just had read Favorite Mittens by Robin Hansen and I wanted to try out one of her techniques. So I combined the two and tweaked and here is my pattern. It is named after the tree at the library where one can donate mittens, hats and scarfs for Shepard's staff.

Special Techniques- "Roll the fleece" This pattern requires roving. I bought mine at Knit one for $5. There was enough roving for 2 pairs of mittens.

• Tear off a bit of fleece as thick as your knitting needle and about 6-8 inches long.


• Wrap fleece around yarn in between stitches, sorta like when carrying a color while doing fair isle.

Gauge- 6 stitches to the inch on size 5 needles

Materials- worsted weight feltable wool, wool roving, set of 4 double pointed needles (DPN)

Directions- Cast on 40 stitches over 2 DPN. Being careful not to twist the stitches, join in a round. Work in K1P1 for 2 inches. Knit the next row increasing 6 stitches evenly around.

Start rolling the fleece around yarn and knit 9 rows. At the beginning of needle 1, start working the thumb.

Thumb- K 12 stitches. Slide remaining stitches onto needle 2. Use the backward loop cast on method to make 12 stitches on needle 3. Thumb will be worked on needles 1 and 3.
Knit 7 rows of stockinette, remembering to roll the fleece around the yarn. Then start decreases.
Row 1: Needle 1- K1, K2tog, knit to last 3 stitches, K2 tog, K1. Repeat for needle 3

Row 2: knit

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until 8 stitches remain total. Graft end or break yarn and thread though loops (2x) and tie off.

Hand of mitten- Pick up 12 made stitches, plus 1 or 2 stitches on either side of thumb (as needed to close gap) Knit 1 row remembering to roll fleece around yarn. Next row K2 tog on either side of thumb (as needed) 39 stitches.

Rearrange stitches to have 13 stitches on each of the 3 needles. Continue to roll fleece and work in stockinette until mitten measures 2 1/2 inches from thumb join. Then start decreases.

Row 1: On every needle- K2 tog, knit until 2 stitches from end, K2 tog
Row 2: knit

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until 12 stitches remain total. Break Yarn and thread though stitches (2x). Tie off. Repeat for 2nd mitten

Knit an I-cord if desired to attach mitttens though back of a jacket.

.

Fun-gly Soccer Socks

The kids are playing soccer. Yep for the next few weeks I get to sit near "those" parents. Actually except for one or two dads, I have found that soccer parents are as supportive as any other kind of parents. Of course it could just be that all the "newer" players are put on the same team so everyone on Boyo's team is as capable and excited as he is. Nice to have an even playing field. Too bad they play teams that have a clue.

Girlie is in a clinic for the 5 year olds. When I went out I bought shin guards but I wasn't thinking about socks. Really couldn't regular socks work? Evidently not. After making her play once in her brother's socks and once in Daddy's, I felt bad for the kid. So I knitted her up some lovely, fun-gly (fun but ugly) socks.

These socks were knitted magic loop style, toe up, two at a time (the only way to get the stripes to match). I used 5 different yarns. The lovely blue and green were left overs from my wonderful sister, the rainbow on the foot and the odd purple at the top were leftovers from my "clean out and get rid of it" mom, and the toe was leftovers from the socks I made for my sister for Christmas.

The socks are a tiny bit big in the toe and length of the foot but Girlie is only 5 so I figure that she will grow and even if she doesn't do soccer after this session, she'll have some interesting socks. 'Course I'll never admit I made them.

BTW I was smarter with Boyo's shin guards. His are built into the socks. How cool it that!!