Power Knitting

I am currently working against a deadline.  I want to send the Vogue samples off by Wednesday or Thursday and I am behind.  So why am I writing a post you ask – my hands need the break – the typing motion uses different muscles.  And my mind and hands were making stupid mistakes!  We won’t mention to word P r o c r a s t i n a t i o n…..

This is my second break.  I took the first one around noon.  The grey clouds momentarily broke and the sun shone through.  My husband and I took advantage of the sun and went for a walk around Piper’s Lagoon and it was a good thing – it is back to clouds and rain again.  The Fall weather has settled in for the long haul.

Piper's Lagoon - mirror like on the lagoon side....

There were quite a few people and their dogs out enjoying the weather, a few birds, and some sea-gulls as well!  It was glorious.  The lagoon was perfectly flat and reflecting all of the homes on the one side and on the Ocean side the waves were still coming in, not too large, but large enough to “BOOM” on the beach.  You could see all sorts of logs had been tossed into the curve of the Bay by the waves.  I wondered if a log-boom had broken free from somewhere nearby – there were so many of them. 

These walks offer a break from my frenetic knitting and an opportunity to record the world around us – I am so glad that digital cameras make taking pictures so easy!

Sea Gull heaven - lots of interesting things thrown up on the beach!

I really enjoyed the break and I am so glad that it happened; looking out now you would think that the rain had never stopped.

Waves crashing on the rocks on the Ocean side.

I don’t often “Power Knit” anymore – by my definition that means knit for hours in a day with few breaks.  I still knit about 4 hours a day, but on power days that could increase to 8 hours in that day.  Today is such a day.  I am already at about 4 hours and expect to get in 5 hours more before I go to sleep.  Do you “Power Knit”?  How often?

I have bad wrists – too many days of too much knitting – but like most knitters that does not stop me from knitting.  But I now make sure to take the necessary breaks to rest my hands, switch from project to project to use different needle sizes.  I also wear a rigid wrist brace at night.  What steps do you take to increase your knitting time?  How do you look after your hands and wrists?

This little bird and his friend (see above) were singing their hearts out in the sunshine.

Happy Knitting – back to the needles for me!

Lynette

“Spring Forward”

Shetland Spindrift for Traditional Fair Isle Gloves

By the end of next week I’ll be finished the knitting for Vogue.  My next projects will be the class sample for the Spring Class and Workshop Sessions.  I’ve decided (sort off – subject to change without notice) on three different techniques:  Fair-Isle – project, gloves, Embellishments – project, tea-cozy (I haven’t designed a new cozy since the retreat!), and Beads and Lace – project, scarf.

I’ve also been asked to revisit Thrummed Slippers and Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Baby surprise Jacket.  I’ll know about those once I get the schedule together and see what our time frame looks like!

One of my first attempts at Gloves - Fair-Isle Gauntlets. Found in a cedar chest and looking like new.

The Fair-Isle gloves are a definite.  I have knit many pairs of gloves, but never have knit any fine weight fair-isle gloves.  One of the first pairs of gloves I designed was a DK weight fair-isle gauntlet style glove as a gift for my MIL.  They were found in her cedar chest.  I have learned a lot since then.  It is time, to make some traditional gloves with either a corrugated ribbed cuff or a turnover cuff.  I’ll have to play around and see which works better.

Pots and yarn ready to go!

I am pretty sure that the tea-cozy is a definite too – I do have the yarn and the idea’s.  Even the tea-pots!  This idea has been floating around for a while in the back of my mind.  I am going to work with Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino – it offers a finer knit for a more detailed body and the colours are fabulous.

The Lace and Beads scarf will be a little more difficult choice.  I have too very different yarns and too very different idea’s.  I don’t think that I will have time to do both!  I’ll have let those ideas percolate a little longer.

One option!

The first two projects for the Retreat are finished, except for the ends.  I’ll work up the other two projects in January.  At the same time as I am writing up the handout – it will allow me to double-check the numbers as I go!

The next two months worth of knitting is already laid out, but I am sure that I will squeeze in a another project or two.

Happy Knitting

This option looks pretty good too!

Lynette