Woolgathering Dot Net

I opted not to participate in the roleplaying convention. Again, much to Mike's chagrin. Primarily, this was because I knew I would be gone on Saturday and Friday evenings/Sunday mornings are dead times at conventions. So, I stayed in my hotel room and knitted away. I watched Law and Order, which is always good. Whenever I get into hotel rooms, I become TV junkie, which is why I try to avoid it like the plague when I'm home.

I'm probably going to finish the scarf next week, which is pretty scary since I thought I wouldn't get it done until really close to the June 5th deadline. I've been experimenting with a row of Continental knitting here and there. I can see how it can be faster than English knitting, but it's still slow and awkward for me. Knowing it will come in handy when I do two-color knitting in the future, so I'm trying to learn.

As you can see, I'm into my fifth repeat.

I went to the Maryland Wool and Sheep Festival with my mother yesterday. She insisted on driving the entire way and I got a lot of knitting done.

I'm almost done with the seventh repeat. Two more to go! I'm actually debating whether or not it should be only two more. I still have a lot of yarn and I'm considering continuing on until I run out of yarn. I'm only a little bit into my third ball of yarn and I have a whole one still remaining in my stash cupboard. That way, the scarf can be really long; I'll be able to twirl it around my neck and have it hang down quite low, perhaps waist-length or lower. Hmm. Decisions, decisions.

...the Harry Potter Prisoner of Azkaban Scarf Knitalong!

29 days and counting until the movie's release in the US and even though I'm almost done with my scarf, I thought it would be nice to start a knitalong for those who are anxiously working away on their scarves.

The permanent location for the knitalong page is http://www.woolgathering.net/archives/knitalongs/hppoa.html; it contains information, icons, a list of knitters all participating, and updates/progress reports for participants. Woo hoo!

Speaking of icons...

Gryffindor
Slytherin
Film Ravenclaw
Book Ravenclaw
Hufflepuff

If you take one, please save it to your own server.

Email me with your information (name, URL if you have one, and what scarf you are creating) at iko[at]woolgathering[dot]net. I will add you to the participants list.

It will be a never-ending knitalong, so there is no timeframe to when you start or end so if you've already finished your scarf, you can sign up as long as you make it yourself.

When you've updated your journal with progress of your scarf, let us know and I'll post it here.

The pattern is from Lauren Kent, goddess of the Harry Potter scarf patterns. Thank you so much, Lauren!

I'm almost done with my ninth repeat! Please excuse the really bad picture.

However, new images from the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban playing card set have cropped up (graphic taken from mugglenet.com) of the new scarf:

Long! Very long!

In the ideal world, I would wear the scarf once around my neck and it would fall in the same way that scarf falls, with long tails that stretch to my knees.

It looks like I'm not close to being done with the scarf. I think I'll knit until I run out of yarn.

We didn't have ice cream after my knitting circle last night, perhaps due to the rain and the dreariness of the evening. I worked on Sara's scarf for a while, but I think the US11 needle is too large. I think I need to utilize a US9 or US10. The seed stitch was pretty, but I might try something a little fancier. Perhaps the crocus bud stitch I worked with previously.

I frogged the piece and worked on my PoA scarf again.

A bit better picture. Just started the 10th repeat.

Perhaps in future I will make a Ravenclaw scarf. The Gryffindor colors are my favorite, but I think I would be sorted into Ravenclaw.

The first not-me knitter for the PoA Scarf Knitalong is Trista. She says she's doing a PoA Gryffindor one. She sent me a link to Beaverslide Dry Goods and recommends their yarn as an alternative.

She writes:
"I've used Beaverslide Dry Goods merino yarn, and though my scarves are a bit 'fluffier' or 'fuzzier' than the ones on Lauren's site, the yarn is wonderfully soft and fun to knit with. I can't reccomend them enough if you've not tried them. (http://www.beaverslide.com/) I'd reccomend the 90% merino 10% kid mohair with two skeins of each color, using Alpine Spruce / Frosted Smoke (Slytherin), Prairie Coneflower/Charcoal (Hufflepuff), Winter Rosehip/Prairie Coneflower (Gryffindor), or Glacier Blue/Frosted Smoke (Blue/Silver) or Glacier Blue/Chokecherry Heather (Blue/Bronze) (Ravenclaw)."

Two more people have joined the knitalong!

Jen of Hey! Jen Knits! was planning on Hufflepuff colors for her scarf, but changed her mind and is now doing the blue and grey of Ravenclaw.

Katy of not without my effects is doing a Slytherin scarf.

Two more knitters have been added to the Prisoner of Azkaban Scarf Knitalong!

Alysha (from Australia!) of Retrochic (alyshajane.com) just bought her yarn for a Gryffindor scarf.

Jennifer of Madelah will be doing a bunch over the next few months for her friends: 3 Gryffindors and 1 Slytherin. Wow!

I'm done!

I spent the evening weaving in all the ends and binding off.

I love the Three Needle Bind-Off. It looks sweet on both sides, so it's my new favorite thing and I plan on using the technique whenever I can.

Although I haven't officially measured it, Mike estimated it to be over eight feet long, containing 15 repeats (16 trapped bars). I have enough yarn, I think, to add the decorative rows for a vest or cardigan, which I plan on doing in the future. Today, I ordered my skirt from Flynn & O'Hara. The grey is light, but I think if I get a grey yarn that matches when I make my vest/cardigan, it won't be too big a deal. I decided not to do the fringe, primarily because I don't like fringe. If I happen to have appropriate yarn after I make the matching vest/cardi, I'll consider adding fringe to look accurate. I also bought fabric and Simplicity 5840 from someone on LiveJournal that wasn't making a robe. I'm not sure I'll be able to make it in time for the showing, but next year I'll be doubly prepared.

So, all I need to get are socks, mary janes, a wand, and I'm all set! I have tickets to both the HP Line Party and Fiction Alley's IMAX showing on Saturday. Can you tell I'm really excited about this film?

Tonight, I swatched Salt Peanuts in my Cherry Tree Hill Potluck Worsted.

This was my third swatch, when I was able to get gauge. I started on a US9 and worked up to the US10.5, which is what the pattern recommends. The stitches are a little looser than ideal, but I can live with it; I'll be able to wear it on warmer days than my original conception for it.

Working with the yarn itself is very lovely. It's 100% wool and feels nice and warm to my hands. The changing colors keeps it fun and I like how my eyes are drawn to the quickly changing gradients. I need to pick up a pair of US10.5 Addi Turbo circ in the semi-near future, but I have a bamboo circ I can use for now.

I plan on casting on tonight too and knitting a few rows. Salt Peanuts is away!

Salt Peanuts is slowly drawing other knitters into its (not Charlotte) web.

Gloriana's SP is in air-blue Muench Bergamo. Jill is doing hers in charcoal Muench Bergamo. Volupta's SP is in "JJ's Montage Collection in Aubergine" handpainted merino from New Zealand. Paige is also using air-blue Muench Bergamo. Jas ordered sunset gold Muench Bergamo while gnat ordered Plum Wine. emling is talking of doing another SP in grey heather.

Volupta casted on Tuesday and has already worked up to the chest increases on the back. Mine is in fall-colored Cherry Tree Hill Potluck Worsted and will be cast on tonight.

I didn't realize that there was another knitalong group for Salt Peanuts. How wonderful to see people really loving this pattern! Thanks to Jennifer Fleury of Knotty Girls for her Salt Peanuts Pattern Tips.

Last night, I cast on and knit a few rows until I fell asleep. I worked on the lace ribbing off and on thoughout the day. I'm now into the waist shaping.

I generally don't like ribbing, but for some reason, I find this very aesthetically pleasing. The colors are really different from viewed indoors versus outdoors. I tried to take this picture during daylight, so you can see how bright the colors are.

The pattern has been easy so far. The "purl, yo, ssk" and the "knit, yo, purl" stitches slowed me down at first. I know the purpose of the yarn overs were to keep the stitches the same number of stitches, despite the decreases. However, in the patterns I've done so far, a yarn over means to move the yarn from one side of the work to the other. To do simply that wouldn't have created a proper yarn over, so after a few moment of fiddling, I figured out how to do them properly. Are my "new knitter!" stripes showing?

Stacey (ArtGirl) has just finished her swatch for Salt Peanuts! She will be using Rowan Cork.

Lovely! Jill plans on swatching tonight. In the meantime, I have cast on and completed the back bottom lace.

Mori (or Morrigan) of both .x]..B.A.S.I.L.I.C.A..[x. and The Third Floor has already crocheted three scarves (two Gryffindor, one Ravenclaw in book colors). Mori recently learned how to knit and is currently working on a Gryffindor scarf and plans to knit a scarf for each house eventually! She's currently working with the old pattern but plans on knitting PoA versions.

Work continues on the house, but it is mostly in the downstairs apartment and the basement. Thus, I was free to finish up the back of Salt Peanuts.

Lovely! I really like the colors. At first, I thought it was too fuscha, but with the patches of green and the distribution of colors, it's much better. The six hanks of yarn are in the same "family" (rightly so since they are from the same pot) but color distribution varies a great deal. I've decided that the two green-heavy hanks will make up the back and top of the sleeves. The front will be more purple/yellow, with the top being greener than the bottom. I decided that I would live with the uneven distribution of colors because to alternate the yarn would be too annoying for me.

The lace ribbing isn't as well-defined as the original, probably due to the multicolored nature and different yarn quality. The ribbing appears better when stretched; it is not stretched in the closeup image. Other than the undoing I had to do yesterday, the pattern has been pretty easy to follow.

Jill finally got gauge (US8!) and is casting off tonight. I've completed the back. Volupta completed the back and left front! She gives some great advice for doing the dreaded collar/lace/shaping issues that Salt Peanuts seems to have.

Is the tune suck in your head whenever you read the title?

Jas has cast on and is knitting away, already to the waist increases. Stacey has cast on as well and is working through the lace portion. Gloriana has been a knitting animal, casting on yesterday and is over 10" through the back already! Ditto volupta, who has already finished the right side! So far, it looks like we're all enjoying the knitting process and there has been a lot of positive talk about the recommended yarn.

I've started working on the left front panel and I've noted my knitting notes.

I've started working on the front left panel of Salt Peanuts.

As one can see, the color is definitely more purple and less green (green? there's green?) than the back. I plan on using just half of a hank, in an effort to make the left and right panels similar in color. The back was a hank and a bit, so I think the front right and left would be no more than two hanks. I'm probably going to knit both sleeves at the same time.

The yarn is a joy to knit. It's not itchy and warm, but not too warm. I'm hoping it won't take too long to finish or the weather stays cool so I can wear it! It would be a shame to have to put it away until the fall.

I knit the lace ribbing as described by the instructions and continued for about ten rows with the pattern recommended in the Salt Peanuts tips. It didn't look right as I knit it, so I sat down and wrote down what I thought would be correct pattern (row numbers follow the same ones in the pattern on the Salt Peanuts page):

All WS rows the same.
2. K1, ssk, k to last 5 sts, p1, k2tog, yo, k2 (this is written explicitly in the pattern)
3. (WS) k2, p2, k1, p to last two, k1, p1
4. (RS) k1, p1, k to last 5, p1, k4
6. (RS) k1, p1, k to last 5, p1, yo, ssk, k2
8. (RS) k1, p1, ssk, k to last 5, p1, k4 (this is the row with the decreases every 6 rows)
10. (RS) k1, p1, k to last 5, p1, k2tog yo, k2
12. (RS) Repeat 4
14. (RS) k1, p1, ssk, k to last 5, p1, yo, ssk, k2 (decrease every six rows)
16. (RS) Repeat 4
18. (RS) Repeat 10
20. (RS) Repeat 8 (decrease every six rows)
etc.

I'm not sure it is right, but so far, it looks right.

Fifteen more days until movie release and one new knitter for the PoA scarf! Carrie of ...just keep knitting... plans on knitting a Slytherin scarf. There might be a Gryffindor one on her needles too.

Really slow progress on Salt Peanuts.

Really slow. That's because the knitting instructions aren't line by line. I had to piece the pattern together. "Once the work reaches 40cm, do X. One the work reaches 56.5cm, do Y." Augh! I keep measuring and remeasuring. I've been writing the pattern out line by line. I'm into the collar/short row shaping/armhole. I'm trying to plow ahead as fast as possible but I've got the speed of a racing snail (not of the variety from The Neverending Story).

Lovely inside collar! Despite the slow place, I'm still very excited about the sweater and can't wait to finish it so I can wear it.

Thirteen more days until the movie release and we have three more PoA knitters!

Julia of Moth Heaven is making a Gryffindor scarf for the son of a friend of hers. Heather is also knitting a Gryffindor scarf, with a possible Ravenclaw one in the future for her mother. Stacy of Sisters of the Skein is knitting a Ravenclaw scarf.

Well, the left side is done! Huzzah!

Notice that the back and front are different, but the top left is a closer shade to the back than the bottom (due to the higher green content). I'm not sure that I did enough of the collar, to go round, but I think I'll be able to deal with adding more if necessary. I continued writing out the pattern line by line. I think I need it because I put a little pencil pip in my notes when I finish a line. My memory is so terrible that even distracting myself to get a drink, I forget where I am in the pattern. Strangely, I can watch a movie and knit and pay attention if I use this technique of pencil pipping. "Where am I? The right side. Where's my last pip? Ah, line 38! I must now do line 40!" I am getting much better at reading my stitches, though. "I think that this is the ssk line. Ah, ha! It is!" I feel like I've made a small hop towards understanding knitting. Seeing my first sweater pull together slowly is so exciting.

I do so love the pattern, despite being really slow. Other people in the knitalong seem to love the recommended yarn, so I'm highly tempted to buy some of it and doing the sweater again! But, what color? I need to find a Muench supplier in the area so I can see which color I like best in person and which I think will show off the stitches best.

Mike noticed the back colors. "Unfortunate about the patch of green. Right by that patch of red." he said.

"I kind of like it that way."

We have a finished piece!

Volupta finished her piece and it is gorgeous! Check out those colors! Gloriana has finished the back. Paige has cast on (using US11s) and is off! Jill is finishing the lace section in the back. I've finished the left side and have started working the right.

Two new Salt Peanut knitters! Carrie of ...just keep knitting... is doing hers in Grey Heather Muench Bergamo. Jillz of Purl Up With a Good Yarn is doing hers in Air Blue Muench Bergamo.

Three more knitters for the PoA Scarf Knitalong!

Laurie E. is doing her scarf in book Ravenclaw colors. As she describes it, they are "navy and cognac". Kate is starting her daughter's Gryffindor scarf. Beth, in Texas, is knitting up a Gryffindor with some thrift store yarn.

So far, here is my progress on Salt Peanuts:

It's the right hand side, which is knitting up faster than the left hand side. I'm still writing out the pattern line by line, and I'm at the armhole shaping. I received a really nice email from Veronik Avery (squee! The author of the pattern!) that gave some great advice regarding measuring. She suggests that I mathematically calculate at which row I begin the armhole, collar, and short row shapings and simply write down the row. Then, as long as I use the row counter, it should be easy to know what to do when. Fantastic advice! Why am I not using it for the right hand side? Because I've written out the left and made some variations as I went along and need to make the same adjustments to the right if I want them to be the same. Drat! Oh well. At least I'm not fanatically measuring like I was with the left.

Anyway, I have to put Salt Peanuts on a short hiatus. Deb (of Stitch'N Bitch fame) put a call out for production knitters for her new book and I volunteered. I'm meeting her at the NY SNB group that meets at Space Untitled tomorrow. It should only be a fairly short hiatus: I am knitting a tea cozy.

Last night's SNB NY meeting was pretty fantastic. They were about 15 of us in total, all knitting away. This group is definitely younger and more daring in their knits than my Wednesday group. I'm not sure if I'll be able to come every week, but perhaps every other week I can make it. This is definitely a great place to get new, no fear knit ideas. Plus, the Space Untitled is pretty fantastic. I ordered an apple juice, freshly squeezed and wonderful with "apple foam".

I got to see Katie (from Little Italy) there, along with a few others from Sunday's Critter Knitter Knit-Out. Deb arrived and took pictures of us knitting away. When I talked to her, towards the end of the evening, she told me that the tea cozy was no more and, instead, she needed the front of a sweater. It is being made in Black Wool-Ease with a few rows of red right about at the beginning of armhole shaping. It needs to be done in a week! Eeks! But, I think I can do it. I just had to put various projects on hold and focus on this one. I cast on last night and I'm off to a running start.

It's called "Flame Sweater" according to the pattern, medium size. Definitely not a tea cozy. Hee hee. The wool is bouncy and soft, enjoyable to knit with (especially with this cool spell we're currently having). I made gauge easily on US8s. Katie is going to make the back and a third party is making the sleeves.

I'm done with the front of the Flame Sweater! That was a very fast knit, and I didn't even go crazy about knitting it. It pretty much finished itself.

I took pictures of the whole piece, but I decided to only put up a closeup of it. It's hard to take a good photograph of black and red yarn! It will hopefully make its way into Stitch'N Bitch Nation and will be far better photographed than I can make it.

Plus, it's not blocked yet and none of the ends are woven in. I followed Veronik Avery's fantastic advice to not measure and use row count instead, based on your gauge. It turned out perfect! Huzzah! I did have to change one thing: the pattern at one point calls for 26 repeats of a pattern to get it down to 38 stitches. I discovered that it only took 25 repeats to get it down to 38 (which is how it would work mathematically as well based on the pattern decreases). I haven't heard back yet from Deb, but I think if I need to rip it back, it won't be too much of a problem.

It's sort of fun to be a production knitter!

Less than a week! Less than a week until it opens! I can hardly contain myself.

Just in time, Jen of Hey! Jen Knits! finished her Ravenclaw scarf. Very Cho Chang!

Amysue of Random Meanderings at Middle Age has cast on started her film Ravenclaw scarf. She says the kids would like their Gryffindor scarves and her husband would want the green and silver of Slytherin. Drealle is from Australia and just cast on her first scarf! She's working on a Slytherin one for a friend and a Ravenclaw one for herself.

I just picked up my skirt and shoes. I have the materials for a robe, but I'll work on that for the next film. So exciting!

Volupta gave her kudos, so here are buttons from her photograph of Salt Peanuts:

Thanks Volupta!

We have one new knitter, gerbera of too much to knit, who is doing her Salt Peanuts in Air Blue Muench Bergamo. Gloriana is finished with the back and a sleeve! Woo hoo! I took a break, but I'm back on, now that I'm done with the Flame Sweater. I hope to get the front complete by the end of the Memorial Day weekend.