Saturday, January 24, 2015

Progress on Mr. Darcy's Scarf


Good morning, friends!  It's Saturday, and OH what much laundry and cleaning that has to be done. 
Just thought I would followup on this scarf that I learned the lesson about when knitting a stockinette with only one knit stitch border.  I have also recently bought a handheld garment steamer, a Shark, and I think this will help with the uncurling as well. I plan to lightly steam and then pin to block when I finish.

I've actually seen good results when I store it  by rolling it up flat at night. I haven't worked on it in several days because on work days, I'm exhausted when I get home. But here is my progress.





We have a large leather sofa, so you can gauge the size by that.
I'm a little more than half way done.
This is for a tall man, Mr. Darcy so I'm using 3 whole thick skeins of the Bernat.


Although this is a blurry picture, you can see where I changed from stockinette to garter.




Th color is most truest in this pic. The yarn is not really soft, but not hard either. It's pretty thick so I'm using my wood straights.


colorway is Denim Jeans

using 3 balls/skeins


So, I'm at a standstill until I can get some things done today, I have planned out. I'm doing some really early, early early Spring cleaning. I'm donating alot of stuff because I just feel a cluttered environment is too stressful. I also have committed myself to the local domestic violence shelter in many ways and one is donation of things I don't use or have too many of, so it can be given to someone else who has less.

It'a REALLY windy day here in the North Georgia mountains. I can hear the wind whistling around the corners of the house. My chimes are very active right now. 
I enjoyed a good fire in the woodstove last night and makes me forget the raining and cold outside!

Miss Abbie is cuddled in her "day bed" and taking a morning nap. And I am writing this morning and sipping coffee with Bailey's Red Velvet Cake creamer and sugar.

Have a great Saturday. Tune in tomorrow for a Valentine design. I hope you like it. It's simple and would look great in a redwork design!

Jennifer

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Our Perceptions


This picture could mean so many things to different people.
I love this picture. 

 What strikes you most when you first see this picture?

Is the girl praying or just watching out the window at bedtime?
Is she looking at the church or is it just a part of the background?
Is she watching someone leave or looking for someone to come home?
Is she comfy in her own bed or longing to go home?

I can think of so many things it could portray.

I think our life is alot like pictures. A glimpse in time that what some people think is one thing really means another to someone else.

That's probably a random, deep thought but just wanted to share.

Sleep tight,
Jennifer

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Twisted Tuesday----Literally in Stitches



This is the start of a scarf for Mr. Darcy.
It's a belated birthday gift and yes, he has seen the colors and likes it.

I love the blues and gray in this and started out making it with a border knit stitch thinking it would not curl...........



I was so wrong. Lesson learned. Imagine this (because I don't have another pic right now of it) about 30 inches long.................the more I knit, the more it curled on the sides.

So.  About 12 inches out, I changed from stockinette to garter stitch pattern and this didn't help either.

I will show a good pic of it tomorrow but ONLY if the end would not curl like a tube, it would be rather handsome! :P

Conclusion and lesson learned. I should have put at least 5 knit stitches on each side to keep it from curling. One just didn't do the job.

To keep the scarf consistent on each end, I'm going to garter the entire rest except the last 12 inches and  at least both ends will match. Hopefully.

I really didn't want to pull my work out after I figured out to the degree of curl that would happen.

Then, I thought that blocking it would take the rolling out but from what I've read online, I don't even think blocking will take out the curl, but maybe some of it, so this scarf will definitely be blocked.

This is what happens when I knit just willy nilly at my own liking.

But, for the positive note, I learned a good lesson for the future.

One thing I like about needlework, is that most times you have choices when mistakes are made.

You can frog it all out and start over.

You can go with the flow and create something different in the pattern.

You can change up the knits and the purls.

You can just put it down and start working on another project altogether.

It's one good thing I like about stitching and knitting as a hobby.

I just hope the scarf doesn't look to "girly curly" when I get done. 

XXXX fingers as I go.


Have a quiet, restful evening,

Jennifer