Vlog 2: Charity Projects

Hats knit for:   The Charlotte White Center

1st 2 hats:  Chenille Glam Roll Brim Hat

3rd hat:  Beanie Brim Cap

4th hat:  Harlequin Hoodie

5th hat:  Just a Basic Hat

6th hat:  5 Hour Hat & Gaiter

The Red Scarf Project information.  

Busy Needles and Hooks

I know I haven't been posting everyday, but I assure you that I have been very busy with my yarn projects.  Here are some of what has been completed in the past week.

The first project that I completed this week is the Cotton Candy Haze Scarf/Wrap is knit with Berroco Mohair Classic.  I started this a couple years ago and it has been just sitting in a project bag.


It isn't from a pattern.  I just cast on 40 stitches on size 9 needle.  Knit 4 rows of garter stitch. Row 1: Slip 1st stitch purl wise, *yo, k2tog, k1, repeat from * to end of row. Repeat that row 1 until the scarf is as long as you desire. End with 4 rows of garter stitch and bind off loosely.


I like it worn as a wrap or folded in half lengthwise and worn as a scarf.  The mohair and wool makes it super warm.

The next photo is of a Spiral Scrubbie, crocheted in Peaches & Creme stripes Sail Away colorway, and pattern written by Judith Prindle.  It is a very quick crochet and works like a charm and I see many of these in my future :)

Next I made dishcloths from the pattern Dish Cloth on the Edge, written by Rita Maria.  I did change many things in the pattern, so I guess it is more inspired by the pattern.  Essentially, it is a mitered square that is crocheted in the back loop.  I have made several already and love them.  This one was made with the same skein that the Spiral Scrubbie, pictured above, used.







Finally, Ihave been crocheting some little pals!   This guy is so cute and fun to make (Pattern by Kj Hay).  I found him because I decided to start using more of the pattern resources that I already have on hand, so I did a pattern search of my library on Ravelry and he was in one of my Crochet! magazines.  You only need to know how to ch, sc, sl st, and work a magic ring, in order to be able to make one of these cute creatures.  


In the photo I don't have the ends of his hands finished off because it calls for a magnet to be placed inside so he can clasp the hands in a hug and I don't have the magnets at the moment.  I have decided to use hook & loop instead so that he will be more baby friendly.  I like him so much that I am already working on a buddy for him!  


I do have a few more finished objects to share, but they will be saved for another post.  Happy Creativity to you all!  

Cabled Gaiter

Do you hate cold drafts on your neck?  This cabled gaiter is a quick knit in bulky weight yarn with a crocheted edging.  Also, this is a wonderful way to show off some lovely buttons you have collected.

I have this pattern available for purchase on Ravelry or my Etsy shop.  If you are not a knitter, then please contact me to set up a custom creation!

Pigtail Hat

In the cold of winter, a hat is a necessity, but it can be a disaster for your pigtails, ponytails, etc.  Well, Rebecca Dovi has a solution, the Piggle.  This stretchy, lacy hat with openings for pigtails is genius.

The pattern calls for a dk weight yarn, but I used Caron's Simply Soft.  So I made the following modifications.  I substituted size 5 dpns and reduced the cast on to only 80 stitches.  I worked 6 rows of ribbing, then worked 5 repeats of lace pattern. Inserted pigtail holes per instructions and worked 2 more lace repeats then began decreases every 10 sts. It is perfect.  Because the lace rib pattern is so stretchy, it will easily fit a wide range of heads.  I need to make at least one more of these, in purple.


If you are new to lace knitting, don't be intimidated.  This pattern is only a 5 stitch - 4 row repeat. It is simple to memorize and execute.

2 WIPs

My last post told you that I am working on a giant pair of socks for my apartment managers husband. I have only been doing a couple rows per day of the endless leg ribbing. I am just winging a basic sock pattern to make this, so I don't have a link for you. My pictures for this post are bad, because I was lazy and just snapped them on my laptop in my lap.
To alleviate the boredom of ribbing, I have started working on a cowl for myself. It is comprised of 7 crochet motifs attached in a circle which then have stitches picked up and knitted in ribbing. Yes, more ribbing. The yarn is Aegean from my friend Loribird's etsy shop, The Wool Room. The pattern is Amiga. Here is the first completed motif.I will keep you posted on my progress. What are you working on?

Test Knit

I just received a package containing a test knit that I did for designer, Donna Druchunas. The pattern is Monedero from her book, "Ethnic Knitting Discovery: The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and The Andes". She said that the photo shoot is over and included a copy of the book in the package for me.

I must say that this was a little challenging, simply because I had to change the way I knit. This pattern is from the Andean knitting section of the book. They tension the yarn around their neck and then purl from the inside, working in the round. It seemed almost backwards, but as you work along, it becomes a much smoother transition when changing colors in stranded work.

The book is set up in a workbook style and encourages you to learn to work without a line by line pattern. Instead it sets up guidelines and charts, so that you may knit more intuitively. The only thing I would like changed in the book is that it does not have photos, but is illustrated by drawings. Perhaps, having it spiral bound would be helpful too, but I think that of all craft books.

So here is a picture of the drawstring purse, Monedero, made in Brown Sheep Nature Spun Sport.This is a picture of the Monedero with my Mom. Thanks for posing, Mom!

Love getting the mail!

Saturday was a very good mail day. Three packages were delivered to our apartment on Saturday! One was from Wonderbook and contained 10 books on baseball. HUH? Okay, that package was for Ray.

The second package is this beautiful and incredibly soft fiber from CJ Kopec Creations for her June SAL. It is BFL! This is so soft that I just wanted to pet it like a new born kitten. I let it caress my face and I started to put a bowl of milk down for it before I came back to my senses and realized that it isn't a pet. I am still trying to decide how I want to spin it.
The third package I knew exactly what I was going to do with it. I had ordered from Knit Picks the Comfy worsted weight in the Peony colorway so that I could knit the Hey Teach! sweater that is in Knitty Summer 2oo8. I love that sweater and the Knitting Purls group on Ravelry is running a Sweater KAL and a Summer Hotties KAL that this will qualify for. Plus, there are a few others in the KAL knitting the same sweater so if I need help they will be there for me and visa versa. I was so excited that I let the yarn jump on my needles as quickly as possible. I actually swatched! Gasp! It only took 2 swatches to get gauge and I am using a size 9 circular for this (the pattern calls for an 8). Here is my start, yesterday morning. This is the first time I have ever used Knit Picks Comfy yarn and I must say that I love it. It has a wonderful hand feel for a cotton blend and is draping wonderfully for me. It is truely a pleasure to knit with. This was my progress as a of 2 am this morning on the back of the sweater. Insomnia can be a knitters best friend.I am off to start the lace work on the bodice back. Wish me luck as I have never successfully made a sweater that required seaming or lace work, but I have my KAL mates to help if I get stuck.

Some knitting, finally!

Okay, I have dug out the camera and taken some pictures. Perhaps I should have warned you to sit down for that shocking news. I really haven't been knitting that much, or at least not that productively, since the holiday knitting ended. I have been rather fickle about projects, starting and then just frogging the whole thing to start something else. I have no interest in my WIPs at all.

I have finished two projects. The first is a pair of fingerless mitts for.....hold onto your whatevers ....ME! My hands get achy and cold while I knit and crochet, so I decided I need at least one pair of these handy mitts to help me be more comfortable. I may have accidentally discovered a new addiction. Watch out socks, here come the mitts! These are Mirror Twist Mitts designed by Rachel Maxson and made up in Schachenmayr Nomotta Regia Jacquard in the Farbe Partie colorway. The only changes I made to the pattern were to cast on 12 more stitches to accommodate my fat hands(the designer advises adding multiples of 6 stitches to enlarge) and I added matching ribbing to the thumbs.The next project was just easy fun. A cute Starfish Cloth designed by Sew-Funky and made up in Sugar & Cream cotton. Finally, I currently have on my needles a scarf that I am calling Cotton Candy Haze Scarf that I am working up in Berroco Classic Mohair on US size 10.5 needles. What have you been knitting or crocheting? Do you make things mostly for yourself or mostly for others? Do you go through phases in your knitting where, perhaps you only make socks, or only do lace or colorwork? Please share with me in the comments.

Holiday Gift Knitting

My, how time flies! I can't believe there are only 7 weeks, yes, just 7 weeks left until Christmas, which is my gift giving holiday. Many of you may have even less time if you are knitting for other holidays or celebrations. About one-third of my gifts have been made so far and I have so many more gifts to get knit and/or crocheted.

Since I last posted a picture, I have completed a few things. First are 2 pair of thumbless mittens with crocheted I-cords for my twin nieces.

This is a Fun Fur Bottom Hat that I made for another one of my nieces. I should have blocked it before photographing it. What's next? I have cast on for a child size 2 cardigan and I cast on a rather girly hat. I will keep you updated with pictures of those as soon as I complete them.

How are you doing on your holiday gift knitting?

Happy Halloween!!!

I hope that everyone enjoyed the pagan holiday of tricks or treats. I don't have children, so I take my joy from seeing the local children dressed up and giving them candy. I didn't dress up this year. I have a difficult enough time just getting dressed in the morning.

What I did do was knit a wig. Unfortunately I didn't find the wig pattern until last night and wasn't able to complete it until after all the trick or treaters had come and gone. There is always next year, right?

The pattern is the Hallowig designed by Megan Reardon. I do have some obvious errors in the decreases due to sleep knitting. I was knitting when I should have been sleeping but couldn't sleep due to hammering from the apartment above. I tinked back several rows to restart the decreases, but they kept creeping in. Ultimately, I decided that they were the correct number of decreases even if they didn't lean the right way, so I left them. I am modeling the wig, just for you (since I didn't get in finished in time for anyone else). So laugh with me or at me, but laugh!

Aqua Cowl

No, I have not died. I am just lazy. That is why I have not blogged. No excuses here, just simple facts.

Although I am a lazy blogger, that doesn't mean I haven't been knitting. I always have time to knit. I have been working on projects for KnittingPurls Winter Warmies KAL in her Ravelry group. I made this Tube Scarf in Lion Brand Landscapes bulky yarn Deep Sea colorway. The pattern was on the ball band.

The following picture is of The Old Shale Smoke Ring cowl designed by Cosette Cornelius-Bates, knit in Red Heart sport weight aqua colorway. I like this one better.Now I am working on Thumbless Mittens for my twin nieces. Shhhhh, please don't tell them. They aren't 2 years old yet and I don't want to spoil the surprise.

I Dropped A Stitch, WAHOO!

Now why in the world would I be celebrating the dropping of a stitch? Well, if you had read a post of mine about being afraid to drop a stitch in a pattern, the Clapotis, then you know that I had frozen on this bit of the pattern. I actually put the scarf down and didn't touch it again until last night, when some plurk pals encouraged me to move on. I did it! I dropped the stitch and have since, dropped 2 more. Wow, what an incredible feeling to watch that stitch work its way down the scarf and form a ladder. I can't wait to finish this project and wear it.

This may seem like a small step to you, but it is yet another venture outside my comfort zone to expand my creative world. What have you done lately that is out of your comfort zone? I can't wait to hear from you!

A book and a KAL

I have started reading a book, The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs. My sister-in-law had read it and has now lent it to me, for which I am grateful. I have wanted to read one of the many knitting themed novels out there for quite some time. Though I have only just begun the book, I must say that I am already enjoying the familiarity of the LYS and the way the knitting group evolved. The characters are coming to life for me and I am looking forward to seeing where they will take me.

On a different topic, the Knitting Purls Winter Warmies KAL has begun today. For those of you who may not be familiar with what a KAL is, it stands for Knit-A-Long. Several knitters commit to knitting something within a time frame. What they knit may be all the same pattern, or the same yarn/fiber, or perhaps, as in this case, all the same theme. The Winter Warmies theme means that the participants simply have to knit something that keeps them warm in the winter leaving the choice of pattern and fiber up to each knitter. I am helping to organize and moderate it, so in the spirit of the KAL, I have cast on a basic mitten pattern that I have made many dozens of times.

Traffic Cones

I originally made these up as a joke gift for my brother to set on his office desk and indicate an impending paper avalanche or projects that were in danger. Only after the fact, did it occur to me that they would be great for children to use with toy cars and trucks. I like the traditional bright orange, but these are a great, quick way to use up any of your yarn scraps.

Materials:
Worsted weight yarn scraps
U.S. size 5 dpns
Tapestry needle
Polyester fiber fill

Cone: Cast-on 6 stitches and divide them on 3 dpns.
Knit 2 rounds even.
*K1, m1, knit to end of needle, repeat on each needle
Knit 2 rounds even**
Repeat from * to ** until there are 24 stitches total.
Bind off leaving a long tail to sew with.
Weave in the beginning end.

Base: Cast-on 14 stitches.
Knit in garter stitch until length of the square equals the width and bind off. Weave in ends.

Assembly: Stuff the cone with fiberfill, but not so firmly that it starts to bulge the cone. Center the cone on the bottom square and using the long tail, sew the cone to the square and weave in the end. You may want to pin the cone in place to keep it centered while you sew. I didn't.

Notes
1. I used a couple of dpns to knit the bottom too, so I didn't need another set of needles.
2. You could use any weight scrap yarn to make this, but adjust the needles to make sure you are getting a firm (tight) knit fabric, so that the stuffing doesn't poke through.
3. This pattern has not been tested, so please notify me if you find any errors. Thank you!

Tink, tink, tink....

Here I go again. I had cast on to make 2 mittens at a time from the tip down, but it isn't going well. I used Judy's magic cast on, then increased to palm width and knit even to where the thumb needs to appear. The pattern uses a provisional cast on for the thumb stitches, which was easy enough to learn, but I can't figure out how to knit the thumb stitches from one needle to the next. The thumb stitches want to curve around and stretch the connection. I have redone them 3 times and now I think I will just frog it and make them from the cuff up, which I know how to do already.

For the record, I hate quitting. I want to figure this pattern out. If you have any advice, if you have made this pattern up, I would be grateful.

Knit & Crochet community addiction...ugh.

I haven't got much to post about my projects because I haven't gotten much done on them lately. This is because I am online far too much in the knitting and crocheting communities, forums and websites. How I loath to admit it.

Until February of 2008, I didn't know that they existed online and I felt all alone in my yarn obsessions. I don't know why I never before thought to search the net for knitting and crocheting resources. Then I found Ravelry....YIPEE! I love everything about Ravelry and I am grateful it exits. For those of you not familiar with Ravelry, it is a community for knitters, crocheters, spinners and anyone associated with those things. It has provided me with organization of my projects, craft books and future projects. There I can find many patterns and people who understand my interests. The sub-groups are too numerous to list and encompass a wide variety of peoples personalities and interests. (i.e. knitters and crocheters who like Mike Rowe)

But...and this is a big but...finding Ravelry led to me discovering so many other forums which tempt and distract me. This has me online for longer than I ever intend to be and way past my physical comfort zone, as I am in chronic pain. Also, if I am on the net, I am not holding any yarn in my hands!!! This is not a good thing. I pledge that I am going to cut back on my internet time...really, I am, I think...hmmmmm.

Scarves From the Heart

Recently, I stumbled upon Scarves From the Heart and I decided that this is something that I can contribute to. I am on disability, so my funds are extremely limited and I primarily make things for my family as inexpensive, yet loving gifts. Scarves are one of those wonderful things that you can put together from left over bits and pieces from other projects. The more different things they come from, the more colorful and cheerful they will be. So for the past week I have been working on making some scarves to send in and here they are. (As you will see, it has been a rather productive week for scarves)

#1. A scrap scarf, crocheted of 2 worsted weight acrylics from different baby afghans I had made years ago. I just chained 100 and single crocheted in the back loop only for a ribbed effect.

#2 & #3. These scarves are the Spring Scarf pattern by Pam Gillette. The green scarf is crocheted of acrylic yarn that I received in a box from Ray's mom. The blue scarf is crocheted from acrylic yarn left over from one of my nephews afghans.

#4 & #5. The first Spiral Scarf is crocheted of the same blue yarn in the Spring Scarf above. The second one is crocheted of a red/black twist acrylic yarn that I recycled from a sweater that my mother used to own. (sorry the lighting is bad)

#6 & #7. These two scarves I hung side by side because they are knitted in the same yarn and needle, but one is done side-to-side and the other lengthways with Fun Fur Stripes in Mexicali and I find it interesting how different they look.

#8 & #9. These two scarves are crocheted in Fun Fur, but the labels were gone so I do not know the specific color or type of fun fur. I got them from a liquidator for only $1 per skein, so the price was right!