Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Halloween Pumpkin


Is this cute or not?
I thought it was kind of cute. Maybe I will try it. Here is the pattern:
You can knit this pumpkin using any yarn, any gauge, and any double-pointed needles.
CO 35 stitches. Divide over 3 DPNs. Start knitting in the round. Mark the beginning of the round. Make sure to keep your stitches untwisted.
k4p1 around for 25 rows. Thread yarn tail through stitches on the needles and pull closed.
Stuff with wool roving, batting, etc.
Using your tapestry needle, thread the cast-on tail around the stitches of your cast-on end to cinch the top closed and with your tapestry needle, bring the yarn down through the pumpkin to the base and pull tight. Knot it to the other remaining tail. Weave in the ends. This procedure causes the dent in at the top and bottom.
make a small i-cord stem and attach.
Embroider a face on your pumpkin if you want.
Knit pumpkins in different sizes by changing your number of cast on stitches (always cast on in multiples of 5) and rows (Do about 10 rows less than my number of cast-on stitches). Make your pumpkin with green yarn and a bobble stitch and call it a gourd.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Monday, September 14, 2009

Husband's remark makes her drop a stitch

This was printed in the Chicago Tribune recently. What do you guys think about this?

Dear Amy: We went away last weekend to our friends' cabin on the river. We love to sit with our friends on their enormous deck. People lounge, eat, chitchat, etc. I brought along some simple knitting projects so that I was able to participate in all the conversations, occasionally putting the knitting in my lap to have eye contact and be more involved. I wasn't working on anything complicated, and it didn't take any concentration to work on it. After we got home, my husband told me he thought it was rude of me to knit (while everybody else is doing nothing really but talking and eating and/or drinking). I always made myself available to help with setting the table or cooking, so it's not as though I just knitted and let everybody else do the daily duties around me.I am floored by this. This wasn't our first visit up there, and the last time we were there we spent so much of our time sitting around and visiting that I was sorry that I hadn't thought to bring my knitting.Be honest: What do you think? Personally, I can't stand to have idle hands, and it's not as though I was engrossed in some novel all the while (which would be rude), or constantly checking my phone and sending and receiving text messages.-- Knit Wit in California

Dear Knit wit: I don't think it's rude to knit in the presence of others. In fact, the world would be a more congenial place if more people laid aside their hand-held devices and picked up some needles and yarn. Knitting and chitchat seem to go well together, certainly if the knitter is working on something uncomplicated and makes an effort to engage and make eye contact with others. You don't mention what about your knitting strikes your husband as rude -- but that would be a good follow-up question to ask him.

Monday, July 27, 2009

On-Hold Socks, Knit from the Toe Up







This was the first time I knit socks from the toe up, and I must say that I probably will not make socks any other way. I can try the socks on as I make them, see how much yarn I'm using (so I know whether to make shorter/longer socks), and even better, there is no grafting or picking up of stitches. The socks knit up in one piece! I used a single circular needle (size 1) and the magic loop technique. I could have used 2 circular needles, and the method can be adapted to knitting 2 socks at the same time. The pattern for these "On-Hold Socks" can be found in Wendy Johnson's Socks from the Toe Up. (There's a better picture of the socks in the book where the lace pattern is more evident.) It's available at the Dove Library. You can also go to her blog: WendyKnits.net where she first published a general formula for making socks from the toe up.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Clever Knits in Vista

Hey, Everyone!

This past Monday, Jim took me to Clever Knits, the new yarn shop that opened in "old" downtown Vista. I met the owner's mom--a very nice lady, but I didn't catch her name. It reminded me of a smaller version of Noble Knits. They don't have the selection of yarns that our more familiar local stores do, but I believe that's largely due to the fact that they're new. What they do have IS REALLY NICE and reasonably priced (for the amount of yarn one gets). I was even able to find a US 0, 40" Addi Turbo Lace circular needle (hard to find!), and it was about $3.00 cheaper than I've seen at other stores.

Here are the particulars on the store: Clever Knits, 214 S. Indiana Avenue, Vista; open 12-8 pm daily (although I think they're open until 10 pm on Tuesdays when they have a knitter's session that I've been told is packed); website is http://cleverknits.com/. The directions to the store are on the website. Jim took his usual roundabout way of going somewhere, so I couldn't give directions to anyone. It's hard to see the store as you drive down Indiana street, but it's just a store away from the Vista Yoga studio (on the same block). They've got classes posted, but I think the one that would interest most of us is the "Owls Sweater Class." It's a 6-session class beginning 8/19, and as long as materials are bought at their store, all 6 sessions cost only $40! From what I see, they go through all sorts of skills like waist shaping, bust increases, joining body and sleeves, etc.

Hope you guys are still knitting!

Mary

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Chockablock Full of House Socks


This was the first time I'd ever made socks. They were fun and easy to do. The pattern for the large girl's socks in taupe may be found in Twelve Months of Knitting by Joanne Yordanou (2008), and the pattern for the toddler's two-tone green socks is found in Simply Baby by Debbie Bliss (2006).

Friday, May 29, 2009

Beaded Gloves


I was amazed how quickly these worked up. Here's a definite case where the instructions don't make sense when read, but when knitting, everything makes sense. Jim picked out the washable wool, and I knit these gloves for my mother-in-law's 80th b-day (not until August). The pattern can be found in Knitting with Beads by Jane Davis, 2003. I used dark brown glass beads.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Another Kiddie Vest


I like making kiddie garments. They're so quick. This one is made in a diamonds and stripes pattern (courtesy of Barbara G. Walker, again). The lighter stripes/diamonds are actually a light pink, but against the dark blue background, they look white.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Nicolette's Candletree Baby Blanket




Hey, Knitting Mates! What's up?




Little Nicolette is due in June, and I made this blanket to welcome her. The block patterns all came from Barbara G. Walker's books: a) Candle Tree (Treasury of Knitting Patterns--1st one), b) Embossed Heart (Charted Knitting Designs--3rd Treasury), c) Lattice with Seed Stitch (Learn-to-Knit Afghan Book). I checked them out at the library (by special request because C'bad doesn't carry them, and there is a waiting list).

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

It's Crochet


I couldn't resist posting these. The beaded crochet pattern for the necklace (red) and choker/child's necklace (vanilla) may be found in Knit and Crochet with Beads by Lily Chin. There's a trick to making the beads appear on the side you consider the front, but I think it's easier than knitting the beads in.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Tommy's Hat

I made this simple hat for my brother. A couple of weeks ago he brought out the hat I had made him when I first began knitting. It looked like a shower cap on his head, so I thought he needed an upgrade. I thought the orange-ish pattern in the yarn would look good with his hair.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Icing Swirl Hat


This hat is knit from the top down which was new to me. It begins with a simple i-cord and and a series of yarn overs which account for the increases. It was fun to make but came out a little too small and tight around the band. I may make it again using bigger needles and will make sure to bind off loosely.

Aidan's Tricolor Wave Vest


My little friend, Aidan, will be one year old this May. I made this vest for him to grow into. It's done in dark purple & blue with light purple tricolor wave stripes. I wanted a loose rib: one that wouldn't hug and bunch up at the bottom, so I used a wheat ear rib (both the striping and rib patterns may be found in A Treasury of Knitting Patterns, Barbara G. Walker, 1968).

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Something for Mama


My good friend, Renee, is expecting a baby girl. Though I'm making something for baby Nicolette, I thought it would be nice to make something for mom, too. The beaded necklace was knit in size 10 crochet cotton and strung with size 11 glass beads. The "Harry Winston Has Nothing on Me" necklace pattern is from Knit & Crochet with Beads, 2004, by Lily Chin.

Elise's Cloverleaf Hat & Scarf

My cutest neighbor, Elise, is sporting a new hat and scarf. (I should have made it thinner and longer; she's going to outgrow that scarf in no time!) It's done all over in a cloverleaf eyelet pattern (from Barbara Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns, 1968) with seed stitch borders and beaded fringe for the hat. What a doll! (By the way, that's proud daddy, Glen, helping Elise model her new accessories.)

Monday, March 23, 2009

Another Ruffled Scarf


I made another ruffled scarf. This time I used one and a half skeins of Malabrigo chunky yarn so it would be longer. It worked out nicely.

The Ruffled Ascot




Friday, March 20, 2009

This Could Me Soon


I found a free doggy sweater pattern that I was going to attempt this weekend (it was just a matter of time) when I came across this little number...
I think this entire ensemble qualifies to be in here: http://whatnottoknit.wordpress.com/

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Just Enough Ruffles Scarf











I made two of these scarves. The variegated one came out better because it was longer and I thought the colors would look nice with jeans and a white t-shirt. It almost looks camo-ish. I casted on 300 instead of 200 for the blue one. My fingers still hurt from binding off 900 stitches last night. Here is a link to the pattern: http://www.cosmicpluto.com/blog/?p=1027


I can email it if anyone wants it, because they want to charge you for it.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Anyone out there?

Am I the only one knitting?


I am calling this one Crazy Aunt Ethel

It came out sorta bucket shape, and it really cute with the eyelash yarn

This is a quick beanie I made for my nephew

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Keyhole scarf

Modeled by the lovely and talented Bailey Babette

Fur and buttons


Tuesday, March 3, 2009

holding yarn

I'm having trouble finding a comfortable way to hold my yarn. The way I am doing it takes a long time to knit/purl a row..Any help?

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Ruffled Scarf


I finished this easy scarf in about two nights of tv watching. Jim made me watch Friday night fishing so I could devote a lot of attention to the scarf... I love this yarn, but the scarf came out a bit short since I knit so tightly. I actually used my camera to take the photos instead of my phone, so the pictures look much better. Here is the link to the pattern:

Friday, February 27, 2009

Yarn Stash Trade


I was just thinking about my ridiculously huge yarn stash. I have quite a few skeins that I no longer need or want. Just wondering if anyone else has this problem? I have given some older cheap yarn away to the good will, but I still have some really nice stuff that I just don't care for as much anymore. I was thinking we could have a yarn stash trade if anyone is interested. Any thoughts?

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Pink!

This afghan was made for the Christmas blanket drive held by the Social Services Department in Escondido. My neighbor, Miriam, works in adoptions, and the blankets are given to foster children. I got the pattern book from one of Jim's aunts after she passed away (Bernat Afghans, #132, 1966--it only cost $1.60!). It lacked some crucial information, and I took apart every panel save one before I could get it to work. Now I know why his aunt never made this afghan (the booklet is precious with her notes and comments). This afghan will be donated next year. Sorry about the picture above--the colors are much more vivid, I just couldn't get my camera to cooperate. If you espy a little lump in the center, that's Cricket, our cat. She loves to help with all my projects.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Wrist Warmers

I think these look really cool. The link below will take you to the free pattern and free chart to follow for the leopard print. I think I may make a hat. I also found a mitten pattern with leopard print.
http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/en/visoppskrift.php?d_nr=0&d_id=401&lang=en

Monday, February 16, 2009

Girly Cabled Brimmed Beanie
















I REALLY wanted to make this cute hat. I decided that this year I want to advance my skills and take on more complex projects. I met Mary (the knit whisperer) at the cafe a couple of weeks ago and she showed me how to do cables (very easy) and a few other tricky stitches. First I made the hat in a beige color and it came out way too small. So I upped my needle size and yarn weight by one and followed the same pattern and it fit perfectly. I made the beanie and the strip (complete with button holes) across the front with zero errors. It looked and fit perfect. Next, I began working on the brim. I tried it three times and also tried doing it on some test pieces at least five times. It just didn't look that great. I could not grasp the M1R and M1L concept the pattern designer came up with. I spent two days trying to perfect it (swearing) and searching the internet for the technique - with no avail. Finally, I just did it my own way by cutting out a small brim of heavy cardboard, knitting a strip to cover it and sewing it on. It looked fine. The hat also looked really nice without a brim at all. The leopard print buttons completed the look. Here is a link to the pattern: http://www.rosi-g.com/uploads/capitanhat.pdf

Friday, February 13, 2009

Coffee Sweater

After trying 3 different prototypes I finally googled "cup cozy" and found a pattern. I had to modify the pattern I found to my yarn and needle size. I used the cotton "Sugar and Cream" yarn and size 5 needles. It is a tad big, but I adjusted the button so it would fit more sung around the cup.

Oh, and I learned how to do a keyhole stitch!