So Many Knitalongs!

Have you been keeping track? So far this summer (well, since mid-May, which is almost summer around here!), I have joined five knitalongs! Plus one more knitalong queued!  First, I joined SubwayKnits Rose Lace Stole Knitalong....check, project complete, waiting to be blocked.  Second, I joined Camp Loopy Ewe Project 1 Knitalong...Andrea's Shawl...check, project complete, waiting to be blocked.  Currently, I'm knitting The Loop Entrelac Tank in the Sweatshop of Love Summer Sweater Knitalong, (I'm a little behind but think I will catch up soon!)  The Camp Loopy Ewe Project 2 (a ginormous thank you to all that chose Irish Hiking Mittens as their cable project! I'm knitting them too! And I should finish on time!) and NotGoingToSockSummit Socks.(Alas! I am still on sock numero uno!)  Coming up BmoreCrafty's Small Project Knitalong which started August 1st! (I'm hoping to join in later this week). Whew! 

So, what's the appeal of a knitalong? Knitting with someone! Talking through yarn selection, pattern selection, swatching, problems, alterations etc! And seeing everyone else's projects as they progress! Knitalongs keep me inspired!  

Have any terrific knitalongs that you've really enjoyed?  Share here!

Something New! Entrelac Knitting!

Have you ever looked at a knitting pattern and just sighed and thought, "That is sooo pretty but I'm sure that technique is waaay too difficult for me?" That is exactly what I thought looking at all things Entrelac...scarves, totebags, felted tote bags, sweaters....so pretty and, I was so sure, much too difficult for me.

Then, through the magic of Twitter, I saw @sweatshopoflove's The Loop Entrelac Top.  What an adorable summer sweater!  I queued it when it went on Ravelry.  And there it sat for a year, a whole year!

The Loop Entrelac Top by Allyson Dykhuizen

Really cute, right? Well, I have never tried knitting anything Entrelac and that diagonal, diamond-shaped, basketweave pattern was more than intimidating! But then I saw (again, on Twitter!) that Allyson was having a summer sweater knitalong and one of the selections was this very sweater! I was in!  The time frame was June 1st to July 31st....more than 8 weeks plus Allyson made a how to knit Entrelac Video!!!  Her written instructions are very easy to follow and the video is terrific!

Just so you know, Entrelac is basically just knit stitches, purl stitches, knit 2 together, purl 2 together and picking up stitches....really easy stuff!

So, despite a busy summer, waaay too many projects on my needles, and a lingering fear of this new technique, I finally cast on The Loop Entrelac Tank Top last week.  As of right now, I am almost done  with both Entrelac straps! I should be onto the main stockinette sections tonight! And, PS, since this sweater is for my daughter, I made the straps a little short and put them on stitch holders so I could get a perfect length for her.  Actually, I'm hoping I have a few more sections of Entrelac to knit!

Do you have any knitting techniques that you've been afraid to try? Share here!

Hmmm...

Today, I am going to take a look back at my so-called knitting progress over the past year.  (I wish the topic was how my stash has grown over the past year - by leaps and bounds - perhaps too much!  But that will be a blog post for another day!)

Last year at this time I was a Twitter and Ravelry newbie and I probably hadn't even thought about a blog yet.  I was just beginning to get interested in knitting again...I learned to knit from my grandmother when I was about 9 and have gone through knitting phases over the years...no previous knitting phase has been quite like this one though.  I attribute this lasting interest to Twitter and Ravelry.


@Voolenvine's Vinelle



So, about this time last year, I knitted Bella's Mittens, which were my first learn about it on Twitter and find it on Ravelry project.  Then, I knit @Voolenvine's sweater, Vinelle. 


Later came Ishbel, joined a sweater twitablong with @jbee42 and @cheekytart.  And met @knittingknoobie when I visited NYC last summer! 


Test Knit Granny Bomber Jacket
for @Sweatshopoflove










Then, I test knit a sweater with intarsia for @sweatshopoflove.

Irish Hiking Mittens Designed by Me!!

And I even designed a pair of mitts and a pair of mittens. I guess my knitting has progressed quite a bit since last year! Learned to knit lace and intarsia. I had never knit mittens before and here I was at the end of 2010 designing my own! And I am noticing that I am a bit of a binge knitter. Handbags knitted for holiday gifts in 2009 was followed up with hats for holiday gifts in 2010. Now, it's socks. Lots and lots of socks. For me, this kind of binge knitting gives me a chance to develop certain skills and see how different yarns work in similar patterns. Of course, that's not really why I binge knit...it's more like...Oh! This is fun! Let me knit another one! Hmmmm.....what's next? Any suggestions?



Knit-A-Long with The SweatShop of Love - Week 1

I love Snow Weeks!!  My children had five, count them, five snow days last week! The ice was awful (not many snowplows in Georgia!) and every day at noon, almost like clockwork, my daughter would announce that she had just received a text from her BFF saying that school was canceled the next day! My daughter would quickly veryify this on the school system's website and, by Wednesday afternoon, we already knew that we'd be home til Tuesday! We did get a little stir crazy and a lot of housecleaning did get done...and there was knitting....lots and lots of knitting!

So, in addition to all of the NaKniMitMo mitten knitting, I started  Beatnik as part of the The SweatShop of Love Sweater Knit-A-Long.  And can you believe it??...I stayed up with this weeks goal!!! We'll see what next week brings since we'll be back to our regular schedules! (and no more snow is forecasted!)

Week 1 Progress on my Beatnik Sweater!

I think I may add a few rows before I start the waist decreases.  This picture shows my progress through Row 8 of the  first set of Charts.  Maybe about an inch more for a little added length.  I am finding that the charts get easier to read as I get further into the pattern.  It is a little bit like learning a new language. So far so good...hopefully I will have time to keep up with the knitalong.  I've actually planned how I want my knitting to go this week since I'd like to make progress on my mittens too!

New Year's Resolutions - Knitting Wise Of Course!

Happy New Year Everyone! What are your knitting resolutions and goals for 2011? I have lots planned for my needles this year! First up, NaKniMitMo - a Ravelry group for National Knitting Mittens Month.  Mittens I'd like to knit include Hermione's Mittens and Norwegian Selbu Mittens.  Of course, I'd also like to do another pair of Irish Hiking Mittens.  I actually started the Hermione Mittens a few days ago and, so far, I'm doing okay with the colorwork and the chart reading!

Hermione Mittens from http://www.ravelry.com/ - In progress!

Along with NaKniMitMo, I've joined  Allyson's (The SweatShop of Love) sweater Knit-A-Long...a sweater for me.  I'm going to knit this from Knitty

Beatnik from http://www.knitty.com/


I found yarn at KnitPicks and I'm going to use City Tweed DK Yarn in Splash.  I've already ordered the yarn so shhhh! I may get started a little early.  The Knit-a-Long officially begins January 10th!
Also on my 2011 Knitting List, finish the 2 pairs of socks that I'm about 75% complete on...why can't I finish them? And start some new socks...and some shawls...and hats...and...and...and...

So, what's on your 2011 Knitting List?  Share Here!!!