Adam's Nanny

Aibhlinn and Pi Shawl

I have been trying to organize all the free web patterns I have accumulated from various websites and Ravelry. They had been thrown into various files and books and when I start looking for a pattern, I have to go through mounds of pages, hoping when I finally find what I am looking for, that I didn't lose a page of the pattern. Now each one has been put into a sheet protector and this weekend I plan to categorize all my patterns and put them in loose-leaf binders.

 

This all started because I was searching through my patterns trying to find something that would be a little bit different and quick to knit.  I had printed out all the Knitty patterns and while leafing through them, I came across one that I really liked.  It is called the Aibhlinn, designed by Mary Burr.

 

 

I am knitting it in Misty Alpaca, but I am making a second one in cotton which is called for in the pattern. (Especially since Spring is right around the corner!) The pattern appears in the Winter 2004 edition of Knitty and the cowl is on the front cover of the emagazine.

 

I was a little hesitant when I saw I had to knit bobbles, but her instructions are precise and they were a lot of fun to do. I searched the Internet to see if there were any other Mary Burr patterns, but could not find anything.

 

I haven’t abandoned my Pi Shawl (directions are in Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitters Alamanac.

 

 

 

I can't say that I am an Elizabeth Zimmerman groupie since I could never finish a Baby Surprise sweater, but her instructions for the Pi Shawl are very easy to follow.  I started it a few times but the needles I was using were too small plus the plain version  was just too boring to continue.  So knowing that I was going to start over, I tried adding the button hole stitches which made it look much nicer and broke up the tedium of just knitting around and around. (There is also a lace alternative.)  If you haven’t seen Jared’s beautiful Pi Shawl on his website BrooklynTweed.  Take a look. It’s not to be missed; in fact everything he creates is beautiful.   

 

 

Looking on the Bright Side

It wasn't exactly the weekend I had planned, but you have to look on the bright side of everything.  Due to a family emergency, I had to leave Atlantic City early in the morning after one night's stay.  Fortunately, by the time I got home things had worked out and it only resulted in me making some phone calls and a trip to the West Coast was not necessary.

On the bright side, I did get the one night and the weather over the weekend was beautiful.  I had a lovely room overlooking the ocean and I did finish re-knitting my son's scarf.  This was the original scarf that I knitted in garter stitch, which turned out to be too loose.

 

And here is the reworked scarf done in a knit two, purl two rib stitch.

 

The colors show up much better here.

Since I was home from work yesterday, I had a chance to take some photos.  Here is the Warm Wooliesblanket I completed.  A 40" square done on the diagonal.

 

And the "Kata" scarf  from Mindful Knitting by Tara Jon Manning.  I think this would be lovelier if made with a different yarn.  I would like to do this again using a different fiber.  This was made with the Punta yarn.

Since I finished a lot of my "unfinished projects" and gave away the stash that I knew I would never use, I am ready to start another blanket and work on my socks.

 

 

 

 

My Knitting Weekend

I am taking some vacation time to go off on my own little knitting retreat.  Since Mr. Trump was nice enough to offer me free rooms for two nights, I thought, why not.  I can go to Atlantic City, have a nice big room all to myself, sleep late, knit all I want and if the weather is nice I can walk on the boardwalk and I don't have to gamble. If I discover some knitting stores on my drive down, that will be a nice bonus. So I have packed my yarn and needles and I'm ready to head out tomorrow morning.  I'm  staying at a friend's tomorrow night, which will cut the trip in half and then head down for two days of knitting and relaxation.

 Last night was Purl Girls night at Chez Marie. Our group just keeps growing, which is wonderful.  When I joined the group, there was about six or eight of us on any given Thursday, now we are at twenty and most of the women are outstanding knitters.  Fortunately, for the rest of us, they have been instrumental in introducing more involved projects and encouraging us to take to take them on.   

With this large group there is always something happening, and last night Maggie and Robin showed up later than usual because they had spent the afternoon at the Lion Brand store seeing Nicky Epstein. (Maggie knitted the gold dress shown in Nicky's new book, "Knitting on Top of the World"). We got to examine a copy and the book is lovely and filled with beautiful photos and patterns. Maggie also was  modeling Nicky's new anniversary silk scarf, which I have put on my wish list.

Rodica modeled another of her beautiful sweaters last night that she had designed and I'm sorry I don't have a photo to show it off.  We are all trying to encourage her to get her patterns out there.  She is able to just sit down and create the most amazing garments without any patterns.  She is truly gifted.

A lot of us in the group love all the new knitting gadgets that come out and while exploring Dreamweavers Yarns, I saw the Knit Kit, what they are calling  the Swiss Army Knife for Knitters.  It isn't available yet but it can be pre-ordered, so I made sure I was on the pre-order list.  I couldn't wait to get to knitting to mention it and of course, people already knew about it and were on a waiting list to buy it.  If you are curious, you can check it out here. Of course, your LYS will probably have it shortly too.

Knitting for Warm Woolies

 

 

 I seem to be at a crossroads with my knitting.  There are so many beautiful yarns and patterns out there but nothing is motivating me. There are a few things on my wish list, pretty socks, anotherclapotis knitted in the “perfect” yarn, and a beautiful lace shawl. Right now I think my heart, and hands, are finding joy in charity knitting. 

 

This morning I printed all the patterns from the Warm Woolies website and put them into a binder and this weekend (when I am away on my own little knitting retreat) I can start knitting one of the vests. I'm not going to go on and on about why I was drawn to Warm Woolies, but if you have minute or two, you can read about them on their website and understand why I was drawn to knit for these children.  I am hoping by mentioning their website, I will encourage someone to do the same.

 

As you can see here, I have lots of purple yarn from the sweater shawl that wasn’t completed and I can't think of a better way to put all this yarn to use.  I am sure I can get a few children’s vests and maybe a hat or two out of it.

 

 

 

I am just finishing a blanket.  The minimum size for a Warm Woolies blanket is 40 inches and I am almost there.

 

If you have the urge to do a little charity knitting, but don’t want to take on an entire project there is a wonderful group on Ravelry, Knit a Square for Warm Woolies.

     

You only have to knit a seven inch square.  The squares are sent to a central location and members of the group are sewing the squares together for blankets.  The squares should be knitted using two strands of yarn or a heavy worsted weight.  What a great way to use up all those odd balls of  yarn you have sitting in your stash.

 

To create a square cast on four stitches, next row knit two, yarn over and knit until you reach the end of the row.  Continue increasing this way until the piece measures seven inches and then start to decrease by knitting the first stitch, knit two together, yarn over, knit two together.  Do this every row until you are down to four stitches and cast off.  You should end up with a perfect square, knitted on the diagonal.  (Or just keep on going and create a blanket if you are ambitious.) 

 

Here are a few of the squares that I sent in last year.