I knit, sometimes I spin, and I blog about it all here.

I have come to the conclusion, that Shedir is most definitely a labor of love.  I’m very pleased that I finally knit this hat, making it for a friend in need, but wow, it was a whole lot of cables to knit!

At one point, I looked up “cabling without a cable needle.  I really like the technique that Grumperina has documented on her blog.  But – this project just didn’t lend itself to doing that for me.  It would have been like trying to do that with a sock project…and the irony of it kind of made me smile.  I thought to myself – at some point someone thought – man, I wish I had a little needle I could hold this stitch on and they “invented” the cable needle – and now we’ve had and used them for all these years and we’re trying to “unvent” them and do cabling WITHOUT a needle.   So I stuck with my new little Brittany cable needle and the project picked up it’s own little rhythm.  I will likely try the cabling without a needle on a larger gauge project like a sweater, or even a hat with a heavier gauge yarn,  where I’m using wool and a larger needle.

This yarn is Knitpicks Comfy sport.  I imagine it’s their answer to Rowan Calmer, which is the yarn called for in the pattern.  It’s a cotton/acrylic blend and it has a nice soft feel to it, so should make for a nice comfortable chemo cap. But cotton is always a workout for my fingers and wrists.  Just not as comfortable to work with as wool is.

The pattern was first published at Knitty.com in 2004, and they have packaged this pattern with a few other breast cancer awareness type patterns here.

The only issue I had with the pattern is that the marker that designates the beginning of a row is moved a few times – that part was okay – but it isn’t necessarily NOTED on the chart in all places it gets moved, so you had better know how to read a chart.  Or…just make a note on the pattern that the marker gets moved at the end of rows 53, 55,56,58,62 64 (2 sts), and 70.   The last stitch in each of those rows (or in the case of row 64 the last two stitches) becomes the first stitch in the following row and the row marker gets moved accordingly.  I looked around the Internet for some kind of errata on Shedir and found almost nothing.  Finally, one blog had made a remark about it, and it helped me figure out why I couldn’t get row 63 to work for me.

Project specs:

• I used a size 2 needle (I didn’t think I was a loose knitter, but 3’s were too big for gauge for me).
• KP Comfy Sport, Color 0638.

Difficulty rating I guess I’d have to say a little more of a challenge than “easy” – mostly it’s just labor-intensive – but definitely “doable” for someone with a little experience.  And, it’s one of those patterns I had to really  to pay attention to at first, but eventually the patterning “clicks” – right about the time it’s time to start switching from the cables to the lattice is when it happened to me.  Shedir is a very satisfying project because it’s such an ingenious pattern.  I’m going to do it again some day – right after I forget how much work it is!

Recently, Smitty’s brother became a grandpa.  Which then gave me the perfect “excuse” (like I need one!) to sew.  I love making boy baby things.  Girl baby things are great too, but since I raised a son, sewing for boy babies always takes me back to when my son was growing up and I sewed for him.

The variety for boys is no where even near to what’s out there for girls, so when I find something unique but still “boyish” to sew, I’m way more excited about it than is necessary.  This pattern called Sweet William by Wendy Schoen, actually serves well for both sexes.  I have also made it in girly colors and made the embroidered part of it feminine.  It’s one of those “keepers” – a pattern that is my “go to” pattern for a newborn.  Now, that said – it’s best to get these things made up ahead of time, because as we know babies grow fast.

I always mean to do that – make up a bunch of baby things and keep them stored for gifting as the occasion arises.  And, of course, I haven’t done that yet – except for the hat and socks that I added to the gift.  But this tendency of mine also makes this pattern even more special – because while it’s meant for a newborn it’s big enough for a little bit older baby – and it “grows” – at least in length.  I remember seeing my grands running around as toddlers in their little sleepers now serving a night-shirts.  So, nice that this one has a tuck basted in to it – which lets out if you take out the embroidered chain and the inside basting. 

I chose the chain stitch for the embroidery (pattern calls for a feather stitch) this time,  since you can just snip the knot and pull and the whole thing will just unravel.  I also thought it seemed kind of a boyish stitch.

For the drawstring in the bottom of the hem, I used some twill tape that I stitched to each end of a piece of elastic and then threaded that thru the hem/casing at the bottom.  That makes it a stretchy gather – which makes getting to a diaper change quicker when necessary.

The other thing I like about this pattern is the back opening is big.  At first I thought – wow, that’s way huge – but it facilitates just dropping the baby in and snapping the back up.  Ohhhhh – I get it!

I hope the new parents are pleased.  Most of the pleasure for me is just making and giving a unique gift, but it’s always a plus when the recipient likes it.  You know what I mean?

Koolhaas is finished, and is currently winging it’s way to it’s recipient in the frozen tundra of Idaho.  I just wore it for the photo here.  I wanted updated pics for my project page on Ravelry, so after I got this one photographed, I put on some of the other hats I’ve knitted (and kept) for updated photos.  Flickr set here.  I especially enjoy the “deer in the headlights” look in one of them.  (I was trying not to blink.)

I’m probably going to make Koolhaas again in a color that I like.  This one was okay, but not really “me”.  And the Encore yarn is fine, but I”d like to do it in one that doesn’t have such a “halo” to the yarn.

Meanwhile…there has been sewing, and more hat knitting.

I finished “Morgan” and it is currently blocking.  It was pretty hillarious looking before I felted it – kind of resembled a graduation “cap” only round.  I knit it in Paton’s Classic Wool, worsted weight, and I think the pattern calls for DK or maybe fingering weight yarn.  So, my intention was to felt it all along, but wasn’t real sure if the final result would work.  It looks like it worked just great.  Actually, I almost felted it a little too much.  We stretched it over Smitty’s head tho while it was still damp (he’s such a good sport) and now it’s blocking over towels.     I need to add the stabilizer (not really necessary, I’d be willing to bet) to the brim or “peak” as it’s called in the pattern, and this time I might add a snap to keep the top and the brim snapped down.

Typically, I’m a late bloomer. It’s a rare instance when I jump on a bandwagon immediately, and this was no exception. I remember when Jared Flood first blogged Koolhaas. I thought it was a nice pattern, but wasn’t sure if I wanted to knit it yet. I should have just gotten the pattern then, because after a while I started thinking I’d really like to knit that! And then getting the pattern wasn’t really possible since money was that tight. Then, Interweave published their new “Accessories” magazine last month,

I bought the magazine and now I have the pattern.

It’s probably considered “easy” by most knitters with any experience – but it took me a few rip-outs to finally get things established, and I’m pretty sure that a smoother yarn (like Cascade 220) would be a better choice, but I’m knitting this in Encore.  I’m just about to begin the top decreases.

My friend and her husband visited us this week, and we took them on a (kinda lame since most places were closed and it was raining) sight-seeing tour of our area.  Of course, one of the stops was By Hand Yarn in Sonora.  She bought herself a knitting basket there – which I forgot to photograph, and I found a set of Brittany cable needles that are PERFECT.  Just the right size – not too long, not fussy, just a little stick that I can slip a stitch off to the front or back of my work and then knit off when I’ve knit the other stitch.  I didn’t “NEED” them – I’d been using one of my Denise needles and it worked just fine, but I am ever so much happier now with a little “stick” dedicated to exactly this use.

I’m well in to the second Selbuvotter, but it is sitting on the back burner for now until I get Koolhaas finished.  I’m also knitting another “Morgan” for MP.  This one in a pretty heathered olive green color, and have plans for another one after that from a charcoal tweed.

Right mitten is finished. This was taken (obviously) before the thumb was done – but this shows the top side – I had intended to do the opposite of this – main color red, and snowflake etc in white – and would you believe I didn’t even notice my mistake until I’d finished the whole thing and was showing it to my husband?  I really like the palm and the design that goes up the side of the mitten – well, I like the whole thing but here’s a look at what I’m referring to:

That chain design up the sides is so cool!

Have yet to cast on the left glove, but plan to soon.

Not sure if I’m just tempting fate, or if I really am getting just a little cocky thinking I can start all kinds of projects and ride the tide of ambition all the way to the end of getting them all finished – BUT – apparently I was afflicted with “startitis” recently, and now have about four or five things going at the same time as these mittens…

AND…

I’m also sewing a few projects while I’m at it, just to raise the bar a little.  Today, I finished a small sewing project.  Have another one all cut out and waiting for it’s turn next.

I made Smitty a pair of boxers.  We found a piece of flannel on sale at Joann’s recently – so while Smitty stood in line to get the fabric cut – I went to look at yarn.  I don’t “wait” well – and neither does he in a fabric/yarn store – so that worked out great and he got a pair of sleep shorts in the bargain.

I even matched the plaid.

This is KwikSew #1663 and it is a fabulous pattern for men’s PJs.  The shirt comes in two options – one is a V-neck pullover, kind of like you’d see with hospital scrubs, and the other is a button down the front type shirt which you can make short or long-sleeved.  Pants the same – short or long, your choice.  It’s also a multi-sized pattern, so you can custom-fit it.

Here’s a “frugal” tip: You know how guys have a tendency to wear their underwear to the point of shredded, holy, rags?  Just rip the “holy briefs” off of the elastic and toss them in the trash – and use the elastic in the PJ’s.  It’s the most comfortable elastic out there, and it’s already cut to size – and you didn’t have to buy any elastic.   I actually do that on a regular basis now – harvest elastic and keep it stored for future projects.  That serves a couple of purposes – my supply of comfy waistband elastic is always replenished – and the underwear supply remains respectable.