U:Unravel A-Z Challenge

U
Unravel, to rip up,  to undo.
There are many reasons why someone would unravel a knitted item.
Maybe you found a sweater made out of a great yarn. The sweater doesn't fit, but you have visions of  that wool cashmere blend being turned into a perfect hat and mittens set. Or, you're working on that great shawl and half way through you realize that the knitted lace pattern is way off and you can't stand looking at it anymore, so you unravel until the point where you made the mistake.
In the beginning I wouldn't dare unravel the knitting project I was working on....after all that work, I just couldn't bring myself to unravel it.  Now, I unravel away....unless it's only obvious to me and no one else...!

Have you ever had to undo or unravel a project?

T: Time A-Z Challenge

Source: fromupnorth.com via Behtsee on Pinterest

Time, we all need more of it and can't seem to find it.  Time.  I need more time to write interesting posts, more time to spend with the girls, more time to craft, more time to run...time.  Where does it go and how can we get it back?  Time.
When I'm out and about with knitting in tow, people come up to me and comment "Oh, I wish I had more time to knit?"  I can't tell you where to find the time, I can only share what I do.  When it comes to knitting, or even quilting-two of my favorite hobbies, I make the time-even if it's just 5 minutes knitting a couple of stitches-I make the time.  I'm a better person for it.  If I don't make the time, even if it's a few minutes, I get overwhelmed by the lack of progress I've made on the project, the lack of time I have, etc, etc,  a spinning wheel of whirling negative thoughts, and the project gets forgotten. So by doing a little at time in even the smallest chunks of time, before I know it I'm getting closer and closer to finishing the project.

So why don't I take my own advice when it comes to writing.  I enjoy writing.  Words on paper, emotions out of my head, it's cathartic and empowering.  Is it because writing on a blog doesn't produce a touchable, product like knitting?  Is it lack of interesting tid bits to share with you?  I don't know.  All I know is I could have done much better at scheduling time to write, especially for this challenge (A-Z Challenge).

What do yo do to make time for blogging?  Do you schedule the time on  your calendar?  Or, just write when you can?

O...interrupted A-Z Challenge

Sewcarolinaknits interrupts the regularly scheduled A-Z Challenge to bring you the following:

What can I say about the letter O regarding knitting?
Oh I love knitting
Obsessed with knitting
The colors of yarn have me Overjoyed!

Boring.....

Instead I have to get the following off my chest.

I'm angry, angry that two men decided to make homemade bombs and then set them by the finish line of the Boston marathon.  Angry that so many people were injured and angry that innocent people lost their lives.
I remember what it's like to run a marathon.  The training involved was hard, the long runs were done on the weekends and it took time away from family.  The end result was so worth it!  As we lined up in our corral with thousand of others, Mary, Sally and I were nervous. Would we finish?  Would we finish in time?  Yet we were also excited that finally the day had come, we were going to run the Marine Corps Marathon, we were going to run it together and finish no matter what.  We took off at a good pace and commented on the slogans and memorials written on the back of race shirts and the number of spectators out to cheer the runners..  Mary and I lost Sally somewhere around mile five.  There were still many runners around us during the first few miles.  Mary and I lost each other at about mile eleven.  We had stopped at a water station, she for Gatorade and me for water.  I turn around and she was nowhere in sight.  I never felt I was running solo, the crowd support was amazing.  There wasn't one spot on the race where there wasn't at least one spectator cheering me on.  I remember as I turned the corner toward the finish, the last 1/4 mile was uphill-I love running uphill.  As I ran and gave it all I had, seeing the finish line banner made me very emotional.  Marines in uniform were lined up along the finish cheering me on and all I wanted to do was stop and take in that lovely view...the finish line!  I not only finished, but finished strong!  I had run 26.2 miles and I felt great!

While the news replayed the footage of the runners about to cross the finish line at the Boston Marathon as a bomb explodes to the left of them, my heart went out to them.  I could feel their pain, yet exhilaration that just yards was the finish line.  Then to have the joy of crossing the finish line taken away from them.....words fail me.
My running buddy and friend was there with her family cheering her husband.  The Bostoon Marathon was a birthday dream for him.  He did finish before the first bomb went off, but every year he will be reminded of what happened on that gorgeous day. My friend was thrown off her feet when the second blast went off.  She has a broken leg and will be in a cast unable to run for the next six weeks.  Yes, I'm thankful that she is alive and that this injury will just be a minor setback and she will be out running again, but I'm still angry.  She and I had gotten into this rhythm in our workouts, just days before they left for Boston we had run eight strong miles.
Thanks for letting me get this off my chest......

N:Needles A-Z Challenge

N
Knitting and Crochet needles come in various sizes and are made from various materials.  There are aluminum,

 plastic, 

bamboo

and even square knitting needles.  Yes, square knitting needles!


I used to preferre plastic knitting needles, they were lighter in weight and the yarn would move with ease, then I found circular knitting needles

Circular knitting needles are great for any type of project, from socks to heavy blanket with many stitches.  With a circular needle, the needles or sticks are connected by a cable,  the stitches are distributed throughout the cable as opposed to one side with straight needles.
But let me get back to the square knitting needles, my favorite needles.  Several years ago I found that after knitting for several hours my hands and wrists would begin to ache.  Giving up my favorite past time was not an option!  A display at a yarn store intrigued me, and after purchasing a pair I took them home home and tried them out.  These needles are fantastic!  I can knit for hours and not have the ache in my hands and wrists that I experienced in the past.  The cable is firm, yet flexible, and they come in various sizes.
Do you have a favorite type of knitting/crochet needle?

M:Mohair-A-Z Challenge

M
Mohair
Mohair is a type of yarn made from the hair of an Angora goat. Mohair fiber will keep you cool in the summer because of its wicking properties and will also keep you warm in the winter.
Mohair grows in diameter as the goat grows in age. Te younger goat hair is used in clothing, while the older goat hair is used in carpets.
Mohair is a durable and resilient and produces a nice sheen and luster, because of these qualities it is used to blend with other fibers.

L:Lace-A-Z Challenge

Lace
Knitting lace is one of the easiest and my favorite 'types' of knitting. Lace is knitted by creating 'holes' or yarn overs in between solid stitches. Depending on the pattern the lace can be as simple as yarn overs knitted between a repeat of three stitches or as intricate as a repeating pattern with yarn overs and decreasing stitches that create a beautiful lace pattern. Beginners are intimidated by lace only because of the yarn overs, but yarn overs are easy. A yarn over is just an extra stitch that is made by wrapping the yarn over the needle.





I used a lace pattern to create design element to the middle of the shawl. pictured to the right.

Don't be afraid of lace, try it out!

G: Gauge-A-Z Challenge

Gauge or tension is the number of stitches per inch (or centimeter).  Gauge isn't as important when knitting a scarf or blanket, but it is very important when knitting sweaters, socks, or hats.
Every knitters gauge is different.  If several of us sat down with the same yarn and needles, we would each get a different gauge   Why?  Some of us would be loose knitters and get a gauge of 6 stitches/inch, while others would knit much tighter and get 10 stitches/inch.  This is a great article describing gauge.
A pattern will state the gauge  needed to obtain in order to knit the item to the specified measurements.  For example, in my pattern Summer Leaves, the pattern states that the gauge is 20 stitches=4 inches in stockinette stitch, or 5 stitches=1 inch using a sock weight yarn and US 3 needles.  I was able to use a US size 3 needle to obtain the gauge of 5 stitches for inch.  Another knitter may need to move up or down a needle size in order to obtain the same gauge.
Before beginning the item, a knitter should make a gauge swatch (more on swatches at S). I say should because most of us don't, we are in a rush to begin our garment that once it is completed the garment doesn't fit.
Do you check your gauge before beginning a project?

F:Fiber Space-A Z Challenge

Today I'm going to tell you about my FAVORITE local yarn store...Fiber Space.  It's located in Old Town  Alexandria, Virginia and it's by far the BEST yarn store I've ever been to.

Top 5 reasons why I LOVE Fiber Space

1. Located in Old Town Alexandria.  After shopping for yarn goodies I can stroll the brick paved sidewalks and visit Alexandria Cupcake for a sweet treat or head down to the water and visit the Torpedo Factory Art Center which houses various artists and their wares.
2.  Friendly staff.  They will answer any knitting/crochet question,  show you how to do the technique, and and not charge you.  I know of another yarn store that charges you for answering questions.
3.  Large selection of yarn and supplies.  From fingering to bulky yarn, local hand dyed and many colors to choose from, needles in various sizes and types, books galore...Fiber Space has it all.
4.  Classes for the beginner to the advanced.
5.  Welcoming space.  I can pop in and knit, not purchase anything (which is really hard to do!), and sometimes I'm even offered a cup of tea!

Do you have a favorite yarn store?

E:Ease-A Z Challenge

Ease
What is ease when it relates to knitting?

Well, ease is the amount of extra 'room' built into a garment so that it fits and allows you to move in comfort.  If I sewed a skirt to my exact measurements that skirt would fit, but it would prevent me from walking or sitting down without the skirt riding up.

Knitting fabric is stretchy therefore when you knit a hat you would knit it with negative ease, or smaller than the head measurements in order for the hat to fit and stay on the head.

Positive ease is when a garment is larger than the body measurements.  A chunky, cabled sweater would flatter the figure if it was slightly larger than the body.  This is a great article describing the differences between negative and positive ease.


P.S. Sorry about the lack of photos or charts.....

D:Design-A Z Challenge

Never in a million years did I think I would consider myself a designer, but yes I am!!  Two years ago I took my first design class-design your own shawl with Stephanie Japel.  This class stretched my creative juices and I've been designing ever since.  Check out my Knitting Designs page.   Currently, I'm designing two shawls, one is a smaller shawlette, and the other is a larger shawl, both worked from the top-down with a lace center and edge.  I also have a scarf pattern being technically edited this week.  I'll post pictures and links to the patterns when they are available.
Sometimes I find a specific yarn that is calling for a specific pattern and design.  I found this luscious pink yarn with a blend of wool, cashmere and nylon, (from Neighborhood fiber company,) and it called to be knit into a chunky scarf.  Other times I need an item, for example a wrap that I can take when the weather turns cooler later in the day, hence the larger shawl that I'm in the middle of designing.  

C: Cast-on, Crochet-A-Z Challenge

Let's continue on our knitting/crochet journey.  Yesterday I wrote about the finishing or bind off in knitting. Today I'm writing about cast-on, the start of knitting/crochet projects.  As in bind off, there are many ways to cast on.
The most common, and easiest way to cast on is called the long tail cast on.  This cast on creates a firmer, elastic edge.  It's a bit hard to describe and better seen than read.  Below is an illustration, and a video on how to do the long tail cast on.


 




The cable cast on below, produces a firmer edging for the bottom edge of a sweater, for example.







C is also for crochet, the process of creating a fabric with yarn, thread, or strips of fabric using a hook, unlike knitting which uses two needles.  For the differences between crochet and knitting read this article.  Many of you are familiar with the look of crochet, your grandmother probably has a granny square blanket over her sofa.




Do you knit or crochet?

B:Bind off-A-Z challenge

Bind off, the point where every knitter finishes the garment or accessory they are working on by decreasing stitches and taking the loops off the needle creating a finished edge.
There are several ways to bind off:



Three-needle bind off is used when you don't want to sew a seam, for example when finishing a hat.












Regular bind off is most often used, two stitches are continually decreased until one stitch is left, then remaining yarn is loped through the remaining stitch and you are done.
 

Decorative bind off, like a picot bind off creates a decorative edge to a scarf or blanket.

And there are even more ways to work the above bind off.

A great book with several types of  ways to 'cast on' (C for tomorrow) and bind off is titled Cast On Bind Off by Leslie Ann Bestor.

Do you have a favorite bind off technique?

A: Amigurumi-A-Z Challenge

A-Z Challenge starts today.   Come join me as we travel through the alphabet learning all there is about knitting and crochet.

           

A
Ami (ah mee): Japanese for knitting or crochet; nugurumi (noo ee goo roo mee) Japanese for stuffed doll. (source)  

Amigurumi: The art of knitting or crocheting small stuffed animals or anthropomorphic creatures.
The blue monster is my favorite.  Have I knitted an amigurumi?  No, not yet, they are on my list of 'must knit items'!

Interested in creating these adorable creatures?  Try this website.  It has a great tutorial on types of yarn to use, stuffing, embellishments and helpful book to get you started on the road to amigurumi!

P.S.  Thanks Arlee Bird for starting the A-Z challenge!!

Do you ever wonder.....?

Do you ever wonder why women wear make-up to the gym?     Why?  There is a trainer at the gym I go to who is decked out in makeup.  OK, maybe she isn't getting a 'full' workout while she is helping others workout, but why?  Maybe tone it down a little.

Last year while waiting for the Rock and Roll, DC half-marathon to start I saw this one girl wearing a full face of makeup.  Yes, a race!  This young girl was in line, getting ready to run a 1/2 marathon, and she was wearing mascara, eye liner, and foundation?  Does she not sweat so that look works for her?
Maybe it's just me, but I sweat too much to even think about putting any makeup on.  At a minimum I wear sunscreen and lip balm, both of which get wiped off by the end of my workout/run!

Just wondering.........

What are your thoughts?



Source: Uploaded by user via Sarita on Pinterest

Stop by and visit me at sewcarolinaknits

What you will find in this cozy retreat

• Reviews of races and race related items
• Knitting patterns and any other projects I'm working on
• Funny quotes and videos.
• Teenage drama stories
• Writing, writing, and more writing!

So stop by for a visit.

 Cup of coffee or tea?

                                             



 
See you next time!

What I learned in 2012....

1. Weekly link parties are great, and it does generate some traffic to the blog. But having the time to only read a few of the 100's of posts on the host blog makes me feel bad. I end up reading the blog posts I recognize and then it feels like a popularity contest.

2. Learning code was great, but I couldn't see myself taking the advanced classes unless I was going into computer programming as a next career. I still enjoy bedside nursing.

3. I can run 26.2 miles and not die! Running helps me relieve stress. I've made some great friendships through running, and for me it's not about the time, or distance, but about the joy in the journey.

4. Read what I like and when I want to. Will I ever read the books I didn't get to on the TBRP challenge...maybe, maybe not. I picked them up for a reason, but now is not the time. I will continue to have a stack a books on the bedside table and on the iPad...if only there were more hours in the day.


5. Praying like running helps center me and feel closer to God.



6. Working full-time was interesting, but frustrating when I couldn't fix all that I felt needed fixing. I feel so blessed that I'm able to work part-time while the girls are still home. My family survived and maybe even missed me some days...!

7. Joining the monthly writing challenges helped my writing. Writing has now become like running, something I NEED to do for me. Getting the thoughts that are swirling in my head down on this blog has me meeting new people through the blogsaphere, learning new things and doing something I never thought I would do...write.


8. Designing and publishing knitting patterns feeds my creative juices. It's hard work, but well worth it when I get the email that someone 'has purchased your pattern"! Someone out there is wearing my creations, how great is that! Last year I was only able to publish one pattern, this year I'd love to at least publish two. Scarves seem to be the best sellers in my shop.