Continue of layout

This is the graph that I follow. It is reduced about 50% so that it fits on my magnetic stand. As I complete the row I move up the magnetic bar & also mark off each end of the row. This way I always know where I'm up to. I like to do a double check system. I generally to this with all my projects.

The knitted part is over the bottom of the graph that I'm following. I am very happy that the size is coming out true to size. For handling reasons I have reduced the graph about 50% so I can set it up on the stand. Top picture will have the stand.

This is a close up view of the graph chart. I did this by hand. I first did a test swatch to determine gauge for both stitch & row. This special graph paper is 7 stitch to the inch and 9 rows to the inch, which was the gauge. Next I layed the graph paper over the final draw which was over a light box. Then colored in each appropriate box by hand. I use colored markers. I don't always use the exact colors I would knitting but close enough for me to be able to follow. After the colors are in place I then put in any stitch changes. It maybe hard to see but the white area is the double moss stitch. To indicate the purl stitch I put a line in the box. That was my key.

I thought I might have lost the posting so I hit publish post. I hope it's still there. here are the rest of the pictures I want to show. The other 2 were the final drawing & the final graph. Here are the rest of the pictures I want to show and explain.

End of year

This is the final graph to follow

This is the original final drawing.

Well the end of this year is here. Can't say it was a good year nor a bad year. But glad it's over. I don't make any reservations. I think that silly. However, it's a good starting point to put someone on a diet. Not me of course. But somehow I have to be on a diet to help Richard out. He has no will power. I better not lose any weight. This year had it's ups and downs. Half of it I can't even remember or want to forget. Even our vacation that we just took seems so far away like we didn't even go. To think I have to live another year like this, same old, same old. I have no control over anything. I have to let go.




But alas, I do have control of my knitting. And knitting I will do. I worked some more on the blanket last night since I could get my act together during the day. Well, that's not really true. I had paperwork to do that took long. I had to take care getting out the prescriptions to the mail order place. Take care of the taxes. Send back the broken camcord for Julian. Then go to our cute little post office. There were other things, but of course I can't remember. Started to knit and finished the first 1/3 part and was ready to go on to the next part but the design of the chervon stitch was too light to see when I made the copies to shrink the design. Which meant I have to go over each dot to make it darker so I can see the design. Well that took me over 1 hour. I know there are faster ways of doing things, like using the computer but I don't know how. I even have a program that could do it. But have no way to learn it. I'm getting near the brick wall and I will have to decide what stitch I want to do. There are many options. I will have to start to look at my stitch library to come up with some idea.




I still haven't even rewound the yarn for the socks & the hat for Richard. Maybe next year!

Blue's Clue Baby Blanket 1/3 done

This is a test to see if I can add pictures to this blog. Well I guess it worked because here are the pictures of the blanket. The first 3 are the front of the blanket and the next 2 are the back. And as you can see the back is very neat and the ends are woven in. I will try to take more pictures with the blanket spread out on both needles so you can see more. The back ground in white is done in double moss stitch and the green is done in my version of a chevron stripe. There are bobbles in the center of the flowers. I will be doing some black outlining of Blue for some detailing when I'm done. I also will take some pictures of the orginal drawing & the graph that I made for this blanket. All for now as I must do some knitting and winding. There went my day. Terry

Working on the blanket

I got a lot of responses from the knitters on ravelry on my problem with the red fingers and my being allergic to the bamboo. I came to the conclusion that it's probably the chemicals that is used in the processing in making the yarn. The suggestions some good and some I won't even try. The not try was washing the yarn first. NOT! I think I will buy these "Finger Cots". They look like little condoms for your fingers. I have to be able to feel the yarn. I'm a touchy type of person. Gloves will be to bulky. Others said to try creams. I'm already using different Dr. recommended creams. Mean while I'm still knitting away.
I have to figure out how to add photos to this blog. A fellow blogger (fieldfen.blogspot.com) has a great blog with pictures and all. This way I can post the blanket as I go along. This means another lesson from my daughter and/or son.
One of the tricks that I tell my students when working on an intarsia piece is to weave in the ends, on the back, as you go along. The ends (of the yarn) happen when you add on a new color. This way you won't be overwhelmed at the end. It's also good to do this so the ends won't get in the way when you are changing colors. I do this about every 2-3 " or so. Depending on how many color changes were going on. I'm just about 1/3 of the way through. I also think this part had the most color changes happening. The middle should go fast. The only other area that will be slow is the windows & door. I have got to be able to get pictures on this blog!
Things I need to do today-
1- Go to Post Office to mail back broke Camcorder- present for Julian
2- rewind yarn- sock & hat yarn
3- try to figure out to add pictures to this blog
4- work on blanket- knit knit knit
The rewound yarn is for my DH to make him more socks & a new hat. This way I can take a break from the blanket and give my arms and fingers a rest. As the blanket gets bigger it gets heavier. Also all the bobbins make it heavy. It gets harder for me to hold up. Starts to trigger off my RSD. Then PAIN PAIN PAIN. So taking a break is a good thing. Socks weigh nothing and I don't have to concentrate. Though concentrating is a good thing for my brain. You don't use it, you lose it.
Signing off for now. I maybe back with some pictures if I'm successful.
Terry

Holidays Over!

I am soooo glad the holidays are over. Way to much stress. Stress leads to pain. Way too much pain. I was a bad mommy and a bad Nana. We spent way too much money that we really didn't have. I did not knit at all. My escape. No time and the blanket is not a good project to carry around. I need to also work on a more portable projects so I think I will make another pair of socks for Richard. I have the wool or the hat for him which I'm not sure I have enough wool for.
Now it's time for me to hibernate. Shut myself off from the rest of the world. Dig myself in. Just me, my knitting, & the tv with movies. Hopefully old movies. Living on Fire Island puts the protective bubble around me. Right now it's a good thing. I'm glad the Richard got to see the family. He never knows what is going on and he likes it that way. We watched old family movies from his family. Which was good for him. Off the computer and on to knitting.

Allergy??? Can't be... Oh no....

I think I maybe allergic to the yarn I'm using for the first baby blanket for the triplets. Why may you ask? I always get cracked finger tips year round and worse in the winter. However, I've noticed on my middle fingers and on my left thumb on the top it's getting all red and irritated. I wasn't sure why but last night while I was knitting the blanket I looked down and saw where my fingers were touching. Bingo! Red finger tips hit right on the blanket. Other fingers did not or not as much. Now what to do. This is the first time I'm using Debbie Bliss' Prima 80% Bamboo / 20% Merino Wool. It's got to be the Bamboo. I love the way it feels. It is very soft to the touch. I'm going to check it out on Ravelry to see if any one else is having a problem. I will have to finish the blanket and then change the yarns for the other 2. If it gets real bad I will take breaks and knit small projects in between. All for now.

BIG error

I can't believe what I did yesterday. I decide to make the hat for Gail. I knew it would take me a few hours. I had the yarn. I'm using the purple yarn left over from the fairy blanket. It's good yarn 100% marino wool, very soft. I did a test gauge, as always, and it worked out fine using 3 balls together. I also was able to use the plastic 3 ball separator that I got for free from Simply Knitting magazine, which worked great and stopped the 3 balls from twisting together. I casted on and counted. Or thought I counted. Now mine you I always count twice. And then knitted away. Knitting, knitting, knitting. Got to the part where the crown decrease started and it didn't work out. So I went to look for my mistake. I couldn't find it. I thought I missed k2tog or put k1 were it shouldn't be. I couldn't figure it out. So finally I decided to count my stitches. I was supposed to cast on 47 stitches and I had 42. OH NO!!! You see I count in 5's . 5, 10, 15, 20 see. I took the hat off the needles to see if it would fit anyways, NOT. It had to be Totaled, Frogged, Ripped, Gone! Start all over again. I wasted the day. Richard tried to ask isn't there any you can do to it so you wouldn't have to rip it. Isn't there anyone with a smaller head. I couldn't think of anyone. NO NO NO. So I ripped it and rewound the yarn into 1 big ball. Casted back on and counted 3 times. and after a few rows counted again. I sure I am not the first one that this has happen to. And I'm sure that this is not the first time that this has happened to me. Blocked it out. Time to get back to knitting.

What can I say

Here I am alone on a sunday. It's raining out side. It snowed for the last 2 days and now the rain is washing the snow away. It was pretty with the snow. The girls from the summer and winter knitting group gave me my holiday present. They were most generous and gave me $240. Of course I'm going to use it on knitting supplies and yarn. I already ordered from Bettz Designs a Double Pointed Needle case & a Supply Case made out of the same fabric as my knitting bag & needle case. I will hold off from getting more yarn because I'm still working on the babies blanket and I haven't even finished the silk shawl that I started from last years yarn purchase from the money that the girls gave me. I'm starting to make a dent in the first blanket and it's starting to move faster. I want to take a break and make some hats. The hats will go fast because I'm using very bulky yarn. I also want to have some easy projects to carry around when I go to Sheila's house for the holidays. Though I'm getting to the point that there are not so many color change on the graph making it easier to do. We will see. Well time to get off the computer and start knitting.

Back from Mexico

We came home late on Fri 12th. We had a good time. The weather could have been a little warm but it was better then here. As for my knitting- I haven't picked it back up yet. Been so busy unpacking and catching back up with bills and on-line ordering things for the holidays. By the time evening rolls around I'm just to tired. Got to start again because there are more things I want to make for winter projects that won't take so long. At this rate the babies will be in college before they get their blankets.

Home alone

Did more reading then anything else today. It's Richard 62nd B'day. I don't think he's very happy about it. His brother called him after many years. He didn't talk to him long since he was at work. I don't know if he will call him back. He said he might when we get back from Mexico.
Worked a little more on the blanket. Was on Ravelry for a while. Still trying to decide if I want to take a small knitting project with me on vacation. I took socks to work on last year and never touched them. Oh I don't know. If I do I have to rewind the yarn. Nothing like waiting for the last minute. Got to get off the computer to knit more. Bye for now.

What's on my needles

This blogging is supposed to be about my knitting & I guess other things. So from now on I will be updating on my knitting progress at the end of each blog. It's a rainy day, so of course it's a more painful day. But lets not get into that. In 3 days it will be off to Mexico.
Projects-
1- Blues Clues Blanket- for Golda- it has taken me quite awhile to get into it. It took me 1 month to draw & graph. It was stop & go at the beginning because I was working on some other projects. I made some premmie hats for the triplets & made a long sleeve shrug for me to take on vacation to protect my arm from the elements. I hope that works. Now I'm into the blanket. It also physically harder to do because there are a lot of bobbins on the needles and I have to hold them up with my right arm. I like the way it's coming out but I'm a long way from finishing it and then there are 2 more to follow.
2- Silk Shawl- still on hold- beautiful silk yarn that I bought last spring from gift money from my students. I did want to finish the shawl to take on vacation with me but that didn't happen. I got about 5-6" done.
3-I want to make some gloves, hats & socks in between doing the blanket. But we will see. I don't like to be working on more then one thing at a time. Sometimes I like the break. I'm starting to get the winter magazines and there are so many things I would like to make but no time. You would think I would have time since I don't work and I'm at home all day. NOT! Well all for now. The computer is doing me in. It's time for knitting & a movie.

back home

I'm back home to peaceful Fire Island. Been on the computer all day. Mostly on Ravelry checking on the forums. It's always about the knitting. That's my world. Road my golf cart to the post office and my new Knits magazine came. After this post I'm going to lay down, read it then take a nice nap. With all the drugs I'm on, one can not help but take a nap. Later, Terry

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving up in the Berkshires with the family. My 3 grown kids & grand kids. Took my knitting with me. But don't seem to have the time. We used 3 weeks of my RCI swaps and took 3 condos. Great place. We are staying at Vacation Village. This is my first post. My daughter Gail has to set this up and show me how to use it. She also set up my face book account and link the two. If it wasn't for my daughter & my son I would be back in the stone age writing on rocks and wouldn't know what a computer is. That's all for now.