Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Speed Ripping

I wanted to try speed ripping, but didn't want to try it on anything that really mattered incase I didn't do it right.  So, was experimenting with beading on a small bag on my Studio 700 standard machine then I made a mistake.  Thought if this thing falls off in my lap I wouldn't be broken hearted think I'll try the speed ripping technique.  It worked great!  I had to do it several times, because I was working on a new pattern that I was having trouble understand.  Bottom line it worked great.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Speed Ripping on the Knitting Machine

My jaw just hung open when I watched Diana's video.  I've needed to rip back so many times mainly, because of my perfectionist streak.  I've even taken a project off the needles on waste yarn to rip it back at home, so my fellow machine knitters wouldn't see what a nit picker I am.  The project I speak of is a bag that we had made a mistake on the handle portion.  The teacher said just do the same thing on the other side and all will be well.  Yes, it would have been, but I didn't like it.  I liked the pattern and wanted mine to look like the pattern.  Yes, my bag does look like the pattern and I love it.  Speed ripping would have been a life saver that day.  The thought of ripping back about 15 rows seemed impossible at the time.  At home I took my time and undid every stitch.  I'm going to try Diana's speed ripping technique.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Sacramento Machine Knitters Guild March 10th Meeting

SOCKS!  That was the theme of the meeting.  What shocked me was the interest.  The mere mention of machine knit socks usually scares people, but obviously not us here in the Sacramento Area.  There were 13 people at the meeting and 7 machines set up.



I had brought one of my standard machines and of course it was the one that has no tools.  Made a note to do something about that.  When so many machines started coming in I thought just as well put it away and let another machine get set up.


Marilynn called people and told them to make some ribbing on needles and bring it in.  I knew that most people wouldn't want to or know how to do this.  Only Marilynn and Kathleen... OK me and Julia too came with ribbing.  Mine and Julia's was made with our knitting machines and ribbers.  Julia had brought machine knitting supplies and sock yarn to sell.  I decided that since I had made 3 whole socks that I would help.  :)

Thinking that a few would not have ribbing I brought my laptop in so we could view Diana's Single Bed Sew-As-You-Go Sock.  With it's mock rib option it came in handy.  Erica with Becky's help made Diana's sock.

Kathleen with her ribbing made the sock pattern Marilynn brought in.  I just roved around teaching, learning and just watching.  I really enjoyed myself.  I thought it was a great meeting.

Not everyone worked on socks.  3 knitters were there to learn the basics like how to get their machine working.  Been there done that!  One knitter had her machine working and was learning the e-wrap cast-on and how to cast-off.

What I learned was I needed to figure out my tool situation with my machine.  Should I buy tools?  I have standard tools with another machine.  Should I use that set with both machines?  I really had a big problem sort of robbing one machine to use with another.  So, I quizzed the machine knitter's over at Ravelry.  The consensus was "pool the tools."  Many have a tool box with standard and bulky tools separate, but in the same box.  Though I still have some guilt about doing this it really makes a lot of sense to me.  Why buy more tools when I have a lot of great tools.  What I've decided to do is label with a Sharpie which tool came from which machine in case I ever want to put the tools all back with their machines.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

iPod Project with Susan Ranner

Never mind the fact that I love listening to her accent and I love the fact that she warns us that their might be swearing.  A true and seasoned machine knitter she is.  I'm sure if one were to hang outside my knit room you might hear some swearing here too.

Susan has added a cute useful project for us iPod lovers over at her  My Machine Knitting Patterns blog.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Machine Knitting Video with "Let's Knit Together"

Big thank you to Julia from Fig Tree Alley for sharing these videos with me.

I was having fun checking out some of the videos at "Let's Knit Together."  This one is about machine knitting.

This video is an interview with Lily Chin.  She will be teaching at the MKGSFBA in April for members of the guild.  After watching this interview I'm even more excited about that class.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Legwarmers... fashion faux pas or back in style?

My 19 year old son occasionally wears an old pair of green legwarmers.  I keep the eye rolling to myself.  Frankly, I feel this declaration of his personal style is pretty tame to what I see out in the world.  He said to me the other day "I wish I had a blue pair."  The light bulb went off in my head I could easily make a pair on my knitting machine.

I asked him if he'd like me to make a pair.  His eyes lit up.  I asked what color.  He brought me 2 t-shirts with the colors he'd like the legwarmers to be.  He said he wanted them to be striped.  I asked, "Cat in the Hat striped?  Or can I be creative?"  He said, "Be creative."  My first thought was a Fibonacci technique I've seen used.  Making stripes seem random, but they are not.

Not having a pattern I figured I was going to have to wing it.  I'm not real comfortable not having a pattern to follow, but figured this would be good to stretch my creativity.  My thoughts were ribbing, stockinette, ribbing and that's what I did.


 
After seeing them on a leg my thoughts as to the pattern for another pair will be to gradually enlarge them as they go up the leg.  Ankles are naturally smaller than knees.


(my daughter's legs they fit her perfectly... in my opinion)

My son is very happy with this pair.  I think they are a bit tight, but he loves his skinny jeans, which I think are too tight too.  He slipped on the legwarmers and declared, "Skinny Jeans Legwarmers.  I like them!"