Knitting cleaning ...

Theme of the week is cleaning ... And knitting.
Really, the theme of every week is knitting, and eating chocolate. But the chocolate part is given.
The reason the knitting theme is cleaning is because of a current project I've started for she spinning group I've joined.
Every month the 'Whorling Spinsters' meet at the textile center in Minneapolis. They spin, exchange news, share tips and projects ... And try joint experiments. This month spinners were encouraged to take home a sample of 'undesirable' fiber from a local sheep farmer. The farmer raises the herd for meat and was told that the fleece was not worth much. A member of the group is a friend and wanted to show him that the fiber is usable and very versatile - it just isn't super luxurious like merino.
So each spinner took a few ounces home to clean, card and bring back to report.

I used the soaking instructions from Deg Robson's the Independent Knitter. Here's my bit of fleece soaking in hot water inside a lingerie bag - kept it all together and from getting handled too much.
I soaked the fleece twice in hot water for 20 minutes each soak, and then 15 minutes in water with some dawn detergent (non-phosphate), another dawn soak, and a final 20 minute hot water soak to get out the last of the detergent. All told it was about an hour and a half of soaking and dumping water. The first batch was super brown and dirty. Each soak got progressively cleaner and now the fleece is a lovely cream color with bits of grass left.
So far my experience has been good. We'll see what it's like when I drum card everything next Monday.
I might even be brave and try to dye the whole thing before carding. As I won't dye it afterwards.
Also, I plan to spindle spin the whole thing instead of using my wheel. I hope to get a different feel for the fiber, especially with one I know won't be as slick and short as merino.

Remember last week, my lesson on dishcloths on a knitting machine - it went very well! I bought two extra cones of cotton to make dishcloths.

There they are! And they work fabulously! My housemates love them already! And I've got a set of 4 ready for an upcoming present. My only need left is to buy a humidifier. My apartment is so dry (with the heat on) that the yarn becomes like static cling and sticks to itself as it goes through the machine. This is making the machine do weird things and not make perfect little dishcloths.
So, I've cleaned a fleece and made things to clean my kitchen. All that's left is to actually clean.
Oh, if only that was as fun as knitting.
Be excellent to each other!

63 and counting

Who's begun counting down the days? As knitters I don't think we're ever ready for that countdown ... hand knits for loved ones ... The crunch for finishing the lovelies for Christmas.

Last year I planned way ahead. I had a giant project in the works: the velociraptor sweater for my husband. I started early November and finished with a week to spare for blocking before his birthday dec. 21st. Offda. Here's a photo, the charts are on ravelry. And I use Elizabeth zimmermans percentage system for sizing the yoke-sweater.

This year I am keeping the project simple - at least for the holidays. The rest of the projects are just as awesome, geeky, and inspired (if I may say so myself) as the velociraptor sweater. There are three new designs floating around. Two sweaters and a shawl (that is still percolating). It will be the winter of charts, crazy new techniques, and machine knitting!

But back to the holidays: this afternoon is my next lesson in machine knitting, and is the link to knitted Christmas presents!

I have some lovely Cascade yarns ultra Pima cotton ready to whip into some machine knit dishcloths. I'm excited for the experience, as I've never hand knit a dishcloth before ... And I'm excited to use these intense colors to make some intensely awesome Christmas gifts!

Be excellent to each other!

And don't stress too much about the hand knits for the holidays. A hand knit two weeks late is still a special gift. (And I've been a month late before. Breathe.)

 

Knitting tech

This week I am attending JNUC 2013, the international conference for users of JAMF and their Casper suite. In my day job I am moderately techie. I didn't major in comp sci, I don't do anything with the server and network. I make the iPad program run. I manage the software behind the scenes, deal with any problem apps/settings or breakages. Some of the talks at the conference are over my head. But that's what makes these fun (besides hanging out with 1,100 people that all love this work as much as I do). I LOVE learning. If I had enough money I would go back to school for another degree - and design full time. Those are compatible. Right?

Back to the title. I am a visual learner, and at conferences I need something to do with my hands. Luckily, I'm a knitter.

Hello, my name is purplbear and I knit.

I've been working on my butterwillow shawl at the conference.

See?

That was yesterday. Today I am about 6 rows from binding off. It's been the perfect project for a conference. Complicated enough that I like it, but with really short repeats and mostly knit and purl stitches that I can listen without thinking too much about what I am knitting.

Also today ... I met a fellow knitter from Seattle.

I have to admit, my clothing choices have been intentional. All days of the conference I am wearing hand knit shawls. Sort of like a badge or flag to meet new friends. "Here! Over here! I'm a knitter! Come talk to me! I'm approachable!" Knitting does make you approachable. You are making a thing that is filled with love and care for someone, how can you not be a nice person?

The knitter from Seattle was very nice. Sadly we didn't get much time to chat about our knitting. We are in sessions all day for the Casper suite that we all use in our day jobs.

But this coming April will be the knitter convention, YARNOVER! I love knitters.

 

Be excellent to each other!

 

Be careful what you ask for...

Or you just might get a cat purring himself to sleep on your lap. For the first time ... In 4 years!

We bemoaned not having a lap cat. We tried every trick for years. Gentle cuddling while holding - for limited amounts of time. 10 seconds holding on lap ... Every once in awhile.

Our cat has finally decided that his human' slap is an okay place to be.

Which is why I am holding my iPad in the air and typing one handed to avoid putting anything on the cat. It's why my nose itches and I haven't been able to blow it. It's why my legs are getting warm.

Be careful what you ask for.

 

The Tettegouche test is going well. Some math has been redone. A few errors found. Some instructions clarified and been rewritten to make more sense. One woman has already sent me a photo of her project - which just is so ... Jazzy. It's inspiring to see the yarns that people choose. Everyone looks at a pattern slightly differently, and therefore colors vary accordingly. It's a great thing to see unfold as these people knit this thing that I've only had in my own brain for so long.

While the test goes well I continue to plan new projects. I'm determining how I would construct a sweater on a machine, and write directions for it to be done by hand. Charts and fair isle are also being designed. There will probably be a white sweater with the lace and linen buttons (from a drawing in a previous post) and then a sweater for a friend in pink with a yoke of dancing elephants. Uh-huh ... Too cute.

Be excellent to each other!

 

No test anxiety involved

Shh. Testing is in progress. But no worries, no stress or anxiety involved because there are no right answers.

Or maybe there are right answers in knitting. I don't know: unless the answer is a knit '42.'

Finished the write up for Tettegouche last week and sent the call out for testers via 'the testing pool' on ravelry. A few preliminary findings:

• Checking the charts over and over again before inserting them into the final document was a great way to save headache and extra editing in the end.
• Remember: break at the section to change the direction of the pages for extra long charts (and it's okay to have to look up this formatting on google every time I write up a pattern)
• Super cool trick: 'edit' choose find > replace - you can find certain text and replace it with other text. That m3 I decided should be written as k3into1 ... SO EASY TO CHANGE! This made editing the written section so much easier. I dread hunting through to find the mistyped stitch to replace it. I must have used this section 5 times already and I know I will use it again!
• DO NOT post for testers on a Saturday morning. Lovely people did contact me and several are testing ... But if I shall be gone all day Saturday it means I can't respond to people until the following morning. Sadly this resulted in several ladies committing to other tests.

But the PDF is sent, and knitting shall commence. This is a fun time, I enjoy seeing the yarn that others choose and seeing the pictures as people post and compare. I've often had testers ask if they can change the weight of the yarn or size of the needles. This would only be a problem if all the testers made this change. When one person changes the specs of the pattern for their knit ... It is educational. It lets me know that the pattern works in different yarn weights. It helps in the decision of which needles to recommend or whether more notes are needed on a gauge.

While the test happens I have a simpler knit along with the second sample of Tettegouche. The new knit is buttonwillow in yellow. So of course I called it butterwillow. The testing is a fun phase stage of the design process and so a new fun knit is required.

Hope everyone else is also having fun.

Be excellent to each other!

Pattern writing ... The font of creative ideas and procrastinating

Tettegouche sample #1 is off the needles. The yarn for the final knit is chosen and started.

The photo is from knit group on Sunday morning. Behold the glory of coffee in the background.
Here's my checklists for Tettegouche and starting a test knit on time (two weeks):

1. Select final yarn for test knit (for photography) -DONE
2. Do another edit of charts for pattern. -DONE
3. Begin writing the instructions and giving some sort of story to pattern. -DONE
4. figure out how to change the orientation of pages within document - did it last time and totally forgot how it works.
5. Finish writing chart section. -DONE
6. Finish writing up the written section.
7. Stop procrastinating on writing the written section.
8. Advertise test knit.
9. Coordinate with knitters.
10. BEGIN!

So, the list is going well. The writing is begun, but the worst is yet to come.
I don't knit from written directions - I am a visual person and work from charts, all the time. Formulating the written section of the pattern is always the hardest and always includes the most mistakes. But it can be rewarding. Especially when I finish and it has no mistakes (after correction from the lovely testers).
The list of Tettegouche is begun. And today ... Today I fell into the trap that is "pretty shiny oh want!" that is a new idea for a pattern.
At Yarnover last year I bought one thing. Buttons. They are glorious, made from vintage linen they satisfy so many loves, recycling, antique things, pretty pretty fabric, and BUTTONS! The goal with these lovely buttons has always been to knit a lovely cardigan to accompany their awesomeness.
Today, while procrastinating on the Tettegouche list, I drew a pretty picture!

AND! With my beautiful buttons I plan to use my beautiful handspun cormo! Can't you just see it? Squish it? Smell the fresh and comforting aroma of handspun wool?
I can. And someday when I should be writing up Tettegouche I will be starting this sweater.

Be excellent to each other!

Picking yarn by smell

Tettegouche sample knit #1 went very well. I love the color variation. But I am very well aware that the color variation will not photograph well and represent the stitches and texture of the shawl.

So I must knit the shawl again - mwahahaha!

I traveled to my local yarn shop for the purpose of finding that special skein of yarn that MUST become this shawl. I looked, I hunted, I asked for help. Both lovely gents at the store pointed towards different yarns. One started pulling skein after skein down and piling them on a table for me to dabble in.

As we picked yarns and created a larger and larger pile on the table I realized I had a problem. All the yarns were in aqua, blue, teal, emerald and seafoam. They all matched previous knits: Leaves & Trellis, twin leaf socks and Flores Gloria! ALL OF THEM! GAH!

The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. I put down the twisted sister and three Irish girls. I admitted I had a problem and the lovely gents came to my rescue. Among a box of glorious blues and oranges was a solitary skein of Dragonfly Fibers in Ye 'Ole Chestnut.

Pine, Lake Superior, fog, campfires, hikes along dirt paths, moist earth - I can smell all those when looking at this yarn. It is Tettegouche in essence. At 475 yards it will make a glorious second knit.

The yarn is glorious. The snarly terrible mess that was winding the yarn was painful. It's like they has wound separate sections around different niddy-noddies and then combine them all together in random clumps. As you wound you would sometimes be pulling from the top section, sometimes from a winding further down ... And then to the top again. The strands were crossing! GAH again!

After several breaths and a round of a game with hubby I returned to the skein and found a solution in putting the hank around my knees and slowly pulling it apart by hand and then using the winder. An hour long process - but it worked. Knitters are nothing if not steadfastly determined to use beautiful skein.

The wound skein is sitting in the project bag waiting for the pattern to be written and testing to begin. Again, hopefully mid-October. The charts are about done, I just have to determine on garter or interesting edging. Interesting always wins, I just have to find the shorthand for a single stitch cabled over two other stitches. C1F2? Like the edge in the picture below?

Once I figure that out the rest will write up really easily and then if the fun of testing! Fun!

Be excellent to each other!