lauralkeet's 2016 Knitting Projects

Hello, everyone! Lois/avaland nudged me into joining this group. I was active here for a short time in my early LT days when I thought I might get back into needlepoint, but those projects remain untouched.

Four years ago I caught the knitting bug and it's now my primary hobby after reading. I work full-time so it takes a while for me to complete a project, but I absolutely love having a creative outlet.

I'm lindsayla18 on Ravelry (here's my profile), and just like my LT library I keep my projects, stash, and queue up-to-date (this will surprise no one who already knows me, LOL). Feel free to add me as a friend over there and I will gladly reciprocate.

Currently on the Needles



I have three -- count 'em -- projects on the needles and am trying to allocate my time so as to make regular progress on each:
1) Pullover sweater in stockinette stitch. This is the Purl Soho Pullover, a very basic sweater pattern that I received for free after subscribing to their mailing list. Lower body is complete; ready to knit the sleeves
2) Cable sweater, from an Aran pattern published in Interweave Knits Winter 2015. Back section is complete and front is in progress
3) Cashmere Ombre Wrap. This is another Purl Soho design, which I received as a kit for Christmas. Nearly finished with first of eight sections working from lightest to darkest color in oh-so-soft yarn.

I don't normally have more than two projects going at once. Usually, I have one "portable" project (like socks) that I can take anywhere, and one that is either larger or more complicated. But when I received the Cashmere Ombre Wrap kit for Christmas the yarn was so delicious I just had to start knitting it. I took the pullover sweater on a recent short business trip because I knew I could make substantial progress on the plane. When I got back I decided to hunker down and complete the lower body section. Then over the weekend, I realized that once again with some focus I could finish the first color on the wrap. The next time I pick up needles I will work on the cable sweater because it's feeling lonely. :) That one takes a lot more concentration, though, paying attention to each stitch vs. absent-mindedly doing "knit-knit-knit-knit" or "knit-purl-knit-purl".

Love the yarn for the wrap. I'm really impressed with what you've been able to do in four years!

Thanks Lois!

Woot! Hi, Laura!!

You do such beautiful work, Laura - and highly technical complicated stuff too. How wonderful your fingers found their *thing*.

>5 scaifea: *waves to Amber*

>6 tiffin: aw thanks Tui. I do seem to gravitate towards the technical/complicated. My first project was a scarf but then I went straight to socks. That heel turn is like a little miracle every.single.time. But I love the construction that makes a sock come together. And then I tried cables, which also have a certain geometry to them that appeals to me. I love watching a cable garment take shape and while those projects are definitely more challenging the underlying logic just clicks making it more straightforward than it appears.

I'm an IT person by trade, and although I haven't written a computer program in yonks, there's a certain correlation between programming & knitting that is hard to explain, but it's very real to me.

What fun projects! I've not managed to knit any adult sweaters yet, I think largely because I'm too cheap to be willing to lay out the cash for enough yarn (though obviously I could just buy a couple skeins every time something is on sale and save it up, darn logical brain taking over).

Cables are so much fun to make, and the colors for the wrap are gorgeous.

>8 mabith: Thanks Meredith! I totally understand the potential cost of yarn required for sweaters. Have you ever tried the online-only shop KnitPicks.com? Their yarns are good quality and reasonably priced. The cable sweater above is made from one of their wool yarns, and I've also knit another sweater and several pairs of socks with KnitPicks products.

Thanks to the blizzard this weekend, I had plenty of knitting time. I finished the bottom part of the cable sweater front, and knit a few inches of the second color on the wrap. Nothing really photo-worthy, but I like the sense of accomplishment.

I envy people who know how to knit. My future DIL is a talented knitter, and she has promised to teach me "something." She probably wants to see if I have any talent for it before committing to too much. My mother used to knit, and I must have bugged her unmercifully to teach me when I was about 5 years old. I can remember making little squares, but I never got beyond the basic stitch. My mom quit knitting because it bothered her shoulder, which was evidently affected by the polio she had as a young mother in 1949. Anywho, DIL and I were talking about crochet vs. knitting. Since I crochet but don't knit, I suggested that I've always thought of crochet as "knitting for dummies." She said that knitters pretty much think of it that way too. Ha.

DIL makes socks because of the price of yarn, much the same way that I started out making scrap quilts because I couldn't afford to buy yards of matching fabric. She sent me a picture of a sock she's making. I think it's beautiful. She's a redhead, and this shade of aqua is her favorite color. She says that people are always finding cute projects and asking her, "Could you knit this?" Yes, she could, but what they seem to fail to realize is that yarn costs $$.

Hi Becky! I like that sock. I learned to crochet as a child, but never did much with it and don't remember a thing. I learned to knit 4 years ago. My daughter came home from her first semester at college knitting up a storm. She took a class at the craft center at school. It looked fun and I found out the woman who ran our local yarn shop offered classes. I visited her four Saturday mornings in a row, and she taught me the basics. And then I was off and running. I bet you can do it too!

Yarn can indeed be expensive. In fact, that's what keeps me from buying yarn for no apparent reason (unlike fabric, where I completely understand buying fat quarters "just because"). I've also bought a lot of yarn from Knitpicks.com, an online-only retailer whose yarn is reasonably priced, and I've been pleased with the quality as well.

I have been with MaggieO in more than one yarn store where we both have bought yarn "just because"! (and I rarely knit!)

>9 lauralkeet: Partly it's just that I'm such a miser! I have looked at KnitPicks before, but I think I've hesitated on their cheaper lines because I'm used to feeling yarn before I buy it! I just ordered five or six different skeins though (all different types) so I could get a feel for them. I find cashmere itchy against my skin and dislike special laundry needs, so a nice acrylic yarn is probably my best bet.

Handy to have a DIL who can teach you! One of my friends is a long time crocheter and I showed her how to knit when I visited. I tend to think of crochet as requiring much more dexterous hands than I possess. I tried to teach my nephew to knit and was feeling such a failure for not getting anywhere, but then it turns out he can't tie his shoes yet, so I don't think his manual dexterity is capable of knitting.

I've always loved to knit, but now can only manage it for zhort spurts because of my sore hands. I hate this getting old business!

>14 mabith: There's something so relaxing about hand work, whether it's crochet or knitting or hand sewing. Too often I forget about that when I sit like a lump watching TV. I need to get out my sewing basket again and put it next to my couch near the TV. I always had it handy before we moved. Now it's in a box somewhere. Time to get that basket out of the box. I found out I love to darn socks!

I am totally with you on darning socks! It's not something I've done since my last relationship ended though (socks are hard on me, so I don't wear them enough to get holes, I guess). It is so hard for me to "just" sit and watch TV. I'm afraid the crafting has had a bad influence on my watching of movies or TV with subtitles though, so I can't really stitch and read subtitles. I can make it work with very simple knitting, but I don't do much of that anymore.

>17 mabith: watching of movies with subtitles
Oh yeah, that's impossible! My husband is a big fan of foreign films. I enjoy them too, but I also "need" to knit while watching TV otherwise I am prone to falling asleep. So I usually try to convince him we should watch something else. :)

>17 mabith: I bought myself a darning egg to use on my socks, but I decided an old lightbulb works even better. I was really annoyed when my favorite Smartwool socks wore out so quickly. I'm happy to report that I was able to resurrect them with my needle.

>19 labwriter: I love Smartwool socks, too, but they do tend to wear out in the heel too quickly. Annoying, no?

>20 scaifea: Absolutely annoying and something I don't quite understand, considering how expensive they are. I'm a real tightwad, so darning these socks soothes my soul. And I'm happy to report that the darned things haven't worn out again. Haha.

I love the yarn in that turquoise sock up above. I have a small stockpile of yarn for when Himself retires next December but I doubt that it will be enough. I'd better stock up during the sales.

>21 labwriter: *snork!* Best pun I'll hear all day, hands down.
Also, yes, I agree that it's painful to shell out that much money for sock only to have them wear out so quickly. And yet I keep doing it. There's something about a learning curve here...

>24 labwriter: Amber, I love your enthusiasm for--everything! My DIL-to-be is much the same way. It's wonderful to be around such energy and enthusiasm! Save those socks for the day you learn to darn. I put something about it on facebook last year, and my brother immediately told me about the 10 pairs of Smartwool socks he had just thrown away. Bad move.

>24 labwriter: I do need to learn how to darn. Maybe I'll try to track down a youtube video or something...
And you know what they say about bliss and ignorance - no wonder I'm so chipper all the time - ha!

Oh, and, Morning, Laura!

>25 scaifea: Ha ... morning Amber! I have never darned a sock in my life. Just this morning I put on a pair and was dismayed to find them wearing out in the toes. Thanks to the conversation on this thread, I immediately thought of Becky!

>26 lauralkeet: Ha!

>25 scaifea: Here's the very YouTube video I used to learn how to darn a sock. She's so calm and neat about it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nY1jTVyBE0

You use the same weight of yarn or thread to mend the sock that the sock is made from. It's probably easier to learn using a heavier weight yarn. Most of my socks get mended with baby yarn--it seems to be a good weight for a lot of socks, and it's easy to work with. I bought a darning egg, but I tend to prefer the lightbulb.

Pingpong balls work too (unless the hole is really big) and are safer than lightbulbs.

>27 labwriter: Thanks, Becky! I think all of our light bulbs are those new-fangled twisty ones, though, so that won't work... I'll likely get myself a darning egg.

Funny everyone is darning SmartWool socks because I have done the same. I still have the first pair I ever bought back when they were a new company and that pair is threadbare but no holes, so I've been a bit miffed that so many of the thinner ones (not the hiking ones) have had holes (and toe holes are the worst to darn!) I have my grandmother's darning tin with three eggs, rusty needles and old darning cotton (I used the eggs not the rest. LOL)

I'll shut up now so we don't belabor the darning thing on Laura's thread (I'm sure she'd rather talk about knitting!

I've made substantive progress on each of my projects shown in >2 lauralkeet: I'm on the third color skein for the wrap, I've knit one sleeve on the gray pullover sweater, and I'm nearly finished with the front section of the green cable sweater. I will take photos once I finish the latter.

Look forward to the photos.

>31 lauralkeet: I also look forward to photos. You do such excellent work, Laura.

I've been bitten by the knitty bug lately, but it has literally been years since I did any knitting. I should just say no... :-)

>32 judylou:, >33 avaland: I'll do my best! I'm not sure how soon I will get to it -- first I have to finish the front of the cable sweater, then I have to take a good photo. I'm spending the weekend with my daughters and am not sure I will get both things done by then. We'll see.

>34 dkhiggin: I don't know too many crafters who can say "no" ... :)

I've had very little time for the needles this week. The cable sweater takes concentration, which I haven't been up for the past few evenings. Last night I cast on the gray pullover's second sleeve, because it will be perfect to take with me on my weekend trip. And it's fairly mindless work -- row up on row of stockinette stitch -- soothing in its own way.

So ... photos sometime later, maybe next week?

>36 lauralkeet: It's nice to have several projects going, isn't it...so if one is not appropriate, another is. It's the same reason I often have several books in play at any one time.

Currently on the Needles - Work in Progress


Cashmere Ombre Wrap. This is made by knitting 8" sections in each color ranging from very light to dark (see yarn photo in >2 lauralkeet:). I've finished two sections and am working on the third. This is knit on circular needles so some of the wrap is folded under in this photo. It will be about 5' long when finished.


Purl Soho Pullover, a basic sweater knit from the bottom up. The sleeves are done; next I will join them to the body and continue knitting the upper body and neck.


"Wind at Your Back" cable sweater, from an Aran pattern published in Interweave Knits Winter 2015. I've now finished the back and front sections. On to the sleeves!

Oh, gorgeous! I love both projects so far!! I need to get back to my needles...

>38 lauralkeet: I hunkered down and finished the front of the cable sweater and added photos to my post.

>39 scaifea: Thanks Amber!

I really, really love that green color....

>41 avaland: Thanks, Lois. The color is very difficult to photograph actually and often appears washed out. The photos in >38 lauralkeet: are a pretty good representation, but I have to tinker with saturation, etc. every time and the results are not always consistent.

With that disclaimer, I finished the bottom portion of a sleeve last night. This follows the same pattern as the bottom of the body sections (see >38 lauralkeet:). The rest of the sleeve is knit in a pattern similar to the far left and right sides of the body. I've also made progress on the cashmere wrap, and am now on the 4th skein (of 8).

That sweater is going to be SO gorgeous!

Thank you! It's a fun project as long as I am able to concentrate. I had to frog the sleeve and start over after messing up the cable pattern, but all is well now.

Just beautiful.

>42 lauralkeet: since my last post I've been focused almost exclusively on the cable sweater. I'm now knitting the last ~20-30 rows of the second sleeve. Then I will need to block, seam, and knit the neckband.

And then I will have to wait to wear it! It feels funny knitting a winter garment in summer. I have been eyeing a few summer tank/sweater patterns but then if I start them now I will finish in winter. My projects are out of sync with the seasons.

I suppose it helps to be in AC when you are knitting a winter sweater? Must be hot. Not much left though. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished work of art!

The heat hasn't bothered me while knitting, Lois. I think that's because this sweater is knit in pieces, and I'm just doing a sleeve right now. It's not like knitting, say, an entire afghan which would cover you entirely.

I decided to start blocking the sweater this afternoon. I have a set of interlocking rubber mats I use for blocking. Each block is about 1' square. They make a nice surface for blocking a garment, but I can't fit front, back, and both sleeves all at the same time. So I'm currently blocking the sweater front and back to get that step out of the way and be ready to block the sleeves as soon as they are finished.

>48 lauralkeet: Oh, that's a great idea for a blocking mat.

>49 avaland: yeah, but I didn't earn any points for ingenuity here. They were part of a Blocking Starter Kit from Knitpicks.

In other news ... I've started seaming the cable sweater. I did the shoulder seams and set in one sleeve last night. After I set the second sleeve I will knit a 1" neckband, and then finish the sweater by seaming the sides starting at the bottom and continuing through the underarm to the end of the sleeve.

>50 lauralkeet: And here I was thinking you'd been down to Home Depot and cruising the aisles there :-)

I really admire your knitting, Laura. Like Maggie with her crewel, you both set out to learn something new and just ran away with it!

Hurray! I finished my "Wind at Your Back Pullover" just a few days ago. The sleeves came out a bit long but they look okay when I cuff them. And even though I made the same mistake on the front and back sections, it's largely concealed in the underarm. Now I just have to wait a few months for cold weather. :)

Laura, it's BEAUTIFUL! What a fantastically good job you've done with it.

It looks amazing!

>52 lauralkeet: That's some very nice work, Laura. It almost makes me want to start one of my own. Almost. I'll have to be content with just admiring yours. :-}

I love that sweater! And the color! Better the sleeves a little long than too short. When my mother would make me sweaters the sleeves were always just a bit too short. I think because I'm a short person.

Thank you, everyone! I'm pretty happy with it, if I do say so myself.

>55 Lyndatrue: aw, come on, go for it!! This one only took me 9 months. :)
>56 dudes22: I'm short too (5'0") which might be why my sleeves came out too long. At first, I thought it might be related to gauge but the body pieces easily blocked to the measurements on the pattern.

As I've said elsewhere, it's gorgeous! The work you've done is stunning, and yes, the color is indeed divine. What do you plan to finish next? (you did have 3 projects going, didn't you?)

PS: Would you please upload one of those photos to the group picture? Just for a while. We haven't had any knitting in that spot for some time now.

>58 avaland: Thanks, Lois. I have 2 other projects on the needles.


Purl Soho Pullover, a basic sweater knit from the bottom up. I picked this up last night and joined the sleeves to the body. I hope to knock this one out pretty quickly.


This Cashmere Ombre Wrap has been hibernating as well. I'm currently knitting the 4th of 8 colors. The yarn and colors are beautiful, the knitting is a bit boring but good to do when you don't want to have to concentrate very much.

My husband pulled out my Men's Knits book and found a cable cardigan with a shawl collar that he would love for me to make for him. Of course, I said yes, but I'd like to finish the pullover and make more progress with the cashmere wrap before I allow myself to get distracted by something new.

Oh, well done, you! Beautiful sweater!

Very nice!

>52 lauralkeet: That looks stunning!

Thank you!

>59 lauralkeet: I understand the need to have several projects ongoing (my way with books, too). It's interesting that the sweater is made from the bottom up.

The green sweater in >52 lauralkeet: is so awesome. And I love the colors for the ombre wrap!

>64 avaland: I am nearly finished with the Purl Soho pullover, Lois. I need to graft the sleeve to the underarm and then block the sweater, and it will be done! This will leave me with only one WIP -- the cashmere wrap -- but I have another project ready to start, and of course the cable cardigan my husband asked for. My Ravelry queue is much like my TBR here on LT, it never really ends!

>65 lesmel: Thank you! I'm looking forward to getting back to the wrap for a bit before starting another project.

>66 lauralkeet: We'll be watching!

>67 avaland: the pullover is being blocked as I write! It's okay, nothing wrong with it really, but I'm not over the moon about it. Hopefully I'll get around to photos this weekend.

Only one WIP?! That's simply madness! I'm sure there's some crafter's rule about that...

>69 mabith: LOL! It won't last. I need to get out my yarn swift & wind a few hanks of yarn and I will be ready to go. More on the next project soon ...

>69 mabith: Yes, I agree - you must be breaking some rule here, or at the very least certain laws of crafting physics...

>71 scaifea: trust me, I am fantasizing about yarn winding 24x7. I've just been too busy to get to it.

Okay, here's a sneak preview of my next project.

Spiral Bottom Market Tote (pattern photo) in Vermont Organic Fiber Company O-Wool Balance

>72 lauralkeet: *grins*

>73 lauralkeet: Ooooh! Love it!! I was just over on Ravelry yesterday browsing new patterns, adding to my queue and daydreaming about starting new projects, even though I have six (!!) on needles right now...

>74 scaifea: Thanks Amber. Actually, I "saw" you over on Ravelry, in my "friends activity" feed. I was quite smitten with the patterns you queued, especially that Edie v-neck tee. But six projects?!! I've never gone over 2 or 3, and even then I can get frustrated at my slow progress, which makes me hunker down and focus on one until I finish it (which is what I just did with the two sweaters).

I knit like a read - like a crazy person.

>76 scaifea: "I knit like a read - like a crazy person."

Change this to sew and I'd buy the t-shirt. I had to convince myself that "room books" were NOT helping me get through any of my books faster.

>76 scaifea: come to think of it, I knit like I read, too. >75 lauralkeet: could just as easily describe my TBR.

>70 lauralkeet:, >72 lauralkeet: I wound 6 hanks of yarn yesterday: the remaining 4 skeins for the cashmere wrap, and 2 for the market tote.

I also did some research into possible yarns for my husbamd's cardigan. I'm going to be off work July 1-8 and there are a couple yarn shops I'd like to visit (both 35-45 min away in different directions), so there may just have to be a couple of field trips that week.

I'm itching to cast on something so maybe I will start the market tote this weekend.

Finally got around to taking photos of the Purl Soho Pullover ... it feels a bit strange to be standing outside in the summer sun, wearing a heavy sweater. Now it's tucked away in my closet waiting for cooler weather.

Your sweater is really lovely, but then, you always seem to do nice work. I'm waiting for that beautiful wrap to be finished.

It turned out beautifully! Looks like the perfect comfort sweater.

Oh, gosh, that's lovely! Well done!

It's beautiful!

Very pretty!

It looks good. Love the background in the photo too.

Thanks everyone!

>81 Lyndatrue: waiting for the wrap I am on the 4th color (out of 8) now and plugging away. It's a good TV-watching project because it doesn't require loads of concentration.

>86 judylou: Love the background This was in our garden. I'm especially fond of daylilies and we have a bunch in bloom at the moment.

We have them in our garden as well. But ours are white.

Another terrific sweater!

Speaking of knitting like one reads, I wonder if there is a correlation between one's reading habits and one's crafting habits. Does a strict one book at a time reader only focus on just one project at a time?

>89 avaland: Lois: Oh, I like the idea of a survey for this! Very interesting.

>89 avaland: Considering that I have multiple project that I work on, now and then, and I have ALWAYS had multiple books going, it may just be a requirement to even understand the question. When I was little, and could first check books out of the library, I never checked out just one. When I was 9, I spent the summer in the apricot tree in the back yard, hauling two or three books up with me. Never just one. There's no way I could climb that tree now (60 years later), but I currently am reading (this is a guess) 4 or 5 books, and considering picking up another 1 or 2.

I'm that undisciplined in the garden as well (or perhaps I'm "multitasking"). I suspect it's partly distractability, which I have owned and taken to my heart, long ago.

I'm an outlier on reading habits matching craft habits, I think. As a kid and young adult I focused on one book at a time, mainly because I tended to marathon read in one or two sittings. Now I've always got at least three books going but largely stick to one craft project at a time.

I've had to teach myself that one book/craft at a time is generally better. Both go faster if I don't feel like the Sword of Damocles (UFOs no matter the object) hangs over me. Plus, as I've gotten older, my....quaint...little habit of obsessing over something 150% has restricted my ability to pretend I can read multiple books or craft multiple projects at any given time.

I am usually a one-book-at-a-time reader, but I'll have two going at once if one of them is really long, or a challenging read where I want to take my time. I totally understand the Sword of Damocles problem.

>94 lauralkeet: I've always thought you a one book reader, so I thought it was interesting that you had 3 knitting projects in the works a while back.

>95 avaland: you're right about that. Thinking about this a bit more, my multiple knitting projects thing happened when I began knitting sweaters. It takes me months to finish a sweater, and sometimes I just want to knit something different. It's also nice to have a "mindless" project -- something with a very straightforward design -- to balance something more complicated like cables.

As evidence ... having finished the sweaters, my only UFO was the cashmere wrap. It's a project that takes a long time, but the stitch pattern itself qualifies as "mindless." I started to obsess about starting something else. I tried to keep the feeling at bay by winding balls of yarn on Friday, but ultimately I decided to start the market tote (>73 lauralkeet:). This begins with knitting the bottom section in a spiral pattern, which came together quickly:


The main part of the bag is a mesh pattern, which is requiring more concentration. It's like a thicker version of lace and you have to pay close attention or the mesh won't come out right. I messed up at the start of the pattern, but since it's at the bottom of the bag it won't really matter. This is a learning project because I'd like to do more lace work. A dear friend recently gave me Refined Knits as a gift. It's a lovely book of designs I'm itching to try.

>96 lauralkeet: Can't wait to see the finished bag! I love the color. I really love the spiral even if it is the bottom of the bag.

>97 lesmel: the bag is coming along nicely. I finished the body and started working the handles this morning. It's a little smaller than I expected but it might stretch when used. And it's been fun to do a relatively quick project for a change.

I'm gearing up for my next big project: the shawl collar cable cardigan for my husband. I mentioned he found a pattern in a book on my shelves. So we went yarn shopping the other day, to get a sense of what he wanted in both color and texture. We found a great yarn, but it was a lighter weight than the pattern called for. Which was actually fine with me, because I had some reservations about both the pattern and the weight of the yarn.

I did some searching on Ravelry for similar styles compatible with the yarn we found. We both really liked the Timberline from Brooklyn Tweed. Here's a photo from the pattern; I'll use Plymouth Yarn Homestead Tweed in Charcoal (gray with tweedy flecks). I ordered the yarn today.

>98 lauralkeet: Oooooooooo, pretty! If I could ever learn to knit, I think I'd be broke all the time. Yarn is so pretty. Nearly as pretty as fabric...but I'm biased. lol

Lol! We all have our vices. :)

>98 lauralkeet: Oh, I love it!! And cables are so fun, no?

I just started a new project, too (on top of the 7 I've already got on needles!). It's not even close to sweater-level, though; just a new bath mat to match the colors of our re-design plans. I've re-thought the yarn weight for the project pattern, too - I want a chunky mat, and the pattern I like uses worsted...

>101 scaifea: I had the opposite problem, where the first pattern called for Super Bulky and the yarn Chris liked was Aran/worsted. The first pattern made a very chunky sort of sweater which looked comfy but frankly I was worried about the overall weight of the FO, and the potential for it to lose shape after washing. Aran & worsted yarns seem much better suited to this type of garment, and there's lots of Ravelry love for the pattern.

Are you going to find a new bath mat pattern, or adapt it to suit your preferred yarn?

ETA I just checked your Ravelry profile and see the pattern called for doubling up the worsted, and you plan to use a chunkier yarn instead. Great idea! It should feel really nice on your tootsies too.

>96 lauralkeet: That's exactly the way I am with quilts. And >97 lesmel: I know that feeling of "wanting to start something else" and doing a fabric equivalent of "winding balls" to try to keep it at bay (usually just a very temporary fix).

I'm looking forward to seeing the market basket finished. Seems it will be too nice to actually shop with!

I LOVE that sweater...and so ambitious! I started a very complex Irish knit sweater in high school for my then boyfriend (and in "harvest gold" no less...well, it was the early 70s). I did an inch or two of the pattern before abandoning it entirely (what was I thinking?! Thinking back, I was certainly capable at that time of doing it but really lacked the free time.

>101 scaifea: Now, I never would have thought to knit a bath mat....

>102 lauralkeet: Yes, I'm hoping the switch from double worsted to chunky will work out okay - I'm just going to adjust as I go. I've knitted 20 rows or so already and it's a little larger than the pattern gauge, but that's fine with me.

>103 avaland: Lois: I've always wanted to try knitting a big, chunky bath mat but never got round to it. Now that we're re-doing the bathroom, I've finally found the motivation.

I finished the Spiral Bottom Market Tote yesterday. It’s a little smaller than I hoped: 12” wide across the top (24” circumference), 11” deep. I guess I could have done math to figure this out in advance, but I didn't. So it's not the kind of bag you'd take for your weekly grocery shopping but it's good for small errands. The cotton yarn makes it stretchy so it holds more than you'd think. I just took it for a "test drive" and it held 2 pints of Ben & Jerry's quite nicely. :)

Very nice! And what a good test!

It was a highly successful test. I might have to repeat it to get a statistically significant data set.

>101 scaifea: A bath mat! Oooo! Huh. Maybe I could do a bath mat with the woven fabric project that is floating in my head. Hrm...

>105 lauralkeet: Oh it's so cute! >107 lauralkeet: I think you definitely need more thorough testing. Heh.

>105 lauralkeet: Excellent test subjects (what flavors? I can vouch for the new chocolate brownie non-dairy flavor)

Well it was froyo actually. The hubs likes Cherry Garcia and I'm partial to fudge brownie.

>98 lauralkeet: I am in possession of the yarn for the Timberline sweater. I did some swatching last weekend to be sure I use the correct needle size; I need to go down a size to get gauge. This pattern calls for 3 different size needles, in both 16" and 40" circular. I have a set of interchangeable circs which will do for most cases but they don't handle the smallest needle I require. Needles and other notions have been ordered (I'm a sucker for notions), and are en route ...

While I'm awaiting needle delivery, I'm making great progress on the cashmere wrap -- more than halfway through skein 5 of 8. And then I started thinking about going on vacation at the end of August, and maybe not having any knitting to take with me because neither of these projects are portable. I 've had my eyes on these Sprouting Socks for a while, and I have the perfect yarn in my stash. So now, not like I need any more projects but I am thinking about starting these as a vacation project. They use a method called Magic Loop which I've never tried ... hmm ...

I'll be very curious if you try the magic loop method of sock knitting. I can't really knit normal socks anyway (hurts my hands too much to use the really small needles), but I do like circulars much more than using four double-pointed needles...

Ooof, I tried the magic loop method, but it didn't work for me. I know it's super popular, though. I'll probably try it again some day...
I *love* the looks of those socks!

Thanks for the comments on Magic Loop knitting. I've always knit socks with dpns but have seen a lot of enthusiasm about Magic Loop on Ravelry. I found a tutorial online and think I will practice first with some scrap yarn to see what I think of it. I've made enough socks with dpns that I could probably adapt this pattern if I needed to, but I'm curious enough to give Magic Loop a try.

Very cool socks!!

Ready to cast on the Timberline cable cardigan. 3 needle sizes and nearly 2300 yards of Homestead Tweed yarn ... I'm not sure when I'll start and I'm even less sure when I will finish!!

I love that tweed yarn. I have never attempted anything as ambitious as a sweater myself. I am admiring of those of you who not only attempt but succeed.

Ohmygoodness, I LOVE that yarn so much! I haven't made a sweater in ages, but soonish I'm going to start on a Hogwarts one for Charlie...

I'm another fan of the tweed yarn. That's going to be gorgeous. 2300 yards though, wow!

>116 lauralkeet: I'm so excited to see pictures of this project! That yarn is such a yummy color!

Hey all, yeah, I love the yarn too. My husband actually chose it (discussed upthread in >98 lauralkeet:); it's 90% wool but it has something blended in to soften it so it feels nice too. Here's another pic. The one above above makes the color look a little darker than it really is.

Lovely yarn. Good luck with the project (I don't think you need luck with your skill).

>114 lauralkeet: I tried magic loop over the weekend. I'm not wild about it, although I'm sure I would get better with practice. I just don't find dpns all that difficult and the magic loop technique just felt awkward to me. After reviewing the sock pattern I think I can easily adapt it to dpns, so will likely do so.

Very little knitting done the past couple of weeks ...

On July 26 I received word that my father had been placed in hospice care. Dad had Parkinson's and significant dementia and had not been "Dad" for about 4 years. In May he was moved to a new facility that could better care for the behaviors accompanying his dementia. During July his health declined, and he passed away peacefully on Saturday July 30, at the age of 81. My brother and I flew into town (Cincinnati, OH) on July 28 and were with him when he died. We then spent the next week dealing with all the related details. Dad's memorial service was Friday, August 5 and it was a lovely celebration of a life well-lived. We also had a nice dinner with some extended family members who came in from out of town.

So I haven't been knitting much, except for the cashmere wrap which I worked on while sitting at Dad's bedside. I haven't had the concentration necessary to start the cable sweater, and the next few weeks are kinda busy so not sure when I will cast on. I'll probably still start the cable socks since they will be a good portable project for our upcoming vacation.

I'm very sorry for your loss, Laura. I'm glad you and your brother were able to be with your dad at the end. My best wishes to you and your family.

>124 lauralkeet: I'm sorry for your loss, Laura, and glad for you that you were able to be there when he passed.

So very sorry for your loss. Hugs to you and your family.

Sorry for your loss, Laura. Hospice can be very comforting when a loved one nears the end of life. It's good you could be there with him at the end.

Sometimes it seems like those after-death details are harder than the death itself, or at least they bring it home so concretely. I'm very sorry for your loss, and glad the end was peaceful and you could be there.

Thank you everyone, I have my ups and downs and your kind words are much appreciated.

>124 lauralkeet: You and your family are in my thoughts.

I've been working on the cashmere wrap lately, but yesterday I decided to start the cable socks (>111 lauralkeet:). We leave on vacation next Saturday (Aug 27), and this will be nice to have in my bag for flights and train journeys.

I'm back from a wonderful vacation. I didn't have as much knitting time as I thought I would, but the cable socks came in handy on the train and the flight home. This photo was taken after a 2.5-hour train journey. I knit another 16 cable rows on the plane.



I hope to start the cable cardigan for my husband this weekend.

Oh, lovely!

I thought this would be of interest to the group ...



My grandmother started this quilt in the 1930s but children & family took over. It remained unfinished but traveled with her from house to house throughout her life. After she died in 1995 my mother rescued the quilt and finished it.


Mom wrote up the history of the quilt and included it, along with Grandma's notes, on the back (click for a larger view).

With Mom's move to a new care facility, some of her belongings are going to new homes. I am proud to be the next person to safeguard this quilt. I will also be receiving several of Mom's smaller pieces; when I have a chance to look over the collection I will share some of my favorites.

What an absolutely wonderful quilt! I love the color palette. And to know the story behind it is something we don't all get. My father-in-law gave me a yo-yo quilt that he said his mother had made but he didn't know when or anything else about it. I mean to have it appraised someday and hope to get a better idea of when it might have been made and then pass it along to my step-daughter. Look forward to seeing some of the others.

>135 lauralkeet: I love it! I love the labels, too!!

What a treasure to have.

Thanks all, I'm really excited to receive the heirloom quilt. I am not sure what I will do with it, I might just look for a good way to store it so it remains in good condition. Same for the smaller pieces. Ideas/recommendations would be appreciated.

On the knitting front, about a week ago I started the shawl collar cable cardigan that I'm making for my husband. I bought the yarn in July (see >116 lauralkeet:), but life got in the way and I put off starting it til after vacation. Here's the pattern photo again, and the 6" of sleeve that I've knit so far:

>139 lauralkeet: I still love that yarn. It's so yummy looking! Like the sweater will be toasty in the middle of winter.

Oh gosh, I can't wait to see it when it's finished - it's going to be gorgeous!

That yarn is fabulous. Almost has me wanting to go back to knitting.

>140 lesmel: I'm loving the yarn, too. I thought it was pretty when my husband chose it in the shop, and now that I'm knitting with it, my love is growing by the day!

>141 scaifea: finished?! For what it's worth, the other cable sweaters I've knit have taken me 9-12 months to complete. So, um, maybe go make a pot of coffee? :)

>142 dudes22: absolutely! the more the merrier ...

>143 lauralkeet: I can wait - no hurry. *grins*

I need to get cracking on Charlie's Harry Potter sweater, though. Hard deadline there of late October...

Current WIPs


I've finished 7 of 8 skeins in the Cashmere Ombre Wrap. It’s knit entirely in seed stitch, which could be monotonous but is perfect for TV-watching as it doesn’t require a lot of concentration. The yarn is deliciously soft.


This is the first sleeve in the Shawl Collar Cardigan (see >139 lauralkeet:). The cables are complicated but fun to knit, and the result is chunky & warm. “Just” one more sleeve and the entire body to go! :)

I always loved to knit cables. I like the complexity, and of course the finished product always looks so good.

When I used to knit, I liked doing cables too. I can remember a baby bunting I made in a fisherman's knit pattern that came out so nice. Have no idea whatever happened to it and can't even remember who I made it for. I love that yarn you are using.

Thanks Judy & Betty. Happy to share the cable love! I find the logic behind the cable fascinating, how you get different effects by putting the cable needle in back vs in front, by knitting vs purling and so on. There are so many variations.

I finished the Cashmere Wrap this week!


The sweater is moving along; I should finish the second sleeve tonight or tomorrow (no photo, it looks amazingly like the first one lol). I'm looking forward to starting the body section.

>149 lauralkeet: It's really beautiful, but then, I think we all expected it to be. It looks so very soft to the touch, too.

>149 lauralkeet: Yay!! That wrap looks awesome & warm & incredibly touchable.

>150 Lyndatrue:, >151 lesmel: thank you very much!

>149 lauralkeet: Oh, gosh, that's gorgeous!

>149 lauralkeet: That's gorgeous, Laura. Are you pleased with it?

>153 scaifea: thanks!

>154 avaland: yes I am, Lois, although I'm obsessing a bit about how to wear it. It's very long and fairly wide and I've managed to put it on in a way that resembles the pattern photo (which I considered an accomplishment in and of itself, LOL). Now I need to decide what sort of top to pair it with.

Still knitting, just not posting. I'm pleased to say I wore the cashmere wrap recently and received many compliments. I've also made a little progress on the cable socks, and with the cable cardigan I've finished the second sleeve and made a good start on the body.

However ... my non-knitting, non-reading life has been difficult. Back in August, I shared that my father had passed away (>124 lauralkeet:). Well, in November my mom declined very rapidly and she died on November 29. It's been very tough dealing with two losses so close together.

Some time ago, one of my mom's caregivers organized a "photo shoot" of some of her quilts and selected 5 images to make into blank notecards. We had a new batch printed with her name and birth/death years on the back. Below are the images. Each is a portion of a quilt. Some of her designs are rather abstract, others traditional. Most were wall- or lap-sized rather than bed quilts. I now have the two more traditional quilts pictured (the purple one and the red/brown one).

Oh gosh, Laura, those are gorgeous! What a lovely thing to do.

How sad for you to lose both parents so close together. Those pictures of her quilts are wonderful. I always admire people who can do abstract quilts. It's something I'm afraid to even try.

You made me get all teary-eyed this morning.

I'm so sorry that you've had such sadness to deal with; losing one of them would have been hard enough. As my mother used to say, "The hard part about living long is that you lose those you love."

Those note cards are a lovely touch. Such beautiful work.

Those note cards are a lovely tribute.

What an awful year for you. But what a wonderful legacy from your mother. She was obviously very talented.

Thank you, it has indeed been an awful year. Hoping 2017 is better. I love notecards in general but I will be rationing these and plan to save a few as a keepsake.

>156 lauralkeet: What a lovely idea to make notecards as a tribute to your Mom. Those are beautiful quilts.

Beautiful quilts, you're so lucky to have them along with the family history. Love your knitting projects too, impressive cables on the shawl collar cardigan.