jkirkendall

jkirkendall, 7 months ago to knitting

I’m pretty pleased with my progress as I (finally) dedicate time to learn the continental knitting style. Knitting is picking up speed but I have a really tough time maintaining proper tension in the yarn in my left hand when I do the Norwegian purl stitch. Any advice? I loop the yarn over my middle finger and feed it in over my forefinger.

On a side note, its been funny to watch my right hand forefinger reach out towards the yarn whenever I get confused! 😆

#knitting
#MenWhoKnit
@knitting

jkirkendall, 7 months ago to knitting

Nautilus Shawl from Ravelry, washed and blocked! I substituted an i cord for the original cast off, and I’m really happy with how it turned out.

#MenWhoKnit
#Knitting
@knitting

Detail of one of the points of the scalloped edge showing the I cord cast off.

jkirkendall, 7 months ago to knitting

Cast off the Nautilus shawl (from Ravelry) tonight.

Well, cast off the shawl for the second and final time. I didn't like the cast off in the instructions so I ripped it out and did an i-cord bind off. Learned my lesson about ripping out the longest side of a shawl done in fingerling weight yarn. Won't do that again! 🙃

Will post pics once it's washed and blocked.

@knitting
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#MenWhoKnit

jkirkendall, 8 months ago to knitting

Alright #knitting community. I have been knitting for 40 years and I really need to move to the continental method full time.

I say full time because I do utilize the continental method when I knit with two (sometimes three) strands of color, holding one in my left and one in my right hand, but I do get confused when I have to do more than just knit!

What are your favorite resources for learning continental knitting?

Videos, articles, illustrated guides all welcome!

#MenWhoKnit
@knitting

jkirkendall, 9 months ago to bookstodon

Spent my free time yesterday reading Octavia Butler's very short story Blood Child.

I remain amazed at how she can spin a tale and completely immerse us in a world that she has created with so few words.

#OctaviaButler
#SciFi
@bookstodon

jkirkendall, 9 months ago to philosophy

Can anyone recommend a good book that is both an introduction to #Stoicism and a guide to practically implementing it in one's life? I'd love a recommendation. @bodhidave, any suggestions?

#philosophy
#spirituality
@philosophy

jkirkendall, 9 months ago to bookstodon

I usually listen to Audible books long after the book has been published, but these days, books hit the shelves and Audible the same day.

This hasn't been a problem until now - I'm 15 chapters into the third book of Adrian Tchaikovsky's The Final Architect and I'M SO LOST and y'all there are no cheat sheets or full synopses on the interwebs yet because the book has only recently been released...

It is a testament to Tchaikovsky that I'm still enjoying the book!

#SciFi
@bookstodon

jkirkendall, 9 months ago to knitting

I just organized my circular knitting needles and I have WAAAAYYYYYY too many 24" size 7 circular needles 💁‍♂️

@knitting
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#MenWhoKnit

jkirkendall, 9 months ago to knitting

I'm really, really happy with this piece! Both the blue and the off white yarn were leftover from other projects - the blue is commercial yarn, the off white is minimally processed hand spun. Great pattern - free on Ravelry: the Tidvatten Tide.

@knitting
#MenWhoKnit
#Knitting
#HandSpinning

A white man with white hair and a forehead that just won't end with glasses and blue eyes. He is wearing a hand knit shawl in colors of blue and off white yarn. He smiles knowingly.

jkirkendall, 9 months ago to knitting

Cast this off today and sewed in the loose ends. Tomorrow I'll wash and dry it, and post another pic. The off white yarn is handspun and still has a lot of lanolin in it, so it's a bit stiff. Looking forward to seeing it after I give it a good soak.

Its the Tidvatten Tide on Ravelry, and uses short rows to create the curve. Brilliant, simple design.

#Knitting
#HandSpinning
#FiberArts
@knitting

jkirkendall, 10 months ago to bookstodon

Finished The Hunt for the Mad Wolf's Daughter by @dianemagras! As expected, I loved it! If you're a fan of children's lit, like strong female characters, and want to feel as if you're actually visiting medieval Scotland - I highly recommend this book and the first in the series, The Mad Wolf's Daughter.

@bookstodon

jkirkendall, 10 months ago to knitting

Finished this up today! Hand dyed and hand spun wool, simple top down pattern.

@knitting
#MenWhoKnit
#Knitting
@spinning
#handspun

A hand knit sweater in narrow, random stripes of purple, periwinkle, black, and gray.