shirleyknits...and crochets! 3D glasses are optional.

20 Year Anniversary - Berlin Wall

2009-11-08T15:45:00.003-05:00

This is the type of image I was used to seeing on the news when I was a child. There were many news articles about people being shot and killed while trying to escape over the Berlin Wall.
In October and November 1989 there were many pro-democracy demonstrations in Communist Europe. I was very afraid for those brave individuals. I thought that Communist tanks would start rolling.
I never expected to see the Berlin Wall come down in my lifetime!

Recent Knits

2009-09-28T21:38:00.005-04:00

Last week, I sent off some knits to Warm Hands Innu Knits in Ottawa. This is a great charity that ships knitted items to Natuashish, on the north coast of Labrador. You can read more about them here. The need is huge for knits for kids aged 5-15, and also for baby items. I made up a few baby blankets, some made of fleece with blanket stitch around the border, and this one, made of flannelette on one side and cotton on the other:
Here's Anita's photo of one afghan I sent, which I prefer to the picture I took:

This was my photo, taken on my couch: This afghan was given to me by a co-worker, whose great-aunt had started it, but left off at 11.5" wide. I added some to make it wider.
This one was made from six 9" squares:

Warm Hands will be sending another shipment on 31 December 2009, so if you'd like to help out, their address is:
Warm Hands Innu Knits
240 First Avenue
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
K1S 2G6

A Possible Solution for my Stash

2009-08-27T16:46:00.002-04:00

Please have a look at this video , where Rachel John knits with 1000 strands of yarn, all at once.

Blogoversary Today!

2009-08-04T08:00:00.002-04:00

3 years already - my, how the time flies!

It Pays to Keep Up-to-Date with the E-Mail

2009-08-02T18:15:00.003-04:00

I've just read my e-mail from July 29, where the site that hosts my free patterns was notifying me that they removed my "Baby Cloth" pattern. They claim that there is a similar pattern to mine out there. My pattern has a copyright date of July 5, 2007, so I would guess that the "similar pattern" must have been developed since. So for now, I suggest that anyone wanting to download the pattern, should "copy and paste" onto a Word document. Meanwhile, I will look for a different hosting site (possibly Ravelry). Thank you for your patience!

I've Been Lazy Lately

2009-07-23T13:36:00.006-04:00

I've been feeling very lazy in recent months, not with knitting, but with just about everything else. Anything I do takes a tremendous effort. My doctor has diagnosed Vitamin B12 deficiency, which can cause fatigue, so at least I have a reason for my laziness! :o) I've started on a B12 supplement, and if that doesn't work, I'll go on injections. Either way, it's an easy fix.

Charity news: The Warm Hands Network
is making 2 shipments to Northern Labrador this year. The first deadline is Sept 30, and the second shipment will be on Dec 31 (not sure about the deadline for that one). The address is: 240 First Avenue, Ottawa, ON, K1S 2G6

Caring 4 Canadians
had their 3rd annual BBQ on July 11, and everyone had a great time, chatting and admiring the donations.

Mittens for Akkol are again knitting about 600 pairs of wool socks for 2 orphanages in Kazakhstan. The deadline for this year is the end of Nov 2009.

Some of the knitting:

And crocheting:

Another Year, Already!

2008-12-31T00:55:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year, Everyone! I hope that the coming year finds you healthy, happy and employed!

I've got a headstart on 2009's socks for Akkol, with these socks.
They're knit from Judy Gibson's pattern, "You're Putting Me On Socks ", which are knit toe-up. For the cast-on, I used Planet Shoup's "Rectangular Toe for Toe-Up Socks ". I knit these socks with "Georga 100% Wool", and 3.25mm DPNs. They're a slightly variegated brown, which I hope will appeal to a teenage boy.

I've recently found the group Caring for Canadians, so I've been knitting preemie hats and booties for St. Joseph's Hospital's NICU, in London, Ontario, Canada.
The hat pattern is from Carissa Knits. It's knit with 4mm DPNs, and Cottontots pastel purple.

The booties are from Bundle of Love's "Easy Knitted Booties". They're knit with 4mm needles and Cottontots in pastel purple. Ironically, until 2005, I worked at this very St. Jo's, and didn't know that the NICU was in need of handknits. :) Ah, well. There's no time like the present!

What I've Been Doing

2008-11-15T08:02:00.002-05:00

Funny how life doesn't slow down. Just this week, I've started feeling like my old self, so I've been catching up on cleaning and mending. I have about 6 pairs of my DD's pants that need to be hemmed (because she's short, like me). I mailed off a box of knits to the Warm Hands Network on Thursday. My co-worker Monica contributed a huge amount of knitted hats, mitts and socks - really lovely work. I vacuum-shrunk everything so that it fit in quite a small box. I can imagine the box almost exploding when they open it! :D

Someone told me to try to send the next parcel by Greyhound Bus. It's supposed to be way cheaper, so I must look into it for next time.

I'll be mailing out a box of socks and scarves to Mittens for Akkol, on Tuesday. Miraculously, We've managed to meet the 2008 goal of 635 pairs of socks for 2 orphanages! Wow! I'm proud of everyone's efforts.

In the past 3 weeks, I've been consumed by tracing my family tree. I almost feel a sense of urgency about it. I had a certain amount of information that I had gathered from various family members back in 1981, and thank goodness I did it then, while I had the opportunity! I had never thought to look into researching my family tree on the internet, until now. There is a lot of information available online now. I had a free 2-week trial on Ancestry.com, and now I'm compiling my info on GenesReunited.com and TribalPages.com. The process has been educational, and humbling. Let's just say that I'm less than proud of some of my ancestors. I remember my high school English teacher saying that he wouldn't research his family tree, in case he found out his ancestors were nasty people. "What if they were horse thieves?!" was his comment. Now I understand what he meant. ;)

School has been going better for my DD this year, in that she has a teacher who doesn't assign much homework. She can take hours to do even the smallest amount of homework, so this has meant a lot more free time for her to play, and a lot less stress for everyone. Phew! She seems to be enjoying school a lot more, so far. She has expressed an interest in taking music lessons. I don't know what instrument to have her try. Suggestions, anyone?

DS is in grade 8. His teacher thinks he's a mathematical genius. I'm not sure what to do with that information. We'll be meeting with the teacher soon to discuss his secondary school placement. Other than engineering, I don't know to what careers mathematics can lead. DS says he wants to be "an inventor". He spends hours building intricate things with Lego, and K'Nex. My goals for him consist of teaching him how to do laundry, cook, and be a kind person. The next few years should be interesting!

I Have a Rhonchus in My Bronchus

2008-10-18T21:39:00.003-04:00

Actually, I have many, many rhonchi. Maybe that makes me a Rhonchiosaurus! RAWR! er, I mean, wheeeeze...

I am having an asthma exacerbation at present. This involves a whole lot of resting, wheezing, drinking fluids, inhaling medications, coughing, and feeling spaced-out. Not much knitting, though. I don't seem able to concentrate well enough. I've been ordered off work for a while by my doctor. I hope to re-activate my knitting mojo soon!

Canadian Lung Association's Asthma Pages.

Squishies

2008-10-09T21:38:00.018-04:00

I had the idea a few days ago to make some little squishy toys for my DD. She has anxiety and sensory issues, and the Occupational therapist had recommended having a few little quiet toys at school to help her stay calm. So I looked for a knitted ball pattern.

I couldn't find exactly what I wanted, so I adapted this pattern to make a ball-shape. I found a few crochet patterns, but I really wanted a knit pattern to make the surface as soft as possible (she loves soft things). :) I made one ball out of Caron Simply Soft Thick (and it went to school without a photo), and then used Bernat Bamboo for the ball in the photo.

Then, I tried to come up with a cube, but it ended up a bit more rectangular than square. :)

The "recipe" for the cube is as follows: I cast on 6 stitches, knit 6 rows in stocking stitch, then a raised row, then 6 rows st st, etc., until 4 sides were knitted in a continuous strip. The raised rows were the “fold lines”, for the edges of each side of the cube. For each end of the cube, I cast on 6 st, and knit 6 rows in moss stitch. That way, 4 sides are smooth and 2 are bumpy, for some sensory contrast. All the shapes are stuffed with polyester fiberfill. Next, I'll try a heart. :D

Florida Trip

2008-09-17T10:52:00.015-04:00

We took a family trip by plane, for the first time! The last time I flew (1991), I hated it, had a very anxious flight, and swore "never again". Well, this time was much, much better, I'm happy to report. :D We flew to Toronto, then another flight from Toronto to Orlando; 2 more flights to get home. 4 take-offs! That's the part I hate the most. It helped that I hardly looked out the window at all.

The only bad part about the flying was that my DD, Amy, threw up once on the way to Orlando, and we both hurled on the return flight from Toronto. There was lots of turbulence, courtesy of remnants of Hurricane Ike. Amy and I were in the back seat (bad idea!) of a smallish plane, having a regular old Barf-fest. It was a Ralph-O-Rama. It was Puke-a-palooza! Oy! When that flight landed, it did a big skid to one side (it felt big, anyways) due to the wind and rain. Amy shouted out "What was THAT?!!" (muffled by barf-bag). Poor baby! She bounced back quickly, and was soon chatting happily. I took a day or two longer to recover. :D

We visited 6 of the Disney parks, and Seaworld. Seaworld was very special, because Amy was selected to play a small part in the show! Her photo was on a huge screen and the trainer asked her some questions over the microphone, then gave her a whale-tail necklace. Afterward, she kept saying "I can't believe I was part of the show!" The Seaworld staff were wonderful to her, and the experience made our whole trip something really special. Amy did a great job coping with all those people looking at her, which is usually very difficult for her.

We were on the go from morning until the parks closed each day. I carried my knitting with me everywhere, but there was very little knitting taking place. I was the one KIP (knitting in public) in Tomorrowland, which made me smile, thinking that no matter how much technology there is, there will always be knitting. Alas, no photos of this momentous event. ;)

I loved the "Small World" and the "Haunted House" rides at the Magic Kingdom, and the fireworks were fantastic. We were all thrilled to ride the Monorail.

This was my first visit to anywhere in the U.S., and I found it very interesting. There were many differences that I didn't expect, like being able to buy all the groceries we needed at Wal-Mart - even wine! And Peaches & Cream yarn, on a cone even! (I had only read of such a thing, previously.) On the highways, there were lanes, get this, For Making U-turns! Here, all products have writing in English, French, and now Spanish; the products I saw in the U.S. had English and Spanish. I wish I could remember more of the things that amazed me!

Mon Pull Mystère

2008-08-04T20:35:00.003-04:00

It's finished! What's even better is that my daughter likes it. Phew! The English translation for this top starts on page 11 of this PDF.

I do wish that I had made the waistband narrower, for a better proportion for DD; I used the Diamond Pattern,
from Knitting on the Net. Also, I should have knit a border on the waistband, which would have made the sewing together easier. If I were knitting this again, I would knit at least the ribbing part in-the-round. Modifications I made: I did very little decreasing for the 2 by 2 ribbing part; I knit the front and back pieces with 76 stitches each; and I knit the sleeves with a cast-on of 52 stitches (each), decreasing to 38 stitches. I like these cap sleeves so much that I'm knitting similar sleeves for the next summer top I'm making for DD, a top-down raglan.

Happy Second Blogoversary!

2008-08-04T20:18:00.002-04:00

I would have missed my second blogoversary if Teena hadn't commented on it!! Thanks, Teena!

Revision of Baby Cloth Pattern

2008-07-05T18:56:00.002-04:00

Jeanette recently e-mailed me to ask about some errors in my Baby Cloth pattern. Without her, who knows how long it would have been before I realised there were errors! The revised version is now posted in the pattern's original location, and you can also click here for the new PDF.

Thank you, Jeanette!! :D

Canada Day

2008-07-01T12:10:00.005-04:00

Happy 141st Birthday, Canada!

This dishcloth is from the pattern found on this site. Scroll down the page to "Melissa's Garden Maple Leaf Knitted Dishcloth".

Now I've got No Excuse!

2008-06-30T17:38:00.023-04:00

I thought that I could blog (ack! I hate it when nouns are used as verbs! I hate it even more when I'm the offending verbifier) more often once school was out for the summer, which happened June 25. Funny, I don't see a blog post dated June 26. I had Saturday and Sunday off work, yet still no blog post. I've just received a call from work to say that I have tonight off. Yay! So, (cue the fanfare) here's the overdue post:

I've made precious little progress on the "Pull Mystère". Partly, I've been putting it off in favour of quick, fun projects, and partly, there were Teacher Presents that were a higher priority.

These crocheted violets became another bookmark. The pattern for the violets is here. I had difficulty making nice-looking flower centres! VBG
There were several other bookmarks, but I seem not to have taken photos of them.

There have been a series of flowers since then.

These 2 turned out not as nicely as I had hoped.

My favourite flowers are pansies, so I've been looking for every possible pansy pattern. The 2 large pansies in the photo are from the book, "Floral Doilies", which is from 1949. Then I decided to try a pansy from an on-line pattern, which turned out to be the same pattern, word-for-word, as the pattern in "Floral Doilies"! I found that pretty humourous.

The flowers in the next photo are also from "Floral Doilies", minus the doily, of course! I'm not sure what I'm making out of them. I started out thinking that my DD might like them sewn on a T-shirt, say, at the neckline, but she declined. So, who knows!

This next flower was a custom colour combo for DD. When it was done, she said, "Could it have a yellow centre that covers that stuff in the middle?"

I Want This

2008-06-08T21:49:00.002-04:00

Oooh, can't wait until it's out!

Current Project

2008-06-03T14:54:00.003-04:00

I've just started working on "Pull Mystère" for my daughter. This pattern is written in French, with the English translation beginning on page 11 of the PDF. I showed her several tank and short-sleeved-pullover patterns, but none were quite to her liking. Then she saw the Pull Mystere on Ravelry, and wanted it, in pink. It is a lovely pattern! So, I've cast on 104st with Microspun in Fuchsia, on 3.5mm needles, for the back. Yes, there will be seams to sew, and not just at the sides. This pullover is knit in 3 parts, upper, lower, and middle, that are sewn together. The middle section consists of a waist-length lacy strip, that runs horizontally. This is no doubt not a new construction technique, but it's new to me, for a knitted garment! :D

I expect that I'll have to shorten the lower section, and make the upper section with a higher neck, yet still maintaining the square look of the neckline.

A Blast from the Past

2008-05-23T18:10:00.003-04:00

While going through my son's outgrown clothes, we found this little dino sweater that I knit about 20 years ago. It was my first intarsia project, and the second sweater that I ever knit, in the early 1980's. I had purchased a kit containing the pattern and the acrylic yarn (for $10.00CDN), but I've since seen the dino pattern in a Paton's pattern book. I had originally intended to give this sweater to a friend, but didn't sew the pieces together until years later, when I had my son, in 1995. I didn't do the intarsia properly; instead, I carried the blue and green yarns across behind the white, with the result that they show through the white. I would knit it properly if I were doing it today, needless to say! LOL. I thought that I had better document this sweater before I give it away to someone. I have a co-worker with a boy of a suitable size, so I'll give it to her, if she wants it. :D

Pamper Yourself Spa Cloth

2008-05-20T21:01:00.009-04:00

This spa cloth is perfect for gentle exfoliating!

Click for PDF

Materials:
3.25mm needles
50g cotton yarn
Sample shown measures 7.5in by 6.5in.

Special Abbreviations:

LB (large bobble): Knit in front, back, front, and back (again) of next stitch = 4 stitches created.

W2 (wrap twice): Insert tip of righthand needle into stitch knitways, wrap the yarn around the needle twice, and pull the stitch through.

DEW (drop extra wrap): Knit next stitch and drop the extra wrap.

P4tog: Purl 4 stitches together.

CO 38 st.

Row 1: P2, (LB, P2, K1, P2) X 6.

Rows 2 & 4: K2, P1, K2, (W2 X 4); repeat across row to last 2 st, then K2.

Rows 3 and 5: P2; (DEW X 4, P2, K1, P2) X 6.

Row 6: K2, P1, K2, P4tog. Repeat across row to last 2 st, then K2.

Row 7: P2, (K1, P2, LB, P2) X 6.

Rows 8 and 10: (K2, W2 X 4, K2, P1) X 6, then K2.

Rows 9 and 11: P2; (K1, P2, DEW X 4, P2) X6.

Row 12: K2, P4tog, K2, P1; repeat across row to last 2 st, then K2.

Repeat rows 1-12, 3 times.
Here's a view of the back of the cloth.

You may print a copy of this pattern for your personal enjoyment, and make copies for your friends, as long as this copyright notice is included. You may not reproduce this pattern in any publication, nor may you sell it for profit without prior permission from the author.
Copyright 2008 May 21 by Shirley Ann Thompson

More Socks for Akkol

2008-05-13T10:30:00.004-04:00

Here are the latest socks I've knit for Mittens for Akkol.

Viking Socks

Basketweave Ribbing Socks

Brigid

2008-03-22T20:32:00.008-04:00

Brigid is done! I really enjoyed this pattern, and plan to knit it again (sometime). I found that it knit up pretty quickly. This particular pair will be going to Mittens for Akkol. Our goal for Christmas 2008 is to send over approximately 630 pairs of wool socks. This will be enough for each child at the Akkol orphanage, and at a second orphanage (Urupinka) to receive a pair of socks.

Specs: Paton's Classic Wool in "Royal Purple", on 3mm DPNs.

OTN now: Viking Socks,
also on 3mm DPNs, and using Paton's Classic Wool.

What, A Blog Post?! So Soon?

2008-02-16T15:39:00.010-05:00

I haven't been blogging, but I've been doing lots of knitting! The Santa cloth pattern can be found at Krisknits' Blog.

The socks are for Mittens for Akkol.

Yes, I'm now crocheting!

Happy New Year!

2007-12-31T17:29:00.001-05:00

I resolve to post a little more often in the new year. :)

December Knitting

2007-12-29T17:26:00.000-05:00

There has been lots of knitting lately, but not much blogging.

First are my December socks, for my DD, in Bernat "Hot Sox".Amy's Socks

The first scarf was knit in Soy Wool Stripes "Natural Geranium", for my DD's teacher. The colours are lovely shades of pink, and not orange like the photo shows.
SWS

The blue cabled scarf is the Palindrome pattern, knit for my DD's EA, Mrs. B.

Palindrome

Whew! That was a lot of scarves in a short time.

Did I Mention....?

2007-11-11T16:19:00.001-05:00

Having a Wonderful Time!

Heart made
here.

Recent Knits

2007-11-11T14:33:00.000-05:00

There has, indeed, been knitting! These are my daughter's slippers, from the Pocketbook Slippers pattern. They look pointy, but the pointiness disappears when they're worn. I'm going to attach some non-slip soles yet. I saw a good idea on Ravelry for slippers: the poster had encased a layer of stuffing with 2 soles, to make the soles more padded. I *have to* try this!
These are some baby socks for the Afghans for Afghans Baby Challenge. The deadline is 3rd Dec., 2007. Please click on the link in the sidebar, to find out about items needed, and fibre requirements. They also have a list of good patterns for charity knitting. :) The pattern I used is from www.knittinghelp.com
North Country Baby Socks, made with Paton's Classic Wool.
These are the fingerless mitts I made for my oh-so-scary Pirate costume. What a fearsome bunch we be! Arrr!

Bulky Mitts

2007-10-18T07:30:00.000-04:00

Materials:
6mm dpn's
2 strands Paton's Classic Wool held together

Microsoft Word - Bulky Mitts.pdf

Sizes: Small(8 yrs)-Medium(women's)-Large(men's)

Cast on 28 (Med 32, Lge 40).
Join in round, distributing stitches over 3 dpn's, and being careful not to twist the stitches.
Knit in K2, P2 rib for 3.5 (Med 4.5, Lge 5) inches.
Place first 4 stitches of round on a safety pin. Cast on 4 stitches, and continue in K2, P2 rib until mitt from beginning is 8in (Med 10in, Lge 11in).
Decrease row 1: K2tog, P2tog around row.
Decrease row 2: K2tog around row.
Cut yarn, leaving a 5inch tail. Thread yarn through remaining stitches to gather, then pass yarn through the stitches a second time. Weave in ends.

Thumb:
Slip stitches from safety pin to dpn. Pick up and knit 4 st (Med & Lge 8 st) around thumb opening. Continue thumb in K2, P2 rib until thumb is 2.5 in (Med 3 in, Lge 3.75 in) long.
Repeat decrease rows 1 & 2. Weave in ends.

Ravelry!

2007-10-16T22:07:00.000-04:00

I got my invitation to Ravelry on Oct. 7. What fun! My name there is shirleyknits. I'm having a great time looking around at the patterns, groups, knitting books, etc. If you haven't got on the waiting list yet, you should sign up. They're adding more people, and faster, all the time. We've got a group set up for Mittens for Akkol. These are the mitts and hat that I recently mailed off to Nanci at Mittens for Akkol. Back to Ravelry I go!

Sideways-Knit Moss Stitch Scarf

2007-09-22T19:45:00.001-04:00

This scarf is knit along the long edge, which seems to make it knit up faster. Faster is good. ;)

Click for PDF

Materials:
2 strands bulky yarn
12.75mm circular needle
Measures 5 feet long. My sample is 5" wide.

Cast on 110 stitches, loosely, using 2 strands held together. Do NOT join in the round. Instead, work back and forth, turning work at the end of each row.
Work in Seed Stitch, with 2 strands held together, as follows:
Row 1: K1, P1 to end of row.
Row 2: P1, K1 to end of row.
Repeat these 2 rows for 5-8".
Cast off.

Please feel free to make personal copies, and copies for your friends.
Copyright 2007 September 23 by Shirley Ann Thompson.

Bulky Ribbed Hat Pattern

2007-09-22T19:01:00.001-04:00

Here's a pattern for an allover-ribbed, bulky knit hat. It fits a 23" head.

Microsoft Word - Bulky Ribbed Hat2.pdf

Materials:
2 strands of Paton's Classic Wool, in "Wedgewood"
6mm DPN needles

Cast on 84 stitches. Join in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.
Work in K2, P2 rib for 10"(25.4cm).
Start working the decrease rounds:
Round 1: (K2, P2tog, K2, P2) x10, then K2, P2tog. There are 73 st on needles.
Round 2: (K2, P1, K2, P2) x10, then K2, P1.
Round 3: (K2, P1, K2, P2tog) x10. There are 63 st on needles.
Round 4: (K2, P1) to end of round.
Round 5: (K2tog, P1, K2, P1) x10, then K2tog, P1. 52 st on needles.
Round 6: (K1, P1, K2, P1) x10, then K1, P1.
Round 7: (K1, P1, K2tog, P1) x10, then K1, P1. 42 st on needles.
Round 8: (K2, K2tog) to last 2 st, then K2. 32 st on needles.
Round 9: Knit.
Round 10: K2tog to end of round.
Cut yarn, leaving a 7" tail. Draw end through remaining stitches, then through the stitches again. Weave in ends.
Optional: Donate hat to charity. The sample will go to Mittens for Akkol.

This Week in Dishcloths

2007-09-12T15:57:00.001-04:00

None of these cloths are blocked.
The first is from
this pattern at Knitting on the Net, in navy blue and cornflower blue. Instead of sewing parallelograms 1 & 3 together, I picked up a stitch along the edge of parallelogram 1, and knit it together with a stitch from parallelogram 3. I'll make this again before I decide if I like it or not.
Optical Illusion Cloth

Ensign's Braid is from Barbara Walker's 2nd Treasury of Stitches. I would like it better with a different border. I'll have to see what I come up with.
Ensign's Braid

Here's Flickering Flames knit up in the Playtime colourway. It's more vibrant IRL than the photo indicates. I discovered that I called the pattern "Flickering Firelight" on my blog, but "Flickering Flames" on the PDF, so I've changed it to the latter, for consistency's sake. :D

Flickering Flames Cloth

2007-09-04T10:00:00.003-04:00

Click here for PDF
Materials
Scraps of Worsted-Weight Cotton, in "fire" colours
4mm needles

Abbreviations:
yo=bring yarn to front of needle
ssk=slip 1 st to righthand needle, knitways; slip another stitch knitways, place left needle into front of slipped stitches, & knit them together.

Cast on 40 stitches.
Rows 1 & 3: K1, P1 across row.
Rows 2 & 4: P1, K1 across row.
Row 5: (K1, P1)x2, knit across row, (K1, P1)x2.
Row 6 & all even-numbered rows: (P1, K1)x2, purl across row, (P1, K1)x2.
Row 7: (K1, P1)x2, k3, (ssk, k5, yo)x4, k1, (K1, P1)x2.
Row 9: (K1, P1)x2, k3, (ssk, k4, yo, k1)x4, k1, (K1, P1)x2.
Row 11: (K1, P1)x2, k3, (ssk, k3, yo, k2)x4, k1, (K1, P1)x2.
Row 13: (K1, P1)x2, k3, (ssk, k2, yo, k3)x4, k1, (K1, P1)x2.
Row 15: (K1, P1)x2, k3, (ssk, k1, yo, k4)x4, k1, (K1, P1)x2.
Row 17: (K1, P1)x2, k3, (ssk, yo, k5)x4, k1, (K1, P1)x2.
*If desired, change colours here.
Row 19: (K1, P1)x2, k1, (yo, k5, k2tog), k3, (K1, P1)x2.
Row 21: (K1, P1)x2, k2, (yo, k4, k2tog, k1)x4, k2, (K1, P1)x2.
Row 23: (K1, P1)x2, k3, (yo, k3, k2tog, k2)x4, k1, (K1, P1)x2.
Row 25: (K1, P1)x2, k4, (yo, k2, k2tog, k3)x4, (K1, P1)x2.
Row 27: (K1, P1)x2, k5, (yo, k1, k2tog, k4)x3, yo, k1, k2tog, k3, (K1, P1)x2.
Row 29: (K1, P1)x2, k6, (yo, k2tog, k5)x3, yo, k2tog, k3, (K1, P1)x2.
*If desired, change colours here.
Repeat rows 6-29.
Repeat row 6.
Repeat row 5.
Repeat rows 2 & 4.
Repeat rows 1 & 3.
Cast off.

You may print a copy of this pattern for your personal enjoyment, and make copies for your friends, as long as this copyright notice is included. You may not reproduce this pattern in any publication, nor may you sell it for profit without prior permission from the author.
Copyright 2007 Sept 04.
Designed, knit & photographed by Shirley Ann Thompson

Woven Seed Stitch Cloth

2007-08-31T09:47:00.002-04:00

My love of seed stitch continues...

Click for PDF

Materials
50g Worsted-Weight Cotton
4mm needles
Measures 8in wide by 7in high

Rep=Repeat

Cast on 38 stitches.
Rows 1 & 3: K1, P1 across row.
Rows 2 & 4: P1, K1 across row.
Rows 5: (K1, P1)x2, knit to last 4 st, then (K1, P1)x2.
Row 6: (P1, K1)x2, p7, k2, p12, k2, p7, then (P1, K1)x2.
Row 7: (K1, P1)x2, k7, p2, k12, p2, k7, (K1, P1)x2.
Row 8, 10 & 12: (P1, K1)x2, P2, *(k1, p1)x2, k1,p2; rep from * to last 4st, (P1, K1)x2.
Rows 9, 11 & 13: (K1, P1)x2, k3, *p1, k1, p1, k4; rep from * ending last rep with k3, (K1, P1)x2.
Row 14: (P1, K1)x2, p2, *k12, p2; rep from *, (P1, K1)x2.
Row 15: (K1, P1)x2, k2, *p12, k2; rep from *, (K1, P1)x2.
Row 16: as row 6.
Rows 17, 19 & 21: (P1, K1)x2, k2, *(p1, k1)x2, p1, k2; rep from *, (P1, K1)x2.
Rows 18, 20 & 22: (K1, P1)x2, p3, *k1, p1, k1, p4; rep from * ending last rep with p3, (K1, P1)x2.
Row 23: (P1, K1)x2, p7, k2, p12, k2, p7, (P1, K1)x2.
Row 24: (K1, P1)x2, k7, p2, k12, p2, k7, (K1, P1)x2.
Rows 25-42: Repeat rows 7-24.
Rows 43-53: Repeat rows 7-16.
Rows 54:(K1, P1)x2, knit to last 4 stitches, (K1, P1)x2.
Rows 55 & 57: P1, k1 across row.
Rows 56 & 58: K1, p1 across row.
Cast off.

You may print a copy of this pattern for your personal enjoyment, and make copies for your friends, as long as this copyright notice is included. You may not reproduce this pattern in any publication, nor may you sell it for profit without prior permission from the author.
Copyright 2007 August 31.
Designed, knit & photographed by Shirley Ann Thompson

August Socks, or The Neverending Socks

2007-08-27T15:53:00.000-04:00

These socks were knit on 2mm needles, with 1 strand of Paton's Classic Wool, for the Mittens for Akkol sock challenge. I had thought that if I knit them on really small needles that they wouldn't wear out for a long time. What I hadn't realised was how long it would take me to knit them. I've been working on these socks since the end of April! Phew! Now I've gone almost to the other extreme. I'm knitting a pair on 5mm needles, with 2 strands of Paton's Classic Wool. They're going much quicker. :D

The sock challenge is going well, with 81% of the goal achieved. Hooray!

PDFs are Wonderful!

2007-08-27T11:13:00.000-04:00

This was me, yesterday, after I successfully linked to PDFs of my knitting patterns. Ah, the feeling of accomplishment! Now, my free patterns can be downloaded in a concise format. Enjoy! :D

Testing

2007-08-25T08:27:00.000-04:00

I'm testing how to add a PDF file to my blog, using "Google Docs and Spreadsheets". So far, I accidentally posted it to the Mason Dixon blog, and removed it. Now, the PDF file "says" it was published to "a" blog (I did specify the one I want), but I don't know which one it supposedly posted on! I can't find it. Ack!! I AM learning lots. ;P

Wool Socks Needed!

2007-08-22T18:37:00.000-04:00

Join our Sock Challenge for Orphans in Kazakhstan - 265 pairs needed by 9/15/07
http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/Mittens_ for_Akkol/

"Mittens for Akkol" is a worthwhile charity that supplies an orphanage in Akkol, Khazakhstan with wool clothing, not limited to mittens. Currently, they are having a sock challenge, to provide each child at the orphanage with a pair of 100% wool socks for Christmas. Approximately 67% of the goal has been reached. Will you please help? Some cold feet will thank you very much!

Eek!! A Steek!!

2007-08-11T16:24:00.000-04:00

Here's the finished baby sweater. The original armholes were too small (completely my fault), so I steeked another 2cm. Looking at it now, I wish that I had steeked the armholes slightly larger still. Of course, not making the armholes too small in the first place would have been best, LOL! I'm happy to have taken a photo before I gave away the sweater, for a change. :D

New Look

2007-08-09T19:23:00.001-04:00

I've tidied the blog, and given it a slightly different look. I've also been learning how to add words to an image, which I've been wanting to learn ever since I saw that it was possible. I have now got the image rotator to work! Hooray! The problem turned out to be my typos, LOL! This rotator only changes the image on entering the blog. I'm still looking for one that rotates every few seconds. It's like a treasure hunt, looking for goodies to add to the blog. Of course, I can waste a lot of time looking (ask me how I know). :DThese baby pants were knit in January, but I still need to knit a top to match.

First Birthday!!

2007-08-04T16:51:00.001-04:00

My little blog is 1 year old today! I've learned a lot about computers this year, and I'm sure I'll continue to learn much more in the coming year. :D

Good Post about Autism

2007-08-02T14:23:00.000-04:00

There's a really good blog post about Autismhere. It's the July 29, 2007 post.

In knitting news: I've been trying to knit up a baby sweater quickly. I didn't like how the yoke turned out, so pulled it out and did it over. It looks fine now, but the armholes are too small. I will NOT pull out that much work (the horror!) to make them bigger, so I'm planning to do a modified steek. Eek! I've also been knitting up dishcloths like mad. :D

My Sesame Street Persona

2007-07-29T07:39:00.000-04:00

Snuffleupagus - You scored 66% Organization, 50% abstract, and 42% extroverted!
This was a fun little test. I'm surprised to have scored so high on "extroverted". You can take the test
here.

Free Pattern #3 - Burp Baby Cloth

2007-07-13T07:12:00.001-04:00

Click for PDF

REVISED 4 JAN. 2008
Materials: Bernat Cottontots
Needles: 4mm
Size: 8in by 9.5in

Pattern:
Cast on 46 stitches.
Rows 1 & 3: K1, P1 across row.
Rows 2 & 4: P1, K1 across row.
Row 5: (K1, P1)x 2, knit to last 4 st, then (K1, P1)x 2.
Row 6: (P1, K1)x 2, purl to last 4 st, then (P1, K1)x 2.
Row 7: (K1, P1)x 2, K4, P13, K4, P13, K4, (K1, P1)x 2.
Row 8 (and all even-numbered rows): (P1, K1)x 2, purl to last 4 st, (P1, K1)x 2.
Rows 9, 11 & 13: (K1, P1)x 2, K3, P15, K2, P15, K3, (K1, P1)x 2.
Row 15: (K1, P1)x 2, K3, P14, K4, P14, K3, (K1, P1)x 2.
Row 17: (K1, P1)x 2, K3, P13, K6, P13, K3, (K1, P1)x 2.
Rows 19, 21 & 23: (K1, P1)x 2, K2, P8, K18, P8, K2, (K1, P1)x 2.
Row 25: As row 5.
Row 27: (K1, P1)x 2, K7, P2, K2, P2, K3, P2, K3, P5, K4, P6, K2, (K1, P1)x 2.
Row 29: (K1, P1)x 2, K7, P2, K3, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K3, P2, K2, P2, K3, P2, K2, (K1, P1)x 2.
Row 31: (K1, P1)x 2, K7, P2, K4, P2, K1, P2, K2, P2, K3, P2, K2, P2, K3, P2, K2, (K1, P1)x 2.
Row 33: (K1, P1)x 2, K7, P2, K5, P4, K2, P2, K3, P2, K3, P2, K2, P2, K2, (K1, P1)x 2.
Row 35: (K1, P1)x 2, K4, P5, K4, P5, K2, P2, K3, P2, K2, P7, K2, (K1, P1)x 2.
Row 37: (K1, P1)x 2, K3, P6, K3, P6, K2, P2, K3, P2, K3, P6, K2, (K1, P1)x 2.
Row 39: (K1, P1)x 2, K2, P2, K3, P2, K2, P2, K3, P2, K2, P2, K3, P2, K2, P2, K3, P2, K2, (K1, P1)x 2.
Row 41: (K1, P1)x 2, K2, P2, K3, P2, K2, P2, K3, P2, K2, P2, K3, P2, K2, P2, K3, P2, K2, (K1, P1)x 2.
Row 43: (K1, P1)x 2, K3, P6, K3, P6, K2, P2, K3, P2, K3, P6, K2, (K1, P1)x 2.
Row 45: (K1, P1)x 2, K5, P3, K10, P2, K10, P3, K5, (K1, P1)x 2.
Row 47: (K1, P1)x 2, K3, P7, K6, P6, K6, P7, K3, (K1, P1)x 2.
Row 49: (K1, P1)x 2, K2, P9, K3, P10, K3, P9, K2, (K1, P1)x 2.
Rows 51, 53 & 55: (K1, P1)x 2, K2, P9, K2, P12, K2, P9, K2, (K1, P1)x 2.
Row 57: (K1, P1)x 2, K3, P3, K1, P3, K3, P5, K2, P5, K3, P3, K1, P3, K3, (K1, P1)x 2.
Row 59: (K1, P1)x 2, K14, P3, K4, P3, K14, (K1, P1)x 2.
Row 61: As row 5.
Rows 62 & 64: (P1, K1) across row.
Rows 63 & 65: (K1, P1) across row.
Cast off.

You may print a copy of this pattern for your personal enjoyment, and make copies for your friends, as long as this copyright notice is included. You may not reproduce this pattern in any publication, nor may you sell it for profit without prior permission from the author.
Copyright 2007 July 12.
Designed, knit & photographed by Shirley Ann Thompson

Baby Booties

2007-07-07T13:10:00.001-04:00

After knitting 3 pairs of booties, I believe I've come across a pattern that I like. They're knit in the round, cuff-down. The sole is grafted with Kitchener stitch. The pattern seems to have been updated since I printed it out; here's the
newest version. I knit the top in stockinette, rather than with a garter stripe.

Recent Knitting

2007-07-06T14:15:00.001-04:00

I've been busy knitting about 20 dishcloths recently, mostly to give away. This one is called Entra-Fake, and the pattern is here. It was fun to do. I did reduce the number of stitches to 45. Some other time I'll use the suggested stitch count. :)
This one I made up from a stitch pattern called Saxon Braid, found in a Leisure Arts publication, "99 Knit Stitches".
This was my first version of my Baby Cloth pattern. It turned out so big that I made it into a bib! I would have never thought to knit a bib before Ann and Kay's book. Now I'm off to design more dishcloths!

Free Pattern #2 - Baby Cloth

2007-07-05T23:05:00.013-04:00

Revised Version

Download Free from Ravelry.com

Materials: Bernat Handicrafter, 50g
3.25mm needles (measures 7.25in wide by 8in long)

Cast on 38 stitches.
Row 1 & 3: (K1, P1) across row.
Row 2 & 4: (P1, K1) across row.
Row 5: K1, P1, K1, knit to last 3 st, then P1, K1, P1.
Row 6: P1, K1, P1, purl to last 3 st, then K1, P1, K1.
Row 7: K1, P1, K1, K8, P3, K10, P9, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 8(and all even-numbered rows): P1, K1, P1, purl to last 3 st, then K1, P1, K1.
Row 9: K1, P1, K1, K8, P3, K9, P10, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 11: K1, P1, K1, K8, P3, K8, P4, K4, P3, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 13: K1, P1, K1, K8, P3, K8, P3, K5, P3, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 15: K1, P1, K1, K8, P3, K8, P3, K5, P3, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 17: K1, P1, K1, K8, P3, K8, P3, K5, P3, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 19: K1, P1, K1, K8, P3, K8, P4, K3, P4, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 21: K1, P1, K1, K7, P5, K8, P10, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 23: K1, P1, K1, K6, P7, K8, P9, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 25: K1, P1, K1, K5, P4, K1, P4, K8, P8, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 27: K1, P1, K1, K5, P4, K1, P4, K7, P9, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 29: K1, P1, K1, K4, P4, K3, P4, K5, P3, K4, P3, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 31: K1, P1, K1, K4, P4, K3, P4, K4, P3, K5, P3, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 33: K1, P1, K1, K3, P4, K5, P4, K3, P3, K5, P3, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 35: K1, P1, K1, K2, P4, K7, P4, K3, P10, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 37: K1, P1, K1, K2, P4, K7, P4, K4, P9, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 39: K1, P1, K1, knit to last 3st, P1, K1, P1.
Row 41: K1, P1, K1, K2, P5, K5, P5, K4, P9, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 43: K1, P1, K1, K2, P4, K7, P4, K3, P10, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 45: K1, P1, K1, K2, P4, K7, P4, K2, P4, K4, P3, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 47: K1, P1, K1, K3, P4, K5, P4, K3, P3, K5, P3, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 49: K1, P1, K1, K3, P4, K5, P4, K3, P3, K5, P3, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 51: K1, P1, K1, K4, P4, K3, P4, K4, P3, K5, P3, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 53: K1, P1, K1, K4, P4, K3, P4, K4, P4, K3, P4, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 55: K1, P1, K1, K5, P9, K6, P10, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 57: K1, P1, K1, K5, P9, K7, P9, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 59: K1, P1, K1, K6, P2, K3, P2, K9, P8, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 61: K1, P1, K1, K6, P2, K3, P2, K8, P9, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 63: K1, P1, K1, K7, P2, K1, P2, K8, P3, K4, P3, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 65: K1, P1, K1, K7, P5, K7, P3, K5, P3, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 67: K1, P1, K1, K7, P5, K7, P3, K5, P3, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 69: K1, P1, K1, K8, P3, K9, P10, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 71: K1, P1, K1, K9, P1, K11, P9, K2, P1, K1, P1.
Row 73: K1, P1, K1, knit to last 3st, then P1, K1, P1.
Rows 75 & 77: K1, P1 across row.
Rows 76 & 78: P1, K1 across row.
Cast off.

You may print a copy of this pattern for your personal enjoyment, and make copies for your friends, as long as this copyright notice is included. You may not reproduce this pattern in any publication, nor may you sell it for profit without prior permission from the author.
Copyright 2007 July 5. Revised 2008 July 4.
Designed, knit & photographed by Shirley Ann Thompson

Special Event

2007-06-28T21:26:00.000-04:00

This is one of those special events that occurs only about 4 times a year...Maybe you should sit down. Deep breath... There is at present no dirty laundry on the laundry room floor! Remember to breathe.

My First Pattern!

2007-06-27T12:43:00.003-04:00

Mad for Eyelets
Here is my very first dishcloth pattern, called Mad for Eyelets.

Click for PDF

Materials:
Less than 50g of Bernat Handicrafter Cotton
Size 4.5mm (US 7)knitting needles: makes a 9" wide cloth, or
Size 3.25 mm (US 3) knitting needles (see sample above) : makes a 7.5" wide cloth

Instructions:
Cast on 40 sts.
Rows 1, 3 & 5: (k1, p1) across row.
Rows 2 & 4: (p1, k1) across row.
Row 6: (p1, k1)x2, knit across to last 4 sts, (p1, k1)x2.
Row 7: (k1, p1)x2, purl across to last 4 sts, (k1, p1)x2.
Row 8: (p1, k1)x2, (k2tog, yo, k2) across row to last 4 sts, (p1, k1)x2.
Row 9: as row 7.
Row 10: as row 6.
Row 11: as row 7.
Row 12: (p1, k1)x2, (k2, k2tog, yo) across row to last 4 sts, (p1, k1)x2. Tip: be careful with the last yo before the border, which starts with p1. This is where a stitch can easily be lost, throwing off the stitch count. It should look as though the yarn was wrapped over the needle twice (see photo below for detail).

Row 13: as row 7.
Rows 6 through 13 form the pattern stitch. Repeat these 8 rows until the cloth has reached your preferred length (I prefer 5-6 repeats).
Next row: Repeat row 7.
Then: Repeat row 6.
Then add a 5-row border (rows 1-5 from above), and cast off. The sample below was knit on 4.5mm needles. Edited 2007 August 11.
You may print a copy of this pattern for your personal enjoyment, and make copies for your friends, as long as this copyright notice is included. You may not reproduce this pattern in any publication, nor may you sell it for profit without prior permission from the author.
Copyright 2007 June 27.
Designed, knit & photographed by Shirley Ann Thompson

What I've Been Knitting

2007-04-21T13:44:00.000-04:00

First, there is The Thing. I spotted some of DH's socks that he was about to throw out, and of course I thought "knitted toy". I had hoped to make it into either a frog or a dinosaur, since it's green, but I think that the shape would be better as a monkey. A green monkey? They're very rare, you know, being found only in the wilds of my sewing room. My goal is to make a few knitted toys for the waiting room where I work. I'll have to ask my boss if this will be allowed, but I'd like to have a couple completed items to show her.
Here's a Knitted Boy, in progress. He's being knit completely in the round, which is how I'd prefer to knit everything! As for the pattern, I'm just making it up as I go along. :D

I'm also working on a top-down raglan with 2 strands Paton's Classic Wool, on 6mm needles. With a cast-on of 68 stitches, it's turning out to be about size 8. It will go to CIC.

Toe-up Sock Flickr Set

2007-04-21T10:58:00.000-04:00

I've started a Toe-up Flickr set. The link is in the side-bar. I'll be adding more to it as I knit up the sock. These are my April socks for the Knit & Chat KAL, so I'll have to hurry to finish them by the end of the month!

Sensational Knitted Socks

2007-04-06T12:23:00.000-04:00

I've joined the Sensational Knitted Socks KAL! I hadn't known there was one until this morning, when I "googled" it, on impulse. I've already knit 3 of the stitch patterns: Garter Rib, Twin Rib, and Baby Cable Rib. I'm planning to knit the 3X3 Cable, and the Cable with Faggoting Centre. I really Small Capitals, and Ribbed Lace, and am considering knitting those, as well. I'm looking forward to seeing the second book in the series!

April Socks

2007-04-05T18:55:00.000-04:00

Here are my April socks for the sock KAL on Knit & Chat. They are toe-up anklets in Bernat Sox Denim, in "Baby Cable" stitch, from Sensational Knitted Socks. There were a few places where I lost count and knitted a row too many between cable rows.

This picture shows where I did the heel flap stitch under the heel, in order to both make the heel fit tighter, and (hopefully!) make it wear longer. I have narrow feet, so store-bought socks always fit too loosey goosey for my liking.

Here's Grandmother's Favourite with Heart dishcloth, from this site: http://http://anewtwistondishcloths.blogspot.com/2005/08/grandmothers-favorite-with-heart.html This was a quick knit, taking less than half a 50g skein of dishcloth cotton.

Ta da! My next socks, Broadripple from http://knitty.com, with Paton's Grace, on 2.25mm needles. These will be ankle socks to match my capris. I'm hoping it will be capri-wearing weather by the time I finish these socks. Dream on! We woke up to the ground covered in snow today. *G*

March Socks

2007-03-23T18:52:00.000-04:00

Here are my March socks for the KAL on Knit and Chat. The pattern is Twin Rib: http://dlcdesign.com/danniknits/wp-content/themes/danni/free.htm
done toe-up on 3.25mm dpn's, with a rectangular toe: http://www.planetshoup.com/easy/knit/sqrtoe.shtml. I followed Judy Gibson's instructions for toe-up socks, found at: http://tiajudy.com/putmeon.htm The yarn is Paton's Classic Wool in a dark grey. I enjoyed this pattern, and will probably knit it again. These socks will go to CIC for the Big Kids Challenge.

I really have to work on how to take a close-up picture! Of course, Koko insisted on being photographed as well.

Now in progress: toe-up socks in Bernat Sox in "Baby Rib" pattern, from Sensational Knitted Socks.

The Monstrosity

2007-03-18T10:22:00.000-04:00

Without further ado, I present, in all its glory:The Monstrosity
I crocheted this thing 28 years ago, at the age of 16. It was supposed to turn out 12 inches in diameter, but it's 18 inches instead, because my tension was terrible. I ran out of crochet cotton, so bought another cone in a different set of purples, and blithely crocheted on. What a hoot! I get this thing out every now and then to have a good laugh.CIC Sweater for Big Kids ChallengeHere's the finished sweater, knit in the round with Moda Dea Cache, on 5.5mm needles. I hadn't expected to like this yarn as much as I did. Back to knitting! :D

Turquoise Raglan

2007-03-04T16:49:00.000-05:00

Here is a picture of the finished top-down raglan. Just over the left shoulder, you can see Koko the pug, sleeping. It's too bad I can't attach the sounds of him snoring! I've had some technical difficulties taking pictures this morning [grin]. I, um, well, took pictures with the lens cap on. Brain. not. working. This sweater is being knit in the round up to the armholes. I'll be doing a 3 needle bind-off at the shoulders, then picking up stitches to knit the sleeves in the round. I bought this yarn because it was cheap and 75% wool for CIC knitting, and I'm pleasantly surprised at how much I like it knitted up. Nice surprises are good!
Yesterday, we had a bowling birthday party for David's 12th birthday. 8 of his friends were there, and a good time was had by all. I can't believe I have a 12-year-old! Gasp!

February Socks Done!

2007-02-25T19:27:00.000-05:00

These are my February socks for the Sock-a-long over on Knit and Chat. Yarn: Red Heart Supersaver in "Buff Fleck". Pattern: Garter Rib. They fit my size 8.5 feet. I tried to show the sole where I do a bit of double-knitting to make some extra warmth at the heels and toes. I do love to have toasty toes! ;-)

Sock Heels

2007-02-22T19:38:00.000-05:00

I just came across this chart for various sock heels, so thought I'd share. I'll be trying out the various types of heels. http://www.socknitters.com/Tips/heels_by_the_number.htm

I hope that link is clickable, but I'll also put it in my list of knitting links in the sidebar. I've been busy knitting socks. In the photo, the lefthand and middle pair were knitted toe-up, and the righthand socks were cuff-down. They'll be going to CIC for the Big Kids Challenge.

The top-down raglan will also go to CIC. It seems to be taking way too long. I'm eager to get on with other CIC sweaters, in bulkier wool. I hope to make significant progress while on nightshift the next 2 nights. Here's hoping! :D

Hat Progress, & Toe-Up Sock

2007-02-10T02:54:00.000-05:00

My DD's hat is finished except for a pom-pom. I was surprised that she wanted a pom-pom on it. I'll have to look up how to make one, because it's been at least 7 years since I made one last! I remember doing a search for pom-pom instructions back then, and being surprised by the, shall we say, "non-knitting" search results.

Even in bright sunlight, the colours still look a bit orangey, instead of how pretty pink it really is.

The colour is also too orangey in the sock photo; all the orange is really a medium red. This is my first attempt at a toe-up sock, following the tutorial on www.socknitters.com. I don't care for how the heel looks, although it feels OK when worn. I will pull it out and do it over, because I think I had to have not followed the instructions properly. I'm working on another toe-up sock from http://www.needletrax.com/toeupon2circulars.htm and it seems to be turning out much better. Phew!
Another glitch I encountered is that the above 2 socks came from supposedly the same dye lot of Big Mexiko, and I had intended them to match, VBG. Obviously one of the skeins had the wrong label on it! I'm compensating by adding in another yarn to make a matching pair out of each 50g skein. In this case, I'm adding Brigg's and Little Regal. C'est la vie! :DGuess who got curious as I was snapping photos of knits?

Latest Knits

2007-02-03T00:42:00.000-05:00

These are the mitts and hat I'm making for my DD. The hat is (obviously) still in progress. I'm using the ear flaps from: www.klaam.com/sheknits/ and the mock cable stitch pattern from: http://knitting.about.com/library/nbabyhat8a.htm. She also wants a pompom on the hat. I hope to have the hat finished this weekend. The yarn is Patons Decor, in "Florals". The photo makes it look a bit orange, but it's really a pretty mix of pinks and purples. She wore the mitts to school on Friday and thought she'd lost them already! She had such a sad face until they were found in her backpack, phew! :D

Red Scarf Project

2007-01-30T19:46:00.000-05:00

Whew! I remembered to mail my contribution to the Red Scarf Project today. It's the blue one made from Bernat Solo, mentioned in an earlier post. I still have not finished the crunchy green one.

January Socks - Done!

2007-01-21T08:57:00.000-05:00

I finished them at last! These are the socks I started almost a year ago. I did have to get another skein of Denimstyle in order to finish them - darn. But they're so soft and cozy that I don't mind. When I doubleknit part of the sole I use up way more yarn than I realise. I also like my socks to have more length in the leg than store-bought socks, which eats up the yarn. Now I can get on with other projects. I'm trying to keep "startitis" under control...

I'm still working on the Baby Genius Scarf out of ancient Paton's Shetland Chunky(which is not as soft as the current Shetland Chunky). I am making some progress, although it's slow going. I think the Baby Genius pattern would make a nice blanket, too. Hmmm. Startitis just might strike me again today!

First Finished Objects '07

2007-01-14T09:13:00.000-05:00

Woo hoo!! I have some finished items. The scarf really didn't take forever; it only felt like it did. Note to self: the key for me is to do a more interesting stitch pattern in order to hold my interest longer. This scarf is destined for the Red Scarf Project, and is knit with Bernat Solo.

I have another scarf in progress, but I don't know if it will be good enough to send. As a co-worker commented, it feels "crunchy". The yarn is Paton's Shetland Chunky (from a clearance bin), which feels softer in the ball than when knit in garter stitch. I will try to soften it by rinsing in hair conditioner. It's actually 2 shades of green, not blue like it appears in the picture. I'm using the Baby Genius Burp Cloth pattern from the Mason-Dixon knitting book. I do like how the pattern looks, and plan to try it with nicer-feeling yarn.

I plan to knit a baby sweater to co-ordinate with the pants. I have nearly 2 balls left of the baby blue, and 1 ball each of yellow and a darker blue, so some stripes might take place. This yarn is Phentex Merit, bought at Zellers about 13-15 years ago. Using this yarn is part of my concerted effort to use up Ancient Acrylic from my stash, as mentioned in my Dec 31 post.

January Sock Progress

2007-01-14T08:58:00.000-05:00

I finally finished the first sock, and am working on the leg of the second. I had forgot how much I like working with Bernat Denimstyle. I just like the feel of it in my hands.

Completed 2006 items

2007-01-08T17:15:00.000-05:00

Here is the list of knitting projects that were actually completed in 2006. We won't talk about the Projects That Remain Unfinished.
20 dishcloths
7 scarves
7 hats
1 bathroom curtain
11 pairs socks
5 sweaters
3 vests
3 baby blankets
3 baby sweaters
2 baby kimonos
2 baby bibs
2 pairs wristwarmers
5 pairs mitts
2 pairs baby booties
1 dog sweater

Mittens for Akkol

2007-01-02T15:15:00.000-05:00

These are the mitts I sent to CIC for their Mittens for Akkol challenge. They were made of 1 strand Lion Brand Wool with 1 strand of bulky Ecuadorean wool, from a disassembled sweater. They're quite thick! The sweater I mentioned has so far been made into: 2 pairs mitts, 2 pairs socks, and a matching set of hat and mitts. I still have a fair bit of the wool to use, as the sweater was a man's extra-large.

UFOs

2007-01-02T11:21:00.000-05:00

I dug this sock out of the UFO basket to finish for the January Sock-along on Knit & Chat. It has been untouched for about 11 months.

This is a blankie for Amy that's been in-progress for many months. Too many. It frowns at me disapprovingly every time I pass it over in favour of another project. There are more UFOs, but pictures will have to wait for another time. :D

Happy New Year!!

2006-12-31T12:58:00.000-05:00

Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year! I hope all goes well for you and yours in the New Year.

Knitting Content: I've been reading about various people's resolutions to reduce their stash. I've been working hard on stash reduction all year, knitting mostly from stash, and only buying yarn for specific projects. I would absolutely HATE to limit myself with draconian measures like others are doing, eg., only knitting from stash for 6 or 9 months, without buying any yarn. That would be the time that a Really Great Yarn Sale would happen. However, while I have given away everything I knit this year, I find that the acrylic (OK, it's Red Heart) stash has not been reduced nearly enough! I have some great colours in the 454g size that don't feel, well, the softest, which limits their use. I hereby resolve to make a concerted effort this year to reduce the AQ (acrylic quotient) of my stash. I am confident that I can do this without joining any of the stash-alongs, although they are wonderful ideas for those who appreciate the support of a group effort.So, I will bust some stash, but I won't join anything official. I won't! I won't! :P

On Notice!

2006-12-26T13:25:00.000-05:00

1. Black Hole at the Centre of the Galaxy: who wants that?! (Every on notice board I saw started with this one. Great minds think alike!)

2. Winter: I firmly believe that I could be quite happy living somewhere that doesn't have winter. Never cared for it.

3. Grizzly Bears: OK, as if camping/hiking/roughing it isn't rough enough.

4. Violence: I'm against it. Imagine a world without violence. Lovely.

5. Excessive Wind: See #2. Excessive wind causes too much damage. There's no need for it. I'm just saying.

6. Mud: I could live without it. Also causes too much damage.

7. Politics: Oh, ick! I realise there have to be leaders, but do they have to talk so much and be so self-serving?

8. Centipedes: Ewww! Years ago, I lived in an old apartment that had these nasty huge centipedes, not like the kind I see in the garden (not your garden-variety centipedes - get it? Groan.) Their legs were 2 inches long, and they just gave me the creeps. I've never seen any near that size since, thank goodness!

Post-Xmas

2006-12-26T13:04:00.000-05:00

The Xmas knits have all been given away, (sorry, didn't manage to take pictures) so now it's time to start.....next years' Xmas knits. Bwahahaha! Seriously, I do have a scarf in progress. I also must get some baby knits done, to TRY and get ahead of the next crop of babies. This year, I have barely kept up. Something that will help the cause: "Itty Bitty Hats", a lovely present from my daughter.

OTN: A pair of wool mitts for the current CIC challenge (for Mittens for Akkol).

Happy Knitting!
:D

Knitting Then...

2006-12-10T11:38:00.000-05:00

I used to be that knitter, with an aura of blue words swirling about my head! Especially when working any stitch pattern more complicated than stockinette. Now, I embrace the counting, the errors, the frogging...

Links and Buttons

2006-11-19T09:33:00.000-05:00

I haven't been posting a lot on my blog, but I've been busy adding links and buttons. Mmm, links and buttons... what fun!

A fun site I've just found is www.cuteoverload.com Lots of pictures of cute animals.

That is not my pug, BTW, but who can resist a pug in a motorbike cookie jar?

One of Those Baffling Things

2006-11-12T10:02:00.000-05:00

Sometimes adding links seems to completely baffle me. I am flummoxed at this very time, flummoxed I tell you! I have found this great charity link, and cannot seem to add it to my links in the sidebar, so here it is:

http://www.adoptachild.us

Let's hope it works here!

OK, so I can't click on it, but if I copy and paste the address, it works. Oy oy oy!
I'm getting dizzy from rolling my eyes. :D

Top-Down Raglan, Finished!

2006-11-06T10:50:00.000-05:00

Hooray! The top-down raglan is finished. I plan to make more of these. I wish I had a pattern to make these in a bulkier yarn, but I'll just have to do the math myself, darn. I think I can, I think I can... :D Anyway, this one is size 6, and knit in Paton's Classic Wool in "Palais". It will go to CIC.

The other sweater is knit with Caron's Black Magic in "Violet Sky" (I think, but I already can't find the label), and Paton's Classic Wool. It's size 2, and is destined for CIC's Fall sweater challenge. I've cast on another that will be solid red, in Paton's Classic Wool, also for CIC.

This post could have been called "Long time, no blog." Where does the time go?! Hallowe'en has been and gone, and now we'll be winding up for Xmas. Yikes! I'll try really hard to post more often. :D

Technology, or, How I Waste Hours of Time

2006-10-07T12:14:00.000-04:00

Here's the Understatement of the Year: I am not computer literate. But I'm learning, slowwwlllyyy. ;) I've been trying and trying to add clickable links to the sidebar, and I've actually got 3 to work! Woohoo!! I haven't (yet) figured out why I can get some to work, but not others. Is it possible that some sites don't allow one to link to them?

Anyway, this delving into the template and making changes is pretty mind-blowing stuff. I'd love to be able to add buttons as well, and preferably clickable ones. I will figure this out!

Later: I have added the Red Scarf Project button, but wasn't able (yet!) to make it clickable. I'll try some more another time. Must...rest...brain.....

Top-Down Raglan Progress

2006-09-30T08:49:00.000-04:00

This is my first top-down raglan, destined for CIC. I'm really enjoying seeing it come alive as I knit. I like the look of a raglan, but hate the fiddly sewing of the seams, so this is the perfect pattern for me. This pattern is from Paton's Upside Downers, and it's knit with Paton's Classic Wool, in Palais. Love their new variegated colours!

Chock Full 'O' Veg

2006-09-26T11:30:00.000-04:00

Wait...I can't knit that!!
This is an adaptable recipe (OK, that's redundant) called Shipwreck. It's composed of layers, starting with a layer of ground beef, chicken, or turkey. Next, a layer of sliced peeled potatoes, then layers of several vegetables of your choice. Today's version has snow peas, chunky slices of celery, sliced mushrooms, sliced water chestnuts, baby carrots, and 1 cup of long-grain rice. Pour 1 large can of tomato sauce, plus 1 can of water, over the top. Either stir, or leave in layers. Cook, covered, at 350 degrees F, for 1 hour. Voila! C'est tout!

Unidentified Knitted Object

2006-09-21T14:14:00.000-04:00

What could this possibly be??

I'll post a picture of this latest mind-expanding knitting experiment after I sew it together. But, what part to sew to what?

The Fair

2006-09-19T11:25:00.000-04:00

We had a good time at our local fair recently. Lots of rides, cotton candy, and a few livestock. I saw goats but no sheep. I wasn't thinking, I should have taken a knitting project to get a cool goat-and-knitting picture, like on the Mason-Dixon knit-along website! Blogger is labouring mightily to upload my photos, so they might not appear today. :-[

Beach Knitting

2006-08-23T19:25:00.000-04:00

How I Spent My Time at the Beach:
I finished up several projects (kimono, red socks, and blue striped sweater), and knit 2 more (bib and ballband). The kids had a great time endlessly digging holes. We're still getting the sand out of our gear. :D

What's Wrong With This Picture?

2006-08-23T19:08:00.000-04:00

This is my first attempt at a mitred square dishcloth, LOL! Apparently, I was distracted a few times. I pondered whether to frog the beast or keep it as is, but I've decided to frog it. I just wouldn't be able to bear seeing it in the dishcloth drawer. Next time, I resolve to be more diligent in following the pattern!

MDK Items

2006-08-05T14:12:00.000-04:00

Here are my first MDK items. The ballband was knit in Bernat Handicrafter: Beachball Blues and Tropic. The kimono is Cottontots Lovely Lilac. It has ribbons now, but for the next one I'll use buttons. Or possibly I-cord....

Mudgirl

2006-08-05T06:54:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, my 8 year old daughter was playing with a water squirt gun in the backyard. Water + dirt = MUD. It seems that she created a small mud wallow, because she came in only a short while later, covered with mud from head to toe! I had not previously been aware of how well mud clings to sunscreen; it took some serious scrubbing to remove.

Knitting: I have several projects OTN at the moment. I was commissioned by a co-worker to knit a baby blankie from Red Heart Baby Clouds, and I should have this finished today. I'm also working on a sweater for CIC, red cabled toddler socks for CIC, a baby kimono in blue Cottontots, and an Absorba! "Absorba" always seems to need an exclamation mark after it. :D

My Very Own Blog!

2006-08-04T07:31:00.000-04:00

Wow! What a technological marvel this is. Never thought I'd have the courage to try doing something so tech-y. ;)

Now, if only I could write in an amusing way....and add photos.......

:D