A-Nano-Knittomy

Rear Window

2010-02-10T16:37:00.001-08:00

It poured and thundered most of yesterday. Then suddenly, from my kitchen window, I spied a double rainbow. By the time I got my camera and went outside, the second rainbow had faded some. But it was quite a spectacular view. You can barely see the second one, but it's still nice.

Had to knit me a Citron. It's just so pretty.

My Flammulated Citron knit in Zitron Trekking Hand Art in Fire. It's a lot of stocking stitch, but it was a fun knit for me. And, well, the end result speaks for itself, dontcha think?

It's been just gorgeous out today. I'm thinking it's time to take a little stroll in the neighborhood. Then back for some hot spice tea. A good night to sit and finish projects. Not knitting tonight, just writing and charting. Nice!

Thunderbolts & Lightning!

2010-02-09T14:01:00.000-08:00

While I suppose lightning, thunder and pouring rain are mild weather conditions compared to what other parts of this nation and the world are enduring, it's still disturbing for us in So Cali. I can hear sirens galore. Mostly because people forget how to drive as soon as there's a drizzle much less this kind of rain. The consolation is that we sure could use the rain.

On the knitting front, I finished these fingerless mitts a while ago, but just now getting around to posting about them. Pretty basic, and, well, my favorite thing to knit. The Fingerless Blues were for a friend of my niece and the Basic Blacks are for her BF.

I managed to bake a cake last week. A banana cake. Pretty simple recipe and tasty.
Before baking.
Fresh from the oven!
Half devoured!
Lately it seems baking and cooking are running a close second to my knitting.

I have a major project I'm working on. More about that a little later. Yes, knitting related. And I have a pair of socks to design for the Sock & Fingerless Mitt Club from Robin's Nest Yarn. Indie dyers and designers have teamed up to make up a great year of knitting. Stay tuned! More about that coming as well.

Only 93 days left until The Hands On Retreat in Chicago! Did I mention how good I've been feeling lately?

Feeling Good

2010-01-31T11:31:00.000-08:00

That about sums up my life right now. It's been a long haul, I see nothing but uphill from here.

So many good things happening for me right now. I'll be posting regularly (I know, I've said that before) with updates and news as things progress.

I can tell you that the Hands On Retreat is coming up real soon, May 13 - 16, 2010, in Chicago, IL. I'm very happy to say not only will I be there, but I'm teaching some classes as well. Some classes still available, so check it out if you're interested in coming.

My knitting is coming along fine. Updates on all that's new and good soon. I have numerous patterns available on Ravelry. And, well, overall.... I'm Feeling Good!

A Most Fitting Reason To Come Back

2009-04-24T20:35:00.000-07:00

I've been away. Not from my usual life, nor from my crafting life. Just from my blog life. So I've had some time to reflect. On many aspects of my life. And even with the unpleasantness that has been hovering around me for a while, I realize that I'm still quite fortunate in so many ways.

Today is April 24, the day in history that commemorates/ mourns the Armenian Genocide. I just wanted to do my small part in recognizing this day.

My grandpa on my mom’s side was a Freedom Fighter during this time keeping his family's village/territory as well as surrounding areas fairly incident free. He spent months at a time fighting this aggression as well as fighting communist aggression. He continued to fight for human rights and freedom until 1928, when he and his driver were killed when his vehicle was sabotaged and run off a mountain road.

I salute the people, throughout history, during any conflict, who selflessly give to assure others the simple right to live peacefully, and mourn those who’ve lost their lives needlessly due to human greed and power.

It Was A Feast

2008-11-28T14:39:00.000-08:00

Non-traditional Thanksgiving dinner. We decided to do it different this year. And though I did miss all of the pleasant scents of the traditional holiday dinner wafting throughout the house, I truly enjoyed what we had. Marinated chicken and beef kabobs, and an amazingly tasty ground beef mix kabob done to perfection by my sister.

Grilled Asian eggplant, poblano peppers and vine tomatoes. So amazingly tasty.

Savory turnovers made with puff pastry filled with a delicious spinach and feta cheese combo.

The green onions (for grilling) and fresh herbs. Feta cheese. I didn't get pictures of everything. Or any pictures of dessert. Anyway, it was great and we had a lot of fun. Another dysfunctional Thanksgiving under our belts.

On the knitting front, so much going on. But first a pic of my niece wearing my Arboreal Cowl knit in Wool-Ease Thick & Quick. What a great pattern and nice cuddly warm cowl.

I knit my Lady Emily Fingerless Mitts from Off The Cuff in STR Korppi lightweight.

Oh, I've also sewn a few needle rolls, or as they've come to be known in Ravelry, Nano-Rolls. More on these later.

Cobwebs And Dust...

2008-09-08T16:16:00.000-07:00

All of the cobwebs are cleaned up and I've dusted and swept. Amazing what happens when something is left untouched.

It's been awfully busy around here. Not that anyone would know. I haven't really had any inclination to write or update, but now there are some things worth mentioning.

First, I have two patterns coming out in a book, Off The Cuff, which will be available around October 1st. It's currently available for pre-order. You can preview some of the designs here as well as order. Both of my designs are on the cover! How exciting is that? Has me grinning ear to ear, but I can't help myself. They're also having a contest for anyone who is a member of Ravelry's Fingerless Gloves Fanatics Group. Pre-order a book by September 15, give your Rav name and be entered to win $100 worth of yarn and goodies.

On a calmer note, but still very excited, I finished my Chevron III. I can't believe it's off the needles. And so pretty.

Knit with Austermann Smaragd Classic from Elann.com. Great yarn and price. Washable too. This is for the lovely Omega. I meant to have it done by last Christmas, but hey, at least it's done before Christmas '08, right?

The next BIG thing I finished was my Kusha Kusha Scarf. Over one year on the needles. It was tedious, but I love the end results.

Finally, for now, my Luna Moth Shawl. On my needles since May '07, I really didn't think I'd ever get the gumption to finish it. But I did. And I love it!

Knit in Elann Callista, a rayon/ cotton/ linen blend. It hasn't been blocked yet, I'll get pictures when that's done. It's just been too hot to do anything like that for a while.

Special thanks to the Ravelympics for the motivation to finish these three items. I'm so glad I had a last minute change of heart and decided to join the WIP Wrestling team rather than cast on something new (which I do all of the time anyway).

I have quite a few more finished objects, but I'll get to them later. Ravelry takes up some of my time, and I have a couple of other projects keeping me busy as well. Other than that, all is well, the usual ups and downs, but life goes on.

What's This? More Than One Post In a Month?

2008-06-11T20:12:00.000-07:00

It was a bit of a challange knitting gloves for my friends daughter. She's getting married Friday, yes the 13th. But she's unconventional like that. I decided on cotton because it will likely be a warm day. After trying a few patterns, it just wasn't working quite as I envisioned. So what else could I do but wing it. After knitting the first one, I was so impressed, well, I had to write the pattern up. It's pretty, feminine while not too frilly, and best of all a quick knit. The pattern for Always & Forever is available here as well as a PDF download on Ravelry. Knit with Patons Grace, which was a very nice experience. I'm not usually a 'cotton knitter', but this yarn may have changed my mind.

The Jasmine Mitts, which came before the wedding mitts but were left on the wayside while I worked the white ones, are so soft and comfy in Dale Baby Ull.

The pattern is here as well as a Ravelry download.

Other than that, the weather is lovely. Life goes on without much interruption. And, well, I think I'm on a roll. I've been knitting pretty regularly. Makes me happy.

It's All About The Gloves

2008-06-08T10:26:00.000-07:00

Don't ask how I've been able to contain myself this long, but I have a pattern coming out in a book later this year. Unfortunately, that's all I can tell you now, but more info as it becomes available.

In the meantime, I test knit these Eden gloves for Gannigle, an up and coming new designer. Gorgeous gloves and great pattern, which is available on Etsy as well as a download purchase on Ravelry. Knit with Regia 4-ply.

Unique cuff. My photo doesn't do it justice.

I never did get around to showing this version of the Breakfast at Cafe Du Monde gloves I knit for a Ravelry glove swap in April. Same pattern, only knit in one color and finger spaces eliminated per the recipients preference. Knit in Elann Peruvian Baby Cashmere, which is a dream to knit with and so reasonable.

Can you believe how fast time is flying? It seems we just celebrated the year end holidays and already almost half the year is gone. As usual, I have numerous FO's hanging around.

Clearly, I spend too much time with Ravely, but at least I'm getting things done. I have a bit of time off work, so I'll be churning out the FO's. Oh sure... best laid plans and all that you know. Until next time...

It's About Time

2008-05-05T19:43:00.000-07:00

I've been busy, I really have, but just not inspired to write about anything.

Just finished a pair of Bronte's Mitts for a Ravelry KAL. Loved the pattern. Such an easy knit for a very pretty pair of girly mitts. I knit them in Rowan Cashsoft 4 ply, which is so soft and pretty. The only mods I made were to use size 3 & 5 needles rather than the recommended 4 & 6, and added a row just before knitting the thumb waste yarn. Otherwise it's a great pattern and a very quick knit. I did make a mistake on one of the cuffs and had to redo it, but that was my fault. It's all fixed now.

I finally blocked my Chevron II. Well, not exactly blocked, but gave it a good steaming. Turned out very nice and drapes very nicely. The reason my blocking or steaming had come to a halt was because my iron was missing. How does an iron get on the "missing - nowhere in sight" list you ask? I bought a new iron, just before my home renovations, and had no idea where it was. My daughter and sisters helpe me with clean up after everything was done, and I was afraid it may have been tossed in a Goodwill bag by someone. I know, I could've bought another one, but I always had hope. Anyway, it's found and works beautifully.

Also finished this slouch hat for my sister Jasmine for her birthday, which was April 12. Yeah, I've been away for a while. She's quite glitzy when she wants to be and pulls it off with class. She loved it. Well, I should hope so, since she picked the yarn and all.

So much more to talk about and show. I probably should write while I'm in the mood, but it can wait.

Keep creating!

The Mystery of Missing Posts

2008-04-05T09:51:00.000-07:00

All of my posts were missing from my edit page, until today. They were showing on my blog, but I couldn't find them on my edit page. Now they're back. Not sure what happened or why, but it's fixed now.

Simple fingerless gloves knit with STR medium weight. The yarn for both of these was left over from my Chevron Scarf. Can't seem to knit enough fingerless gloves. My current obsession.

Hadn't knit my Skully for a while, but I received a request to knit one in solid black for Lupe Fiasco. He's currently wearing the scarf on tour. Or so I hear. Still waiting for the picture...

I recently watched No Country For Old Men. A Joel & Ethan Coen film. Have you seen it? Very intense, but a typical Coen brothers film. Love them. I'm on a movie kick these days. Catching up with movies I've missed and re-watching some old favorites. Love my Netflix.

It's April already. Time is flying so fast, I can't keep up. Numerous FO's still hanging around as well as 'loose ends' to finish. I think I'm overdue for a vacation.

Finish Everything on Your Plate....

2008-03-12T21:11:00.000-07:00

Or you won't get dessert!

I am so ready for dessert, but I still have bits and pieces on my plate. It's been tough doing all of the finishing on my knits, but I'm getting there. These gloves have been done for a while but needed weaving in of ends and all that. Finally, my second Breakfast at Cafe du Monde Gloves. Love them. Made them for a friend, um... they were meant to be a Christmas gift, but well, this is how it goes sometimes.

Knit in Elann Peruvian Baby Silk and used less than 2 skeins. It was so difficult finding matching ribbon, I finally settled on a pale salmon organza. The contrast is knit with Knit Picks Palette since they didn't have the cream color in Baby Silk when I bought the yarn.

Also, I redid my Stripey Slouchy Beret in Knit Picks Swish Superwash merino. It's a great yarn actually, at a very reasonable price. This hat was inspired by a picture of a Louisa Harding hat, but I just winged it the first time and finally double checked my pattern. The pattern can be found here. The flowers are from Nicky Epstein's Knitted Flowers knit in Austermann Smaragd Classic.

Since I've been working on a Blythe wardrobe, my ever thoughtful gem of a daughter bought me 2 dress forms for Blythe. How cute is this??

So much has been happening but once again, I've been away for so long. I'll get to everything else later. Let the creative juices flow!

My My My

2008-02-14T20:35:00.000-08:00

So pretty. I'm not really into all of this, but I suppose somewhere, in the pit of my heart, there must be a litte bit of a romantic. This year especially, I've toyed with heart projects, used a lot of red in my work and just felt a little, oh, what shall I call it, softer? My lovely niece once again delivered my box of Turtles. Love them. I only had one. So far.

Another month flew by and little accomplished knitwise. That never stops me from increasing my stash and other goodies I need or is it want? No, it's a definite need. My drug of choice. Maybe a little TMI, but i love the feel and smell of yarn. I think I admire my acquisitions, spend a lot of time "designing" and choosing projects more than actually working on anything lately. A tad quirky but not my only quirkiness ya know.

I've been on a glove kick lately. I must have knit the equivalent of 4 pairs, then ripped most of them, but somehow enjoyed that process. Chalked it up to learning experience. Changed a little here and there. Add this, decrease that. It's all good. So I bought more of the Peruvian Silk Baby Silk from Elann.com. What else could I do? It knits up beautifully and feels oh so good.

What can I say about the Silken Kydd? Luscious. I'm going to knit that barely there lace sweater pictured at elann, pattern in Vogue Knitting Holiday 2005. Rather ambitous, but I should get it done in time for a Christmas gift this year, I think?

I'm slowly but surely trying to replace all of my needles with bamboo. These pictured were bought from Spin Blessing, where I was able to find some hard to get dpn's. Namely 4 & 5 inchers I'll now be using for knitting fingers on my gloves. Makes things a lot easier not having those long needle ends sticking out around a circle of, oh 18 or 20 stitches. I do like the 5 inchers a little better. Easier to handle. And though it's hard to tell from the pic, the little single points are only 2 1/2" long. Not for knitting, but I'll pose them with my Blythe when I get her all dressed. She'll be a knitter, of course.

And my red gloves are coming along. A few changes prevented me from finishing today, but I'm almost there. Love them.

Everything else needs finishing touches, blocking, weaving in ends, etc. The part I like the least.

I never mean to stay away from my blog for so long, but the days are just flying for me. Somehow "later" or "tomorrow" just doesn't happen. I'm really going to try and post more often. So if I start blithering and talking about anything and everything that happens to me, bear with me. It's all in an effort to be around more and not disappear. Really.

Ravelry!

2008-01-15T14:34:00.000-08:00

Dontcha just love it?!

Even though I became a member of Ravelry in September '07, I really just started checking into it this month. WOW! Love it. So much that it's now taking too much of my time. But what the heck.

One of the groups I joined is Armenian Knitting. A whole new, well not new but rediscovered, technique for intarsia knitting. Started my project last night. I know, I should finish what's on the needles first, but you know how that goes.

Here's a sample of my "swatch", which is really a hat from the Vogue Winter 05-06 issue. The technique is really not as complicated as it seems. Check it out if you have that issue of Vogue or the group in Ravelry.

Come on... Join the group!

I'm So Excited I Could Just....

2008-01-07T22:35:00.000-08:00

I can't remember the last time I was this excited about a project, so I had to show them off before I finished. Well wait, I can remember, my socks, of course! But back to my second Breakfast At Cafe' du Monde Gloves. Easier to knit than the first ones, but I think the yarn has made a world of difference. This time knit with Elann Peruvian Baby Silk.

Love the yarn, love these gloves. I just started the fingers tonight. Should have them done by tomorrow evening. Not that I'm rushing, but then again maybe I am, since they were promised to Nancy last March. Well, she knew I wasn't going to knit them right away, but I doubt she thought it would take this long either. They were intended to be a Christmas gift, blah, blah, blah... you know how that goes.

So everything else is on hold for the moment until I finish these gloves.

And I wanted to share pictures of my nephews boy wearing his Spongebob hat. How precious is this? He's adorable and a bundle of personality.

Until next time.... back to finger knitting.

Call Me Crazy

2007-12-30T14:29:00.000-08:00

It wouldn't be the first time. I started a new Chevron Scarf. Solid red. Lovely. For my daughters girlfriend. I missed the Christmas deadline, but she'll get it in enough time to use while it's still cold. Not only am I zippiing right through, but the yarn is just great. It's Austermann Smaragd Classic, 100% Superwash Wool. Knits up beautifully, looks and feels great. And you can't beat the price. Good ole Elann.com comes through again.

So my nephews youngest LOVES Spongebob Squarepants. Searcing around for a hat pattern I came across this. Pure genius, I thought. It inspired my little hat for Aidan. I knit the hat using my tried and true pattern, used I-cord for the legs and nose, and took the lazy way out and used felt for the face embellishements. I did use Kody Mays pattern for the arms. Needless to say the look on his face when he saw it was priceless.

Besides being crazy, I must have masochistic tendancies. I knit up another pair of wire votive sleeves. This time a little harder on the fingers than I remembered. But they turned out lovely and my nephews wife loved them. Her favorite colors.

Needing some mindless needlecraft, I crocheted this trivet for my niece. She saw one I had made years ago, at my sister's, and wanted one. Lily's crochet cotton works for me. I have the pattern from an online source a few years back, but I can't find it online anymore and don't know if I can reprint the pattern here or not.

And, if you see this in time, there's a contest going on here. Hurry, the deadline to enter is December 31. I just found out about it today. Sadly, it's only open to residents of the U.S., Canada and D of C.

Happy, healthy, safe New Year to everyone. Let's make it a stellar creative year.

Oh Joy!

2007-12-20T20:41:00.000-08:00

I've done it! My sock pattern is posted on my new pattern blog. Rather ambitious, don't you think? I had so much fun creating this pattern, I'm hoping I'll have lots more in the future. For once I actually wrote down what I did rather than winging it and making a one-of-a-kind.

My socks are called Twitterpated, a word I first heard in the Disney cartoon, Bambi. It seemed right. I even looked it up and was surprised to find it in the dictionary. But it does define how I feel about these socks. Yeah well, we all have our little quirks.

What better time than now to give back to a wonderful group of people who are so giving. Which brings me, once again, to thanking everyone in the blog community and on the internet who give throughout the year. We inspire, share ideas, our creations and passions. And some days, no matter how rough it's been, I can count on reading something funny and forgetting my worries, even if briefly. We stick together through the highs and the lows, the good and bad, and continue to connect through common interests.

And now a little about my latest aquisitions. I finally received my copy of Last Minute Patchwork & Quilted Gifts. Lovely, lovely. I may not attempt every project in this book, but there are plenty to choose from.

MaryJane's Stitching Room is another book I just love. So many wonderful things in this one too.

Pretty Little Pincushions. The title says it all. I've already started a couple of these.

From my sister, a pre-Christmas gift, The Harmony Guides 300 Crochet Stitches.

Lace Style. Perfect. So many things I want to make from this one.

And finally, from my daughter, Subversive Cross Stitch. With her special requests for what she wants from this book. Some of those are done too.

Normally, I'd post pictures of my books, but I didn't have time to do that, and besides, you get a better idea from the links. But I will have pics of my finished projects after the holidays. Maybe before.

Needless to say, these projects will keep me very busy for a while. Or will these books just join my ever expanding library and increase my dusting duties? Who knows.

I Have Learned... Part II

2007-12-18T10:58:00.000-08:00

1) To back away when I don’t “feel it” anymore (Blogging, crafting, etc.).
2) I really love knitting socks (but I knew that anyway).
3) My mind and body can’t handle 1 & 4 am feedings anymore (more on this below).
4) Swiffer WetMop leaves a dull film on my new floor.
5) “Speed Checked By Radar” is real.
6) I really dislike the frenetic holiday madness (but I already knew that too).
7) I can ruin a toaster oven by turning it to ‘Oven’ instead of ‘Off’.
8) I love bamboo knitting needles.
9) Hand sewing ain’t so bad after all.
10) My daughter is more brilliant than a diamond!

So.... I'm minding my own business, or lack of, pondering my inability to knit, sew, craft or do anything creative. Suddenly my sister tells me about 2 abandoned kittens in the yard. She's frantic... I know this means trouble. We put them in a safe place, waited for the mommy to retrieve them, but to no avail.

These beautiful babies were about 2 or 3 weeks old. Very cold and hungry. While I've had indoor cat companions for the past 15 years or so, I had no idea about the care of baby kitties. Research, contact animal rescue agencies, disappointmemt at the lack of available help... PANIC!!!

About 3 weeks old.

Long story short, or longer, we ended up having to keep the babies and nurse them to health and growth. Of course, I ended up with the babies 24/7, due to my flexible schedule, with a lot of help from my sister. The first 2 weeks were madness. Constant attention and feeding was needed. Which brings me to the 1 & 4 am feedings. Have you ever bottle fed an animal? It's a most precious experience, but I tell you, for someone who thinks sleeping is a waste of time, I have never felt the need for rest and sleep as much as I did for those first 3 weeks of care.

We built them a 6x6' playpen, since I had to isolate them from my senior cats. Fed, loved, cared for them for 5 weeks. When they started to jump out of the playpen, which was about 3 feet high, it was time for adoption. I found a great agency that took my little ones in. It was an emotional but much needed move. I miss them dearly.

About 8 weeks old.

Speed Checked By Radar... Yes it's true, I was clocked at 86 mph in a 65 zone. Picture depletion of bank account. My first ticket in about 25 years. I hope they take that into account.

And finally, I've written a sock pattern. Yes, yes, I have! The kitties were inspiring (or maybe it was the lack of sleep time and needing something to do). The socks are all knitted and ready, the pattern is checked and double checked. I will post this as soon as I get pictures, hopefully in the next day or two.

I Have Learned...

2007-10-20T14:10:00.001-07:00

1. I am not Superwoman. Anymore.
2. Five day work weeks suck the big one.
3. I can let things go and not worry about them so much.
4. I can get so relaxed, I don't give a damn about anything. (without the aid of drugs or alcohol)
5. Chrome coffee carafes make crappy tasting coffee.
6. Time flies much too quickly.
7. Home renovations are a pain in the ass. (but worth it!)
8. White floors are a also a pain in the ass. (not so worth it)
9. Letting go of material things gives me a great feeling.
10. My daughter is a priceless gem!

There's more, but that's quite enough for now.

My Chevron the Sequel is done!. Presented here ends still not weaved in, jelly roll style, because I still don't have the appropriate space to do the blocking.

My Gentlemens Socks are still languishing, but will be done. Eventually.

And up top, my "next sock" yarn. Fleece Artist hand dyed merino. I may start them before I finish the above socks. Who knows.

What do you Do?

2007-09-22T11:11:00.000-07:00

When there's so much to do, but you don't know where to start? Well... you start goofing around on the computer. That's what I do. A little fun never hurt, right? The only thing that's hurting is all of the work that needs to be done around here.

My new motto... never do today what you can save for tomorrow.

So... I found these fun generators this morning, had a good laugh and wasted a good two hours. I decided to share some and spread the laughs with these time wasters.

If you've ever played with a Rubiks Cube and went crazy, then either bought or somehow found the solution, here's a generator that will let you make a cube of your own with a pic of your choosing. Slightly fun on the extreme fun scale.

If you're in the mood for a Goth name, try the Goth Name Generator. My goth name is: Leather Pleasure. Sheesh!

I like this one, it's a bit artsy. Turn any photo into a sketch. Kinda cool.

Now... the grand finale. You can turn yourself or a pair of people of your choice into dancers. I had a good laugh with this one. Here you can see me doing a sexy dance. Go ahead, have a laugh on me. And here you can create yourself dancing, if you're so inclined.

Yes, in extreme stressful times, my computer is a great toy.

And because I can't post without a photo, here's a pic of one of my kitties made into a Rubik's Cube.

Will It Ever End??

2007-09-20T22:07:00.001-07:00

So... I was very excited after my kitchen floor was almost done last weekend. I immediately took this picture when the installers left. Never mind the left over tile, foot prints and huge glue container. I love my new floor. This is where my kitchen table & chairs will sit. Lovely!

My almost finished floor.

Here we have my unsightly water heater in the porch almost covered with a new wall. They forgot to consider that it can't be completely covered because it's gas & combustible, so no door. They're still working on solving the finishing dilemma.

And finally, when I turned around after admiring my almost complete floor... this is what I saw. Had to deal with this all last weekend. Lots of throw-aways and Goodwill stuff. Major pain in the arse.

My daughter's going to paint the table base this weeked. The hood over the stove is being changed. The counter tops are being replaced. Everything blue is going out the door!

My new gas range is being delivered Saturday morning. Now I can cook and bake to my hearts delight. Well, when I feel like it anyway.

The living room is still a work in progress, the dining room still needs paint, the bathroom is very close to done. Ohhhh.... window coverings, new kitchen chairs. Will it ever end? It's Pandora's Box.

My crafting has taken a back seat. I can't believe I haven't touched a thing... no knitting, no sewing, no crochet, no nothing. But by the end of this month I should be back in the swing of things. Famous last words....

I Wish....

2007-09-02T13:37:00.000-07:00

I could say had been on a whirlwind world tour.... or or just basking somewhere tropical drinking mai tais, or even had been abducted by aliens. But no. I've been here, not crafting a whole lot, but recovering from all of the drama of late. Then Bam! the remodeling of my house started a little ahead of schedule. While it's much needed and will make my home oh so beautiful once again, it's taking it's toll on me.

My place is in shambles. Torn out old floors, sanding of walls (which means dusty residue everywhere... and I do mean everywhere), painting, sofas and chairs out for reupholstery.... woe is me. But I'm patient and know in the end I'll be very happy. I should've taken photos of the mess, but who wants to see that. I'll take photos when it's done.

In the meantime, I knit up this oversized beret which is slipping off my models head. But you get the idea.

And I have 2 dolls done and 3 in the works. It's been great therapy.

This little waif is wearing the Purl Rabbit sweater and pants. Love them!

Update or How To Rehash The Old

2007-07-16T14:28:00.000-07:00

The knitting of the Kusha scarf came to a temporary halt. I just couldn't get my knit groove on with my needles on hand. The 14 inchers were not comfortable, circulars didn't cut it, metal or otherwise. So being that I can be ~~anal~~ meticulous about some things, I ordered new needles so I can continue. They're Crystal Palace Bamboo. Had a hard time finding 9" needles, so I had to wait for them by mail. It was worth the wait and made all the difference for me.

In the meantime, with the trauma and drama around here of late, I almost lost my knitting mojo alltogether. These socks are driving me nuts. I love knitting socks and don't know why it's taking me forever to finish these. But heels are turned and I think I'm finally on my way.

My Chevron the Sequel is almost there. But... almost isn't good enough.

So what do I do? I start to crochet a purse. The quick fix of fiber crafts, for me. I've had this cotton yarn around forever, and I do mean F-O-R-E-V-E-R! I bought the yarn 15 years ago, I kid you not. Originally to make me a top, then decided to make a bikini for my daughter, then it was going to be a shawl, then... on and on. Now it's going to be a purse. I'm winging the pattern, fashioned after one of my favorite bags, which is so worn out, but I still love it. More on this soon.

In the meantime, the heat is killing me. And it's only mid-July. I just don't do well with the heat anymore. Or is it the humidity? Who knows. Who cares. It's a drag, any way you look at it.

Ahhhh.... Inspiration

2007-07-01T11:51:00.000-07:00

Or the need for motivation. Or maybe I just like a challenge. I had no idea what I would be getting myself into when I first saw the Kusha Kusha scarf from Habu at BDKs. But I knew I had to knit one. After much thought, questioning whether I needed to knit "thread" or not, I jumped in. Weighing all of the lovely color choices, I finally settled on all black. Big surprise. My kit arrived. The shock of how fine the "yarn" is eventually wore off and I started my scarf. As I knit, I keep thinking what a wonderful yarn the silk stainless steel is. I'm envisioning a little shorty jacket next. But I better finish this scarf before attempting anything else in this yarn. I'm loving this knit so much, I don't like putting it down. Though it took three cast ons to get it right, I have the feel now. This has to be the finest weight yarn I've ever worked with, even doubled. The scarf is about 5" long at the moment.

Knit with one strand each stainless steel silk and merino. Right now, with so many family/ personal issues still hovering over my head, this slow steady knit is perfect.

WhooHaa

2007-06-18T18:51:00.000-07:00

It's been a tad hectic around here. But hopefully, the dust is settling. Don't want to get into it too much, but 2 members of my family have been to ER, same day, different hospitals, one is home and doing better, the other still there, but also doing better. A third member of my family has been through a couple of out-patient medical treatments. So.... needless to say it's been crazy and knitting, which usually calms and excites me at the same time, has been the last thing on my mind.

Instead I've been spending my late night quiet time, inspired by the current Project Spectrum colors, painting, gluing rhinestones and doing some decoupage to pass the sleepless nights. This box I'm quite happy with. Painted with acrylics and embellished with Swarovski rhinestones. It sparkles so beautifully.

This one's a cigar box. The doodad on top was a brooch made of vintage buttons. I removed all of the backing and made good use of it, since it's been sitting in a jewelry box for several years.

A painted candy tin, Altoids to be exact, embellished with rhinestones and decoupage.

An old button I painted and glued some stones on. I like it.

So while my knitting suffers, I managed to keep the crafting alive through all of the trauma and drama. But I'm back. Have some socks that are way overdue to finish. My second Chevron Scarf sits there, begging me to pick her up. My lace shawl is done crying for attention. These and all of life's other neglected people and things are now going to get my attention.

And for those who have asked, the socks in my previous post are the Gentlemen's Sock, Lozenge Pattern, from Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks .

I'm done.

Happy Knitting

2007-06-06T09:10:00.000-07:00

As I was happily knitting along on these socks, which have been on the needles far too long, I was reminded of my status of Reigning Queen of Fiber Knots. Yep, there it was glaring at me, as if to say "Thought you were going to knit an object without yarn hassles?". Well, this time I was undaunted. Thanks to Nona, who previously pointed out this excellent tutorial to me for another project I had the same issue with. I've fixed it, with a smile. And even I can hardly tell where the problem was.

The Russian Join. I love it and will use from now on. Especially for the 'middle of my knitting' yarn knots or breaks I find in my skeins. But it's great as well for joining yarn just to avoid the weaving in at the end of a project. Works with feltable & non-feltable yarn. Not that it's a new invention or anything, but it is for me. I may be late for the party, but I'll be dancing to this tune for a while.

This fabulous book has just been added to my library.

Not a good picture, but it's the best I have right now. Kokoro no Te by Kumiko Sudo, which translated means Handmade From the Heart, is just beautiful to look at if nothing else. I haven't tried any of the projects yet, but I think the first one I'm going to make is this cute little tote, also featured on the cover.

I also got Denyse Schmidt Quilts. What can I say? I like crafty books. Even if I spend more time dusting them off than actually using them.

Completion

2007-05-27T23:54:00.000-07:00

My Chevron Scarf, completed! Here, modeled by the lovely Omega, worn as in the Last Minute Knitted gifts book. Thank you Omega for your time and making my scarf look so good. All in all, though I may have complained a tad here and there about this NOT being suitable for a last minute gift, it was really an easy knit. I just never stayed with it long enough to finish quickly. As is my habit, I jump from project to project and some things just get neglected for a while. And speaking of taking time, if you think knitting this scarf takes time, wait til you pin this puppy for blocking. It took almost as long to pin it as it did to knit. Well, I kid of course, but it's a long one.

Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts STR Medium Weight in Cracked Canyon & Rocktober.
Needles: Size 5 (3.75mm)
Modifications: None, except I didn't knit until the yarn finished. It's quite long enough as is.
Finished Measurements: 6" wide x 74" Long after blocking.

I probably won't wear it as in the photo anyway. And who knows, I may even gift it somewhere in time.

Next up, my second Chevron Scarf, cast on and knit for about 4" shortly after I started my first one. I'm working on it now, have progressed to 18" in length, and hope to have it done by the end of the week. Operative word here "hope". This is knit in Regia and Lane Cervinia sock yarn.

My lace shawl is on hold until I finish a few things that have been on the needles for a while. There's nothing quite like the satisfaction of completion of a project. Well... of course, there are many things quite a bit more satisfying, but this is a knit blog and we won't go there.

Knot So Happy

2007-05-18T08:53:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, even the best plans so awry. In fact, in my life, planning is almost futile. Of course if I would take certain things into consideration, I might be able to plan things out a tad better. I'm referring mostly to my Luna Shawl in progress. What is it with me and knots and flaws in my yarn? Just started a new skein on this lace and after 2 1/2 rows, there it was. Almost in the center of my knitting. So I had to rip back and start the skein over.

Anyway... I really thought I would have this shawl finished and ready to block by this weekend, but there are always a few factors I forget to consider. Like A) Time and B) Setbacks. Well, I'll be knitting away over the weekend.

Also wanted to note, there's a contest at Jimmy Beans Wool . Check it out. I haven't read all of the details, but it seems to be an ongoing thing.

Ran into this great tutorial on recycling flip flops. I suppose you could use new ones, which is what I plan to do, since I don't have any old flip flops around. Cute Espadrilles result!

And completely unrelated to anything, check out this Face Morph site. If nothing else, it'll give you some laughs.

Birthday Loot

2007-05-15T21:32:00.000-07:00

Thanks everyone for the good birthday wishes. I had a wonderful day. Of course, I must share my goodies with you.

This card from my one and only, one of a kind, I broke the mold when I made her, daughter. Love it!

This book from my daughter. It's perfect for me. She knows me too well.

My favorite Turtles candy and Captain Jack Sparrow doll from my always thoughtful niece.

Guava scented candle from my daughter

This spectacular book from my daughter as well.

My sister gave me a new Foreman grill, since she used mine the last time she was over and realized I was due for a new one. Thank you dahling, I love it.

I'm not one for holidays and don't buy into the commercialism and all that. But I do think birthdays should be special. Even though I try and stay under the radar on my "day", my family finds me and always makes me happy. Of course, we kinda make each other happy all year long as well. Thanks for making my day special.

Can You Feel The Lace Love?

2007-05-13T16:25:00.000-07:00

I'm knitting a lace triangle shawl, and I love it. The yarn is Callista from Elann and comes in beautiful shades, not to mention how inexpensive it is. The free pattern for the Luna Moth Shawl is also available at Elann, who provide excellent customer service. I've done the pattern repeat twice at this point. It's a fairly quick easy knit which I hope to have finished by next weekend. Famous last words.

I modifed the Easy Ripple Afghan pattern to accomodate scarf width and started this thing. I actually wanted to crochet another afghan with this yarn, but I don't have enough. It's Laines Du Nord Giunco, which is discontinued, but I'm searching for more. If I can get the same colors, the scarf will be history and the blanket on the table.

Sock knitting still on my mind, but I'm so easily distracted.

And on a self indulgent note, tomorrow is my birthday! Happy birthday to me. I may bake a cake. Or cupcakes. They're so much yummier.

I Didn't Mean To Be MIA for So Long

2007-05-06T23:13:00.000-07:00

Here it is, in all it's glory. This was probably one of the most difficult pieces I've ever had to photograph. Because it's so big. My Ripple afghan ended up measuring 56" x 72". Larger than I expected, but I am so pleased with it. It's cuddly and soft. I used acrylics. Red Heart Soft, which actually has a nice feel. I know, you're cringing, but it's yarn I had on hand and didn't know what else to do with. It's a fast crochet really, but I just didn't have the time to work on it non-stop so to speak, so it took a while to finish. It's ready, just in time for summer. I used the Easy Ripple Afghan pattern. The only change I made was to start with chain 162. Then I kept on switching colors until what I figured was about halfway. In the middle I repeated 2 colors then continued to repeat the first half in reverse. I ran out of one color, but substituted with an oddball color. No one will really notice, except me, I think....

And on to my Chevron Scarf. I don't have too much more to go to finish. But it's a slow go as well. Life's been a little hectic and I haven't been knitting quite a much as I would like. But here's my scarf progress.

It's about 55" long at this point. Though I have more than enough yarn, I probably won't make it as long as the pattern suggests, 78". I'm only 5'3" tall and that's a lot of scarf for my height.

I so need to knit some socks now. I have a lot of lovely sock yarn and great patterns on paper and in my head. Just need to get it going. My sewing has been a slow go too. What is it with me buying yarn and fabric, spending so much time planning, then not executing? Please tell me I'm not alone in that.

And here's a photo of my kitty, who found my scarf and open book while I was away from my work space, and decided to take a nap.

The scarf is under there, somewhere, all 55" of it.

A Lotta Nada

2007-04-19T14:34:00.000-07:00

Another set of bead and wire votive holders. I do enjoy knitting these. Not only are they quick, but they're really pretty and make great gifts. I made the first few using 26g wire, but have since started using 28g. A little lighter and softer on the hands.

Gotta love these mini sock blocker keychains. They're actual sock blockers. And you only have to knit one mini sock. You get the mini sock blocker keychain and directions for the sock. Bought mine from the Yarn Grove. Excellent customer service and free shipping in the U.S.

Very little knitting happening at the moment since I'm working on my crochet Ripple Afghan. Of course my Chevron Scarf gets some knitting here and there as well.

R.I.P. Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

2007-04-13T17:08:00.000-07:00

My favorite author of all time has passed away and I'm deeply saddened. Kurt Vonnegut Jr. was a prolific novelist, short story writer, essayist, outspoken political activist and artist. He has enlightened me, entertained me since I was a teenager and touched my life in ways he'll never know. I will miss his intelligent, irreverent writing, commentary and art.

If you haven't read a Vonnegut novel or short story or any of his musings, try to do so.

R.I.P.

This Just In

2007-03-31T10:45:00.000-07:00

Here is where it all began for me.

My ripples in progress.

No More Finger Knitting Phobia

2007-03-25T20:55:00.000-07:00

My Breakfast at Cafe' du Monde fingerless gloves are done! This was a completely delightful knit for me. The knitting moved along without any problems except, as usual, I did procrastinate completing the fingers. When all was said and done, it wasn't bad at all. I've conquered my fear of knitting glove fingers. I'm most pleased because when I did finish the "finger knitting", there weren't any gaping holes between the fingers, which I'd usually end up with. The pattern was purchased from The Yarn Grove, which is a pleasure to do business with. Speedy delivery, beautifully wrapped or presented, and personal attention all make for a great shopping experience.

The gloves were knit with Dale Baby Ull. My first experience with this yarn, and though I've heard a lot of raves, I suppose it just wasn't the best yarn choice for gloves. Don't get me wrong. I'm very pleased with the end result, but the yarn had some flaws in it and it tended to split every now and then. Of course, yarn flaws seem to be my specialty lately. So maybe it's just me. The only change I made to the pattern was to knit the fingertips without contrast yarn. These are for my daughter, and I'm guessing she'll like them better this way.

Back view.

My Chevron Scarf 1 is coming along fine. I've knit about 40". Only 30" or so more to go. It's a simple knit. I've just been jumping from project to project, so it's not done yet. Soon. The Chevron Scarf 2 is about 10" along. I know, I was a tad ambitious to start a second one without finishing the first, but that's the way things go around here.

I love my Lorna's Lace Black Purl sock yarn. The color was just too beautiful to pass up.

And finally, the most adorable gift from my sister. A reminder of back in the day when my sewing machine and I were inseparable. It's a replica of an antique Singer machine. So Cute! The base is less than 9" long. It really sews too. Though I probably won't open the package.

Life is good.

Can You See Me Smiling?

2007-03-14T14:24:00.000-07:00

This lovely peachy tissue

Contained this:

Which contained this:

Which made me very happy!

Maybe It's The Heat

2007-03-13T22:39:00.000-07:00

There hasn't been a lot of knitting going on. I think I inundated myself with yarn and now I'm having a hard time centering. So many projects lined up. Not to mention, the 90 degree weather we've been having has left me a tad listless. So instead I've been sewing. Yes, I saw the lovely ruffle apron online and had to make one. I'll have pictures when I'm done.

My Chevron Scarf is about 1/2 done. I love it so much that I started a second one. The olive is Regia sock yarn and the variegated is unknown bargain basement sock yarn that just didn't feel good when I tried to knit a sock. The size 5 needles help give it a little softness.

I've washed and blocked my Touch Me scarf. It looks beautiful. As worried as I was about the hot water wash process, it ended up looking like vintage velvet. The picture doesn't do it justice.

Other than that, I'm shaking off the knitting blahs by visiting this Clairol website. Trying on different hairdos and hair colors. If nothing else, it gave me a good laugh.

Can I Just Say...

2007-02-28T17:00:00.000-08:00

I love my new STR yarn from Blue Moon Fiber Arts . I love the feel, the weight, the colors, which are Rocktober and Cracked Canyon. Of course, I should give credit to the source for my getting on the Chevron Scarf Bandwagon. I no sooner read Dr. B's post and was off to buy the yarn and book. Now I'm happily knitting away. I have to say, the scarf really isn't suitable for a Last Minute Knitted Gift, but have no doubt the end result will be gorgeous. And, if you haven't knit with STR yarn, do it. I can't say enough about how lovely it is.

I've been binging a bit with yarn purchases. I bought the most lovely Claudias Hand Painted Yarn in Black Walnut from Simply Socks Yarn Company. And some Elsebeth Lavold SIlky Wool. And more. But I'll save those for another time.

And another rave for Simply Socks Yarn Company, besides all of the yarns they have to offer. I needed size 1.5 dpn's for gloves I'm knitting and couldn't find them locally, so I ordered them online, Friday evening. The yarn and needles were at my door on Monday. What can I say. Now that's excellent customer service.

Apparently the last cup of coffee I had, Northwest Blend and French Roast mix, has me buzzing. So, though I could go on and on about my goodies, I'm going to stop and get back to knitting. I leave you with some of my latest crocheted menagerie.

Floppy Puppy pattern can be purchased here.

Pockitty pattern can be found here.

Bunny pattern can be found here. I made some adjustments to this pattern as I went along and used a size F crochet hook instead of H.

I'm done. For now.

MMmmmmmm

2007-02-14T21:39:00.000-08:00

Every year one of my nieces makes her pilgrimage to my home to give me a box of Turtles for Valentines Day. Not the reptile with the shell. These are pecans, cashews and caramel covered in milk chocolate. And ok, so it's not a pilgrimage really. She lives upstairs while I live downstairs, in our duplex.

I've been good. I only ate 2. Because I could eat them in a couple of blinks really. My tastes are simple. I know there are better brands of chocolates with fancier names and all that, but I do like these. A lot.

Between knitting my lace scarf, I knit some wire and bead votive sleeves. Not bad. I didn't use a pattern, though I know they exist somewhere. It was just a sidetrack from the lace knitting. I like them. I'll make more since I have lots of wire and beads.

My Jelly Fish. A quickie crochet about 3" long including tentacles.

And finally, I have to tell you my strange dream. I dream a lot, usually pretty vivid and in color. I used to have a dream dictionary that was 'borrowed' and never returned so I stopped trying to figure my dreams out a long time ago.

In my dream my friend and I went to a shop. I was going to get my first tattoo. I went around the shop checking out designs, I couldn't find anything I liked. In the meantime he decided to get one while I was checking things out. When he was done, I still hadn't picked anything out. So he showed me a picture of one of the 7 dwarfs, from Snow White. I can't remember which one (it better not have been dopey!) I told him I wouldn't get a Disney character tattoo. He said, the dwarfs aren't a Disney invention, they have a long history and Disney cashed in on them (or something like that.)

So I get in a chair and this woman starts my tattoo process. Of course, I was done in an instant, it's my dream after all. So we went to a liquor store after that (don't ask me why the liquor store, I hardly ever drink alcohol) and when I went to show the guy behind the counter my tattoo, he laughed at me... I was so sad. So I looked at the tattoo and it was a drawing with a pen! What's up with that?

One more thing. I bought a new pattern. Can't wait to start but it goes in my knitting 'queue' for now. It's Wicked from Zephyr Style. Love it!

Ch-ch-ch-changes

2007-02-11T23:22:00.000-08:00

Changes and organization. My mom used to say that change is healthy. I fully agree, but that doesn't always make it easy for me to adapt. Now, I will change things around the house frequently. Like rearrange furniture, move knick knacks around, shift wall hangings and decorations here and there. It's refreshing. When I started knitting, I couldn't see spending a lot of money on yarn because I wasn't always sure how my attempted project would turn out, or if it would. So, of course, the most accessible reasonable yarn was acrylic. That's changed.

Living in So Cali, wool wasn't always practical either. Plus I grew up in a household with severe wool allergies, though I did find out eventually that I'm not allergic. I've long since out-grown the anti-wool phase and acrylics, though I will use acrylics and blends for some people, by request, and for some items I make. And now, there are so many natural fibers to choose from, well... the possibilities are endless. So, prompted by my nephew's wife wanting some 'things' to put on her apparent ample shelf space in her office, I've been crocheting and knitting a lot of toys and dolls. With acrylics and wool. Most of the photos I took over the weekend didn't turn out very well because we've been having overcast skies and rain on and off. So, photos coming when I take better pictures.

On another note, I like to think that I'm not a complainer, and I'm not even sure if this breaks any sort of secret fiber oath or something or other. But I do have a problem with a recent pattern purchase and a pattern attempt from a book.

After much admiring, I bought some lovely mohair blend yarn and a $5 pattern for a stole, which I loved. I excitedly took pictures and continued admiring my yarn. I finally paid attention to the pattern, and well, it seems to me, knitting directions as "Cast on number stitches then stockinette stitch until yarn finishes, cast off loosely" hardly constitutes a "pattern". And it's not even the $5 really. I'm just a tad incensed because, in my humble opinion, if you're selling this fine yarn, and I know there are more expensive yarns out there and I only needed 2 skeins, why wouldn't you just give those simple directions free with purchase? Am I being unreasonable?

I buy patterns and books all of the time. I don't even have a problem with buying an entire book or magazine for one single pattern I love. Sort of like back in the day, buying a record album for a single song you loved. I fully support anyone in their endeavor to make a profit from their talents.

I wasn't real thrilled about using size 17 needles either, which are HUGE and awkward, for me anyway. Then, after knitting about 20" of the stole, well, it just didn't look that beautiful. So rip it out I did. Then I went to one of my one skein books and happened to find a lace stitch scarf for the same yarn. Wow! What a great coincidence. I'll make 2 scarves and give one away. Nice! Well, I cast on and immediately noticed the specified number of stitches is in no way going to turn out the finished width size stated in the pattern. And, the pattern isn't working out right either. After calculating and deciding on the proper number of stitches and tweaking the stitch pattern a bit, the pattern still wasn't working. So, on to the internet, search and search, looking for errata for this book. Nothing. Look up the author/editor. Nothing. Look up the publisher, website not found. What the heck?!? So sorry for the rant... I just had to get this off my chest.

I finally made up my own lace pattern and am enjoying my yarn and will have my scarves done in no time. Well, in no time if I actually stay with them. At any rate, here's what my first one will look like.

I do love the yarn. It's got just enough glitz that I can use it casually or dressy.

Oh, and I got my stamps from Kaspareks. Love 'em!

The yarns up top are Shadow lace from Knitpicks, Sunset & Vineyard colors. What can I say? I'm in a lace mood.

Where Did January Go?

2007-02-04T12:12:00.000-08:00

It's been a very busy time for me workwise. Some days I'm so exhausted, I just can't seem to do any of the 1001 things I have on my personal agenda. I've read a blog or two here and there, but never had the gumption to comment. But, I always try and make time for knitting or crafting or plain ole relaxing by being creative, even if just on paper.

My fair Isle project still swims in my head and on graph paper. I haven't made any color or yarn decisions yet. So, instead I worked on other projects, frivolous, and some necessary for the soul. I bought yarn, mostly frivolous.

I'm going to knit an heirloom lace something or other or 2 or 3. I've knit lace patterns before, but never knit with lace weight yarn. That's going to change now. It's very exciting choosing my first project. I bought the yarn. Of course. And Victorian Lace Today for inspiration. This book is lovely. It's informative with numerous projects for all skill levels. The location photos add to its charm. This is not for the bookshelf. Worthy of display, a coffee table book, if you will.

My Touch Me scarf is done. Just needs ends weaved in and a hot wash for felting that I'm so afraid to do. I'll do it. Before and after photos when I take that plunge.

Also, I finally ordered a knit rubber stamp from Patternworks then found this wonderful site for stamps. Kaspareks. Well, of course I had to order a couple more stamps for my collection. Check it out. There are so many choices.

I have too many pictures but I think I'll keep it down for now so I don't cause any explosions with heavy photo posts. And let me add, what a perfect day it is here in the City of Angels. As I sit here, there's a warm and beautiful breeze drifting in through my windows. Could life be more perfect? Well, yes it could. I could have 4 hands and get more done, or never have to worry about debts and the like and pass my time creating fiber goodies. Oh, a personal chef would be delightful. So it goes.

My crochet Amigurumi Chihuahuha. So cute! The pattern can be found here, if you're so inclined.

Karabella's Gossamer Lace Stole in the works.

My Gentlemen's socks to be. The diamond pattern doesn't really show in the pic, but it's lovely.

Delicious Laines Du Nord yarn. Reminds me of Neapolitan ice cream. That was my mom's favorite flavor. I'm not sure what I'll make, but I couldn't resist the bargain price of $2.75 per.

I'm Going Shopping

2007-01-17T22:51:00.000-08:00

One of my goals this year is to knit a fair isle sweater. I'm not anywhere near starting. Apparently, unless someone requests a specific color for something they want me to knit, I tend to buy like colors. Going through my stash, I realize there just aren't enough color variations to choose from. Well, this automatically allows me to buy yarn, doesn't it? So I'm in the planning stages of design, which must be kept simple, and then yarn choices. Color and fiber. It's very exciting. Of course, I don't expect this come to fruition any time soon. It'll take a while since I still have some UFO's I'm trying to get out of the way. Enter Vogue's Stitchionary 3 Color Knitting. There are a lot of ideas and colors so I've been swatching. I'm not too thrilled with my results since my current yarn colors aren't all that varied, but swatches to come soon. I knew I could find a reason to go yarn shopping.

I've spent many hours the past few days with this book. It's my new love.

IT'S LIKE BUTTAH...

2007-01-09T19:10:00.000-08:00

It's the only way to describe Touch Me by Muench Yarns. I'm loving knitting the Vintage Velvet scarf from Scarf Style. The photos do not do the appearance justice, and I'm only about a quarter of the way through. Hopefully, I'll finish it in a couple of days and give it the hot wash for the vintage velvet appearance I so love.

The Babe for my girlfriends' niece is finished and dressed. I love making this doll. But then again, I'm a dollmaker at heart. I used to make them a while back. Not knit dolls. Sewn, dressed and embellished ones. I'm getting the itch to start that again. Just add it to my ever increasing crafty things to do. Check out her panties. Loved knitting those too. She's so cute, even if I do say so myself! (Okay, I know some people think these dolls look a tad freaky, my sister being the first to point that out to me)

And finally, my chief investigator checking out the scene.

Let me add, I love the new blogger. I never have the problem of disappearing photos anymore. Let's hope the jinx fairies aren't reading this...

First FO of 2007

2007-01-04T21:59:00.000-08:00

So I sat here, thumbing through many projects, untouched, ideas that have been swimming in my head for what seems like forever, and then all I could do was knit up a quick fix. I really needed to start and finish a project within the first week of this new year for some self satisfaction. So I chose Loop-d-Loop's Ballet T-Shirt. Scroll down the page to the fourth pattern up. I've had the pattern for a while but never got around to it. I'm thrilled that it only took a little over 3 hours to complete. So I'll probably knit a few more, in different yarns and colors, whenever I feel a need for a quick project. It's knit on size 15 circulars with 2 strands of worsted weight yarn. Normally, I like using small needles and thinner yarn, so it felt a little strange until I adjusted to the needle size and yarn thickness. It was fun to knit.

Of course, it never fails, when I try to do anything, my curious little kitty has to investigate anything new or different. So here she is, checking out my ballet-t before I could get any decent pictures.

Every year I swear I'm going to use up my yarn stash and not buy anything new until I do. Or at least until I use up half. OK, at least knit up some of what I have already. But why should this year be any different? I already have a yarn order on the way. Heh! Can't wait to ogle and touch the stuff, line them up with the rest, make my plans for each and every one, then do whatever pleases me at the moment without a thought to what's waiting in the wings. So it goes.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2006-12-31T20:38:00.000-08:00

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

2006-12-21T22:33:00.000-08:00

He knows if you've been bad or Knit Socks,
So Knit Socks for goodness' sake.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town
from the Christmas Song Generator.

I'm Making Donuts

2006-12-10T11:21:00.000-08:00

"Are you frying or baking them"?
"Well, I'm actually knitting them".
"Why would you knit donuts"?
"Because I can".
This from a conversation with a friend.
I was first intrigued by these donuts. But, I didn't have time to figure out a crochet pattern. I'll get to it. Then I saw these. And very conveniently, there was a pattern for the knit donuts. My first donut was knit from this pattern, but it was too big for my "taste". So I modified the pattern and knit the second one. Then one more change, I knit my modified pattern with size 5 dpn's rather than six. It was just right!

Now, I'll be knitting up a half dozen or so and take them to my sisters' for Christmas. No baking for me this year. Well, I kid. I probably will bake for the holidays.

The most pleasure I got from knitting these was the realization that probably the only people who would be excited about knit donuts are knitters. The next food item I'm knitting are these. This is how I'm keeping my weight down during the holidays. Don't mind the colors, I was just testing with scrap yarn.

Knit Donuts - Modified Pattern

Materials: Worsted weight yarn; contrasting yarn for icing; stuffing; 1 stitch marker; Size 5 or 6 (3.75 or 4mm) double-pointed needles; Tapestry needle.

Cast on 16 sts using any temporary cast on method, place marker, join.
Round 1: Knit.
Round 2: Knit 2, make 1 around (24 sts).
Round 3: Knit.
Round 4: Knit 3, make 1 around (32 sts).
Rounds 5-11: Knit. (7 rows)
Round 12: Knit 4, make 1 around (40 sts)
Round 13: Knit.
Round 14: Knit 5, make 1 around (48 sts).
Rounds 15-17: Knit (3 rows)
Round 18: Knit 4, K2 tog around (40 sts).
Round 19: Knit.
Round 20: Knit 3, K2 tog around (32 sts).
Rounds 21-28: Knit (I used icing color here – knit 7 or 8 rows, as you please)
Round 29: Knit 2, K2 tog around (24 sts). (change back to donut color here)
Round 30: Knit.
Round 31: Knit 1, K2 tog around (16 sts).
Round 32: Knit.

Remove the temporary cast on and weave the stitches together. Don’t forget to stuff.

Reflections

2006-12-03T09:37:00.000-08:00

It seems this past week I have spent more time reading blogs and books about knitting and creativity than actually creating anything. This brings me to express my gratitude and appreciation for so many talented and generous people I've come to know through published work and especially through the internet. This creative community of wonderful people who share their triumphs and occasional failures, who learn and teach from their successes and mistakes. All of us from different backgrounds and cultures unite without a thought to political or religious affiliations. It's an ideal world for me.

There are so many who have given pleasure and knowledge I can repeatedly turn to, to feed my creative needs. I can, in turn, share so much of this with people who have the same interests, and sometimes bore those who tolerate my passion and excitement for things that can be made with needles, yarn, metal, fabric, stones and... well the list goes on. Thank you.

And then there is family. I am fortunate enough to have a strong and close knit family. Add to this my small circle of friends and I can say I am truly blessed.

We Now Return To Regularly Scheduled Programming

2006-11-27T09:47:00.000-08:00

Pressure and obligations done for the time being, I can now finish my Toe Warmers. I'm also knitting another Babe, by request, for my friends little niece.

I can't help but reflect on seasons past and the upcoming holidays. This is supposed to be a joyous time. Instead people seem more tense and have less patience. The simple act of going to buy groceries becomes a drudgery, since everyone is fighting for parking spaces, elbowing their way to the "bargains". Consumerism, expectancy, disappointment, trying to keep up, comparisons. No wonder everyone's stressed out. Once again, I'm doing my best to keep it simple. Let's love, respect and give to each other throughout the year, as we can and should, and not try to cram it all into one or two holidays.

Ok. I'm off my little soapbox. Knitting content and pics next time, or as I complete my projects.

It's A Sad Time

2006-11-25T15:19:00.000-08:00

After 4 visits to the vet this past week and numerous tests, cultures and xrays, my Jed had to be put to sleep yesterday. He was diagnosed with cancer and had severely deteriorated in just one week. While I know it was the best and only alternative for him, it didn't make it any easier. He was the King of his castle and my friend for over 13 years. He will be sorely missed.

Jed sleeping in his favorite spot, my fax/ scanner

Jed receiving love from his mate

I Blinked....

2006-11-22T09:14:00.000-08:00

And it's Thanksgiving here in the U.S. Not much to report on the knitting front. I've been so swamped with knitting accessories for a couple of local boutiques and as I mentioned earlier, the most exciting, but now repetitive Japan store knitting.

On top of this, my niece became very ill and was hospitalized for several days. It was a close call. She made it with some medical problems she will have to deal with for a while, but we are very grateful to her team of dedicated, thourough and compassionate doctors.

Just to make certain I didn't have any calm in my life, one of my cats became very ill last weekend and has been diagnosed with kidney infection and I've been nursing him as well. Jed is the most docile, loving, friendly cat I have ever known. It's very difficult seeing him in this condition. It's been a traumatic and exhausting 3 weeks.

For those of you celebrating Thanksgiving, I wish you all a happy and wonderful time, however you choose to celebrate. For everyone, I wish health, peace and calm in your lives.

Ahhhh... Time for A Breather

2006-11-07T10:21:00.000-08:00

If I have learned anything through the years, it's that I don't like production knitting. Or mass producing anything that I make. Knitting, sewing, jewelry making or whatever craft or skill I undertake. I prefer one of a kind, or if I enjoy making something, I might make a few of the same, changing colors or whatever I need to keep my interest. Why then do I frequently end up mass producing? It's not that I look for it. It comes to me. I could easily refuse the task. But I don't. I haven't figured why.

Which brings me to my Skully Scarf. I've finished several already, minus the weaving in of ends. I'm bored to death of it. Making the faces is slightly interesting, but after 5 or six, soooo monotonous. Then the scarf body. Garter stitch. On large needles. So I've caught up on a lot of movie watching I've been meaning to do. There is something to say about mindless knitting I suppose.

My toe warmers sit unfinished, collecting dust. Numerous gift items (ideas) still sit in my head or on a sketch pad. I've wound several yarn cakes, just to eye the beauty of them and break the monotony. I knit a mini hat which fits my thumb (inspired by a Dr.B post). I crocheted a wire bangle bracelet.

I still have 8 scarves and 15 hats to finish. But I needed to come up for some air. So it goes.

October 31st

2006-10-31T17:49:00.000-08:00

It's the last day of October. Halloween. The kids are out trick or treating as I type. Not mine. Luckily, my daughter only does the costume thing for the odd party here and there. And I don't have to make her costumes anymore. She does that herself. Whew! Before I know it, it'll be Thanksgiving, then Christmas then Happy New Year! This year literally flew past me.

Back to current events. I was working on these very fun to knit and very lovely Toe Warmers. But that came to a halt when I received an order for my Skully Scarf. Just a little something I created last year, by request. Through our winter, which is by no means severe, the scarf was ordered and sold at a local store, Necromance, on Melrose Avenue. I had all but forgotten about this little gem. Now I have to burn the midnight oil and knit up several for the store. A little excitement was added to the equation when I received an order for a store in Japan. Can you believe my scarf will be sold and worn in Japan? I'm thrilled.

So I present my little gems, Toe Warmers and Skully in progress.

Good ole Blogger wouldn't let me post a picture of the completed scarf. I may try again later.

FOR AMETHYST

2006-10-28T10:37:00.000-07:00

Here are 4 socks from Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush.

I think they're lovely. I plan to knit them all. Some day. Soon. Hopefully.

What Can I Say

2006-10-10T21:46:00.000-07:00

Somehow, I just can't seem to commit to larger projects these days. It's all about the mini for me. I knit a single fingerless glove, took the picture, then ripped it. I used that yarn to make baby socks and a hat for my nephews baby. Well, when he and his wife saw it, they thought there was too much pink in it for a boy. I was slightly disheartened, but then sort of happy I got to keep the cute little things. My nephews little girl, she's 7, saw the little set and said it would be perfect for her brother. I told her that her mom and dad thought there was too much pink in them for a boy so I'd make him another set with "boyish" colors. She rolled her eyes and said, "They're so cute. He doesn't know what color he's wearing. What difference does it make?" Out of the mouths of babes. Well anyway, I've been on a mini binge. Quick fixes you might say. And loving every bit of it. Here are my mini creations.

Yes... I've gone too far. I even made a mini hanger for one of the tops. Heh! I love it.

It Feels Like Fall

2006-10-07T08:31:00.000-07:00

Call me strange, but I love waking up to cool mornings, slightly overcast. It's southern California. Rarely does the overcast hang around for very long. In fact the sun has already broken through. My studio is still slightly chilly since I have a huge camphor tree which casts a perpetual shadow over my home. I do love this tree. I suppose I have to. It's the largest tree on my block. I don't know if I should be happy about that or not. It's really very lovely except twice a year the roots decide to wrap themselves around my underground pipes and cause havoc. But I've learned to live with that. Really, I'm just so happy to be home this morning. I've had a very hectic work week. Long days, product intensive. I work in the garment industry. I left the creative/ production aspect of this industry behind a few years ago for less stressful work. But now I deal with end product and people more. Hmmmm.... a slight stress factor there. Enough blithering! It's good to be home and turn my attention to what I really love. My fiber collection and projects at hand.

Recently I've only worked on smaller projects, less complicated. Hopefully I'll really organize things today and start some of the tops or shawls I've been planning. In the meantime, here are a couple of things I finished recently.

The Suri Dream scarf in the Woodlands shade. Both the yarn and the pattern are from Knitpicks. Loved this project. It only took a couple of hours, but I was real anxious to finish so I knit rather obsessivly.

I completed the cable scarf and hat. This is for a friend of my niece. I hope she likes it. Knit in Wool-Ease. (No pic. Blogger just won't let it happen)

Finally, a hat, knit mostly because I was intrigued with the motif and wanted to try it since Barbara Walker's book, Charted Knitting Designs, states that this design uses "almost every kind of knitting operation... in a twist-stitch design". Not to mention I know people who'd love to wear this. I'm pleased with the results.

I started a diagonal scarf with my yummy Fleece Artist washable merino last night. Mmmmmmm. I love working with this yarn. (No pic here either. I'll try again later.)

Very frustrating

2006-10-03T22:18:00.000-07:00

This

Turned into this

Because of this

And over the weekend this is what I got from my Patons Classic Wool

So it goes...

Keeping My Hands Busy

2006-09-24T18:10:00.000-07:00

You know, I taught myself crochet before knitting. I loved it. Then one day the learn to knit urge struck. Needless to say, knitting overtook crocheting and I didn't look back. I'll use crochet to embellish or trim certain things. I'll even crochet a hat now and then. But mostly, the crocheting stopped. While checking my UFO basket, I came across an unfinished bauble scarf. Crochet. No idea when I started it, maybe 2 years ago? but I finished it this weekend. I really like it.

I knit a couple of hats too. The pattern for the striped beret needs a little tweaking, but it looks good. The ear flap hat? Just because I can...

"THEY" Said Cooling Trend

2006-09-17T15:14:00.000-07:00

Well... it's hot again. Tolerable, but hot. I've knit 2 hats this weekend, only because I couldn't really get into anything else I've been working on. And now, despite the heat, I'm going to bake cookies. Tahini cookies. I have 2 recipes I'm going to combine to make simply delicious cookies.

On the knitting front, I finished my Embossed Leaves socks a few days ago. I crocheted cherries on a stem, I knit a scarf, I've admired my stash and planned soooo many things. But I'm still going to do the baking thing today anyway.

Meanwhile, a few pics.

It's a heatwave... all over again

2006-09-06T18:01:00.000-07:00

Just when I was getting all motivated and organizing my knitting and crafts, the heat hits again... big time. But, trying my best not to let it drag me down, I started the Embossed Leaves Socks from the Winter 05 IK. In none other than my dyed yarn. I love the way my yarn turned out and I love this pattern. It's really very simple and fast knitting. One sock is almost done, and #2 about to start, tonight hopefully.

Of course I had to post the gratuitous close up of the socks as well.

Here's a pic of my Garterlac Dishcloth courtesy of Criminy Jickets. I love this pattern. It's my first attempt at entrelac. The first cloth I did is the pink-yellow-orange-ish one. Not perfect but pic posted anyway, warts and all. The other one is the second one I did. Near perfect, if I do say so myself. Lots of fun knitting (the 2nd one, not the first -- heh) and great pattern.

A sorta quickie cable headband done in 100% cotton. I used the cotton for a summer headband, but I really think it's too heavy for summertime. I like it anyway.

Just a couple more pics for today, then I'll be back with more later. My Babes from Knitted Babes. Still need to make the clothes. I'll get there... really.
OK, apparently no more pics today. I can't seem to get them uploaded. There's always tomorrow....

Alive and Well

2006-08-31T17:08:00.000-07:00

It's been a while. I've been very busy between working and pattern writing and knitting and crocheting and... and... and... So here I am. I have so much to write about but I'll make this brief and come back real soon when I'm better organized. I've dyed some more yarn. I'm so very pleased, except I can't say I loved dying with red. As much as I love the color red, this was a messy experience. Now I know how to prepare better for next time. I also learned entrelac knitting thanks to a dishcloth pattern I saw online. It was something I kept avoiding, but I broke down and gave it a shot. Here's what I've done so far, and it wasn't easy. For me. But now I love it.
I'll be back with all of the details and more pictures real soon.
And here, my dyed yarn.

Another Kind of Thong

2006-06-20T14:03:00.000-07:00

Used to be that the word thong conjured up images of those sandals, you know, the one's that go between the toes, all rubberish beach thongs. Then... it meant something alltogether different.... as in panties. Now, and I do like this one, it's a book mark. Presenting the Book Thong. I saw this pattern online this morning and had to make one. I'll be making more. So easy and so cute.

The fabulous book was a gift from my daughter for my birthday.

Heels Turned....

2006-06-18T15:25:00.000-07:00

Sock progress... excellent. I've enjoyed every second of knitting these socks. I did a couple of gauge samples, and with the help of Sensational Knitted Socks this has been a great experience. Did I mention I love this book?

There isn't a lot more progress to report. The heat has taken it's toll on me and my creativity.
Things are moving slowly.

But I did finish my KNITTED BABE. I'm ready to add the hair and make the clothes and accessories. Love it!
No new yarn purchases (I don't know how that happened).

2006-05-31T18:48:00.000-07:00

For Starters....

This is what I found when I got home from work yesterday.

Sooooo beautiful and soooo yummy to touch. I'm going to make the Vintage Velvet scarf by Lisa Daniels from Scarf Style. And it's all mine. I so rarely knit for myself. This is a special treat.

I rediscovered this yarn, I suppose I can call it vintage yarn. It's been stashed and partially knit for about 20 years. Yep... 20 years, give or take. It's Bernat Cassino, 100% cotton, looks like rayon. So, I have to frog the sleeves that are done (I can't even remember what I started back then) and wind my pull skeins and I'll be ready to go. I'm making a vest for my sister from a vintage Coats And Clarks mini book.

I've been filling the empty spaces, as in mindless knitting, with these little snakes. So cute and quick. And my kitties love playing with them. The pattern is called Snake City by Kathleen Day.

And finally, my infamous animal print toe-ups. I finished them for my sister. All wrapped and pretty and she didn't seem to mind that they were a month and a half late for her birthday. I have to try one more pair of toe-up socks before I decide whether I like knittng them or not.

2006-05-26T09:45:00.000-07:00

Just over 2 inches....

I've only knit a little over 2", but I had to show my newly dyed yarn and how it's turning out. I'm sticking with my tried and true top down sock pattern. The verdict's not quite in on the toe-up. It's a love hate relationship. I haven't finished the toe-ups yet, but hopefully today.

Now, I really need to finish the cable scarf, my knitted babe and this crochet popcorn scarf I started for a friend, oh about a year ago. I'll finish it, I swear. And let's not forget my top down striped sweater. One of these days.....

2006-05-24T07:26:00.000-07:00

Apparently, I have great psychic skills. I hope they aren't confusing that with psychotic tendancies??

2006-05-23T11:55:00.000-07:00

THIS MAKES ME HAPPY...

Here it is, my dyed yarn, all wound up and ready to knit. Of course a picture is coming as soon as I start the socks.

I Dyed Some Yarn

2006-05-21T14:12:00.000-07:00

I frogged the tiger socks. And started all over, from the toe up. I'm kinda liking the toe-up sock, my first time trying this method. I'll see when I'm done (today I hope).

Another first time experience - I dyed a skein of yarn! Used the basic Kool-Aid dyeing method and help from Knitty, after reading about a half dozen tutorials online. It was easy and fun. I'll do it again. Soon.

As soon as it's dry and rolled into a pull skein, I knit the socks and show!

2006-05-07T01:04:00.000-07:00

Your Inner European is French!

Smart and sophisticated.

You have the best of everything - at least, *you* think so.

Who's Your Inner European?

2006-04-01T12:02:00.000-08:00

I've been real busy with re-arranging my rooms. The bedroom is becoming my office/ craft room and the current office will then be my bedroom. Lots of work. So my knitting suffers. But I'm slowly progressing on a pair of basic socks in Skacel Trampoline. Love the sock colorway and print. I'm also trying to finish a cable scarf in purple Wool-Ease. The most fun I'm having is organizing my yarn stash on a shelf I got just for yarn. Yippee!

2006-03-19T11:48:00.000-08:00

I have arrived. I hope you get as much pleasure reading as I do writing. Come back soon and frequently.