Chemo Caps - YET AGAIN !

So I haven't been to guild in over a year and half...but in my defense I have a traveling hubby and a rotten beastie boy who's in every sport know to mankind...weekends are a valuable commodity not to be squandered!!! Anyway I digress - I went to Guild on Saturday! Left the hubby doing school stuff, left the beastie working on the lawn (don't hire him - he's not very good) left the sleeping hound on the couch and made a break for the door!

The sassy Ms. RMS did a fun presentation on the fundamentals of hat math and design. But what struck me the hardest was the lovely red head who was in critical need of Chemo Caps for the Breast Wellness Center. And our own Hospitality Princess explaining that there was a pressing demand in the entire city. WOW, what a sad commentary that there are "sister-friends" in need...again...still!!!!! So in memory of Cheryl, Marilyn, Grace, Malinda and Jim who lost the battle, and for Annie, Tammi, Betty, and my mom who kicked cancer's ass here's another round of cancer caps!

So this one is made from a mystery hank from SOPHIPHI over on Ravelry - she sent it as a thank-you/trade for some ColourMart merino/angora lace weight. It's feels like it's merino/silk blend somewhere between a fingering and lace weight. I used the HiyaHiya interchangeable needle kit (size 4 needle and 16 inch cable) and one of my all time favorite hat patterns...the Filigree Lace Hat Pattern by Jackie Erickson-Schweitzer over at HeartStrings! The pattern calls for sport weight yarn but I used the large instructions and a size 4 needle.

I've been using this as a Chemo Cap since 2005 when Cheryl was looking for something she could wear on an "outing" (fashionista). Not too hot, just enough coverage, not too tight and super soft. I've made it in every fiber from cashmere to silk to cotton and they always turn out great!

Math Mafia Lessons

Okay Eye Candy First...

This is called the Luiza Shawl and I picked it up on Ravelry for $5. Made some mod's mostly increasing the size and then I got no skills cause I had some issues with the pattern some of which were resolved with a quick response from the designer - anyways here it sits on the bed. So for those keeping track that's 16 full edging repeats + 2 half repeats + the center 3/4 circle! I ended up using 1.75 balls of Knit Picks Gloss Lace, on size 5 needles, with finished dimensions of 70 inches across the top, 50 inches down the side, and 34inches down the spine. (And believe it or not each of those edging repeats blocked out to 5 inches!)





Now this last bit is from the "Math Mafia" - which would be the nerdy guys I live with and indulge me in this "crafty" thing. They figured out that if they used the laser level from the workshop, compensated 40% for growth from the original piece and did a little math (formula included which I don't get but which they swear works just fine) and then to make things even easier pinned out a template on the bed to the correct dimensions and then since I always complain about blocking those damn semi-circles at the bottom placed pins to allow for precise placement. So cred to the Math Mafia who now adds shawl blocking to their growing resume.

Stump the Chump

Ha you thought I was going to show you some new knitting (can't cause it looks like a jellyfish right now) - or share some of my stash (please I NEVER share my stash) ... fooled ya!

I am stumped!

I am knitting the Cameron Shawl from Sharon Miller over at Heirloom Knitting using ColourMart 2/30 Merino/Silk/Cashmere blend. It's a typical square Shetland Shawl using typical techniques and there is really nothing different here...but

During the last 8 or so rounds the number of stitches stays static, and then on the very last round you DECREASE 9 stitches per side, and then gentle reader you apply the edging which has NO ease around the corners of the shawl. This gives you the right number of stitches to knit 22 repeats of the pattern per side! My question is this...if I just increase one stitch per side (instead of decreasing) I'll be able to add an extra repeat of the edging per side and maybe it will lay better or is this VanDyke edging stretchy enough that it will do what I want when I block it. The second question is will my fiber actually hold the block like the sticky shetland wool or will I be disappointed and the corners will pull in like my Lerwick?!

And if just one of you dares to mention the word "SWATCH" may your computer screen go blue! And yes I posted the question over on the Ravelry!

Some more eye candy

Here's the final shots of the Panama Shawl - it is a Christmas Mystery written by Monika Eckert at Wollklabauter! She is toooo talented! It was published as "clues" starting on Christmas Eve and I've been working on it pretty steady ever since!

Final thoughts are that I loved the pattern and I loved the fiber but I still seem to think I need to knit lace in fibers devoid of color? Iced blue, gray or white but the strong color changes somehow detract from the beautiful stitches...

Thank you Moni for the Wonderful Xmas gift...

So I started knitting right on time - okay some days I was a bit excessive and sat up waiting for the posting of a clue! Clue by clue photos are in my Ravelry Account (RogueKnit). And for those who want to check out my stitches extra large here's a link to my Flickr photo!

And I Knitted and I Knitted and by the end my rows were taking 55 minutes to finish the pattern row and the subsequent purl row...but I did it...and with help from the beastie and the hubby I blocked today and here it is...



I'll post a picture on a model as soon as it's done drying!

Now for the technical stuff - I used JoJoland Harmony - ended up using about 1350 yards of cobweb weight on a size 2.5 needle - Finished dimensions are 90.5 inches at the top and 63 inches down a side. Now GO KNIT YOUR OWN!!!!

Show Me

Well there's been a whirlwind in my house for the last 6 weeks - I went to the show!

Six weeks ago I was talking to Dorothy - you should talk to Ellen and Tammi! Then there was a meeting in a hallway and the next thing I know there's a space at the show and it's mine....

That lead to filing for a business liscense, tax stuff, virtual terminals, a .com site, packaging, display building, banking, pricing and tagging...and in my spare time designing and knitting! 12 new mitten patterns, 3 new shawl patterns, 2 hat patterns, and a sock pattern...and then knitting everything up - in multiples! MY HANDS ACHE!

The show went super - and I have alot of you to thank for it! I can't name all the people who read this blog that showed up to support both me and the beastie's school! And speaking of the beastie - he set up my new cell phone, made bags, hauled the booth (which included 80 pounds of river rock) helped tag and organize inventory! And the hubby who is designing the .com, set up my books, hauled my stuff, and then sat and held my hand and handled the tech stuff during the two day show. And Carol - who jumped in with both feet and no hesitation to fill my booth with beautiful mittens, hats, scarves and shawls! And the hospitality princess - who showed up two days in a row even though she was working - and knitted up some cup kozies to boot! I am loved by so many!

I also met tons of new people - was offered a business venture or two, and found a couple of new vendors for fun stuff! So I guess the first thing I need to do is finish writing up some patterns - they'll be offered for sale at RogueKnits.com after the first of the year! Until then I plan to uncurl my fingers, cook some hot meals for my family (although the Straub's did my Thanksgiving cooking - I'm a bad mommy), walk my poor neglected dog, and maybe show up at a knit night or two!

Guess what else comes in 2's

Okay - it's easy - socks! But unlike mittens they
take twice as long 'cause the

yarn is skinnier - if that's even a word?!

Now way back in time I came to St. Louis to attend a wedding - like 9 or 10 years ago! We stayed at the Frontenac and had a super time. But I was bored and wanted to see the city and of course I needed some yarn to remember the trip by. The hubby looked in the phone book and found this place downtown. So off we went - we ended up parking in a dark lot (read scary) and cutting between two buildings (read scarier - after all we're from the middle of nowhere Wisconsin) and then went in a building and up some stairs to the Optical Section. But low and behold there was more yarn than glasses! Everyone was super nice and I walked out with two big bags of yarn - mostly sock! I was happy - the hubby only grumbled a little - and off we went back home! And yes it was a lovely wedding - and even more surprising - THEY'RE STILL MARRIED - TO EACH OTHER!

Now we actually live in St. Louis and I've been accepted to do a show at John Burroughs School on November 21st and 22nd! And as luck would have it - I still had some of that wonderful - OPTICAL - sock yarn still hanging around! So come visit me dontchaknow!

And for the technically minded - pair one was knit using Regia Stretch Color - pair two was used using Regia Jacquard - and I used almost all of two balls per pair on a US size 2 needle. I cast on 56 stitches - did a K2, P2 cuff for 1.5 inches - then straight stitch until piece measured 7.5 inches. Did a heel of K1, Slip1, followed by Slip1 purl to the end of the row over 28 stitches and 30 rows. Turned my heel, and finished to the toes depending on size of foot.