The Bickford Improved

Kinda nifty, huh. Printed around 1880, it's a great advertising circular for a knitting machine. Looks pretty complicated. I think these things go for big money on eBay and they're difficult to use. When we saw a demo of sock machines a couple of years ago at Maryland Sheep and Wool, the woman said they were really delicate and just taking them on a road trip was enough to get the mechanisms all goofed up. I mean, really -- look at all those little hooks!

(Click on it for a larger image.)

And what, exactly, does it make? Reminds me of a sausage extruder I once saw at the Italian Market.

Done and Done-er

To go with the socks I knit for my mom, below (I'm posting this kind of backwards), I made her a lace scarf with the same colorway, but a mohair blend. (This is Cecil, wondering what the h*^^ I'm doing.)




Close-ups so it's easier to see the pattern. I still need to block the crap out of it -- John, I need my T-pins back -- but the knitting's done.

The socks:




























Above, Mom's Christmas socks. I'm happy with them -- they look like candy canes or peppermint sticks. The yarn was great to work with: Neighborhood Fiber Company hand-dyed merino sock yarn created by a woman named Karida from Washington, DC, who names all her colorways after DC parks and neighborhoods. Yo, check it: http://www.neighborhoodfiberco.com/wordpress/

The pattern is a simple spiral rib. I was going to make them as tube socks -- the entire thing as a spiral with no shaping but then I lost my nerve. These guys fit great (like a glove, one might say, only they're socks) so I'm glad I changed up the pattern.

It's beginning to look a lot like. . .

. . . I might not finish all my Christmas knitting.

This weekend was spent crafting my little fingers off. Got the bright idea I'd make some Christmas tree sachets, thanks to inspiration from the Purl Bee: http://www.purlbee.com/
I changed the pattern a bit, using Koigu worsted weight and beads. They're each about 5" high and I ground up some cinnamon sticks and anise seed to give them a nice and spicy but not chokingly horrible pot-pourri smell (I hate that stuff). And used a lot of lentils to weigh down the bottoms. They're like smelly bean bags. But in a totally cute and non-threatening kind of way.



So the Koigu can make at least 5 of these babies. I still have enough to make one more big one and then I have some Koigu sock weight that I'll work on smaller needles. My goal is to knit 15 altogether (adding a third size that's even bigger, maybe) and be able to give them away in sets of 3 different sizes. (Three seems like a good number, better than 2, which is weird, and 1, which seems stingy.)
On the left, a finished tree. On the right, the skein of Koigu just waiting to be made into 5 trees, with green beads on. Oh A.C. Moore and your 40% off coupons. How I love thee.

What's that? My book? Is someone wondering about my book? [Insert sound of chirping crickets here.] It might just have to take a backseat to the knitting for the next couple of weeks. Because did I mention I'm also looking to knit a pair of socks for my bro? Yes, please just shoot me now.

Look what I got in the mail!

This is the Resource Guide from Harrisville Designs. It may be the best bet for yarn for the Latvian Mittens. (Jamieson's seems to be having problems- Rosie's has a very small supply, and the Satakieli comes in rather large expensive skeins.) I will bring it to the next S&B and we can put in a group order for yarn. The picture doesn't do justice to the colors. They are really nice. The interesting thing is that they dye the wool in only a few colors and then they blend those colors to create new colors. Then they spin it. So the colors are interesting and complex. Kind of heathery.

Latvian Mitten Splinter Group

There is a splinter group forming and will begin knitting Latvian mittens in January. So far we have Jennifer, Wendy, Angela, John, Val (in Providence), and Kristin (in Baton Rouge). Anyone else interested? Let me know.

Below is a link to a book:
http://www.amazon.com/Latvian-Mittens-Traditional-Designs-Techniques/dp/0942018141
I have an earlier edition of this book and I will gladly copy some of it for you.

Here is a fantastic link to gallery of mittens knitted for the NATO Summit:
http://www.rigasummit.lv/en/id/cats/nid/698/
scroll down the page to the links then click on the men's or women's mittens and then click on the individual mittens. They are really great! There are so many of them! You can really get some ideas.
As far as yarn goes, we have been looking at a few things. Keep in mind that if you are thinking of following this project with the Fair Isle Vest, you may want to use the same yarn. The mitten could be your gauge swatch :-) The yarn suggested for the vest is Harrisville Designs New England Shetland
http://www.harrisville.com/index.html
I have also seen the following yarns used for Fair Isle knitting:
http://www.schoolhousepress.com/Satakieli.htm
but the skeins are kind of big. I have samples of them.
Also, Jamieson's is used. Rosie's has a limited stock. I have the sample card and there are many colors.
http://jamiesonsshetland.co.uk/jamiesons/

So start your planning! Finish all your holiday knitting and we will have something fun to look forward to in the cold dreary month of January....

Really, Really, Done

Yippee! I am completely done!!! Now I can work on something else. I made myself finish these before I started anything new. And I am ready for something new, that's for sure. JWR

FINI!!! (just one)

Can't help but brag. I have finally finished my argyle. The sewing was not fun. Don't know if I will ever make another pair, but I WILL finish this pair. All I have to do on the other one is weave in the 300 loose ends and sew it up. Sounds easy, but it isn't!