Did someone say there was going to be a little wind?

Wind? At Grand Outlandish? What would it be like? Actually, we had gusts up to 50mph pretty much from 6am till 10pm the whole event starting on Thursday afternoon.

This is the Pirate's flag bending to the wind.











I live in the Kingdom of the Outlands in the barony of al-Barran. Our baronial symbol is the scorpion and this is a picture of Al, a metal sculpture of a scorpion. Unfortunately, you can't see his tail very well as he's got it stuck in the tree. heheh I don't think the wind and dust bothered him a bit.




Tents everywhere! As you can see, some are actually pretty darned good period tents. Way out of my price range, unfortunately. You can see the tops of the tents peeking through the trees in the distance as we had a fairly large event this year. I'm guessing around 400-500 participants.

I know... no knitting pictures yet! Never fear... they will come tomorrow. I promise!

I can't afford one of the really nice period tents. Plus, since I am a single camper... no one with me, it is mandatory that I be able to set my tent up by myself. This one has been darned good and is on its third year of use.





Never let it be said that I don't camp in comfort! I have an elevated frame with an inflated mattress on that. Nice pillow and plenty of blankets since it gets darned cold at night in the mountains.







On the cold evenings, there is nothing better than gathering around a nice fire and trading stories. Unfortunately, with the fire restrictions in New Mexico, the only allowable fire was one you could actually turn off. Propane works great and this copper pit has been modified to have a propane flame. Lava rocks help disperse the flame and it's really nice to sit around in the evenings. Even if they don't let me roast marshmallows over it. Harrruummmp. They tell me they aren't period. hehehehe One of these events I'm gonna sneak some in any way! Probably not as good as over a regular fire but I'll still give it a try. ehhehehehe

I did get a bunch of knitting done on the stockings. I've been told that they really aren't the Queen Elizabeth I stockings since I'm not doing them in the original gauge but they are *based* on the original. Whatever works and helps in documentation works for me. I'll have to see about getting a picture of the progress to show. Won't be much different from the pictures you saw of stocking #1, though! heeheh

What all did you do this weekend?

ME? Not take knitting when camping? Shirley you jest!

I'll be camping this weekend with my local SCA group at Grand Outlandish. Hopefully, I'll remember to take pictures to share with everyone!

Just a small box of yarn and supplies for when/if I want to do something other than knit on the Queen Elizabeth I stocking #2. Stocking #1 is under the bag of red yarn. The extra spool of the silk yarn is right there, too.

Hidden under all of that are 2 pair of unfinished socks, a skein of Cherry Tree Hill Sock yarn if something else strikes my fancy and an assortment of needles mainly because I don't know what size needles I'll need for the Tank Top that I'm going to use the red yarn for.

Also, in there is some Black Chinchilla to make another Chemo Cap, though... that actually might be removed and worked on today since it is for one of the ladies in the SCA.

Memorial Day weekend is fast approaching. What are your plans?

ATTENTION PLEASE! WE HAVE A FOOT!
HEHEHE Actually we have a full stocking. 23" long from the top to the foot and here is the completed foot. 9.5" foot.

I'm very happy to have the first stocking completed and it took me less than a month. I had frogged my first attempt and restarted on April 23 so I'm quite happy that this stocking is done. Now, I just need to make the mate to it and the pair will go to their new home.

First, though, will be two Chemo caps. One in black and the other in a really pretty navy blue Chinchilla yarn. Thankfully, the patterns knit up quickly.

Hurray for Wednesdays! That means Friday is just around the corner!

Another day without any pictures to share but I didn't want you all to think I had forgotten my blog!

The QE I stockings... ehheeh if I can find a free 30 min, I'll have the first one done. Unfortunately, I haven't had a free 30 min lately.

I was on call Monday... worked all day, finally got home around 7:30pm, ate dinner and was scraping the dishes to put them in the dish washer when I got called back into work. Off I went and I didn't get home till midnight. Then back up and off to work again today to not get home till 6:30pm. My paycheck will love the overtime but it's cutting into my knitting time. heheheeh

Is it Friday yet?

Thank you to all who replied to my QE I stockings tie question. Garter stitch wins by a landslide.

Kim also asked about what type of silk yarn I am using so here is a picture of the cone. Inside, the label reads: CASCADE 100% silk Premium quality Nat..Unsc..2000ypp Made in Switzerland.

This yarn, though not stretchy itself, knits up into a very soft fabric with a slight sheen to it.

I really enjoy hearing from people who are reading and enjoying my blog and I'm happy you are all enjoying the progress of these stockings.

I just turned the heel of the first of the Queen Elizabeth I stockings and am working down the gusset on the foot. Hurray!

Though I'm not anywhere near ready to knit the ties of the stockings, please take a look at the site I got the pattern from and tell me if you can tell if the ties are done in garter stitch. I'm rather afraid that, if I do them in stockinette, they will roll horribly.

I look forward to hearing from you and getting all your opinions!

This is the picture of my most recent SCA dress. The only other dress I have made for myself for the group was a plain t-tree type pattern... very shapeless. This was my first attempt at making something more shapely and I think I have regained some confidence so I can try another pattern for later this year.

My Mannequin is almost too big for me... which means I might have to get a new one. heehhe This one has 39" as the smallest bust and I've lost enough weight that I now have a 37" bust but the hips and waist still fit so I can wait a bit longer to buy the next size down, I think.

I'll be taking my Queen Elizabeth I stocking with me to the SCA event this weekend so I should have a lot to show you when I return..... I hope. I do have a case of start-itis right now and I really want to get started on a summer top for myself. I think I actually will use the red yarn for a different pattern. Just need to see what i need to get the gauge... hehehe right now, I have Addi's in 3.25mm and in 3.75mm. I just found out that I don't have any 3.5mm needles. HHuumm.. and no time to buy them before leaving tomorrow so it must be a sign to not swatch but to get to working on the stockings. eheheheh though.... you never know! I actually might get the 6 stitches/inch gauge needed with the 3.25mm needles. LOLOL bad, knitter, bad! You don't need to start another project!!!

So... how many different projects do you have on the needles right now?

As promised... here is another yarn/pattern picture. This is a cable tank top. There is a short cable coming down from the v-neck and then the cable goes up the edge of the neck. I haven't looked super closely at the picture but I think the cable stitch is also at the edge of the arm holes.

On the bottom edge, you do a row of single crochet then a row of reverse single crochet. I've never heard of the latter so I'll have to hunt up some directions on that one.... when I get closer to needing them.




Here is the yarn for the Cable Tank. Cotton and Viscose by Garnstudio. The shine of this yarn doesn't show up in the picture, unfortunately but it's so pretty. I've already been warned by the ladies at the LYS that the yarn is slippery and needs to reside in a zip-lock baggie while working on it. Fore warned is fore armed!

I've done a bit more on the QE I stockings but I had to take this last weekend and sew a new dress for this coming weekend. I thought I would try my hand at making something other than the plain t-dresses I normally wear. Now, I have something that looks a little dressier yet is still washable. I just have to finish hemming both the over and under dress and I'm done.

This Friday, I should be traveling up to Denver for Coronation. That means about 8 hours of knitting time since I won't be driving. :) Wooo hoooooo ! ! ! !

I'll take my camera up but I don't know if they will have the lights off or turned down during the event. When they do that, regular flash doesn't work worth beans when you try to take pictures at any distance other than close up. Time will tell.

What are your plans for this weekend?