A Hectic, Activity, Learning-filled Day!

Today was one of those days when there were way more activities calling me than I could possibly do, so I had to make some choices.  Not being the best of travelers, it was not as hard to fink out on the trip to Boston.  The Joann Fabrics and Crafts people wanted me to come and knit with them at their monthly open house.  That was not possible to choose because at the same time was the annual knitting retreat in Hanover AND the last day of RootsTech 2014 in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Each of the three days of the conference there were multiple live sessions streamed over the internet.  Each day there were some that I really wanted to attend, the most of which were today, so...no open house.  It was possible to go to the knitting retreat for a couple of hours, but then I headed for home, via the gasoline station as the truck was operating on fumes....

At the retreat I love to take some knitterly things that I no longer needed or loved to put on the "Re-Homing" table.  Sometimes there are things on this table that I want to bring home with me.  Today I found some yarn to use to make a prayer shawl for the church which so kindly hosts the retreat. I also found a skein of dark green Bartlettyarn which I had looked for in my own wool stash to make another watch cap, but only found a partial ball, even though I was sure I had a full ball.  Now I do.

Rushing home I was torn up because the internet was not working!  I could not believe it.  After about six or eight minutes the internet finally lit up the screen.  By that time the opening session (about becoming an Ipad genealogy power user!) was surely well started. I saw a black screen such as you see on YouTube but nothing was showing.  After a few minutes I noticed the tweets on the side of the webpage where someone mentioned that they had had to restart their webpage. Immediately I did that and clicked on the little right-racing arrow and immediately Lisa Louise Cooke was there in full color.  At that moment I realized I could have just clicked on the little arrow at any time.  Was my face red, and was I ripped with my ignorance.  That particular session at RootsTech was fabulously useful...as were some others.

Because I am working on my Family History Writing Challenge this month, I still needed to make the recipe for today, so during the break between sessions I quickly made  up the batter for Chocolate Crinkle Cookies and, in lieu of putting in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight, I put it into the freezer for one hour (during the second session!), then during the break started baking cookies and washing dishes.

The cookies all came out well.  I was able to finish the tubular cast-on for another watch cap that I started at the knitters' retreat, and then pulled out because I had forgotten the critical point of only casting on half the total number of stitches.  The second time I cast on for it I made another gross error and pulled it out.  The third time I cast on, I decided to do something else.  This was all happening during the introductions part of the program at the retreat.  I had started by ripping out a previous hat I had made which was big enough for a lion or some other great creature but not for any humans I have ever met, more is the pity because I was pretty pleased with it.  Just goes to show:  knit a gauge swatch. ALWAYS!

So after the third cast-on of the watch, I picked up some cotton yarn and knit up a round washcloth from memory. It looked like it was right. I finished it during the Lisa Louise Cooke session of RootsTech.

Size 8 needles with cotton yarn and casting on 15 stitches.

Barbara Walker Learn To Knit Afghan Projects, Square 27 and Square 28

These squares look really complicated.  They are not.  A little attention to detail does not go amiss, however!

Square 27 is called Wickerwork.  It is worked with Right Twists and Left Twists which are quite simple.  Barbara gives two methods to knit these twists so you can choose your poison.

Cast on 48 stitches which is a multiple of 8 stitches.

Square 27:  Wickerwork

Square 28 is called Twining Rib Pattern.  This also has Right Twists and Left Twists.  They are easy.  It does help to have a row counter to keep you on the straight and narrow.

This is knit in a light blue, which does not show up well.  Cast on 48 stitches...multiple of 6 stitches this time.

When I start blocking these blocks I will show them again. I believe they will be MUCH more attractive at that time. 

This book is so useful and enjoyable.  I do recommend getting your own copy and going to work on knitting your own afghan.  A few weeks before Christmas I decided I would finish this afghan as a "gift" for my husband.  Such a great idea...but no way to pull it off.  Now I am thinking: next Christmas!

Square 28: Twining Rib Pattern

Barbara Walker Learn To Knit Afghan Project, Square 25 and Square 26

Square 25 is named Wave. It really does look like a wave.  It was pretty easy to knit.  Cast on 44 stitches and uses a multiple of 9 stitches plus 8.

Square 25 Wave

Square 26 is called Twisted Columns and worked rather well.  You will note, yet again, my tolerance for error.  I think this sort makes the block a little bit interesting because one wonders, "How did she do that in a very simple pattern?!"  There is no good answer, but it probably has to do with trying to do more than one thing at once!

This is a two-color design.  Cast on 44 stitches, using a multiple of 10 stitches plus 4.

Slouchy Leftover Hat

This hat was knit up rather quickly as a potential gift.  I had my doubts about its acceptability which turned out to be correct!

The hat was knit on 16" US 11 circular needles holding two strands of Bartlettyarn (which is worsted weight/heavy worsted weight) together throughout.  You could use a bulky yarn.

Cast on 64 stitches and knit in K2, P2 ribbing for 3 inches.

Knit one round plain, increasing 5 stitches evenly.

Knit plain (knit every stitch in every round) until you are ten inches (or a little more) from cast on edge.

K4, knit 2 together around.

K3, knit 2 together around.

K2, knit 2 together around.

K1, knit 2 together around.

Knit 2 together around. If necessary, continue this final decreasing until you have only 6-8 stitches left on needle.  Break yarn leaving plenty of tail to go through stitches, pull tightly and secure. Finally, weave in ends.

This is a very sturdy and somewhat slouchy hat.  If you want it slouchier, use softer yarn, perhaps some which is already bulky weight.  I carried one color throughout, adding new colors as I ran out of the previous color.  A pretty quick knit, but next time I will use metal needles instead of bamboo as the bamboo did what they do best, stick to the yarn do it does not slip off needles!

Since I rather like this hat myself, I may be wearing it out in the cold soon!