FLAK Front, First Half

Here’s the front of my FLAK so far:



I’m making a v-neck cardigan and doing both fronts at the same time. It’s the only way I’ll get them identical. <smile> I haven’t finished the fronts, but I’m getting ready to put my FLAK on hold for a couple of weeks in order to join in the Knitting Olympics insanity. <even bigger smile>

Knitting Olympics, Take 2

I came to the decision that the project I had chosen just wasn’t working out for me. I couldn’t get gauge no matter what needle I used and when I thought about it really hard I realized that I don’t really wear vests anyway. If I’m that cold I’ll put on a sweater. I decided that what I really needed was another cardigan. Now I think I’m mildly insane wildly optimistic to think I can finish a cardigan in two weeks, but at least I picked a relatively easy one. Here it is:



It’s the V-Neck, Neck Down Cardigan from Knitting Pure and Simple. It’s done in one piece, so the only finishing at the end is the buttonband. The yarn is a wool/mohair mix from Puckerbrush Farms that I got at nirvana the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. Don’t ask me which year. <smile>

Wish me luck!

Sock Tips

I just started my first pair of socks using two circular needles. The yarn is Opal Brasil.



Usually I use bamboo double points, but I found that they were an accident waiting to happen when I carried my knitting in my purse. <smile> When I first started with the two circs, I had a lot of trouble with laddering where the two needles met. Basically the first stitch was way too loose. I posed the question to my knitting buddies and here are some great tips they passed on to me:

• As you go to start using a new needle, pull the one you just finished using over to the left side so that the last stitch of the old needle is right next to the first stitch on the new needle.


• Make sure to pull the first and second stitches of the new needle a little tighter than you normally would.

These did the trick for me – hope they help you too!

Happy Groundhog Day!

It’s only right that I celebrate, given that Groundhog Day is my favorite movie. I think the concept of getting to do your life over and over until you get it right appeals to me. <smile> At least in knitting I can do that. It does seem like lately I’ve been spending more time ripping than knitting, that’s for sure.

Here’s a scarf I finished last week (after 3 attempts):



The pattern I sort of followed is similar to the one here. I used Charisma by Manukau Wools, colorway rainbow. I haven’t been able to wear it much. We’re having the weirdest non-winter here in the Mid Atlantic. Right now it’s 54° F. Personally, I’m ready for a snow day.