Cop Car's Beat

Beyond Beginner

Yesterday, my friend who does framing (has a business, here in Derby) emailed me that she had finished the last project that I had left her--the hooked rug that mimics Hunky Husband's business card of 1985.  (He hadn't wished to use the rug as a rug, and I kept thinking that I could come up with a nifty way of hanging the thing.  Twenty years after making the rug, I gave up and spent the big bucks to have it mounted and framed for HH's upcoming birthday.)  On the way to pick up the finished product (which, now, because he is working disaster relief down south, HH won't get to see for at least two or three weeks after his birthday), I stopped in the quilt shop to see if there was another quilting class that would be helpful to me.  There was.  They offered one called Beyond Beginner. 

Signing up for the class gave me great excuse to buy more fabric!!!  It would have been less expensive had I gone to their "Meet and Greet" thing that they had last Saturday.  I guess they have all of the instructors on hand at such a "thing"; but, the real reason people come is because the prospective students are given a 20% discount on any fabric and supplies that they buy for the class on that day.  Since there is a 15% discount on such class-related purchases, normally, it isn't so bad to have missed it (I won't let them put me on their mailing list because I get entirely too much mail as it is!)  This is a photo, below, of the project that we'll be making (start of class is several weeks away, yet).  The purpose of taking this class is to learn how to do various triangles--so that they look good!  When this project is finished, I shall have no fear of starting the quilt using the fabrics that Buffy sent me months ago.  I'm anxious to make that quilt, but I want to do the fabric justice (or come close!)

 
As you can tell, the instructor asked us to get a lot of different fabrics--a basic fabric, 16 fat quarters (9 dark and 7 medium), and four 1/2-yard pieces (light).  Most of the fabrics that I'll be using are batiks, and some of them will probably be repeated in various blocks of the sampler quilt top.  I'll do applique, because I need to learn to do it, but I think the flower and birdhouse are a little hokey for my taste.  Perhaps I'll do an airplane and a train??  (Slide rule and computer?)

Oh!  And, today, I cut some strips for Pop's Lap Quilt!  I'll have it done for his birthday.  In five weeks, he'll be 95!

August 31, 2005 at 09:00 PM

Comments

It was brash of me to claim that I will have Pop's lap quilt done in time for his birthday. Since I made that statement: a dumptruck full of sand to be used in setting stepping stones around the edges of some of the planting beds was delivered, yesterday (and I'll need to have a lot of it moved by Wednesday to allow lawn mowing equipment access to the back yard).

Posted by: Cop Car | September 03, 2005 at 03:27 PM

Yesterday, my friend who does framing (has a business, here in Derby) emailed me that she had finished the last project that I had left her--the hooked rug that mimics Hunky Husband's business card of 1985.  (He hadn't wished to use the rug as a rug, and I kept thinking that I could come up with a nifty way of hanging the thing.  Twenty years after making the rug, I gave up and spent the big bucks to have it mounted and framed for HH's upcoming birthday.)  On the way to pick up the finished product (which, now, because he is working disaster relief down south, HH won't get to see for at least two or three weeks after his birthday), I stopped in the quilt shop to see if there was another quilting class that would be helpful to me.  There was.  They offered one called Beyond Beginner. 

Signing up for the class gave me great excuse to buy more fabric!!!  It would have been less expensive had I gone to their "Meet and Greet" thing that they had last Saturday.  I guess they have all of the instructors on hand at such a "thing"; but, the real reason people come is because the prospective students are given a 20% discount on any fabric and supplies that they buy for the class on that day.  Since there is a 15% discount on such class-related purchases, normally, it isn't so bad to have missed it (I won't let them put me on their mailing list because I get entirely too much mail as it is!)  This is a photo, below, of the project that we'll be making (start of class is several weeks away, yet).  The purpose of taking this class is to learn how to do various triangles--so that they look good!  When this project is finished, I shall have no fear of starting the quilt using the fabrics that Buffy sent me months ago.  I'm anxious to make that quilt, but I want to do the fabric justice (or come close!)

 
As you can tell, the instructor asked us to get a lot of different fabrics--a basic fabric, 16 fat quarters (9 dark and 7 medium), and four 1/2-yard pieces (light).  Most of the fabrics that I'll be using are batiks, and some of them will probably be repeated in various blocks of the sampler quilt top.  I'll do applique, because I need to learn to do it, but I think the flower and birdhouse are a little hokey for my taste.  Perhaps I'll do an airplane and a train??  (Slide rule and computer?)

Oh!  And, today, I cut some strips for Pop's Lap Quilt!  I'll have it done for his birthday.  In five weeks, he'll be 95!

Hurricane Katrina (& CC's Craft Projects)

I have snapped some pictures, using Hunky Husband's digital camera, of the crafts that I've been writing about (near the bottom of the left hand sidebar).  There are photos of my two small quilts--Practice Project (on which I made many mistakes, but which saved my class project from suffering the same mistakes) and Beginner Project (from the Beginning Quilting class--with it's own set of mistakes).  I threw in pictures of the poncho that was finished, yesterday (but has not been blocked) and of the two sweater vests that were started over two years ago and that have languished in my den closet for lack of attention.  I hope that the photos won't make Buffy and Adele (as my mentors) cringe, too much!

August 30, 2005 at 01:51 PM

Comments

I need to add 4 hours to my evening...

Posted by: Cowtown Pattie | August 30, 2005 at 09:59 PM

I didn't even realize that HH had a digital camera (not that that makes a difference to me one way or another).

I haven't had time to make it to any stores (except for gasoline), so I haven't gotten Dad's BD card yet - much less mailed it.

Posted by: bogie | September 01, 2005 at 03:12 AM

CopCar, your knitting looks fine and I am impressed at your finished poncho that in effect you designed yourself. The vests look nice too. Other than stitching them together have you much more to do to them?

Posted by: Adele | September 01, 2005 at 10:10 AM

Bogie--I gave your dad the camera (I let him pick out what he wanted, though, of course) for his birthday, some years ago--maybe 8 years?

Adele--Thanks for the kind words on the poncho. I thought it turned out rather well.

On the lighter-colored vest, I need to knit a back, join the front and back, and knit the ribbing around the arm holes and front neck (you can see the stitch holders in the photo). On the darker-colored vest, I only need to complete the joining and knit the ribbing. It occurred to me that I'd always tried to join the pieces under artificial lighting (I was still working, which meant that my knitting was done at night.) Now that I can do the joining under natural lighting (during the day), I may be able to see well enough to not have so much problem. That hadn't occurred to me until I dug the old stuff out of the closet!

Posted by: Cop Car | September 01, 2005 at 11:16 AM

 

I have snapped some pictures, using Hunky Husband's digital camera, of the crafts that I've been writing about (near the bottom of the left hand sidebar).  There are photos of my two small quilts--Practice Project (on which I made many mistakes, but which saved my class project from suffering the same mistakes) and Beginner Project (from the Beginning Quilting class--with it's own set of mistakes).  I threw in pictures of the poncho that was finished, yesterday (but has not been blocked) and of the two sweater vests that were started over two years ago and that have languished in my den closet for lack of attention.  I hope that the photos won't make Buffy and Adele (as my mentors) cringe, too much!

You Were Right--Whoever You Are

Some weeks (or months?) ago, I was kvetching about the arthritis in my right hand and how it slows me down in doing embroidery, knitting, or hand quilting.  Someone commented that she (or a relative of hers?) found that needlework of various sorts actually kept her hands nimble.  I don't know about cause-and-effect, but I do know that now I can embroider for an hour, hand quilt for an hour, or knit for nearly an hour without causing myself undue pain.  This is a welcome improvement from the 10-20 minutes that I could endure some weeks ago.  Amazing! 

For anyone who doesn't know, I collect mentors.  Just now, I have a mentor for quilting (Buffy), a mentor for knitting (Val), and a mentor for my Red Cross training and volunteer work (Lynda--not a blogger).  For the last couple of weeks, Val has been performing intense mentoring to keep me from making another garment that fits absolutely no one!  Specifically, she's been working with me and giving me tips on making a poncho (see Adele on All-in-One Poncho Knitting).  One of Val's web sites led me to a pattern for a poncho that is knit in one piece, and that I find very attractive.  Having ordered the pattern, though, I got antsy and launched off on a poncho of my own "design" (if I may characterize it as such).  Already, I am over half done.  Since the pattern can arrive no sooner than Noon day-after-tomorrow, I may well be finished by the time the professional pattern arrives.

In "my" poncho there are a few (well, several) "bad" stitches, but you'd have to hunt for them to see them (at least I must hunt to find them).  I'm anxious to finish and afraid that I'm really overdoing it with my hand.  I've changed the way I knit, part of the time, to keep from straining my right shoulder, but I don't know how to keep from overworking my right hand.  *Charging on!*

August 27, 2005 at 10:14 PM in Current Activities, Embroidery, Knitting, Quilting | Permalink

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Comments

You've really managed to knit a lot. How is it going on? Did you have any difficulty working out the changes to your pattern? And, most importantly, do you like the fabric you are knitting?

CopCar, don't forget though that knitting is meant to be a pleasure. If your hand hurts then you should think of giving your hand a relax.

Don't worry about "bad" stitches, only you will know they are there.

Posted by: Adele | August 29, 2005 at 03:06 AM

Thanks, Adele...my hand is relaxing. I over-did it, yesterday, so shall now give it a rest for a few days. Everything is ducky except for the neckline. I adjusted my planning as the knitting progressed. The lace looks wonderful and the body looks great, although I should use a different yarn for the body were I to do it again. The yarn that I used is a bit more garrish than it looked in the photo of "Just Us Girls".

For the last dozen rows (I knitted from bottom to top), I changed from the 36" long needle to a 24" long needle. I planned a 24" neckline (69 stitches); but, it is 34". In laying the poncho out on the floor, needle still in, it looked like the neck would be too small if I continued for the additional 6 rows that I had planned--so I cast off.

1) I know that blocking can make a tremendous difference, but I don't think it reasonable to expect to make the poncho 1.5 inches longer and the neck 10" smaller by blocking. Do you, Adele? 2) Another way of making the neck smaller would be to lace a double strand of yarn about the top and gather it to 24"; but, that makes the poncho no longer. 3) I think that when my hand has had a chance to recover, I'll just try removing the stitches of the binding off, inserting a smaller needle, and adding 6-8 rows of ribbing. This will add the 1.5" to the length of the poncho and tighten the neck as it should be.

As it lays on the floor, the poncho looks like a colorful skirt for someone's Christmas tree! It really is pretty!

Posted by: Cop Car | August 29, 2005 at 07:56 AM

I have it! The poncho would make a great hip-hugging skirt!! (Oh, if I were only 14, eh?)

Posted by: Cop Car | August 29, 2005 at 07:58 AM

The pattern came! The pattern came! The pattern came! I must say that I hadn't realized how large in the neck that pattern is. It is larger "on purpose" than mine was "by mistake". Of course, the pattern uses a lighter weight yarn, so there won't be so much weight to stretch out the neck. Since I go into Wichita on Friday of this week, anyway, I'll take the pattern to shop for yarn. That pattern is definitely for a "dressy" garment.

I am furiously working to finish an embroidery project (shhh--don't tell Cowtown Pattie--Millie Garfield sent me a design to embroider for a square of Pattie's quilt--as a surprise), but my hand can only take about an hour of that at a time. While resting my hand from embroidering, I decided to start the re-do on the poncho--the "right" way. I ripped out the last four rows. That got me back to a couple of ridges of garter stitching (four rows) which I thought a good place to change to the smaller needles. (I don't know how sound my thinking, but with the weight of the poncho--heavy!--I decided to put the garter stitching in as soon as I changed to the black worsted yarn for the neck--to keep the stress off of the ribbing.) Perhaps I should have ripped all the way back to the first row of black yarn, but I think this is OK.

Since the #11 needle that I have is 36" long, I'm using the #9 needle that is 29" long. For a 25" circumference neck, I should start with about 100 stitches for the #9 needle/single-strand worsted yarn; but, since ribbing is so stretchy, I decided that the 71 stitches that I had would "do"--and just increased 1 stitch on my first row of ribbing. Alternating with the embroidery, I've done just two rows of ribbing, so far. We shall see how the neck works, this time. I can always rip the rows out, again! (If at first I don't succeed....)

Posted by: Cop Car | August 29, 2005 at 04:35 PM

Back again, yesterday was a Bank Holiday over here and we had the family around so I was unable to get online.

Never underestimate the difference that blocking can make to a knitted garment. I can remember making a baby shawl for my haidresser and blocking it made a HUGE difference to the finished size of each of the panels and how the lace pattern eventuallty looked. Of course it takes ages to do it properly. I lay a (king size) sheet on the living room carpat and get on my hands and knees with the knitted pieces, a tape measure and a packet of pins. Then you just gently tease and stretch the knitting to the cotrrect size and then pin it to shape. It's amazing how far it actually does stretch without damaging the fabric (assuming that you've got the tension right, of course.) The whole process is very hard on the knees and the back, but worth it in the end.

Personally I prefer the process of knitting rather than just aiming at the finished project. This means that as I like actually doing the knitting then I still feel comfortable if I want to pull back the knitting. Incidentally on some of the knitting Groups I belong to they don't call it pulling back, they call it Frogging (rip-it, rip-it, got it?).

Enjoy yourself. That's what a craft like knitting is for. And take care of your hands!

Posted by: Adele | August 30, 2005 at 02:50 AM

Adele--Oh, I like that--Frogging!! I did complete the poncho, yesterday, and I have now woven in all of the loose ends--ready to wash and block. The other day, I read the most interesting piece on how to block (on the bed) at one of the web sites you gave me for the Yarn Harlot. She is quite the prolific knitter and writes with such wit. The posting on blocking was very informative to me. BTW: The neckline came out perfectly this time. I'm glad that I frogged it! (They always warn that one should cast off loosely, but knowing how my stitches go, I actually went down from the #9 needle that I used for the ribbing to a #8 for casting off--which I did in pattern, of course.)

Since I must take Hunky Husband to the airport in a few minutes (Red Cross wants him down in the Hurricane Katrina wake area), and since he needs to stop in at the Red Cross Chapter's office, I plan to stop by the knitting shop for the yarn to do the lacy poncho. The knitting shop is just down the street from the Red Cross Chapter's office--and it will take HH some time to get through with his business there. Perfect opportunity.

Posted by: Cop Car | August 30, 2005 at 07:42 AM

Adele--Didn't get the yarn--waited for HH in the parking lot, instead. Which worked out rather well as he didn't take long, at all. Since coming home (going back to the knitting shop would have added 10-15 miles to my trip, so I didn't go--I can go Friday), I've pulled out of the closet my years-old knitting projects. I think that I shall work on getting them completed. Most of the completion is putting knitted pieces together. I have the sweater vest that I told you about. It needs one shoulder and both side seams put in--then--I need to do the ribbing at the arm holes and front neckline. I had forgotten what an attractive garment it will be.

In addition, I forgot that I have the front of a sweater vest (same pattern--different color combination) that I had knit by mistake--knit two fronts instead of one front and one back. I made one back and finished that garment--giving it to the YWCA Women's Crisis Center thrift shop. Now, I need to knit another back and finish this garment. Both of the vests that are unfinished will, I believe, fit me and/or my Elegant Friend--if I block them properly. Those vests have been in my closet for at least two years.

For my granddaughter's sixteenth birthday, I decided to knit her three 16"-square "throw" pillow covers--and make them into pillows for her. As she loves purple, they are in various shades of purple. She is now 22 1/2, and I've still not finished the 3rd one (and, now I can't find the light lilac one!) Perhaps I'll get those done for her 23rd birthday. Of the two that I found, three halves are knitted and the fourth half is about 80% knitted. Oh, how I hate to think of sewing the parts together, though. As you say--the knitting is the fun part. Wonder what happened to the two halves of the third pillow cover? I may need to re-do one. It won't be nearly as hard, now--with a little more knitting experience under my belt. One of the pillow covers is a chevron pattern, one is a square pattern, and the other one (as I knitted it!) is sort of a random distribution! I had completely forgotten the pillow covers when regaling you with tales of my vast knitting experience!

You have so inspired me, Adele. Thank you. (And, I shall try to watch out for my hand/wrist!)

Buffy--I might repeat the comment about inspiration--concerning your inspiring me to quilt. You have contributed greatly! (Well, not really. You haven't just contributed--you are responsible for my having started quilting at all!)

Posted by: Cop Car | August 30, 2005 at 11:44 AM

WOwwwwwwww, have you been PROLIFIC!! I was delighted to see that you are able to use your hands for up to an hour now, and even more delighted to see that you occasionally hand quilt. I thought that you might not try the hand quilting.

We recently cleaned out the closet in my office where EM stores many of her craft things, including quilting fabric and yarns. We gave away the yarn for several project that she thought she might never get to, and kept several that we hope we might get to one day. I'd love to do a filet crochetted throw for her.

You HAVE to get a scanner so that we can see what you're working on!

Posted by: buffy | August 30, 2005 at 11:55 AM

I don't expect to do a great deal of hand quilting, but we did a small amount of hand quilting on our Beginner Project. Last week, I did the quilting on the Practice Project. On the wide border of the Practice Project, I tried free-style machine quilting--following the pattern in the fabric. Then, I followed the fabric pattern in my hand quilting in the setting blocks--outlining a bird in each of three setting blocks and outlining a couple of flowers in the fourth setting block that had no bird included. As long as I have good music to listen to, and as long as my hand doesn't hurt, I don't mind doing the hand quilting. Don't ever, however, expect to see any large projects hand quilted by me!!

Posted by: Cop Car | August 30, 2005 at 12:11 PM

Enjoy yourself with your quilting. Will having HH not around make much difference to what you can do

Posted by: Adele | September 01, 2005 at 10:12 AM

Adele--I pretty much do the same things whether HH is here or not. I do tend to tackle projects that would inconvenience HH (such as the 7 tons of dirt) while he is away. Hmmm...I still need the 7 tons of sand (thanks for the reminder.) I'll check to see how much prices have gone up due to the increase in gasoline. Gasoline prices have increased by 20% during the last week.

Posted by: Cop Car | September 01, 2005 at 10:58 AM

Some weeks (or months?) ago, I was kvetching about the arthritis in my right hand and how it slows me down in doing embroidery, knitting, or hand quilting.  Someone commented that she (or a relative of hers?) found that needlework of various sorts actually kept her hands nimble.  I don't know about cause-and-effect, but I do know that now I can embroider for an hour, hand quilt for an hour, or knit for nearly an hour without causing myself undue pain.  This is a welcome improvement from the 10-20 minutes that I could endure some weeks ago.  Amazing! 

For anyone who doesn't know, I collect mentors.  Just now, I have a mentor for quilting (Buffy), a mentor for knitting (Val), and a mentor for my Red Cross training and volunteer work (Lynda--not a blogger).  For the last couple of weeks, Val has been performing intense mentoring to keep me from making another garment that fits absolutely no one!  Specifically, she's been working with me and giving me tips on making a poncho (see Adele on All-in-One Poncho Knitting).  One of Val's web sites led me to a pattern for a poncho that is knit in one piece, and that I find very attractive.  Having ordered the pattern, though, I got antsy and launched off on a poncho of my own "design" (if I may characterize it as such).  Already, I am over half done.  Since the pattern can arrive no sooner than Noon day-after-tomorrow, I may well be finished by the time the professional pattern arrives.

In "my" poncho there are a few (well, several) "bad" stitches, but you'd have to hunt for them to see them (at least I must hunt to find them).  I'm anxious to finish and afraid that I'm really overdoing it with my hand.  I've changed the way I knit, part of the time, to keep from straining my right shoulder, but I don't know how to keep from overworking my right hand.  *Charging on!*

Salsa Canning Day

Elegant Friend and I had gone out to buy tomatoes, three kinds of peppers, onions, garlic, and cilantro, yesterday in preparation for our canning salsa this morning, and I knew that I had to arise on time; but, 5:00 AM??  Four and one-half hours of sleep isn't quite enough for me.  However, Hunky Husband had let the cats in when he came back from his early morning 4-mile run, and Cop Car (not me--the cat) came in to be sure that I got up!! 

As soon as Hunky Husband left the house, I did my domestic chores, took my shower, packed up my part of the canning equipment and supplies, and headed out to Elegant Friend's (a 3-minute drive) by 8:35 AM.  By 12:20 PM, I had left EF's house so that she could go on to a luncheon with some of her friends.  (I'm guessing that they were celebrating EF's birthday--which was Monday.)  The tomatoes were so gorged with water (we bought a bushel of local tomatoes--plus about 8 large tomatoes--and they were gorged due to the rain that we've been having), that when we got the salsa all cooked down, the yield was only 8 or 9 pints, each.  We usually get 11 to 13 pints, each, out of the double-batch that we make.  We plan to get together in two or three more weeks to make another batch so that we have some to share with friends.  It's good stuff!

August 26, 2005 at 06:11 PM

Comments

Sounds like Dad has quite the schedule for a while.

When I buy tomatoes for canning, I like to mix in paste tomatoes (Roma types) because they don't hold onto water as much as the beefsteak-type tomatoes.

Posted by: bogie | August 27, 2005 at 06:52 AM

Bogie--Good idea. I'll pass that along to EF. (She's really picky on the ingredients for her salsa--if you can imagine that! She, who is rarely picky about anything!) It's hard to find many Roma type tomatoes around here. I grew some, last year; but, rarely see any locally grown ones for sale.

Posted by: Cop Car | August 27, 2005 at 08:20 AM

We opt for the Roma style in the winter for our salads because they frequently have better flavor and texture than the hot house tomatoes.

I hadn't though about mixing Romas with Beefsteaks to cut down on the water and increase the pulp. Thanks for the tip, bogie!

Posted by: buffy | August 30, 2005 at 11:58 AM

Elegant Friend and I had gone out to buy tomatoes, three kinds of peppers, onions, garlic, and cilantro, yesterday in preparation for our canning salsa this morning, and I knew that I had to arise on time; but, 5:00 AM??  Four and one-half hours of sleep isn't quite enough for me.  However, Hunky Husband had let the cats in when he came back from his early morning 4-mile run, and Cop Car (not me--the cat) came in to be sure that I got up!! 

As soon as Hunky Husband left the house, I did my domestic chores, took my shower, packed up my part of the canning equipment and supplies, and headed out to Elegant Friend's (a 3-minute drive) by 8:35 AM.  By 12:20 PM, I had left EF's house so that she could go on to a luncheon with some of her friends.  (I'm guessing that they were celebrating EF's birthday--which was Monday.)  The tomatoes were so gorged with water (we bought a bushel of local tomatoes--plus about 8 large tomatoes--and they were gorged due to the rain that we've been having), that when we got the salsa all cooked down, the yield was only 8 or 9 pints, each.  We usually get 11 to 13 pints, each, out of the double-batch that we make.  We plan to get together in two or three more weeks to make another batch so that we have some to share with friends.  It's good stuff!

Lending Library for People

I'm tardy in pointing you toward Val's posting, The Library that Lends Out People.  She says:

A public library in Holland has been swamped with queries after unveiling plans to "lend out" living people, including homosexuals, drug addicts, asylum seekers, gipsies and the physically handicapped.

The volunteers will be borrowed by users of the library, in Almelo, who can take them to a cafeteria, and ask them any questions they like for up to an hour, in a scheme designed to break down barriers and combat prejudice.

I find the suggestion fascinating, and suggest that you click on the above link to go read the rest of Val's posting.

August 26, 2005 at 05:30 AM

I'm tardy in pointing you toward Val's posting, The Library that Lends Out People.  She says:

A public library in Holland has been swamped with queries after unveiling plans to "lend out" living people, including homosexuals, drug addicts, asylum seekers, gipsies and the physically handicapped.

The volunteers will be borrowed by users of the library, in Almelo, who can take them to a cafeteria, and ask them any questions they like for up to an hour, in a scheme designed to break down barriers and combat prejudice.

I find the suggestion fascinating, and suggest that you click on the above link to go read the rest of Val's posting.

Adele on All-in-One Poncho Knitting

More for my own convenience than for anyone else's, I copy Adele's email concerning my endeavors to knit a poncho, below.  (Adele, I'm taking the liberty because you had started to make your suggestions in a comment.  Thank you!) For my whine that started our exchange, see Ready to Start Cutting.  Also, I had sent Adele an email (too lengthy) with more whine, the contents of which you may infer from Adele's advice.

OK I understand where you are coming from as far as being unable to do any sewing up [I can't see well enough to distinguish the stitches that I'm to join in a multi-piece knit garment--CC] so you want to make the poncho all in one piece.  There strikes me that the most important thing to bear in mind is that you like the look of the overall shape of the finished garment.  I do wonder though that you may be biting off more than you can chew in this case.  As I understand it for a start you wish to make some dramatic changes to the overall shape of the poncho.  These will include changing it from being in two separate pieces to one piece and, of course, necessarily end up having to work out how to place within the body of the garment the decreases that will be necessary to provide the poncho with its overall finished shape and then (possibly) amending the fabric of the pattern to include a lace pattern.  (I have never seen or used "Homespun" yarn--it is not generally available over here--but I take from your inference that it is not a smooth yarn and, therefore, not easy to see individual stitches in a lace pattern.)  If you do decide on including the lace panel you may wish to check your tension (gauge) for lace--often knitters work at a different tension when doing lace work as opposed to ordinary stocking (stockingette) stitch.

When doing a complete redesign of the poncho (which, of course, is what you will be doing) you may like to consider part, or all, of the designs of other all-in-one poncho patterns.  These may give you inspiration of how to make the necessary changes.  Alternatively, of course, you may just wish to try another pattern which will reduce your need to do a substantial redesign to the poncho pattern.

I don't know if you are aware that there are a HUGE number of free knitting and crochet patterns available on the Internet.  I have no idea just how many patterns but it must run into the thousands.  Here are just a few all-in-one poncho patterns which I hope will help (I belong to a couple of Groups, one with 9,000 members and the other with 3,000--a cry of help to them has given me these suggestions):-

http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/images/harlot_poncho.  This came from the Yarn Harlot's website (http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/) a wonderful place to visit and to get inspiration (and to laugh).  Also, no less than 8 different people independently suggested this one.

A lady called [BB] sent me the two attachments to this e-mail--both free poncho knitting patterns.  A very kind gesture.

http://www.berroco.com/193/193_paige.html Judith of Wisconsin says that this pattern is very easy and comfortable when finished.

http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/kcw-poncho.html from the website of what I believe is a US yarn manufacturer, Lion Brand.

http://faerycrafty.blogdrive.com/archive/199.html is a list of, believe it or not, 326 links to different free knitting patterns of ponchos.  You may find something there that will help you in your quest of a decent all-in-one poncho.  (I'm afraid I haven't looked through every single one, though I noticed that http://www.knitlist.com/00gift/poncho-recipe.htm might be one to help you on your quest.

There are, incidentally, also some links to knitting patterns that you can buy online.  Here are some examples:-

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/nakedsheep/topdopoknp; a top-down poncho pattern from the Naked Sheep Store.

http://www.urbantribalwear.com/  I have to admit that I had never heard of this company, Urban Tribal Wear.  But you never know, you might find what you want here.

http://www.knittingstudio.com/seedponcho.htm and http://www.knittingstudio.com/topdownponcho.htm were both suggested by their designer, Trisha Tarsch, and both seem to appear to meet your specification.

http://www.lindascraftique.com/free/poncho.htm looks a good pattern with a simple cable down the front.  Personally I've always found cables very easy to do.

There is also the website http://www.onefineyarn.com/Merchant2/.  A lady from North Minnesota said that she had knitted a "Pure and Simple" poncho pattern from a yarnstore but they could also be bought online.  I was unable to track down the one she was talking about though.  Perhaps you would be more lucky.  Although with all those free patterns online ...

I hope at least part of this helps.  Let me know if there's anything you wish to chat about any of this.

August 22, 2005 at 12:32 PM

Comments

Adele--As I said in my return email, I can't believe that it didn't occur to me to search the Internet for a pattern that "just matches" what I want to do--but it didn't. You have given me so many good sites that it will take me a few days to visit them all and to digest what they have to offer. Thank you, thank you, and please extend my gratitude to BB and your Group members who are so helpful!! I shall spend some time reviewing the available patterns. I'll let you know what I come up with from them. Again, many thanks! (I know that you spent more time than my "thanks" can repay.)

P.S. One of the links that you give is for Lion Brand. Yes, it is a US yarn manufacturer and is, in fact, the maker of the "Homespun" yarn that I had mentioned.

Posted by: Cop Car | August 23, 2005 at 10:33 PM

Following your links, I ran across this poncho pattern that is the square-holed lacy poncho that I mentioned--knitted in two pieces.
http://www.bernat.com/pattern.php?PID=1451&PHPSESSID=465b509d89878faf39502a6390f8fe24

Lion Brand has a similar one that is knitted in four pieces!
http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/khs-scallopEdgePoncho.html

This is the poncho that I made that turned out in a Horribly Wrong gage. I don't like the way it shows the fit, anyway--or the way the neck is treated. But, it was easy enough for me to knit. (It was--I just used a horribly wrong gage!)
http://www.coatsandclark.com/fun_and_free/yarn/lw1442.htm

This is the poncho pattern that fits as I would like mine to fit. As you can see, it is knitted in two pieces.
http://www.coatsandclark.com/fun_and_free/yarn/lw1423.htm

This is the fan-lace that I like. I have practiced this lace, from the book that I told you about (Knitting in Plain English by ) and it is a simple pattern.
http://www.herrschners.com/products/product.aspx?sku=201426&skill=CF&pc=302024&catpage=2

Posted by: Cop Car | August 23, 2005 at 11:55 PM

Cop Car,

I can understand why you wanted to try that ponch pattern, it is very pretty.

One thing I didn't mention with your knitting. I do advise you that before you start whatever poncho pattern that you decide to use that you do a tension square. just a piece of knitting about 4 ins square in the yarn and the needles you will use for the main garment. That will enable you to check your tension. Clearly your knitting is not necessarily that of the designer of the pattern. Making a tension square will help you to work out what changes you may necessary to make the actual garment, perhaps changing needles size or else, if you like the feel of the knitted fabric, recalculate the stitches and/or rows for the pattern itself.

I have never come across the book "Knitting in Plain English", although I know that it is frequently mentioned in some of the knitting Groups that I belong to as an excellent book. As a reference manual for knitting I use Montse Stanley's "A Handknitter's Handbook" which I see was published in 1986 and which I use as a directory if ever I need help with what I am making. I think virtually every knitter has a book of that nature on their shelves for reference purposes.

If you like the lace pattern from that throw - I agree, it is very pretty - Perhaps you could take a basic all-in-one poncho pattern and calculate the stitches to add this to the bottom. BUT if you do don't forget to calculate the tension for the lace pattern and make sure that it is the same as for the rest of the knitting in the main body of the poncho. Sorry to sound if I am nagging but tension is very important for a correctly sized finished garment - as you have already discovered (LOL).

Posted by: Adele | August 24, 2005 at 04:40 AM

Adele--You are quite right about the tension patches, and I have done many of them. I have recorded the results of my most recent tension patches in a stenographer's notebook that I use to keep knitting notes. They are:
#8 (5.00 mm) circular needle, 2 strands worsted, stockinette stitch, 17.5 stitches and 23 rows = 4"
#15 (10.00 mm) needles, 1 strand worsted, garter stitch, 11 stitches and 19 rows = 4"
#15 (10.00 mm) needles, 1 strand Bright & Lofty, stockinette stitch, 8 stitches and 11.75 rows = 4"
#15 (10.00 mm)needles, 1 strand Homespun, stockinette stitch, 9.5 stitches and 14.5 rows = 4"
#15 (10.00 mm) circular needle, 1 strand worsted, stockinette stitch, 12 stitches and 14.5 rows = 4"
#15 (10.00 mm) circular needle, 1 strand worsted, fan lace pattern, 10 stitches = 4" (The pattern expands & contracts in length, and since I am only interested in having one repeat of the pattern--at the bottom edge of a poncho--the number of rows that = 4" isn't of much importance.)
#17 (12.75 mm) circular needle, 1 strand worsted, stockinette stitch, 9 stitches and 16 rows = 4"

For the 97" lower-edge circumference that is used on the Just Us Girls, I would need approximately 250 stitches using #15 circular needle and a single strand of worsted weight yarn (black); but, the pattern repeat is 13 stitches, so I had thought to start with 260 stitches. Then, after a single pattern (17 rows), I would like to change to a Bright & Lofty yarn (black with streaks of bright colors). Since I knit at 8 stitches to the inch with this yarn (on #15 needles--I need to confirm this on my #15 circular needles), I would decrease one stitch out of five on the first row of Bright & Lofty. From that point, I would just use stockinette stitch until I get to within 2" of the total length that I want.

The decreases, I have yet to figure for this combination, but I would ratio to the decreases in the Just Us Girls pattern. For the 2" at the neck, I would go back to the worsted weight yarn (while increasing the stitches, one for each four) and continue in a 1-stitch ribbing. This sounds terribly complicated, now that I write it out, but it doesn't really seem all that complicated--and it means that the poncho is all in one piece. I'll get it all figured out before I start anything AND I'll do something else all together if one of the online poncho patterns pans out.

One of your links led to a quite lovely pattern that is for sale (not expensive--$4 US), that might do the trick. (Then, I wouldn't have to worry about figuring out so many things, myself!) It is at: http://www.jimmybeanswool.com/secure-html/onlinegen/currgen/KnittingPureandSimple/KnittingPureandSimpleWomens.asp?showLarge=true&specPCVID=4433.

Posted by: Cop Car | August 24, 2005 at 11:46 AM

Cop Car,
Can I start with a confession? One that will make you laugh in view of my last Comment? I never make a tension piece! Believe it or not I cannot remember ever not achieving the required tension in a knitting pattern. As a result I really respect those people who work so hard to make sure that the tension is right. So, congratulations at doing all those tension squares.

I love that feather and fan poncho pattern. It is really very pretty. I've made a top in the feather and fan pattern in the past and it was quick and easy to make. Do you plan to do the poncho the way it was designed with an all-over pattern or just to do a border of the pattern and then go onto stocking (a.k.a. stockinette) stitch? If you decide to follow the pattern, and you can reach the tension of 5 stitches to the inch on US size 5 needles then you will be laughing - no amendments to the pattern.

Posted by: Adele | August 25, 2005 at 10:41 AM

I would make the Feather & Fan per instructions, Adele; but, there is no way in Hades that I can accomplish their gage with a #5 needle. I note that they start the pattern at the neck and accomplish increases by increasing the size of the needles. I've not seen this, before, and am curious to see how well it works out. Talk about making tension patches! I shall need to make many more of them to achieve the three gages. The F&F instructions use #5, #10, #15--which means that I shall probably be using #9, #15 or #17, and who knows what?

I'm anxiously awaiting the pattern. In fact, in the meantime, I have cast on the stitches and put on the first few rows (garter stitch) to start my own pattern. All it can cost me is my time and a couple of skeins of yarn--and--I just can't wait! (You've surely seen kids awaiting their birthdays? Their anxiety has nothing on mine!) If the pattern comes quickly, I shall put aside my own pattern to work on the F&F.

Posted by: Cop Car | August 25, 2005 at 07:53 PM

More for my own convenience than for anyone else's, I copy Adele's email concerning my endeavors to knit a poncho, below.  (Adele, I'm taking the liberty because you had started to make your suggestions in a comment.  Thank you!) For my whine that started our exchange, see Ready to Start Cutting.  Also, I had sent Adele an email (too lengthy) with more whine, the contents of which you may infer from Adele's advice.

OK I understand where you are coming from as far as being unable to do any sewing up [I can't see well enough to distinguish the stitches that I'm to join in a multi-piece knit garment--CC] so you want to make the poncho all in one piece.  There strikes me that the most important thing to bear in mind is that you like the look of the overall shape of the finished garment.  I do wonder though that you may be biting off more than you can chew in this case.  As I understand it for a start you wish to make some dramatic changes to the overall shape of the poncho.  These will include changing it from being in two separate pieces to one piece and, of course, necessarily end up having to work out how to place within the body of the garment the decreases that will be necessary to provide the poncho with its overall finished shape and then (possibly) amending the fabric of the pattern to include a lace pattern.  (I have never seen or used "Homespun" yarn--it is not generally available over here--but I take from your inference that it is not a smooth yarn and, therefore, not easy to see individual stitches in a lace pattern.)  If you do decide on including the lace panel you may wish to check your tension (gauge) for lace--often knitters work at a different tension when doing lace work as opposed to ordinary stocking (stockingette) stitch.

When doing a complete redesign of the poncho (which, of course, is what you will be doing) you may like to consider part, or all, of the designs of other all-in-one poncho patterns.  These may give you inspiration of how to make the necessary changes.  Alternatively, of course, you may just wish to try another pattern which will reduce your need to do a substantial redesign to the poncho pattern.

I don't know if you are aware that there are a HUGE number of free knitting and crochet patterns available on the Internet.  I have no idea just how many patterns but it must run into the thousands.  Here are just a few all-in-one poncho patterns which I hope will help (I belong to a couple of Groups, one with 9,000 members and the other with 3,000--a cry of help to them has given me these suggestions):-

http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/images/harlot_poncho.  This came from the Yarn Harlot's website (http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/) a wonderful place to visit and to get inspiration (and to laugh).  Also, no less than 8 different people independently suggested this one.

A lady called [BB] sent me the two attachments to this e-mail--both free poncho knitting patterns.  A very kind gesture.

http://www.berroco.com/193/193_paige.html Judith of Wisconsin says that this pattern is very easy and comfortable when finished.

http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/kcw-poncho.html from the website of what I believe is a US yarn manufacturer, Lion Brand.

http://faerycrafty.blogdrive.com/archive/199.html is a list of, believe it or not, 326 links to different free knitting patterns of ponchos.  You may find something there that will help you in your quest of a decent all-in-one poncho.  (I'm afraid I haven't looked through every single one, though I noticed that http://www.knitlist.com/00gift/poncho-recipe.htm might be one to help you on your quest.

There are, incidentally, also some links to knitting patterns that you can buy online.  Here are some examples:-

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/nakedsheep/topdopoknp; a top-down poncho pattern from the Naked Sheep Store.

http://www.urbantribalwear.com/  I have to admit that I had never heard of this company, Urban Tribal Wear.  But you never know, you might find what you want here.

http://www.knittingstudio.com/seedponcho.htm and http://www.knittingstudio.com/topdownponcho.htm were both suggested by their designer, Trisha Tarsch, and both seem to appear to meet your specification.

http://www.lindascraftique.com/free/poncho.htm looks a good pattern with a simple cable down the front.  Personally I've always found cables very easy to do.

There is also the website http://www.onefineyarn.com/Merchant2/.  A lady from North Minnesota said that she had knitted a "Pure and Simple" poncho pattern from a yarnstore but they could also be bought online.  I was unable to track down the one she was talking about though.  Perhaps you would be more lucky.  Although with all those free patterns online ...

I hope at least part of this helps.  Let me know if there's anything you wish to chat about any of this.

Recently in the News

Skipping right over the serial murder case sentencing that just took place and the idiocy of the State Board of Education (the members of which do not understand the difference between theology and science), both of which have contributed 'way too much notoriety to the State of Kansas, I've been reading in the newspaper and hearing on the radio about a concept of re-populating the plains states of the USA and Canada with animal species that are endangered on other continents (Val first brought the idea to my attention in her posting Fascinating Idea); and, I've just read about a program proposed to start investment accounts for kids--at birth.

Thursday's Wichita Eagle newpaper carried an article titled Prairie Chickens, Prairie Dogs, Prairie Elephants? by Joseph B. Verrengia of the Associated Press.  It tells the story that Val told of a group of scientists who propose (in an article printed in Nature) re-locating some of the endangered species of large animals to the plains of Canada and/or the USA (which would include Kansas).  [Later correction:  I believe that, on the radio, they said that they proposed to use  animals that are now in zoos as breeding stock for the populating of the plains.]  Supposedly, the animals that they have in mind, would fill the niches left by species that were present on the North American continent before their demise approximately 13,000 years ago.  Animals similar to those being proposed are thought to have become extinct due to the activities of humans--not due to the last ice age. 

For instance, the scientists propose introducing the African elephant to the plains states.  (The tusk of a mammoth was unearthed in Wichita, a couple of weeks ago, by a road construction crew.  Several are found in Kansas each year.)  Additionally, they propose to bring in cheetahs and camels.  Intriguing as the idea may be, I have a real problem with implementation.    I have nightmares of the populations of introduced species growing without bounds.  What do we do, then, when people start being trampled to death by elephants?  Declare open season on elephants?  Enough on that subject, for the moment.  You can see how my thinking goes on it.

This morning's Wichita Eagle carried an article, Altruists Hope to Jump-Start Family Savings by Amy Goldstein of the Washington Post.  The basic idea is contained in this quote.

Legislation has been introduced in Congress that calls for the government to open a KIDS Account of at least $500 for every baby born in the United States. And President Bush's first Treasury secretary, Paul O'Neill, has been giving speeches around the country, promoting an even bolder plan he has devised for children's accounts that he says would guarantee every American at least $1 million by age 65, eventually eliminating the need for Social Security. 

Obviously, this idea deserves a lot more thought than I've given it this morning; but, I like the concept.  A child's future should not depend so much on "luck of the draw" as it does in our society that includes such economic disparities.  As with the privitized accounts (the idea of which I rejected), bookkeeping/control issues could be a major debacle (not to mention, terribly expensive) if the system is not properly designed; but there is a nugget of goodness to this proposal.  I should mention that one of the proposed features would be a matching program to encourage voluntary saving by the family.

August 21, 2005 at 11:44 AM

Comments

Interesting - the $500 savings account for every new baby...as long as it is safe from parents drawing on it...

AS to population of the plains states with African species - nuts. I think it is nuts.

"Oh give me a home, where the elephants roam...

Hmmm, not quite as catchy...

Posted by: Cowtown Pattie | August 22, 2005 at 07:49 PM

The more I've thought about the KIDS accounts, the more Ive come to see them as "Privitized Accounts"--in disguise. Still thinking.

Posted by: Cop Car | August 23, 2005 at 08:24 AM

Skipping right over the serial murder case sentencing that just took place and the idiocy of the State Board of Education (the members of which do not understand the difference between theology and science), both of which have contributed 'way too much notoriety to the State of Kansas, I've been reading in the newspaper and hearing on the radio about a concept of re-populating the plains states of the USA and Canada with animal species that are endangered on other continents (Val first brought the idea to my attention in her posting Fascinating Idea); and, I've just read about a program proposed to start investment accounts for kids--at birth.

Thursday's Wichita Eagle newpaper carried an article titled Prairie Chickens, Prairie Dogs, Prairie Elephants? by Joseph B. Verrengia of the Associated Press.  It tells the story that Val told of a group of scientists who propose (in an article printed in Nature) re-locating some of the endangered species of large animals to the plains of Canada and/or the USA (which would include Kansas).  [Later correction:  I believe that, on the radio, they said that they proposed to use  animals that are now in zoos as breeding stock for the populating of the plains.]  Supposedly, the animals that they have in mind, would fill the niches left by species that were present on the North American continent before their demise approximately 13,000 years ago.  Animals similar to those being proposed are thought to have become extinct due to the activities of humans--not due to the last ice age. 

For instance, the scientists propose introducing the African elephant to the plains states.  (The tusk of a mammoth was unearthed in Wichita, a couple of weeks ago, by a road construction crew.  Several are found in Kansas each year.)  Additionally, they propose to bring in cheetahs and camels.  Intriguing as the idea may be, I have a real problem with implementation.    I have nightmares of the populations of introduced species growing without bounds.  What do we do, then, when people start being trampled to death by elephants?  Declare open season on elephants?  Enough on that subject, for the moment.  You can see how my thinking goes on it.

This morning's Wichita Eagle carried an article, Altruists Hope to Jump-Start Family Savings by Amy Goldstein of the Washington Post.  The basic idea is contained in this quote.

Legislation has been introduced in Congress that calls for the government to open a KIDS Account of at least $500 for every baby born in the United States. And President Bush's first Treasury secretary, Paul O'Neill, has been giving speeches around the country, promoting an even bolder plan he has devised for children's accounts that he says would guarantee every American at least $1 million by age 65, eventually eliminating the need for Social Security. 

Obviously, this idea deserves a lot more thought than I've given it this morning; but, I like the concept.  A child's future should not depend so much on "luck of the draw" as it does in our society that includes such economic disparities.  As with the privitized accounts (the idea of which I rejected), bookkeeping/control issues could be a major debacle (not to mention, terribly expensive) if the system is not properly designed; but there is a nugget of goodness to this proposal.  I should mention that one of the proposed features would be a matching program to encourage voluntary saving by the family.

Happy Birthday, Millie

Millie, of Thoroughly Modern Millie, is having a big birthday, today.  It isn't my place to reveal her age, but she has done so in her Eighty on the Eighteenth posting.  Millie is an inspiration and a friend to many of us elder bloggers, and I thank Ronni of Time Goes By and A Sense of Place for introducing me to Millie's blog.

Millie--I hope to continue to enjoy your writings for many years to come.  In the meantime, you have many, many friends out here in the blogosphere.  (This time I'll shout:)  HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MILLIE, WITH LOVE.

August 18, 2005 at 12:01 AM

Comments

Wow! Sunflowers galore! Millie will love this!

What no doves? (tee hee)

Posted by: Cowtown Pattie | August 18, 2005 at 09:01 AM

I do, I love it!!! My favorite flower is the sunflower. I wonder how you knew that. Ha, Ha.

You should see my house, I have sunflowers in my bedroom, sunflower magnets on my refig and sunflower plates.

You hit the nail on the head with that birthday greeting.

Thank you so much Evelyn, you sure put a smile on my face.

Millie

Posted by: Millie Garfield | August 18, 2005 at 09:57 PM

Hot Date to "Fighter Pilot"

I had a hot date with my favorite guy, today.  As soon as I could get home from the fitness center and change clothes, Hunky Husband drove us up to Hutchinson Kansas (about a 1 or 1.5 hour drive from here) to attend an iMAX showing of Fighter Pilot.  We arrived at the Kansas Cosmosphere (affiliated with the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum) just as the 11:00 AM showing started.  While waiting for the 1:00 PM showing, we toured the gift shop, ate lunch at their canteen, and toured part of the space museum.  Hunky Husband had taken our kids's Uncle M (professional free-lance photographer in St Louis) to the Cosmosphere some years ago, and Bogie, Dudette, and I toured it about 6 years ago; so, our missing part of the space museum tour wasn't crushing.

The film was, of course, wonderful.  Hunky Husband and I groove on airplanes, so it was really trying for us that we couldn't communicate during the film--as in:  Look!  An F/A-18!  For me, there were too few NavAir planes in the film--the only ones in Naval livery were a flight of F4U Corsairs, as I recall.  The action was filmed at Nellis AFB and the Red Flag operational ranges.  Brief appearances were made by one B-2, two B-1, and two F-17 aircraft; but, the filming concentrated mostly on F-15 and F-16 aircraft.  Additionally, one of my favorites, the A-10 Warthog was well represented and there were Tornado, KC-10, and C-17 aircraft, and assorted helicopters (that I couldn't identify).  There was one landing shot, that only showed the undercarriage, that was definitely of the articulated main gear of an F/A-18.  Oh, and the Brits had brought a couple of their Jump Jets!  We had a great time and came home ready for our naps--lol! 

One of these days, Hunky Husband and I will just have to tour the US and Canada to hit all of the air-related museums.  Several years ago, I purchased a book that listed them, but we've not started our tour.  We've seen a good number of them over the years, but we should get serious!

What follows is excerpted from the Kansas Cosmosphere's web site.  Kansas Cosmosphere does not endorse or have any knowledge of my blog, and I have no connection with the organization.

With a U.S. space artifact collection second only to the National Air and Space Museum and the largest collection of Russian space artifacts found outside of Moscow, the Cosmosphere's Hall of Space Museum is uniquely positioned to tell the story of the Space Race. By focusing on the human story of space exploration and punctuating that story with one of the finest collections of international space artifacts in the world the Museum places space exploration in a broad historical context and presents the story of the Space Race in a way that no other museum in the world can.

A tour through the Hall of Space Museum is a compelling journey through 20th century history and the major events that shaped the world today. We invite you to step into our time machine and set a course back to an incredible time in human history and relive the tragedies and triumphs of the greatest adventure of all time.

August 17, 2005 at 11:02 PM

Comments

Cop Car, remind me to introduce you to my brother-in-law, the retired Air Force pilot. I don't know the designation of the planes he flew, but the last one was a tanker, for refilling planes in mid-air. I'm relieved that he's retired. His job always sounded like an accident waiting to happen.

Have you been to Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio? Dear Husband took me to the museum about sixteen years ago. What a collection of planes! I can see why you and HH would like to visit those museums!

Posted by: buffy | August 23, 2005 at 10:03 PM

Buffy--If your B-I-L flew tankers within the last 30 years, they were (most likely) KC-135 aircraft. If not KC-135, then KC-10--or maybe both. Had he flown tankers back in the "good old days", they would probably have been KC-97 aircraft. The KC-97 is a prop airplane (probably turbo-prop, but I'm not a power plants person), and it (like the jet KC-135) was built by Boeing. The KC-10 is the tanker version of the McDonald-Douglas (now Boeing) DC-10 wide-body jet (trans-continental version).

Yes, I have been to Wright-Pat museum several times--the most recently, just before we came to see you in September 2004 (well, it's no longer called that--they changed the name on the second day of the two days we spent there). I've been to the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum a couple of times--once with the kids and once with HH. There are air museums at Pensacola NAS (Naval Air Station), Ellsworth AFB, Liberal KS, Boeing Seattle, and probably a few more that we've been to that don't come to mind just now (it's my bed time). We've also been to the Atomic museum at Kirtland AFB and the Aerospace museum at Edwards AFB (I went there every once-in-a-while when I worked on base--especially when I wanted to get a "patch" for one of the two or three shuttle landings that I got to witness while there.)

Posted by: Cop Car | August 24, 2005 at 12:26 AM

I had a hot date with my favorite guy, today.  As soon as I could get home from the fitness center and change clothes, Hunky Husband drove us up to Hutchinson Kansas (about a 1 or 1.5 hour drive from here) to attend an iMAX showing of Fighter Pilot.  We arrived at the Kansas Cosmosphere (affiliated with the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum) just as the 11:00 AM showing started.  While waiting for the 1:00 PM showing, we toured the gift shop, ate lunch at their canteen, and toured part of the space museum.  Hunky Husband had taken our kids's Uncle M (professional free-lance photographer in St Louis) to the Cosmosphere some years ago, and Bogie, Dudette, and I toured it about 6 years ago; so, our missing part of the space museum tour wasn't crushing.

The film was, of course, wonderful.  Hunky Husband and I groove on airplanes, so it was really trying for us that we couldn't communicate during the film--as in:  Look!  An F/A-18!  For me, there were too few NavAir planes in the film--the only ones in Naval livery were a flight of F4U Corsairs, as I recall.  The action was filmed at Nellis AFB and the Red Flag operational ranges.  Brief appearances were made by one B-2, two B-1, and two F-17 aircraft; but, the filming concentrated mostly on F-15 and F-16 aircraft.  Additionally, one of my favorites, the A-10 Warthog was well represented and there were Tornado, KC-10, and C-17 aircraft, and assorted helicopters (that I couldn't identify).  There was one landing shot, that only showed the undercarriage, that was definitely of the articulated main gear of an F/A-18.  Oh, and the Brits had brought a couple of their Jump Jets!  We had a great time and came home ready for our naps--lol! 

One of these days, Hunky Husband and I will just have to tour the US and Canada to hit all of the air-related museums.  Several years ago, I purchased a book that listed them, but we've not started our tour.  We've seen a good number of them over the years, but we should get serious!

What follows is excerpted from the Kansas Cosmosphere's web site.  Kansas Cosmosphere does not endorse or have any knowledge of my blog, and I have no connection with the organization.

With a U.S. space artifact collection second only to the National Air and Space Museum and the largest collection of Russian space artifacts found outside of Moscow, the Cosmosphere's Hall of Space Museum is uniquely positioned to tell the story of the Space Race. By focusing on the human story of space exploration and punctuating that story with one of the finest collections of international space artifacts in the world the Museum places space exploration in a broad historical context and presents the story of the Space Race in a way that no other museum in the world can.

A tour through the Hall of Space Museum is a compelling journey through 20th century history and the major events that shaped the world today. We invite you to step into our time machine and set a course back to an incredible time in human history and relive the tragedies and triumphs of the greatest adventure of all time.

Ready to Start Cutting

Yeah, boo, the apron for my aunt is completed--washed, ironed, folded, and ready to shove into a mailer.  It would have been mailed, today, but by holding it for a day, any moisture left in the fibers has a chance to evaporate before being encased in the plastic bubble wrap of the mailer.   

Now, I can start cutting on the lap quilt for Pop S.  On the basis of Beginner Project, I've decided to alter the layout a bit for Pop's quilt--making the pieces a little smaller.  I think it will look better (see obverse and reverse.)

Made a run up into Wichita, today, to pick up a size 17, 32-inch long circular knitting needle.  It doesn't seem it to me, but my knitting is much tighter than the gages that are provided in the instructions.  I'm not sure that I can buy a needle large enough for the lacy poncho that I wish to knit.  (And, I'm not sure that I can follow the instructions, but that's a whole 'nuther issue.)  For the poncho that I finished last week (following Item 4), I hadn't bothered figuring out the gage, because I wasn't making it for any particular person--and I figured that it would fit somebody.  Humph.  It might if that somebody is five years old--and small for her age.  The instructions called for #9 circular needle and a double strand of worsted weight yarn.  My gage, using that combination, was 23 rows = 4" and 17.5 stitches = 4".  Their gage was 14 rows = 4" and 10 stitches = 4".  The lacy poncho calls for using a size 10 1/2 circular needle for most of it.  I'll try the size 17 needle to see if I get close to their gage:  12 stitches = 4".  (They don't give their gage for rows, and I'm not sure why anyone would since rows are usually determined by actual measurement rather than by number of rows.)

August 11, 2005 at 05:34 PM

Comments

I suspect that you are aware by now that the placement of ninepatches in the sample on the left is called a Single Irish Chain, or just Irish Chain. I bet Pops loves it! You're really moving along.

I have not learned to knit, but I used to crochet, and gauge has a major impact on your garment. If I had been knitting as you described, my hands would have been in knots up under my nose as I furiously knitted away, and my shoulders would have been killing me! I hope that the larger needles solve your problem.

Posted by: buffy | August 17, 2005 at 11:31 AM

Yes, you had taught me about the Irish Chain, some time ago. I just didn't name the pattern in my posting about Pop's lap quilt. I haven't started cutting on it, yet, because I decided to finish up my Practice Project. The front was completed, but I'd never made the sandwich and quilted the thing. Since I had a lot of extra pieces cut, I decided to use them up in a rather random way--piecing them to form the back of the quilt. I got the idea from Lynda Hall, who spoke at our last guild meeting. Most of her backs were just patchworks--usually, unlike mine, rather large patchwork pieces. Although her quilts were darker than I prefer, they really tickled my "oh, that's lovely" response. I liked her attitude: quilting is supposed to be fun! She pooh-poohed some of the "rules" that I had read about quilting. She said, "So what if the points don't meet 'just so'?" My next-door neighbor, who retired at the end of May, is the President of our guild for the coming year (starting October 1). Jane Sassaman is the speaker for our September meeting. It will take me through the week-end to the Practice Project, perhaps.

Friday, when I'm up in Wichita for breakfast with other retirees, I'll stop in to purchase a #15 36" circular needle. The #17 turned out to be just a wee bit large.

Posted by: Cop Car | August 17, 2005 at 10:32 PM

Cop Car, as far as the too small poncho is concerned may I make a suggestion? Instead of hunting for a huge pair of knitting needles why not tweek the Knitting pattern itself. That is, if you like the way the lacey knitting looks on the current size needles. You know what tension you can produce. You also know what tension the designer of the poncho was working on and, from that, what size he/she expected the final garment to end up being. Then, using some rather basic arithmetic (well, it must be basic - I can do it)calculate how many stitches/rows you must work at your tension to achieve the same measurements.

There you are, as easy as pie.

Posted by: Adele | August 18, 2005 at 02:14 PM

Oh, I forgot to mention.

If you have any problems with the knitting pattern just give me a shout. No promises but if I can help then I will.

Posted by: Adele | August 18, 2005 at 02:56 PM

Adele--Thanks for the suggestions and for the kind offer of help. I am just a beginning knitter, and I have instructions for several different projects that I like.

Three years ago, I knitted three sweater vests (over a year's time) that were knitted in two pieces, each. I struggled with joining the fronts and backs, declaring victory on two of them. The third is still waiting for me to join the second shoulder seam. I just cannot see well enough to distinguish what I need to pick up on my darning needle, to join. The horribly wrong poncho was my first project since the sweater vest that is awaiting joining (and my fourth project of any size at all--ever.) I had thought it easy enough for me to tackle since it is not only made in a single piece, but it is almost entirely stockinette stitch.

One of the things that I don't care for in the horribly wrong poncho is that it is rather close-fitting--only 68" around at its 17.5" length. I want a fuller fit. The poncho patterns that are full-fitting are, according to the instructions, made in two like pieces and joined by stitching. This, as I said, I cannot do.

I plan to make a poncho that is a single piece, using a "fan lace" pattern (the directions for which I am taking off of an Afghan pattern) along the bottom edge, and knitting the rest of the poncho in stockinette. I have a pattern for a full-fitting poncho but it is, unfortunately, not only made in two pieces but it is a complicated square-holed lace pattern that I can't hope to do correctly using the bulky yarn that I have bought (as specified in the full-fitting poncho pattern). I plan to take my tapering requirements off of that pattern--how many stitches to decrease in what length of poncho.

My figures say that I want the bottom edge of the poncho to total about 97". Using the smaller gage, I'm not sure that I can stack enough stitches on the needle to make 97". A larger gage, I reason, will more easily stack on the needle. That is why I want to purchase a circular needle that is long and large--so that I can do the poncho all in one piece. Am I wrong on this?

BTW: I have been using Maggie Righetti's "Knitting in Plain English" as my general guide. I bought it (about 20 years ago) when I lived in Albuquerque and never had time to really get into knitting. I did learn to knit in 8th or 9th grade, but our most arduous tasking was to make some little baby bells to hang above a crib, so I am still a beginner!

Posted by: Cop Car | August 18, 2005 at 04:25 PM

Adele--In re-reading my original posting concerning needle sizes and gages in Ready to Start Cutting, I was still thinking that I might be able to follow the directions on the square-holed lace pattern. I've pretty much convinced myself that that is too far outside my comfort zone. The yarn isn't that easy for me to keep track of, being "Homespun".

Posted by: Cop Car | August 18, 2005 at 04:37 PM

Cop Car - I have an idea on this which I am currently researching. Will be in touch again soon about this.

Posted by: Adele | August 19, 2005 at 07:03 AM

Yeah, boo, the apron for my aunt is completed--washed, ironed, folded, and ready to shove into a mailer.  It would have been mailed, today, but by holding it for a day, any moisture left in the fibers has a chance to evaporate before being encased in the plastic bubble wrap of the mailer.   

Now, I can start cutting on the lap quilt for Pop S.  On the basis of Beginner Project, I've decided to alter the layout a bit for Pop's quilt--making the pieces a little smaller.  I think it will look better (see obverse and reverse.)

Made a run up into Wichita, today, to pick up a size 17, 32-inch long circular knitting needle.  It doesn't seem it to me, but my knitting is much tighter than the gages that are provided in the instructions.  I'm not sure that I can buy a needle large enough for the lacy poncho that I wish to knit.  (And, I'm not sure that I can follow the instructions, but that's a whole 'nuther issue.)  For the poncho that I finished last week (following Item 4), I hadn't bothered figuring out the gage, because I wasn't making it for any particular person--and I figured that it would fit somebody.  Humph.  It might if that somebody is five years old--and small for her age.  The instructions called for #9 circular needle and a double strand of worsted weight yarn.  My gage, using that combination, was 23 rows = 4" and 17.5 stitches = 4".  Their gage was 14 rows = 4" and 10 stitches = 4".  The lacy poncho calls for using a size 10 1/2 circular needle for most of it.  I'll try the size 17 needle to see if I get close to their gage:  12 stitches = 4".  (They don't give their gage for rows, and I'm not sure why anyone would since rows are usually determined by actual measurement rather than by number of rows.)

Comments

[Cop Car]

It was brash of me to claim that I will have Pop's lap quilt done in time for his birthday. Since I made that statement: a dumptruck full of sand to be used in setting stepping stones around the edges of some of the planting beds was delivered, yesterday (and I'll need to have a lot of it moved by Wednesday to allow lawn mowing equipment access to the back yard).

[Cowtown Pattie]

I need to add 4 hours to my evening...

I didn't even realize that HH had a digital camera (not that that makes a difference to me one way or another).

I haven't had time to make it to any stores (except for gasoline), so I haven't gotten Dad's BD card yet - much less mailed it.

Posted by: bogie | September 01, 2005 at 03:12 AM

[Adele]

CopCar, your knitting looks fine and I am impressed at your finished poncho that in effect you designed yourself. The vests look nice too. Other than stitching them together have you much more to do to them?

[Cop Car]

Bogie--I gave your dad the camera (I let him pick out what he wanted, though, of course) for his birthday, some years ago--maybe 8 years?

Adele--Thanks for the kind words on the poncho. I thought it turned out rather well.

On the lighter-colored vest, I need to knit a back, join the front and back, and knit the ribbing around the arm holes and front neck (you can see the stitch holders in the photo). On the darker-colored vest, I only need to complete the joining and knit the ribbing. It occurred to me that I'd always tried to join the pieces under artificial lighting (I was still working, which meant that my knitting was done at night.) Now that I can do the joining under natural lighting (during the day), I may be able to see well enough to not have so much problem. That hadn't occurred to me until I dug the old stuff out of the closet!

[Adele]

You've really managed to knit a lot. How is it going on? Did you have any difficulty working out the changes to your pattern? And, most importantly, do you like the fabric you are knitting?

CopCar, don't forget though that knitting is meant to be a pleasure. If your hand hurts then you should think of giving your hand a relax.

Don't worry about "bad" stitches, only you will know they are there.

[Cop Car]

Thanks, Adele...my hand is relaxing. I over-did it, yesterday, so shall now give it a rest for a few days. Everything is ducky except for the neckline. I adjusted my planning as the knitting progressed. The lace looks wonderful and the body looks great, although I should use a different yarn for the body were I to do it again. The yarn that I used is a bit more garrish than it looked in the photo of "Just Us Girls".

For the last dozen rows (I knitted from bottom to top), I changed from the 36" long needle to a 24" long needle. I planned a 24" neckline (69 stitches); but, it is 34". In laying the poncho out on the floor, needle still in, it looked like the neck would be too small if I continued for the additional 6 rows that I had planned--so I cast off.

1) I know that blocking can make a tremendous difference, but I don't think it reasonable to expect to make the poncho 1.5 inches longer and the neck 10" smaller by blocking. Do you, Adele? 2) Another way of making the neck smaller would be to lace a double strand of yarn about the top and gather it to 24"; but, that makes the poncho no longer. 3) I think that when my hand has had a chance to recover, I'll just try removing the stitches of the binding off, inserting a smaller needle, and adding 6-8 rows of ribbing. This will add the 1.5" to the length of the poncho and tighten the neck as it should be.

As it lays on the floor, the poncho looks like a colorful skirt for someone's Christmas tree! It really is pretty!

[Cop Car]

I have it! The poncho would make a great hip-hugging skirt!! (Oh, if I were only 14, eh?)

[Cop Car]

The pattern came! The pattern came! The pattern came! I must say that I hadn't realized how large in the neck that pattern is. It is larger "on purpose" than mine was "by mistake". Of course, the pattern uses a lighter weight yarn, so there won't be so much weight to stretch out the neck. Since I go into Wichita on Friday of this week, anyway, I'll take the pattern to shop for yarn. That pattern is definitely for a "dressy" garment.

I am furiously working to finish an embroidery project (shhh--don't tell Cowtown Pattie--Millie Garfield sent me a design to embroider for a square of Pattie's quilt--as a surprise), but my hand can only take about an hour of that at a time. While resting my hand from embroidering, I decided to start the re-do on the poncho--the "right" way. I ripped out the last four rows. That got me back to a couple of ridges of garter stitching (four rows) which I thought a good place to change to the smaller needles. (I don't know how sound my thinking, but with the weight of the poncho--heavy!--I decided to put the garter stitching in as soon as I changed to the black worsted yarn for the neck--to keep the stress off of the ribbing.) Perhaps I should have ripped all the way back to the first row of black yarn, but I think this is OK.

Since the #11 needle that I have is 36" long, I'm using the #9 needle that is 29" long. For a 25" circumference neck, I should start with about 100 stitches for the #9 needle/single-strand worsted yarn; but, since ribbing is so stretchy, I decided that the 71 stitches that I had would "do"--and just increased 1 stitch on my first row of ribbing. Alternating with the embroidery, I've done just two rows of ribbing, so far. We shall see how the neck works, this time. I can always rip the rows out, again! (If at first I don't succeed....)

[Adele]

Back again, yesterday was a Bank Holiday over here and we had the family around so I was unable to get online.

Never underestimate the difference that blocking can make to a knitted garment. I can remember making a baby shawl for my haidresser and blocking it made a HUGE difference to the finished size of each of the panels and how the lace pattern eventuallty looked. Of course it takes ages to do it properly. I lay a (king size) sheet on the living room carpat and get on my hands and knees with the knitted pieces, a tape measure and a packet of pins. Then you just gently tease and stretch the knitting to the cotrrect size and then pin it to shape. It's amazing how far it actually does stretch without damaging the fabric (assuming that you've got the tension right, of course.) The whole process is very hard on the knees and the back, but worth it in the end.

Personally I prefer the process of knitting rather than just aiming at the finished project. This means that as I like actually doing the knitting then I still feel comfortable if I want to pull back the knitting. Incidentally on some of the knitting Groups I belong to they don't call it pulling back, they call it Frogging (rip-it, rip-it, got it?).

Enjoy yourself. That's what a craft like knitting is for. And take care of your hands!

[Cop Car]

Adele--Oh, I like that--Frogging!! I did complete the poncho, yesterday, and I have now woven in all of the loose ends--ready to wash and block. The other day, I read the most interesting piece on how to block (on the bed) at one of the web sites you gave me for the Yarn Harlot. She is quite the prolific knitter and writes with such wit. The posting on blocking was very informative to me. BTW: The neckline came out perfectly this time. I'm glad that I frogged it! (They always warn that one should cast off loosely, but knowing how my stitches go, I actually went down from the #9 needle that I used for the ribbing to a #8 for casting off--which I did in pattern, of course.)

Since I must take Hunky Husband to the airport in a few minutes (Red Cross wants him down in the Hurricane Katrina wake area), and since he needs to stop in at the Red Cross Chapter's office, I plan to stop by the knitting shop for the yarn to do the lacy poncho. The knitting shop is just down the street from the Red Cross Chapter's office--and it will take HH some time to get through with his business there. Perfect opportunity.

[Cop Car]

Adele--Didn't get the yarn--waited for HH in the parking lot, instead. Which worked out rather well as he didn't take long, at all. Since coming home (going back to the knitting shop would have added 10-15 miles to my trip, so I didn't go--I can go Friday), I've pulled out of the closet my years-old knitting projects. I think that I shall work on getting them completed. Most of the completion is putting knitted pieces together. I have the sweater vest that I told you about. It needs one shoulder and both side seams put in--then--I need to do the ribbing at the arm holes and front neckline. I had forgotten what an attractive garment it will be.

In addition, I forgot that I have the front of a sweater vest (same pattern--different color combination) that I had knit by mistake--knit two fronts instead of one front and one back. I made one back and finished that garment--giving it to the YWCA Women's Crisis Center thrift shop. Now, I need to knit another back and finish this garment. Both of the vests that are unfinished will, I believe, fit me and/or my Elegant Friend--if I block them properly. Those vests have been in my closet for at least two years.

For my granddaughter's sixteenth birthday, I decided to knit her three 16"-square "throw" pillow covers--and make them into pillows for her. As she loves purple, they are in various shades of purple. She is now 22 1/2, and I've still not finished the 3rd one (and, now I can't find the light lilac one!) Perhaps I'll get those done for her 23rd birthday. Of the two that I found, three halves are knitted and the fourth half is about 80% knitted. Oh, how I hate to think of sewing the parts together, though. As you say--the knitting is the fun part. Wonder what happened to the two halves of the third pillow cover? I may need to re-do one. It won't be nearly as hard, now--with a little more knitting experience under my belt. One of the pillow covers is a chevron pattern, one is a square pattern, and the other one (as I knitted it!) is sort of a random distribution! I had completely forgotten the pillow covers when regaling you with tales of my vast knitting experience!

You have so inspired me, Adele. Thank you. (And, I shall try to watch out for my hand/wrist!)

Buffy--I might repeat the comment about inspiration--concerning your inspiring me to quilt. You have contributed greatly! (Well, not really. You haven't just contributed--you are responsible for my having started quilting at all!)

[buffy]

WOwwwwwwww, have you been PROLIFIC!! I was delighted to see that you are able to use your hands for up to an hour now, and even more delighted to see that you occasionally hand quilt. I thought that you might not try the hand quilting.

We recently cleaned out the closet in my office where EM stores many of her craft things, including quilting fabric and yarns. We gave away the yarn for several project that she thought she might never get to, and kept several that we hope we might get to one day. I'd love to do a filet crochetted throw for her.

You HAVE to get a scanner so that we can see what you're working on!

[Cop Car]

I don't expect to do a great deal of hand quilting, but we did a small amount of hand quilting on our Beginner Project. Last week, I did the quilting on the Practice Project. On the wide border of the Practice Project, I tried free-style machine quilting--following the pattern in the fabric. Then, I followed the fabric pattern in my hand quilting in the setting blocks--outlining a bird in each of three setting blocks and outlining a couple of flowers in the fourth setting block that had no bird included. As long as I have good music to listen to, and as long as my hand doesn't hurt, I don't mind doing the hand quilting. Don't ever, however, expect to see any large projects hand quilted by me!!

[Adele]

Enjoy yourself with your quilting. Will having HH not around make much difference to what you can do

[Cop Car]

Adele--I pretty much do the same things whether HH is here or not. I do tend to tackle projects that would inconvenience HH (such as the 7 tons of dirt) while he is away. Hmmm...I still need the 7 tons of sand (thanks for the reminder.) I'll check to see how much prices have gone up due to the increase in gasoline. Gasoline prices have increased by 20% during the last week.

[bogie]

Sounds like Dad has quite the schedule for a while.

When I buy tomatoes for canning, I like to mix in paste tomatoes (Roma types) because they don't hold onto water as much as the beefsteak-type tomatoes.

[Cop Car]

Bogie--Good idea. I'll pass that along to EF. (She's really picky on the ingredients for her salsa--if you can imagine that! She, who is rarely picky about anything!) It's hard to find many Roma type tomatoes around here. I grew some, last year; but, rarely see any locally grown ones for sale.

[buffy]

We opt for the Roma style in the winter for our salads because they frequently have better flavor and texture than the hot house tomatoes.

I hadn't though about mixing Romas with Beefsteaks to cut down on the water and increase the pulp. Thanks for the tip, bogie!

[Cop Car]

Adele--As I said in my return email, I can't believe that it didn't occur to me to search the Internet for a pattern that "just matches" what I want to do--but it didn't. You have given me so many good sites that it will take me a few days to visit them all and to digest what they have to offer. Thank you, thank you, and please extend my gratitude to BB and your Group members who are so helpful!! I shall spend some time reviewing the available patterns. I'll let you know what I come up with from them. Again, many thanks! (I know that you spent more time than my "thanks" can repay.)

P.S. One of the links that you give is for Lion Brand. Yes, it is a US yarn manufacturer and is, in fact, the maker of the "Homespun" yarn that I had mentioned.

[Cop Car]

Following your links, I ran across this poncho pattern that is the square-holed lacy poncho that I mentioned--knitted in two pieces.
http://www.bernat.com/pattern.php?PID=1451&PHPSESSID=465b509d89878faf39502a6390f8fe24

Lion Brand has a similar one that is knitted in four pieces!
http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/khs-scallopEdgePoncho.html

This is the poncho that I made that turned out in a Horribly Wrong gage. I don't like the way it shows the fit, anyway--or the way the neck is treated. But, it was easy enough for me to knit. (It was--I just used a horribly wrong gage!)
http://www.coatsandclark.com/fun_and_free/yarn/lw1442.htm

This is the poncho pattern that fits as I would like mine to fit. As you can see, it is knitted in two pieces.
http://www.coatsandclark.com/fun_and_free/yarn/lw1423.htm

This is the fan-lace that I like. I have practiced this lace, from the book that I told you about (Knitting in Plain English by ) and it is a simple pattern.
http://www.herrschners.com/products/product.aspx?sku=201426&skill=CF&pc=302024&catpage=2

[Adele]

Cop Car,

I can understand why you wanted to try that ponch pattern, it is very pretty.

One thing I didn't mention with your knitting. I do advise you that before you start whatever poncho pattern that you decide to use that you do a tension square. just a piece of knitting about 4 ins square in the yarn and the needles you will use for the main garment. That will enable you to check your tension. Clearly your knitting is not necessarily that of the designer of the pattern. Making a tension square will help you to work out what changes you may necessary to make the actual garment, perhaps changing needles size or else, if you like the feel of the knitted fabric, recalculate the stitches and/or rows for the pattern itself.

I have never come across the book "Knitting in Plain English", although I know that it is frequently mentioned in some of the knitting Groups that I belong to as an excellent book. As a reference manual for knitting I use Montse Stanley's "A Handknitter's Handbook" which I see was published in 1986 and which I use as a directory if ever I need help with what I am making. I think virtually every knitter has a book of that nature on their shelves for reference purposes.

If you like the lace pattern from that throw - I agree, it is very pretty - Perhaps you could take a basic all-in-one poncho pattern and calculate the stitches to add this to the bottom. BUT if you do don't forget to calculate the tension for the lace pattern and make sure that it is the same as for the rest of the knitting in the main body of the poncho. Sorry to sound if I am nagging but tension is very important for a correctly sized finished garment - as you have already discovered (LOL).

[Cop Car]

Adele--You are quite right about the tension patches, and I have done many of them. I have recorded the results of my most recent tension patches in a stenographer's notebook that I use to keep knitting notes. They are:
#8 (5.00 mm) circular needle, 2 strands worsted, stockinette stitch, 17.5 stitches and 23 rows = 4"
#15 (10.00 mm) needles, 1 strand worsted, garter stitch, 11 stitches and 19 rows = 4"
#15 (10.00 mm) needles, 1 strand Bright & Lofty, stockinette stitch, 8 stitches and 11.75 rows = 4"
#15 (10.00 mm)needles, 1 strand Homespun, stockinette stitch, 9.5 stitches and 14.5 rows = 4"
#15 (10.00 mm) circular needle, 1 strand worsted, stockinette stitch, 12 stitches and 14.5 rows = 4"
#15 (10.00 mm) circular needle, 1 strand worsted, fan lace pattern, 10 stitches = 4" (The pattern expands & contracts in length, and since I am only interested in having one repeat of the pattern--at the bottom edge of a poncho--the number of rows that = 4" isn't of much importance.)
#17 (12.75 mm) circular needle, 1 strand worsted, stockinette stitch, 9 stitches and 16 rows = 4"

For the 97" lower-edge circumference that is used on the Just Us Girls, I would need approximately 250 stitches using #15 circular needle and a single strand of worsted weight yarn (black); but, the pattern repeat is 13 stitches, so I had thought to start with 260 stitches. Then, after a single pattern (17 rows), I would like to change to a Bright & Lofty yarn (black with streaks of bright colors). Since I knit at 8 stitches to the inch with this yarn (on #15 needles--I need to confirm this on my #15 circular needles), I would decrease one stitch out of five on the first row of Bright & Lofty. From that point, I would just use stockinette stitch until I get to within 2" of the total length that I want.

The decreases, I have yet to figure for this combination, but I would ratio to the decreases in the Just Us Girls pattern. For the 2" at the neck, I would go back to the worsted weight yarn (while increasing the stitches, one for each four) and continue in a 1-stitch ribbing. This sounds terribly complicated, now that I write it out, but it doesn't really seem all that complicated--and it means that the poncho is all in one piece. I'll get it all figured out before I start anything AND I'll do something else all together if one of the online poncho patterns pans out.

One of your links led to a quite lovely pattern that is for sale (not expensive--$4 US), that might do the trick. (Then, I wouldn't have to worry about figuring out so many things, myself!) It is at: http://www.jimmybeanswool.com/secure-html/onlinegen/currgen/KnittingPureandSimple/KnittingPureandSimpleWomens.asp?showLarge=true&specPCVID=4433.

[Adele]

Cop Car,
Can I start with a confession? One that will make you laugh in view of my last Comment? I never make a tension piece! Believe it or not I cannot remember ever not achieving the required tension in a knitting pattern. As a result I really respect those people who work so hard to make sure that the tension is right. So, congratulations at doing all those tension squares.

I love that feather and fan poncho pattern. It is really very pretty. I've made a top in the feather and fan pattern in the past and it was quick and easy to make. Do you plan to do the poncho the way it was designed with an all-over pattern or just to do a border of the pattern and then go onto stocking (a.k.a. stockinette) stitch? If you decide to follow the pattern, and you can reach the tension of 5 stitches to the inch on US size 5 needles then you will be laughing - no amendments to the pattern.

[Cop Car]

I would make the Feather & Fan per instructions, Adele; but, there is no way in Hades that I can accomplish their gage with a #5 needle. I note that they start the pattern at the neck and accomplish increases by increasing the size of the needles. I've not seen this, before, and am curious to see how well it works out. Talk about making tension patches! I shall need to make many more of them to achieve the three gages. The F&F instructions use #5, #10, #15--which means that I shall probably be using #9, #15 or #17, and who knows what?

I'm anxiously awaiting the pattern. In fact, in the meantime, I have cast on the stitches and put on the first few rows (garter stitch) to start my own pattern. All it can cost me is my time and a couple of skeins of yarn--and--I just can't wait! (You've surely seen kids awaiting their birthdays? Their anxiety has nothing on mine!) If the pattern comes quickly, I shall put aside my own pattern to work on the F&F.

[Cowtown Pattie]

Interesting - the $500 savings account for every new baby...as long as it is safe from parents drawing on it...

AS to population of the plains states with African species - nuts. I think it is nuts.

"Oh give me a home, where the elephants roam...

Hmmm, not quite as catchy...

[Cop Car]

The more I've thought about the KIDS accounts, the more Ive come to see them as "Privitized Accounts"--in disguise. Still thinking.

[Cowtown Pattie]

Wow! Sunflowers galore! Millie will love this!

What no doves? (tee hee)

[Millie Garfield]

I do, I love it!!! My favorite flower is the sunflower. I wonder how you knew that. Ha, Ha.

You should see my house, I have sunflowers in my bedroom, sunflower magnets on my refig and sunflower plates.

You hit the nail on the head with that birthday greeting.

Thank you so much Evelyn, you sure put a smile on my face.

Millie

[buffy]

Cop Car, remind me to introduce you to my brother-in-law, the retired Air Force pilot. I don't know the designation of the planes he flew, but the last one was a tanker, for refilling planes in mid-air. I'm relieved that he's retired. His job always sounded like an accident waiting to happen.

Have you been to Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio? Dear Husband took me to the museum about sixteen years ago. What a collection of planes! I can see why you and HH would like to visit those museums!

[Cop Car]

Buffy--If your B-I-L flew tankers within the last 30 years, they were (most likely) KC-135 aircraft. If not KC-135, then KC-10--or maybe both. Had he flown tankers back in the "good old days", they would probably have been KC-97 aircraft. The KC-97 is a prop airplane (probably turbo-prop, but I'm not a power plants person), and it (like the jet KC-135) was built by Boeing. The KC-10 is the tanker version of the McDonald-Douglas (now Boeing) DC-10 wide-body jet (trans-continental version).

Yes, I have been to Wright-Pat museum several times--the most recently, just before we came to see you in September 2004 (well, it's no longer called that--they changed the name on the second day of the two days we spent there). I've been to the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum a couple of times--once with the kids and once with HH. There are air museums at Pensacola NAS (Naval Air Station), Ellsworth AFB, Liberal KS, Boeing Seattle, and probably a few more that we've been to that don't come to mind just now (it's my bed time). We've also been to the Atomic museum at Kirtland AFB and the Aerospace museum at Edwards AFB (I went there every once-in-a-while when I worked on base--especially when I wanted to get a "patch" for one of the two or three shuttle landings that I got to witness while there.)

[buffy]

I suspect that you are aware by now that the placement of ninepatches in the sample on the left is called a Single Irish Chain, or just Irish Chain. I bet Pops loves it! You're really moving along.

I have not learned to knit, but I used to crochet, and gauge has a major impact on your garment. If I had been knitting as you described, my hands would have been in knots up under my nose as I furiously knitted away, and my shoulders would have been killing me! I hope that the larger needles solve your problem.

[Cop Car]

Yes, you had taught me about the Irish Chain, some time ago. I just didn't name the pattern in my posting about Pop's lap quilt. I haven't started cutting on it, yet, because I decided to finish up my Practice Project. The front was completed, but I'd never made the sandwich and quilted the thing. Since I had a lot of extra pieces cut, I decided to use them up in a rather random way--piecing them to form the back of the quilt. I got the idea from Lynda Hall, who spoke at our last guild meeting. Most of her backs were just patchworks--usually, unlike mine, rather large patchwork pieces. Although her quilts were darker than I prefer, they really tickled my "oh, that's lovely" response. I liked her attitude: quilting is supposed to be fun! She pooh-poohed some of the "rules" that I had read about quilting. She said, "So what if the points don't meet 'just so'?" My next-door neighbor, who retired at the end of May, is the President of our guild for the coming year (starting October 1). Jane Sassaman is the speaker for our September meeting. It will take me through the week-end to the Practice Project, perhaps.

Friday, when I'm up in Wichita for breakfast with other retirees, I'll stop in to purchase a #15 36" circular needle. The #17 turned out to be just a wee bit large.

[Adele]

Cop Car, as far as the too small poncho is concerned may I make a suggestion? Instead of hunting for a huge pair of knitting needles why not tweek the Knitting pattern itself. That is, if you like the way the lacey knitting looks on the current size needles. You know what tension you can produce. You also know what tension the designer of the poncho was working on and, from that, what size he/she expected the final garment to end up being. Then, using some rather basic arithmetic (well, it must be basic - I can do it)calculate how many stitches/rows you must work at your tension to achieve the same measurements.

There you are, as easy as pie.

[Adele]

Oh, I forgot to mention.

If you have any problems with the knitting pattern just give me a shout. No promises but if I can help then I will.

[Cop Car]

Adele--Thanks for the suggestions and for the kind offer of help. I am just a beginning knitter, and I have instructions for several different projects that I like.

Three years ago, I knitted three sweater vests (over a year's time) that were knitted in two pieces, each. I struggled with joining the fronts and backs, declaring victory on two of them. The third is still waiting for me to join the second shoulder seam. I just cannot see well enough to distinguish what I need to pick up on my darning needle, to join. The horribly wrong poncho was my first project since the sweater vest that is awaiting joining (and my fourth project of any size at all--ever.) I had thought it easy enough for me to tackle since it is not only made in a single piece, but it is almost entirely stockinette stitch.

One of the things that I don't care for in the horribly wrong poncho is that it is rather close-fitting--only 68" around at its 17.5" length. I want a fuller fit. The poncho patterns that are full-fitting are, according to the instructions, made in two like pieces and joined by stitching. This, as I said, I cannot do.

I plan to make a poncho that is a single piece, using a "fan lace" pattern (the directions for which I am taking off of an Afghan pattern) along the bottom edge, and knitting the rest of the poncho in stockinette. I have a pattern for a full-fitting poncho but it is, unfortunately, not only made in two pieces but it is a complicated square-holed lace pattern that I can't hope to do correctly using the bulky yarn that I have bought (as specified in the full-fitting poncho pattern). I plan to take my tapering requirements off of that pattern--how many stitches to decrease in what length of poncho.

My figures say that I want the bottom edge of the poncho to total about 97". Using the smaller gage, I'm not sure that I can stack enough stitches on the needle to make 97". A larger gage, I reason, will more easily stack on the needle. That is why I want to purchase a circular needle that is long and large--so that I can do the poncho all in one piece. Am I wrong on this?

BTW: I have been using Maggie Righetti's "Knitting in Plain English" as my general guide. I bought it (about 20 years ago) when I lived in Albuquerque and never had time to really get into knitting. I did learn to knit in 8th or 9th grade, but our most arduous tasking was to make some little baby bells to hang above a crib, so I am still a beginner!

[Cop Car]

Adele--In re-reading my original posting concerning needle sizes and gages in Ready to Start Cutting, I was still thinking that I might be able to follow the directions on the square-holed lace pattern. I've pretty much convinced myself that that is too far outside my comfort zone. The yarn isn't that easy for me to keep track of, being "Homespun".

[Adele]

Cop Car - I have an idea on this which I am currently researching. Will be in touch again soon about this.