Technique Thursday - Sleeve Decreases

In the Fall, when we are knitting lots of sweaters, the plan for the You Tube podcast and here on the blog is to knit all the sweaters!  While I was knitting on my Soundtrack this last July, I had an idea that it might be nice if I shared with you dear readers, how I accommodate my sleeves in my knitting to account for what I lovingly call my pelican arms. (Yep, I should have been worrying about them back in my youth and then I wouldn't have to worry about them now, but hey, work with what you've got in your 60's!)

I start with picking up extra stitches under the arm.  Very rarely, does a pattern, in my opinion, have you pick up enough stitches under the arm, which results in some extra stitches left or a bit of looseness under the arm.  I, also, for my sleeves, almost always go up a needle size or two from what I have used in the sweater yoke. It depends on how I like the fabric that is created with the larger needle.  Generally, the fabric doesn’t change enough for me to mind. 

In my notes on my i-phone, I have the measurements of when I need to start decreasing my sleeves which is right about one inch above the elbow.

Using the handy dandy website from yesterday, I calculate the decreases I need to make, to get to my very small wrist.  (Why couldn't the rest of my arms be as small as my wrist measurement?).  The website tells me exactly how to achieve nice decreases.

Right before the rib, I make sure that my stitch count works with the rib count needed and then go to a smaller needle size to cinch in the wrist.

And voila, I've got the perfect sleeve for my arm!

Hope this helps you to have better sleeves for your arm.  You are in control of your knitting!

Wednesday Website

It has been a while since I blogged about a website on Wednesday, but I had to share this one with you.

The website came up yesterday, while some friends and I were knitting downtown Peoria on the riverfront, maintaining social distancing, of course.  We were discussing decreases on a sweater, and how sometimes, the pattern doesn't give you the right decreases for your body type or when you do need to make changes to fit your body, you have to get the calculator and use that four letter word M-A-T-H!

http://www.worldknits.com/knitting-calculators

I use it all the time when I need to decrease my sleeves (which by the way, I am going to blog about tomorrow).  I use it so much that I actually, put the link on my phone in the notes app, so it is always there wherever I may be.

And speaking of notes app, on my I-phone, I use it a lot for knitting related info that I don't want to go hunting for in one of my notebooks.  I have my sweater measurements in it, so I know exactly how long to make everything, the helical method of knitting, weaving in ends while knitting and German short rows.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!  It is another drop dead gorgeous day in Central Illinois, sunny and 62 degrees at 8:30 a.m.  Woo Hoo!

Monday Mail Call

Let me start with saying, I do not need to buy any yarn.  But, Instagram has been, during Covid, the place where I can find all kinds of new to me yarns, designs and knitting related things.

One of the shops that I follow regularly is The Knitting Place.  I love when they do unboxings and also follow Dina's podcast on You Tube.  One of my prerequisites for continuing to watch new You Tube podcasts is if they make we want to knit something, and the Knitting Place does.

Last week, they got a shipment of Cake Wool in and showed all the color ways.  This Captain Phil color way caught my eye, and since it is named after a now deceased Captain from a show I used to watch, Deadliest Catch, I had to have it.  That and the pattern, Dina and Pam were showing as a possible knit out of it was Ranunculus with short sleeves, I thought it might make for a nice last Summer top knit.

When I bought the kit for the Together Apart KAL giveaway, Molly brought to my attention this Caribe Blue, Snowcone in finger and mohair.  I had to have it, and am thinking one of the simple knits from Petite Knits out of it for the Fall/Winter wearing season.

And no, I don't have this exact color of Caribe Blue yet in my knits.

Knit On this week!

Goodbye July, Hello August 2020

My Knitting New Year starts in July, usually after coming home from Knitting Camp.  Have I told you that already?  That really hasn't changed this year.  Except, I decided to pull out one of my notebooks ( I have blogged about that before) and take a page for each month between here and the end of 2020.

Then to look seriously at each month at what I would like to accomplish each month.

July looks pretty good.  I managed to just tweak out three WIPS and a KAL Sweater for July.  I also knitted on a couple of projects that go into the next month.

The 3KnitWips that I finished are the Shelley Summer Top, Rock It Tee and a dishcloth.  The sweater is Soundtrack, which was part of a KAL with Marie Greene.

I am certainly glad to have all of these done and am looking towards my new list for August!

I am hoping to finish 3KnitWips then too.

Stay tuned and until then, I'll catch you on the purl side!  Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Finally Finished Friday - Shelley Summer Top

What I did:

I bought sandals to go with this one.
 I bought two sweater options to go over it.
 I had it finished with the intention of wearing it on the 4th of July.  But, it needed four relatively short seams sewn up and it sat on the desk waiting patiently.

Finally, this week, I put it on my to do list for last Sunday to sew up.  And I did!  Granted it took me until almost the very end of the day to do it, but sew it up I did.

And I love it!  And I have all kinds of options to wear with it.

The pattern is Shelley Summer Top by Nancy Ricci and the yarn is Cascade Yarns Sunseeker, that I have had in my stash for at least 6 years!

Out of the stash and a Finished Object, just a little later than planned!

Have a great weekend!

Together Apart KAL

Over on the pjknits Ravelry group and on instagram, we are knitting the Together Apart Shawl.

It is so much fun to see the combos emerge.

This is mine so far. I am using Heritage Sock yarn, in a teal color way that was in my stash.  The contrast is from my friend Debbie.  I am housing it in my ZK@Home goodie bag from Silver Shed USA.  (Side note, I wasn't sure I would like waxed canvas, but it turns out I like it!)

Sunday night I had a bit of a funny with it.  I got to the lace section and was using the written info to do the lace.  I knit the first couple of rows, and each time I got to the end and was off.  What?!

I said to myself, I wonder why Melanie did not include a chart? I went back to my pattern, I had tucked the rest of the pages away for now, and what do you think I found?  You got it, the charts!  Duh!

I am now back on track, putting in some markers for the repeats and am finally motoring along!

Something I love doing is give aways when knitters participate in my KALs.  I found this cute kit, that Molly Klein Designs had on instagram, and I thought it would be perfect for the KAL as a prize! I love Molly's bags, and if you remember, every time she does a Snoopy one, well, I just have to have it!

The KAL runs through the end of Summer, September 20th, so there is still time to join us and post pics in the group under Episode 42.  

Knit On!

To Do Lists and Goals

Sundays at PJKnits have always been for setting goals and making to do lists.  I did it while I was working to keep my self on track, both at work and at home.  There were so many directions to try and keep tabs on.

Then, when I retired a couple of months ago, I decided to just embrace things as they come and spend a couple of months doing what I want to.  I am still doing that, but thought it may be time to bring back my notebooks, of which  have more than the two below.  I decided a couple of weeks ago to resurrect my PHD notebook and then on Saturday decided I needed a to do list.

My first notebook, is my daily to do list.  It has knitting and other things I would "like" to accomplish, but the key is I am not going to beat myself up if I don't complete.  In retirement, there is always tomorrow right?!  So far into day 3, I am doing ok on my list.  Only one thing did not get done yesterday, but that may have been a little ambitious on my part.

My second notebook is by month, a page for each month between now and the end of the year of what I would like to accomplish in my knitting. And no eye rolling readers, in less than 5 months Christmas will be over!

One of the daily tasks I would like to accomplish is an hour a day of knitting on my Kimono Shawl from Cheryl Oberle's Folk Shawls book.  This thing has been on the needles for more than a year, and only really was knit on during our Hospice meetings as it is intended to be a Hospice Shawl when it is finished.

I have plugged this one into my daily to do list, and hope to finish it before Fall gets here.

In my knitting projects is a scrappy blanket out of mitered squares.  I knit quite a few squares on it last Advent season, but haven't picked it up since then really.  I decided that on Sundays for the rest of the year, I will knit one square.  So far, after the third week, I am happy to report that I am on point and have knit one each Sunday.  #scrappysunday

My whole to do list/goals thingy, in my opinion, is good for me.  And funny thing, an article, I just read yesterday from CNN addressed the some really good points on setting goals/to do lists and I have pulled the ones that I think are good ones.

Be flexible

This is not a wish list

Set mini goals per day, unfinished ones could be considered a weight, don't let them

This is meant to be decrease anxiety

What a great record of accomplishment

If you need to rank them in order of importance

Knit On!

Puttin On The Knits

I have been seeing a lot of comments out in the knitting world, about how we are all are knitting, but have no place to go and wear our new knits.  I have to admit, I have had more than my share of days, when I have thrown on my ratty jeans or shorts that I would only be caught dead in public in and a t-shirt on to sit in front of my computer screen for Zoom knitting.

Two items that I have never went a day without has been earrings and lipstick.  Well, yes, blush and mascara too, not because I thought anyone was going to really be looking at me and noticing, but really for me.  I really dislike walking by a mirror and seeing my pasty face looking back at me.

Today, I decided it was time to start changing my look for Zoom meetings and just for life in general. It's time to start putting on the knits, even if it just for me. 

Last month, I knit Heidi Kirrmaier's Big Wave tank.  I have a really cool jean jacket that is great with it, but lets be honest, 1. the jean jacket isn't really very practical for sitting around the house or zooming and 2. it is way to heavy for 85-90 degree weather!

I still wanted to wear my Big Wave, and as it so happens, I have this nice little Summer Cardi from Knitting Pure and Simple out of Boku that I knit several years ago, that goes perfectly with it!

I paired the outfit with the cutest earrings, that I purchased from Roro Jewelry Designs during early Covid, because I wanted to support Indie artists, and one of my favorite shade of Lancome Lipsticks, Sugar Maple.

The whole combo made me feel good, and when I saw it on camera during the Zoom, it just made me feel happy, and right now, I think we need to be happy, even if it is just puttin on the knits.  Go ahead, do it!

Summer Fun Along

How is your Summer going so far?

Here at Chez PJKnits, there has been way too much at home time, so this afternoon, I decided to take my new t-shirt that I bought at ZKatHome from the Yarn Truck out for some fresh air.

I needed to get out and just get away so I took a little walk around the neighborhood, and here are some fun things I found on my walk.

I hope you dear readers are taking some time out when you can to just get out and see your neighborhood!

A Bit Obsessed

I'm a bit obsessed with this knit.

Pattern is Petiteknit's Anker's Summer Shirt out of Sandgarn Line yarn.

I am so obsessed, I am already deciding what I am going to be wearing with it.

Finally made it to the solid stockinette part of the body.

And isn't this stitch marker necklace from A Bed of Roses to die for!

This is going to be so much fun to wear, I cannot wait to get it done and wear it !!

Finally Finished Friday

My Rock It Tee is finished and been worn.  I am loving it.

I thought I would have issues with the mohair, and maybe I would outside in the 90 degree weather, but for inside the air condition, it is just right.

Before blocking, I was a bit concerned about the length, but after blocking, it was just the length I like.

I lengthened the sleeves because I don't wear sleeveless, often.

I wasn't sure about the I-Cord hems, and had thought a couple of times about doing rib.  I am glad I opted for the I-Cord now.

This is a winner and I may just have a few teal accessories to go with it.

Episode 43 - Summer Knitting

Episode 43 is up on pjknits You Tube channel.  You can find it here.


So many KALs going on and virtual Zoom Get Togethers.  Thank goodness for Zoom!

Just Some Sunday Stuff

Need a good laugh today?

We had quite the storm roll through last night, which took out a pole a half a mile away and resulted in the power going down about 9 p.m.  The Tall Guy just went to bed, but I wasn't quite ready, and not to let a little power outage deter me, I hauled out this cool light I bought several years ago after Knitting Camp.  I set it up with my iPad close by, watched a podcast until the battery on the iPad was very low and knitted.

Then went to bed.  The power did not come back on until about 11 hours later this morning, but thankfully, we still had some hot water and the weather on the porch was perfect for knitting.  And because I have a few different projects to choose from, I could choose a non-wool project to knit on the porch today.  It was quite pleasent.

Now, that I am back in the house and the power and air condition is back on, sitting here in a sleeveless dress has me shivering a bit.  So, now I am planning what I could knit out of this yarn to wear inside with it.

I bought the yarn in Florida a few years back specifically because I thought it would go with this dress.  I just have never had the opportunity to wear the dress and now that I can, I have pulled out the yarn to figure out what it wants to be.

Stay tuned!  Have a great Sunday!  Catch you on the purl side!

Friday Finds

Technically, these came last Sunday, but -

I do feel bad for the mail carriers that have to deliver on Sunday, but my ZK2020atHome goodie box arrived last Sunday and I have to confess, I was giddy when she delivered it.  I thought it would be at least a couple of days yet to arrive.

Cutely packaged, I opened to all these super cool things! (The sticker peeled off for the back of a note pad I am decorating)

Inside a new mug in purple...I love it and it is a color I don't have yet.  The potter is Deneen Pottery.

A new pin for the collection....

A card that I am going to use on a memory board in my knitting room (when I get the room fixed up the rest of the way and when I make the memory board)

A new waxed canvas bag with special ZKatHome fabric on the inside, made by Amy's Mom of Silver Shed USA fame.  (You know I collect her bags and give them as gifts often, don't you?)

And it has this cool clasp ala MadderRoot bags.

And the yarn.  Now, when the goodie bag was revealed at virtual ZK last week, there was one of three yarns that were possibles.  I have to be honest, it was the consensus of my table mates that we all like the other two better ( and they certainly were more in my palette range), but I have to admit, getting this color way called Rising Phoenix, I am pleasantly surprised how much I like it.

 I am already thinking of possibilities that could go with it and what to do with it, like using it as the color work in a yoke sweater with the base being black? Or an oldie, but goodie shawl from Stephen West called, Daybreak, which I am really leaning towards.

I love mail, don't you?💙