Help!

I finally completed a sweater that fits me and it's cute too! Problem... the button pucker. As you can see it's even puckering when laying flat. I tried to straighten it out before I took the picture but I couldn't! You can imagine how the problem compounds when I put it on. What's up with this?! Do I need the buttons that stand up off the fabric? I tried sewing them on somewhat loosely but that doesn't seem to have helped these buttons. Also, they pop out regularly when it's on.

I haven't seen this happen except on sweaters that were just too tight. And although I have put no 10 pounds since I started knitting it (Darn that sleep deprivation, hospital food and all that sitting around on my arse!) it's still loose enough that it should be behaving this way.

So this is for those of you with experience here... HELP PLEASE! :)

ETA: I have already washed and blocked the sweater. Nice thought though Hattie! I already tried getting bigger buttons. Maybe I need even bigger. The button holes seem really stretchy though. Maybe the problem is in the stretch of the yarn?

Charlotte May

For the past seven or so months I've mostly been knitting socks... plain old stockinette. Boring things not worth blogging about. My brain is too exhausted to deal with much outside of my daughters treatment and care. The plain knitting is soothing. However, my grandmother, Charlotte May, has her 80th birthday tomorrow. This is an occasion to commemorate.


This grandmother can sew, paint, knit, crochet, embroider... she can do anything. And it's always perfect. She's the little voice in my head when I'm working on a project and am tempted to leave a mistake. 'Grandma wouldn't do that... she'd start tisking me if she saw that.' And when I was a kid my mom left us at her house a lot... until the wee hours of the morning many times. My brothers would be put to bed in her bed while I was put on the couch behind her cutting board for sewing. She'd sit there in her rocking chair sewing, crocheting or knitting... watching late night news and then Johnny Carson... "patiently" waiting for my mom to come get us after whatever unsavory late night activities kept her out. What my mom was doing was not lovely and those were hard times. But I have been thinking about them a lot lately. I've been thinking about my Grandmother and how she sat there working with her hands while enduring hard times for much of her life. And that's what I've been doing... sitting and watching over my daughter who is named in part for her. Watching, waiting, enduring... working simple projects with my hands to soothe away the anxiety and fears... giving me SOMETHING I could do while I watch and wait. It is a gift I feel she passed down to me. Another thing that makes me think of her... my hands. I have her hands. So as I watch my own hands I can see hers.


I wanted to make her something special. Something that would stretch my skills. I decided upon a lace scarf. This was a definite challenge given that I am exhausted in every way possible and I've never knit lace! But I wanted to make that effort for her. Given the circumstances I am amazed I was able to accomplish this. As far as my exhausted self can tell... there are no mistakes. And that is exactly what I was striving for. She would not leave a mistake... and I wanted to make something flawless for her.

So as life takes it's up's, down's and turns... I have this gift from her. And I hope this small gift will show her what a special gift she's given to me.

Miss E today wearing a new pair of those boring socks I mentioned... she loves them.

There is knitting in Leukemia Land

My sweet girl helping me knit Grammy some birthday socks during yet another week in the hospital. Knitting... goes everywhere!

My Sweet Girl

I am very sad to to let you all know that there won't be much knitting here for a while. On Friday November 28 my 2 year old daughter was diagnosed with Leukemia. There are no words to express how we are feeling. If you would like to follow our journey we have set up a website for her at Caringbridge.

More Spinning!

I started up this fun fiber last night. I could not stop. It was so fun playing with the colors in the fiber! It's Pigeonroof Studios South African Fine in Hydrangea. It was a getting started gift from Hattie! Thanks Hattie! I sure wish you were here to play with me!

This fiber was really squished into it's braid. So I've been playing with it, trying to figure out the best way to fluff it back out and pre-draft it a bit. Any tips? I'm really just making this all up as I go along. lol!

And... here is the second 4oz of my "practice fiber". This one turned out really well. 328 yards/3.5oz, half an ounce was left on the second bobbin... guess I got a little more fine on that second bobbin. Oops! I am thrilled with my consistency for it being only my second skein!


We've got a busy week ahead... Miss N is turning FIVE tomorrow! FIVE?! How did that happen?!

Enchanted

Yarn: Radiant Twist, Fluff, Enchanted
Pattern: Itchy Fingers Longies

I think it's safe to say I've been "enchanted" of late. First off... these lovely longies knit up cooperating with me every step of the way. No worries about strange color streaks or pooling. Nope, they just knit up lovely. And... they are a perfect fit.

And then... the wheel!

I am in LOVE with my new Pioneer. It's just lovely. It's the perfect size to fit into my little corner of the living room. It spins like a dream. I love the engineering of it. That probably sounds weird, but I am an architect... if things aren't designed well it bugs the snot out of me!

Here are my first 4oz of fiber... it was on clearance so I got it for something like $5 a pound. The perfect price for your first few spins! I ended up with 110 yards of bulky weight. It's got some serious over spinning issues on at least one of the singles. But I've quickly gotten past that issue... I think.

And here are the singles for the second 4oz. They are much more even and thinner. We'll see how they ply up. I have a feeling some parts may be under spun. And I really need to be better about moving my guide to get the yarn on the bobbin evenly. On the standing up bobbin I was really forgetful and it shows!


I've also been battling a nasty cold. Isn't it a little early in the year for such nastiness to be going around?! Yuck. So there hasn't been much progress on anything around here for the last week. A little knitting, a little spinning, a little reading and lots of lying about. Hopefully I can get well so that I can really get going with the new wheel!

I just bought my first wheel!

I've been shopping... and saving up... but really I didn't mean to go so fast! For a while I've been reading up... getting to know them and their reputations etc... All weekend I was engrossed (driving my Hub crazy), on Saturday I tried out several at Paradise Fibers and got a feel for what I like...

Then yesterday I was reading the thread on the new Pioneer in the Majacraft group on Ravelry... well someone linked to a store in Oregon that had a USED Pioneer for only $375!!! I called just now and I guess the "owner" won it in a contest, gave it a test and then decided "Nah... I've got 5 other wheels, I don't want it." How lucky is that?! I can't believe it! The wheel was only released in September... finding a used one is just SO lucky!
I'm a little nervous since I haven't tried the Majacrafts but... I haven't read one person not liking them, so I went for it. I should have tried Hattie's Little Gem before she left us! It's just such a great deal. I'm sure if I totally hate it I could sell it in a heartbeat. She said if she can sweet talk them it'll ship today, if not tomorrow. YAY! It's coming from Woodland Woolworks in the Portland, OR area so it should be here pretty fast!

HERE is a nice thorough review of the wheel with pic's in case you're interested.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm a little excited. I guess I need some fiber now...