Vacation Treasures

I just got back from a 2 1/2 week trip to Pennsylvania and Maine to visit relatives. Overall we logged in 3100 miles of driving. I'm definitely glad to be back home.



My family is selling our family home of a hundred years. While cleaning it out they came across a "circular-type knitting machine." Of course, I immediately laid claim to it and identified it as a sock knitting machine. My grandmother claims to have never seen it before and she has lived in the house since the 1940's. Since the machine dates from 1922, I would guess that my great-grandmother had a little side business knitting socks in the 20's. Unfortunately the machine is in poor condition after 80 years in the attic.



The Autoknitter










A Broken Gear Ring










A Broken Cylinder

Although many have suggested that this machine is beyond hope, I am hoping with a couple new parts that it might be usable. It would be nice to have that connection to the past. Any wisdom would be appreciated!

In other news, I visited Halcyon Yarns and purchased a drop spindle and some wool. Not a pretty sight so far but I am hoping to improve with some practice.

Is there room for blogs in the age of Ravelry?

I have not posted in a long time. Partially Ravelry has fulfilled my need to post about my WIP's and my FO's. It also seems that people are not cruising blogs as much now since everyone seems to be cruising Ravelry. I wonder if knitting blogs will not become more of a place to discuss either your personal life and/or a place to post knitting techniques. I don't feel like I have time to post lengthy and witty contents since most of my day is spent chasing around my children. I guess that I will wait and see where this blog goes.


I will include my latest pride and joy though. This is a mitten from Latvian Mittens. If you have seen the cover of the book, it is the black and white mitten in the center of the cover. I have knit is as charted although I believe the mitten was originally supposed to be a man's mitten. I have knit it on 1.50 mm needles to get a smaller mitten. The final gauge was 12 stitches per inch. Finally I blocked it on a bent plastic coated wire hanger. The blocking was perhaps not as severe as I would have liked but it did the job. Now will I ever be brave enough to wear them?

Shirt-Tail In Progress and Some Holiday Spirit

I started knitting the Ribbed Tunic from Vogue Knitting's anniversary issue. Unfortunately the eyelet row went off in it's own direction. I had to frog a couple inches. Since then my ambition has lessened.

My newest love is Shirt-Tail Hemmed, however, from Sweaters from Camp. Very beautiful, huh?

And for those of you celebrating Christmas, here is a picture of the nativity scene my daughter made from her Polly Pocket dolls and the gingerbread house I made with the kids. Happy Holidays!

Some Quick Knitting

Katherine left me with the urge for a quick and easy project. So I knit up the Cabled Cardigan from the Fall 2006 Vogue Knitting. I really like the finished sweater although there were many, many errors in the pattern several of which were not included in the errata. I changed the pattern to knit the body in one piece and the sleeves to be knit in the round. I think it will be a nice cozy sweater to get me through the winter.

Now with this sweater behind me, or rather on me, I am feeling a case of startitis coming on. What I really need is a case of finish the old projects though.

Katherine Komplete

I have finally finished Katherine after a long 10 month journey. Granted more off than on a good bit of the time. I am actually wearing her as I write although she grew a bit during the blocking process. Even decreasing the pattern by one full repeat she falls to my midthigh. I am considering felting her a bit to give her a good all over shrinking.

I have added all of my colors and suggestions for future knitters on my Ravelry projects at LorriAnn. Hopefully Ravelry will be accessible to everyone soon but if you need any information in the meanwhile feel free to write me.

Next on my standed que is Shirt-Tail Hemmed Pullover from Sweaters From Camp. I have stashed the yarn for this for awhile and am looking forward to it.

Would it be wrong to buy a coat to match stash yarn?

I ordered a coat the other day, in part, because I imagined how it would look with some Noro Silk Garden that I have in my stash. Matching hat and mittens . . . Is this wrong?

I am continuing to plug along on Katherine. I am a third of the way done on the last sleeve. At this point I just want to finish this sweater so that I can wear it and start on something new. It has been a long knit but I find myself continuously amazed at how beautiful she is.











In preparation for winter I have also been knitting the requisite mittens, socks, hats, etc. I have just finished up a pair of thrummed mittens for my son. So warm. They should be a good addition for the winter.

Of Iceland and Tudor Roses

Just a quick update to say that I have finished the Icelandic Lace Shawl. It was a quick and easy knit. The color changes seem to have given it some interest. That said I am not sure that the finished product really appeals to me that much but it does seem to be a practical shawl that you don't have to agonize over getting snagged.

Here are some pictures. I look somewhat agonized. My husband sometimes has trouble taking pictures and I think I was letting it get to me.

I have also finished Katherine's first sleeve. The people in my knitting group so agonized about cutting the armhole steek but really what are you to do? A sweater with no arms would not be of much use. Likewise, I have two arms so off to finish Katherine up. I am hoping my energy can hold up until her completion.

In other news, if you have a Ravelry account I have been loading pictures of old stuff onto it. It's been a nice trip down memory lane. Check me out at LorriAnn.