Summer Sampler Stole

Summer Study Sampler Stole
Pattern - From BadCatDesigns
Yarn - Lorna's Lace Helen in Huron
Needles and size - Addi Turbo Lace US 3

This stole is something that was started back in June and was a pattern sampler knit-a-long. Each week a new lace pattern was presented and knit. There were 12 patterns and an edging pattern to complete.

It was not a difficult knit and took around 1-2 evenings to complete each pattern. This allowed me to work on and finish other projects. The edging took the longest at around 10 days and a frogging back of 30 rows (one evenings knit) when I discovered I had apparently dropped a stitch while cabling. That called for a day of timeout. The main pattern knitting was done at our Monday Concerts in the Park so each pattern was easily memorized for maximum knitting. :)

Final size of blocking is 74-inches long by 23-inches wide. Glad I have two blocking boards and a large dining room table.

Link to the Summer Sampler

Twisted Flower Socks

Twisted Flower Sock
Pattern - From Cookie A
Yarn - Dream in Color Smooshy in Gothic Rose
Needles and size - Addi Turbo US 2

Socks that are not for the faint of heart. This is a fun but challenging to knit sock and not one that I would recommend for a beginner. Lots of chart reading but well worth the time it took to knit them. These were done during the 2008 Summer Olympics in a two-week period while waiting on my next lace pattern for the Summer Sampler Stole.

Starlight

Starlight
Pattern - RYC Classic Style Book 16 (Rowan)
Yarn - RYC Silk Wool DK in Velvet (SH307)
Needles and size - Clover Bamboo US 3 for edging US 6 for body

It's done it's finally done. The Starlight sweater! An easy to knit cardigan that just takes some time since it has all those cables to do. Also it is a warm cardigan so not so much fun to knit in the summer so it took a small hiatus during the warm months. The only long process was knitting the 1/2-inch lace edging and then sewing that onto the body.

Eyelet Cardi

Eyelet Cardi
Pattern - Blue Sky Alpacas
Yarn - Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Cotton - Fern
Needles and size - Addi Turbo US 6

This is another easy cardi to knit. I am still working out how I want the front closure to work. Not really thrilled by the big button so looking at maybe at sewing grosgrain ribbon to provide a stiffer button band. Then adding some sort of loop and stick closure. Right now it has hook eye closure. Otherwise this is a really easy knit and I love this bulky cotton!

Spinning the Tour de Fleece

Above is what I spun during the Tour de France race as part of the Tour de Fleece spin-along. (Clockwise from bottom) The yarn on the kniddy-knoddy is 2oz of purple and white wool that has been 2-plied. There is still another 2oz to go. The Aubergine yarn is from Abby's Batts and is 120g/4.2oz of 75% superwash merino/25% tussah silk that has been 3-plied for sock yarn. The last item spun is 4 oz of Targhee Top from Mountain colors in the dye lot of Meadow. It is 2-plied.

Cece

Cece
Pattern - ChicKnits
Yarn - Malabrigo worsted - Dusty Olive
Needles and size - Addi Turbo US 6

This is a cardi that I made for my sister way back in March but haven’t posted a photo until after she received it. The cardi needs a single button at the top that I left for her to pick out. Easy to knit lace pattern, done entirely in the round and only two small areas to sew under the arms and the edging at the neck and you are done.

Trail Ridge

On Wednesday morning (6/25) we loaded up the car for a sight seeing trip up Trail Ridge Road. This road takes you up and over the continental divide in the Rocky Mountains without having to hike it. As you can see the snow was fairly deep off the edge of the road where plows had dug out the road for the summer. Those log branch poles are what the plows use to find the road and indicate depth. This road generally is open by June 1st. We drive up to the highest point and then head on to the Alpine Station complete with Forrest Rangers to ask your questions and a weather station to boot. There is an alternative dirt road route up to the Alpine Center from Falls River Road but it was still closed due to snow and they were hoping to have it open by July 4, but it was not looking good.

From the Alpine station there is a short albeit straight uphill climb to the top of the divide (12,005 feet). This year the beginning of the trail up was yes deep in snow.

Great views to be had from the top

Lot's of beautiful Spring tundra flowers were just opening up.

View of the hike back down to the Alpine Center.

All in all we arrived around 10 am spent an hour taking photos at the top and by the time we reached the bottom a storm was headed in with lots of sleet. Thankfully it melted on the road and was all gone by the time we were heading back down at noon. Also seen from the Alpine center was lots of elk that had finally made the trip up from the meadows, and lots of waterfalls to be seen from the car.

Do you see the lake?

MacGregor Falls

Over the years we have spent many a summer vacation at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park. This Y has trails that back up to the Rocky Mountain National Park. As part of staying in a cabin or lodge you have access to many programs and the one that I use the most is the hiking program. DH signed up for a hike each day where I signed up for 3 led hikes and did a find your way back hike with a cousin.

Our Tuesday morning hike group met the hike leader Joanne at 8:45am, we found rides to the Lumpy Ridge Trail Head where we see the three chicken formation.

From there we walk up and down the trail to where we can see the two owl formation. We walk past this section. The rocks in this area are unusual in that it is not part of the glacier rocks that are found in most of the park.

Most of the mountains in this area can be rock climbed to the top via trails to the climbing access points. However during June - July some of these mountains are off limits for bird nesting. The red tailed hawk is one of the birds we saw on this hike.

The trail leads around the MacGregor Ranch which is a working ranch that is now in trust and run by the National Park service.

Part of the trail requires that you walk across a field to reach the trail that leads to the falls.

Along this path we saw the beginning of the Coralroot orchids emerging (Corallorhiza). They look like early asparagus stalks when they first emerge.

On this path we also cross the original Estes Park water treatment facility. While no longer used there is a building that housed the filter equipment and the dam.

From here it is an uphill climb to see the falls. While maybe not the most impressive falls in the park it still puts on a nice display and was a good spot to take a rest before the return hike.

While at the falls some of us scrambled up to the rocks above to get this view.

On the return trip the horses were out in the fields.

Also seen on the return trip were bones from a fallen elk. It looked like coyotes had been involved. I missed this on the trip out but was told that the other hiking group that was out there was blocking it at that time.

This was shot at the end of the hike which was around 7 miles total and shows that the afternoon rains were just about to start. This is how a typical day is in the mountains. Bright and sunny in the morning, and rainy by the mid-afternoon, returning to clear by the evening.

Wildflowers seen on this hike.

Hiking the Trails of Colorado

For the past week I have been logging mileage on the trails of the Rocky Mountain National Park. The photo above was from my hike to Mills Lake.

This is from my hike around Boulder Brook. Lots of snow this past winter has meant a late spring season and lots of water for fast moving falls and bubbling creeks. The next few installments will be a photo journal of my hikes, but for now trying to get through all my photos to decide which ones to use and still unpacking stuff.

Josephine

Josephine - Interweave Summer 2007
Yarn - Louet Gems Super Fine/Fingering Weight
100% Merino Wool - Violet (08-1452-9)
gauge - 7st/10 rows = 1 inch
Needles and size - Addi Turbo Lace US 3

When I swatched for this sweater I used the US 5 needles called for and got gauge but really did not love the feel of the fabric as it was too open for me. So I swatched using US 4 then settled on US 3. This meant that I was going to have to rewrite the pattern for the change in gauge as well as I wanted to make the pattern for a 36" which was in between the pattern choices. Between the lace panel there was a simple panel of knits and purls that allowed for some room to add stitches to make the sizing work. I followed the intent of the pattern with decreases in the simple panel at the same point in the sweater and knitted the decreases needed to hit 36" just below the bust. Next mod was to move the v-neck to 2 inches above the bust and to begin the arm holes at 4". I have a knit shirt that I really like with similar look so got out the tape measure and used that as a guide for this area. The shirt also confirmed that I wanted an arm hole height of 8" not 7.5". From here I noted how many stitches were bound off at the arm hole and the shoulder to make the mods necessary for my gauge difference and to determine how many stitches and how quickly I needed to decrease stitches for the v-neck portion. Voila sweater. I did knit this sweater in the round since I was using a wool fiber and then did a 3 needle bind off at the shoulder. So no sewing on this sweater. Over all an easy knit once you have the math worked out and charted in an Excel spreadsheet.