theraineysisters knitting and so much more

I am back in knitting form.  Still sickly, but not too sick to knit, thank goodness!  And thanks for all of your well wishes.  It really was nice to get some sympathy from across the miles (I got too little at home!).

On my infrequent travels, carrying around my portable project, I keep getting asked if I’m knitting a scarf – hmmmm, what gives?  Why would they think the bottom of a felted bag was a scarf? 

Yeah, I know.  It looks very weird and not like a felted bag at all!  It will all become clear soon, I hope (noting that crossed fingers make typing difficult).  I’m on the final stages of the knitting but there is a fair amount of finishing, not to mention the double I-cord strap.  So, this is not yet in the “Finis” category.

I also worked a little more on the Lace Style cardigan:

I think I’m to the underarm shaping, but you realize that means a commitment to length ;).  We all know how hard it is to do that, now don’t we??  I’m pretty sure I’ve got it close.

And could I forget My Precious?  Never!  I am now at 22% and on the 5th chart.  I now agree with Surly that my calculation method is fiendish.  It is much better to con yourself into believing you have a magic skein of yarn!! 

If you look at a picture of the shawl’s details, you can see where I am in the big scheme — I’m in the middle section of the feathers.

I just got back from Pirates of the Carribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.  There’s a lot to like and a lot to not like — it’s a LOT of movie.  But it was fun.  Now I guess I’ll have to go see the other “3’s” — Spidey and Shrek.

Have a happy and safe Memorial Weekend.  If you have someone special to remember this weekend, as Sally and I do, please share our warm thoughts for you and yours. 

 

Youngest daughter is in a soccer tournament this weekend, which means endless hours of sitting, waiting, cheering, and Knitting!!  I always take along mindless knitting projects for these occasions — who can just sit??!!??

Anyway, Mitered Tote is the perfect soccer project, so it is going strong.  And I took along lil Lace Style Cardi today, as well:

I am liking this very much so far.  I love the yarn and love the color.  There is a small mistake in the pattern.  It says to do a long-tail cast on and then knit 4 rows.  If you do it that way, you will have 3 garter st ridges (you get one ridge from the cast on itself).  Three ridges at this gauge is a whopping 1 inch!  Too much.  In the pictures of the finished cardigan, there are clearly only 2 ridges = 2 rows of knitting before starting the pattern rows.  I opted out of both of these options and did a cable cast on and one knit row.  I prefer the tight bead of reverse stockinette at the bottom edge.

I also went back to “My Precious” for a bit this evening and made a little progress:

According to my “How Much Shawl Have I Knitted So Far” calculations, I am at a whopping 11%!!!!!  Not bad, and I don’t see any glaring mistakes — whew!  I was asked how often I’ll run a lifeline: I’m going to put one in at the end of every completed chart.

More knitting soccer tomorrow morning and if they win, another game in the afternoon…maybe Mitered will get felted this week!

PS to Marina: to add a lifeline, take a tapestry needle and thread it with a small, smooth yarn, thread, or cord.  I used leftover perle coton.  Thread it through all the sts on your needle, making sure not to go through the stitch markers.  For the Peacock Shawl, I am placing my lifeline through a RS pattern row, not the WS purl row.  It is easier to purl the sts with the lifeline through them than to work them as pattern sts.  I push all the sts back from the needle tips so they are on the center cord of the circular needle.  It only takes a few minutes.  See also: April 11 — Sally describes a lifeline and shows pictures :).