Never ending story of scar tissue...

Looking back I honestly don't remember over using my hands or knitting too much, typing too much or at weird angles, gripping things too hard. But the ache and tightness in my wrist tells a different story. A recent visit to a masseuse was a telling experience. It felt great to have her work through the tough and tight muscles of my arm, and in the process she could feel how bad the scar tissue is that surrounds the tendon sheath in my right hand. Sigh.

Patterns and ideas continue to spin road in my head, taunting me with the virtue that they will be the fast and easy knit. Their design process will not be a struggle and in the end I won't have to give up knitting for a month after their completion. But that's exactly where I lead myself every design. My current project, nicknamed Tettegouche for the moment, is half designed and awaiting some inspiration to finish. It isn't a complicated design, my mind is constantly changing on how best to finish the last section of charts and design. I guess it's a good thing that I can't knit for a few weeks more. It will sit and wait patiently for me in the WIP basket. Here's the lovely yarn ...

So, I shall endeavor to let my body heal a bit and promote the healing process with ice baths for my wrist. It might even be time for the ibuprofen regime. And in the meantime I will put more strain on my arms and wrists with my summer love ... My bicycle that just received some shiny lively spoke decorations that are stars and lightening bolts. It's rockin! (Ignore the nurses bed in my office behind the lovely steed)

Off to ice the hands,

Be excellent to each other!

 

Back rub dates and ergonomics

It's the last week of school and my back has been developing knots for a long time. The gift certificate for a 30 minute massage was intended for today, but it was calling my name Tuesday. I couldn't see the reason in making my poor back wait any longer.

30 minutes of heaven and I signed myself up for another massage next Tuesday. The giant knot in the middle of my back is still present. It's like a tickle button. Hit, press, or touch the spot and my whole back spasms like I'm being tickled. Jen the masseuse wants to work on it again ... And I am happy to let her.

In celebration of a happier neck and shoulders I've concocted my very own ergonomic chair at work.

I have the least ergonomic work space. I am the receptionist and tech specialist at a small school. My desk is a countertop that was set at the height for someone 6" taller than I. The chair is armless, which is a plus, but it leans back instead of being straight. I've put a box under the desk on which to rest my feet so they don't dangle. Today, I finally put a rolled up sweatshirt behind my back, tied it to the chair ... And now have a cushion that curves with my lower back. It is incredibly comfortable.

Carson would be proud. If you ever get the chance to take an ergonomics class with Carson, he was at Yarnover this year, take the class!

I hope this is the road to a little bit longer knitting time.

In designing news, I'm ripping back the final section of another shawl. I don't like how it's turning out ...and luckily I added that lifeline a few days ago. Crossing my fingers that this new idea feels right!

 

Knitting with life lines gets you extra lives...

I admit I have been wrong. I eschewed cable needles, stitch markers, needle tips and life lines when I began knitting. The projects almost always worked without these tools ... And many lessons were learned. It's a great skill to knit a two stitch right crossing cable without using a third needle or cable tool. But great skills aren't useful for every single project. Sometimes a cable needle is highly useful.

I am a more humble knitter in many respects. I am also wiser. A 4 stitch cable doesn't always require a cable needle. But a 6 stitch cable is far easier with that needle. Needle tips aren't necessary for the beginnings of a shawl on 32" circulars. But it is vital when there are 300+ stitches on those circulars for an intricate lacework shawl. That lesson was learned the very very hard way many times.

I also respect life lines. The technique of inserting a length of scrap yarn through live stitches once a row has been finished ... This was lost on me. Until I started designing. Until I lived through Flores Gloria and had to restart 4 times. It felt like 12. This lesson hurt. I would make a mistake and only discover the mistake 4 rows later. 4 rows later after completing lace stitches on the RS and WS. This means k2tog, ssk, P2TOG and SSP ... With YO2!!! If I messed up the whole flower thing turned into a rendition of compost and I had to rip back. But ripping back was hard. There were lace stitches on both sides. No purl row existed for the first 32-40 rows of this pattern. Sigh. 12 rows ripped to ensure that all stitches were saved. I'm a better knitter now. But not that much better. The lesson was learned.

Now when I design, and I'm not exactly sure of my numbers or if the motif will stay in the pattern ... Now I use a life line. And stitch markers. I love my tools.

That blue line in the yellow knitting ... that is my lifeline. I now have extra lives for this project. And today, I'm proud of what I've learned.

 

Power-Up +5

Another goal complete. My third published shawl, Incan Lily, is available in my Ravelry Store! I'm pleased with myself and the rhythm which occurred the design design process. It may look intense, but this was by far the smoothest design, writing, and testing experience so far! Here are the steps in the design:

Step 1: cruise the knitting swatch books for an idea + 10 experience
Step 2: swatch chosen stitch patterns to determine construction and design flow + 30 experience
Step 3: Swatch again to determine any variations and increase method. +30 experience
Step 4: Rip out steps 2 & 3 because a slightly different direction has been chosen. +1 experience
Step 5: Cast on trial version in remnant yarn from other projects. +20 experience
Step 6: Leave step 5, pick nicer yarn and start definitive cast on. + 100 experience
Step 7: create charts for entirety of pattern. + 150 experience
Step 8: Rewrite each chart at least once, sometimes up to 4. + 100 experience
Step 9: Keep rewriting charts as first sample is created. +50 experience
Step 10: Finish first sample. Do another edit to charts. +100 experience
Step 11: Knit a second sample using final charts. + 200
Step 12: Write up Pattern, submit to testers. +100
Step 13: Edit pattern as corrections come in from testers. +50
Step 14: Do final look through of pattern. +9
Step 15: Publish pattern to Ravelry. +100

+ 1000 Experience points = LEVEL UP!

This is what my level up looks like:

Of course whilst testing was in progress I started another design. Not one of the many that I have planned or sketches for - but a new one based on a wonderful hiking trail on the National Superior Hiking Traing in northern Minnesota. I'm thinking of naming it Tettegouche (tet-e-goosh). It  is such an awesome name and is a Park on the National Superior Hiking Trail. Right now I'm in step ... 6? But haven't finished all the charts yet. They are completing themselves as I finish a section and decide the direction of the next. Right now it is being done in a buttery yellow cascade heritage quatro ... I'm saving the lovely Arauncania Huasco for the final sample knit. Now if only I could reverse engineer an asymmetrical crescent shaped shawl? Using increases and not short rows? Possible .., maybe not.

Yarn sample:

Too many detours ...

If designing is like a roadtrip - then I've hit way too many detours.

On my back-burner are something like a half dozen design ideas?
- Peasblossom shawl
- Lace cardigan using wheel lace stitch
- Sherlock Holmes inspired mitten/hat set
- Morning glory gloves (that are dyed after knitting)
- color work socks with cables as the colorwork? (it makes sense in my head)
- etc.

There is something of a map though: the Sherlock Holmes set design is due by Aug. 30th, the Peasblossom shawl is only waiting on me to dye the handspun yarn, and the lace cardigan is just waiting on next winter when I want to knit something big again

Many many props to all self-employed business owners - I left my house today for a coffee shop just to induce the motivation to finish the write up of the latest design, Incan Lily shawl. The test knit is about to commence - I'm fairly confident that testing should go as smoothly as Flores Gloria.
 So, what have I chosen to work on next? Not another design which percolates somewhere in the file drawers of my mind ... no. I'm working on Catkin - with the most awesome buttons ever found!

Someday soon I'll actually dye that yarn and start Peasblossom - and then I'll work out how to make a color work hat brim fit.
Till then, happy spring break - here's hoping I stay on track!

Be excellent to each other.

Calculus of knitting design

Designing patterns is akin to going on a roadtrip. You have a destination in mind, plan your route and stops along the way. All the while knowing something will come up that requires immediate change of plans and should something happen along the way you may end up somewhere completely unexpected.
Ever been to Manny, Iowa? That town is the definition of the unexpected location of a roadtrip detour!
Designing: published two designed recently. Both were monumental roadtrips and full of surprises.

Flores Gloria: uffda!

Two years in the planning, knitting, reknitting, frogging, redesigning, etc.
Tragically, my math was incorrect in the beginning and several test knitters ran out of yarn before the end of knitting size large. The wonderful women went on with different yarn and tracked down the correct dye lots like real troopers.
So, the roadblocks included: figuring out how to design with lace stitches on right and wrong side, picking the right complimentary lace pattern for the morning glory flowers, and picking a different overall design layout to maximize the flower stitch and not overwhelm the knitter/viewer with complicated lace. Thank you Elemental 2D design from college, but it took awhile.
And IT'S DONE!

Velociraptor sweater

 

The Christmas sweater. Someday my husband will have enough sweaters, but not this year. His response is that he never needs another sweater, but he is always so incredible pleased and excited, and then he'll wear the sweater for days. 

This year I set the bar high.

1. I learned a new technique, bottom up seamless yoke sweater. I will never knit a sweater another way.

2. Design charts of velociraptors - tweak stitches across to fit his size.
3. Knit forever without husband knowing about the project - but show everyone I know the pieces.
The sweater turned out fabulously. I surprised myself!
The first night my husband wore the sweater he was offered $100 by one woman and informed by the bouncer of a bar that a girl offered the bouncer $50 to rip off the sweater and give it to her. Seriously.
The charts are available for free in my ravelry store.
I foresee more nerdy sweaters.

No sooner were the above patterns released when I started work on another shawl.
Crescent shaped shawl with simple lace and cables, named after another flower of course.
The new lesson is design: stitch markers are my friend. I may scoff and avoid them for any other project - but goodness they are helpful when I have to plan the next change to the repeat!

Plus, I bought some super plush yarn to do my second knit while I write the pattern. Mmm...

Buttery goodness imminent

Let's explain the day in pictures ...

I started up the pressure cooker this afternoon with the leftover chicken bones and vegetable bits from the week. Mmm ... a glorious stock.

Then started boiling some potatoes - to rice them! Tomorrow is the annual winter Lefse making event with my mother's siblings. We gather at my aunt's house to grill Lefse, which is the most fabulous thing in the world. Then we eat some. Package others in ziplock and freeze. Or, if we are feeling enormously generous, we share (which is very rare).
Store bought just don't compare to the light soft goodness of homemade. And, I admit, I'm a little judgmental of people who put anything other than butter on their Lefse. It's a personal failing. I'm trying to become open minded. But that doesn't extend to nutella. That's awful.

The afternoon is finishing with an ice bath for my hands. I only took 4 days off ice dunking. And back on the band-wagon. It does indeed work for reducing the slight ache feeling in the joints of my left fingers and the tenderness in my right wrist - but at the price of frozen hands for 1 hour after and the knowledge that the ice cold water is way less than comfortable and you have to keep doing it.
I would say the knitting calls - but actually its the bucket of water calling my name.

Be excellent to each other!