Kris Knits

Maui

2011-08-07T08:12:00.000-07:00

Wow, I haven't bogged in a long while. I think I'll share my trip, of course pictures will come later. This being my first trip to Maui, I want to remember everything. The flight over the Pacific in first class was wonderful. That quote from the "Seinfeld" episode of "I've flown first class, I can't go back, I won't" makes even more sense. Let me just say very attentive service, a real meal, real glasses, and silverware. Plus a warm cookie. When we landed the sun was getting ready to set. Boy, it gets dark fast. Couldn't see much on the way to the hotel but I will see it soon. Walked just around the hotel grounds a little last night; they look beautiful. Tons of Fiji Torches, two nice looking pools, and right on Kaanapalli Beach, can it get any better. Looking forward to seeing what today will bring.

A recent FO and some WIPs

2009-10-30T11:19:00.000-07:00

I recently finished a set of sweater ornaments that my Aunt asked for and decided to use that to get back into posting about my knitting. I followed two patterns to make them up. I used the Minutia and Minutia '08 patterns from berroco. I love any project that allows you to use bits of yarn left over from other projects. All that is left for these is for me to make the hangers that go with them.

On too the WIPs I recently purchased the Tidings of Joy Kit

from knitpicks.com for the sole purpose to really make the Popcorn and cranberry garland. It is slow tedious work... anything that is knit in the round on Size 2 needles and starts with 4 stitches I guess would be.... slow going but I'm loving how it looks. Another knitpicks kit I recently purchased was the Design your first sweater I went with the red and white, I really like this pattern kit because it allows you the option to choose the bottom, the cuffs, the sleeve style and collar style. Plus it is knitted in the round and that means no Seaming!!! I am making pretty good progress on this one and hope to have it finished in the next couple of weeks.

A knitting contest

2009-08-09T07:26:00.001-07:00

I once again can't imagine how long it has been since I last blogged. But to get back into the whole blogging thing... I decided I need to share with all of you about this great contest I recently read about. It is for a chance to win a set of KnitPicks new Zephyr needles. You can get all the details at: http://thingsmomslike.com/2009/07/30/knitpicks-zephyr-knitting-needle-set-giveaway-821/comment-page-9/#comment-8552. So go ahead and why not give it a try.

My First Drop Spindle Experience

2009-03-17T20:15:00.000-07:00

I have taken the next step. I have now spun some yarn. I have always been amazed at people that make their own yarn and I am even more amazed now that I have tried the whole drop spindle thing. I recently purchased a drop spindle and some roving and figured I would be able to figure out how to do this craft.

So here are photos of the experience:

Here is the roving all laid out. I wonderered how much yarn I would get. I guess it depends on how thick you make the yarn.

Well I removed a part of the roving attached it to the spindle and started spinning.... and spinning..... and spinning.

After some trial and error I actually started to see progress. Yeah I was making yarn! Well as time passed the spindle began to get fuller and fuller. So I knew it was time to set the twist and hang to dry.

And after this I got a finished product.... a small ball of yarn. The thickness varies throughout the ball. But I've purchased yarn like that so I know it is okay.

Now onto what is left of the roving. This time the

process went much easier. Yes it still has its variations; but, I'm happy with what I've made. On this go around I put the yarn I made into a hank!

I guess know I'll have to think of something to make to work this into.

Knit Knack Blanket Squares!

2009-02-03T17:29:00.000-08:00

Yeah! They are officially done. After much procrastination on my part; the squares are finished.

When I first signed up for this in May 2008. I thought no problem I'll be able to get 24 squares done in plenty of time for the deadline. But as the deadline approached I knew I wasn't going to make it. Luckily, it was extended till the end of January. Well here we are in February and I haven't mailed them out. But they will be all on their way to their new homes by the end of the week.

I hope everyone will enjoy the square I made. As you can see in the picture they are various patterns. I just couldn't decide on just one, and I didn't really want to get bored by doing just one design.

Now the next step will be waiting for all the squares to arrive. I have already received some... which makes me feel even worse that I haven't mailed any out. Once they arrive it will be interesting to see how long it takes me to put it all together.

A Glass Head and other knitting news

2009-01-13T13:00:00.000-08:00

Well it is another year and I just past my 3rd year anniversary of knitting. I can't believe I've been knitting for 3 years. I am definitely happy with the progress I have made during this time. It is always enjoyable to look back on what you made in the beginning and seeing how you have improved. An example would have to be the teddy bears I've made, both were from the pattern used for The Mother Bear Project. The first one was made in about Sept. of 2006 and the

second was done in August of 2008.

In other knitting news I am working away on the blanket squares for a blanket exchange I am taking part of in the greatest ravelry group known as Knit Knack. I have procrastinated on making these squares and now with the deadline looming I have been knitting nothing but squares. I have until the end of the month and 12.5 more squares to go. Then the process of sending them all out. After that will come the process of me sewing the squares I receive together. I guess I should take some pictures of my squares...

Oh and now about the rest of the post title. A Glass Head. I just had to share that I am now the proud owner of a Pier 1 glass head. I have been looking for one of these for at least a year now and now I have one. I can't wait to make a cool hat to use this as a model. I guess I'll have to wait till those squares are done.

A post Christmas Post

2008-12-29T05:40:00.000-08:00

I hope all had a happy holiday season.

This Christmas I made all of my gifts and was so happy that everything seemed to be well received.

Do we really not read?

2008-12-20T08:35:00.001-08:00

Okay I saw this on a blog I read and I to have decided to post this. I'm just curious to see if it is really true.

************************************************************************
This one is originally from The Big Read. Apparently they reckon that most people will have only read 6 of the 100 books here.

Instructions:
1. Look at the list and bold those you have read.
2. Underline those you intend to read. (In blogger you can use Ctrl. U to do this)
3. Italicize the books you LOVE.
4. Reprint this list so we can try and track down these people who've only read 6 and force books upon them.

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkein
Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
Harry Potter Series - JK Rowling
To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
The Bible
Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
1984 - George Orwell
His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
Little Women - Lousia M Alcott
Tess of the D'Urbevilles - Thomas Hardy
Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
Complete Works of Shakespeare
Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
Birdsong - Sebastian Faulkes
Catcher in the Rye - J D Salinger
The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
Middlemarch - George Eliot
Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
Bleak House - Charles Dickens
War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
Brideshead Revisted - Evelyn Waugh
Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
Emma - Jane Austen
Persuasion - Jane Austen
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
The Kite Runner- Khaled Hosseini
Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
Animal Farm - George Orwell
The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
Lord of the Flies - William Golding
Atonement - Ian McEwan
Life of Pi - Yann Martel
Dune - Frank Herbert
Cold comfort Farm - Stellla Gibbons
Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
The Curios Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
The Secret History - Donna Tartt
The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
On The Road - Jack Kerouac
Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
Bridget Jones' Diary - Helen Fielding
Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
Moby Dick - Herman Melville
Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
Dracula - Bram Stroker
The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
Ulysses - James Joyce
The Bell Jar - Slyvia Plath
Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
Germinal - Emile Zola
Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
Possession - AS Byatt
A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
The Color Purple - Alice Walker
The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
Charlotte's Web - EB White
The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
Watership Down - Richard Adams
A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
Hamlet - William Shakespeare
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

I guess I'm doing pretty good 26 out of 100 that isn't too bad.

The Last Big Christmas Knit

2008-12-09T20:55:00.000-08:00

I am so happy that I am officially finished with the "big christmas knit projects". I still have a few things to finish up, but those won't take that long.
This one project the Lace 1-2-3 Scarf from Knit Picks took me some time. I have to say it wasn't a difficult project... a 4 row repeat isn't asking much. Though when you use lace weight yarn and size 3 needles no matter how easy the pattern it is going to take awhile. The yarn was Knit Picks Shadow in Midnight Heather .

After what has felt like months of knitting it was time to block this extremely long scarf. Luckily the yarn was thin enough that it didn't take too long to dry. I will definitly have to go about and purchase some lace knitting blocking tools before I venture into lace knitting again.

But yeah it is finished!!! I know that the person it is going too will truly appreciate it.

Just some holiday Fun

2008-12-05T12:10:00.000-08:00

You Are a Cranberry and Popcorn Strung Tree

Christmas is all about showcasing your creative talents. From cookies to nicely wrapped presents, your unique creations impress everyone.

What Christmas Tree Are You?

You Are a Snowman

Friendly and fun, you enjoy bringing holiday cheer to everyone you know!

Whatchristmasornamentareyou?

You Should Have a Pink Christmas Tree

For you, the holidays represent a time of friendship and sharing. You're happy as long as you're spending time with the people you care about. You are passionate about the holidays, and that start of the holiday season makes you very excited. You sometimes go a bit overboard in your celebrations. You just can't help it!

Passionate, easily excited, sweet, giving, love, friendship, sensitive, caring. Your pink tree would look great with: More pink!

You should spend Christmas Eve watching: The Muppet Christmas Carol

What you should bake for Santa: Rice krispie treats with red and green food coloring

What Color Christmas Tree Should You Have?

Your Christmas Song Is "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer"

Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer
Had a very shiny nose.
And if you ever saw him,
You would even say it glows.

For you, Christmas is a mix of tradition and fun.
You're not above strapping on a red blinking nose for a laugh

What Christmas Carol Are You?

You Are Rudolph

Sweet and shy, you tend to be happiest when you're making someone else happy.

Why You're Naughty: You sometimes stick that nose where it doesn't belong

Why You're Nice: Christmas would be a sad affair without you!

Which of Santa's Reindeer Are You?

Christmas Knits

2008-12-01T08:16:00.001-08:00

Christmas Knits
Originally uploaded by KrisCe

Here is just a little look at some of the Christmas knitting.

It has once again been so long

2008-12-01T07:44:00.001-08:00

I can't believe it has been so long since I last posted. I just noticed I never shared the prize I won during the Ravelympics.

Here are 3 of the 5 stitch markers I got from "Shamekaknits".

In other knitting news I have been busy busy busy getting my Christmas knitting done and I am so happy to say I am almost done. Besides Christmas knits... I am currently participating in two exchanges with the wonderful people of the Knit Knack Group over on Ravelry. One is a blankety exchange where in the end we will each put together a blanket made up of fellow member squares. The second is a scarf exchange.... and I am happy to say that the scarf is making some progress.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Ravelympics 2008

2008-08-09T17:54:00.000-07:00

The wonderful site of Ravelry decided to do an event to commemorate the Summer Olympics; the Ravelympics. I love the Olympics so I just had to take a part in this event. I figured I could at least get some Christmas knitting finished along the way. I don't know if I'll win any of the fun little badges/medals but how many can say they actually win a medal. So I'm at least happy to say I've finished 1 of my 8 projects. (I can't believe I signed up with 8 projects)

But here is my first finished Ravelympic Hat Dash project. It is the pattern Halfdome. It was knitted in Knit Picks' Wool of the Andes . Hopefully it will be liked by the attended recipient.

Hemlock is Done!

2008-07-10T21:08:00.000-07:00

My hemlock blanket has been saved. I unfortunatly, had to take the whole thing apart. But, with that downfall I changed my plan a little bit. Instead of just using the alternate color for Bind off I added it in the very center and then added a stripe of it as well.

I am so happy with the finished result. One more Christmas project taken care of.

A yummy Pizza

2008-06-21T17:22:00.000-07:00

I just have to share this yummy pizza I made the other day. It is a take on a Bruschetta I had at my aunt's house.

Ingredients:

Pillsbury Pizza Crust
Pesto Sauce
Sundried Tomatos
Mozzarella Fresca Ricotta Cheese
Olive Oil
Crushed Garlic

I took a pillsbury pizza crust and followed the prebake instructions. After it was done prebaking I took it out of the oven drizzled it with some olive oil and rubbed it with some crushed garlic cloves. Then put it back in the oven to finish baking. Took it out again spread the crust with the pesto sauce and returned it to the oven for about 2 mins. to warm up the pesto. Finally I took it out of the oven for the final time. Spread out the ricotta cheese and then sprinkled the top with the Sundried Tomatoes.

YUMMY!

I got tagged

2008-06-21T16:59:00.001-07:00

Well I knew it would happen sooner or later; I got tagged. So here it goes.

The Rules: Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they've been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you've posted your answers.

What was I doing ten years ago? Was thinking that I wish I would of gone away to school. I would have been just about finished.

What are five (non-work) things on my to-do list for today?
1. Clean closet
2. Clean out fridge
3. Take dog to groomer
4. Try and stay cool. (another hot day)
5. Watch some of the Olympic trials.

Five snacks I enjoy:
1. Pretzel rods with nutella
2. Crackers
3. Ice cream
4. lime tortilla chips
5. popcorn

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
Do something nice to all the people that have been nice to me.
Start up a foundation
I don't know.... all that money is just to unbelievable.

Places I've lived most recent first:
Windsor, CA
Novato, CA
Phillipsburg, NJ

Jobs I've had:
Domestic
Tutor
Baby-sitter

Tag now you're it:

Cris

Sinnomen

visionsjohanna

angie

Jennee

Just something fun to try

2008-06-18T08:25:00.000-07:00

Hi, you've got to try this out. While reading Learner's Per-knit's blog post, I saw she did a fun thing called a meme. So of course I had to try it out as well. But first if you would like to make your own meme?

Here are the the steps:

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.

b. Using only the first page, pick an image.

c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into Flickr Mosaic Maker.

d. Save your mosaic, and post it on your blog for all the world to see.

What is your first name?
What is your favorite food?
What high school did you go to?
What is your favorite color?
Who is your celebrity crush?
Favorite drink?
Dream vacation?
Favorite dessert?
What you want to be when you grow up?
What do you love most in life?
One Word to describe you.
Your flickr name.

Here it is "My Meme"

Knitting Tragedy

2008-05-09T08:30:00.000-07:00

Hey all, I need to lament about a recent FO. The Hemlock Blanket I've been working on. I started the blocking procedure yesterday. Had new pins to use and everything. Stripped my bed and put down some towels all ready to go. Then I soaked the blanket for the blocking process. Now the worst part; when I lifted it out of the water to roll it up in a towel to get out the extra water; some yarn ends became loose and caused a major hole in the “feather fan section”. I thought I’ld be able to pick up the stitches but as it has been drying I’ve noticed more stitches dropped then I first thought. So my pretty blanket that was an FO, will now have to be Frogged and redone. I’m hoping I’ll be able to only take out enough to the mistake; but I usually don’t have much luck with that procedure.

On a happier note I've done some knitting for an upcoming family reunion. I just love some quick knits. So two lucky people will be getting some handknits at an upcoming reunion. I decided to make:

a Market Bag:

and a Water Bottle Carrier.

It has been so long

2008-04-19T07:38:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it has been so long since I last wrote something here. I guess I just haven't felt much like posting anything. But, that is the good thing about blogs no set rules. Now on to my recent knitting adventures.

I am so happy with myself that I am getting Christmas knitting started; it was one thing I wanted to accomplish this year and it is going great. Currently I'm working on the hemlock ring blanket. ht tp://brooklyntweed.blogspot.com/2007/08/hemlock-ring-blanket.html I was so scared about this pattern; the whole idea of knitting a blanket in a circular shape; but it is coming along wonderful. I know that this will be well received. I have already completed one; and have almost completed a third that just needs some major finishing still. I would love to share the projects of the completed one and the major finishing one; but, since they are for a blog reader it can't be done. My final Christmas project is the cleo clutch http://wists.com/lespaulguitargurl/444975210091e0803071bbf3e813a673 this just needs the lining sewn in.

My other knitting adventure that I had recently was Kool-aid dyeing I found two great tutorials to help me on this they are: http://www.knitpicks.com/kpimages/pdf/DyeingTutorial.pdf, &
http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall02/FEATdyedwool.htmlty.com/ISSUEfall02/FEATdyedwool.html ty.com/ISSUEfall02/FEATdyedwool.html. I can't believe how fun it actually was to do this little project.

Here the yarn is being skeined. I decided to just try a little bit for my first dyeing experience. Sorry can't really see the yarn so well.

Washing the yarn.

Color choice, who doesn't love purple.

After first trip through microwave.

After 2nd trip through microwave.

Final rinse.

Hanging to dry.

Finished ball. It even smelled grapey.

Now just decide what to make with my little ball of yarn... I think it might become a book mark. Will I dye with kool-aid again; most definitely.

Swap Time Again

2008-01-19T12:29:00.000-08:00

Well it is time for me to participate in another swap. I am so happy that I am a participant in Ravelry. Through ravelry I am able to communicate with a great bunch of people I met in myspace in another knitting group. Unfortunatly, that group got attacked by a numerous amount of offensive spamming. Luckily, one of the members started the group in ravelry and this group is now participating in another swap.
I will be participating in the "hat swap" of this one. I now know who I'll be knitting for; I have decided on the pattern, so now I just need to make a trip to pick up some great yarn.

On another note I happily completed the argosy scarf and had it under the tree for Christmas morning.

My knitting projects for this year are growing by the day 'thanks again to ravelry'. I have decided I am going to work on Christmas presents throughout the year so I will be able to give everyone something knitted. I placed my first order with knit picks and am anxiously awaiting my delivery of some laceweight yarn and some DPNs. I'm a little worried about having to wrap the yarn since I don't own a swift or ball winder.... but hopefully it won't be to difficult. I think I'll definitly order from knit picks again. They contacted me when my shipment was processed and on its way and make it very easy to track your shipment.

Christmas I can't believe it is almost here

2007-12-19T16:51:00.001-08:00

I can't believe how fast this year has gone and that Christmas is less then one week away. I have stuff that still needs to get accomplished and I don't know if it will.

Luckily all my cookie baking and candy making is done.... okay almost done. This year I've made once again probably too many cookies and I even tried my hand at candy making.

The candy making was an adventure: I made toffee which came out really well and was super easy to make. I loved checking the candy in the water and seeing it get to the harder stages it was so fun to break that thread of sugar.

Besides the toffee I also took a stab at making caramels. Once again it was easier then I thought the only bad thing about the caramels was when it came to wrapping all those individual pieces.

One other thing I made this year will probably weird many people out but oh well. It was a little something featured in the holiday edition of Kraft Food Family; they called them "Mint Thins" it is basically chocolate covered Ritz crackers with peppermint. I know it may sound weird or gross but they really weren't that bad.

As for the cookies I made quite a few:

Chocolate chips
Ginger Krinkles
Chocolate Pistachio Twists
Latte shortbread sticks
Snickerdoodle crescents
Mint stripes
Frosty chews
Sugar cookie cutouts
Bocca di Nonnas
Mocha Hazelnut Biscotti (they still need to be glazed)

Well I'm off to finish a gift I need to finish knitting by tomorrow so I have time to block it. I'm making the Argosy for my mom's Christmas present. http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter06/PATTargosy.html I have about 10 more pattern repeats to go and then I need to do section 3. If all goes well hopefully I'll have it done sometime tonight or early tomorrow.

Tempting Sweater Revisited

2007-12-01T00:08:00.000-08:00

I am so happy that my sweater is finished. Tempting was a great pattern. Though if I see a pattern that is all ribbing it will be awhile till I attempt that one. If I wouldn't have mastered the 'continental purl technique' I would be working on this sweater for ever. I'm happy with how it came out and even happier that it fits. With the knitting of this sweater I think I found a favorite wool yarn; Cascade 220 http://www.cascadeyarns.com/cascade-220.asp. Knitting a sweater in wool that will felt is something I highly recomend; especially if you despise weaving in the ends like I do. Wool that will felt allows one to do a join of the yarn ends with a mini felting process and that makes finshing that much easier. The only ends I had to weave in was where I started, finished, the sleeves, and the sleeve joins which wasn't so bad. I'm definitely looking forward to making something else with wool that will felt.

One thing I realized since I have made both of the Tempting sweaters offered on http://www.knitty.com/. I've come to realize that the pictures that they show with the pattern seem to be messed up. With the Tempting sweater (the sleeves are off the shoulder); while with Tempting 2 (the sweater appears to have a normal neckline). But when you reach the finished product the reverse seems to be true. Alas that just must be one of those things.

Now that I've finished this sweater for myself... I guess it will be time to make something for someone else... I've got a couple Christmas presents I need to make and then I'll just have to decide what my next project will have to be.

Thanksgiving

2007-11-21T17:44:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving

Tempting Sweater

2007-11-06T15:11:00.000-08:00

My current knitting project is going great; I can't believe I'm as far as I am. I just have to say I think I am able to handle all the k2, p2 ribbing because of knitting 'continental style'. This project has taught me the proper way to purl continental and I couldn't be happier. This new sweater will definitely be added to my wardrobe in the very near future. I still have to decide how long to make the sleeves. I'm not sure if I really want the 4" sleeves called for in the pattern. I'll probably measure a sleeves on some other sweaters and go from there. I have decided though I am going to attempt both sleeves at the same time. "Magic loop" hopefully it will work to my advantage.

Once this is finished it will officially be time to knit some Xmas presents. I still don't know what I'll knit my Dad. What to knit for someone who doesn't wear hats, scarves, gloves... and no way would I attempt a sweater for a guy. Oh well I'll think of something.... I hope.

Ravelry

2007-10-16T14:00:00.000-07:00

I'm singing praises to the land of Ravelry. I got my invite on Friday and have since fallen in love with this site. It is a great place to show off what you have made and come up with more ideas of what to make next. The number of groups that are available is just amazing.

Ravelry is one thing that all knitters, crocheters should be apart of; for anyone waiting for their invite to come, or those unsure about signing up? It is well worth the wait.

My most recent Completed Project

2007-10-11T14:47:00.000-07:00

Here is my most recent completed knitting project. It was a two part project. A Cabled baby set http://cache.lionbrand.com/patterns/60604A.html?noImages== and a baby blanket: http://cache.lionbrand.com/patterns/60160-1.html?noImages==; oh and a pair of knitted baby mitts too. This was yet another one of my favorite projects. Baby items are so fun to knit; they are so small and they go by so quickly. Now all that is left for me to do; is package it up and send it off. Knitting sure is a fun hobby!

A completed Purse

2007-10-05T19:53:00.000-07:00

I am so happy that I finished the Brea Bag! I was able to figure out the reverse single crochet (I think) and even tried making the lining on a sewing machine. Let me just say a sewer I am not... but who sees the lining anyway. This project took me a week of on and off knitting. Casted on last week during Survivor and finished the final sewing in of the lining during this weeks Survivor. Here is a little peek at my lining ...

Now that this is finished I need to finish a Baby Blanket and then get started on some items to wish people a Merry Christmas.

I am also anxiously awaiting my ravelry invite only 2909 people are ahead of me on the list. This seems like it is a great knitting community to belong to and I can't wait to be apart of it. More later......

A New Favorite Pattern

2007-10-01T22:26:00.000-07:00

I have found myself another pattern that I love, this one differs from others because I can actually see myself making this again. It is the pattern for the Brea Bag; http://www.berroco.com/exclusives/brea/brea.html . In one of my online knitting groups someone decided to do this pattern as a Knit along (KAL). So I thought yeah, I'll join in; of course, it took me awhile to get started, that really didn't surprise me. Last week though I decided I was going to start. So I bought some Cascade 220 yarn during a recent yarn store trip and planned on knitting this ASAP.

On Thursday night, I decided to start; what a surprise by Friday night the back panel was completed. Of course I did run into some problems with the directions. Those dreaded "knit the knits and purl the purls as they face you"; but being the nerd that I am I charted out all those even rows (let me just say that helped 100%). After finishing the back I decided I would work on the boring part of the pattern the dreaded moss stitch gusset which I did in a little over a day of on and off knitting. Then came time for the front piece which was started last night and finished today. But once I had the pieces finished I needed to do some 'reverse single crochet'; I knew how to do single crochet; but had never heard of the reverse type. Though, I found some help on that matter; and who knows if I did it right or not it looks good enough to me. So now all that is left is some blocking (YUCK!) and seaming (UGH!) oh and of course a lining; then I'll be done. But hey I think I can consider this a finished object after all I'm close. So here is a little preview please ignore the yarn holding it together...I really need to invest in some safety pins.

A Trip to my LYS (local yarn store)

2007-09-26T17:09:00.000-07:00

Well today was a day I had been looking forward too.. I was going to go to my LYS! I had some volunteering to do at the public library (art show); and since the yarn store is right by the library it looked like it would be the perfect opportunity. I had a gift certificate (thanks to the greatest sister one could ever have) and some ideas of what I may get. Let me just tell you it was a successful trip. The choices were hard to make so many beautiful feeling yarns to choose from.. a true yarngasm experience. I ended up getting supplies for four (4) projects.

2 skeins of Cascade 220 (for brea bag)
purse handles (for brea bag)
3 more skeins of Cascade 220 (might be a sweater)
some size 5 double pointed needles (a scarf I want to make needs these)
a skein of Tofutsies- the yarn with shrimp and crab shells (i've always wanted to try)
oh and a scarf kit -couldn't pass on the price or the ease of pattern

The scarf kit contained 2 skeins of metal wink (a true novelty yarn) each priced at 6.75 and a skein of Patons Katrina at 9.00. I got it all for 19.95. Oh and all you need to do is cast on 12 stitches on size 17 needles and just knit away. The novelty yarn is white while the patons yarn is a soft blue.. I can't wait to see how it comes out.

Now all I have to do is finish some other projects and I can start on these. But who knows I might not worry about my WIPs and might just start on one of these; I'll just have to see.

My Felting Experience

2007-09-21T13:53:00.000-07:00

Well I've officially felted! What can I say about felting... it has its ups and downs. One thing I did enjoy about this project was the ease of joining in the ends of my yarn.. I was able to do that 'felting join' don't know what you would really call it. Though it's when you wet the two ends of your yarn and then use the friction from your hands to join them together... that was pretty amazing. Oh and I also tried a new bind off that I highly recommend. Learned it from a Knitty Gritty http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/shows_dkng/episode this week. Basically, you knit 2 together and then slip the stitch back to the left needle and knit 2 together again.. and just repeat till the last stitch. Okay enough about that back to my felting experience.

Here it is before any felting what so ever...

Okay so the washing machine that I use is a front-loader so I always thought how would I be able to felt... well in the most recent Knitty http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEfall07/FEATfeltingoldway.html I found this article on felting before washing machines so I gave it a try...

The article doesn't lie talk about tiring work and messy. So I decided to stop on felting this way and decided to felt in the washing machine. Thank goodness for modern appliances. Thankfully I had found another article on felting in a front load machine http://www.woolcrafting.com/felting-in-a-front-load-washing-machine.html and it worked

All that is left is some drying and then a little icord and a button.

Felting something I'm glad I've learned to do. One more technique tried.... so many more to come.

First Felting Project

2007-09-20T23:41:00.001-07:00

Knitting... is something I truely love; and have been doing for a little under 2 years. Well I have decided to enter the world of felting my knitting projects. So I've decided I'll write about my felting experience. I am attempting an "Accesory Bag". As of right know I've done a majority of the knitting only about an inch more to go and will then attempt to "hand felt". This is going to be interesting. I am hopeful that it will work out and can't wait to share my experience.