Bookmark aka Bracelet

I spent about 2 days searching out the right beads to add to the bracelet. Three visits and two bead shops later I audition the all of the beads you see in the picture. I tried stringing them and was not satisfied with the way that didn't stay in place and had a tendency to slip to the back. I decided that I would go with the tried and true method that I used for the socks: using a .5mm crochet hook. I ended up using 6mm beads.

The trick is to knit the row with the yarn over as usual. THEN on the return row slip the yo off with the crochet hook that already has a bead slipped onto its neck and slide the bead on over to the yo. You then knit the yo which has its own little bead choker on its base and voila-its been bling'd.

Here's a site for visuals on how to do the crochet hook method.http://knitting.about.com/od/knittingskills/ss/bead-as-knit_3.htm.

In many ways I am relieved that this seems the best all around method because one day I just might be thunderstruck by some beaded shawl pattern and I just know that I would not be able to bear threading 2,000 weeny little beads ahead of time.

The yarn info: I had some leftovers from a crochet pattern that I wrote up for Amy Swenson's "Sensual Crochet" book. If you crochet you should sleuth it out. It is a much under publicized book with rockin' patterns. Back to the yarn: Alchemy's "Bamboo" as in 100%bamboo, colourway Moonstone, 150 yards/50 grams and 6sts= 1" on US size 5. I used 2.75mm needles.

A very silky, shiny turquoise that is just right for jewelry. I ended up with the silver beads (middle of the photo) and I put them on every third yarn over. I did eight repeats of the pattern.

To finish it off Lace Knitter Extrordinaire Suzanne lent me her stash of beautiful jewelry clasps to select a closure from. It is great because it is magnetic and you only have to get the two sides in the vicinity of each other and they connect.

October 28, 2010 Super Catch Up

With technical challenges and a full week of teaching I have quite a few projects that have been finished but not blogged. So I will start with the finishing of the socks. I have worn them 3 times and washed them once. They are comfortable for wearing and easy washing.

Super Catch Up

Yarn Detective on the Case

October 5, 2010

I was tooling along on my second sock doing the increases for the gusset and was on the instep where the lace pattern is when I noticed a big ugly white caterpillar of yarn wrapped around the purple sock yarn! Yuck! There had been hints of extra white here and there previously. I figured it was caused by the heathering of the yarn getting a bit heavy-handed. The bits of white did not stand out in the overall scheme of things.

I don’t know a lot about spinning and especially not commercial spinning but I thought it might be the bamboo fiber that did not get carded into the wool very well. This lumpy caterpillar of fiber was too offensive, though.

I undid the row of lace and went back as far as the middle of the sole. I removed the little rascal and tied the yarn on the wrong side. It was enough so that I can do a thorough job of weaving in the ends. It will not be noticeable down there in my shoe but I wondered about the durability of any kind of join in a sock. I was also unsure if the bamboo would allow a spit-splice to “take” with any longevity.

I then reflected on the fact that I had seen this Zitron “Pro Natura” yarn in quite a few sale bins in the yarn shops and offered at a discount on several online stores. Hmmm… a clue? Earlier last week, a fellow knitter at the afternoon group had noticed that there was a “tie” in the yarn near the outside wrappings of the ball. I was already more than half way through my first sock. Yikes! I just hoped that there weren’t any more surprises hidden inside the ball. And nearing the cuff of the second sock there have not been anymore.

Lesson learned: It pays to inspect your yarn before purchasing. Of course you cannot see all of the yarn unless it is in a skein. But I bet that several knitters with sharper eyes than me passed over that ball of sock yarn because they had noticed the tie. I am rather trusting when it comes to yarn purchasing. If I check for anything it is for the similarity of hue and tone on hand painted yarn. Bring the magnifying glass my dear Dr. Watson, we are going yarn shopping!

Just Bead It or Queen of Green pt2

Well again the photos do not do them justice but the greens elevate the socks from a nice looking pair of purple lace socks to something the lilac fairy queen herself would be delighted to wear.

The first photo is my first attempt to finish off the sock . I had in mind to do an inch of 1X1 ribbing and then a bit of a ruffle with beads on the final cast off. I saw that the beads looked a little isolated and kind of an afterthought with the long expanse of the ribbing. After doubling the stitches for the ruffle and knitting a few rows I knew I had to start over and integrate the design with beads in the ribbing.

I placed a bead on every fourth stitch after my first row of ribbing and then on the middle knit stitch four rows later. Much better. They actually began to form a heart shape.

As soon as I cast off, I cast on the second sock. I wanted to dodge the single sock syndrome. There are a few of those in my UFO stash.

Just Bead It or Queen of Green pt1

Oct 2

OOOOoooo! This is just my second time ever to add beads to my knitting. This is fun. You know “shiny…..” I am the personality type that gets easily distracted.

I was nearing the top of my sock where I wanted to put beads onto the yarn overs of the last repeat of the lace chart, so off I went to the LYS; sock and yarn in hand. I was selecting conservative tone on tone purples, delicate pearly whites; when along came Karen who has a particular affection for greens and she demurely commented, “Well, if I were you I would go with a green.” And after all the beads auditioned it was the green that got the most ooo’s and aaahhh’s. I still wasn’t completely convinced but I thought that is what this 24/7 project is all about: Trying new things.

Well again the photos do not do them justice but the greens elevate the socks from a nice looking pair of purple lace socks to something the lilac fairy queen herself would be delighted to wear.

Thank you, Karen.

"Knit on..."

Oct.1st

Sorry not to have written for a while. I had not realized how affected I had been in awaiting the news of whether our son was going to be sent overseas to a war torn country. We found out on Wednesday that his name was not on the list of those being shipped out and the tremendous release I felt afterwards made me aware of how tightly wound I had been while waiting in anticipation.

The Thursday before at knitting group while I was in the state-of–not-knowing-limbo I had mentioned this and Suzanne commented on how helpful she found knitting in stressful times. I thought about Elizabeth Zimmerman’s famous quote: “Knit on with confidence and hope through all crises.” Previously, I had mostly thought this was the Great Knitting Sage’s advice to knitters trying out some new technique or when you have live stitches threatening to disappear. I now have experienced what a great relief my knitting is when my life stood on the brink, not just my knitting. So in my spare moments when my mind would have too much rope to begin running worse case scenarios through my mind I would take up my knitting and focus on the task at hand.

After my initial cast on with the figure eight and increases in the toe I fell in love with this lace pattern. Upside down or right side up it has a lovely flow to it and it is nice and stretchy. It really hugs the leg.

I have a new favorite heel for toe up socks. I most often use the short row heel when going toe up. But when knitting top down I use a slip stitch heel for its looks and durability. I am not that much of a sock wizard that I was willing to sort out the toe up slip stitch heel knitting instructions, so I am infinitely grateful for the first person who wrestled that one onto the printed page or is that electronic screen? Anyone out there know the first published TUSSH? Again I used the well written and illustrated instructions in Wendy D. Johnson’s book, “Socks from the Toe Up.” (page 41)

There are NO stitches to pick up, just a flow of increases and decreases. I apologize for my lack of photographic skills. This photo is my fifth attempt. Unfortunately my camera has all sorts of settings: little flowers, mountains, faces but no icon for knitting!