Finally Finished or "Puzzle Blocking"

AJ Knits

Episode: 40

1. Production scheduling

   1. Production

   2. What’s in My Teapot

   3. Materials Sourcing

   4. Shipping

   5. After 5

2. Production

   1. Gnome Socks By Spilly Jane

2. Drop stitch Scarf by Lisa Buccellato found in the spring and summer 2012 issue of vogue knitting. I’m not usually one for pink and girly but I really like this! I’m knitting this from Cascade Pima Cotton in a lovely pinky lavender color # 3710

1. I cast this on last night and tore through the chart the first time. Started a second round on the chart and noticed that that little chicken foot symbol that I had been reading as an Sk2P (a centered decrease) was in the 1st part of the pattern a K3TOG ( right leaning decrease). . It’s a good thing I was only 1 ½ chart repeats in, frogging won’t be as painful as it could have been.

3. Knitted Knockers of a Good Yarn Shop

   1. Knitted Knockers is part of Debbie Macomber’s Knit 1 Bless 2 initiative for 2012. I found out about them through a suggestion on my knit groups face book page. The pattern is free and can be linked to through Debbie Macomber’s web site or through www.agoodyarnshop.com

   2. I cast on the second of the pair I hoped to get from my little ball of Rowan Hand Knit Cotton. It’s my night stand knitting. I don’t usually knit in bed but now that we have net flix in the bed room it’s become tempting.

4. Hexipuff Count for the week.

   1. Zero :P

3. What’s In My Tea Pot

   1. Lipton’s Green Tea Super Fruit white Mangosteen and Peach

   2. There is no information about the tea on the back of the box!

   3. Ingredients include Soy Lecithin and Sunflower Lecithin. I thought this was a preservative. I found a blog from 2007 with a ton more information on Lecithin and its health properties. Not for the squeamish though as they talk about how Lecithin is made which almost made me spit out the tea. The words “foul smelling Sludge” were involved.

   4. I found this tea unremarkable. I can taste the peach. I have no idea what a mangosteen tasted like so I’m not sure if that’s in there at all. I’ll finish the box but I won’t rush out to replenish it.

4. Shipping

   1. Ruffled and Ruched Scarf by Pam Powers

      1. Finished on the day of the party. I was even a bit late…

      2. I think it went over pretty well. Lot’s of oohs and ahhhs over how soft the Alpaca / Acrylic was. I wonder if something like Ultra alpaca or and alpaca silk blend would have received better or worse reviews… would a non fiberphile know to be suitably impressed?

      3. I finally got to knit the flower! Last time I ran out of yarn. My flower ended up being about muffin sized but turned out quite well. The thought was that the flower could be used as an accessory to other pieces when it’s too warm for the scarf. The flower is great but to attach it to a hat would be a pretty big statement.

      4. I still love this pattern and I wouldn’t hesitate to pull it out again for another semi quick gift knit.

2. Uber Secret Christmas socks

   1. I’m ashamed to say that after Christmas I didn’t jump right on resizing the Uber Secret Christmas socks. They instead languished on the project pile. I tore back the 1st one a few weeks ago and got it the point that I was ready to graft the toe. Then I over thought it and decided I’d better have my mom try them on before I graft it just to be sure on size. Back to the pile it went. I finally saw my mom this week and had her try it on. Nate just happened to walk past as this was happening and said …. “Geez mom… How many months has it been?” He’s great for a guilt trip. I’m happy to say that both socks have been adjusted, the toes have been grafted, and mom can wear them to Camp Kip.

5. Materials Sourcing

   1. On the wheel

      1. 4 ozs of Merino from Copperpot Woolies in Cotton Candy. Still on the wheel Minimal progress so far. I started the second bobbin and I got to the point where I want to move to the second hook.

1. In the market for a fleece.

   1. It’s one of my goals this year to knit a sweater that fits me. I’ve picked the Rivulet by Shanon Okey

   2. The Knitmores are doing their Spakal but I’m not fond of their KAL sweater so I figured I’d spin along and then do my own Knit thing.

   3. I’ll be on the lookout for a fleece. To get some education on what to look for I’ll be visiting with Liz from Ewenique Fiber’s in a few week.

   4. I will NOT be processing this fleece my self. I’ll be sending this one out. Besides it’ll be much more fun when several lbs of roving show up at the door and Joe flips over “is that MORE WOOL!”

2. Bobbin winder

   1. Since I still have problems spinning a consistent single I’ve decided to spin all the singles 1st and then ply all at the end hoping to even everything out. Which led me to wonder does Babe make a bobbin winder? Sadly they do not. But I’ve had some good advice from ravelry.

1. After 5

   1. Strep Throat

      1. B and Joe have been under foot all this week. B has been home sick since last Thursday. We thought it was just a cold and didn’t think much of it as we had a doctor apt for him on Tuesday (Kindergarten registration is this week and I wanted him to get his shots up to date.) When we took him in they diagnosed strep. He never even complained about a sore throat.

   2. Knook – Knitting But Not

      1. A few weeks ago I was wandering in the knitting needle aisle in Hobby Lobby. I went in for fiber fill for Hexipuffs ended up looking at sock yarn and needles. I loose dpns all the time. So when ever I see a good price or a new color I pick up a set. They have sz 2s in purple….

      2. They also have knitting oddities like adjustable sock looms, heart shaped pom pom makers, and The Knook

      3. How are they not getting sued by Barnes and Noble?

      4. When I first saw this I thought I was buying a Tunisian crochet kit. This is NOT Tunisian Crochet.

      5. What’s in the kit

         1. Three lovely little wooden crochet hooks with pointed tail ends that have holes in them. (Wha….?)

         2. 3 different colored silk cords that I thought were yarn samples to make the 1st project with.

         3. Instruction book.

      6. Method to the madness

         1. Thread the silk cord though the hole on the crochet hook.

         2. Crochet a starter chain.

         3. Pull up loops along the chain and instead of finishing a crochet stitch the loops get left on the hook. If your cast on edge is longer that the hook the stitches will slide onto the silk cord. (ahhhhh so that’s what the cord is for….)

         4. At the end of the row slide the stitches onto the cord and turn the work.

         5. From here on out it’s basically knitting with a hook and no needle in the left hand.

         6. I found the Knook incredibly wonky and counter intuitive. Perhaps if I hadn’t had so much experience with having a needle in my left hand and having the work be a bit more rigid I would have taken to the nook. But I couldn’t get over how “wrong “it felt. The knook is an interesting novelty that I’m sorry to say some well meaning non knitter will probably buy as a gift for an unsuspecting knitter. Fun if it’s free not worth the 10 bucks I paid.

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