The talk of knit project storage containers on KBTH (Knitting Beyond the Hebrides), an online knitting group reminded me of a recent goodie bought for "Marina". This nice canvas collapsing box with a handle and an outside net storage pouch was $3.99 at Christmas Tree Shops. The box is 13" long 8" deep and 8" wide with a divider in the middle. I got two (of course).

It's so muggy today it is like a steam bath. Cleaned up a large BBQ grill, weeded a tiny bit and now going up to the FROG (finished room over garage) turn on the AC and play with sticks and string.

Wendy 5 ply Guernsey wool in shade 674, the lighter of the traditional blues, was used for this sweater started quite some time ago. The pattern is an old Plymouth Yarn Company aran pullover #IN34. I was trying to use the Wendy in place of an alpaca and and just adjust the size knit to fit me instead of a man. Well...... even though I swatched and the swatch was perfect, the sweater was less than. Ended up at 9 stitches to an inch on size #3 US circular. Sweater measures 36" around - not in this lifetime!!

So as pretty as the pattern is, it will get ripped, re-swatched and hopefully used for the KAL "Beadwork" to start this fall. I HAVE to learn to remeasure as I go along more often. At least the cable patterns really pop with a tight gague and this yarn.

Since the FLAK is done and the SFC Shirt Tail is a long, slow knit, I knew there would be no way to keep something new off the needles. Playing with starting a FLAK for hubby or joining in with the Marina Fair Isle knit. I'll be looking this cold, rainy day at what I have in the stash that will work for Marina and what I would need. Here is a spread sheet you can copy for your planning needs. When you print this, set your printer to landscape mode to get all the columns. It will print out darker than it appears on the screen and you will be able to read all the info.

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h288/TwoMaineiacs2/Knitting/Marinaspreadsheet.jpg

It is always hard chosing the next project since you live with it a long time!

The FLAK is done!!! I've not had a sweater fit me so well before and it isn't even blocked yet! The photo makes it look a bit out of square but it isn't really. I learned a lot making this sweater and look forward to making another one with different cables. I added cables down the side where a seam would have been under the arms if this hadn't been knitted in the round.

I've been skimming Janet's new Aran design book and an anxious to start a new Aran. However I WILL wait until I have finished the SFC Fair Isle. This FLAK took 8 skeins of 220 yard skeins of Cascade 220 in a royal blue type color. I would use this yarn again for an Aran as it does show the cables well.

80 degrees today in Maine so won't be using this sweater for awhile. Will get it blocked and ready for fall. Thanks for all the encouragement and participation from the FLAK group.

We're back from our RV trek down south to visit my mom and test out the new truck camper. Mom is physically much better in the two months she has been in the assisted living center. It is amazing what nutritious food prepared for you and served with no work on your part will do. She's gained some weight, is more stable and doesn't need the walker anymore. She's miserable being there but it is currently the best place for her. We took her out for most of 5-6 days doing fun tourist things and lots of family time.

See the RV trip at http://otrafrommaine.blogspot.com/. I'm having problems posting photos to that site but will keep trying. Not a lot of knitting was done on the trip as we stayed so busy outside. Basically we ate supper and slept! I was able to get about six inches done on the body of FLAK and am pretty pleased on how it is coming. Don't like my bind off row on the neckline but didn't sew in the yarn tail so will get another chance at it. It just seems to roll too much - course it isn't blocked yet either. I added a braid and two side honeycombs down the center on each side under the underarm. It's so much fun just playing with design on this FLAK. I cannot wait until I start the next one after I work my way through Janet's new book. Took the book on the trip also but it's a heavy book and I hit myself in the face a couple of times going to sleep while trying to read it - snooze!

I took the SFC Fair Isle Shirt Tail Hem sweater with me also but never got but about 5 rows done. No way could I knit that one, watch the scenery and follow a chart at the same time. I could knit on FLAK as the cables are easy to memorize. Now that we are home and there is a week of rain coming that will keep us out of the perennial garden cleanup, I should get back to both projects. Poor Spring Forward sweater is a distant third at the moment, but will be finished.

Back to working on the Shirt Tail Hemmed sweater from Sweaters From Camp. It is so pleasurable to see this sweater grow. It is VERY slow since I've been unable to memorize this long a pattern. I've done three repeats now as well as finished off the hem. I'm very pleased with the colors and how they are playing against each other. It was curling so badly I took a wet washcloth, laid it over the hem and steamed it with a pretty hot steam iron. Didn't felt or mat the yarn and now it lays flat and is so much easier to work on. I still alternate the SFC and the FLAK since I could memorize that chart.

Terri asked what I don't like about the Spring Forward cardigan front. Please understand I think Janet's design sense is awe inspiring and she is helping so many new knitters make very complicated sweaters. However, for my personal taste there is too much moss stitch on the front near the button bands. I decided to add cables to this area which was a bit tricky on where to start the cable as you are increasing stitches for the V neck. As you can see from the photo (hard to see), I chose to start the cable AFTER the increases were done over where the cable was going. Now that I've done it, I'm not happy with it because it looks like what it is - just stuck in there!!! Do you think that is why Janet didn't add cables to the front? (smile) I think I'm going to frog and try to start a little cleaner and add the two twist cable on each side of the rope. This is all after FLAK is finished and SFC is a bit further along. The SFC is going to be a long, long knit and I don't mind having another project and switch between the two.

SFC Knit along continues. I get 4-6 rows a night done lately. I figure when we take off on our first RV trip it will be the only knitting project to go for the ride- enforced finishing! Took the RV to mother in laws Wednesday, picked up salads and had lunch on Kennebunkport Beach. The photo is of the truck by the jetty leading to Kennebunkport's tiny harbor, open Atlantic ocean in the background. I LOVE Maine.

Sweater photo is the neck of FLAK with the large neck, decreased down to good size for me. I KNEW it was too big - sigh... but worked around it. Sleeves are down to ribbing on one and two inches to ribbing on the other. The neck is tighter than it looks when the body is pulled around correctly.

Truck is our new toy, used F350 pickup with a Lance 1121 truck camper body. Having mom in the assisted living center just increased the urge to travel before we can't! I don't want to be in a health care home myself regretting not seeing the places in the USA I've always longed to see. Besides there are cubby holes for knit and quilt projects all over the truck.

Progress photos -

Fair Isle is the Shirt Tail Hemmed sweater from "Sweaters from Camp". Pretty complicated chart to follow so progress is slow but very satisfying. I have lots of FIs planned and have started collecting fiber.

Red is Janet Szabo's "Spring Forward" cardigan from a Twist and Turns issue. It's ready to start the sleeves. I added a cable in the moss stitch area on the front cause I couldn't stand that much blank space. The cables do line up and all is straight on the sweater though the photo doesn't look like it.

Blue is the FLAK , Follow the Leader Aran also from Janet Szabo. Second sleeve is close to the cuff as is the first. Ready to start the body probably this weekend if there is time at our knitting weekend/retreat.

Really enjoying retirement. Worked in the gardens doing winter cleanup today - first time it hit 50 degrees with low wind. Some of the herbs are showing - bad since I'm sure we have at least one more big snow storm to come.

My constant companion, Patter, sleeps under a lamp on the back of the couch I'm usually using for knitting. He's getting older and almost never leaves my side. Most of my knitting has grey hair knit in.

The Spring Forward cardigan is going well. With advice from the SF knit group, I made the increases for the left side today. This is a very easy pattern so no need for charts and graphs. The yarn is Plymouth Galway Highland Heather on size 6 needles. Gauge is right on and I'll look forward to wearing a cardigan for a change. Might finish both these fronts to back length and then work the second sleeve on the FLAK knit along. So much to do - retirement is great!

We're finally back in Maine after a rather eventful two weeks on our southern trip. The plan was to head to VA, spend a night with my sister, head to Mom's, spend a night there and then all head to near Charleston, SC for a cousin's wedding. The arrival at mom's was a bit traumatic as we found her in pretty bad health. Being a stubborn southern woman, she insisted on going to the wedding anyway. Long story, very short version, is a four day hospital stay for her in SC and entry into an assisted living center on return to VA., How horrible to get ripped out of your own home setting and into a care facility so quickly On the other hand, how fortunate to have a large, extended family to care enough to get the best possible care to extend her life and healing. I'm sure there are many more trips up and down that long Route 95 corridor coming up to visit her. But for the moment we are home and she is safe and well cared for. Love your family folks, take the best care you can of them since you never know how long they will stay healthy and in their homes.

Knitting? Not a lot though I thought about it a lot. I did manage a first repeat of the pattern for the back of Spring Forward Aran over the past two weeks. I knew enough not to take the Sweaters From Camp Knit Along (SFCKAL) sweater on the trip. The pattern for the Shirt Tail Hemmed Fair Isle was a bit too complicated to try to knit in a car while travelling. I'd also finished the first sleeve on the Follow the Leader Aran Knit Along (FLAK) down to the wrist ribbing and picked up the stitches for the other sleeve before the trip. Too much going at one time probably but that's me. It's great to be back and work in the knitting during my day.

I'm looking forward to a knitting retreat end of this month through Unique One Knit shop in Camden, Maine. Will be going with friend Shirley. There will be a class in Fair Isle color choices and in cables for Arans. I've also ordered Janet Szabo's new Aran design book and will eagerly await its arrival. Hopefully I'll be posting progress photos next week. I really want to get back on track with these projects.

First photo is of lavender Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in a 2/3 done sweater. I stopped because the sweater was just too heavy. Darker purple skein is Cascade 220 (my purple period?). These are being previewed as choices for Spring Forward KAL. Second photo is of the sleeve start for FLAK and yes I did add some cables going down the sleeve. By the stitch counter shows the sleeve in the round. Third photo is the SFCKAL Shirt Tail Hemmed sweater with the hem finished!!! I wish I'd picked up fewer stitches on the curve but it is okay. Now to get back to pattern knitting.

The self imposed trauma is over and the Shirt Tail's hem is picked up and knit. Perhaps the next provisional cast on will go a lot easier - or I bet you all hope it does! It's far from perfect or really even very good but the hem won't fall apart and any non-knitter is not even going to see the stitches that didn't pick up quite right. I think I can duplicate stitch over a few of the worse crossed or oddly picked up stitches but that will be among the very end of what gets done to this epic.

To me, the reason for a Knit A Long is to learn new techniques and have a solid group of other knitters standing behind you to catch up as you fall over in a dead faint of exhaustion or to at least give you a good slap and say "get over it!".

Things I've learned so far on the SFC Knit a Long -
1. I like knitting Fair Isle even though it is size 2-3 and not size 5-6 needles. 2. I love the feel and colors of Jamieson and Smith 2 ply yarn. 3. Much easier two handed two color knitting then I used to do. 4. Spit splice and Russian join - why didn't I know these techniques already? 5. Corrugated ribbing - fun especially when the dark color is the purl.6. Provisional cast on - PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE and next time use a synthetic yarn in a hunter glow in the dark orange as the cast on base and not a medium blue wool. 7. If you are doing provisional cast on, DO NOT allow yourself to immediately do a two color pattern row - do one row in a single color first. This is what was causing me so much trouble with the Shirt Tail hem as I was trying to pick up stitches that had yarn carried behind them. It did NOT pull out easily or quickly. Finally figured out to put the stitches on the needle and then pull out two or three at a time, then go back and fix the carried thread. There are still spots that don't look quite right but I'll fix them at the end with duplicate stitch. 8. Best thing about the KAL is knowing that others aren't breezing along without any challenges and that, by sharing the problems and fixes, we can all learn from each other.

Now to decide if I want to loosely bind off the bottom of the hem, fold it under on the purl fold line and whip stitch it down or do what the pattern calls for and Kitchner Stitch the live stitches to the back. Really like the colors in the ribbing and the brick red solid color that gets folded under. I have not yet been able to stretch this piece out enough to see if the curved shirt tail looks anything like the photo/pattern. It is what it is!

Anne - in windy 30 degree Maine waiting for the temperature to drop like a rock

Two Knit-a-longs at the same time? Retirement is wonderful! and no the house work is not done any better than it used to be when I was working 50-60 hours a week. Brutally cold weekend so we didn't do a lot outside. Most of Sunday was spent in the sunroom where it will get to 70 degrees just from solar power or up in the craft room in front of a wood fireplace. Sometimes the guilt kicks in for not being out doing some type of volunteer event but then I think of all those years of work and decide to knit another row for right now

I'm quite pleased with the colors in the SFC Shirt Tail Hemmed Cardigan so far. I have now used all the colors at least once and am glad I worked in the brown rather than kept trying for greens. Color work is addictive but you do have to pay attention. The chart was blown up large, mounted to a piece of cardboard and strips of cardboard are moved every row to keep track of where I am. The strips are held on by big paperclips which Boots, the cat, loves to steal. Chart is large enough that it can stand up in my knitting bag and can be seen at a glance. Not sure I'll ever memorize that chart.

FLAK Aran is going well also. I can still memorize Aran patterns and this is a soothing knit. Probably substituting a large cable for the middle three smaller cables will end up being a mistake. I don't like all the purl around the cable and it does pull in in places. The cables really do line up front to back though it doesn't appear so in the photo. I'll be adding about an inch to the front as all my sweaters measure 9 1/2" in arm depth. I must like roomy Arans. Hopefully Janet will have the sleeves up by the time we leave for a long driving trip. Long drives always equals knitting time - except when you drop the cable needle.

First repeat of the Baroque Cable on the back of the FLAK sweater. Yarn is Cascade 220 on size 5 needles. Neck opening looks a bit large but I think it is just the looseness of the Baroque at the beginning. I'll handle that when picking up neck ribbing stitches (I hope)! Sure looks different in a photo.

Vest news - Friend Shirley visited today and was wearing her Northwest Sunset Vest. The colors are so beautiful and the vest fits her perfectly. I tried on my Whirligig vest and we both agreed that the armholes are too big. The vest is designed for a man and the width at the top of the shoulders is too wide. We think the only way to fix it is to rip down the armhole ribbing, decrease some stitches at the start of the armhole ribbing and re knit a much narrower ribbing. I think I can rip down to the pick up row for the ribbing and make it work. I must have known this was coming since I didn't weave in the yarn at the end of binding off the armhole. At least the vest body fits and looks good. Bet it is not going to be fun to rip out yarn that has been washed and dried.

On the Shirt Tail Hemmed Cardigan front, I've swatched the colors from Ann Fietelson's design and then decided I want to change the colors. The colors when all the skeins are together are quite different from the color photo in the book. I'm not a real pinky person which includes purples. I've pulled colors and found that I can put together rusts/oranges/yellows and blues to look like a New England fall. I was trying to put in some greens where the purple perrie was but it didn't work as a continuation of the rusty main colors. Instead of the green, I've swatched now with a really neat brown tweed that has gold flecks in it along with a dark brown. I must have been happy with the colors since I'm now up to row 5 on the design. Will post a photo once the design starts to show. I do need to get a new bag of stitch markers since what I'm using are all the left over really big ones. Need smaller ones for these size 3mm needles.

New things learned - provisional cast on over a crochet needle and increasing for the shirt tail. Thankfully I practiced with about 20 stitches since the first two times I could not pull out the bottom row started with the crochet. It's a cool technique and one I will use for other work later. I'm truly tempted to knit up to above the shirt tail steeks an inch or two and then do the hemmed ribbing. I cannot imagine making that whole sweater and then having problems with the bottom rib. Rather rip out or abandon 3-4" than 30".

As a break from 2 ply and size 3mm color work, I'm also taking part in the FLAK (Follow the Leader Aran Knit Along) at http://www.bigskyknitting.com/FLAK/knitalong.html. What a fun technique to knit from the top down around saddle shoulders. Of course I could not leave the design alone and am changing 3 horseshoe cables for a big Baroque Cable out of one of Barbara Walker's stitch books. It's being made out of Cascade 220 in a royal blue on size 5 needles. Feels like rope compared to 2 ply weight. The Heilo Norwegian Reindeer sweater is put aside for right now since it doesn't have a steek and I'm going to have to figure out a way to cut into the pattern evenly. Wish I had known steeks before I started that sweater because I would have added them.

So much knitting, so little housework. Good thing hubby Joe likes to cook and is on the self feeding plan.

Anne - in 50 degree Maine weather and worried about the perennials coming up

Oh my gosh the Whirligig Vest is done and drying!!!! Snowy day, comfortable couch, fireplace going and the finishing just went well. I'm not totally happy with the buttonholes but they will do. The buttons mother in law gave me are dark brown, almost black and will be sewn on like a diamond instead of square. This will mimic the diamond shapes in the sweater. Hopefully the cats won't find the drying sweater and play "rug-a-cat" and hide under it. The most amazing plus of all is that the vest fits comfortably. Miracles do occur.
Things I learned making this vest:Steeking is not that heart pounding the second time. Third might be even easier?I like Fair Isle and the instant gratification of seeing a color pattern emerge. I will make another. Spit splicing - why didn't I know this years ago? What a cool trick. Two color two handed knitting is so much easier on the poor right hand that has already had carpal tunnel surgery. Patience while picking up the edge of the steek for the armhole and button band ribbing - had to use a small dp needle to help pick them up. I must make a chart for the decreases when they are occuring at both neckline and armhole - and check off the chart as done.
Things I did't like about making this vest:The colors I chose are too dark and muddy. It's a bit brighter than the photos look but still not a vibrant vest. Corrugated ribbing bind off leaves little dots of the lighter color in the cast off edge. Solved this by knitting a single row of the dark before binding off. Buttonholes - need practice on this technique.
Here is what I used for this vest:Size 3mm Inox circular needlesAll Jamieson's 2 ply Shetland Spindrift in ball form except for the Twilight which was in skein6 3/4 balls of #598 Mulberry - deep purple2 balls of #155 Bramble - reddish purple tweed2 balls of 3180 Mist - the grayish blue1 1/4 skein of #75 Twilight - blue tweed
Thanks Rebekka for hosting this KAL. I'd always wanted to try Fair Isle and am already to start another!

Fighting myself to finish the button band on the Whirligig Vest. Armhole ribbing is done with one of the arms done twice. I don't really like the little specks in the bind off where the dark brown goes over the corrugated lighter color in the rib. Tried knitting one row of dark brown before I bound off but it looked too heavy. I think I can make out specks in the designer's vest photo - not that I have to do everything just like the pattern. Buttonband is picked up and started so it won't be long before it gets blocked.

Pulled the colors out today for Ann Feitelson's Shirt Tail Hemmed Cardigan. I lucked out and found all the colors but two in local yarn shops. I'm okay with substituting #55 a sort of brick reddish for #1403 Barn red which is a bit more purplish. I couldn't find #S684 Deep Cobalt but it is only used for very few stitches once every 24 rows. I'm going to substitute a medium dark blue since that is the one that seems to still spark but goes with the color run okay. However there is a much brighter blue #18 which might be a better spark color though it looks a lot like the deep purple. See the two photos and look at the blue color on the far left. The balled blue (photo on the left) is the spark, the skein blue (photo on the right) is the one I think works okay. What say you??

Also fighting self not to start an Aran sweater being done as a knit along at FLAK - http://bigskyknitting.com/FLAK/knitalong.html. Fair Isles are really growing on me but I do dearly love Arans. I did preview a couple of aran weight wools today to see what I liked but I'm going to keep slapping my hands - no no no.

Possibly a foot of snow coming in for the weekend. Firewood stored by the fireplace, chicken cooking, errands all run so you know what I'll be doing while the snow blows - knitting.

The steeks are cut!! The steeks are cut!! Meg's directions were superior and this went so much easier than the only other steek I had cut. Course those directions were Meg's also so maybe not having my heart in my mouth this time made it easier.

Once it was cut open it looked huge but it isn't really, worked out to just the size I wanted since for a change I didn't have gauge problems. J&S yarn on size 3mm works perfectly to 32 stitches to 4".

Now to take a deep breath and pick up the stitches for the ribbings. By going to four LYSs I've collected all the colors for the Shirt Tailed Hemmed cardigan. Well all except one color I'm not sure of but will ask on the SFC talk site. Do I dare try something that difficult? Gulp!