Shorts, Completed.

Well, who was to know elastic would be so hard to find in downtown Washington DC? My usual supplier of basic sewing tools (CVS!) didn't stock it, and it is just to hot to walk the streets looking for it, so I substituted a long shoelace as a drawstring in the shorts, and am very happy with the result, although the husband says they look too boyish.

I am getting into this sewing thing, so this morning will sort out the fastenings on a wrap skirt I have been working on, on and off, as that's all I need to do to finish it, and tonight maybe start a patchwork bag from all my leftover scraps from these two projects - something like this perhaps (from http://sewingtime.blogspot.com/2009/09/pink-penguin-patchwork-drawstring-bag.html)

As my shoulder improves, I have been able to work more on Frost Flowers, but am thinking about knitting the back plain - it will be easier on my shoulder (and that means I might get it done in time to wear it this summer), and I have a road trip coming up next week and need in-car knitting. For me, this can only be plain or purl knitting - I can't look down at my work in the car or I feel sick. I will probably throw the Shibui socks into my knitting bag too, to finish them off. Breaks are good knitting time for me, and usually good times to finish off projects.

When I'm done with those, that will leave me with only a design I am working on, and this:

It's a little too hot in DC to want to knit a wool afghan right now; I am nearly through the first strip though, so this one will be travelling back to to chilly North Yorkshire with me in August, for finishing over the autumn/winter.

Adventures in Sewing

In order to give my sore shoulder a break from knitting I have been dabbling in sewing lately, and last night after work settled down to make a pair of shorts for the sweltering DC weather, using Sky Turtle's suggestions at:
http://skyturtle.net/2009/05//26/how-to-make-an-easy-peasy-pair-of-shorts/

Sky Turtle's beautiful shorts

I used some cotton fabric I'd picked up at a thrift store, dark red with small white stars all over it, and drew around my pyjama pants to make the pattern. I don't have a sewing machine here in DC so leisurely spent the evening hand sewing the seams (using backstitch). I will finish them tonight, just need to get some elastic for the waistband - they have turned out pretty well.

I managed to squeeze in some knitting as well - picked up and knit the gussets on the second Shibui sock (while sitting in the shade on the Mall at lunchtime watching people jog by under the hot DC sun!), and did 5 rows on Frost Flowers before bed.

All in all, a pretty productive day!

Travels around America

Almost at the end of my year in America, I suddenly thought I should be blogging about my travels here! Yesterday saw us travelling back from beautiful and sleepy (at this time of year!) Cape Cod, where we spent the weekend, and where I visited the impressively well-stocked Black Purls Yarn store in East Sandwich. I bought two skeins of "Sugar Rush" in white there. Wonderfully soft, I had never seen this sugar-derived yarn before. Normally I buy local yarns on my travels, but if I can't find any I look for something unusual, and this fit the bill.

At the airport and on the flight home I worked on a pair of summer ankle "sports" style socks in Shibui Sock (bought from one of my current LYSs, Stitch DC), using my usual sock pattern, the Vogue Universal Sock Calculator and adapting it to make ankle socks. The Shibui is very pretty, not quite a solid, but a little unforgiving to work with - and I am using Kollage square needles which should be giving me a more even knitting texture than usual (thanks for the needles, Janie!).

At home in the evening I managed four rows of the Frost Flowers top before my shoulder starting aching and I had to stop, sadly.

Our next trip is Maine, stay tuned...

Cape Cod - Dexter's Grist Mill

Black Purls Yarn

Shibui Sock

Frost Flowers Top (available as a free download on Ravelry)

No Idle Hands

For the past few weeks, I have been reading Anne McDonald's No Idle Hands: The Social History of American Knitting.

Although I knew of the existance of this book, I had never been compelled to read it, probably becuase it describes itself as a history of American knitting, and until recently I did not live in America, nor knew that much of life here. However, it is much more universal from that and has been an extremely enjoyable read - I would recommend it to anyone, anywhere in the world.

It covers knitting from the American Revolution until the 1980s - a huge span of time which saw sweeping changes in society and culture, and hence in knitting. People knit less for necessity now, but knitting still has the same properties; relaxation, something to do in odd moments, something to do with one's hands, and the pleasure of hand made items.

I was astounded by the work of one early knitter, completely blind, who knit intricate mittens with poetry and verse included, using fair isle techniques. In fact it was striking how many early knitters note that knitting, unlike sewing, is something that can be done in the dark! Used to electric light available all the time, I hadn't even considered this.

The output of earlier knitters is also pretty amazing; one knitter regularly turned out 10 sweaters in 7 days, achieved through a routine of knitting from 9am until 2am the following morning, broken only by meals, occasional trips to market, and an afternoon rest.

Much time is given to sock knitting, both in wartime and in peace, and this has inspired me to once again pick up my sock needles and start the perfect portable, pick-up, put-down and ultimately most useful of projects - even in this day and age, hand knit socks are much, much nicer than shop bought ones. The knitters in the book knit socks at every available moment, and so many times in the past few weeks as I've been reading this book I've thought - if only I had a sock to work on now...

5 th ave infinity scarf

Drops design sweater

It has been too long as usual between my last blog and now. I had thought that a year not working would mean much more regular blogging, but it is not so.
So - what have I actually completed these past months here in DC?
- The Feather and Fan Shrug in alpaca/silk laceweight, and drew oohs and aahs when I wore it recently over a black turtleneck.
- A cowl from the Knit Two Together book, which came in useful recently during a cold snap (although the Louisa Harding mohair/silk blend was perhaps not a good idea as although pretty it's fine fibres found their way into my nose and mouth!
- Two hats: the Besselborough hat from New England Knits in Malabrigio and Jared Flood's Quincey in some handspun from an alpaca farm in Virginia. Both have been worn, but Qunicy is super-warm and has been worn to death.
- The Lotus Leaf Scarf/Neckwarmer in Frog Tree Melange (so soft and warm!). Worn to death as it tucks neatly under a coat, and looks pretty when the coat comes off.
- The Bulky Lace Vest from New England Knits in reclaimed yarn.
- A Drops Design sweater for the husband, in Rowan Purelife British Breeds Blue Faced Leicester. Came out a little snug, but he wears it.

Currently OTK:
- a baby sweater for a friend's child in Regia Softy.
- a variation on a design theme in some treasured alpaca from rural Argentina, bought some years ago. Got sick of it sitting in the yarn cupboard waiting for some special pattern or idea, so got it out and started knitting it. It will be a cardigan/vest type thing.

Currently planned:
- an infinity cowl in some Jade Sapphire cashmere (picked up in NYC - but more about that later!)

So it's not a bad list. A knitting friend recently asked me how my knitting resolutions were going - and had I met last years (no!). Last year's resoution was cast on (a pair of fair isle gloves) but not completed. This resolution carries over to this year, along with one to start knitting more of my own designs.

Watch and wait...