11400knits

Off to a Good Cause

2010-06-03T11:53:00.000-07:00

Since my Stash Busting 2010 effort has yielded several new hats and scarves without specific gifties in mind, I am sending them off to a better home. The hats are going to Hats for Homeless Teens.

The scarves are going to Save a Dog with Scarves program through the Colorado Rescue.

In other stash busting news, here are the two stash busting blanket squares I knit for May. The orange one is the Grand-Papa Square knit on US7 needles with a mystery wool yarn. A friend gave me the yarn a few years ago because she thought it was too rough. I really like it, wish I knew what is was. The green square is the Smocked Dishcloth pattern knit on US7 needles with Knit Picks Wool of the Andes.

Since I have been enjoying knitting the stash busting squares and need a new, small, in-the-car project, I have started a log cabin blanket. I am using Plymouth Boku yarn, recently purchased on sale at Webs and US5 needles.

Spring is finally on its way! The wetland bushes have new bright yellow and orange growths.

The snow is also finally melting, there are still large piles everywhere and walking in the woods is out of the question. But soon wild flowers will start appearing in the brown patches. Spokes is very happy; he loves when the ponds and the snow exist in unison. Our house is a muddy footprint disaster, carpet does not go well with mud-loving Newfoundlands.

More Snow and Vampires

2010-05-20T09:15:00.000-07:00

I’m not sure why I find vampire novels so appealing. I read the Twilight series over a year ago. I found them rather disturbing especially because the books are targeted towards young teenagers. A friend and I then stumbled upon the Southern Vampire Mystery Series (Sookie Stackhouse Mystery Series). I found the series light and funny without the disturbing teenage control undertones that bothered me in Twilight. I just finished the recently released Dead in the Family, #10.

A fun read and inspiration for my newest knitting project: Vampire Bliss.

Since I have been doing so well with stash busting (there is now free room in my yarn bin), I am taking a break. I am also having sweater withdrawal and knitting is supposed to be fun.

I fell in love with this design right away, it is a wonderful summer knit suitable for air conditioned offices. The cable chart is a disaster, there were multiple mistakes. The chart (aka colored squares) is also difficult to read. I created my own chart by zooming into the pattern photo and drawing it on graph paper. I would highly recommend doing this to visualize the cable pattern. I e-mailed the author and the pattern author has since fixed the chart but it is still hard to read.

Some more snow photos because there may not be too many more storms this year, right? I love the contrast between the snow and the blue sky. I love high altitude Colorado.

Finished Project: Lotus (Stash Busting 2010)

2010-05-18T15:47:00.000-07:00

Finished Project: Lotus (Stash Busting 2010)

Pattern: Laurel by Jared Flood

Yarn: Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted Multi (1 skein in Watercolor) and Laines du Nord Royal Cashmere (about 0.75 skein in Salmon)

Needles: US3 for the ribbing, US7 for the hat body, and US4 for the lining

Duration: April 30, 2010 through May 3, 2010

Reflections: I liked a few of the patterns in the Classic Elite Pamphlet, though Laurel didn't really jump out at me until I tried to knit it with leftover KP Gloss HW; the gauge was way off and I didn't have enough yarn. But I fell in love with the pattern.

Initially, I didn’t think a variegated yarn would show off the cables well enough. But I really like the finished hat. I also fell in love with this yarn, it is very soft and the colors are vibrant but not so much to subdue the cables.

Unfortunately, the hat ended up much too large. I added a cashmere (left over from Pink Gables) liner in an attempt to tighten things up. The hat was still huge after the liner. I sewed a two inch tuck in the brim, very unprofessional I know but I didn’t want to start over.

I am very disappointed with how many errors are in the pattern. I hope Jared wasn't as careless with the remaining patterns in the series.

I think the final hat is a bit silly, but I think all slouchy hats are a little silly. Despite the silly factor, I have been wearing the hat everyday. Yes, a hat is required in mid-May at 11,400 feet. About 18 inches of snow fell last week.

New Backpack

2010-05-10T14:54:00.000-07:00

Since the snow does not seem to be letting up in the mountains, we headed to Manitou Springs for a sunny day hike two weekends ago. Spokes got a new backpack and wanted to try it out.

He didn’t seem to notice the backpack at all.

We hiked Williams Canyon, near Cave of the Winds. It is a beautiful hike and one of my favorite Colorado Springs mountain bike rides. Unfortunately for Spokes, the trail contains the only cockleburs I have seen thriving in Colorado. We were pulling burs out for three days.

Finished Projects: Four Round Dishcloths (Stash Busting 2010)

Pattern: from memory but closely resembles Round Dishcloth by Amy Carpenter

Yarn: AllHemp6 and Classic Elite Bam Boo held together

Needles: US7

Reflections: Last year Webs accidently sent me this wonderful Bamboo yarn. Though I never really knew what I was going to do with it, the color is very bright, too bright and childish for a scarf. I have been keeping knit projects in the glove box. This was a perfect pattern because I could knit it in my sleep and doesn’t take up much space. I was hoping the bamboo would add enough softness to allow the dishcloths to be used as washcloths. I am testing one now, after two showers it is still very stiff but I like the exfoliating action of the ridges.

This pattern was the first thing I ever knit. For years I only knit round dishcloths. Hundreds and hundreds of round dishcloths, I am in no way exaggerating. I have no idea why I never branched out into other knit goods during this time; but the experience did make me a fast, efficient knitter.

April Stash Busting

2010-05-03T11:59:00.000-07:00

April was a very effective stash busting month. So effective, I am going to take it easy in May. Here are some the objects I finished in April, more to follow as I take pictures.

Finished Project: Figure Eight Scarf

Pattern: None

Yarn: Cascade Yarns Tuscany

Needles: US17

Duration: April 22, 2010 to April 22, 2010

Reflections: I acquired this super bulky yarn from a yarn store grab bag a few years ago. Wanting to get it out of the stash bin I made failed cast on attempts at mittens and several hats before I settled on a scarf/cowl.

It is a little strange but I have seen similar works on Ravelry. I have no idea who to give it to. I am not a scarf person.

I cast on 18 stitches on US17 needles and knit until the yarn was gone. Since it was too short to be a scarf, I twisted it twice and sewed it together. The whole process took less than 30 minutes.

Finished Project: Big and Little Hat

Pattern:Roughly based on His and Her Hats from the Purl Bee; the little hat is just a 3x3 cable

Yarn: Knit Picks Gloss HW

Needles: US8

Duration: April 20, 2010 through April 21, 2010

Reflections: I had about one ball of Gloss HW left over from my Vivian sweater. After some false starts, I decided to knit something simple. For the adult hat, I knit a six row 3x3 rib, I also decreased differently than the pattern (a spiral decrease in the opposite direction as the hat’s spirals). My decrease ended up strange on the right side, so I just flipped the hat inside out.

These hats do not have a home yet. I found a local place which accepts baby hat donations. I may knit up some more little hats soon. But I am looking for a cause that accepts adult hats and scarves, anyone know of a place?

My Stash Busting Blanket Squares:

I didn't like the recommended April Square, so I jumped ahead to May's and knit the "additional filler" square. The orange yarn is Ironstone Yarn's Herb Garden held double; the blue square is Plymouth Encore.

Finished Project: Pink Hots (Stash Busting 2010)

2010-04-23T13:46:00.000-07:00

Finished Project: Pink Hots (Stash Busting 2010)

Pattern: Multnomah by Kate Flagg

Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Sockittome

Needles: US3

Duration: April 10^th through April 14^th

Modifications: Added additional repeat

Reflections: I enjoyed knitting this shawlette much more than the mind numbing Citron. I even kind of like it, though it has already been sent away as a thank you present. I enjoyed the sock yarn which was purchased years ago with all intentions of knitting socks. I lost interest in socks shortly after meticulously dividing the yarn into two balls. While knitting, I fell in love with the smooshy yarn; I look forward to using it again in a sweater.

Spokes also seems to like the shawl. He was more interested in my attempt to photograph myself than he usually is. My revenge:

The only spring showers April has yielded so far are of the snowy variety. Since ground has yet to appear, what will happen to the May flowers? Maybe summer will be canceled? The weather forecast seems to think so.

Spring in the Mountains

The lack of un-snowy ground forced me to set up Dave’s birthday present in the dining room. It took up the entire space, I can stand up in the tent! Too bad it is only a 3-season.

Visitor and Finished Project: Citron (Stash Busting 2010)

2010-04-19T08:56:00.000-07:00

Finished Project: Citron (Stash Busting 2010)

Pattern: Citron from Kitty Winter 2009

Yarn: Knit Picks-Shimmer (alpaca/silk lace)

Needles: US4

Duration: March 12, 2010 through March 20, 2010

Modification: Six repeat section instead of five

Reflections: Shawlettes have always struck me as a silly thing to knit; I am not a scarf person. I dislike wearing scarves and dislike making them. I thought knitting a shawlette would be more enjoyable because the increases and decreases add interest. I was also struck by how popular Citron was during the holiday season. I had some left over lace yarn from Cold Sherry, so why not?

The pattern was written well enough and easy to follow but was a misery to knit. I do not want to see stockingknit stitch for a while. I think my needle/yarn combination didn’t add to my knitting pleasure. When knitting Cold Sherry, wooden needles were miserable, I switched to metal and the stole knit up quickly. Metal needles with this mindless project were too slippery.

I caught this furry guy staring at me last night.

March and April have been incredibly snowy; I celebrated the snow (and tax season) with a new pair of Telemark skis. I almost wish spring wasn’t just around the corner.

Stash Busting 2010

2010-04-07T14:11:00.000-07:00

I have a small stash, one 2 foot by 3 foot Tupperware container, though it is quite full. Over the past few years I have become a sweater knitter; in other words, I prefer knitting sweaters. When I spot a sweater I want to knit, I purchase the yarn. With one exception, my stash does not contain enough of one yarn to knit a sweater (the exception is AllHemp 6 which hurt my hands too much to knit a whole sweater with). Therefore, my stash is full of random yarn balls.

I want to skinny down the stash by knitting the random bits of yarn into something useful. Over the next few months, I vow to knit a lot of accessories.

My first Stash Busting 2010 work in progress is the Knit Block-a-Month KAL group on Ravelry. At the end of the year I will sew the squares into an blanket. My progress so far:

Groundhogs and Gophers

2010-04-06T09:48:00.000-07:00

When Groundhog Day rolled around, I think more than his shadow scared the poor bugger back into the ground. It is nearly mid-April and there are no signs of winter letting up.

Did Spokes scare the groundhog?

I’m not sure what the relationship is between groundhogs and gophers; both are large, furry rodents, right? I have been working on a University of Minnesota-Minneapolis hockey sweater; a university proudly devoted to the gopher mascot.

I am using E. Zimmerman’s percentage method and plan to use the saddle shoulder or hybrid technique. I have finished the body up to the point where the sleeves are added; I have also finished the sleeves. I am using Reynolds Lopi Lite yarn and US5 needles. The sweater is making me nervous because the yarn grows about 30% when washed. I blocked the body half way up and the partial garment transformed from a 34” circumference to my calculated 42”.

I am working the “M” with intarsia in the round, tricky because the “M” and body are knitted separately. I started with three colors and about 1/3 though switched to one. If I knew the difficulty, I would have opted for seaming. This project is taking a short vacation; I am trying to finish up some smaller projects first.

I created the “M” chart by printing out the University of Minnesota “M” and taping it to my monitor. I then created the outline manually in Excel.

Finished Project: Rusty Nail

2010-03-23T10:52:00.000-07:00

Finished Project: Rusty Nail

Pattern: Icelandic Star by Sarah Hoadley; Interweave Knits Winter 2009

Yarn: Berrocco Ultra Alpaca

Needles: US3 for ribbing and US5 for stockingknit

Duration: January 10, 2010 to February 20, 2010

Modifications: Knit a different gauge; sweater circumference = 30”; longer sleeves and body; and i-cord edging to attach zipper instead of button band.

Pattern Reflections: I found the pattern easy to follow and I didn’t notice any mistakes. I, however, do wish I had steeked the sweater. The fair isle pattern is not difficult in the purl direction but I had a hard time figuring out how to hold the yarn in two hands. It would have been faster not purling.

Modifications: I added four inches to the sleeves, are my arms are freakishly long? I also four inches to the body because cozy wool sweaters and exposed belly buttons are a fashion contradiction, not to mention itchy. My blocked gauge was 20 stitches = 4” (pattern: 17 stitches = 4”) so I knit the 40.25” bust size to get a 30” bust sweater. I knit a few extra yoke rows to compensate for my different row gauge. I also added a zipper. Instead of fixing the zipper to a button band, I knit an i-cord edging, similar to that in the Vivian pattern. The edging is knit along the sweater edge and requires no picking up of stitches. To create the edging, assuming RS = odd, I slipped the first three stitches every other knit row (row 1, 5, 9) and every other purl row (row 2, 6, 10).

Size and Fit Reflections: I really like how this sweater fits, a 30” circumference suits me nicely. The sweater would have been a disaster without the added length to the sleeves and body. I am a little unhappy with the metal zipper which bulges a little. I think the zipper is too sturdy for the sweater. I purchased the zipper at a JoAnn Fabrics in Denver, the selection was very poor. The journey to the store was also not convenient; I need to find an online supplier since there is no local crafting store.

Yarn Reflections: I have been wearing the sweater heavily for a month and there is no pilling. I do find it very itchy. I think I have a sensitivity to alpaca as only soft, alpaca sweaters, and not stiff, woolly sweaters, seem to aggravate my skin. I love Ultra Alpaca’s colors, yardage, price, and softness.

Finished Project: Ski with the Fishies

2010-02-23T11:40:00.000-08:00

What looks like snowy trees to most individuals, really means six inches of fresh power at Monarch Mountain equaling a heck of a lot of fun on new skies.

I make a lot of hats for a lot of people. Lately, I have been getting a hard time about wearing store bought hats which are also in a replacing state.

My last attempt to make a silly hat was a failure (see Dunce Hat). I am much happier with this creation.

Finished Project: Ski with the Fishies

Pattern: see below; the fish chart was inspired by Spilly Jane’s Swedish Fish Mittens

Yarn: Berrocco Ultra Alpaca

Needles: US5

Duration: February 18 to February 21

Directions:

Cast on 100 stitches in MC, join

Knit five rows in a corrugated rib

Knit five fishie repeats

On last solid row before crown shaping, remove marker

Knit five stitches, place marker (marker should now be in the middle of a fish)

Place a marker every 20 stitches

Cease knitting fishies divided by markers

First Decrease Row: *k2tog, knit fish, knit to 2 sts before next marker, ssk, slip marker, k2tog*

Second Decrease Row: knit all stitches

Only knit one fishie repeat while decreasing

Repeat two decrease rows until eight stitch remain, run end through stitches and pull tight.

Finish by weaving in ends and adding pompoms. More pompoms you add the more fun you will have wearing this hat. I attached the pompoms to twist braids like the old Swix skiing hats. I also used plastic pompom makers; what a fabulous invention. Everything is going to have a pompom from now on.

Note: this hats fits me snuggly, perfect for my smallish head. For a bigger hat, add stitches in increments to 10 to maintain fish patter or increments of 20 to maintain equal decreasing.

Mitten Mending

2010-02-17T16:37:00.000-08:00

Recently and almost consecutively, both Dave's and my felted mittens developed holes in the thumbs. I mended the holes with scrap Lamb's Pride Bulky which is also the yarn the mitten were knit with. Then I re-felted the mittens. I did a woven darn because I thought it would hold up better.

Leather kits are available for hand knit mittens. But the leather does not cover the area where the thumbs seem to wear out; it must be to add grip. Maybe I should wrap the entire thumb in leather for the next go-around.

Finished Project: Blue Fiddlehead Mittens and Booties

2010-02-11T21:15:00.000-08:00

Finished Projects: Baby Blues

Pattern: Fiddlehead Mittens by Adrian Bizilia

Yarn: di.Ve' Zenith

Needles: US4

Duration: January 23 to February 3

Modifications: My gauge was slightly tighter than the smallest size so I opted not to knit the liners. The mittens are destined for a not super cold climate and I wasn’t looking forward to knitting liners anyway so it worked out perfect!

Pattern Reflections: The pattern was very easy to follow. I will definitely knit it again. I also want to adapt the pattern for a hat and possibly a pair of felted mittens. I would also recommend it as a beginning color work project.

Finished Project: Booties for Rachel’s Baby

Pattern: Seamless Top-Down Booties by Laura Yarnthrower

Yarn: di.Ve' Zenith (leftovers from the Fiddlehead Mittens)

Duration: February 6 to February 7

Needles: US4

Pattern Reflections: I knit these for an old friend I reconnected with recently who is due to go into labor very soon. I was house sitting at the time and just whipped them up from the web page, isn’t the internet great? I knit the booties in about an hour and they are a great way to use up small amounts of yarn scraps.

Museum of Glass

2010-02-03T09:26:00.000-08:00

The highlight of my Portland-Seattle trip, aside from spending time with Ryan and Luke, was visiting the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington.

I can’t say enough for the exhibits especially Preston Singletary’s Native American art, fascinating and inspiring. The museum run a Kids Design Glass program where artists create sculptures based on children’s drawings. A wonderful example of how creative and original children are and how society restricts originality as people age. The museum also features an atrium where artists demonstrate the glass blowing process. I would highly recommend the experience.

However, if the museum happens to be closed during you visit to Tacoma, stop by anyway. The building itself is a fascinating oblique cone structure and many glass sculptures are featured near the museum. A fountain surrounding the museum and adjacent gallery would probably be even more spectacular at night.

A walkway over the freeway encases many sculptures and, most impressively, a collage of smaller sculptures on the ceiling. The collage allows sun to pass through the colored glass in a stunning manner even on a dreary Pacific Northwest afternoon.

If you are having trouble finding the cone shaped building, keep an eye out for the candy-shaped pillars along the walkway.

Finished Project: Vivian (Pocketed)

2010-01-29T15:38:00.000-08:00

(Luke, thanks for the photo. I made it black and white because my face turned green when I tried to brighten the photo)

Finished Project: Vivian (Pocketed)

Pattern: Vivian by Ysolda Teague Twist Collective Winter 2008

Yarn: Knit Picks Gloss Heavy Worsted in Admiral

Needles: US7

Duration: October 10 through January 5

Modifications: I followed Felinity’s directions for the hood and added pockets.

Pattern Reflections: This pattern is wonderfully written and the design is neat. Ysolda has a gift for writing patterns, she should think about technical manual writing on the side. Her style is specific without being too basic. The only thing I would have found useful would have been a chart for the set up rows. The paragraph was very difficult to follow, I had to start over three times.

Size and Fit Reflections: I knit the smallest size (32 inch). My gauge was dead on. It came out closer to 30 inch circumference which means it fits me even better! I know there have been complaints about the sleeve length but I have long arms. However, I strongly dislike cuffs near my wrists when I am eating or knitting. The flaired cuffs allow for easier, less destructive rolling during these instances. I also chose not to modify the forearm diameter, my wrists and lower arms have the girth of a thin five-year-old’s. The sweater was also designed long, so no need for me to add my typical 3 inches of length. I feel Ysolda has been reading my modification notes and designed a sweater to meet all my criteria.

(Note: the white spot on my breast is snow not a strange intarsia.)

Yarn Reflections: This new yarn sure has a bad wrap according to the comments on Ravelry. I would consider it soft and not itchy, I am moderately sensitive to itch. The silk give the yarn a slight shine, though not as much as silk in more expensive yarns. But it is a Knit Picks product which means you are getting what you pay for (for the record, I have never been impressed with Knit Picks yarn but have chosen it occasionally when the budget is stretched). The sweater is pilling a little on the sleeves, but not unacceptably so. I wear my sweaters hard; think firewood carrying and cross country ski grocery hauling.

Modifications: I added pockets!! I cast on as the pattern called for and knit 1.5 inches. I, then, separated the work into three sections (left front, right front, and back) and knit back and for five inches and, finally, re-joined and continued the pattern. This created two holes at pocket level. I picked up stitches on the pocket edge and knit seed stitch for 1.5 inches and tacked the flap on the inside edge to soften the transition into the pockets. I broke out the sewing machine for the zipper and also created two flannel, fabric envelopes. I then machine sewed them into place. It was pretty fiddly and the pockets ended up a little on the small side but I will definitely add pockets to a sweater in the future.

(Yes, that is celery on my shirt.)

Seattle

2010-01-25T14:02:00.000-08:00

A few weekends ago my travels took me to the Pacific Northwest; Portland and Seattle specifically. After installing some sensors to monitor an active landslide east of Portland, I headed up to Seattle to visit for the weekend.

Monitoring Site

Though I spent a considerable amount of time in Washington during graduate school evaluating tectonic anomalies, I was always in small towns or remote areas. I had a wonderful and relaxing time with both Luke in Seattle and Ryan in Portland.

The weekend was supposed to be terribly rainy but it ended up being clear, almost sunny. Mount Hood and the Cascades were clearly visible and spectacular.

Some Rhododendrons were starting to bud; a reminder of how short winter is outside my 11,400 elevation bubble.

One of the many things I miss about my time in Taiwan is the variety and quality of tea. Luke and I spent several hours in a tea shop sampling and smelling. I came home with some old favorite teas and some interesting varieties I have never tried. I cannot wait to visit again.

Jasmine Flower

Once Steeped Tea

Finished Projects: Dunce Ugh

2010-01-23T16:04:00.000-08:00

Finished Projects: Dunce Ugh

Pattern: Reykjavik Hat by Kirsten Kapur

Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca

Needles: US7 for brim and color work; US5 for stripes

Duration: December 20 to December 23

Modification: Decreased more aggressively in the stripe section

Pattern Reflections: The slipped moss stitch is a pain and took forever. It didn’t turn out as “vertical stripy” as I was hoping. However, it is probably stretchier than a corrugated rib. I also decreased every 6th row in the stripe section instead of every 8th row. I should have decreased even more aggressively. The hat looks kind of lumpy in the middle.

General Reflections: This knit inspired me because it was silly and I loved the pink and brown colors. The final hat, however, looks a little too weird. The brim, the house section, and the stripe pattern don’t seem to flow. It is too busy and as I mentioned before, kind of lumpy. I am going to frog it. However, I will probably use the three design elements to create hats in the future. The yarn is too soft and vivid to stay in this awkward hat.

On a more positive knitting note: I have started a new sweater (Rusty Nail), again, with Berroco Ultra Alpaca. I am loosely following the Icelandic Star pattern from Interweave Knits, Winter 2009. I plan on installing a zipper and I am aiming for a 30 inch body circumference. I love the colors together.

Belated Happy New Year!

2010-01-19T14:34:00.000-08:00

2010 held the best New Year’s celebration I can remember. Though the celebration was more New Year’s Eve as no one present was awake past ten pm. Dave and I hosted a moonlight ski/snowshoe/sleepover at out house.
The moonlight snowshoe/ski though the forest around our property was unforgettable! Lamp light was not required because the moonlight was so bright.

Brian, Spokes, and I went for a New Year’s morning snowshoe. The day was sunny and beautiful. We hiked up to the old bristle cone grove.

Finished Project: Kermit Generation 1

2010-01-18T13:32:00.000-08:00

I was busy knitting in the month of December, not documenting. I finished Kermit Gen 1 in time for Christmas. I think the green says “Christmas tree” more than “Kermit the Frog.” Either way, I love the finished sweater.

Project: Kermit Generation 1

Pattern: Syrup Interweave Knits Winter 2009

Yarn: Cascade 220 in Christmas Green

Needles: US7

Duration: December 6th to December 20th

Modifications: Lengthened the sleeves one inch and the body two inches. I sized the sweater down from the smallest size (36 inch chest) to a 32 inch chest.

Pattern Reflections: The smallest size published in Interweave Knits is a 36 inch chest; the fit specifies the sweater is intended to be worn with two to three inches of positive ease. Since when is even a 34 inch chest a small?!?! I know I must sound like a broken record, but, why do knitting patterns run so big? It is so frustrating to be a “small” knitter. For the record, I am not that small, I typically wear a size small in store bought clothing. I have yet to knit a “size small” sweater from a pattern that I am not swimming in. Though Vivian and O W L S have been smallish; my gauge was also tighter than recommended.

I cast on 28 stitches for the sleeves and 64 stitches for the body. I increased and decreased as the pattern specified. Please let me know if you are interested in the size-down specifics. The final sweater has about 3” of negative ease. I like the fit and am extremely happy I added length to the body. I have been wearing the sweater a lot. It is comfortable and warm.

Spokes and his new favorite toy.

Sweaters and the Solstice

2009-12-08T12:43:00.000-08:00

The Vivian Sweater (Ravelry Link)is finished except for weaving in the ends, sewing on the zipper and the pockets liners. I am planning on using the sewing machine, as I dislike hand sewing.

Unfortunately, winter solstice season is officially here. Winter solstice season often provides challenges for solar powered households as the sun is lower in the sky and the days are shorter. We have an especially difficult time because for twenty days before and after the solstice, the sun does not even crest the mountains. The solstice is also usually accompanied by winter storms, further blocking energy packed sunshine. We have a backup generator which will charge the battery bank. Typically the generator needs to run for four hours to fully charge the batteries and we can go four to six days between charging if we are conservative with power. That means no movies, baking (our gas oven has an electric assist), limited showers, and no sewing machine.

In the meantime I started the Syrup sweater featured in this winter’s edition of Interweave Knits. I wanted a quick knit after Vivian; I also wanted to try out Cascade 220. I knit up a sleeve in the past two days and am so far happy with the yarn. I chose the color because it reminds me of Kermit the Frog. I will be referring to this sweater as Kermit Gen 1 (Ravelry Link).

I recently cut and donated thirteen inches of hair (mine, not Spokes’s) to Locks of Love. I have wanted to donate for a while.

Zipping Lost

2009-11-25T14:23:00.000-08:00

I had to work in Denver on Monday. I thought I would stop at a fabric store to get the finishing fixings for my Vivian sweater.

The fabric is for lining the pockets.

I do not like visiting Denver, driving on freeways in cities makes me nervous. I acquired a car GPS last year which has helped. Unfortunately, it also gives me confidence to seek out things I wouldn’t normally attempt. I very often end up in a new part of town, way off track from my main destination. I’m always hungry when I’m lost.

The drive made me so nervous, I bought the wrong size zipper! Thank goodness for online stores, I bought two additional sizes. The online zippers, however, came in packages of two. Needless to say, I have an abundance of plastic, navy colored zippers. If you are in need of a 16”, 18”, or 20” dark blue zipper or have creative ideas on how I could use them, please let me know.

I am nearly finished with Vivian’s hood. I have company over the weekend and won’t have time to do the finishing.

I did buy some sale fleece for lining hats, I am in need of a new hat. The fleece is needed to keep the wind out.

not Bearing Arms

2009-11-17T14:57:00.000-08:00

I finished sleeves for my Vivian sweater last week. The fabric is much softer and the cables show better knit with US7 needles.

The weekend consisted mostly of knitting and taking Spokes to the dog park in Breckenridge. I am slightly obsessed with finishing this sweater; though the next planned project is much less spectacular.

Finished Project: Owls in Charge

2009-11-07T06:28:00.001-08:00

A few months ago I knit an Owls sweater in Cascade Ecological Wool size small/medium. The sweater was intended for my good friend, Rosemary. But after a brief journey to Minneapolis, Owls returned because it was too small. Eco Wool falls more into the worsted to heavy worsted category than bulky, so it produced a smaller sweater than the pattern suggested. The very small Owl fit me nicely and I have been wearing it often. I have slowly been working on another Owl sweater for Rosemary in a darker Eco Wool I had stashed. This time I knit a size large. Let’s hope it fits better.

Ravelry project: Owls In Charge

Pattern: O W L S by Kate Davies

Yarn: Cascade Ecological Wool

Size: I knit the pattern’s size large. The sweater is probably more of a medium

Needles: US9 for the ribbing and US10.5 for the body

Modifications: None

Pattern Reflections: The large needles, thick yarn, and stockingknit stitch make this a very quick knit.

Size and Fit Reflections: I tried the sweater on. It is larger than I typically care for but nice and cozy. Hopefully it will fit Rosemary nicely.

The skies have been clear all week. Here is a photo of Pike's Peak from yesterday. The 14,110 ft mountain is about 75 miles away.

Friday Photos: Valley Sunrise

2009-11-06T08:12:00.000-08:00

Every morning pink sunlight fills the valley. I feel so fortunate to experience this each day.

Finished Projects: Felted Mittens

2009-11-05T08:44:00.000-08:00

I’ve gifted countless knitted items over the years, more scarves and hats than I can count; fingerless gloves and socks, sweaters and vests. I am fairly sure most items were appreciated. However, of all the knitted gifts over the years, it is the felted mittens that have been the most used, loved and abused. The first pairs went to Brian and Rosemary. Brian completely wore the mittens out over two hockey seasons. I once caught him stealing Rosemary’s mittens before a hockey game.

Last winter I made Dave a pair; he was skeptical but now you won’t catch him outside without them. They even survived Spokes’s puppyhood sharp, Paraná teeth and all.

(Freddie and Neutral Mittens)

The felted wool provides protection from moisture and keeps hands warm, but not too warm. They are perfect for cross country skiing, walking, snowball fights, and cold-weather cycling. I am sure Brian would endorse the mittens for outdoor hockey rink maintenance as well.

(Purple and Striped Mittens)

This most recent batch of mittens will be deployed to Brian in Victor (Neutral Mittens), Luke in Washington (Freddie Mittens), and Dave’s sister Sue in Philly (Purple and Striped Mittens).

(Mittens Pre-Felting)

Ralvery Projects: Neutral Mittens (size large), Freddie Mittens (size large), and Purple and Striped Mittens (size medium)

Pattern: Snow Country Felted Mittens AC-17 from Fiber Trends

Yarn: Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Bulky for Neutral and Freddie and two strands of worsted held together for Purple

Needles: US10.5

Started: October 20, 2009

Finished November 1, 2009

Modifications: None

Pattern Reflections: Wonderful pattern, clearly written, easy to follow.

(Freddie Mittens)

Finished Projects: Scrap Hats

2009-11-02T10:47:00.000-08:00

Finished Projects: Scrap Hats

I plan on re-starting Vivian soon. In the meantime I have been knitting up Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride bulky scraps into hats and mittens. I have a plethora of LPB in earth tones. The hats knit up so nice.

I recently knit several sweater of Cascade Eco Wool. Which is a good utilitarian yarn, but LPB knits up softer, brighter, and has better stitch definition. LPB also stays nicer, my sweaters knit in Cascade Eco Wool turned into a pilling nightmare.

All three hats were knit with LPB and US 10.5 needles.

Hat1 is a man’s hat as it is fairly large (CO 72 stitches). I felted all the joins so I wouldn’t have any ends to weave in. This hat will probably be sent off to Rob in Montana.

Dave liked Hat1 so much, he asked me to make him a smaller version, hence, Hat2 (CO 66 stitches). I used a spiral decrease for Hat1 and Hat2 (Evenly distribute seven or eight stitch markers. Knit2together before each marker every round until six stitches remain).

Hat3 is from the Knitty Winter 2006 Center Square pattern. Except I CO 72 stitches instead of 66. The hat is very large and fit for a man with a medium to large head. Unfortunately, the color scheme isn’t really appropriate for a male disposition. I will probably add a fleece liner to make the hat fit a woman. It is going to be very very warm. It does not have a designated recipient.

It has been nice and sunny the past few days. Spokes’s favorite combination: sun and snow. The sun warms him up and the snow cools him down.

First Big Snow

2009-11-01T12:58:00.000-08:00

Colorado’s first big winter storm hit last Wednesday.

We got about 24 inches of snow in twelve hours. It was a beautiful storm; the next day was beautifully clear and cold.

Though the same storm hit my area as Denver, the snow up here is much dryer and will not melt until spring. The wind picked up Friday so some of the snow evaporated in the dry air, but most of it just moved around and started drifting. I mark the official start of winter when we have to haul groceries in on a sled.

We had a mile trek to the cars until Friday night when the county plowed the road. We were lucky to make it within a mile.

Spokes’s First Bath

2009-10-28T11:07:00.000-07:00

Cohabitating with a Newfoundland has certain grooming requirements. Frequent brushing are required if you don’t want the inside of you house to take on its own furry appearance. Brushing also helps to ward off puppy dreads (mats). We have been religiously brushing Spokes since he came home so he only occasionally gets a mat. They usually appear around his ears after play sessions with other dogs.

The hair on his belly is getting very long and he doesn’t like his unmentionables brushed. I decided to have his privates shaved (very typical in long haired dogs and people). Since we would be at the groomer anyway, let’s get a bath. I say “let’s” because, well, all dogs shake and newfies can project a lot of water.

New Toys and a Knitting Dilemma

2009-10-27T15:22:00.000-07:00

I started a Vivian sweater. Swatching made me nervous so I started with the sleeve. I am glad I started non-committal; I will be frogging.

My initial swatches were with a US7 and US6 needles. US7 met recommended gauge exactly, however, I am afraid the pattern’s smallest size will be too large for me (and this sweater is for me darn-it). US6 needles yielded a swatch ½ inches shy recommended gauge over 4 inches, correlating to a size 28 to 30 inch chest. I cast on for the sleeve with US6 and the fabric is far too tight. I am worried the tightness will take away from the cables. So Little Half-Sleeve: FROG-YOU. I will re-cast for the sweater on US7. The sweater will probably be larger than I like; if it is too large, I am sure I can find a willing donor.

On the cool new toys front, I recently purchased a new camera.

I am amazed at the photo quality; I can’t wait to get to know him/her better (Dave insists on assigning gender to inanimate objects).

Here are some photos from Fruita two weekends ago.

Spokes and his favorite new squirrel-like plush toy, Squirrelly. No squirrels or squirrel-like plush toys were injured in this photo shoot (Squirrelly was born without ears, I swear).

Finished Projects: Cold Sherry

2009-10-25T09:46:00.000-07:00

Cold Sherry was knit as a birthday gift for my friend Jodi who loves scarves. I, personally, despise the monotony of knitting scarves; but Jodi deserves the sacrifice. I chose the Cold Mountain pattern because if knit with lace weight it would be light enough to double as a scarf, yet wide enough to serve as a stole at a formal occasion (read: occasion women are expected to wear dressing composing of little material). A functional piece, after some overly-air-conditioned events this summer, I may need to make a similar item for myself.

Ravelry Project: Cold Sherry

Pattern: Cold Mountain, Knitty Summer 2009

Yarn: Knit Picks Shimmer in Sherry (1.5 skeins)

Needles: US2

Started: August 23

Finished: September 15

Modifications: knit an extra pattern repeat of the central panel

Pattern Reflections: Patterns for lace scarves are usually straightforward: follow the chart. This pattern was no different. A beautiful design.

Project Reflections: I put myself under a lot of pressure to finish this on time. I worked hard. I set a daily quota (with slacker-time built in) and stuck to it. I even finished a little early. I also learned lace knitting with wooden needles is frustrating even if the needles are pointy. After blocking I could not find the section I decided to switch from US3 to US2 needles.

I am not a blocking fan but blocking is a requirement for this type of project. I started just pin blocking and realized: 1) I would need a lot more pins and 2) I couldn’t get the edges straight enough. I then used the string blocking method which worked like a charm.

I have enough yarn left over for another scarf/stole. I will probably select a different pattern, but this isn’t my last large lace project.

New Mexico Air

2009-10-24T07:13:00.000-07:00

I needed to visit a project in Carlsbad, New Mexico (about 6 hours south of Albuquerque). Instead of driving, I opted to take a small commuter flight from Albuquerque to Carlsbad on New Mexico Airlines. The fleet consists of several very new Cessna Grand Caravan planes, a six-ish passenger single prop air-travel-mobile.

Image from: http://www.stratosjets.com

The cabin was not pressurized so the plane stayed around 12,000 feet (nearly the elevation of the abode). The low elevation and New Mexico’s dry atmosphere combined for beautiful aerial scenery.

The cabin does not contain a separation between passengers and pilots, so one could see all the fancy gauges and nifty hear-phones the flight crew wore. Taking off and landing also provided a very weightless feeling. I now understand the exhilaration small-aircraft pilots feel.

I would highly recommend flying New Mexico Air for the experience, truly unique.

Return

2009-10-23T15:11:00.000-07:00

After a series of long journeys, I have finally returned home. I have been traveling two months for work; returning only long enough to pack for the next destination (I did laundry in the hotels). After several weeks in San Francisco, a week in Carlsbad, New Mexico, many weeks in Craig, Colorado, a wedding in Arizona, a funeral in northern Michigan, and a bike trip to Fruita; I am ready to be home for a while. I don’t even want to travel to town. Who needs groceries?

During my leave, I saw little of fall and the changing leaves. Spokes and I did get out for only a single hike before the first big snow (September 23).

I did manage to get some knitting during my travels; I finished some projects, and met the deadlines.

Friday Flowers

2009-09-12T20:06:00.001-07:00

Friday Flowers

2009-08-28T11:46:00.000-07:00

Changing Leaves and Cold Mountains

2009-08-26T13:00:00.000-07:00

I was out of town last week. Look what surprised me upon return.

Leaves changing color means there will be snow soon (YEH!). There aren’t very many deciduous trees (trees that shed leaves in winter) at 11,400 feet; in fact, there aren’t many native deciduous trees in Colorado. Quaking Aspens are the only species I know that grows above the 10,000 feet elevation. They like sunny slopes and at higher elevations and typically grow on south facing slopes. There is one small grove, about fifteen trees, near the house on the other side of the valley. However, many of the broad-leaved bushes are deciduous and turn the valley floor various shades of red and yellow.

Since autumn is nearly upon us, a Cold Mountain stole seems an appropriate project. I am knitting with three skeins of Knit Picks Shimmer in Sherry. This stole is designated for a friend’s birthday in late September. A fairly aggressive deadline considering my travel schedule, but I am determined to hold an 18 rows per day quota. I am naming the stole Cold Sherry.

I committed another knitting taboo while starting this project: after two inches I changed from a US3 to US2. My US3 needles were wooden and the yarn was not sliding correctly. I do not think/hope the change will be noticeable after blocking.

Frosting Makes Everything Taste Good

2009-08-25T16:17:00.000-07:00

Lately it seems my bananas have been getting very mooshed on the way home from the grocery store. Banana Cupcakes from Moosewood Simple Suppers seemed like a good solution. I substituted apple sauce for the oil and added some cinnamon. I made frosting from 4 oz cream cheese, ¼ cup yogurt, and powdered sugar (= LOTS of frosting). They turned out super yummy, so much so that Dave made it through the batch by the end of the weekend. I froze the extra frosting, temporarily. It has since been used up in a second batch of cupcakes.

I spent last week in San Francisco. Paper Cut’s stitch pattern and color scheme have a remarkable resemblance to the Holiday Inn’s carpet. I swear, this was not planned. Who wouldn’t want to base all knit design and coloring on hotel style? I am through the thumb increase but will probably rip back to the ribbing. The fabric is too dense, I will increase the needle size from a US2 to either a US3 or US4.

While I was away, the postman brought a most wonderful gift. Yarn for two projects and more exciting: a yarn brick maker. I despise yarn ball winding and haven’t been able to sway Dave towards the meditative qualities.

The large brown ball is an entire skein of Cascade Ecological Wool. The inexpensive Knit Picks ball winder handled the quantity and weight without a problem. The red yarn is Knit Picks Shimmer in Sherry.

Friday Flowers

2009-08-21T10:52:00.001-07:00

Bristlecone Pines

2009-08-19T08:31:00.000-07:00

Bristlecone Pines are often believed to be the oldest living things on earth, some nearing 5,000 years. Groves can be found in Colorado, Nevada, California, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. The oldest specimens are located just below tree line. The trees grow very slowly; as a result, their wood is very dense and resistant to insect, fungi, and disease infestations.

The trees don’t grow very large and are often multi-trunked, twisted, and knotted. Low elevation Bristlecone pines can grow larger but usually have shorter lives and are more susceptible to disease and forest fire.

There is a bristle cone pine grove near my house. The pine cones are currently in their sappy state. Each tree is covered with cones, suggesting the trees are in good health. It is fascinating how this species thrives in such harsh conditions. The colder and windier the environment, the older the tree will live.

Cotopaxi

2009-08-18T11:44:00.000-07:00

I spent much of last week hiking in and around a canyon between Salida and Cotopaxi, Colorado. We were hauling monitoring equipment up for geological evaluation; lots of heavy cumbersome monitoring equipment: cement, poles, solar panels, and the like.

I am still pulling Cholla cacti thorns out of my flesh.

In a sadistic way, I had a lot of fun. The view provided an interesting angle really puts driving on Colorado roads in prospective.

Good Night Strawberry Hill

2009-08-16T11:40:00.000-07:00

Strawberry Hill is officially asleep, not permanently but for a few months. I have some deadline knitting: a larger OWLS sweater for Rosemary, a birthday scarf for Jodi. I also need some warm woolies for myself this winter which is creeping up. The front and back of Strawberry Hill are finished; leaving short sleeves and edging. I am not planning on knitting the hood. I feel this is a good stopping point and the sweater should be a quick finish at a later date.

In the meantime, I started Rosemary’s OWLS sweater. I am using left over yarn from Brian’s Durrow Sweater. I finished the sleeves in two days! The body should finish quickly. I also bought a new car; a 1980 Jeep Wagoneer. I am so excited about the Jeep; it is going to be unstoppable in winter while maintaining a shy dorkiness.

Summer Laundry

2009-08-07T08:04:00.000-07:00

Shortly after moving into the house last summer, we purchased a high efficiently washing machine. It didn’t get much use until November (when our solar panels were installed and working); we didn’t have electricity between August and November. Throughout the winter, we rationed one load of laundry a week. The well pump is the biggest power draw and, hence, on a strict water ration. Time around the winter solstice is challenging because a mountain in the south blocks sunlight low in the sky.

During the summer the sun is high in the sky and the battery bank charges up before noon. Laundry (minus the wear and tear on the washer) is free and as long as the sky is cloud-free I can run as many loads as I wish. I can also hang the clean, wet laundry outside; a bonus because it dries faster and the living room doesn’t feel like a fort.

Preparation for the Dark Months

2009-08-06T09:53:00.000-07:00

I purchased this oil lamp from a gallery in Manitou Springs. It is made from a Keweenaw-area stone; my fascination with economic geology started when I was living in the Keweenaw. The area became a famous mining town in the 1840s; known primarily for it deposits of massive boulders of native copper. How such a remote area developed (and later fizzled) is nearly as fascinating as its unique geology. A deposit similar in either makeup or scale has not been found anywhere else in the world.

The light of the flames reflects brilliantly off the flecks of native copper. Oil lamps are essential in the winter when we don’t make enough power to use the lights and darkness comes early.

Brrr

2009-08-05T15:40:00.000-07:00

Cities across the country are reporting record high temperatures. The outdoor thermometer on the porch has never reported realistic temperatures; but this saucer of rainfall suggests a little more than a chill in the air. Can we expect a snowstorm before August is through?

Owls recently came back from Minnesota. It is a little too small for its intended wearer but it fits me nicely. Warm, wooly sweaters come in handy at 11,400 feet, even in the summers.

I am getting frustrated with Strawberry Hill because Owls has been so useful. I am anxious to knit more big wooly sweaters (first a new, larger Owls for Rosemary). Despite the anxiety, Strawberry Hill (Apres Surf Hoodie) is coming along; I am to the front placket separation.

In preparation for the cooler seasons, I started some End Paper Mitts(Ravelry Link); let us call them Paper Cuts.

Friday Flowers

2009-07-31T16:20:00.000-07:00

Finished Project: Trilobite Hat for Steve

2009-07-28T07:43:00.000-07:00

Trilobites were an early marine arthropod species. Arthropods are invertebrates with exoskeletons; modern arthropods include insects, spiders, and crustaceans. Currently, over 20,000 known trilobite species are preserved in the fossil record with at least one new species discovered each year. Fossil sizes range from 1 mm to 2 feet long; trilobites were thought to be scavengers, predators, and filter feeders. There is strong scientific evidence suggesting some species co-evolved with a food source.

Trilobites suffered two extinctions during the Permian period. The first species extinction is thought to have limited diversity, making the species more susceptible during the Late Permian Mass Extinction. Thought the causes of the Late Permian Mass Extinction are debatable, it is estimated more than 90% of maritime life forms and 70% of terrestrial species were lost. Trilobites had a 300 million year existence and still play a major role in understanding evolutionary science.

Disclaimer: model not Steve; model's head much smaller than Steve's

This hat is a belated birthday/thanks for being such a great guy gift for my friend Steve.

Ravelry Project: Trilobite 1

Pattern: Knitty Trilobite, Summer 2009

Yarn: Cascade Ecological Wool

Needles: US7

Started: July 25, 2009

Finished: July 27, 2009

Modifications: Knit only five rows of ribbing and used a bulky yarn. I think I remember Steve having a large-ish head, so hopefully it will fit.

Pattern Reflections: Great pattern! Very easy to follow and knit up; fast and fun to knit up.

Spokes and I visited Fairplay’s Burro Days. Oddly, Burro Days was heavily llama influenced. At first the llamas caused Spokes some confusion (he almost barked). Spokes isn’t the strongest barker; the only time he has barked in the past few months is when he sees a moose.

The flowers are still growing strong.

Thursday Flowers

2009-07-23T15:35:00.000-07:00

Strawberry Got Back

2009-07-21T10:30:00.000-07:00

The back panel for Strawberry Hill is finished, finally. Once through the stockingknit along the bottom, the lace went quickly. But who wants to knit when the sky is blue and the ground is, mostly, snow-free?

So far I have increased the sweater length one inch on the grounds I like sweaters longer and cotton may shrink. As an afterthought, cotton may also grow. I may end up with a cute, green dress. I am also leaving off the hood. This sweater will not be warm enough to wear at 11,400 feet, where I sometimes use hoods to keep the bugs off my hair (yes: no snow = lots of biting bugs). There would be no need to wear a hood in Denver.

I have not yet been able to make sense of the provisional cast on technique illustrated in Interweave Knits. I used the chain stitch provisional technique instead. Casting on with a crochet hook verifies my crocheting ineptitude.

Some more midsummer flowers:

Monarch Crest

2009-07-20T14:48:00.000-07:00

I have been giving the single speed (and myself) some riding love lately. I rode Monarch Crest trail near Salida two weekends ago and Kenosha to Georgia Pass last weekend. Two wonderful, Colorado Trail rides!

(Clear Creek)

Monarch Crest especially defines Colorado Mountain biking. The views are wonderful; much of the ride is above treeline.

(Indian Paintbrush)

(Purple Wild Diasy)

Friday Flowers

2009-07-10T08:16:00.000-07:00

Blue Columbines, Colorado's state flower, have started blossoming on exposed south facing slopes. Wild flowers' resiliency amazes me.

Introduction: Strawberry Hill

2009-07-09T16:08:00.000-07:00

This yarn and color combination reminds me of wild strawberries, just before ripening. The color of the berry when it isn’t green, but most certainly isn’t yet red. This color combination reminds me of the wild strawberries at 11,400 feet: where the berries can’t quite ripen before the first frost destroys them.

I am currently working on turning the pile of yarn into the Apres Surf Hoodie. Spokes and I have been noticing lots of wild strawberries blossoming on our morning walks.

(view from morning walk)

I doubt many of the flowers will ever yield bright, tiny fruits. I dedicate this sweater to all the little plants trying so hard to make bright red berries.

Wednesday Flowers

2009-07-08T10:57:00.000-07:00

Finished Project: O W L S

2009-07-07T07:36:00.000-07:00

Ravelry Project: Owls

Pattern: O W L S by Kate Davies

Yarn: Cascade Ecological Wool

Started: June 1, 2009

Finished: June 30, 2009

Needles: US9 and US10.5

Modifications: none

Pattern Reflections: The pattern is very clear and easy to follow. I will probably be knitting another sweater for another friend because the pattern knits up so quickly and fits so nicely.

Yarn Reflections: Cascade Eco Wool is a great staple yarn: economical, environmental, earth tones. It softens up when washing.

Size and Fit Reflections: The sweater has been shipped, hopefully it will fit.

Up Next: Apres Surf Hoodie (Strawberry) in a bright green with pale pink offsets. The colors remind me of strawberries even though the pink is no where near strawberry red. I have been reading more than knitting and haven’t been able to motivate myself to start.

Finished Project: Funky Sweater Vest

2009-07-06T17:26:00.000-07:00

Ravelry Project: Funky Sweater Vest

Pattern: #36 Geometric Vest from Vogue Knitting, Fall 2008

Yarn: Louisa Harding Grace Silk & Wool

Size: XXS

Needles: US4

Started: May 6, 2009

Finished: May 30, 2009

Pattern Reflections: I only followed the color chart

Yarn Reflections: The bold yarn colors first struck me several years ago. I’ve knit a hat and was impressed with the softness; so soft it could be worn against the skin. I also like the sheen the silk creates. The color combinations, softness, and sheen are perfect for this design.

Size and Fit Reflections: I love the sweater: how it feels, how it fits, how it looks on. I designed the sweater for a 28” bust which seems to be perfect for me.

Up Next: O W L S for my friend Rosemary in Cascade Ecological Wool; boring grey. Should be a fast knit. Here are some wild flowers in the meantime.

Wild Flowers

2009-07-03T09:09:00.000-07:00

Colorado has been having a wonderfully wet summer. The rain has been producing a spectacular variety of wildflowers. I find a new variety everyday. I’m going to start posting them a few at a time; sorry, I need to study more in order to identify them.

Mt. Sherman

2009-07-02T15:27:00.000-07:00

Active Colorado residents are obsessed with hiking peaks over 14,000 feet (14ers). There are several hiking guides specifically mapping 14ers; each hiking guide lists my driveway as an alternative trailhead for Mt. Sherman (14,036 feet). All last summer hikers wandered up the driveway looking for the trailhead. Dave and I searched but have not been able to find a trail.

Since the snow pack is finally down and we had a non-rainy day; we decided to look for the mysterious mountain. The day was wonderfully sunny and the wild flowers were out in full force.

We bushwhacked up the steep ridge behind the house. Once we crested the ridge, we could make out Mt. Sherman. There were many mine claim markers, many new within the last year. This older claim marker was my favorite.

The view from the summit was spectacular. About ten people were on the summit when we arrived; none had taken our route. The summit was the only place we saw hikers all day. The hardest part of the hike was the very steep decent down the ridge wall. A very wonderful hike especially considering we didn’t have to drive anywhere.

I have hiked the valley floor extensively; from certain points you can make out a mountaintop just peeking above the ridge. I have often referred to this peak as “the nipple,” maps refer to it as Mt. Gemini (13,951 feet). On the way to Mt. Sherman, we passed Gemini which actually consists of two peaks. I found the alternative view comical.

New Foods

2009-06-26T07:29:00.000-07:00

I have recently discovered the cleverness of delivered groceries. Well not exactly delivered to my house, but they are delivered to the wonderful store in the nearest town: Almart (Alma, Colorado). Almart has everything from winter boots to Carhart jackets to organic milk. Every Monday I place a meat order which is ready for pickup on Thursday. The meat is brought in from Salida so it is all locally raised, slaughtered that day, and organic. Almart is also a drop point for Door to Door organics which surprises me every week with different fruits and vegetables.

The wonderful thing about Door to Door is the produce variation. The different vegetables encourage me to try making different things like zucchini muffins. I prefer all sweat breads and cakes in muffin form; they are easier to store, transport, and eat.

Sometimes my vegetable delivery includes things I have never tried before, like sweet broccoli.

Sweet Broccoli is an odd vegetable. Its stalk is slender and flexible like asparagus and edible. Despite the odd look, it still looks primarily like broccoli. The taste, however, is surprisingly similar to corn; without the cob of course. I am perplexed at how something so green can taste so…yellow.

I have started collecting bricks for a house project. There is an old mine on our property and I have been digging up the old bricks and hauling them down the hill four at a time. The stones are full of lichen and personality.

Hello Summer?

2009-06-20T17:10:00.000-07:00

Knitting has been slow and not-so-steady; I have been enjoying reading in the evenings more. The long days also mean more time to play outside with Spokes. Owls is a very very quick sweater; I knit a sleeve during a phone meeting last week. I want to finish it before June ends.

It would be nice to knit something lacey and summery; though I have a distinct feeling summer doesn’t come to 11,400 feet as summer comes everywhere else.

Even at the end of June we are getting snow accumulation every other night and the ground freezes every night. Somethings have managed to grow:

Finished-Unofficially

2009-06-10T19:10:00.000-07:00

I finished the Funky Sweater Vest; I think it may be my most favorite knit so far. I will include more pictures and specific knitting details later. I also knit four dish cloths for a friend in Canada and forgot to photograph them. I remembered after I put then in the special postal envelope but I couldn't figure out how to remove them without destroying the envelope.

I have a solid start on an Owls sweater for Rosemary even though there has been more reading than knitting. Wish me some vacation luck!

Rocky Mountain Revolution

2009-05-26T15:54:00.000-07:00

The snow is continuing to melt: the ponds are filling up

the streams are flowing

a sign of spring?

Mornings are no longer silent; the streams continuous roar is matched with the woodpeckers’ howling and pecking.

With the economy pinching; I have started to dent my shelf of books I haven’t read yet. This includes several mining history books. I recently finished The Rocky Mountain Revolution by Stewart Holbrook; publish in 1956. The book has been out of print for a while but I acquired a copy a few years ago.

The Rocky Mountain Revolution (by Stewart H. Holbrook) is the biography of Harry Orchard who became famous as a hit man for the Western Federation of Miners. Mr. Orchard wasn’t a sniper armed hit man as seen in the movies. His weapons of choice were bombs detonated by booby trap style triggers; for example, the explosive would detonate after a door was opened. Orchard revolutionized this style of assassination. Orchards most famous murders were the Independence Depot (Cripple Creek District) and former Idaho governor Frank Steunenburg.

After the Steunenburg murder; Orchard was caught. He played an important role in the American legal system: he submitted a detailed confession pointing figures at individuals he had ever been involved with. Bill Hayward, Charlie Moyer, and George Pettibone were prosecuted (and acquitted) in the Steunenburg murder. Mr. Orchard lived out his days in an Idaho prison.

I have read many books on various mining history topics; The Rocky Mountain Revolution ranks high on the favorites list. The story is interesting and the style is not as dry as most histories tend to be. However, I was annoyed my constant punctuation errors and mis-capitalized words.

Oh, The Tangled Webs We Knit

2009-05-15T14:57:00.000-07:00

The Funky Vest is my first intarsia project. The true art is trying to keep the yarn balls from forming a giant knot.

I chose to knit the back of the funky sweater vest first; since I’m making up the pattern as I go, I thought it would be easier to fine tune. The sweater in the magazine fits a little strange; but how could I resist this should-be-70s-polyester pattern?

After a negative experience (not a DK weight) with Grace yarn, I like its sheen and stitch definition. The colors are so vivid, as soon as I saw this pattern, I wanted to recreate it with this yarn.

We have been brushing Spokes since we brought him home because Newfoundlands leave hair everywhere; it always seems a waste to trash brush-full after brush-full of beautiful brown hair. A friend recently sent me this book:

Watch out Spokes!

Breaking News: Ground Has Been Spotted

2009-05-11T17:47:00.000-07:00

For a while one must wonder if snow simply doesn’t melt at 11,400 feet. But the past few weeks of warm weather have been taking effect. Now there can be hope that soon there will be a mountain bike season.

However, there is still a fair amount to go.

Dave has been more anxious than I for the snow to melt lately. So much so that Sunday he carved a tunnel allowing him to escape on his motorcycle.

We also lowered the solar panels 15 degrees to adjust for the sun higher in the sky. This small change increases our charging capacity by about 30 watts.

Finished Projects: Durrow

2009-05-06T17:54:00.000-07:00

Ravelry Project: Durrow

Pattern: My own but I used the cable patter from Durrow by Jodi Green

Yarn: Cascade Ecological Wool in black (dark brown)

Size: Large

Needles: Size 9 for body, size 8 for sleeve cuffs and collar

Started: April 6, 2009

Finished: April 30,2009

Modifications: Knit at a different gauge, 4x1 rib instead of 4x2, knit sleeves in the round, knit body in the round, knit in one piece, carried cable pattern onto the shoulders, knit the body and sleeves extra long.

Pattern Reflections: The only part of the pattern I used was the cable pattern on the sleeves. I am not happy with how the collar came out. I should have done short rows.

Yarn Reflections: This yarn is a great deal. It also knit up into a beautiful sweater without an exorbitant price tag. I definitely plan on knitting more projects with this yarn. My only complaint would be the balls were huge; a little hard to manage.

Size and Fit Reflections: I think the sweater is too big. I modeled the size from a sweatshirt of Dave’s, size large. Brian usually wears a size large but is a very skinny man. I think he usually likes his wool clothing big because of shrinkage. I was very specific about washing instructions (no dryer!). I think once he washes the sweater we may have to find a new home for the sweater.

Up Next: Funky Sweater Vest in Louisa Harding Grace Silk & Wool. I am pretty excited and half way through the back.

After modeling the sweater Brian and I embarked on a 70 mile mountain bike journey from Victor to Canon City and back via old railroad and stage coach roads. It was raining most of the time but not too cold. As always, the ride was beautiful as is spending time with an old riding friend.

Knitting Taboo: The Great Laundry Experiment

2009-04-29T15:39:00.000-07:00

Ninety percent of yarn states on the label: Hand Wash Only. This statement is even made when the yarn should be machine washable, like cotton. I understand one should treat their hand knits delicately, but hand washing? I have many wool sweaters and I wear them often, I am not motivated enough to do a load of hand wash every week. I also feel hand washing doesn’t get clothes clean enough and is difficult to get all the detergent out. I react poorly to lingering laundry detergent.

However, accidents happen. Some yarns perform poorly in the wash and some beloved sweaters are unintentionally sacrificed to the felting gods. To determine if any of my recent projects was at risk for a washing machine tragedy, I washed some swatches today. I carefully photographed the swatches pre-wash on a 1”x1” grid. Then placed each swatch in its own zippered pillow case (to determine and quarantine possible bleeders). Finally, I washed the pillow cased swatches with a full load of other wool clothing. I used the wool cycle: low spin, cold wash, cold rinse with some Woolite (another knitting taboo).

I swatched and washed each of the following hand wash only yarns (swatch displayed on unwashed garment):

Cascade Ecological Wool – 100% wool (not superwash)

Ella Rae Bamboo Silk – 70% bamboo, 30% silk

Laines du Nord Royal Cashmere – 100% cashmere

Conclusion: Each yarn performed wonderfully. By wonderfully I mean, nothing shrank, bled, or yielded adverse side effects. The samples feel so … clean.

I feel like a rebel, or at least I safely plan on rebelling in the future. I am confidant my unwashables can be machine washed (how empowering). What will I do with the extra time I save? Probably spend it with the new friends I make because I won’t smell.

April Showers Bring . . . . more snow

2009-04-26T17:32:00.000-07:00

I was in Utah last week for an instrumentation seminar. Oh, how nice it is to go a full five days without wearing long underwear. An individual is so free because gaiters are not required walking the dog. Goggles are not necessary for trekking to the car. In fact, in Utah one does not need to “trek” to the car at all. Another pleasure I indulged in: restaurants (other than the South Park Saloon). A side note: it is still snowing at 11,400 feet in Colorado.

The Yarn Fairy visited:

Most of the yarn in the box is designated for specific sweater knitting in the next two months. There are a few spare skeins of wool for felted mitten requests. There are also ten balls of fake fur yarn (in a natural badger color). Typically I am frightened by fake fur yarn but this was on spectacular sale. I just keep visualizing a fake fur bikini/cave girl chick costume. I may have to throw my own costume party!

Durrow is almost finished; thirty more rows. So close. I knit the sweater in one piece so the only seams are the arm pits. Since the Ecological Wool produced such very large balls, there will also be very few ends to weave in. All these quick finishings are a good thing because the sweater needs to be ready to go by Friday.

Though visiting sunny Utah was nice, I am glad to be home in the snow. The skiing is still good!

Knitting Injuries

2009-04-11T16:12:00.000-07:00

I have been chugging along on the Durrow sweater. A trip to Denver on Tuesday allowed several hours of car knitting. I have nearly finished the body in six days of knitting. This is the first sweater I have knit for a normal sized person (men’s size large). It is much faster knitting when your subject (usually myself) wears small sweaters. My quota for Thursday night was 2.5 inches or 13 rows. Nearing the end my elbow started to hurt and my hands have been cramping since.

(Pictured with my four year old rosemary plant that has recently gone through a growth spurt--I don't have a green thumb; but things don't grow at 11,400 feet, right?)

I took a night off of knitting and made some chocolate pudding. I like pudding and most things containing sugar; but chocolate has never been my thing. Dave likes it; I need to convert the receipt to plain vanilla or maybe get creative and try strawberry. I would highly recommend this receipt! It is fast and easy to make and not that unhealthy. I have also been using Arnica, a natural anti-inflammatory) on my hands and wrists.

So far I haven’t followed the Durrow pattern at all. My gauge is too big so I have had to recalculate the dimensions. I also am knitting a K4P1 rib instead of the pattern’s K4P2 rib. I am also knitting the pattern in the round. I haven’t read ahead at how the sleeves are attached but I don’t think I am going to follow the pattern attachment directions either. I liked the way the gables sweater came together I may repeat that technique. I will, however, work the cable pattern on the sleeves.

It has been snowing and sunny all day. The snow is evaporating instead of melting or accumulating. Colorado is strange. We drove to Morrison (West Denver) on Friday to bike and hike with some friends. Now my mountain biking bug is in full severity but there is still twenty feet of snow at our house. We rode anyway:

It wasn’t bad once we got to the plowed part of the road. I think I will continue to stick with skiing at least until our latest bout of fresh snow becomes crusty again.

Finished Project: Crazy Sweater (Intoxicating)

2009-04-05T15:15:00.001-07:00

Ravelry Project: Crazy Intoxicating

Pattern: Intoxicating by Kristi Porter from No Sheep for You (Singer)

Yarn: Ella Rae Bamboo Silk

Gauge: 21 stitches and 24 rows = 4 inches (17 stitches and 20 rows = 4 inches, blocked)

Size: 33” Chest

Needles: Size 6 for body, size 5 for sleeves and collar, size 3 for collar

Started: June 2008? (Put on hold for several months)

Finished: April 5, 2009

Modifications: Knitted with a worsted weight, sized down from pattern, increased length

Pattern Reflections: I fell in love with this sweater as soon as I saw it. I loved the colors the sample sweater was knit in. I am also a huge slip-stitch fan. I really don’t know why more patterns don’t incorporate this technique because it creates a stretchier fabric with better drape than fair isle. The pattern was very well written and I did not have any problems following it. The author even wrote out how to account for the increases and decreases in the lace sleeves. My only complaint is with the sizing; the smallest size is rather large; this is true of most knitting patterns but this pattern is especially skewed.

Yarn Reflections: It took me a long time to settle on a yarn for this project; I tried several and was not happy with the gauge or the drape. The pattern calls for a 100% silk yarn. I thought that a 50/50 silk bamboo yarn would produce a similar drape while giving me the opportunity to knit with bamboo. At the time the only 50/50 blend I could find was Ella Rae Bamboo Silk in a worsted gauge. I decided to go give it a go and make it work. I was in a conservative mood and went with muted colors. The yarn is amazingly soft and smooth and a pleasure to work with. The sweater has a delectable drape and feels wonderful against the skin. I want to cuddle and nuzzle the sweater.

Size and Fit Reflections: This was one of my early sizing down projects; I spent many evenings swatching and calculating in my Bakersfield hotel room. The smallest size the pattern gives directions for is a 35 inch chest; this is ridiculous! Most knitting patterns call a smallest size a 32 inch chest which is also ludicrous. A size XS store bought sweater would represent a 28 inch chest. Therefore a 35 inch chest is much more representative of a store size M. I went with the middle ground and calculated a pattern for a 33 inch chest. The finished sweater is a little big but I think it still looks nice on; it may eventually need to find a new home.

Modifications: My gauge was larger than the pattern gauge but my fabric didn’t grew as much as standard silk when swatched. I cast on only 87 stitches for the body. I added nearly two inches to the length. I also sized the pattern down slightly described above in more detail.

Up Next: I have already swatched and cast on for the Durrow sweater. More details in a later post.

The April snow keeps on coming! Snow equates to more skiing and more fun time for Spokes. Dave and Spokes worn out after skiing:

11400knits

Off to a Good Cause

More Snow and Vampires

Finished Project: Lotus (Stash Busting 2010)

New Backpack

April Stash Busting

Finished Project: Pink Hots (Stash Busting 2010)

Visitor and Finished Project: Citron (Stash Busting 2010)

Stash Busting 2010

Groundhogs and Gophers

Finished Project: Rusty Nail

Finished Project: Ski with the Fishies

Mitten Mending

Finished Project: Blue Fiddlehead Mittens and Booties

Museum of Glass

Finished Project: Vivian (Pocketed)

Seattle

Finished Projects: Dunce Ugh

Belated Happy New Year!

Finished Project: Kermit Generation 1

Sweaters and the Solstice

Zipping Lost

*not* Bearing Arms

Finished Project: Owls in Charge

Friday Photos: Valley Sunrise

Finished Projects: Felted Mittens

Finished Projects: Scrap Hats

First Big Snow

Spokes’s First Bath

New Toys and a Knitting Dilemma

Finished Projects: Cold Sherry

New Mexico Air

Return

Friday Flowers

Friday Flowers

Changing Leaves and Cold Mountains

Frosting Makes Everything Taste Good

Friday Flowers

Bristlecone Pines

Cotopaxi

Good Night Strawberry Hill

Summer Laundry

Preparation for the Dark Months

Brrr

Friday Flowers

Finished Project: Trilobite Hat for Steve

Thursday Flowers

Strawberry Got Back

Monarch Crest

Friday Flowers

Introduction: Strawberry Hill

Wednesday Flowers

Finished Project: O W L S

Finished Project: Funky Sweater Vest

Wild Flowers

Mt. Sherman

New Foods

Hello Summer?

Finished-Unofficially

Rocky Mountain Revolution

Oh, The Tangled Webs We Knit

Breaking News: Ground Has Been Spotted

Finished Projects: Durrow

Knitting Taboo: The Great Laundry Experiment

April Showers Bring . . . . more snow

Knitting Injuries

Finished Project: Crazy Sweater (Intoxicating)

not Bearing Arms