The light at the end of the tunnel...

My Maxfield has come a long way from conception. Yesterday I tied in the ends in the sleeves and the body. I also wet blocked it.

(See my toes? On the tip of the left one you can see remnants of my polish from my Morocco trip, I can't bear removing it. Such a wonderful holiday with my best English pal Lizzie.)

I just have to finish the fronts, do that front trim and it'll be done!

I also have been working on my Stockholm Cowl, as the Berroco Vintage DK is suitable for BedKnitting. Not many wool-yarns are suitable for BedKnitting, in my opinion, but the Vintage doesn't shed at all! I rolled all the skeins into balls.

Also while in bed.  See my bedding?

Then I got thinking: "If I keep knitting this, what will I take for Knit Group on Tuesday?"

And I have 5 skeins of black Vintage DK I have to use up. So, this means casting on for another project, obviously. Or at least doing a swatch. Problem was the swatch matched the first time, so I cast on.

This is the Silver Jacket from Sian Brown from Knitting Magazine. No one on Rav has completed it so I'm kinda going in blindly. The only other person with a project listed has messaged me and is further than I am, so hopefully she'll flag the hard bits for me. 

Learning to Knit

So when I was learning to knit I had a lovely boyfriend who knew the basic knit stitch - roughly. He had been taught it when he was younger and we both wanted to learn.

So we looked somethings up on YouTube and I borrowed a book from a friend and off we went. I wanted to learn so much more, while he was perfectly happy with the knit stitch and Dr. Who inspired wools (think garter stitch scarves galore).

Garter Stitch Fabric 

For me, the best part of knitting is creating a soft even fabric. The Garter Stitch just doesn't do it for me. What I love are the tiny little Vs of the stockinette stitch. This type of stitch does curl back around itself where the garter stitch lies flat, so it's not really nice if you're trying to knit a flat piece like a scarf out of just stockinette. 

Stockinette Stitch Fabric

I even prefer the back of the stockinette. Though it looks like Garter it's not springy and it is a nice even stitch. My one concern for using it in large pieces is that I would always catch stuff on the loops and end up pulling at the fabric. 

Reverse of the Stockinette (ignore my roughly tied in ends there)

Once you get used to the knits and purls you kinda wonder either into what I see as three fields. Cabling, Colourwork or Lace. I personally started with colourwork. I was obsessed with making designs.      Now that I am teaching knitting I like to let the person find a pattern that they really want to own the finished item - no matter how difficult it looks. I usually guide them to Ravelry, explain the basics and ask them to find a free pattern that is something they really want to own. Then we will make it happen. 

My current student and long time friend Veneise has chosen a cabled kindle cover, once we had mastered the knits and purls. Her sample when we first started was a wonderful wedge shape, adding on average of two stitches per row somehow.... 

We went to Romni downtown Toronto and chose a gorgeous Purple for her to use and she started practicing her cabling with some spare yarn. She's a natural!  So last night at knit group we had her start her actual project, learn to knit in the round, learn how to make a ball out of a skein of yarn, start her cables, read a pattern.... it was amazing! It's only been two weeks since we were teaching her to purl! 

I also lent Veneise the book I used when I was learning. If you are learning or want to up your game I highly recommend this book. It goes through Intarsia, lace, colourwork, cables, basic stitches, increases and decreases, tension, gauge, yarn types, notions and hints, and more!.... and Lesley Stanfield and Melody Griffiths put terms and the "how to" into language that really makes sense! I bought this book back in 2010, and now there are so many more used copies for cheaper than I paid for it! (Wow, I've been knitting for three years now! :) )

Yarn Fates

So, I was undecided. I didn't know what colour I wanted.

 Berry Pie Mix. Or Blueberry Mix.

Both pinky purple and blue but with one or the other dominating. I went with Berry Pie in my order.

Then I got a fateful email from WEBS. Berry Pie is out of stock. Up to 3 weeks for it to come back in then since I'm international they won't send anything until it is all in stock!

Errr.... So I just emailed them to change it to the Blueberry.     Oh yes!

And in non-knitterly news I have had a job offer. So, I can buy more yarn, yes? haha

The Midnight Yarn Fairy

A little while ago, online, I had bought some Berroco Vintage DK and thought a colour called Cast Iron was going to be dark grey. Why did I think this? Really, I have no clue.

So I strolled around downtown Toronto with my knitting bestie Caitlin. We went into two yarn stores and a plethora of home decor places.  (I can't wait to have my own living room, kitchen, everything really! ) So I was in the search of the perfect grey to make this. And over all the yarns I looked at, the Vintage DK in the grey was actually a perfect fit. Silly me. Had I ordered the right yarn from the start I wouldn't be in this mess (see exhibit A below)...

So of course, by not buying it in the shop I bought it online at 5am this morning, as you do... By doing this I also ended up buying...well... everything else saved in my online "dreaming" basket. Whoops?

The Ultra Alpaca in Berry Pie is backordered so it could be ages before I see it. The Cascade was all on sale (five bucks for 100g.... who can say no to a great deal in all it's glory like that?) A whole sweater for like $25? Awesome! 

I almost bought the grey in alpaca as well, but that would have cost a lot more, and well, I'm still unemployed so really I should not be buying ANY yarn....