Fair isle success - finally!!!

I am trying to learn some of the more advanced techniques that are in the Toyota KS950 manual. The last two days I have been trying to get a nice fair isle swatch. FINALLY I figured it out!  At first I couldn't get the second color to knit, then it wouldn't consistently. The manual itself isn't all that clear of where to put the second yarn into the carriage. A vague description and a black and white photo that is from too far back wasn't much help. I kept trying different things but the swatch never came out right. I talked to a friend and she recalled being instructed and thinking "really, that is all you do?"  Meaning it wasn't much, simple and somewhat counter intuitive. I went back to my machine and looked closer at where the yarn positions in and finally noticed a little hook on the front side of the latch to close in yarn color 1. I placed yarn 2 behind this hook (latch remaining closed to lock in yarn 1). Voila!  A clean and perfect swatch without any dropped stitches! It really didn't require that much, was simple and very counter intuitive. 

Ugh oh! This isn't going to work

So I am now at the point of trying knit patterns that are for machine knitting. I am working on baby garments in order to save time and money while I learn valuable lessons. So glad it is a little baby jacket that I am learning lessons on. The pattern has you start at the back bottom hem and work up to the shoulders, adding stitches on each side to create sleeves. Then you place some center stitches on hold for the neck, work a few rows on one side before starting to add stitches for the front neckline. I managed to get through one side all fine and dandy, but I guess I learned my lesson of the importance of how you cast on for the other side.

I didn't realize that they were unraveling until I had about 30 additional rows done. I did briefly debate on whether to rip it back to where the sleeves start and try again, but decided I didn't like the dimensions of the pattern (too long and skinny) so I took it off the machine, took a picture of it, and tossed it to the side to not continue on it. Maybe one day I'll work on it and turn it into something else. Like a teddy bear sweater for the girls to use.  Either way, lesson learned.

Toyota Knitting Machine Win-Win

After seeing a Bond knitting machine for sale in a local craft store I have been intrigues with the idea of being able to machine knit. After doing some research I decided to look for a more advanced machine on eBay. One video that I saw was of Vickie Howetll using a Bond and having some trouble with it. The other videos of machine knitting looked and sounded a little less finicky. So, I ended up with a Toyota. Working for a US auto company I can't believe I own a Toyota. It is a KS950, and I also bought a KR506 ribber to go with it.

So, here starts my adventures of machine knitting - and learning what the codes mean on cone yarn.

How does time fly

I am now seeing that it has been OVER three years since my last post, and not a post that I would have liked to ended on.  Much has occurred over the last three years...we welcomed our second daughter in January of 2014.  Bringing our family to a total of 6 plus one cat.  With all the fun that comes with pregnancy and a new child working full time there doesn't leave much left of the day to do other things.  Now that she is 2 1/2 and the next youngest is 4 my time is starting to increase where I can do other things - like crafty things!  I have already completed some projects recently, and have acquired some new toys so I'm looking forward to sharing those. 

Here is to a fun future of sharing new projects - that hopefully turn out and fit like planned!

Good bye Oliver

It is sad to right that today we had to say good bye to our Oliver.  We have known the time was coming for the past several months when he started to loose weight rapidly.  We took him to the vet hoping it was something simple, turns out it was a fist size growth in his abdomen that would have required many tests before a surgery that was not optimistic. This past week his condition worsened and had to say good bye.  He was a wonderful cat that is already missed.  

VOGUEknitting Crochet 2013

VOGUEknitting Crochet

For my birthday I received the new crochet issue of VOGUEknitting from my mom.  It has some great articles in it.  My favorite is about Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam and her play structures.  Truly amazing and inspiring.  The patterns I liked, but most I think I would not wear.  Most of the dresses in the Red Hot in Rio section look like swimsuit cover ups and had see through sections.

 

My favorite pattern comes from the Pretty Chic collection by Pat Olski.  I love the way that the cardigan is made from side to side, instead of the typical top down or bottom up you see with a wave/scallop pattern.  The delicateness of the stitches but still with structure is also a great balance.  A wearable piece that is also inspiring at the same time. 

The other sections of patterns were ok.  Nothing that caught my eye to make, and sometimes the model's hair, other outfit, color of the yarn, and backdrop was more distracting for me than paying attention to what was actually being shown. 

All in all, I found the articles to be much more inspiring than 2012, but just don't think the patterns were shown as great as they were last year.

Dream office

Looking at one of my favorite blogs, Herman Miller, I saw what I think my dream office would look like.  For some reason I am liking the updated version of the brown, blue, and orange combination.  It is a grown up sophisticated yet still youthful and relaxed.  Can't you just imagine some yarn on one of the shelves, neatly folded fabric on another, coordinating steel and orange cylinders that hold hooks, needles, cutting utensils, and pencils.  Now, to just get the time and money to take some of these ideas into my little work corner at home.