The weekend before camp

This is a weekend of packing, both cubs are off to camp, and so are packing. I'm baking - last year I completely missed the memo about bringing baked goods and when we went to wave good-bye I was amazed at the parcels of home made baked goods that were being handed over. This year there was a note from school requesting such things, I suspect there was a note last year but like many school notices it never made it out of the school bag and into parental sight.

 The other thing I have been working on is soap sweaters, as it makes traveling so much easier if the soap is encased in a neat wee knitted (or crocheted) bag. I would have been skeptical about soap sweaters if Kelly had not given me one a few years ago as a birthday present. Soap sweaters are not very exciting - so I'll spare you the details and go on to the hat.

The Hope-he-never-needs-this hat is done, and fits well. Being two layers of soft squishy 2x2 rib it is surprisingly thick, with a soft rolled edge. I like that there is an air gap at the top of the hat, air is insulation and that means it should be a warm hat. Plus it fits Bear and Elder cub - who have very different sized heads.

 The orange is bright, and I'm rather pleased with how the crown worked out, I divided the stitch count up into 6, and worked pairs of decreases so they symmetrically ate up the ribs. One of those things that is much easier to do than explain.

 The junction between the two colours is a very hard straight line, and I initially picked up on the needles that I used to knit the hat with.  After a few rows I realized that the pick up row needed more yarn so it could stretch easily - so I picked up on needles 2 mm larger

 I used a twisted German long tail cast on to start the hat, see link below - just one of many many available on YouTube. This cast on leaves a little line of what I describe as purl bumps one one side of the cast on. Each of the bumps is directly in line with a column of stitches above it.

These purls bumps were where I picked up and knit the stitches in the Orange yarn. I used a crochet hook to pull the yarn through. I was a little lazy and picked up several stitches onto the crochet hook before sliding them on to a needle a few sizes larger than the one used to knit. 

I made sure I picked up two stitches for each purl rib, and two stitches for each knit rib .. then I knit the inside hat a full inch shorter than the outside hat. I knit my outside hat 7.5 inches, and the inside hat 6.5 inches - and when turned through it is only just a little shorter. I guess the inside is narrower and shorter and the knit fabric adjusts. If you want a larger difference - you may want to make the difference between the inside and outside layers greater.

There probably will be a free pattern - some time soon, but for now if you are facing winter and want to know how I picked up the stitches - hope this fills in some gaps.

take care
na Stella

Hope he never needs this

I often write that I am easily distracted, and today is further proof - as if you needed any. No updates on any projects that have been blogged, instead there is a totally new project. Why? Because I can, because the cubs are off to camp, because I knit, and because some boys don't like anything fancy going on with their knitting - but us mothers know better and sneak little features that we like in anyway.

Crown decreases --- worked with the 2x2 rib pattern

So both cubs are off to camp, different camps, and its the middle of winter. Really, yes, both kids are heading off to camp away from home in the deepest darkest months of our local winter. Not only that but inland where there is snow, and mountains, and they are heading for the mountains. I'm not worried, after all I knit, and their school is fantastic, the teachers and parent helpers amazing. Both cubs will have fun, whilst Bear and I trudge off to work and earn our way. As part of the preparation for camp lists of camp requirements have been sent home. These list the usual things, PJ's, thermals, tooth brush, comb, sturdy footwear and rain wear. The list has some things that make my knitters heart sing, like two woollen sweaters, woollen socks, mittens/gloves and a warm hat. I can provide all of that, and I'm very happy to be asked to provide all of that.

Lining, in Road Cone orange, picked up and knit - the right side of the join

I was able to tick off most of the requirements, except for a hat for eldest cub. Eldest cub is a boy, one of those who hates things that make him look different so negotiations started on what sort of hat was needed, and even more what sort of hat would be worn. I swung the negotiations in my favor by suggesting the Dead Fish hat, or a Viking hat with horns or stumps. Elder cub was much more willing to amend  his basic requirements for a plain grey hat with no fold up once I showed him those options. He realised that I could knit something that made him the talk of the camp and he was willing to negotiate to avoid that.

So let me introduce the latest hat, provisionally named Hope you never need this. The hat is dark grey, Bears Bunker, one of my favorite Greys from Vintage Purls, and is lined with Road Cone, also Vintage Purls. Both are sock yarns so super soft merino with a touch of nylon. My idea as the 'Mother' knitting the hat was a dark grey conservative ribbed hat, that was reversible with a bright orange lining. Working on the principle that if you plan for the worst it won't generally happen, the hat is made for a 'lost in the bush' type emergency. My parental plan is in the event of an emergency - he takes of his dark grey hat, reverses it and becomes a beacon of Road Cone Orange that would be more easily spotted by searchers. My even more cunning plan is that now I  have planned and knitted the hat - he should never need to use it.

Hat lining - this time showing the wrong side of the join between the two yarns.

So far Hope you never need this is a very quick knit, on 2.75mm needles, in 2x2 rib. I managed to sneak 6 decrease points into my stitch count and keep them lined up with the rib pattern. I'm feeling a little pleased with that as I had a stitch count that didn't divide easily by six or seven - so had to problem solve at 9:30pm last night. There is always a feeling of accomplishment when that happens.

My other feeling of accomplishment is the pick up at the cast on edge. I could have worked a provisional cast on, but then the knit and purl ribs wouldn't line up. Picking up stitches from a provisional cast on and knitting in the other direction means the stitches sit half a stitch off. I used a twisted German long tail cast on and picked up the little purl bumps of the cast on edge - two for every knit rib, and two for every purl rib. And look - the second feeling of accomplishment! The ribs line up beautifully! Well excepting the hard line that looks a little like a seam where the two yarn colours change.

I know - that makes two 'I'm pleased with myself' features in this one post!  Which may be my mind playing tricks and distracting me from the huge pile of unfinished Wips in the basket beside my knit chair. Do you think there is an interest in the instructions for this hat? I had Bear make photos of the pick up along the cast on edge in preparation for a photo tutorial.

Take care - and feel free to start a new project, just blame me
na Stella

Wednesday -Thursday

Way back when I worked in an Roading engineering office, in the mid 80's, we had a set of made up weekday names, Thursday-Friday, or Monday-Tuesday, or Wednesday-Thursday. When ever we had a short week at work, when there was a public holiday, usually on a Monday or Friday, the workflow seemed out of kilter. Having a Monday off work made Tuesday a bit like a Monday so it became Monday-Tuesday, and Wednesday a bit like a Thursday so Wednesday-Thursday. When working I try and blog in the weekend and on Wednesdays, this week I'm not working and my weekend post happened on Monday and my Wednesday post on Thursday - hence the Wednesday-Thursday of the title. I've been busy - in a good way, comfortably working away at the things that I need to do and the things that I want to do, and even at some things that other people want me to do. I'm enjoying this not being at work, at 8:45 I find myself able to do things rather than preparing for a day at work. Oh I'm not planning to leave work but I am enjoying not having my days ruled by a 8:30-4ish timetable, and not being ruled by the cubs school day of 9-3.


Today there is progress on Toad, the sleeves seemed to have come out well, I've entered three proposals for Handmade 2012 (from beginner to advanced knitting), there is a very full tucked and gathered petticoat to puff out younger cubs dress, I've prepared next years diary, and Bubble socks grow(but no new photos of that today).
Oh and news - heads up keep 9, 10 and 11th of March 2012 flagged in your diary. There is to be a knitting retreat in Dunedin - code named Unwind, more once details are finalized.

So Toad, which is so named because that is what we have always called older cub when his behavior drives us to distraction - as in he is a being a bit of a Toad. Toad now has the beginnings of sleeves, and after two or three partial frogs I'm happy with these and have started on the body.
Most of the shaping in the sleeve cap is at the top, with almost not shaping for the second half of the armscye.





This is one of my all time knitting inspirations, the last page in a Mon Tricot 1800 Patterns, Knitting Encyclopedia. I bought it some 18 or so years ago when I knew how to knit and followed published patterns that I bought at the yarn shop or found in knitting or craft magazines. At that stage my knitting was quite conventional, knit flat and seamed as I had been taught and as most of the patterns encouraged one to knit. I was working early mornings in newsagents and heading off at 9 to study at Uni. This book came in amongst the magazines and I was fascinated by it. Partly because it was a book of knitting stitch patterns not garment patterns and this was the first time I was introduced to a library of stitch patterns. But I admit it was a little series of diagrams on the last page that hinted at other ways to knit garments that really caught my imagination. At the time I was studying for a Clothing degree and learning about construction and pattern-making and was curious about what the last page showed. Ever since then I've continued to be curious about the simplicity of the method that page illustrates, the neckband, the shoulder strap and the simple construction in the round. My first few sweaters for Toad as a baby were knit this way and I felt so brave starting without a pattern and mastering knitting on dpns. Of course I'm not convinced that this is by any means the True Aran Knit Technique, just one way of many, and I understand the myth of the Aran sweater is questionable - but I'm still inspired by the last page in a book I acquired 18+ years ago and it really did spark my knit journey.


Bookbinding, I love this, not as portable as knitting but very satisfying. And look I can make books that look like books that shops sell! The orange bound book is the diary I have made for next year, using DIY Dayplanner software, Nice fountain pen friendly paper, card and gifted end-papers (thank you Karen). Because I made it and I'm impatient - this diary starts with October of this year and continues right thru to March of 2013. I've found that I need a few months overlap at the beginning and end of a diary to plan the next year, so this should work well. Next to it are two Copic bound books which open flat and are lovely to use, I like those but think I like my books with hard cased spines. Maybe Coptic for workbooks and notes and the hard spine for other uses?


Like this.This one took me a few tests to make it work neatly - but I think I understand the maths and measurements now and would make fewer mistakes next time.

Look I even worked an old fashioned index to mark the months! I have vague recollections of my dad doing this to some of my school books in Primary school but no idea why or which ones.
Looks like one of Toads Best friends has arrived for a sleepover - so I'll go and make sure all the cubs are comfortable and lunch is sorted.

na Stella

Learning new stuff is hard,

really really hard. Hard work, finding new ways to work your hands and remembering new timings .... last weekend was a reminder of what my students are going through most days. At the same time, learning new ways to do things is one of the most exciting things ever. Full stop. No argument - up there amongst the best times ever!

I do have some photos of my spinning from the Jacey Boggs workshop hosted by Majacraft and Vintage Purls in Dunedin last week. No photos of the class, I did take a camera but totally forgot to make any photos while I was there. I also have some new knitting, mindless knitting, the kind one needs when faced with challenging learning. One of the things I wanted to learn in the workshop was more about mastering making yarn, to have more techniques and knowledge so I could be more in control of what I was doing when spinning. I didn't expect to fall in love with some of the 'art-yarns' but I did, and mostly because I realize that a 'good' art yarn is not an example of bad spinning, or poor spinning, but mastery of spinning and I want to be there at that level.


First up Jacey had us spin thick and thin, reminiscent of beginner spinning but so much nicer. Balanced, and soft and lofty and regular. Wow, that alone was worth the workshop and makes me want to knit something really simple to show of the yarn texture ... what could I knit ... oh a Baby Blanket! Yes my standard handspun answer - but so right for this yarn, or a scarf maybe?

Having lulled us into a false sense of security, and having warned us she taught the 'most difficult' things first and saved the easy stuff for when we were tired at the end' Jacey then went on to the 'more difficult stuff'. I was as memorized by her teaching as by what she was teaching. Especially when Jacey explained that it was going to be hard and new and difficult and frustrating, and if we went home with three sort-of-right in a row then we had the skills to practice at home.

Some where in here, there are at least three working presentable coils, and there is are two variations on coiled yarn. Not pretty but evidence of learning.
Here is one that looks pretty, from day two of the workshop, a one step coil yarn ..... that if done right is balanced. Mine isn't done right, and is all twisty and kinky ....


At home I had sat down and tried again, using Jacey's dvd as a reminder. I here is my second attempt at coils, not quite there yet, my coils are loose and fluffy rather than firm and coiley (is that even a word?). Still with this one I feel like I have mastered the top and the bottom anchor - which means that my coils however fluffy and malformed don't move around ... next step smooth even durable coils.

But once at home I had a second go and look balanced coiled yarn! Jacey's new one step balanced coiled yarn! Soft, squishy and balanced!


and a closer view of the coils - there were times that I lost the balance between plying and covering - but my hands were getting better at the rhythm that was needed. I think this one has potential for small batts of precious fibre and making each batt go further ..... by sneakily converting it into a thick luscious squooshy yarn. I even see the potential of fibre with sari silk and sparkly bits and all sorts of exciting things mixed in. Those batts that in the past I didn't quite see the purpose of only because I didn't know how to spin them into interesting usable yarn.

And knowing that learning involves my brain and that can be slightly debilitating I started a new project - Mindless. Rowan cotton into a seedstitch wash cloth with garter stitch bands.

Just what I needed.
Normal blog service will resume next weekend ... as I'm here at home and not away from home doing fibre things. there is a felting workshop on but I'm being strong - I do not need to felt slippers, I do not need to learn to felt slippers .......I do not need to learn to felt slippers from Machiko yet ... I can learn to felt slippers from Machiko some time in the future not this weekend .... but it would be fun wouldn't it?

Na Stella

a little knitting, a little plying, a little dying

I've been busy with bits and bobs over the last few days. Finishing and starting, I've plied up some yarn, and made a start on rest of the roving to match what I have already done, I've started Salto sock two, and I've been spending a little bit of time dying fiber. The guess what it is competition is still running, so leave a comment with your best guess before the end of April and go in the draw for Vintage Purl sock yarn of your choice



I've been spinning up some of Ashfords Bean sprout fiber, 50% merino, 50% Alpaca. The yarn is a little thicker than I would have wanted - but I'm still a beginner right? That means I'm not yet in control of what I spin - the good news is that I recognise what I need to do to improve. There is 244m of yarn (I have not counted the wraps yet) and more to make. Bear and I are thinking scarf, perhaps my so called scarf? But Bear dosn't wear scarves - so we will see on that one. If I spin and knit it will he wear it? Ravelry tells me that 2530 people are knitting that scarf, and 2829 people wanna knit it. I'm just a sheep really - following the knitterly crowd. I still have a little more of the fiber to spin up - the challenge will be to match what I already have.

In front of my soon to be a scarf Beansprout yarn is the rib for Salto two. I still need to frog the half inch extra length out of sock one, but the plan is to knit sock 2 right up to just before the toe, and then frog toe one, and complete the two toes on 2 circs at the same time. That way I get that magic - finished both at once moment! I've also been spinning what I hope is sock yarn on another wheel - my Pippy. I've spun up half onto 2 bobbins, as fine and even as I can and I'll ply that up over the next few days. Then start to spin the 2nd half of the yarn. I've only got 3 Bobbins for the Pippy - but I should have another 6 soon. Mr Poore, Pipy's maker is hand craftig the extra Bobbins for me so they match my original ones. There was a delay while he ordered more brass tube - but they can't be far away.

I've also been playing with dying, When i did the learn to spin classes we were given a bag of Romney raw fleece to spin. I didn't find 'in the grease' so much fun, for me it was harder to control my draw, so I've washed the fleece, carded it, and dyed it. So far I have a bluish dark grey with shades of red (much darker in real life than in the photo), and a more mossy batch. I'll probably card them together. I do want to dye another batch or two, one redder,and perhaps one darker blue, or black? I've enrolled in a creative fiber colour course, by distance. Last weekend I had fun shopping for paint in the 'double primary colours', 2 reds (one warm one cold) 2 yellows and 2 blues, so perhaps after I've done the course work my colours will have more forethought?


I realise this is a quick post, not a lot to show and tell, and nothing really exiting - but thats how life is some times. If you live in New Zealand you will be aware of two major news items, first a teen girl missing for a week or so and second the youths and their teacher lost in the canyon flood. It kind of flattened me a bit. I've been making the most of spending time with the cubs and Bear, and thinking about the families involved.

go carefully, please watch the weather and take care ...
Stella