Smatterings

  • knitting blues.. 38 stitches

    If I'd knitted this pattern as written, knitting the front first, I might have frogged it and gone on to another project.  I didn't.  The back is done and I've completed the first repeat of the front cable.  When I got to the one stitich shift (written to happen on the wrongside), I was sure that it was a mistake.  I went ahead and tried it out.  When I saw the shift in the next right side row, I was sure it was a mistake.  I searched for errata.  The pattern, Paton's Celtic Cable Vest has been around for a long time.  Nothing was written.  No one complained on Ravelry.  I must be wrong.  I tinked back, twice more.  It is written to make an odd number of stitiches appear in the middle of the cable area for a seed stitich pattern.  Here:

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    Can you see it in the upper legs of the cables?  It really bugs me.

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    I'm at an impasse.  I can skip the shift and use a reverse stockinette stitich instead of the seed stitch, or I can learn to ignore it.  There is one more little thing……

    The bobbles.  I've never made bobbles that keep inverting themselves to show on the back side.  These do.  

    The thrill is gone.

     

    4 responses to “knitting blues.. 38 stitches”

    1. Manise

      Beautiful vest starts! I adore this colorway, yarn and the stitch definition created in the cables. So sorry it’s lost it’s charm for you. What’s up with the bobbles?
      Hope you can find a solution that results in a finished vest. Can’t wait to see it on you.

    2. Sarah

      reverse stockinette is my vote if you are taking them. Because the cable is really pretty otherwise in that yarn.

    3. Carole

      If you’re not feeling the love? Ditch it.

    4. gayle

      Gorgeous yarn for that pattern. It would be a shame to dump it.
      Love the pattern – I’d missed that one, so snagged it for later. (Thanks!) (Though I think the first thing I’ll do is chart the cable. (You know, in my copious spare time…) I learned to knit in Olden Times BC (Before Charts), so I know it’s perfectly possible to work from directions, but charts totally changed my life.)
      If it’s a choice between subbing reverse stock and ditching it, go with the sub.

  • Walk with me.. Willy

    For almost as long as I can remember, I've walked in the woods with my cats.  There was a time when we'd go exploring for hours; cover real distance.  But as the years passed, I became more and more familiar with the creatures that shared the woods around us and I began to encourage the cats to stay closer to home.  Too many fishers, fox, coyotes and dogs were ranging close by.  

     

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    You can learn a lot following an animal.  I can't hear what they hear, nor see what they see.  I try.  These days, I walk with Willy. He shows me holes where chipmonks live, mouse runs, snake trails, and various scat.  We stop where others have traveled, rested, fed and left scent behind ..  

     

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    and treasures.  

     

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    6 responses to “Walk with me.. Willy”

    1. Carole

      Nice turkey feather! I wish we lived in an area where Mason could roam outside, I know he would love it.

    2. Manise

      What a sweet post combining Walk With me Wednesdays and Walk with me Willy. Love the feather. I have one in a vase with other feathers I’ve collected including ones from my small conures.

    3. cyndy

      Looks like Willy is the real treasure!
      …nice to see a wwmw post from you…

    4. Cathy

      Oh – how wonderful to meet Willy.
      Did you bring the feather home for him to play with?

    5. gayle

      The closest I get to this is the chicken who follows me around while I do chores. You know, the hen who won’t be convinced that we’re not running a free range enterprise…
      ‘Walk With Me, Chicken’ just doesn’t have the same ring to it, somehow.

    6. JJ

      You always make me laugh. Free range Friday. Chug-along Chicken.

  • smitten knittin’.. kitten

    In case you were curious (or not) and haven't happened to see me at any of the Fiber Festivals we've been to this year, I am still a knitter.  Although an awful lot of my knitting time has been spent making samples for the Ball and Skein booth, I have managed a couple things for myself.  This little scarf, Miss Winkle, caught my eye when Matina Behm offered it on Ravelry late in the summer.  I was looking for a quick, easily memorized project to knit while visiting with family and friends in the evenings.  After about the third little loop, I was smitten. 

     

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    Blocking her was fun!  Really.  I poked around in the barn until I came up with a four foot lenghth of 1" pvc plumbing pipe.  All the little loops were then threaded onto it while wet.  The whole scarf was hung by it on a gentle angle to dry.  Easy. Easy!  I can see another one or two of these in my future.  

    Back to back shows have me tired out and looking for another simple project.  Any ideas? 

     

    There's another little someone in my life these days that has me smitten… 

    Willy in box

    4 responses to “smitten knittin’.. kitten”

    1. Tamara Lin

      Yay, he’s back!! He’s so pretty. 🙂 (does he chew the edge of the box??) The scarf is really cute. Simple yet such a special detail. Nice!!

    2. Barbara Seiver

      What a handsome cat! Do introduce us properly.

    3. Manise

      I love your Miss Winkle and brilliant idea with the PVC pipe to block all of those rings. Your cat is adorable! He must have been a dog in his past life by the chewing there.

    4. Carole

      That is a very cool scarf! Simple project, hmmm? What about the leftie scarf? Or a baktus with handspun?

“Our lives are dyed the colors of our imagination.” ~ Marcus Aurelius

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