Lots of Projects

The spring classes at my LYS have begun and I am trying to stay on top of all my projects.

My Argosy scarf is coming along. I am in the second section and I am trying to do 2 repeats every day. On that schedule it will take about 3 weeks from start to finish. I really like my Seduction yarn from Blue Moon Fiber Arts. It is soft in my hands, a perfect compliment to my bamboo needles, and I love how the colorway Saratoga is knitting up.

I have also started the Felted Market Bag from the Weekend Knitting book. The first class was nearly two weeks ago. We are meeting again on the seventeenth of April. This project is a challenge and has me working on all sorts of new skills. It is Fair Isle and I am doing the 2 hand 2 color method. My main color yarn is held in my left hand and knit continental and the contrast color is held in the right hand and knit American. Then, instead of doing duplicate stitch I am using wooden beads. I am using the method Lily Chin showed on Knitty Gritty. You wait until you get to the actual stitch, take the stitch off the needle and use a crochet hook to put a bead on the stitch. Then, put the stitch back on your left needle and knit it. Nice to not have to string all of those beads ahead of time. I am also using a chart for the very first time. I messed up the third row last night and didn't realize it until I was at the very end of the row. So, I need to start with tinking back to my mistake (almost the beginning of the row) and re-knit it. Because this project is such a challenge and incorporating so many new techniques for me--I'm not loving it. So, I am setting myself up with a schedule to make sure that I stay on task and get it done in time for the classes. The class next week is only in case we have trouble. I don't have to have it done until the first week of May. Good thing!

I am also working on an over sized felted knitting bag. Right now it is just knitting in the round and mindless. Good break from my other knitting that takes concentration.

I still have to rip back my leg on my too big toe up sock. I am busy enough with other projects right now that I have put it on the back burner.

Today I bought Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I am dieing to make the Chevron Scarf with Socks that Rock that has been appearing on blogs lately. I think I am going to use my Monsoon from February's club. I'm not sure what I will put with it. I thought about Lucy, but I think it will be too much brown. My Monsoon is green and brown--none of the purple that I have seen in other people's skeins. This will be a good project for my Knitting Retreat weekend.

We are also going to knit Clapotis at the Knitting Retreat. Instead of four skeins of the pricey Lorna's Laces Lion & Lamb I think I am going to substitute Blue Moon Fiber Arts Seduction. I have a coupon and I would only need two skeins. I have it narrowed down to a few colorways.

Well, I'm gonna go read my new book, drink some Chai, watch the Master's with my husband and procrastinate from tinking back the 3rd row of my Felted Market Bag.

Enjoy your Saturday!!

Knitting Retreat

I was given permission to post this information to my blog in hopes of getting the word out about what should be a FABULOUS weekend! The following is from the flier:

KNITTING RETREAT---LAKE GEORGE

Friday Evening-Sunday Noon

June 8-10, 2007 and/or September 21-23, 2007

$195 per person, meals included

Knitter are taking over the entire 60 acres of beautiful Wiawaka Holiday House, a National Register Historic Place near Lake George Village, NY. Our location was once owned by the Trask family of Saratoga's Yaddo fame and was established 100 years ago to provide affordable vacations for women in the textile industry of Troy & Cohoes , NY. Funds from the retreat will support the Wiawaka Scholarship Fund to enable all working women an affordable vacation.

Enjoy the scenic beauty of the 1500 feet of Lake George frontage, with boat house and all of the property at our exclusive disposal. Knit in peace, or join friends old and new.

For more information on Wiawaka's fabulous history as a National Park Service "Place Where Women Made History" visit www DOT wiawaka DOT org. A $100 nonrefundable deposit is required. Lodging is primarily single rooms--we are seeking individuals willing to share rooms with 2 single beds. Reserve early for full room & date selection--some rooms are heated only by your knitted warmth!

FOR RESERVATIONS:
Katherine Wardle
chef AT cookingtherapy DOT com


I omitted Katherine's phone number and address, however you can email her when you are ready to reserve.

I wanted to include some of our Lake George photos, but blogger wasn't cooperating. Maybe next time!

Argosy Scarf & Knitting Retreat

Last night I took a class at Saratoga Needle Arts on the Arogosy Scarf from Knitty Winter 2006. It is a scarf knit on the bias with a bit of lace touches. It is very geometric and that really appealed to me. How often is our knitting geometric? I am using stash yarn from Rhinebeck. Blue Moon Fiber Arts Seduction colorway Saratoga. I LOVE it! The pattern takes some thinking while getting started, but I am hoping that once I have it set up, it will be good TV knitting.




A couple of us are going to a knitting retreat on Lake George in June. It is at Wiawaka. I met the woman putting it together on Sunday at SNA's open house. It is Friday evening to Sunday noon June 8-10 and is a very informal knitting weekend. No classes or anything. Just a community of women knitting together in the beautiful Adirondacks on a gorgeous lake. And that Sunday is my birthday! What could be better? If you want more info or are interested in going, shoot me an email at knittingknirvana at yahoo dot com.