Looking ahead

Eventually Spring will come.  And with gas prices going up every day, it will be cheaper for me to ride my motorcycle to work.

But it’s just too cold for that right now.  I mentioned before that I wanted to make a neck wrap.  It has to be something warm but thin enough to wear with my helmet and leather jacket.  I did not want anything that had to go over my head.  Sometimes when I get my gear on, I forget my neck until I’m ready to ride.

I have a neck gator that fits over my head but I have to remember to put that on before my helmet.

I’ve used bandanas but they aren’t exactly the right shape as either the front of my neck is covered or the back.  Not both.

I have nothing on my needles right now and I need a small project.  I want to knit this neckwarmer.  The yarn used is discontinued so I’m looking into some Malabrigo worsted.  I’ve never used it before nor have I even seen it in real life but I only need one skein.  I want something variegated.  Either greens and blues. Or reds and oranges.  I want that splash of color between my grey helmet and black leathers.

My plan is to stop at my LYS on my way home from work today and buy some.  And if they don’t have it, I’ll find something else!

Problem is when I shop for a specific thing, I can never find it.

Wish me luck!

Gap closed

So Mr. Aitch and I went for a longer than planned motorcycle ride yesterday.  We left around 10:00 am and got home around 4;30 pm.  The weather was P.E.R.F.E.C.T.   We made a loop from our home near the Potomac River, over the Allegany Front, through Mountain Lake Park, Oakland, Terra Alta, Kingwood, Reedsville, Masontown, and finally to Morgantown.  The return trip was a straight line on I-68 east.  When we stopped for lunch in Morgantown, I stuck my gloves in my jacket pocket and discovered a swatch for the sweaters I knit for E&Z (the twins) last December.  Why was the knitted swatch in the pocket of my motorcycle jacket?  I have absolutely no idea.

I got on Ravelry to see if I could find a good way to close the gap on the February Baby Sweater at the sleeve join.  When I got to the “gap”, I picked up more stitches than called for.  It took some help from a crochet hook after the first few rows but I have no gaps.  I hope I can get the rest of this sleeve finished today and the other one finished tomorrow.

If I can get my card reader to work, I will post pictures.

Almost there

Well, I tinked the February baby sweater Friday night and started the whole thing over.  Deciding how I was going to make it my own was the time-consuming part.   (Pictures if I can get my card reader to work.)  In the end I decided on the garter stitch yoke then stockinette for the body with a horizontal rib row evenly spaced.

I’m now ready for the sleeves on circular needles to avoid sewing any seams.  I need to figure out how to do the underarm join so I don’t have any gaps.

Technical question:  How do you avoid gaps when joining thumbs and/or fingers in gloves or mittens?  It would be the same technique when joining the sleeves.

Please leave a comment on your favorite technique.

Mr. Aitch and I are getting ready to head out on the Harley for a little ride.  We’ll be back by mid afternoon.  Now if I could figure out a way to knit while on the back of the bike…

Interesting few days…

I was a bit MIA for a few days but I’m home now.  For the past few days I have been in Morgantown, WV; Springs, PA; Pittsburgh, PA; and the hospital. 

Mr. Aitch wanted to go out to dinner last Friday.  Outback Steakhouse.  The closest one is in Morgantown, WV.  Only 68 miles away.  We took the Harley and it was a nice ride and dinner.  Not crowded at all when we got there but there were people waiting to get in when we left.  Good timing! 

Broken Stork Scissors

 

Saturday morning I went to Springs on my Suzuki to see the Scissors Guy about fixing my stork scissors.  The original pivot had been riveted and screwed and he said he couldn’t repair them.  I appreciated his honesty.    

Saturday afternoon I seamed one shoulder on the Lace Hem Topping.  I don’t like how it’s turning out.  lengthening the body by an inch and shortening the armhole by an inch helped with the fit.  I really want to get this finished.  For some reason this isn’t going as smoothly as I anticipated.  I am short row seaming challenged.  

The stitches are twisted so I took a break and made these

Lampwork stitch holders

 

Knit Picks Ms Ida Chain Link Mittens

 

Sunday we made a quick trip to Pittsburgh.    I took some yarn and a new mitten pattern to work on while Mr. Aitch drove.  (I even bought the recommended colors.)  In my haste to pack something  small to knit, I forgot one set of needles and didn’t get the project started.  As soon as we got home, I found the size needles I needed and put them in my knitting bag. 

Monday became the most interesting day and I’ll explain in a later post.