Deep breath

Posted on August 13, 2018 by Patti_is_knittinginflashes

What do the roof and I have in common?

Shingles.

This is the second time I’ve had to deal with this nastiness. The first time it was a mild outbreak on my face and scalp.

This time it’s on my side/back right around the center of my torso. A certain undergarment is impossible to wear at the moment so I’m staying home wearing very loose-fitting, soft cotton t-shirts. When I move, my left arm is held away from my side to keep anything from touching the red, itching/burning, blistered, extremely painful, angry skin.

To keep my mind off the discomfort, I am knitting a pair of Align Mitts commissioned by a friend. I began the first one on Friday and I just need to bind off the top and finish the thumb.

I usually do the Elizabeth Zimmerman’s sewn bind-off or the JSSBO. But this time I’m learning a new bind-off that is stretchy and doesn’t flare out: The Invisible Ribbed Bind Off for 1×1 Rib by Liat Gat. I just need to take a deep breath….watch the video and and read the directions.

First knits

Posted on January 11, 2018 by Patti_is_knittinginflashes

Well, these are not exactly the first knits of 2018 but close enough.

I knit a pair of mitts for a dear friend a few years ago and her children love them and sometimes wear them.

So I knit a pair of mitts for each of them.

Crossed Cables – Shirl’s Mittlets knit in Yarn Bee Snowflake wool blend

Honeycomb – adapted from Unisex Gloves knit in Araucania Natural Wool

Owl – Who’s Owl Mitts knit in Cleckheaton

Bumpy – my pattern knit in Lion Brand Wool-Ease

Ziggy -my pattern knit in Lion Brand Wool-Ease

I hope they don’t fight over them…

Such a bother

Posted on January 8, 2018 by Patti_is_knittinginflashes

I cut the tip of my index finger on my right hand last week and I can’t seem to get anything done…well, stuff that I want to do.

It’s not a deep cut or a long cut just the sort that gets in the way because it needs covered.

I’m an English style knitter where the yarn is held in my right hand as opposed to a continental style where the yarn is held in the left hand. I “can” knit continental but it’s not that intuitive for me. Or fun. Plus I have one more fingerless mitt to finish and my gauge would definitely be off if I changed styles now. And bandages just get in the way. So no knitting for me.

But I could dye some yarn…

Knitted gifts

Posted on January 3, 2018 by Patti_is_knittinginflashes

You remember the 1898 knitted cap I made for Mr. Aitch with overdyed yarn? Well, it needed some fingerless gloves for company.

I didn’t have enough yarn leftover and I knew I’d never get the same color to match. That’s why it’s important to get enough of the same dye lot when knitting (or crocheting) any yarny project. So I overdyed another skein of yarn but starting out with a totally different color.

Using the same brand of yarn and the same food dye colors, I wanted to get something that would coordinate with the original overdye.

I added some leftover Rit dye, a mixture of blue and black, from another project. The blue and green food coloring just wasn’t covering that bright coral color.

Close enough for a contrast but still in the same family.

Original overdye

The new overdye

The fingerless glove pattern is the Don’t skid, honey! by Justyna Lorkowska. The zigzags reminded me of smoke and Mr. Aitch needed a new pair to keep his hands warm when he smokes a cigar (in the garage in the winter).