A late breaking news update:
It appears that 4 of the 6 knitting projects I sent to the State Fair have indeed received ribbons.
A 2nd Place ribbon on my lime Citron Shawlette and 3rd Place ribbons on the 2-color mittens, the cabled cowl and the felted slippers.
The socks and scarf are just hanging out in the background awaiting the return flight home and hoping they don't have to listen to a bunch of bragging from the afore mentioned items in the box while en route back.
You gotta love the State Fair!
Showing posts with label state fair. Show all posts
Showing posts with label state fair. Show all posts
Friday, August 13, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Now The Waiting
The postcards from the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon arrived yesterday. I have always, and still do, maintained that simply to be exhibited is an honor. I know that for the past few years only one in three entries gets hung up and that the number of potential exhibitors and entries continues to increase, making the odds of being a part of the show even tougher.
Imagine my surprise, therefore, when I turned my postcard over to see the results and found this:
I sent in three entries this year and two of the three will be exhibited! It also appears that I have won a ribbon for one of the two! As a reminder, here are the photographs I sent.
Entered in the Color Plants & Flowers category.
Entered in the Color Iowa Architecture category.
Entered in the Color USA Places category.
We had been talking about whether or not to attend the fair this year. A large factor for me is the heat and humidity of August and my inability to tolerate it for very long without becoming physically ill. However, the arrival of this postcard adds a wrinkle to the mix for me.
(Although there is a reception and award ceremony on August 10, the evening before the fair opens at which I would have the chance to see what I won and which two photos are being shown.)
I also have six entries over in the Varied Industries Building in the Fabric & Threads competition (knitting).
Of course I'd LOVE to know exactly what the results are for both events . . . but for now it's a lesson in patience and waiting.
Happy shooting and knitting!
Imagine my surprise, therefore, when I turned my postcard over to see the results and found this:
I sent in three entries this year and two of the three will be exhibited! It also appears that I have won a ribbon for one of the two! As a reminder, here are the photographs I sent.
Entered in the Color Plants & Flowers category.
Entered in the Color Iowa Architecture category.
Entered in the Color USA Places category.
We had been talking about whether or not to attend the fair this year. A large factor for me is the heat and humidity of August and my inability to tolerate it for very long without becoming physically ill. However, the arrival of this postcard adds a wrinkle to the mix for me.
(Although there is a reception and award ceremony on August 10, the evening before the fair opens at which I would have the chance to see what I won and which two photos are being shown.)
I also have six entries over in the Varied Industries Building in the Fabric & Threads competition (knitting).
Of course I'd LOVE to know exactly what the results are for both events . . . but for now it's a lesson in patience and waiting.
Happy shooting and knitting!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Kaleidoscope Mittens
Here are the mittens I made for the state fair. I've also typed up the pattern and provide it here for free. Feel free to make them for personal use or gifts, but not to sell. A mention of where you found the pattern or link back to this blog if you make them would be appreciated!
Kaleidoscope Mittens
by Kim Helmick ©2010, All Rights Reserved
Materials
Fingering weight yarns: Color A: Berroco Sox-Metallic in color 1369 Papaya (bright multi)
Color B: Nature Spun from Brown Sheep in color 601F Pepper (black)
U.S. #1 (2.25mm) double point needles (set of 5)
Cast On 64 stitches using 2-color long-tail method over two needles to ensure stretchy cuff opening. (Black on thumb and multi on pointer finger.)
Distribute 16 stitches on each of four needles. Making sure cast on edge is not twisted, join in the round. Place marker for beginning of round.
Cuff will be corrugated ribbing for a total of 15 rounds as follows:
*K2 with color A; bring color B forward and P2 (color A remains in back), color B to back;* repeat. (I carry color A in my left hand since I find it easier to purl color B with my right hand in the English method I am more familiar with. Do what feels best to you.)
Hand Pattern:
Row 1-3: Knit around with color B.
Rows 4 & 5: *K2 color B; K2 color A* repeat around.
Rows 6 & 7: Knit around with color B.
Repeat rows 4-7 six times. (There should be a total of 7 completed colored block sections above your cuff.)
Thumb Gusset, right mitten (thumb gusset and thumb will be solid black, color B)
Round 1– Needles 1-3: *K2 color B, K2 color A across. Needle 4: K2 color B; K2 color
A; place marker for beginning of gusset increases and K1 (color B throughout), M1R, K1,
M1L, K1, place marker to indicate end of gusset section; K1 color A, K2 color B, K2 color A, K2 color B, K2 color A.
Round 2 – Knit around in established pattern. When you reach the gusset stitches knit them in color B begin mindful to tack down your carried color as you go. (This is especially important as the gusset gets wider!)
Continue to knit in the pattern of 2 rows of 2x@ color blocks and 2 rows of plain black.
On Round 3 you will increase the thumb gusset again by slipping the 1st marker, K1, M1R and then knitting the gusset stitches in black (tacking down your colored yarn which is being carried behind!) until you reach the last stitch before 2nd marker. M1L and knit the last stitch, slip the marker and continue on in pattern. Increase the gusset every-other row until there are 17 stitches between the markers.
When there are 17 sts between the gusset markers: knit around in pattern to the first marker. Place the 17
gusset sts onto stitch holder. Using backwards loop method, cast on 3 stitches to right needle and finish knitting stitches to end of 4th needle. You will be picking up the gusset stitches from the holder later to knit the thumb.
Left mitten gusset: Will be done in same fashion as the right, except it will be worked on needle 1 rather than needle 4 as follows:
Round 1: Knit first 8 sts on needle 1 in pattern; place marker, K1, M1R, K1, M1L, K1, place marker. Continue row in pattern.
Round 2: following established pattern, knit around evenly. (Don’t forget to tack down the colored yarn you are carrying behind the extra gusset sts! Make sure it’s not tight or you won’t have room for your thumb.)
Continue to knit in the pattern of 2 rows of 2x@ color blocks and 2 rows of plain black.
On Round 3 you will increase the thumb gusset again by slipping the 1st marker, K1, M1R and then knitting the gusset stitches in black (tacking down your colored yarn which is being carried behind!) until you reach the last stitch before 2nd marker. M1L and knit the last stitch, slip the marker and continue on in pattern. Increase the gusset every-other row until there are 17 stitches between the markers.
When you have put the gusset stitches onto a holder and have 16 stitches on each needle once more, continue knitting the hand of your mitten until it measures 1" short of your tallest finger tip, ending with a 2x2 color block section if possible. Cut color A (multi) leaving 3"-6" tail to weave in at end.
Finger tip decreases (worked in color B [black] only)
Round 1 – Needle 1: knit to last 3 sts; K2tog, K1
Needle 2: K1, ssk, knit to end of needle
Needle 3: knit to last 3 sts; K2tog, K1
Needle 4: K1, ssk, knit to end
Rounds 2 & 3 – knit around
Round 4 – repeat as for round 1
Round 5 – knit around
Repeat rounds 4 and 5 until 10 sts remain on each needle. Then do the decrease rounds only until 3 sts remain on each needle. Knit to end of needle 1 and graft the mitten tip together using Kitchener stitch.
Thumbs (worked in color B [black] only)
Place the 17 sts from the holder onto 2 needles. Pick up 7 sts from sides/back of opening. Redistribute these 24 stitches so that there are 8 sts on each of three needles.
Knit around until thumb is ½" short of the tip of your thumb. Decrease as follows:
Round 1: K4, K2tog around all sts.
Round 2: K3, K2tog around
Round 3: K2, K2tog around
Round 4: K1, K2tog around
Round 5: K2tog around
Cut yarn leaving 6" tail. Thread tail onto tapestry needle and run through the remaining sts twice. Remove needles, pull tight and move to inside of thumb (through center of tip) to secure.
Sew in your ends.
Abbreviations: CO = cast on; K = knit; P = purl; sts = stitches; M1R = make 1 right (pick up bar between sts from behind and knit into front of st); M1L = make 1 left (pick up bar between sts from front and knit into back of st); K2tog = knit 2 together; ssk = slip, slip, knit (slip one as if to knit, slip one as if to purl, insert left needle and knit the two slipped sts together)
Kaleidoscope Mittens
by Kim Helmick ©2010, All Rights Reserved
Materials
Fingering weight yarns: Color A: Berroco Sox-Metallic in color 1369 Papaya (bright multi)
Color B: Nature Spun from Brown Sheep in color 601F Pepper (black)
U.S. #1 (2.25mm) double point needles (set of 5)
Cast On 64 stitches using 2-color long-tail method over two needles to ensure stretchy cuff opening. (Black on thumb and multi on pointer finger.)
Distribute 16 stitches on each of four needles. Making sure cast on edge is not twisted, join in the round. Place marker for beginning of round.
Cuff will be corrugated ribbing for a total of 15 rounds as follows:
*K2 with color A; bring color B forward and P2 (color A remains in back), color B to back;* repeat. (I carry color A in my left hand since I find it easier to purl color B with my right hand in the English method I am more familiar with. Do what feels best to you.)
Hand Pattern:
Row 1-3: Knit around with color B.
Rows 4 & 5: *K2 color B; K2 color A* repeat around.
Rows 6 & 7: Knit around with color B.
Repeat rows 4-7 six times. (There should be a total of 7 completed colored block sections above your cuff.)
Thumb Gusset, right mitten (thumb gusset and thumb will be solid black, color B)
Round 1– Needles 1-3: *K2 color B, K2 color A across. Needle 4: K2 color B; K2 color
A; place marker for beginning of gusset increases and K1 (color B throughout), M1R, K1,
M1L, K1, place marker to indicate end of gusset section; K1 color A, K2 color B, K2 color A, K2 color B, K2 color A.
Round 2 – Knit around in established pattern. When you reach the gusset stitches knit them in color B begin mindful to tack down your carried color as you go. (This is especially important as the gusset gets wider!)
Continue to knit in the pattern of 2 rows of 2x@ color blocks and 2 rows of plain black.
On Round 3 you will increase the thumb gusset again by slipping the 1st marker, K1, M1R and then knitting the gusset stitches in black (tacking down your colored yarn which is being carried behind!) until you reach the last stitch before 2nd marker. M1L and knit the last stitch, slip the marker and continue on in pattern. Increase the gusset every-other row until there are 17 stitches between the markers.
When there are 17 sts between the gusset markers: knit around in pattern to the first marker. Place the 17
gusset sts onto stitch holder. Using backwards loop method, cast on 3 stitches to right needle and finish knitting stitches to end of 4th needle. You will be picking up the gusset stitches from the holder later to knit the thumb.
Left mitten gusset: Will be done in same fashion as the right, except it will be worked on needle 1 rather than needle 4 as follows:
Round 1: Knit first 8 sts on needle 1 in pattern; place marker, K1, M1R, K1, M1L, K1, place marker. Continue row in pattern.
Round 2: following established pattern, knit around evenly. (Don’t forget to tack down the colored yarn you are carrying behind the extra gusset sts! Make sure it’s not tight or you won’t have room for your thumb.)
Continue to knit in the pattern of 2 rows of 2x@ color blocks and 2 rows of plain black.
On Round 3 you will increase the thumb gusset again by slipping the 1st marker, K1, M1R and then knitting the gusset stitches in black (tacking down your colored yarn which is being carried behind!) until you reach the last stitch before 2nd marker. M1L and knit the last stitch, slip the marker and continue on in pattern. Increase the gusset every-other row until there are 17 stitches between the markers.
When you have put the gusset stitches onto a holder and have 16 stitches on each needle once more, continue knitting the hand of your mitten until it measures 1" short of your tallest finger tip, ending with a 2x2 color block section if possible. Cut color A (multi) leaving 3"-6" tail to weave in at end.
Finger tip decreases (worked in color B [black] only)
Round 1 – Needle 1: knit to last 3 sts; K2tog, K1
Needle 2: K1, ssk, knit to end of needle
Needle 3: knit to last 3 sts; K2tog, K1
Needle 4: K1, ssk, knit to end
Rounds 2 & 3 – knit around
Round 4 – repeat as for round 1
Round 5 – knit around
Repeat rounds 4 and 5 until 10 sts remain on each needle. Then do the decrease rounds only until 3 sts remain on each needle. Knit to end of needle 1 and graft the mitten tip together using Kitchener stitch.
Thumbs (worked in color B [black] only)
Place the 17 sts from the holder onto 2 needles. Pick up 7 sts from sides/back of opening. Redistribute these 24 stitches so that there are 8 sts on each of three needles.
Knit around until thumb is ½" short of the tip of your thumb. Decrease as follows:
Round 1: K4, K2tog around all sts.
Round 2: K3, K2tog around
Round 3: K2, K2tog around
Round 4: K1, K2tog around
Round 5: K2tog around
Cut yarn leaving 6" tail. Thread tail onto tapestry needle and run through the remaining sts twice. Remove needles, pull tight and move to inside of thumb (through center of tip) to secure.
Sew in your ends.
Abbreviations: CO = cast on; K = knit; P = purl; sts = stitches; M1R = make 1 right (pick up bar between sts from behind and knit into front of st); M1L = make 1 left (pick up bar between sts from front and knit into back of st); K2tog = knit 2 together; ssk = slip, slip, knit (slip one as if to knit, slip one as if to purl, insert left needle and knit the two slipped sts together)
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Busy Bee
I've been thinking about that phrase "water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink" lately. Probably because it's been raining off and on (mostly on) for a week or so with more in the forecast for the days ahead. Also, for some reason the saying leaves me with a feeling of frantic exasperation and exhaustion which is what I've been feeling this week.
I'm going to be doing the super-mom thing and escort my DD to Kansas City this Friday/Saturday so she can spend time with a friend from college. But it means that everything I need to have done for work must be done by 5 pm today. That has left me in a mild to moderate panic much of the week since this is my big (& FINAL) deadline week at the magazine. (It goes to print on Monday.)
All of which is to say, there hasn't been much by way of knitting or photography (that's not magazine related) this week.
I have eeked out a few moments here and there to pick up the needles (or let's face it, I would have been checked into the mental ward by now!)
I finished the anklets I was knitting.
Because they're just little anklets, I had half the skein left over. It's such pretty, sparkly yarn I felt the sirens' call to turn the rest into a mitten project for the state fair. So I cast on for those a couple evenings ago.
I think the black really makes the colors in the variegated yarn pop. What do you think?
Anyone else out there find that just a few minutes to knit (or sew, or read, or write, etc.) is the perfect antidote to the stresses of everyday life?
I'm going to be doing the super-mom thing and escort my DD to Kansas City this Friday/Saturday so she can spend time with a friend from college. But it means that everything I need to have done for work must be done by 5 pm today. That has left me in a mild to moderate panic much of the week since this is my big (& FINAL) deadline week at the magazine. (It goes to print on Monday.)
All of which is to say, there hasn't been much by way of knitting or photography (that's not magazine related) this week.
I have eeked out a few moments here and there to pick up the needles (or let's face it, I would have been checked into the mental ward by now!)
I finished the anklets I was knitting.
Because they're just little anklets, I had half the skein left over. It's such pretty, sparkly yarn I felt the sirens' call to turn the rest into a mitten project for the state fair. So I cast on for those a couple evenings ago.
I think the black really makes the colors in the variegated yarn pop. What do you think?
Anyone else out there find that just a few minutes to knit (or sew, or read, or write, etc.) is the perfect antidote to the stresses of everyday life?
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
One Down, One To Go
Ta da! One mitten completed. I really like how it turned out, even if I had to make up the top/decrease pattern all on my own. (The original called for another panel of the main floral motif which decreased along the natural "upper" triangle of the border.)
I got guilt-tripped into entering the state fair knitting contest/exhibition again this year. There is some scuttlebutt out there that entry numbers are down and fair organizers are trying to decide if keeping the fabric and threads category (at least for things non-quilting) is worth it. Area knitting guilds (and other needlework groups) are begging people to enter just to prove to fair organizers that there are, in fact, so many of us crafters out here that to NOT continue isn't even an option.
So I sent my $5 and got 5 entry tags. This pair of mittens will be one entry. I have a couple pairs of socks I can enter too. Not sure what the other two entries might be. We'll see.
Wish me luck, and happy knitting!
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Yes, There's Still Knitting
I have been knitting, though the last few entries may not reflect that fact so well!
Here are some socks I've knit to enter into the state fair. (They're not blocked yet, so they should actually look better by the time I send them off!)
I used Knit Picks Palette yarn and their U.S. #1 dpn needles (metal) to whip these up. (A very quick knit! It's the Breeze pattern from knitty.com - I have knit two other pairs, so the rhythm was familiar.) I only used one, 50 gr. ball of yarn for this pair.
Then I whipped up a gift for my cousin and his wife who are expecting a new little one very soon. The Yarn Bee "Peach Fuzz" was carried along with some sport weight white acrylic I had in the stash. This is the softest baby stuff I have ever knit!
Finally, I'm just about to finish off the other pair of socks I'm knitting for the fair. These had to use two colors of yarn, so I'm combining the "apricot" [though it looks like shocking hunter orange to me!] Palette from Knit Picks with the Bare Essential I died last summer in the crock pot. I think the two will work ok together. Lord knows, these are some bright socks!
So that's what I do in the evening after the lighting is bad for photography and while I'm watching tv with the family.
Just in case you're disappointed there aren't any new sr. pics....here are a couple more from our last venture out....which took us to the library.
We will be shooting some in Sioux City when we are there for the 4th of July, so stay tuned....I'm sure there will be another installment on Sunday!
Here are some socks I've knit to enter into the state fair. (They're not blocked yet, so they should actually look better by the time I send them off!)
I used Knit Picks Palette yarn and their U.S. #1 dpn needles (metal) to whip these up. (A very quick knit! It's the Breeze pattern from knitty.com - I have knit two other pairs, so the rhythm was familiar.) I only used one, 50 gr. ball of yarn for this pair.
Then I whipped up a gift for my cousin and his wife who are expecting a new little one very soon. The Yarn Bee "Peach Fuzz" was carried along with some sport weight white acrylic I had in the stash. This is the softest baby stuff I have ever knit!
Finally, I'm just about to finish off the other pair of socks I'm knitting for the fair. These had to use two colors of yarn, so I'm combining the "apricot" [though it looks like shocking hunter orange to me!] Palette from Knit Picks with the Bare Essential I died last summer in the crock pot. I think the two will work ok together. Lord knows, these are some bright socks!
So that's what I do in the evening after the lighting is bad for photography and while I'm watching tv with the family.
Just in case you're disappointed there aren't any new sr. pics....here are a couple more from our last venture out....which took us to the library.
We will be shooting some in Sioux City when we are there for the 4th of July, so stay tuned....I'm sure there will be another installment on Sunday!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)