Raven Needed a New Bag

I knit a bag to hold my knitting.....

In 2008 I knit a tote bag from Paton's SWS and have been using it ever since. My cat LOVES it. She sat on that bag at every opportunity. I have given up and given her that bag.

The photo at left shows my new, Windmill Bag, knit from my last stash of Slate SWS. It used exactly 3 skeins. This was a fabulous project on an advanced beginner level. The project was knit entirely in garter stitch. The bag is really just four short garter stitch strips. The strips could be sewn together, but I knit the bag in one piece, picking up stitches to start each new strip. The name, "Windmill" describes the layout of the finished knit, before seaming the sides.

I blocked this bag, but did not felt it. SWS felts very well, so I still have the option. Most likely, the bag will felt in use. This was a great, easy project.

Winging It

Progress on the Moth. The body is done. Filling in all that red bored me no end. I have also been flummoxed trying to figure out how to stitch in the wings with some kind of precision. Solution- tandem needles. I have loaded up TWO needles, one on either side of the shawl and stitch in the sections alternately. "Ten stitches on the right, then ten stitches on the left."
Once the outer wings are outlined, I'll figure out the position of the red, inner wings. The irregular shapes on the lower right part of the shawl were my first attempt to position the wing spots. They need to be moved. I'm glad the creative block is over.

Knit Periodic Table: The New Elements

This photo shows how I interpreted the elements that have temporary names. That means that most of them have been "discovered" (synthesized) but IUPAC and IUPAP have not verified them or agreed on a two-letter symbol and name. Note that UUS, (atomic number 117) has not been discovered yet.The layout of the three-letter elements is not ideal, but I was happy just to get three letters squeezed into the space originally intended for two letters. As the new elements get permanent names, I have the option of changing the letters. I might also be too lazy to do that.

Periodic Table: Chart of Updated Elements

Here is my graph of the recent updates to the Periodic Table of the Elements. My update is based on the original charts of Avital Pinnick. I am insanely grateful to Avital for having such a great idea. Avital's Periodic Table Sweater and original charts can be found at her blog, This and That. I have used her layout and style so that the new or changed elements can be incorporated right in with the elements that she charted. I have chosen to arrange my project according to the 2007 (most recent) IUPAC version of the Table. I have also chosen to add element 112, Copernicum, which was officially named this year. I will also probably add the temporarily named elements that have three-letter symbols. I have charted these symbols, but had to compress the letters. I would suggest duplicate stitching the temporary symbols so that official symbols could be added later. I'll add photos as the new elements get stitched into my shawl.

Periodic Table Shawl Knit with Updated Elements

Let me say right off that I am using the chart so kindly posted by Apinnick for her Periodic Table Sweater. My background is in Biochemistry and I love Chemistry. This sweater grabbed my attention immediately, especially since I used to wear a yellow periodic table T-shirt in high school. (long term geek that I am)

Instead of a sweater, I am making a flat shawl/throw in worsted weight cotton yarn. I chose this yarn because I've had a couple of CONES of the stuff sitting around since 2006, driving me nuts. The numerical description of the background is at least 120 stitches by at least 215 rows. Note that I am doing this SIDEWAYS. The sideways orientation fits my knitting frame and my (im)patience level. I would have gone bonkers knitting this by hand right now. I have other stuff to finish on a deadline.

I chose to knit the background in stockinette stitch on a Bond knitting frame. I knit 11 rows of white, then 1 row of (blue-green) contrast yarn. The contrast yarn helps me define the squares of the Table and serves as a counting device. Also, when complete, I want the background to evoke the idea of "notebook paper" and "graph paper". Besides, that, it was in my stash.......

So far, I have knit the background. I have not bound off the edges because I will hand knit some sort of edging later. I'm considering stitch patterns, etc.

I'm doing the actual elements in duplicate stitch, rather than knitting them in with the background. As I go, I'm making decisions about color and arrangement. (That means digging up stash yarn).

Important Note: The original Periodic Table Sweater was made in the late 1990's. There have been a number of new elements that have been discovered/ approved since then. IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) has approved names for some of these elements and had temporary names for others. I am going to make (and post) a chart for some of the updated elements. Also, there are a few variations on the arrangement of the Periodic Table. My version will be slightly different from Apinnick's version. The new elements get added and the actinoids and lanthanoids are slightly different. Here is a version of the Periodic Table that shows the new elements, starting from the Atomic Number 104.

Barcode Section Knit- Update Bellflur

Confession....I have been "socializing" on Facebook and not knitting. Anyway, I'm back to the knit at least for a while. Bellflur is hitting the road for their summer season AND they will finally be releasing new songs. I want to get this project finished before the EP and Album are released.

This project started out as a simple barcode experiment. Along the way, I realized that I could use this narrow scarf/stole to hold my iPod. The barcode portion was knit in tubular double knitting. The remainder of the scarf will be knit in plain black until it is long enough, or I run out of yarn. I am finishing it on double point needles because knitting on black yarn in dim light made for some .......unravelling. Now I can just knit on circular auto pilot.

The last step will probably be to embroider the title "Bellflur" on the black portion.

If you look carefully at the iPod, you can see the cover of the first Bellflur CD.