Knitting, Writing and Question

Hi, everyone!
I'm back after taking two months to finish my November book, and also do a bit of publicity for my February book, DEADLY REUNION. In the midst of that, I also had a request from a lady at church to knit her great-grandchild-to-be (due in April), a sweater and booties. I'm posting the picture with this blog. My picture taking abilities are kind of 'eh', but the picture should give you an idea of what it came out like. The yarn is Bernat's Baby Coordinates yarn, I think it's called.


So that's the Writing and Knitting. The Question part concerns resizing an existing pattern for a hooded woman's sweater from Simply Knitting Magazine. I want to use a certain worsted weight yarn for this sweater pattern, which calls for bulky weight yarn. (I don't like the way it drapes using two strands together, so that's out.) I already know a good method to resize. That is, refiguring the number of stitches (and rows) in the pattern by dividing the stitch amounts in my gauge (per four inches,) by the stitches gauge in the pattern to get a multiplier. Say you get 16 stitches per 4", and the pattern calls for a gauge of 13. You divide 16 by 13, get 1.3 (rounding up). Then whenever you have a stitch amount, like with casting on, you multiply the number of stitches called for in the pattern by your multiplier. Example: Say it says to cast on 150 stitches. You would multiply your 1.3 times 150 and cast on 195 stitches to equal the same inches, but in your yarn. Same thing with rows. That's easy enough and it worked in a sweater I did.

So what I didn't run into before that I'm worried about? When the pattern calls for the decreases of 1 or 2 stitches. Has anyone resized a pattern and had to decrease? Do I also use the multiplier for that? Since the last pattern I resized with this method was knitted from the top down, I've never done the decreasing part of resizing before. I would hate to get a whole lot knitted and then mess up the decreasing part of this. Can't find it on the internet.

Not a big deal--I just don't want to buy bulky weight yarn when I have so much worsted weight that would make great sweaters.
Flo

PURRRR-fect Contentment (OT)

This has nothing to do with knitting (unless you count all the hair the cat is shedding as potential yarn) but I just thought it was too good a picture to pass up. This is Squeaky, the stray cat who showed up skinny and starving at our house two winters ago. She hasn't missed many meals since, and it shows. Ah, but that's okay. She's a lover and we love her lots.

Back to the book in progress. I'm envying Barbara's word flow as mine has slowed to a trickle. But such is the writing life.

I'm almost finished lining my purse. That's been more difficult than I imagined it would be as well. And I've started a V-neck pullover knit from the top down in a pretty lime green Silky from The Olde Stash. Unfortunately, I've had to tink twice but now I think I have the hang of it. I'll have photos (and more giveaway sock yarn) soon.

Maybe my problem with my writing and my knitting is I'm trying too hard to be perfect.

World Series Sweater Done!

My World Series Sweater is done. Actually, it's the Bookworm Tunic from hipknits knit in Knit Picks' Shine Sport, a cotton/modal blend that's a dream to work with. I call it my World Series Sweater because the bulk of it was knit while watching the baseball playoffs.

This photo was taken right before a book signing I did this past weekend in Crested Butte, Colorado. Blue Moon Books hosted a fun signing to celebrate the release of my October American Romance, Marriage On Her Mind, the first of a new series of romantic comedies set in Crested Butte.

On the needles now -- a pair of socks for me, in bright purple! So what is everyone else working on?

Knitting and Nerves

During the World Series, I knit the front, back, and 1/3 of a sleeve of a new sweater. If the Red Sox hadn't swept my beloved Colorado Rockies and they'd played all seven games, I think I could have finished the sweater. This picture is of the sleeve so far. I hate how awful these things look before they're blocked, but trust me, it will look better.

Which goes to show, I knit faster when I'm stressed. Yet knitting makes me feel much calmer, one more reason I love it. People have different ways of relieving tension, but after a tough day I really look forward to sitting down with my knitting. I can feel myself relaxing as I knit and purl.

And to show that not everyone in the family was uptight about the games, here's a shot of my dog, Snoopy, relaxing in his new favorite spot, the Guest Bed.

Sweater and New Website

As I explained on Nancy's "trophy post," I had to stop knitting my self-designed sweater for a while because my right hand cramped up on me and sent needles of the nerve-y kind shooting up my arm. But here's a photo of where I had to stop. And where I can pick up soon again ... I hope!

The big wings sticking out to the sides are the sleeves and the skinny pieces running up and down are the body. I'll triple-needle-bind-off the back when it's time and then finish the neck and the side/sleeve seams. No more pics until it's done.

Besides "writing" my new book by using Dragon Speak, I've also been consulting on a new website for Delphi Books. Please check it out at http://www.DelphiBooks.us and let me know what you think.

And speaking of books ... isn't Barbara's new one going to be terrific?

Making It Up As I Go Along

Call me crazy. You wouldn't be the first. Or call me a writer. Someone who makes it up as she goes along.

Whatever, I've designed a pattern and am going to knit it up with the James C. Brett black and white and gray Marble yarn pictured on the right. It's 100% acrylic (I'm allergic to wool) and there's 240 yards to the ball. Since I figure I'll need about 1,600-1,700 yards, I bought 7 balls for a total of 1,680 yards.

Here's the deal: I couldn't find a pattern and yarn that went together the way I wanted them to. Originally, I was going to make the Marble Cardigan. I ordered some of the Patches yarn for it but found it didn't quite look right. Didn't feel right, either, because it had wool in it. So I sent the Patches back (minus the one ball that it had taken for me to figure out it wasn't going to work) and decided what I really wanted to make was a cuff-to-cuff cardigan. Then I got to doodling around and decided I could design the pattern myself.

We'll see ... right? I'm going to knit the sleeves from cuff to underarm on the same circular at the same time. Then I'll put each sleeve on its own circular, increase for the body, decrease a little for the neck and do a three-needle bind-off in the center back. If you'd like, I'll throw up a picture now and then as I progress so you can see if I can really do this as well.

Oh, and while I'm here: I'll be giving away some sock yarn too this coming month.

So what's on your needles now?

The finished sweater

I'm very happy with how it turned out. I made this to replace what I refer to as my 'writing sweater' -- the sweater that hangs on the back of the chair in my office, which I wear almost every day during Spring, Winter and Fall. My previous writing sweater was a thrift-shop find that I bought for $5 seven years ago. It was thoroughly worn out, with holes and stains.

This new sweater has the same loose fit and soft feel, long with pockets. To recap, it's the One-Stitch cardigan from Lion Brand knit on number 8 needles with Main Line in Blueberry. The trim is some Wool Ease I had in my stash. I opted for a zipper instead of buttons.

Now back to the top-down cardigan I'm knitting for my mother-in-law. I'm definitely a fan of top-down knitting now.

I Think I'm In Love!

The title says it all.

This is another winner from Oat Couture. It's called Silverlake and I really do think I'm in love.

The front and back are each done in two separate pieces. Seaming is on the outside as a design feature.

Worsted or chunky.

It looks like it would drape beautifully on the body, doesn't it?

This is why I get so little knitting accomplished. I spend way too much time daydreaming about knitting!

My Mother-in-Law is a Hooker

Got your attention, didn't I? But she's not THAT kind of hooker; she's a rug hooker. She makes gorgeous works of art for our floors. Here are just a few examples:

This is the "Oriental" that lies in front of our living room fireplace. She chose the colors to complement the larger Oriental rug in the room.



For my son, she catered to his passion for soccer. It matches the wallpaper border in his room.



My Darling Daughter loves fantasy so she got a copy of the Lady and the Unicorn tapestry in the Musee de Cluny. My marvelous MIL changed the color scheme so it would fit in with DD's bedroom decor.





These are just a few of the stunning rugs we have in our home. So I decided I should knit my MIL something as a reciprocal gesture. She chose:

A sweater!

Not just any sweater but a copy of one she loves which another daughter-in-law gave her several years ago. My skills don't rise to copying so I enlisted my lovely Yarn Lady who came up with a pattern. And she wants it in black. (What's with my family? Everyone wears black all the time!) There's not much of it to see yet so I won't post a photo but it is in progress. She'll probably get it for her birthday in September. ;-)

Just for fun, fill the in the following blank: My mother-in-law is_____________.

(Warning: your MIL might be reading this blog!)

HAPPY ENDING: The Top Down Sweater Is Finished!

I am so excited that I am actually jumping up and down here in central NJ.

See that sweater? That is my FINISHED top-down. Actally, it's Goldisox's finished top-down sweater. I managed to pry it off him for this occasion and posed it on a dressmaker's dummy that had been suitably padded to hide her curvaceous torso.

I knitted the last stich and wove the last errant thread on Valentine's Day which made it all the sweeter.

Am I proud of myself? Are you kidding? You're talking to the woman who had trouble with a washcloth!

I am delighted, over the moon, ridiculously excited, and inordinately proud every time I see Goldisox put it on. I always wondered if I was a process or a product kind of girl. Well, I found out. Knitting this was great fun but it was nothing compared to the thrill of seeing someone I love actually wear it.

Details: Knitting Plain and Simple pattern

Elann Peruvian Highland Chunky in Mocha Heather (around 25 skeins)

#6 and #9 US

Top down in the round

Raglan sleeves

Started: around 1/15/2007

Finished: 2/14/2007

Pure bliss!!