Knit Witch

FO: This blog

2006-11-17T22:48:00.001-05:00

I'm blogging everything at Wordpress now. For entries on stuff I make, look under "Creatrix."

FO: Plain dishcloth

2006-10-08T21:34:00.000-04:00

Plain dishcloth
Originally uploaded by edenza.

My second official Dishcloth KAL FO. I did another in plain orange w/ a diamond pattern but I didn't like it.

FO: Vivi's hat

2006-10-08T18:26:00.000-04:00

Vivi's hat
Originally uploaded by edenza.

Well I just CO a few dozen stitches and started knitting in a 2x2 rib. It seemed big for a newborn. SO I reduced it a little. Hard to do in a rib pattern. So I started in stockinette and kept that up for a little while.

Then I thought, "If I did a few YOs, I could make holes to feed through an i-cord that they could use to adjust the size. They could also roll up that ribbed brim." So I did that: six or so YOs. It worked beautifully but I wish I'd done a shorter rib or a roll brim and then the drawstring idea. Once she's older, the cord is decorative.

Then I started knitting & reducing until I was down to 8 stitches, I drew the tail of the yarn through, tightened and voila: Vivi's Hat. Then I knit the i-cord, threaded it through & took a photo so I can mail it hopefully tomorrow.

Deoris: I expect a photo.

Flower facial cloth

2006-09-26T13:06:00.000-04:00

Flower facial cloth
Originally uploaded by edenza.

For Dishcloth Knitalong, made with Paton's Bohemian (chenille-like, I'd worked with it before in a black), marked down to $3. It took a whole skein. I put the items in to show it ginormousosity. Pattern is from "Weekend Knitting." I made some changes to the pattern since I was knitting on larger needles b/c of the yarn and I think it turned out quite well.

I have another skein in a pink. I was thinking it would be cute to do a different color center.

Finished Fetching

2006-09-22T16:03:00.000-04:00

Finished Fetching
Originally uploaded by edenza.

Here are my Fetching gloves, finished just this morning. The second glove was knit almost entirely during the Andy Warhol documentary run on PBS's "American Masters" the last two nights. So my gloves are dedicated to the memory of fellow western Pennsylvanian Andy.

The yarn is Debbie Bliss cashmerino in evergreen. I did not make the cuffs as long as I think I was supposed to (everyone else's seem to have an extra cable twist) and I have a small amount of yarn left over.

FO: Knucks! Knucks!

2006-09-11T13:47:00.000-04:00

I heart my Knucks. I didn't do any embroidery b/c I just really love them plain. Of course you know I'm an embroidery fool so my second pair will have some whoopdeedoo embroidery on them.

Chocolate Berry Chateau

2006-09-11T11:57:00.000-04:00

I made this for a work picnic for Hawk's office. It's a devil's food castle cake. The center is full of low-fat cream cheese frosting and topped w/ fresh berries (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries). It was a huge hit & I'm glad I took a photo.

Bakin' fool

2006-09-08T17:49:00.000-04:00

Last weekend I made three dozen lemon lime cookies and cardamom cashew bars for an event. For tomorrow I was planning to make a castle cake with my castle pan. I lost the recipe that came w/ the pan. So I go to Food Network to find a bundt cake recipe and I find one that's supposedly simple. Then I read this:

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon nut-flavored liqueur

Like I have that on-hand.

More iron-on embroidery

2006-09-07T13:26:00.000-04:00

What do you do when, like me, you have just about all the Sublime Stitching Patterns but the new book isn't released yet? Visit Pattern Bee and pick up some nifty (and truly retro) iron-on transfers in an array of styles & patterns. Check out the layette and the day-of-the-week towels. There are free patterns too, like the "chore of the day" kittens.

Warming Grace update

2006-09-04T11:04:00.000-04:00

As you might remember, I knit two squares for the Warming Grace project. Now they're in a blanket! In the photo where the people are holding up the blanket, mine are in the second column, next to the bottom and the third column, fourth one down. I love seeing something I made used like this and it's so fun to spot your own pieces.

My current knitlist is: finish second Knuck, do a pair of Fetching gloves, do a dishcloth or two and work on Neverending Bag. I'm doing very well on the Knuck. I'm past the thumb join and only have a little left to go.

Also I ordered a banner and some bibs from Sublime Stitching. I also ordered a transfer pack I already have but forgot I had (ordered before our move). Luckily this means the gift I was going to get someone from SS is unnecessary since I can give her my extra "Winter Wonderland" packet. I must really like that one ;)

Caps to the Capital

2006-09-01T11:18:00.000-04:00

Knit or crochet a cap for a newborn via Save The Children.

Crafting away

2006-08-24T14:55:00.000-04:00

Since we've moved, I haven't upacked much crafty stuff. I brought my knitting tote in the car along with some books. I unpacked my embroidery stuff but not my scrapbooking or sewing machine. I've finished a Knuck and have started the second.

That's about it. If I had more time, I'd be crafting.

Booties: Super Simple Slip-ons

2006-08-12T12:31:00.000-04:00

Thought I had posted this bootie pattern but I didn't. So here it is :)

Booties: Super-Simple Slip-ons

I used: Bernat Cotton Tots Yarn (mashine washable and dryable; very nice to work with) on size 6 needles
Gauge: 22stsx40rows=4" in garter stitch

Sole:

CO14
- K in garter stitch; inc each end of rows 1 3 5 7
- [row 8 has 22 sts]
- Dec each end of 9 11 13 15 [at this point, you have 14 sts]

Upper:

- At end of row 15, CO 5sts (for "heel flap") [19 sts]
- Row 16: k19
- Inc beg rows 17 19 21 23 (for toe) [you have 23 sts]
- Row 24: BO 10sts, k to end [you have 13 sts]
- End of row 25: CO 10 sts [you have 23 sts]
- Row 25-35: k
- Row 36: k23
- Dec beg rows 37 39 41 43 [you have 19 sts]
- BO

You have this:

(row 1 on right, row 43 on left) (click for bigger version)

Sew:

(click for bigger version)

Sew the toe upper to the toe end of the sole (lower right of image). Continuing around, sew the "side join" indicated in the image. The heel is made of the two flaps that attach (1) to the sole and (2) to each other in a seam up the back of the heel. Sew the heel.

This should complete the bootie. Weave in the loose ends and turn the bootie inside out. To be extra helpful for a new parent, wash the booties in Dreft or any fragrance-free, dye-free laundry detergent. Partially dry or allow to airdry completely. Stuff a plastic bag into each bootie as it finishes drying to give it shape. These booties get flat otherwise, which is okay.

Here's the Super Simple Hat to match. I made that up before I learned how to knit in the round. I'll need to make a new baby hat pattern, now that I love knitting in the round and all.

Wonderpets Flyboat

2006-08-03T21:06:00.000-04:00

Into the Flyboat, Wonderpets...

This is the finished version -- as finished as it's gonna get. Time is of the essence and she's probably going to destroy it anyway.

Here's how it happened:

You need a wooden plate (a red Frisbee would be fine), small wooden circles, about 3" diameter, craft sticks, foam sheets in red, blue and white (or yellow or a piece of yellow legal pad paper), yellow foam paint or small yellow circles (4), foam adhesive, acrylic paint in bright red, purple and blue and a stapler.

Paint the wooden plate red (shown above). Go ahead and attach two or three craft sticks to each other for the mast. When the glue is dry, paint it purple.

Trace the disks on the blue foam 8 times. Paint the wooden circles blue at least on the edges. When dry, cut them out and use foam glue to attach them to the blue-edged circles.

Adding the wheels is tricky but if I can do it, anyone can. You need to set up a sturdy axel system. If you're using a Frisbee, you don't have as much weight and can probably use something simpler.

I glued a craft stick to the middle of the plate. Then I laid two craft sticks on each side of it and glued a third in place. I removed the non-glued ones that kept my axles equidistant. I saw I needed more stability on the outside so I created a "box" by attaching layers of craft sticks to the axles. I also added layers of sticks to the original axles. Each layer was about three sticks.

I glued the wheels at the axel and where they touched the body of the Flyboat. I pushed a phone book up against the wheels to make sure they were straight (see photo). Some of the side axle will show. You can paint it red or wrap it in scrap red foam.

Paint yellow circle in the center of each wheel (or glue a circle of yellow foam if you have it).

The rigging for the sail was difficult. If you have a jigsaw, you could probably cut a slit down the center of the plate and slide the mast through it, glue it and be done. I did this: I made the mast and added a brace to it, forming a triangle. Then I set it between two craft sticks on their sides. Then I took a small jewelry box and used it to support this rigging. Everything was glued to the plate and left to dry.

Then I wrapped a bit of red foam around this, just to hide it. I tried gluing all that closed but it didn't take. It took on the sides (where you see it clamped) but not when I tried to close it up. So, time being short, I stapled it shut. I added the sail with staples and used a Wonderpets badge (available at Nick Jr -- see Wonderpets printables) to finish it off. Now, it looks like a Flyboat.

Wonderpets Tin Can Phone

2006-08-02T12:27:00.000-04:00

One of the two original decorations I'm making for my daughter's third birthday party: the tin can phone from "The Wonderpets."

I used two small Bush's cans, some red foam sheets, foam glue and a scrap of twine. I also needed scissors, thick rubber bands, plastic bags and clothespins.

To make the phone, trace the cans twice so you have four circles. One interior bottom, one exterior bottom of each can. Put a small slit in the center of two of the circles to feed the twine through. Knot the twine twice and glue it to the foam for each end. Set aside.

Glue the other two circles to the inside of the can bottoms.

Cut two sheets of foam that just overlap if you wrap them around the cans longways. When you fold the foam over the edge of the can, the length should go about 2/3-3/4 of the way into the can. If you make it longer, it will bunch and the exterior will lift up and not keep a smooth appearance.

Glue these foam sheets to the cans. Use the clothespins at the seam especially. If you have more clothespins, pinch the edge of the can to secure the foam while the glue dries. Put your rubber bands around the cans to hold the foam on while the glue dries. You can also shove plastic bags down inside the can to push the interior foam against the can walls.

Cut a strip to finish covering the interior of the can. Use plastic blags to hold the glued foam against the walls of the can.

Glue the twine-joined bottoms to the cans. You can use a glass or something to hold down the foam circles if you like. I also added an extra bead of glue around the exterior edge of the bottoms, knowing the string will be a handle for my daughter to carry the phone around.

You can embellish the foam tin cans with foam bits or stickers. Wonderpets stickers are available for printout at the Nick Jr website.

I chose to coat the cans with foam rather than just paint them b/c of the sharp edges. You could probably make tin can phone out of foam w/o using cans, which was my original plan. Using cans makes a sturdier phone though.

I'm also making a Flyboat and will blog that once it's finished. I have more process photos at Flickr. You can also see the progress on the Flyboat.

Taco Dip

2006-07-30T22:34:00.000-04:00

I'm making this for Zoe's birthday party and I figured why not share

Taco Dip

12 oz jar salsa
15 oz can/jar chili
8 oz cream cheese
16 oz sour cream
1-2 bags cheddar & /or jack cheeses

Red layer: salsa + chili

White layer: cream cheese + sour cream

Layer like so: white, red, cheeses, white, red, cheeses

Heat until melted.

Serve w/ tortilla chips

Finished (for now): Warming Grace Squares

2006-07-11T16:16:00.000-04:00

Warming Graces squares & postcards
Originally uploaded by edenza.

Yay! I'm sending these out tomorrow or Thursday and may make more after the KALs, since I'll be sending from a new location.

For more information on Warming Grace, please go here.

KAL #1.5

2006-07-10T14:56:00.000-04:00

I'm doing two KALs! The second is Fetching -- a gorgeous pattern in the current Knitty. I loved it so much I went ahead and printed the pattern, even though it's now packed for our move. I didn't want to forget it.

Then I found a KAL for it! AND the best part is I don't have to buy yarn! According to the KAL coordinator, the sale yarn I have from AC Moore is the right gauge & similar to the Debbie Bliss. I made the Isabeau Redux bag out of the same yarn.

When I bust a KAL cherry, I bust a KAL cherry.

KAL: Knucks

2006-07-10T10:50:00.000-04:00

I'm doing my first KAL, hopefully.

Make yourself some Knucks too

I have no idea what my Knucks will say. Maybe Knit Wych?

I need two four-letter words. Or maybe a three and a four & I could do a flower or something. Thoughts?

BTW: "Erie Penn" would have been nifty ;)

ETA: I'm leaning toward "damn cold."

Give jeans a chance

2006-05-23T14:06:00.000-04:00

Check out Second Chance Fashion. It's a place for crafters, artists, designers, etc. to share their ideas for retooling fashion. I thought some of you might be interested. My ID is "edenza" so be sure to ask me for a friend connection :) I'm also in the "crafters" group.

It was ideal for me b/c I'm planning to embroider a pair of my post-partum jeans to give them a little bit of new life. Yesterday I was wearing a pair of maternity yoga pants and they were too big! Yay! So hopefully the jeans, which I have dried & dried & dried, will go next.

Roller Derby embroidery is here!

2006-04-25T23:17:00.000-04:00

The inimitable Jenny Hart has taken my suggestion (and doubtless the suggestion of many other people) and has added a roller derby pattern at Sublime Stitching. I just ordered mine.

Honestly, if you can use an iron and trace a line, treat yourself to Sublime Stitching, Even if you don't like the roller derby pattern, check out her others. I have, well, a damn lot of them. I recommend them all. I also have the Stitch-It Kit, which has way cute patterns, a hoop, floss, needles, fabric, everything!

Go sew!

Isabeau Redux minibag

2006-04-18T17:29:00.000-04:00

Isabeau Redux minibag
Originally uploaded by edenza.

I finished this sweet little bag. It's called Isabeau (I forget where I got the pattern but you can Google it).

The yarn is a discounted cashmere blend in a deep teal. Me & my cashmere, I know.

Some variations on the pattern (why I call it "Redux"): I shortened the strap and halved the number of rows of seed stitch which make up the bottom. In the photos with the pattern, I thought the bag looked saggy and unformed. This is much better.

I also had to alter the side panels b/c of the change I made to the bottom. Easily done.

This is my first "lace pattern" project I'm very pleased w/ the result.

Warming Grace Project

2006-04-13T13:46:00.000-04:00

If you can knit a 5" square and have some soft pink (or purple) wool or cotton yarn just laying around collecting dust, why not participate in the Warming Grace Project? The idea is to collect the squares for a patchwork blanket for a sweet little girl named Grace (and other children at the cancer center). Click the post title for the site.

Finished: Tiny Weird Hat

2006-04-04T17:28:00.000-04:00

Tiny Weird Hat
Originally uploaded by edenza.

I think the name says it all. I followed the directions for the adult sized hat perfectly. It was a pattern that came with the wool. It said to buy 3 skeins. I was like "Three skeins for a hat?" But I did it. Turns out there's also a pattern for a basic garter stitch scarf that's "as long as you want it" that uses up the other 2.5 skeins.

This hat is fubar.

On the other hand it fits Zosie beaitufully and she wore it all morning. I guess I'll take the one from Gymboree that fits me and she can have Tiny Weird Hat.

ETA: I know it's a weird-looking hat anyway. You know what it reminds me of? The drawings of Fedallah in the "Illustrated Classics" version of Moby Dick. You know, the dude with the turban-like braid coiled around his head and one tooth? Or, more accurately, "[T]all and swart, with one white tooth evilly protruding from its steel-like lips. A rumpled Chinese jacket of black cotton funereally invested him, with wide black trowsers of the same dark stuff. But strangely crowning this ebonness was a glistening white plaited turban, the living hair braided and coiled round and round upon his head." Moby-Dick Ch.48

Quick new photo of Cherry Bombs T

2006-04-03T14:28:00.000-04:00

Repurposed Cherry Bombs t-shirt
Originally uploaded by edenza.

Read the caption for more info. Read the pervious post for the how-to and the story behind this shirt.

ETA: I have two Flickr fans b/c of that photo.

Repurposed Cherry Bombs t-shirt

2006-04-03T11:49:00.000-04:00

While watching the three-episode series finale of "Rollergirls" on A&E I decided to repurpose my new Cherry Bombs t-shirt. This is the first intentional re-purpose I've ever done. I've cut necks, sleeves, shortened, darted, etc. But this project was designed to take this shirt and make it something very non-T-shaped.

The book you see is Generation T, which is all about how to repurpose t-shirts and personalize them. I really recommend it. This pattern is called "rollover." My materials were, the t-shirt (a very large 2x), rotary cutters, a cutting board, white thread and a needle. And the "Rollergirls" finale.

I couldn't follow the pattern exactly b/c of where the design was printed on the shirt. You'll see how I dealt with that later. I began by cutting 9" off the bottom of the shirt and setting it aside. I then cut off the sleeves and about 12" from the new bottom, cut across the T. Basically this just removed the neck and a little below that. I also set that piece and the sleeves aside.

Above, I've attached the old bottom to the new bottom. The old bottom piece is inside out. The new bottom, as you can see, is right-side-out. I'm tacking the center and ends in place on the front and back, leaving the sides open as arm holes.

All sewed up (back of the shirt on the top). Now what you do is fold down the old bottom portion, to make a kind of portrait neck and sew the edge down. It's nice b/c I sewed the seam of the old & new bottoms to the old hem. You can't see the thread. Unfortunately b/c of where the printing fell, the armholes were almost down to my waist. The good part of that is that the design was perfectly placed for the rest of the project (gave me a lot of fabric for the portrait collar and not as much scrap fabric). So I decided to slit the sides. It was also very big in the body and I would have had to dart it to make it look better.

Here's a photo of me wearing the short at this point, to see how it's going:

I briefly considered making it a halter:

Maybe when I get a Holy Rollers shirt, I'll try the halter.

So I placed the shirt on the cutting board and marked off straight up & down lines about an inch in from the slit side edges. Then every inch for eight inches, I put a tiny diagonal slit, like holes for shoelaces in tennis shoes. Then I cut two lengths of scrap fabric from the sleeves and used them to lace up the sides, starting at the bottom:

Here's how that looks on: Yes, my hair is a disaster. B/c instead of showering I was watching "Rollergirls" and repurposing my t-shirt. You can also see a flap of fabric hanging down near the top of the armhole. I have that in front & back on both sides.

Here's the preliminary final product on:
I'll try & get a better photo today. I've even managed to wash my hair! I still need to do some tacking & shaping near the boobs (the aforementioned flap of fabric) but the lacing on the side already helped give it a nice shape.

I love my Cherry Bombs t-shirt! You can get yours here.

Self-portrait Tuesday

2006-03-28T13:09:00.000-05:00

Self-portrait Tuesday
Originally uploaded by edenza.

I figured this would be a good opportunity to start doing SPT.

I hadn't been able to shower since last Wednesday. I had my hair done Thursday so it looked good even this morning. So with Zosie at her table having apples and peaches for lunch and Hal wakeful but not fussy or hungry, I finally had a chance to get my contacts in and get dressed. I couldn't bring myself to put on clean clothes when I felt so yucky so I took a quick shower.

Then I got dressed and came back down and snapped this photo. I tried to make lunch but Zosie was climbing into Hal's swing, pushing her way between me and the counter, etc. So lunch is a Carnation Instant Breakfast. After I slurp this down, I'm off to do another of the four/five loads of laundry for today and to continue packing up the downstairs before the staging crew comes on Friday.

This photo was like a single moment of calm, when I caught my breath and regrouped before diving back in.

The Mother Bear Project

2006-03-24T11:13:00.000-05:00

The Mother Bear Project is a grass-roots, non-profit group dedicated to providing comfort and hope to children, primarily those affected by HIV/AIDS in emerging nations, by giving them a gift of love in the form of hand-knit bears.

The response has been overwhelming, with people wanting to help from all over the world. Thousands of patterns have been distributed, and wonderful bears have been received from people of all ages, backgrounds and knitting abilities. It has brought people together to do something kind in the face of a horrible problem.

The simple gift of a hand-knit bear with a tag signed by the knitter has touched children who have nearly nothing in the world with the message that they are loved by someone halfway around the world.

Project: Toddler kitchen apron

2006-03-21T11:23:00.000-05:00

Zoe came up to me one day last week and said, "Apron?" So I decided to make her one. I had this piece of fabric that came with my (autographed) "Stitch- It Kit" (by Jenny Hart). I have several of her patterns but decided on a tropical theme, which also comes in the kit (as well as a booklet, floss, a needle and a hoop). Remember: this is a quick & dirty prototype, just to see how it would work. It's not too fancy and more than a little sloppy but you get the idea.

You can see that I used pinking shears to cut out those two upper corners. I used them as a front pocket. These were the nasty old scissors that gnaw at the fabric. I should have gotten out the fabric pinkers and the sewing machine but it was just a prototype so I didn't.

Everything was joined together w/ Stitch Witchery b/c I couldn't get out the machine. It's hard to embroider through this heavy-weight Stitch Witchery but it can be done. I should have waited to attach the pocket but wasn't yet sure what I was going to do.

Detail of the pocket, complete with water stain (I hate our water here)

Here's the embroidery outline: a hula dancer and two palm trees.

You apply the design by using an iron and my nasty water stained the apron around the hula girl. Also the hula girl transferred onto the ironing board. I knew better but I have baby brain. I drained the iron and will only use steam-free or distilled water from now on.

Here's the finished embroidery. The impression from the hoop is still visible around the hula girl. It took a few episodes of "Lost" and some Nick Jr programming to do all the creative stitching. All told, maybe 2-3 hours. The length is part of what I love about these embroidery projects. You can be done in a day if you want. Click photo for detail.

This prototype is almost as finished as it's going to be. I'll get some bias tape for the ties. If I make another, I'll make some changes but all things considered it turned out pretty well. I lined it w/ some stripy bright fabric I had (hand-sewed b/c, as I said, I couldn't get out the machine).

Zosie won't stand still to model it for you but I can tuck it in to the back of her shirt so you can see the size and how it works for her. She's going into a size 4T and will be 3 in August. I made this as an art apron but I think that it will be a better kitchen apron. The size will also work for a couple of years. My plan for making ties is bias tape. I would put bias tape around the pocket and all the edges next time.

This was a fun, quick, inexpensive and practical project so yes, there will be a next time. If you try it, here are my suggestions (and advice I'll be following as well):

Choose soft fabric (I did) so it gives and isn't stiff.

Use an embroidery pattern that's not too "kitchen" or not too "art" (I did)

Use a sewing machine.

Do the pocket separately (and line/back it).

Use distilled water in your iron.

Line the apron before attaching the backing fabric.

Get bias tape so you can call it "finished" right away.

The only way to learn is by trying, IMO. Try it!

You can get the embroidery patterns here:

Or here:

Knitting Blog Drinking Game

2006-03-17T17:51:00.000-05:00

Here

I own original art

2006-03-15T14:28:00.000-05:00

This came in the mail Monday. It's even more wonderful IRL.

Illustration Friday on a Tuesday

2006-03-07T11:13:00.000-05:00

The theme is "insects" and although I usually just lurk there and check out the art, I actually had something to go w/ this theme.

Every month or so, I draw something on our little kitchen chalkboard that Zosie is interested in. For Halloween it was a pumpkin. The one I just erased was a castle. Now she's into butterflies, ladybugs, etc. So I drew a butterfly.

None of them is very complicated. Just a minute or two and simple enough to be recognizable. That traditional "pinned"-looking butterfly seems to be everywhere so I drew a closed butterfly. It's in pink and blue chalk.

Colorful scarf (as modeled by a Boohbah)

2006-03-05T19:51:00.000-05:00

Since Zosie won't sit still for a photo these days, this lovely orange Boohbah graciously volunteered to be my model.

I knitted this scarf to match a cute purse Z got from Gymboree. I originally wanted a solid aqua yarn but couldn't find it or any solids in this yarn which matched the purse. All of the colors on the purse are in this scarf though. It has a keyhole opening, as you can see.

Zing Zing Zingbah rocks this scarf. She may just keep it.

Mission Falls Checkers bag

2006-03-03T14:09:00.000-05:00

Finally, a photo of me knitting
Originally uploaded by edenza.

Still in progress, as you can see. I found that "Lost" is good to knit to. We've Netflixed it. How do people go a week between episodes? Last summer must've been hell.

The World's Most Hideous Lamp

2006-02-26T01:03:00.000-05:00

The World's Most Hideous Lamp
Originally uploaded by edenza.

I ordered The World's Most Hideous Lamp from Delia's. Looks kinda cute in their photo, no? Here's how it really looks:

It's not a sweet dull gold; it's brassy. And there's a raised paint line where they painted half of this brassy assy lamp pink. And the shade is sheer, as you can see.

On the plus side, it only cost $10 and the pink does match where I want to use the lamp.

I'm thinking of spraying over the brassy part with maybe a brown or spring green and using contact paper to make some kind of stencil for the pink side, to include the green. I also may bead or embroider (!) on the shade.

I'm open to suggestions. Got any?

Little redesign

2006-02-21T17:50:00.000-05:00

I did this while holding my son who will only be held and wants nothing else.. until you hold him a while and he's dissatisfied. Since I needed a one-handed, mindless project, I did a quick makeover w/ a graphic I already had.

Let me know if it's troubling on the eyes. I figure most folks use a feed anyway.

Well, baby howling. Gotta run.

American Idol Mac & Cheese

2006-02-16T21:13:00.000-05:00

Just as easy as Kraft dinner but with nutritional content! This dish sustained me through my first pregnancy and was a Tuesday night ritual, along with "American Idol," hence the name.

-3/4 c skim milk
-6 oz American cheese* (about 9 slices Kraft Deluxe)
-1 tbsp flour
-Fresh ground pepper
-1 c dried macaroni

Whisk the flour into the milk & pour into saucepan over very low heat. Add cheese. Meanwhile boil water for noodles. Add macaroni to boiling water. Make sure cheese sauce doesn't burn. Drain noodles when tender and add to sauce.

Variations:

- for baked m&c, prepare the same as above only increase milk to 1 cup and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. You could garnish with tomato slices around the edges

- brown some Vidalia onion and add to cheese sauce

* if you use cheddar or other cheeses, the sauce will be lumpy. You can toss a little in for flavor (I like to top the baked version w/ a shredded colby/jack mix) but I recommend real American cheese -- No "cheese food product!"

Mermaid embroidery

2006-02-15T00:18:00.000-05:00

Mermaid embroidery
Originally uploaded by edenza.

I mentioned this piece in the previous post. I just blogged the question at Get Crafty. What would you do with this?

I got nuthin'

2006-02-14T23:38:00.000-05:00

I could be off crafting right now but I'm not. I'm writing about crafting. Or not crafting.

I have good news. Acording to Allison at "I Am Supercrafty," Mission Falls is back and so is MF 1824 cotton -- that yarn I rave about every chance I get. They have 30 new colors and everything. So I'll be going crazy over that in a serious way.

I stocked up on that sale at Kaleidoscope Yarns and was hording my MF1824c. Didn't know what I was going to make with it. I just wanted to make.

That's the thing lately. I want to make. I have no idea what but something. I have been able to do a little knitting when I'm the one putting Zosie to bed (Hawk is doing that right now). I did finish her blue cashmere blend scarf. Basically I just got tired of it being on the needle and BO. Looks nice and feels thick. She likes it too. Now I'm making her a bright, soft scarf in a chunky, soft acrylic that matches a hat I got her. I thought I could knit it up quick but no. It's not terribly wide but I put a keyhole in it so it could be tucked. It's not bad. I'm also doing it K1P1 so that it lays flast but has bulk and shows off the texture. I tried several combinations of pattern before I decided on K1P1.

I got a sketchbook on sale at Borders, thinking I might make collages. Not yet.

I organized the big ol' desk and have room to scrapbook now. I've made one page. Not bad actually. Not nearly satisfying enough.

Zosie loves to play with my copy of Stolen Sharpie Revolution, which I got for my article at TC. Why she loves it, I have no idea. It's almost all text. It has a bright red cover but she likes to "read" it. Then again her favorite scene in any movie or TV show ever is Gollum's schizophrenic scene... Anyway, I sometimes toy with the idea of making a zine. The actual creation of it. The content is what stumps me.

An embroidery project would be ideal, something I can stop and start easily that is easy to put away and put out of reach. I can't decide what to make. I want to make something useful, not just decorative. I never did figure out what to do w/ my mermaid... thing. I don't even know what to call it. I do like it though.

I just realized I don't have a photo of it. I'll take one, post it at Flickr or Get Crafty or Craftster or someplace.

My big creative outlet lately has been photography. My main subject is Holden b/c he cooperative. The other big subject is me *sigh* but I'm not interesting enough and don't much like most of my self-portraits. They don't say much. I did do some still lifes I like. I just dig my new camera.

MST3K Sweater for kids

2006-02-06T14:21:00.000-05:00

Squeeee!

Half-naked knitter

2006-01-22T14:06:00.000-05:00

And it's a man, baby!

A C Moore has all yarn 25% off

2006-01-21T16:46:00.000-05:00

I think the sale goes to Wednesday. They have some nice yarns that aren't too common, compared to other large craft stores. I went crazy in there today! Crazy! And I haven't knit a stitch in a month.

Yarn sale -- Mission Falls for $3.90/sk

2006-01-05T23:02:00.000-05:00

Kaleidoscope Yarns (I've order from them a few times) is having a final close-out on their Mission Falls 1824 yarn. If I could buy it all, I would. As it is, you can stock up for $3.90 per skein. I also got a skein of Cascade 220 in a discontinued color. Expensive, insofaras an order goes but damn I got a lot of yarn for under $100 and I do love that MF1824 (which is discontinued).

Patchwork baby quilt -- close-up

2005-12-29T21:36:00.000-05:00

Click on photo to see close-up

Baby Longshoreman cap

2005-12-29T21:24:00.000-05:00

I only vaguely remember knitting this and the matching booties. It must have been in the spring. He's still too little for the booties but the hat is a perfect fit. It's ribbed around the edge and was knit in the round and decreased. It's super-soft and should fit for all winter long. I love this shade of yarn; I have no idea what yarn it is though. It's an acrylic or a cashmere blend. I admit, I treat myself to cashmere and cashmere blends pretty often.

Baby quilt

2005-12-29T21:19:00.000-05:00

Not a complete photo but a cute one. The top right square has an "H" stitched into it, if you can notice that. When I have a little free time, I'll blog the patterns for some of the squares.

Baking Day

2005-12-17T17:25:00.000-05:00

I find baking extremely cathartic. It's not the result but the process I find rewarding. Unfortunately Hawk has a high temptation threshold with most sweets and much of baking is for just the kind of thing he can avoid. So it sometimes goes half to waste.

W/ his mother here, I know that she'll dig right in to whatever I make if it's full of sugar and butter (when possible, I do use real butter for baking despite my diet -- I just reduce my portion).

The item in the foreground, though not yet cut, is Cherry Almond Bars. The item in the cookbook, which is currently in the oven, is Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Bars (I tried the batter -- oh. my. god). If I'm feeling productive later, I may make a peanut butter pie. My peanut butter pies get their fat from the low-fat peanut butter. I use fat free cream cheese and fat free Cool Whip. If I could reduce the sugar content and retain the taste, we'd really be in business.

BTW: I will update w/ the recipes when I have the time. I'm not skimpy w/ recipes.

Tree sweater

2005-12-17T14:29:00.000-05:00

Seriously.

Cashmere Blend Toddler Scarf

2005-12-16T15:24:00.000-05:00

Knitting on size 10s (of course) w/ 18 sts. The pattern is RS: K all and WS: K1P1. Also: slip the first stitch as if to purl. Always knit last stitch. It keeps a nice edge.

This is the same yarn I used to make the baby booties and hat combo in March.

The RS is the ribbed-look on the left. The WS is the pebbly texture on the right.

Mission Falls Checkers Bag

2005-12-12T13:15:00.000-05:00

This pattern is from Weekend Knitting for a "checkers bag." I'm using the same yarn the pattern calls for, which you know I love, but I don't have the colors (since it's been discontinued). I have lots of yellow and blue and one skein each of a sage and a raspberry. So I'm going to have a dash of the green & red but mostly with yellow & blue. I'm substituting the red/green for the blue b/c I want to hang onto some of the blue yarn for other projects.

Updates

2005-12-11T11:36:00.000-05:00

Since blogging is easier for me than updating a webpage, I'm going to make a slight alteration here.

While this will primarily remain a knitting blog, my other "domestic projects" will go here now as well. I'm back-posting my stuff from last December (making book thongs, cookie recipes, etc.) that I had at my crafty webpages.

Enjoy!

BTW: This is why I'll be posting a cookie recipe later.

Blue hat

2005-12-09T11:57:00.000-05:00

Here's the blue hat I've been working on. This is the best photo of the hat; you're not missing anything by not seeing my face. As you can see, it fits well and I like the color w/ my hair.

I have a fair amount of yarn left so I'm considering maybe hand warmers or mittens (gasp!) to go with it. Or maybe just a scarf. Meh.

Anyway, my current projects are now the striped bag and a scarf for Z in that blue cashmere blend yarn that I can't stop working with. The pattern for her scarf is RS: K; WS: K1P1. Just started it so I'll post a photo when it's done.

A bit of sewing / embroidery

2005-12-08T11:55:00.000-05:00

My first self-taught craft was cross-stitch and I've been sewing since elementary school. This post is also about embroidery, another self-taught craft.

My largest, lengthiest project:

Yes, I mean the quilt. It's a readily-available Bucilla kit called "Mr Moon & Me" and includes the stamped quilt and all the floss. Off and on, I worked on this project from 1999-2003. The quilt has a yellow flannel backing, which I added.

This is the first embroidery project I did with Sublime Stitching. I have a photo of Baby Z wearing it but dunno where that is right now. As it is, you can see that it's well-used and well-loved. This is from "I Luv Veggies" from Sublime Stitching (link below).

This was a plain Old Navy long-sleeve t-shirt from the clearance rack. This project took a couple of hours total and I've washed it a couple times and it still looks fine. It's part of the Darling Dachshunds set from Sublime Stitching (link below).

This is ... well, I'm not sure what it is yet other than a very embroidered handkerchief (too pretty to hide in the powder room after all). This is from the "Under the Sea" set from Sublime Stitching (link below). I loved doing the mermaids. The shell-free one has color-gradient thread hair and pearl earrings, naturally. The more demure mermaid's pearl is embroidered with pearl beads. There are a lot of details to this piece, including silver tritons. I showed a close-up of the anchor, the last bit I sewed.

This is a bib with a "Darling Dachshunds" pattern on it. The writing is mine; I just embroidered over my handwriting. It took about two days.

Current project

2005-12-04T21:35:00.000-05:00

I'm making myself my first hat. I've only made children's hats before. I do love knitting on dpns; I don't care much for round needles. Anyway, since I have a big giant head, I'm knitting on the next size up from what the pattern calls for. This is a varigated Manos Del Uruguay yarn, which I bought at my LYS and put away thinking I would make 'something' with it and having no idea what.

I have found my next project

2005-11-29T13:05:00.000-05:00

Baby Viking Knit Hat.

Current projects:

Soft chenille scarf for me

Blue hat for me

Bag (blue & yellow stripe) for me

Yes, I'm tired of knitting for everyone else ;)

How cute is this?

2005-11-18T15:07:00.000-05:00

The Knitting Zone has a pattern for a little gray poodle. "Customize your pup with with different yarns, colors, ear styles, tail lengths."

Blue patchwork baby blanket

2005-11-07T15:33:00.000-05:00

Now you can finally see what I'm talking about. I knit in Z's room almost exclusively now. I usually get a couple of hours a day in by having my knitting stuff up there. Like today she says, "Bed?" at 1:30. She finally fell asleep at 3. Same thing at night. Of course I stop often to read books, play games, etc. so it's not solid knitting time. I usually can get 1-2 squares done per day and as you can see, I've started to piece it together. So I took the digital camera up today, got photos of Z and managed to get a flash-free photo of the blanket.

Also please note the artistic designs on the throw rug. It is a work in crayon, called "Fun Ripply Noise Plus Color on White Ikea Carpet #1."

So anyway, I'm learning new stitch patterns and using basic ones to create this blanket. Some of what you see here includes garter, stockinette, seed, ribbing, honeycomb, cables, double seed and box stitches. My favorite one so far has been from a scarf pattern I have. It's basically odd rows: K and even rows: k1p1. It looks very cool on both sides. I have done it twice at stitched it in so that both sides of the square are showing.

The blanket is shown upside down here, btw.

I took close-ups of the squares but none turned out as well as the large photo here. For more detail, click the image.

So I'm like Dora this way

2005-11-07T12:11:00.000-05:00

You appear to be a Knitting Adventurer.
You are through those knitting growing pains and
feeling more adventurous. You can follow a
standard pattern if it's not too complicated
and know where to go to get help. Maybe you've
started to experiment with different fibers and
you might be eyeing a book with a cool
technique you've never tried. Perhaps you
prefer to stick to other people's patterns but
you are trying to challenge yourself more.
Regardless of your preference, you are
continually trying to grow as a knitter, and as
well you should since your non-knitting friends
are probably dropping some serious hints, these
days.
http://marniemaclean.com

What Kind of Knitter Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

AntiCraft -- check it out

2005-11-02T12:52:00.000-05:00

Their premiere issue is called "Samhain 2005" (gotta love that) and the cover says "You're going to die anyway. You might as well knit."

There's a feature on wire knitting (I've been wanting to try that) and they have a cool hat and some other stuff I definitely want to try.

Still working on the patchwork baby blanket for the gestating one. I need more yarn too. I'm very happy with it so far.

A great knitting idea: baby legwarmers

2005-10-26T14:51:00.000-04:00

With a baby on the way and a toddler who refuses to leave her pants on, I may whip up a pair or two of these.

Pink Lemonade Bag

2005-10-21T21:14:00.000-04:00

This is another example of the Kool-Aid dyed wool that I did. This skein was dyed w/ pink lemonade falvor. The handle is a combo of pink lemonade and black raspberry, from which I made a previous, small bag. The idea here was that this wool would felt and make a large, yet tight, bag. I washed it last night; it didn't felt.

So know it's just a pretty huge and pretty floppy bag. Also I made the handle long in case it shrunk up, which was my aim. This handbag might just be a shoulder bag after all. I also made a permanent fob that's sewn inside. I think that I may line it, since it didn't felt. I don't have any more of the pink lemonade yarn but I have lots of the hybrid.

Here's how I made this bag, basically:

Size 17 needles; Lion Brand Bulky wool, dyed from an original ecru color

There are 5 sides to the bag, including the bottom. The bottom and long sides are garter stitched. Once I grab a ruler, I'll measure them for you. The ends are more interesting b/c I had originally thought this might be a kind of "box" for Z's closet, once it felted and made firm sides (*snark*). The ends are stockinette with one Size 17 needle and one Size 13 needle. Yes, this was originally a goof b/c the needles are the same color and similar in size. I caught it in time to correct it bu tI really liked the look. It makes a VvVvVv kind of pattern, row to row, so it looks like this:

VVVVV
vvvvv
VVVVV
vvvvv

The handle is also in garter stitch, starting with 8 sts and narrowing to 4 sts in the center before returning to be 8 sts again where it rejoins the bag. The fob is 2 sts wide.

ETA: The bag has been commandeered by Z, who uses it to store Teletubbies and other important items

You knit what?

2005-10-12T23:13:00.000-04:00

Hey folks, a contest.

What we want is something you've knitted that's gone horribly wrong. Or something you've designed and knit that just didn't turn out the way you thought it would. Now, if you want to knit something ugly in a week, have at it, but... I guess it's all in how much you want that grand prize.

So them's the rules. You knit it, you wear it. If you don't want your face splashed all over the internet as Queen or King of Knitted Fug, don't enter. (Or convince a friend to model it, whatever. It'll be our little secret.)

The Grand Prize: A write up on YKW?? and an official YKW?? totebag.

Crazy Hat

2005-10-07T22:17:00.000-04:00

This colored yarn was next to the solid purple I made the backpack from last night. I had just a little of the purple left, which is the two rows of ribbing at the opening. The pattern came with the purple yarn. I'm sure you can find it at Lion Brand.

It's a little big for Z but she'll probably wear it to play. It would also be a really cute bag.

I love this chunky yarn. I may stock up on a few skeins and make a blanket as well. The colors are so much fun and you can see how cute this multi is. Anyway, this only took a few hours, off and on, over the course of the day.

One-night-knit: Back-pack, back-pack

2005-10-06T23:55:00.000-04:00

So Z has decided she actually likes one aspect of "Dora The Explorer" and it's the backpack. She likes the pack, she likes when it talks and she loves the song. She sings it out of the blue for no reason. The rest of Dora? Meh. But "back-pack, back-pack. Back-pack, back-pack..."

So after hearing it over & over this afternoon, I decided to pick up some chunky purple yarn and make her one. It took from about 9:15 to 11:30, start to finish.

Front, with flap down

Back, with double strap

I had no pattern and no idea what I was doing but I knit and knit and voila! A reasonable backpack. Were I to do it over again, I woul make it narrower. My hope is that she uses it to put toys and such in. I don't know if it'll be much of an actual backpack (she's been asleep since I started working on it) but it's chunky, it's purple and it probably fits five Boohbahs comfortably.

The pattern is basically as follows:

2 skeins "Big" by Lion Brand in Great Grape (80% acrylic, 20% wool)
Gauge: 5 sts x 7r = 4" square on size 19 US needles
Size 19 needles
Size 35 needles
Really big-eyed yarn needle

CO 14 sts onto size 19 needles (makes a tighter, stiffer flap)
Garter stitch 10 rows
Stitch Row 11 onto Size 35 needles. Work wih these for the rest of the project (makes a cushier bag)
Work 5 rows in Stst. This creates the fold-over of the flap.
Work in garter stitch for 30 rows.
BO. This last, bound-off row is the "lip" of the bag when it's open.
Tack the "lip row" to the last row you did in stockinette. It's fine to pin it for now. Put the knitted side of the stst section outside for now. You will turn the bag inside out and the purled side will show.

For side triangles (make 2):*
CO 1 st.
Row 1: K1 st
Row 2: K front & back of st (2)
Row 3: K front & back of both sts (4)
Row 4: K front and back of middle sts (6)
Row 5: K front and back of sts #2 and #5 (8)
BO

Sew these side triangles onto bag. Locate the center bottom of the triangle. Find the center bottom of the bag's body (around row 18 or so) and start sewing there. The triangle will not go all the way up to the bag's opening. You will join the sides at the top of the triangle and just join the sides from there up.

*Or you can just sew the sides together and the bag won't have the same shape but will look as good.

Turn the bag right-side-out (purled section of ststs work is outside: the "top" of the bag).

For straps (make 2):

CO 2 sts
Work in stst for approximately 20 rows. The strap length is up to you.
Attach the straps to each other at their tops and bottoms. Push that tied-together yarn through the center of the row where the stst section ends at the top and where the bag curves to make a bottom below (around row 12 on mine). I just knotted the bottom section inside the bag (weave in ends if you can here and throughout project; it's difficult with this size yarn). At the top, I double-knotted and made a bow. Sew the bow w/ needle & thread. This yarn comes secured with dyed-to-match thread.

That's it!

ETA: I'm redoing this and I'm going to make it much narrower. While this is a very cute little bag, it doesn't work as a backpack. Zosie uses it to store Barbies and Barbie clothes, which works just fine. I'll do a new post when I get it done. Until then, I would change this pattern by CO 7 or 8 sts and adjusting accordingly.

What's on the needles

2005-09-23T20:33:00.000-04:00

First off, I spent hours today rolling this Malabrigo merino/wool blend (color: Bobby Blue) into a workable ball:

I was planning to use it in some baby capacity but now I'm thinking either legwarmers or bag. I only have one skein, which is why I'm a maybe on the bag. If I wash the legwarmers, they'll felt. So I'm torn.

I've also been working on a new patchwork planket; it's definitely for the baby. I only have three squares so far. One is garter stitch, one is a next texture (upstairs -- I'll photograph for you later) created by doing a k1p1 rib on one side and k every back side row. The third square is a cable. I'm just going to try all kinds of things, then assemble the squares.

I also have the bottom to do on a pink wool "box" but I work on that while in Z's playroom w/ her. Since she's been fighting going upstairs, I haven't done much. That's 100% out of my head so we'll see how it turns out. I plan to felt it.

I also got a new knitting book yesterday: Weekend Knitting. I got a slight discount b/c the jacket was damaged (20%) which saved me $5. It never hurts to ask. I have about 4 patterns I want to do right now, including a Mission Falls bag. I may have to scoop up a couple more skeins. My "source" is getting low on colors ;)

New projects and then some

2005-09-19T14:12:00.000-04:00

My "crafty guide" will be published at getcrafty.com in the Oct or Nov newsletter and will become part of the site! Yay!

On the knitting front, I finally finished that tri-color Mission Falls scarf for Z. Once I get the ends sewed in, I'll provide a photo.

I started knitted some blue squares for a patchwork baby blanket for The Padawan (on the way). My idea is to try some different techniques, like cabling or honeycomb, and join the squares together. I also have leftover yarn in the multi-color that matches this plain blue.

I gave up on the sweater for Z. That row of 117 sts was just grating on my nerves. When I saw I had four more inches of it to knit, I just said, "That's it. I'm done." I think it would have fit her.

So I have this oddly-shaped knitted... thing. But I do have an idea for it, which I had before I bound it off: it's going to be a lap blanket for in the car seat. The wide part, which was the sleeves, will tuck beside Z or H (The Padawan) while the bottom part, which is squared, will be blanket-like. We'll try it & see. It's so, so soft too.

At this rate, I don't know if I will ever knit a sweater for myself. I've not even made a hat for myself and my big head. I think I will though. I found a book that I might request for Christmas/Yule and it has good hat patterns I like.

Target has cheap knitting needles for you

2005-09-18T16:08:00.000-04:00

At the dollar bins Target now puts at the front of their stores, they are featuring bamboo needles in four sizes and two lengths. The sizes I found were 4, 5, 11 and 13. The long needles are regular bamboo; the short needles are purple-painted. All come in see-through plastic tubes.*

Target also has some $1 novelty yarns which are a kind of angora-look. Colors include rust orange and lilac (there are more but I can't remember them). The colors are very nice. There's also a small spiral-bound book of four patterns for that yarn.

For other crafters, the dollar area has scrapbook paper, stencils and rubber stamps. Most of these are Halloween or autumn-themed.

I haven't used any of the products yet but I have stocked up.

* Update: I tried to use the large size 17s and they aren't coated. I tried rubbing them with wax paper but it didn't help. They shredded the yarn a bit. I think I'll be returning all of the needles. I don't know what kid of yarn wouldn't catch on them. They're like the shaved part of a cheap pencil. I'm keeping the yarn and the little book though. If I knew a way to coat them, I would.

Ice cream cozies

2005-09-08T23:07:00.000-04:00

I liked the first one so much, I knit two. The pattern is from "Knit Wit." Yarn is Cascade Fixation, I believe. What the pattern calls for.

New Mission Falls Hat -- successful

2005-09-04T01:12:00.000-04:00

It's a little difficult to see but you can see how much better it fits than the blue in "toddler" size. This one is only 10 more sts around (CO 80). Just as a note: Z had her 2-mo check-up on Wednesday and her head is 46cm circumference, which is a little on the small side (esp given her height & weight). So there's something not right about the toddler pattern; I knit it correctly.

Anyway, the "child" size is even a little big on her. Where the pattern calls for eyelet to thread through an i-cord drawstring, I stitched a few rows of rib stitch. I figured it would give her the elasticity to help keep the hat on that the drawstring was meant to provide. I did the eyelet stitch in the blue hat and you can see it in the photos. I didn't knit the cord b/c the hat seemed so small.

This is a scarf I started tonight. The bottom color is the blue of the first hat (note to self: photograph blue booties) which will go to Z's new brother this winter. The second color is the purple of Z's hat. The color is a little off b/c of the flash but it's a deep plum purple. The the bulk of the scarf will be that dull pink. The other end will follow this purple & blue pattern. Maybe I'll get adventurous and try a mitten sometime!

Update: Here are shots of the two hats in comparison. The blue is the "toddler" size" and the purple is the "child" size:

Update on Mission Falls hat

2005-08-29T14:56:00.000-04:00

Well I started knitting Z's purple hat using the "children's" pattern. When I hold the hat up against her new crochet rose white hat from Gymboree, the diameter is just a stitch or two smaller. The hat is a size 2-3T -- the "T" standing for TODDLER. And the crochet hat fits quite snug, esp for a toddler with next-to-no hair. So I don't know what the problem w/ the pattern is. If I make it again, I will just have to size up the needles.

Oh and I'm skipping the bit for the tie to go through. I think it will be quite snug enough, thank you. In fact, I plan to rib it around there so it has a little give.

Well I coulda told ya that

2005-08-27T17:10:00.000-04:00

You are bamboo.
Warm, cozy, and thoughtful, you take your time and
enjoy how things feel, smell, and taste. You
love the craft and beauty of traditional
things, and you value the comfort and
experience of knitting as much as the results.
But while you are reveling in your warm cozies,
don't get stuck. Warm is wonderful, but so is
the whole wide world!

What kind of knitting needles are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Blue Mission Falls hat

2005-08-24T14:59:00.000-04:00

So I knitted the Mission Falls 1824 hat from Last Minute Gifts and it's bizarro.

I knit the toddler size with the Mission Falls 1824 yarn (discontinued and hard to find but worth it) and the needles were even the same brand as what's recommended. Some of Z's hats are 6-18 mo size b/c she has so little hair. Like her beret from her 1 year old photo (she still wears it). This is so tight I could barely get it on her.

She decided to would make a better sock.

Then she tried to put it on herself. No such luck.

So I thought, "Okay. Blue hat. Baby boy on the way. He can have it." So I CO the stitches for the child size hat in a pretty purple (also Mission Falls yarn -- I stocked up). It's only 10 more sts. There's no way this is going to fit her!

I looked at Purl's website and there's no errata for this pattern. Gak. So I'm going to work on some other stuff until I figure out what to do.

LYS

2005-08-13T00:48:00.000-04:00

I finally got to LYS #2 today. I also learned their hours: 11-3! Are you shitting me? No wonder I could never get there when it was open. But they have some nice yarn and it is the smallest retail outlet I have ever entered in my life. They have a new "bargain basement" which has the most cool paint scheme I've seen not on TV. Very inspiring.

So anyway, I got some some bluish yarn for "something baby" -- now that I know what color to use -- and a nice pink/peach combo which I will use to make a felted water bottle sling with the free pattern I got at the store. And I will use the rest for "something Zoe."

More when I get it knit.

Oh and I forgot to blog about the blue knit hat. I'll do that tomorrow w/ photo.

Back into it

2005-06-28T12:34:00.000-04:00

It's been so hot that I got away from knitting. I also want to do something Padawan-related but I don't know yet what colors I want to use. Today I ordered some yarn to make the baby/toddler hats in Last Minute Knitted Gifts (which has been discontinued so I was lucky to find it) and the needles to do a baby sweater from the same book. Couldn't find that yarn but I have a catalog that has a similar yarn in it that I might get. I think I could use any of those cotton baby yarns for it. Trick was that I didn't have the right needles.

What I really need is a quick project I can knit and be done with quickly and I have some ideas. So I suppose I should get to that sometime.

Camera cozy

2005-06-17T23:05:00.000-04:00

I knitted a quick cozy for our digital camera over a couple of days last week. I used the olive cashmere blend, same brand as the blue booties and hat. I just love the feel of it and everything I've made w/ it looks so neat and clean.

This was basically CO 21, *k 1 row, p 1 row* repeat *, k1p1 until it wrapped around the camera then *2x and BO. I folded it over and sewed up the one side and then joined the top and bottom, allowing the BO to show. I'm working on an i-cord to close it off or maybe become a wrist strap. I like the ribbing b/c it's so stretchy. The cashmere is also a nice soft material to rub against the case b/c there's no lens cap (why I wanted a cozy).

Patchwork blanket: done (?)

2005-06-06T23:00:00.000-04:00

Z has decided that she wants the patchwork blanket now. It's all crooked and some squares are off; I didn't get it right until near the end, when I was more practiced. Also the yarn is that microfiber so it has a mind of its own.

I had two rows to go so instead of being 8 long by 7 wide, it's 6 long. It's also pretty square, strangely enough. I think if I were doing it again, I would have used a color where the white is. I do like the color combo, which was my own invention. The pattern is a Debbie Bliss, I think. It's basically garter-stitched squares that are turned 1/4 and sewed together.

I may do a mini-version (on the correct-sized needles?) for her doll or something. Right now she loves dragging it around and it's her favorite blankie. Yay! It is very soft and puddly (that's the best word: it puddles).

If I get a photo of her dragging it around, I'll share.

I'm currently also still working on that sweater and maybe some open-top boxes for the closet. It's a make-it-up-as-I-go kind of thing. Other than those, I have no project on-the-needles.

Kool-Aid Dyed

2005-05-16T11:07:00.000-04:00

Seeing as Lani's blog doesn't let me comment at all now (unless I have one line or less to add), I'll just say this here:

I just did more Kool-Aid dyeing. I did one skein (also bulky wool) in pink lemonade and one in a combo of 1 pkg pink lemonade and 1 pkg black cherry. I still have a little of the black cherry left from my last project (i.e.: there are three gradient shades). The yarn's still sitting there waiting to become something.

Yellow head wrap

2005-05-06T11:48:00.000-04:00

This pattern is from Knit Wit. I forget the name but it's based on a medieval nighcap kind of look. The photo in the book makes it seem more hat-like. I call this a wrap. My gauge is fine and the only pattern alteration I made was using i-cords, shorter than the knit strands recommended, for the ties. As you can see, it's a good fit for Baby Z.

Black Cherry Bag -- I made it myself!

2005-05-05T11:55:00.000-04:00

I call this The Black Cherry Bag, as I used Black Cherry Kool Aid to dye the off-white yarn. It's a bulky weight yarn and I forget the brand now. It was just a generic 100% wool thick yarn that I picked so I could dye it. For info on how to dye wool yarn, w/ Kool Aid, visit Knitty.com, read it in SNB or Google it. I didn't quite do it right so I didn't get the color result I'd wanted. I misread the directions. You can see how Black Cherry would look at the Knitty article (and what I'd anticipated). However, I like the shade I got so I'm not complaining.

Here's the pattern, roughly:
Black Cherry Bag
Use 100% wool, bulky (any type)
Size 17 needles

Cabled front:

CO18
Row 1: P6, K6, P6
Row 2: K6, P6, K6
Row 3: P6, K3, slip those 3 onto cable needle, K3. replace sts from cable needle onto right-hand needle behind the second set of 3 that you knit, P6. This creates the cable
Row 4: K6, P6, K6
Row 5: P6, K6, P6
Row 6: K6, P6, K6
Repeat 1-6 3 times or for however high you want the bag.

Back:
CO18
Work in Sts until the piece is the same height as the cabled front of the bag. If you don't want this side of the bag to curl along the top, like Sts does, you could rib the last row or two. Mine is about 25 rows.

Handle:
CO2
K until the handle is as long as you want. An i-cord would be a great handle for this bag as well.

You might also want to stitch a fabric liner into this bag. I intend to use it for water bottles, sunglasses, etc and not for small objects (coins, lipstick) so it shouldn't be a concern.

This is my first real bag. It started as a "learn to cable" experiment and I made it into a bag. My only other cabling experience was a small swatch on denim-colored aran yarn.

Eek! No update!

2005-05-02T17:33:00.000-04:00

I've knitted a few things since my last update. I'll need to gather them for a photo.

I learned cabling. I did a Kool-aid-dyed bulky wool (color: black cherry)(note: dying process smelled of cherries and wet sheep) and knit myself a little bag on size 17s. There's a cable up the front and the back is in Sts. The handle is just a few stitches bound off (it curves). I also made my first i-cord and may weave it in for a drawstring. I have some of the deep pink yarn left. It's a bit scratchy to make something for Baby Z or a scarf or somesuch so I'll come up w/ something cool, I'm sure.

I started a Secret Project which may be a gift but I need another skein of the yarn and everyone is out of stock on the color :(. I may change the Secret Project to one I was going to do for myself and keep the original SP for myself, once I get the second skein. I love the yarn: KPPPM. I got it from The Knitting Zone.

I also started a hat/wrap this weekend while away. I like it so far but I don't see it being much of a hat. I'm going to call it a wrap. It's cute though. I just wanted to start something new. I can make it for Z instead of myself and the color would probably be better on her (it's yellow). I should be able to finish it soon.

How I started

2005-04-13T21:59:00.000-04:00

In response to Meg's question, I thought it might be a good time to update on how things are going and how my first few months as a knitter have progressed.

I learned from one book: Stitch-N-Bitch by BUST editor Debbie Stoller. She has suggestions on yarns and needles and other supplies to get started. Here's what I used when I was first learning:

Aran 100% wool yarn - 1 skein
Super-chunky acrylic yarn - 1 skein
Size 17 needles (plastic)
Size 10 needles (bamboo)
A knitting gauge check
A yarn cutter
A clear plastic bag.

With those supplies, I made Thing 1 and Thing 2 -- both "swatches, " although I used the entire skein of bulky yarn to knit Thing 1 and I still need to get a photo of it sometime. I wouldn't get smaller than size 10 needles to get started. I love my size 10s. I also like them b/c they're short. My size 6 are long & knitting all those booties on them was kinda weird. I also made the headkerchief with my size 10s and the Aran yarn.I tried light and dark colors and it was much easier to see what I was doing w/ the light colors.

All told, getting started cost about around $20 not including the book (it was a gift). The thing about knitting is that it's as expensive as you want it to be.

Anyway, the book is very step-by-step with lots of good diagrams and down-to-earth language (look at the title for chrissakes). I didn't use any other text and I only recently bought my second knitting book: Knit Wit by Amy Singer. I can't say what projects I'm doing b/c one might be a gift. The next book I get may very well be Knits For Barbie. It's damn cute. Depends on how this size-2-needles project I started today goes.

Another helpful tool has been the show "Knitty Gritty" on DIY (link at right), which is hosted by Vickie Howell. You can watch demonstrations on the website and get cool free patterns as well. Most of the stuff is aimed at beginners but they have a fair amount of intermediate stuff like Aran knitting.

I feel good about my knitting abilities. I've completed several projects (SNB is all about completing the projects and the instructions and choice of projects make it possible). I recently learned cabling out of SNB and it's fun. I also recently dyed my own yarn with Kool Aid (ty SNB & Lani) -- black cherry -- and I used some thick wool yarn and I have a big juicy cable swatch. I think I may make a small bag out of it. Big enough for keys, cell and a sippy cup -- whoo!

What I really need to do is get some photos of my completed projects so I Can show them off. My personality is such that I begin a lot of things and then I abandon them or complete them with less enthusiasm. Like reading a book or doing a scrapbook or writing a story. I think it may be a Sagittarian thing to start w/ gusto and lose steam and then the Cap cusp makes me follow through.

That's something for my witchy blog, I think.

Anyway, I'll try & post some photos of my first projects sometime in the next few days.

ETA: I do have a few images in the December archive, if you'd like to check them out. The only of the SNB 3 "projects" I don't have a photo of is the tri-color scarf.

Some photos

2005-03-28T11:17:00.000-05:00

Here are the booties for the quadruplets, all boxed and ready to send.

This is the cashmere hat and booties combo, as modeled by Baby Z's singing dog (a gift from my mother)

Felted

2005-03-26T23:05:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to say that I machine-washed my headscarves. Both of them felted, which is fine. I think I might prefer the rust-colored one felted b/c it's so soft & thick now. Unfortunately it's also smaller. The mutli-color one didn't felt and thikcne as much. I think when I make the blue one, I'll do it on bigger needles and make it bigger to begin with and then felt it as well.

Projects I would like to do

2005-03-18T14:46:00.000-05:00

- Phone cradle. I have an idea for a thing but no pattern. I've done a test swatch that I may be able to turn into this phone cradle. It would look like a small handbag, with a short strap, but would not close. The body is u-shaped. The back would be slightly higher than the front. The strap would connect to the one side of the bag with a button. The strap would go around the strap of the regular handbag, diaper bag, messenger bag, etc and the phone would be nestled in this "cradle." This way the phone is always handy. There's a similar real-life product like this but a knit one would be easy. I bought some olive green cashmere yarn (like the blue) to do this.

- Baby sweater. I started knitting with this yarn to check the gauge for booties and I ended up CO about 60 stitches. Then Lani made a baby sweater and shared the pattern and wouldn't ya know this yarn is the right gauge and I've already CO the right # of sts for Z's size-to-be. And it's baby yarn. So I'm going to keep going on that.

- Blue cashmere booties to match hat. Will do that this weekend, I think. Bootie #8 of 8 is nearly finished for the quads. I don't even need to reference the pattern anymore. I haven't so much as glanced at since bootie 6 and even then it was just a "I think this is right" check.

- Crossover scarf. It's a fuzzy blue yarn, nice for spring. I got the pattern from Knitty Gritty.

- Learn cabling. I have some denim blue Aran yarn to practice with. I think I'm going to make several patches of cables and maybe some Aran patterns I got (also from Knitty Gritty) and then piece them together to make a patchwork bag. They made a throw on the show but I think a large bag would be nice for me.

- Another headkerchief. I already have two but I wear them a lot. Both are in the dirty laundry to be washed now so I think I need a third. Maybe out of the blue Aran, as the rust Aran worked so well.

- Socks. Maybe this fall, I'll knit a pair of socks.

- Sweater. I'm working my way up to a sweater for myself. I know the one I want; the pattern is in Hip To Knit. I'll get there eventually. Maybe next fall when I'll be able to wear it right after knitting it. I should make the socks to match it. I'd be so damn coordinated, I wouldn't recognize myself.

Martha's Poncho - Knitting pattern

2005-03-17T23:14:00.000-05:00

Via Lion Brand. I don't care for the Homespun yarn. It is soft but unwieldy. Since this is on size 11 needles, It might not be so bad.

Martha's Poncho

2005-03-13T12:16:00.000-05:00

Free pattern at Lion Brand here. Crochet-only. Knitting pattern coming next week. I like the length.

ETA: Or you could just buy one

Update

2005-03-12T14:12:00.000-05:00

I've been knitting nothing but booties for a while. I did a test swatch on the cashmere yarn to make some matching booties and I had to get new needles. I now have 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 (faves), 11, 13 & 17. I prefer short and bamboo to plastic and plastic to long bamboo. I hate circular needles.

I'm only two booties away from having all 8 knitted and ready to send. I will finish that this week (*knock wood*).

Bootie Call

2005-02-23T13:46:00.001-05:00

I finished one of the slip-on booties. I could probably do two a day with fewer interruptions. As it is, it was easy and quick and I've started #2 already.

I wrote up the pattern and scanned the unsewn bootie here.

Baby hat finished - with pattern

2005-02-18T11:37:00.000-05:00

Using Z's handknit baby hat as a kind of template, I made a baby hat for S&S. It's a merino/cashmere blend in a pretty blue.

I'm going to get more yarn and knit four baby hats for someone I know who's having quads! Woo!

Pattern is as follows:

(I'm naming my patterns in the manner of Leonard of Quirm)

Sallie's Straight-needle, Easily-adjustable, Super-simple Cashmere Baby Hat

1 skein Cashmere Luxury Aran (sky - 05) (50 g)
45% merino/49% microfiber/6% cashmere
Size 10 needles
Yarn needle for finishing
Gauge 5 sts x 9rows=1" (Judging from finished project)

I worked in terms of inches, not by rows and sts so the pattern should be easy to adapt for your yarn and needles.

CO 60 sts (approx 10" wide)
k2p2 for 3 1/2"
k 4 rows (garter stitch)
Stockinette stitch 3 1/2"
BO, leaving tail of several inches
Tricky part: With purl-side of stockinette section out, fold hat in half. Pinch ends. Bring pinched ends together. Tack pinched ends to each other (ie: tack center of near side to center of far side, if you'd laid folded hat flat). Top now looks like an 8. Pinch top and bottom of 8 and bring into center. Tack. It now looks like an X. Mattress-stitch all the legs of the X. Make sure the center of the X is sewed closed.
Sew side w/ mattress stitch.
Turn inside-out.
Flip brim up to garter-stitched rows.

This scan shows the seam of the hat. You can see how the hat top comes together. If my friends send me a photo of the baby wearing it, I'll post it. The original hat was about 4" where I only knit to 3 1/2". It was a little big on Z as a newborn. The diameter of this hat, unstretched, is about 4".

Booties: AFO (almost finished)

2005-02-09T10:45:00.000-05:00

I have to sew up the back of the bootie I finished last night and then add the bows. They still seem awfully small to me. I think they'd be better on size 6 or 7 needles but hey, I followed the instructions exactly (except for using a different shade of the recommended yarn).

I started the bag last night in a solid white yarn that's like the bootie yarn.

Fun fur scarf

2005-02-09T10:42:00.000-05:00

I forgot to say that I finished my fun fur scarf in two days. I looked at the skein and thought "I won't have enough to tie this. Better make a slit."

I remembered the "Windy City" scarf in SNB and thought that there would be instuctions on how to make a keyhole slit. Sure enough, there was. I did it and it works great.

Then when I looked more closely at the pattern for the scarf that came with the skein, it said to make one and had instructions! The instructions I followed were easier but I felt half smart and half dumb that (1) I didn't see that in the instructions but (2) I thought of doing it all on my own!

ETA: Since I get a lot of search hits for this, here's the pattern:

1 skein of Fun Fur

Size 11 needles

CO 14

Knit every row.

Knit several rows (the number/length is up to you). Slip 7 stitches onto a holder. Knit about 1 1/2" worth of rows on the other 7 stitches. Repeat for the slipped stitches, making the separate pieces even. Knit all 14 as a single row. This closes the "keyhole" (there's a better description of this technique in Stitch N Bitch). Knit until your scarf is the desired length. Weave in ends; they won't show at all. Fluff any bits that are knitted-down. Voila! Fun fur scarf.

Cross-post from "so anyway..."

2005-02-08T15:15:00.000-05:00

So I went to the Other Yarn Store [yesterday] b/c I was passing by. Someone was just leaving and locking it up. At 3:02 p.m. On a Monday. I said aloud in the car, "You've got to be shitting me!" Closed by 3. That's a great way to run a business.

This is why I bought yarn at the chain craft store in the mall today -- they're open.

The state of the projects

2005-02-07T23:17:00.000-05:00

Here's a photo of me in my new punk hair. Note also knitting needles.

I'm currently ribbing the top of the second revised bootie. I will show the first bootie and the pair side-by-side sometime. I also knitted a bit on 17 pt needles with the leftover green chenille from my Project 2 scarf. I did a bit of garter stitch, some ribbing and then a bit of seed stitching around the top. I sewed the sides together and I'm knitting a square for the bottom (may be a circle -- not sure yet). I want to put my sunglasses in it, even if it's a little big.

The new cellphone cozy won't be big enough. I'll come up with another purpose for that piece sometime. Still using the old cozy.

I saw an episode of "Knitty Gritty" about Aran techniques and I got some more merino blend yarn (same as the rust) in a blue. The projects were squares that were eventually joined into a blanket or wall hanging. The Aran stuff looked like fun and it didn't seem hard if you followed instructions. I also bought some cable stitch holders; I'm going to try that sometime this week.

So right now I think I only have the second bootie on the needles. I'm still working on Simple Squares and will work on that and the Aran after the bootie is finished, hopefully tomorrow. I'd like to knit a small bag for the booties as well. We'll see.

I also added two knitting books to my Amazon wishlist. The bag on the cover of the one is what I have in mind for the booties.

Bootie?

2005-01-29T13:45:00.000-05:00

Well I finished the bootie and it's way too small. I though the gauge was all right but it wasn't, obviously. So I suppose I have to try harder to find the suggested yarn. The only place in town that has it is Michaels and they don't have the shade I want. I don't even want to think about going into Wal-Mart and looking. Yecch.

I think I might make a hat with the remaining yarn. It's such a nice yarn that I hate not working with it.

Other than the bootie being too small, it turned out very nice. Even Hawk said, "It looks like a bootie." Yay!

Booties

2005-01-28T21:36:00.000-05:00

Well, over the course of today I've nearly completed a bootie, which is my first somewhat-complicated item. All I have left is a little more ribbing for the cuff and sewing it up. I can finish it this evening. The booties are in a blue cashmere blend and will also have a blue organza ribbon. They're for a friend.

Fun fur

2005-01-26T15:10:00.000-05:00

I finally caved in and got a ball of fun fur to make a scarf. Strangely enough, the suggested pattern is a k1p1. Like you can tell. Of course, the makes it stretchy but there's no real reason it needs to be. Anyway, I'm making good progress but it's on my Size 11 needles, which is what I use for the squares. So I'm taking a square break. I've also worked a bit on the new cell phone cozy.

I have a pair of booties to attempt as well. I'll let you know when I start them. No, they're not for me. They're a gift.

Stripe headkerchief completed

2005-01-23T01:35:00.000-05:00

I decided to take a break from Simple Squares and finish a project. I completed the new embroidery bib (see "needlecrafts") and I sewed some of the squares together for the blanket. It's wide! It should be huge once it's done. I had enough squares to sew up the first two rows.

Here's a scan of the headkerchief I completed using the Magic Stripe yarn:

I like the headkerchiefs. They're handy and don't take too long to make. My current on-the-needles project is only the rust merino cell phone cover. I can do 1-2 Simple Squares a day but don't currently have one in progress.

Simple Squares

2005-01-14T18:36:00.000-05:00

I have 13 squares completed, which leaves 43 to go. I'm also still working on and off on the new headkerchief and I may remake the cellphone cozy in the merino wool. I feel the need to do a quick & complete project.

Progress on simple squares

2005-01-09T23:38:00.000-05:00

Well I have at least one square of each color made and I did make two squares today. So far I have one yellow, one orange and two each of pink, white and green. So far, I think I like the green best but it could be b/c my needles are red-orange. They all look cute together.

I also realized today or yesterday that instead of size 8 needles I'm using size 11 (8 mm) needles. That's why I was a square at 18 rows instead of 24. Duh. Of course, I have to continue at size 11. No biggie. It'll be finished quicker.

I also started a new head scarf with that "makes a stripe" yarn. I like increasing and I use my headscarf a lot. I may also do a new cellphone cozy; I'm not 100% happy with the stripe-look yarn. It just looks messy. Dunno yet.

Project idea

2005-01-07T22:12:00.000-05:00

I watched Knitty Gritty yesterday and saw this great idea for a bag: Erika Knight's Recycled-Plastic Carryall. You make strips of plastic from shopping bags (I have a ton of them) and then knit them into a bag (which can then be used to hold bags!). What a great rainy-day bag that would be though. And fun and a neat conversation piece. It's also a beginner-level project. Whoo!